The blogging world has been rather quiet recently... Well, the siblings have been busy: One is counting down night shift... Another is counting down grants... And one is kicking sequined butt!
Given the lack of blogging I felt I should venture out and put fingers to keys... Much like a movie premiering in the off season, this post will end up looking better than if it was put up against some competition...
It's been a strange and busy week:
On Tuesday I discovered that a postdoc from a collaborating lab is (at least partially) incompetent. A quick protein chemistry lesson: To determine the concentration of a protein solution, you measure it's absorbance at 280nm. As all proteins are different, you then us a correction factor (called an extinction coefficient) to determine the actual concentration.
So what's the problem? Well for the past two and a half months I've been doing experiments with proteins that this postdoc had purified. By chance I checked the concentration of one of these proteins on Tuesday, only to determine a very different concentration! Reviewing the protein notes I discovered the postdoc had failed to use an extinction coefficient when determining the protein concentrations! She had done so on 4 different proteins that I have been using. While it has been possible to re-analyze all the data, it is safe to say that I was not amused! I rang her lab to explain the problem (she didn't seem to see what was wrong) and talked to her a second time shortly afterwards when she rang back to give me the "corrected concentrations" (I have measured them all myself and I'm using my own numbers). After the second phonecall a graduate student in the lab said it was remarkable that I had remained so calm on the phone...
On Friday my boss lost some papers. I have recently cleared out a number of references that an old postdoc had left behind, so the boss assumed I had thrown his papers out! After getting rather snotty with me he appeared from his office 10 minutes later to remark: "Here they are! Right where they should have been. I just kept missing them!"...
On Wednesday I applied for my new job (they finally posted it!)! The emailed me Thursday to say they got the application and that they would schedule an interview shortly...
One of our graduate students had a horrid week at work. Friday afternoon, her husband showed up out of the blue with a dozen of the largest and yummiest cup cakes I've ever seen.
"This is because your week sucked" he said. "You can share them with the others if you want!"
It's been a strange week...
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
The Simple Things
It snowed all last night! We have a fairly decent covering of snow on the ground, on houses, and on cars. Watching the snow fall and accumulate last night and this morning made me think of the simple things in life. I hope I never fail to appreciate the simple joy associated with:
- Snow. It was so wonderful to stand at the window, with Sweetie in my arms, and watch the snow falling. This morning we awoke excited to see how much snow was outside. We were not disappointed!
- Natural beauty. Sweetie came in last night and gave me a bright yellow daffodil covered in snow. Nature knows a thing or two about beauty!
- Technology. It seems a strange thing to list, but consider this: I tried to delete a file the other day only to be told "The title of this item is too large for the recycle bin"... Remarkable!
- Being able to see your breath on a cold day. Try it! There's a definite child-like joy about it.
I could go on (and I usually do!), but I won't. Everyone has some simple thing that brings them joy. Enjoy them!
-----
Finally, I will leave you with some Latin:
"Gustatus similis pullus"
Translated: "Tastes like chicken"... Everything sounds better in Latin!
- Snow. It was so wonderful to stand at the window, with Sweetie in my arms, and watch the snow falling. This morning we awoke excited to see how much snow was outside. We were not disappointed!
- Natural beauty. Sweetie came in last night and gave me a bright yellow daffodil covered in snow. Nature knows a thing or two about beauty!
- Technology. It seems a strange thing to list, but consider this: I tried to delete a file the other day only to be told "The title of this item is too large for the recycle bin"... Remarkable!
- Being able to see your breath on a cold day. Try it! There's a definite child-like joy about it.
I could go on (and I usually do!), but I won't. Everyone has some simple thing that brings them joy. Enjoy them!
-----
Finally, I will leave you with some Latin:
"Gustatus similis pullus"
Translated: "Tastes like chicken"... Everything sounds better in Latin!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Work
I had the following exchange with my boss yesterday:
"Doctor X wants to nominate you for postdoc of the year", he said.
(Cheering from the other postdoc in the office)
"Really?" I ask.
"I think it's ridiculous. I mean really... You have no publications... None, zip! You got that grant, but so what? Now if you have a couple of papers maybe, but I think you'd be just setting yourself up to bomb out of postdoc of the year." He said.
"Okay", I mumble.
After the boss walked out of the office there was a short silence before the other postdoc apologized for his premature excitement.
"Well", I said, "At least I have a boss who keeps me well grounded!"
---
In other news: I have been working with a Science Outreach program at my University. Basically, it's designed to get school children interested in science and to show them that science can be fun! I love it, and it's what I'm aiming to do after my postdoc. The Monday after next I will be leading the class in a chemistry lab, which will be a lot of fun. I found out yesterday that a local station will be filming the day for a news article! It's all very exciting!!
It's a good thing I have people around to keep me grounded, or it might all go to my head! :-)
"Doctor X wants to nominate you for postdoc of the year", he said.
(Cheering from the other postdoc in the office)
"Really?" I ask.
"I think it's ridiculous. I mean really... You have no publications... None, zip! You got that grant, but so what? Now if you have a couple of papers maybe, but I think you'd be just setting yourself up to bomb out of postdoc of the year." He said.
"Okay", I mumble.
After the boss walked out of the office there was a short silence before the other postdoc apologized for his premature excitement.
"Well", I said, "At least I have a boss who keeps me well grounded!"
---
In other news: I have been working with a Science Outreach program at my University. Basically, it's designed to get school children interested in science and to show them that science can be fun! I love it, and it's what I'm aiming to do after my postdoc. The Monday after next I will be leading the class in a chemistry lab, which will be a lot of fun. I found out yesterday that a local station will be filming the day for a news article! It's all very exciting!!
It's a good thing I have people around to keep me grounded, or it might all go to my head! :-)
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Absurdities
Three thing today have struck me as somewhat absurd...
1. Nature Publishing seem to have figured out that I only need (and subscribe to) one copy of their journal, as they have indeed stopped sending me two copies... This in itself is not absurd, but all the events leading up to this have been!
2. I am under consideration to be in the 2009 edition of "Who's Who America"... Seriously! This is absurd for too many reasons to list!
3. Finally, an absurdity from the world of sport... At the beginning of December Shaquille O'Neal (playing for Miami) was mistakenly fouled out of a game (he had 5 fouls and not the 6 fouls required for "fouling out"). This was a mistake by the scoring officials who were employed by the opposition team (Atlanta). The NBA decided that this was a major error as the scores were very close, and that the removal of Shaq from the game may have contributed to Miami losing. So the NBA declared that both parties were to replay the remaining part of the game (all 51 seconds!) when they next meet to play each other... in March! So, replaying 51 seconds of a game, on a different court, some 3 months later is absurd enough, but it gets worse... Yesterday Shaq was traded to another team (Phoenix), making him ineligible to play in the remaining 51 seconds, but Miami and Atlanta are still required to go through with it!!! So two teams are required to replay 51 seconds of a basketball game because a player who won't be able to play was mistakenly not available to play the original 51 seconds... Uh huh!
1. Nature Publishing seem to have figured out that I only need (and subscribe to) one copy of their journal, as they have indeed stopped sending me two copies... This in itself is not absurd, but all the events leading up to this have been!
2. I am under consideration to be in the 2009 edition of "Who's Who America"... Seriously! This is absurd for too many reasons to list!
3. Finally, an absurdity from the world of sport... At the beginning of December Shaquille O'Neal (playing for Miami) was mistakenly fouled out of a game (he had 5 fouls and not the 6 fouls required for "fouling out"). This was a mistake by the scoring officials who were employed by the opposition team (Atlanta). The NBA decided that this was a major error as the scores were very close, and that the removal of Shaq from the game may have contributed to Miami losing. So the NBA declared that both parties were to replay the remaining part of the game (all 51 seconds!) when they next meet to play each other... in March! So, replaying 51 seconds of a game, on a different court, some 3 months later is absurd enough, but it gets worse... Yesterday Shaq was traded to another team (Phoenix), making him ineligible to play in the remaining 51 seconds, but Miami and Atlanta are still required to go through with it!!! So two teams are required to replay 51 seconds of a basketball game because a player who won't be able to play was mistakenly not available to play the original 51 seconds... Uh huh!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Do you use two pillows to sleep?
So what if I do?
I came across this question while filling out paperwork for a new dentist.
Why does he wish to know this? I have no idea!
I came across this question while filling out paperwork for a new dentist.
Why does he wish to know this? I have no idea!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Human Nature
Like many scientists, I subscribe to the weekly journal "Nature". Being a well-respected and popular scientific publication you would expect the Nature Publishing Group (NPG) to be a tightly run ship... right? Well maybe not...
At the beginning of August last year I get a call from NPG saying that if I renew early (my subscription was due to expire in November) I will get 30% off my subscription fee. Would I like to renew early? Why yes I would!
Later in August I was sent a letter from NPG saying it was time to renew my subscription... I figured this was just an automatic renew letter, but to be safe I rang NPG. The operator told me that yes, I was renewed until November of the next year, and not to worry about the letter.
The next day I get a phone call from NPG saying that it is time to renew my subscription!!! I politely explain to the voice at the end of the line that if he checks my records he'll find that I am renewed... He checks my record, but clearly cannot find any renewal... Rather than tell me I need to renew, he simple takes my word for it and alters my record to say I am renewed...
In October I get another renewal letter from NPG... I ignore it.
The cover of my "final" copy of Nature specifically states "Your subscription has EXPIRED. This is your final copy of NATURE."
At the beginning of November I wait for the first copy of my new subscription of Nature to arrive... A copy of Nature does not arrive... Instead, two copies of Nature arrive!! Since that day I have had two copies of the journal every week, but I have only ever been charged for one... I'd cancel one of the copies except for the fear that I'll lose both!
But wait, there's more... Last week I collect my two copies of Nature from the mail room. In between the copies is a letter from NPG: "We're sorry you decided not to renew your subscription to Nature. If this was an oversight, please contact us immediately."...
At the beginning of August last year I get a call from NPG saying that if I renew early (my subscription was due to expire in November) I will get 30% off my subscription fee. Would I like to renew early? Why yes I would!
Later in August I was sent a letter from NPG saying it was time to renew my subscription... I figured this was just an automatic renew letter, but to be safe I rang NPG. The operator told me that yes, I was renewed until November of the next year, and not to worry about the letter.
The next day I get a phone call from NPG saying that it is time to renew my subscription!!! I politely explain to the voice at the end of the line that if he checks my records he'll find that I am renewed... He checks my record, but clearly cannot find any renewal... Rather than tell me I need to renew, he simple takes my word for it and alters my record to say I am renewed...
In October I get another renewal letter from NPG... I ignore it.
The cover of my "final" copy of Nature specifically states "Your subscription has EXPIRED. This is your final copy of NATURE."
At the beginning of November I wait for the first copy of my new subscription of Nature to arrive... A copy of Nature does not arrive... Instead, two copies of Nature arrive!! Since that day I have had two copies of the journal every week, but I have only ever been charged for one... I'd cancel one of the copies except for the fear that I'll lose both!
But wait, there's more... Last week I collect my two copies of Nature from the mail room. In between the copies is a letter from NPG: "We're sorry you decided not to renew your subscription to Nature. If this was an oversight, please contact us immediately."...
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Monday Morning
Yesterday I accidently broke into the local laundromat...
I woke up very early Monday morning and, realizing that I was not going back to sleep, I decided to get up and start my day. I drop my clothes off at the laundromat and they wash them for me (this is my treat to myself and gives me more time for enjoying life).
6:05am - I arrive at my laundromat (they open at 6am). There was a car in the parking lot and the lights were on. When I tried the side door (I walk to the laundromat up a side road, so I always use the side door) it was open, so I walked in. I placed my basket on the table and quickly realized I was the only person around...
6:06am - The alarm goes off... The alarm rang for about 5 minutes. After it stopped, the display on the alarm control box started flashing "Police Alarm"... I decided I should hang around for the staff or the police...
6:25am - A man arrives to dry his clothes, but finds the front door locked. I try to explain (through the closed door) that I don't work there and that I set off the alarm when I walked through the open side door, but all he heard was "the side door is open". So he happily comes through the side door and starts drying his clothes. I explain the situation, at which point he says "I'll be back in a minute. I'm just taking my wife to work." When I remarked that I would surely still be there on his return, he said "Oh, I'll leave my basket then!"
6:35am - The man returns. Shortly afterwards, the phone rings... I answer, thinking it may be the alarm company, the police, or the owners. Instead, it's someone looking for "Destiny"...
6:40am - Another man arrives at the front door. I tell him to use the side door, which he does. He keeps looking at me suspiciously, but still begins his laundry...
6:45am - A woman who works at the laundromat finally arrives. She walks through the open side door and stares at the three of us... So I explain... After explaining everything to her satisfaction, the second man remarks that he had been coming to the laundromat for years, and had never seen a guy work there. He thought I might have knocked out the girl behind the counter and was planning to wack him next... Yet he still came in and started his laundry...
Hopefully this makes up for the disappointment of the "Baby-feet" explanation...
I woke up very early Monday morning and, realizing that I was not going back to sleep, I decided to get up and start my day. I drop my clothes off at the laundromat and they wash them for me (this is my treat to myself and gives me more time for enjoying life).
6:05am - I arrive at my laundromat (they open at 6am). There was a car in the parking lot and the lights were on. When I tried the side door (I walk to the laundromat up a side road, so I always use the side door) it was open, so I walked in. I placed my basket on the table and quickly realized I was the only person around...
6:06am - The alarm goes off... The alarm rang for about 5 minutes. After it stopped, the display on the alarm control box started flashing "Police Alarm"... I decided I should hang around for the staff or the police...
6:25am - A man arrives to dry his clothes, but finds the front door locked. I try to explain (through the closed door) that I don't work there and that I set off the alarm when I walked through the open side door, but all he heard was "the side door is open". So he happily comes through the side door and starts drying his clothes. I explain the situation, at which point he says "I'll be back in a minute. I'm just taking my wife to work." When I remarked that I would surely still be there on his return, he said "Oh, I'll leave my basket then!"
6:35am - The man returns. Shortly afterwards, the phone rings... I answer, thinking it may be the alarm company, the police, or the owners. Instead, it's someone looking for "Destiny"...
6:40am - Another man arrives at the front door. I tell him to use the side door, which he does. He keeps looking at me suspiciously, but still begins his laundry...
6:45am - A woman who works at the laundromat finally arrives. She walks through the open side door and stares at the three of us... So I explain... After explaining everything to her satisfaction, the second man remarks that he had been coming to the laundromat for years, and had never seen a guy work there. He thought I might have knocked out the girl behind the counter and was planning to wack him next... Yet he still came in and started his laundry...
Hopefully this makes up for the disappointment of the "Baby-feet" explanation...
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