Ok, so now I live in a home with 2 cats and so these past 2 weeks have been quite interesting. First, we keep the cats "primary" quarters separate and it looks as though it's gonna stay that way permanently. The older cat isn't used to being around other cats, so she guards the door to keep the baby cat out. On Thursday, the older cat decided to venture over to the baby's territory (the master's suite) which I don't think went over too well. In an effort to I guess "mark her territory" even thought she's spayed, the baby urinated ALL over the bed and took a crap right in the doorway to the master's suite. After I washed all linens, cleaned/lysoled the mattress, cleaned the floor, and put the baby in time out (after putting her nose close to her mess), I almost cried laughing at the idea of it all. Can you imagine how interesting a place the world would be to live in if humans handled things this way?
In other news, my work with the post doc who is supposed to be training me is quickly coming to an end. I'm not one for games, tricks, or frequently being in the company of trifling folks. And since my daughter is in the lab more than she is, I figured I'd better hook up with some of the more productive in our lab group. And that's exactly what I've done. I've forged ahead with my experiments and expect to have some data to present at our next lab meeting next week. Nope, I won't stand still long enough for grass to grow under my feet, no way, no how!! And in the process, I've made some new professional connections with folks who seem as though they'll be there for me when needed. Man, am I in a good lab group or what?!?!?!?
On the MCAT front, I've decided to fit the study in when I can. I'll have a month and a half before I return to med school this summer, so I will likely use that time to wrap any loose ends with my MCAT studying which will be quite a bit of work. I have to say that my preference would be to have ONLY that to study for but right now, that's simply not realistic. However, I'll continue to do something even if it's only a few verbal passages/week.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
New addition to the family!
Last weekend, we decided to adopt a baby and here she is. Isn't she adorable?
She's part Maine Coon, part white Manx (tailless) and 100% cuddly and sweet!
In other news, I also took on another project in the lab, one which fortunately involves the reseacrh of one of my Pharm faculty so that's a nice little plus. On this project, I'll also be looking at prostate cancer lines which is ironic since the Dad of a close friend from my childhood has prostate cancer.
On the down side, I was too exhausted after my exam on Monday to do ANY MCAT studying so for the next 2 weeks, I have to cover 2 chapters instead of my normal 1/week. Blah!
This is gonna be a short post because I'm tired so I'll sign off now!
She's part Maine Coon, part white Manx (tailless) and 100% cuddly and sweet!
In other news, I also took on another project in the lab, one which fortunately involves the reseacrh of one of my Pharm faculty so that's a nice little plus. On this project, I'll also be looking at prostate cancer lines which is ironic since the Dad of a close friend from my childhood has prostate cancer.
On the down side, I was too exhausted after my exam on Monday to do ANY MCAT studying so for the next 2 weeks, I have to cover 2 chapters instead of my normal 1/week. Blah!
This is gonna be a short post because I'm tired so I'll sign off now!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
From lemons to lemonade, YUMMY!!!
My first week in the lab was great, especially when I learned that I would get my own lab space/bench in a place of peace. Now anyone who's every worked in a lab knows just how precious lab space can be especially since last semester, I barely had what could be called lab space and I had NO desk!
Ironically, the mean lady came by my new lab space 2 floors from hers (and confrontationally of course) to ask me how things were going (turns out that the post doc training me has some issues with this lady, so once I realized this, I made it my job to stay the hell out of this asinine mess between them).Of course, I handled the situation professionally and with class, but I had no idea how mean lady found out I was going to be in a new lab space. So take one guess as to who essentially went behind my back to spread MY business in an "in your face" kinda way? You guess it, the post doc training me. She KNEW when she told mean lady I was moving to another lab (before I had a chance to) that she would confront me about it because that's the way mean lady handles things. However, I could tell by the way mean lady talked to me (offering to help, being somewhat friendly) that she too was aware of the rift the post doc was trying to create between me and her. In fact, the mean lady sarcastically asked the post doc if she could move somewhere else to do her work (To which I said to myself, daaaaammmmnnn, that was cold!).
So what's the point of talking about all this? In research there are MANY landmines URM's have to avoid, but one of the biggest one's to avoid is being seen as combative (BIG joke for anyone whose read some of the things I've posted on the Internet, lol!!), second you must FIND a "bright spot" in relationships with everyone no matter how mean and nasty they are, but most important of all, make it known that you're there for business.
At the end of the day, I had to let the post doc know that in so many words, that I didn't appreciate her going to the mean lady before I did, and the mean lady ended up literally giving me a "high five" after our conversation and life and lab. Now THAT'S what I call making lemonade out of donuts!
Ironically, the mean lady came by my new lab space 2 floors from hers (and confrontationally of course) to ask me how things were going (turns out that the post doc training me has some issues with this lady, so once I realized this, I made it my job to stay the hell out of this asinine mess between them).Of course, I handled the situation professionally and with class, but I had no idea how mean lady found out I was going to be in a new lab space. So take one guess as to who essentially went behind my back to spread MY business in an "in your face" kinda way? You guess it, the post doc training me. She KNEW when she told mean lady I was moving to another lab (before I had a chance to) that she would confront me about it because that's the way mean lady handles things. However, I could tell by the way mean lady talked to me (offering to help, being somewhat friendly) that she too was aware of the rift the post doc was trying to create between me and her. In fact, the mean lady sarcastically asked the post doc if she could move somewhere else to do her work (To which I said to myself, daaaaammmmnnn, that was cold!).
So what's the point of talking about all this? In research there are MANY landmines URM's have to avoid, but one of the biggest one's to avoid is being seen as combative (BIG joke for anyone whose read some of the things I've posted on the Internet, lol!!), second you must FIND a "bright spot" in relationships with everyone no matter how mean and nasty they are, but most important of all, make it known that you're there for business.
At the end of the day, I had to let the post doc know that in so many words, that I didn't appreciate her going to the mean lady before I did, and the mean lady ended up literally giving me a "high five" after our conversation and life and lab. Now THAT'S what I call making lemonade out of donuts!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
In the lab, FINALLY!!!!!
As the title says, I'm finally back in the lab and it's unfortunate that I have to spend a part of my day with a miserable person but you know, miserable people are EVERYWHERE, lol! I've also thought of some additional experiments I can do which should allow me to be able to generate some really good data which essentially translates into an abstract/publication by early next year, assuming of course, I don't get scooped.
I think I've finally find my groove so to speak, a balance between classes, studying for the MCAT, and reading papers/doing research. It's exhausting of course, but I find being on campus invigorating, that is until I'm driving home when the dam I'm tired attitude sinks in.
I mentioned in a previous entry that I would be shadowing during sign out/conferences of our path department, but I never got around to it last semester. Today, I learned that I still have that permission and lo and behold, my old boss from the NIH will be leading the conference. Ironically, she doesn't have a clue as to what I've been up to since she never returned any of my emails updating her (there's a big difference between a boss, and advisor, and a mentor) but she did me right while I was at the NIH, so I have no complaints (and I have a new mentor in Path at my curent school). Plus looking back, I didn't have a clear vision of how I would get to where I am now (although I never lost track of where I wanted to be)because I needed to focus on getting my daughter to a stronger place academically(missioned accomplished, from a special ed
"recommendation" in 4th grade despite making the honor 2X, to GT in Middle school. I'll speak more about this BS in a future post).
At any rate, I'll be back on Friday when I'll 1) Have some results back from my lab experiments and 2) Have attended my first Path conference in a long while!!!
I think I've finally find my groove so to speak, a balance between classes, studying for the MCAT, and reading papers/doing research. It's exhausting of course, but I find being on campus invigorating, that is until I'm driving home when the dam I'm tired attitude sinks in.
I mentioned in a previous entry that I would be shadowing during sign out/conferences of our path department, but I never got around to it last semester. Today, I learned that I still have that permission and lo and behold, my old boss from the NIH will be leading the conference. Ironically, she doesn't have a clue as to what I've been up to since she never returned any of my emails updating her (there's a big difference between a boss, and advisor, and a mentor) but she did me right while I was at the NIH, so I have no complaints (and I have a new mentor in Path at my curent school). Plus looking back, I didn't have a clear vision of how I would get to where I am now (although I never lost track of where I wanted to be)because I needed to focus on getting my daughter to a stronger place academically(missioned accomplished, from a special ed
"recommendation" in 4th grade despite making the honor 2X, to GT in Middle school. I'll speak more about this BS in a future post).
At any rate, I'll be back on Friday when I'll 1) Have some results back from my lab experiments and 2) Have attended my first Path conference in a long while!!!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Get ready, get set, jump a million hoops!!!
Well I still haven't started in my new lab yet and the reason is because my PI's lab isn't quite set up and I have to use the space of another prof. Now I've been in academia long enough to know that this types of equipment/space sharing is quite common. You know, I'll borrow some high grade sucrose for my sucrose gradients if you let me use your fume hood. But this is a tad bit different in part I think because of that unhappy woman I spoke about in my earlier post. She quite unfortunately runs this lab. In this particular situation and for the very first time in my 20 year career, the PI wants to meet with me BEFORE I can use the hood in his lab, a piece of equipment I've used off and on for the last 20 years. Now this would make sense if I were working for him. But for someone else? Gotta wonder if there's some other "issue" at play here but whatever, I'm just here to get my training and do the dam thing!
On to other things, my daughter the future architectural engineer, has been working almost 24/7 on a computer program by Better Homes and Gardens that allows her to build decorate homes with amazing 3D detail. Now if you visit our house 90% of the time, the TV will be on the Home and Garden Network channel which just happens to be my favorite channel. It's just something about remodeling homes that has always fascinated me. Well I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree because my daughter has been building things for as long as I can remember but unlike me, she had all the cool building toys that I always wanted but never got. Like race car track sets, Lego houses, ect anything that allows her to stretch her imagination which meant that when she was smaller (she's 11 now) we spent a LOT of time in the "boy" toy section. Yep, VERY sexist I know but that's how most toys stores are set up. Anyway, we're also teaching her now that the key to security and wealth in this country is through entrepreneurship and that means working with a firm until you can own/operate your own. High goals I know, but I'm in NO WAY pausing medicine AT ALL although she's been every kind of doctor for Halloween,lol!
In other news, I volunteered to lead a journal club in another department which is pretty exciting. I'm a little rusty with my public speaking skills so this is a way to get me back into practice for those meetings I'll be presenting at next year (Ok, that's a little premature, but you have to be positive, right?). Related to this, I'm sitting in on a course on how to read a paper something I thought I had down pat, but I've learned so much in only a few classes. Can't wait to learn more but more than that, apply what I've learned.
On to other things, my daughter the future architectural engineer, has been working almost 24/7 on a computer program by Better Homes and Gardens that allows her to build decorate homes with amazing 3D detail. Now if you visit our house 90% of the time, the TV will be on the Home and Garden Network channel which just happens to be my favorite channel. It's just something about remodeling homes that has always fascinated me. Well I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree because my daughter has been building things for as long as I can remember but unlike me, she had all the cool building toys that I always wanted but never got. Like race car track sets, Lego houses, ect anything that allows her to stretch her imagination which meant that when she was smaller (she's 11 now) we spent a LOT of time in the "boy" toy section. Yep, VERY sexist I know but that's how most toys stores are set up. Anyway, we're also teaching her now that the key to security and wealth in this country is through entrepreneurship and that means working with a firm until you can own/operate your own. High goals I know, but I'm in NO WAY pausing medicine AT ALL although she's been every kind of doctor for Halloween,lol!
In other news, I volunteered to lead a journal club in another department which is pretty exciting. I'm a little rusty with my public speaking skills so this is a way to get me back into practice for those meetings I'll be presenting at next year (Ok, that's a little premature, but you have to be positive, right?). Related to this, I'm sitting in on a course on how to read a paper something I thought I had down pat, but I've learned so much in only a few classes. Can't wait to learn more but more than that, apply what I've learned.
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