At last, we are slowly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for our big paper. Okay, it is still a process of slowly crawling towards the end, yet every step is bringing us closer. Let me summarise the virtually endless process of submitting a paper again: when the project was finished (2 years), all data was analysed, graphs were made, text was written and polished to perfection (another 14 months), we sent it out to the journal. Then it needed to be accepted by the editor (19 days) and sent out for review (2 days). Three independent reviewers – when finally found – sent their suggestion to the editor (2 months), who decided in our favour (1 day). Then we got all comments back, with the task to answer one by one every issue raised by these reviewers (1,5 months).

That work is done now. Now it was back to the editor (6 days), who sent it back to the reviewers (possibly the same three) (0 days), of which we await the decision. And then it might be us answering again, the editor deciding again,…

There seems to be no slower process in science than finally getting your results out there. Yet it does not make me loose the appetite for science. All that waiting at least leaves plenty of time to finalise the next paper in row. Cause the more you hunt, the more you catch.

And oh, we did save a tiny black kitten from a certain death on the streets, but that is a different story. At least it helps searching for the light at the end of her tunnel, and preserving the appetite.