Thank You, Colorado. It Has Been Magical…

Dear Cherished CLSDF Readers,

It is with a crashing wave of mixed emotions that I report this to be my final post as author of CLSDF. It is nearly three years to the day and over 500 posts since CLSDF launched, first as an experiment in learning about the blogosphere and new technologies yet rapidly evolved into an information node for members of the Colorado life science ecosystem and beyond.

When I began tinkering with this blog I never dreamt it would develop into the resource that you have indicated to me it is through countless emails, calls, meetings, texts, instant messages, tweets and blog comments. An infinite loop emerged, for the more acknowledgement and appreciation that was expressed by the reading audience the more motivated I became to deliver meaningful content in a consistent and reliable manner.

Perhaps the most selfish element extracted from authoring CLSDF has been the opportunity to connect with an incredibly vast array of special individuals, in Colorado and beyond. Relationships were forged that undoubtedly never would have without the blog. It truly has been an honor and a privilege and just plain fun for generating content never once felt like work to me, CLSDF is a chimera of my passions for the life sciences and the people who dedicate their lives to the advancement of global healthcare.

There have been so many people to whom I am forever indebted to and appreciative of. Too many to name here, but if you take a look at the acknowledgments page in CLSDF 2007: What’s In A Year (HERE) you will see what I am talking about. One person though whom I am moved to highlight is Robin, my betrothed, who showers me with extraordinary levels of support and encouragement; I truly feel like the luckiest man in the world to have her in my life.

As I began to share the news of the unwinding of CLSDF with community members it became unambiguously clear to me that the blog has grown to be bigger than me, and though I will no longer be banging out posts on my keyboard it is imperative that this resource continue to be available to our ecosystem. With that in mind I am actively pursuing the identification of the individual (or individuals) to whom the baton may be confidently passed. So if you enjoy looking under the hoods of life science companies, interfacing with amazing people and adding a bit of a personal flair to the news please email me (arubenstein@rnaventures.com). It may be next week or next month or next year (hopefully it does not take that long) but CLSDF version 2.0 will be back and better than ever. Perhaps you know someone who would be perfect to take the reigns, please send them my way.

Finally, I can hardly contain my level of excitement as I prepare today to embark upon my next journey. It is an extraordinary opportunity and am truly blessed to be able to participate. As a youngster I enjoyed the regular occasions to be deposited in front of the tele by Dad to enjoy with him the long running CBS series Sunday Morning, little did I know the impact that then host Charles Kuralt would have in contributing to my affinity for prose, poetry and journalism. And so I find it ironically fitting that I part levering some of his echoing words...

"Time for us to part, you and I. Saying goodbye to the readers of Colorado Life Science Deal Flow is like saying goodbye to old friends. That’s the way I feel. Thank you for making me feel that way. There is a rhyme by Clarence Day which says what I want to say: 'Farewell, my friends-farewell, and hail/I'm off to seek the Holy Grail/I cannot tell you why. Remember, please, when I am gone/'twas aspiration led me on./Tiddly, widdly, toodle-oo/All I want is to stay with you.' But...here I go. Goodbye."