Having been asked to write a guest commentary for the Journal of Bacteriology as part of the year-long commemoration of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) centennial, how does one proceed? Having been asked to write about the change in mind-set that led molecular microbiologists to begin exploring the molecular mechanisms at play in the stationary phase of the bacterial life cycle, what can one say? I accepted the challenge of writing something different for the journal, something beyond the traditional research papers and minireviews. After all, the journal for which I have served as editor for the last 5 years is changing in two important ways in celebration of the centennial of the ASM. First, it is dressing up with a color photo on the cover. The journal will now be stunning on the outside as well as the inside. Second, the opening pages of each issue will now include, for this year at least, occasional guest commentaries infusing the journal with a little history, some personal perspective, and perhaps even some lightness.
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