New thing I love : Trivia Night!

Last night we mustered up enough momentum to get off the couch and out into the hipster paradise that is mere meters away. Thanks to Trent's recollection of Thursday night festivities, we ended up at Mad Dog in The Fog, a local icon/pretty darn cool bar. It was trivia night! Which is.. my new favorite thing. Apparently, my quasi-freakishly large head is a stockpile of random trivia knowledge, from who took over Chanel after Coco to naming random sixties girl bands to turn of the century revolutionaries. It is justification for dragging this melon around all the time! I love it! We were only a team of two, but held our own quite nicely against big group teams. We already have our neighbor signed up for next week.. any other interested folks? We do need help in the sports/athlete department. 9pm 530 Haight, at Filmore. Be there or be square.

Oh and bonus.. there is a brand new Mexican dive across the street. About 3 rounds into the game, we lost our battle against the craving for some nachos and were pleasantly surprised. It's no Pancho Villa's.. but after a pitcher of Fat Tire Ale, they tasted mighty fine.

my breakthrough discovery

Apparently crushed ice loosely packed is 41.7% air. Interesting. Also apparently, random science friday started a bit early this week. heheh.

aww

I just got to do a photo shoot with my favorite boss. Apparently someone needs a headshot of him so we busted out his fancy camera and took pictures all over the building, trying to find good light, etc. Is it weird to ask for a wallet size one for my desk? Probably...
Yayy for best boss ever! He makes me so happy.

oh i do have something interesting to blog about. yay.
SO... throughout this week's massive spring cleaning, I have been stashing stuff in the hallway that we didn't want any more and have been keeping a meticulous list of everything out there for the "surplus" guys to pick up. I guess you just call them and they come.. and take it away somewhere? Anyways.. people have started asking me, as well as just pilfering, equipment and chairs and such from the halls. Which I realize is FANTASTIC.. cuz it less stuff for me to move/keep on the list. So I have become this powerful person on the 2nd floor, deciding who gets what and making random people (like the garbage guy and the guy who delivers mouse food to the 3rd floor) really happy.
Today was the height of my power though. There is this homeless guy living outside our building, right by the covered driveway to the morgue. He occasionally wanders in when the weather is bad, but is generally pretty chill. Today I went out to go fax something and there he was. Staring at all the stuff. Now who deserves this stuff more than him? So he is the proud new owner of a fancy little hybridization oven from... maybe 1973. I have no idea what he is gonna do with it, since you have to plug it in.. but he had his heart set on it apparently. It is kinda like a little toaster oven, I guess. Hmm.. oh well. Made his day and made mine even easier.. can't complain about that.

blahh

Feel like blogging even though I don't have anything specific to say. Just kinda a blah day. Molecular fabulousness has taken a back seat to the need to wear the scrubbiest clothes ever to clean up some nast-tay old lab rooms and heft heavy dusty equipment around. And I have some sort of head cold that makes me feel like I am on Pluto or something. Oh well. Tomorrow is Friday which is Jean's Day to play in the lab and do all sorts of probably not recommended science experiments.

Minor rant: My co-worker keeps leaving unexpectedly. Normally I would be kinda stoked cuz I feel bad leaving early when she is still here, but she is the only one who knows where half of the crap stored in the old lab needs to go. Sooo, I can't really continue any further without her. Not that big of a deal, the two rooms they are going to start construction on first, on Monday, are empty, but I dunno.. I'd appreciate her telling me she was leaving so I could force her to answer all my questions first. Oh well, lameness. She might be pissed that in our meeting this morning, my boss pretty much demanded that she give me a lot of protocols she wasn't sharing so I can get working on some new experiments. Quit bogarting the science, man! Anyways, I am sure this is really thrilling to all of ya.. but it is about as exciting as it gets today.

Maybe I will think of something interesting later. For now.. ciao :)

so fresh and so clean...

As my journey down molecular fabulousness continues.. today I discovered (or was caffinee and boredom induced) to do some major re-vamping of the lab bench area. Spring is brought into the lab by the new, bright pink tape holding down my new lab bench top cloth. There is a hint of 409 and bleach in the air. A pile of crushed cardboard boxes (ya, that was way fun) lies in waiting outside the lab. Hooray for lab spring cleaning day! And tomorrow is gonna be even better.. when we get to dig through 20 years of equipment trying to find anything useful and throw the rest out. Better get wayy amped up for that one.
And now in my post cleaning/post caffine high daze.. I thoroughly enjoyed the latest homestarrunner StrongBad email . Make sure to click on "digesting" on his Death Metal instruction list. "I came for the wuggas.. but stay for the jiggy juggas." Awesome.

to all the shoes I've loved before...

Pretty slow day at the lab. Making some RNA and dealing with some funny looking cells that apparently went on strike over the weekend. This weekend was great, a perfect combination of being out and busy with friends, and being a lazy bum at home with bubby. It was also a great shopping weekend, not like I need more of those financially, but this was banner good deals and good finds. It made me realize that I really like shoes. All sorts of shoes. Hereby.. a girly list:

1. Best running shoes . A long time devotee of New Balance, I am absolutely digging my new green and silver Asic speed machies. It is amazing what some new kicks will do for speed and reduced knee soreness. Thanks to the homies at Sports Basement, and Emily, who put up with me trying on every single pair and sprinting crazily through the baseball department.

2. Best work shoes . I am on my feet nearly eighty percent of the time I am at work. So cute high heels.. not an option. And although these Clarks aren't adorabe.. they are ridiculously comfortable and not toooo shabby looking, I think. Plus, it means my papa and I wear the same type of shoes.. which is kinda fun to think about.

3. Shoes I currently covet. These beauties caught my eye at Bandolino's this weekend. Totally impractical, absolutely gorgeous. I imagine myself serving mint julips on my screened in porch in North Carolina wearing these bad boys.

4. Best compromise . My excellent find this weekend. These flats from Aldo, are at once practical (ballet flats are so comfortable and work appropriate) as well as stylishly awesome (paten leather and a velvet bow.. i love it!). Top it off with a $19.99 pricetag and I was sold!

5. Best option ever . Can you ever go wrong with these. No. I know it is a California thing, but these are the most appropriate shoe in about 99% of situations. Scrambling on rocks, dressed up for town.. these are the winners :)

6. New Necessity . A lot of schools I am looking at have this crazy phenomenon called.. snow. Tricky stuff, apparently really cold and not so condusive to peep toe pumps. More practical than uggs, yet snuggle-tastically warm.

So ya.. I like shoes.

it ain't bamboo..

These week has caused me to take the shuttle ride over to UCSF three times, two autopsies and one conference. I usually take the time to read or listen to music but today caught me totally unprepared and a bit shook up after getting out of the morgue. So I focused on finding some interesting new things in the city. Which to mean, of course, means awesome plants. So.. one more nerdy time, a list of fabulous plant finds:

1. BY far the best.. on Mission and 14th Street, there is this old brick building. The north wall is in the shade usually and seemingly damp which has made it host to a plethora of awesomely adventageous epiphytic ferns! These little guys were my favorite in Costa Rica and remind me that there is a certain tenacity required to survive in this urban jungle.

2. Again, another favorite, right outside Atlas Cafe on Alabama and 20th Street, a beautiful steel planter of equisetum, but really, can you think of a cooler plant? I can't. Seriously.. dinosaurs tried to eat this stuff. But they were way too smart for that nonsense. They rule. And no, it isn't g'damn bamboo!

3. The random beautiful garden somewhere right near the UCSF campus. Sorry I can't be more specific about this one, but there is this beautiful house right by the campus that always amazes me with its perfect garden. Not over the top, just full of color and not too much landscaping. I love it.

So, ya.. kinda a short list, but check out these sites if you get a chance. If you like these sort of things. Oh man.. on NPR right now they are talking about how this is the earliest year ever for buttercups to bloom in Montana. Will the wonders ever cease?

Have a great weekend, see ya all later!

ps. I had cute links and all that but they all didn't work. which means, computers suck and all that coding nonsene. sooo.. look up what the plants look like.. it's good for ya.

Snot surfing

oh real quick.. today there is a paper being published about a new therapy for people suffering from CF, not a cure, but something to make them more comfortable. Researchers in Australia found that a certain group were doing a lot better, and tried to figure out why. The thing they all had in common? They surfed! Apparently 7% hypertonic normal saline solution.. otherwise known as sea water, is really good for dissolving CF mucus when you breath it in an aeresol (sea spray). Anyone who has surfed knows about "the drip," so I guess it makes sense! So now everyone wants it. I say.. everyone should get out there surfing! How awesome is science!?!

ps. I apologize for the insane nerdiness of the last couple posts. At least I am posting finally, right?

ph.d in molecular fabulousness

Today was our CF meeting. I learned a lot and was really proud of our lab's presentation. It was great to see stuff I had been involved in sparking the interest of some of the area's leaders in this disease study. A few comments, therefore:

1. I like lists. A whole lot. They appeal to my scientific nature, perhaps?

2. I don't really like grad students. This is a problem because I am about to become one. However, a majority of them.. bug me. I know they are broke and overworked and probably didn't want to be at the seminar today, but that is NO excuse for talking amongst themselves, browsing around on their laptops, looking like they just rolled out of bed, and falling asleep about halfway through. C'mon you guys.. this stuff is amazingly interesting.. or if it isn't to you.. get out of here!! Ya, the folks there work for THE MOST AWFUL boss ever (see #4), but that isn't our fault. I am not even a grad student and I sat at the table, not off in the corner, was an active listener, asked questions, and wore my gorgeous pearl button sweater from United Colors of Benneton. I have decided to be the most fabulous molecular biology grad student ever and not fall into this slump of bad manners and awful tastes!

3. I am a bit torn. Walt's presentation was awesome, and a great history lesson for me on all the work he has done and it was awesome to see cell culture lines that I started and maintained looking gorgeous on the screen. Even more exciting, he included the graphs of the mucin staining experiments I have frantically been trying to set up. However, they were at the very end of his talk and he had to rush through them because he ran out of time. Not that big of a deal, I was just a little sad.. that's all. But he did give me a big shout out at the end of the talk.. hooray.

4. Holy Geeze.. I hate this one guy. To remain anonomous.. but ohhhh my gosh. He is another primary investigator, who works over at UCSF. This is my 3rd CF conference and in each one, he has bugged me more. He asks ridiculous questions just to hear himself talk, loves to argue about the most ridiculous details.. and is pretty much ridiculous all over. Plus.. I think he smells bad (Unfortunately, being fabulous and sitting at the main table made him my neighbor). I guess I have a bit of sympathy for his gradstudents, I would hate working for him. Worst offense: messing with my Walt. Not cool, homie, that just ain't cool.

So ya, an overall success. Especially the yummy pizza for lunch. Next week will be lots of moving as the construction for our new lab starts and we have to move everything out of the way. Yuck. And I am reinspired to tackle my RNA project after hearing walt talk about it today, longingly. I just want it to WORK! Just got a text message that bubby is on BART.. yayy for coming home from Idaho. I gotta get outta here! Ciao

Life List

ahhhh, I am such a bad blogger! No more of that. I hope. I guess it is good because it means I am no longer sitting around aimlessly at work, I am a scientist doing science.. stuff! And it rocks.
A lot has been going on, decision-wise, in my life. It is so crazy to be in this situation. I need to decide where I want to live.. for the next .. (I am gonna be optimistic).. 6 years of my life. I know it isn't that long, but man.. it seems fairly daunting. I am gonna definitely "go with the flow" and see what works out.. but it has made me think of some goals I would like to obtain.. ready??
1. A driveway and mailbox. I want to be able to park my car, and get packages.. no problem.
2. Cute athletic wear from Title Nine! . I guess in general, I want to be one of the women they profile in their catologue. They are always happy, successful in their careers and lives, have plenty of time for hobbies and crafting.. I definitely aspire to that.
3. A perfect coat. It is my latest obsessive shopping compulsion. I get this perfect picture in my head and then refuse to settle for anything less. I feel this may be due to the fact that I can afford more of a Forever 21 fur lined atrocity , rather than the classic tan wth leather trim tailored number my heart longs for.
4. Although #3 requires cool weather to properly appreciate the coat.. I need some more warmth in my life. I love shorts. Sorry.. I do. I love summer dresses, bikinis.. the whole nine. Pretty much, the less clothing I have to wear.. within legal limits.. the better. Maybe a place with actual seasons would satisfy this request? Kinda looks bad for Cornell though..
5. A dog. I.. cannot even explain how much I like dogs. Something about their adoring and cheerful nature, probably. I want some scragly charismatic ball of joy to welcome me home, like the cute one that gets soooo excited when the women who lives in the house right outside my lab window gets home. Probably shouldn't kidnap her dog though.. I am already probably creeping her out enough.
6. A garden. Like my new favorite song says.. I love my plants. I want to grow things. I should be good at it, I have a frickin degree in it! It doesn't need to be big.. just a little tomato plant, a gardenia bush, some tulips maybe.. I am not greedy, I swear!
7. And of course, good friends and loved ones around. Especially my bubby!

That is just some of the things I am thinking of. Of course, the school and the people I would be working with are most important. But it is kinda cool to sit back and think of the things that would make it EVEN better. Ciao