In this invited article for the Crystal Ball series, I have tried to briefly cover my undergraduate and post-graduate training and subsequent career in nutrition, and end with some thoughts about the future. It has not been possible to give a comprehensive account of my many years of nutrition research, so I have selected a few events that might amuse readers. Also, due to the lack of space, I have been unable to mention all the wonderful colleagues and friends with whom I have interacted, but, if they read this article, they know who they are. Unfortunately, a growing number are no longer with us and I would like to pay tribute to them and their important contribution to human nutrition.