Wordy & Nerdy #1: Marine biology (& other things that didn’t work out)🦈

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a marine biologist.

An obvious career path at the time, because I was obsessed with the ocean.

The otherworldly creatures, the beautiful yet misunderstood sharks…

The whole idea of the ocean had me hooked.

Pun intended, obviously.

But, like most kids with a hyper-niche, hyper-fixated interest…

I eventually moved on from my “marine biology” career goals, because teenage Mel wanted to be a teacher.

Honestly not surprising, since school was always my jam.

I loved school, not only because I was a Type A teacher’s pet, but also because:

1. I loved learning.
2. I had a natural knack for tutoring.
3. I embraced my “good student” identity.

So, if we do a little bit of quick math here… A + B + C = teacher, right?

Listen, I never said I was good at math.

But, like most kids who thrived on educational validation (oops)…

I eventually moved on from my “teacher” career goals, too, because 19-year-old Mel wanted to work in museums.

So, I did what any school-and-museum-loving person would:

I got my Master’s in Museum Studies.

The dream was to work as a museum educator, teaching kids about dinosaurs, history, and other super cool stuff day in and day out.

But, like most things during the pandemic, museums got hit.

Everyone was laid off, hours were drastically cut, and precariousness was aplenty.

Museums got hit hard.

So I did what tons of people were forced to do:

I got a “This Sucks Ass But I Have Bills To Pay” job and started freelance writing on the side.

What I didn’t know at the time was that my “side hustle” (barf) was about to kick a much bigger universal plan into action:

• I’d quit my “This Sucks Ass” job.
• I’d get a full-time agency gig as a writer.
• I’d get fired from that (God awful) agency gig.

And I’d be celebrating 2 years of running my own business this year.

(Which is frickin’ wild).

Sometimes you don’t do what you thought you would when you were a kid.

Sometimes you don’t do what you went to university or college for.

But sometimes — and I’m about to be a total cheeseball, here — good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

I like to think that’s what happened to me.

And maybe… just maybe… that’s your experience, too.

The universe works in mysterious ways, my friend.

You just gotta be willing to let her do her thing.

The universe to me, tbh.

Wordy: Dive Into Ocean Words

I might not be a marine biologist... but I can still teach you some fun ocean words.

• ​Benthic zone: a seafloor ecological environment.
• ​Dermal denticles: tiny, flat, and sharp "v-shaped" scales.
• ​Cnidarians: a phylum of animals including jellyfish and corals.
• ​Bioluminescence: the production and emission of light by a living organism.
• ​WoRMS: an acronym for "The World Register of Marine Species" (which is honestly SO funny).

Nerdy: Bite-Sized Shark Facts

Keeping on the theme of “I’m not a marine biologist, but,” here are 3 top-tier shark facts.

#1 — Sharks can be hypnotized.

When sharks are flipped on their backs, they enter a trance-like state called “tonic immobility.” They completely relax and their breathing slows down, a super helpful feature for researchers trying to make handling as stress-free as possible.

#2 — 40% of sharks lay eggs.

Shark eggs aren’t hard-shelled like a chicken egg; they actually look like a little square pouch, often called a “mermaid’s purse.” The baby shark (do do do do do do) develops inside the egg case, hatches, then swims away to start its best shark life.

#3 — Sharks have dermal denticles.

The tiny, sharp “v-shaped” scales we just talked about? Sharks have ‘em! Sharks’ bodies are covered in these dermal denticles, designed to decrease drag, increase speed, and maintain the stealthy and silent swimming style they’re known for.

Bits & Bobs

Here’s some other stuff I’ve been loving lately, just for funsies.

• My friend Zoë’s “Creativity for Perfectionists” workshop. (P.S. Have the loveliest birthday ever, Zoë.)
• ​The Roasters Pack monthly coffee subscription I was gifted for my birthday. (Thank you again for this, Jordan, Emery, and Keeks.💖)
• Every song the band Kid Kapichi has ever put out.

This is Edition 1 of my newsletter, Wordy & Nerdy… but my subscribers got to read it on February 20, 2024. 👀

So, if you wanna get W&N when it comes out — and not a month later — you can subscribe here.

You won’t regret it.