Huzzah! Today is my six-year anniversary of starting work at WUMS. One more year and my kids can go to WU for free. My non-existent, not-even-a-twinkle-in-my-eye kids. One day, mom, one day you'll be a grandmother.

Also: househunting is an exercise in frustration. The hopeful-excited/dejected-disappointed cycle is NOT COOL. Do not want. But I need a place to live and I want that place to be my own, so to the hunt we go.

Thirdly, if you are in want of something to do this weekend, stop by the Kirkwood Festival of Food and Flowers, and see Artists in Bloom, one of which will be my mother. It's located right across from the Kirkwood City Hall, just a short walk from the Amtrak station, and buddied up with a farmer's market. Also, Dewey's Pizza is just up the street. You can't lose. Hope to see you around!

  Streets Have No Name, Vanessa Carlton
  Middlemarch, George Eliot
file under: reallife , working Posted by Jen at 5:34 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Author Neil Gaiman on the Colbert Report, because it's funny:

So we got another part for the speedvacs today. Unfortunately, this part did just what its doppelganger did: not work. They've both got defective circuit boards, which will take weeks to replace. This is not a good omen for the future performance of these units, when two out of the six components fail when they are turned on for the first time. By the installation tech from Ace, no less, who must love us very much to keep coming back and fixing our machines. *headdesk* One day we will have two working speedvacs again. We used to, really...

  Small Favor, Jim Butcher
file under: working Posted by Jen at 4:24 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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This was a nice letter to find in my work mailbox...

"Dear Jennifer:

Congratulations! You have reached a milestone in your career with Washington University School of Medicine. It is with sincere appreciation for your 5 years of continued service and dedication that I write to recognize your efforts..."

Five years. Don't they go by in a blink.*

Only two years until my kids can go to WU for free, haha. Hopefully in two years I'll have a book or two with an agent...

*name that movie

  Goodbye and Godspeed, Deep Impact soundtrack

file under: reallife , working Posted by Jen at 5:26 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I've been on the same floor at work for four years. I wonder if they'll count the time in Applied Physiology as part of my time with this department; I had the same ultimate boss, after all...not like I get anything for being there four years, but if it is, then next year I get a certificate or something...I missed it, actually. It totally slipped my mind on the day that it happened. Of course, that could be because I was shopping...spent a horrific amount of money at the mall with Leah, who has much better taste in clothes than I. But I'm happy with what I got...will have to go back to Target at some point and see if they'll give me money back for charging me twice for one pair of shorts...

happy news: check your local theaters for sneak previews of Pirates 3 on the evening of Thursday the 24th! Be on the lookout for a new layout

file under: working Posted by Jen at 1:22 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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How do you get from blood to pineapple in four steps?

Blood>saliva>salvia>pineapple

Let me explain. In the lab we have procedures to follow should a blood sample be spilled. The same rules apply to other potentially infectious material, such as saliva. On this sheet of procedures, 'saliva' is misspelled as 'salvia.' Salvia is a flowering shrub or bush, more commonly known as sage. There are many kinds of salvia, some that smell, some that don't. And one fo the varieties is a pineapple sage, the leaves of which smell like...take a guess.

Ah, the fun things that happen in the lab.

I tried using my WUMS UPass for the Metrolink today, but I was foiled. I biked to the station, 'cause I am too lazy (and it was too hot) to walk. Supposedly there are bike racks at the station, but I didn't have time to look, and I wouldn't be too comfortable leaving my bike there all day. In order to take your bike on the metrolink, you need to be in the front of the first car or the front or rear of the second car. I was waiting by the entrance to the second car. Unfortunately, and as is my luck, there was already a biker there, and there can be only one per space. So I moved up to the first car, but before I could get in, the doors closed. Curses!

I ended up not wanting to wait for another train (since by the time it got to the platform and then to work I could already be there, or close to it), so I biked the rest of the way. Did I mention that it was already in the 80s at 9 AM? The ride itself wasn't so bad; it was the cooling off period afterward that sucked. I have to decide if I want to try to take the train back to the nearest station and bike the rest of the way home, or bike all the way back.

It's such a short drive/bike/light-rail ride that I really shouldn't drive every day. But it is SO annoying once you get out of the heat and drip sweat. I don't like to offend people by smelling like I just worked out, so we'll see how often I manage. One day I'll have to walk the distance to the station(s) to see how long it would really take. It's probably better to walk. Sigh. Maybe rollerblades.

  John Mayer: Waiting on the World to Change

file under: getmoving , working Posted by Jen at 1:04 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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It's tough working and taking a class, however easy this one might sound. Got a lab practical in just about an hour, and I'm not quite ready for it...and we've been quite busy at work, which is crazy. I get home and I just want to sleep.

When am I supposed to be able to write the great debut novel? sigh.

On the fun side, a book that wasn't supposed to be out until next week is now in my hot little hands, and already read since last night. Alright, it was a really short book, but hey, it's Anita Blake. I tear through those. Thanks to Barnes and Noble for having it early. No thanks to any of the bookstores in town for not having up-to-date MCAT study books. Not that I really need a new one, since I barely got through the ones that I had last year, but I would like an update, you know? sigh.

Wish me luck on the test. I'll be glad when this is over. Joyeux Mardi Gras, if I don't see you...anyone want to come party with me this weekend?

  Pocahontas and Smith, The New World soundtrack (James Horner)

file under: books , education , working Posted by Jen at 3:47 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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It's weird to come back after a week off, only work four days, then head off to Vegas. I'm excited about that, odd to think that this time tomorrow I'll be on my way to the airport.

I got some good and bad news this week though. Good news is that I'm moving at work from the same place I've been for the past two years to the other lab where I've been spending most of my time anyway, and the head of the department is taking over some of my salary. Bad news is that I'm moving. It's a more private space, but I'll go from having a new computer (had this one since early Nov, after finally getting up the courage to ask for it) used only by me to sharing an old one used by a few other people. The new one will go to a new post-doc. And of course, there's the whole actual moving, which you might have noticed that I hate to do. But oh well. Such is life. I know I shouldn't spend all my free time on the computer, but it's a little galling to leave behind all the goodies I got on this one, and not be able to have my email open all the time and yada yada. I'm just a selfish brat, I know.

Whatever. I've got one suitcase packed for Vegas and will pack my carryon tonight, and hopefully get to fix Aunt Carol's VCR before I leave. Maybe I'll make some money. WIshful thinking, I know.

If I had a mood indicator on this entry, I'd say I was wistful.

file under: working Posted by Jen at 9:28 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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So, it's that time of year again. I figured I might make it a little easier on those people out there who, like me, don't want to pay some service to find a roommate but instead are smart and realize that Calenhiril, Etoiline, and I are the same person and are in fact looking for a roommate in St. Louis and can search for that. Sigh. Another roommate search. Two roommates in two years, boo. Not that I don't love my roomie or my former roomie. They are good people and friends. yay! Let's see if I can manage three in a row. I know as I get older it will be harder and harder to find a roommate, but it makes so much more sense. It's cheaper by a long shot. Until I can get a house, I guess. Seems weird to be even thinking about that.

Course, it's still faaaaar in the future as I still don't know what I'll be doing with my life. Wouldn't it be nice to study medicine in England? I could go to King's College (For those of you who don't know why that makes me happy, it's the college I decided my King Arthur reborn character should go to for my NaNoWriMo story. It's a kick. I want a british accent.)

So, there's a midnight premiere for Star Wars Episode III tonight (why is it starting on a Thursday? Weird.) at the Esquire...dunno if there are still tickets but perhaps I can find someone to go with me. If not I'm sure I'll see it some other time. Technically I could go to the theater and see Kingdom of Heaven again before the midnight show But I don't think I will. I really don't like going to the movies alone. Perhaps my new roommie will like fantasy/scifi like I do. I need more friends.

Ross leaves for Alaska on Thursday, so we won't be having any more movie dates this summer, alas. But at least I get to look forward to pretty pictures he's promised to send. Wish I was going to Alaska, though I doubt I'd do well in whatever sort of lawyerly thing he's going to be doing up there. I'd just want to hike some glaciers and stay up for the entire 22-hour day once or twice. See the whales, take a cruise, what have you, before Bush does his stupid drill-in-national-parks bit and destroys them all.

I really need a vacation. And a new bike. And a digital keyboard so I can play with GarageBand. And a digital camera so I can have better pictures of myself to post on dating websites, since I find myself getting more and more lonely without a guy. Especially when friends get married and ask me to bring a date to a wedding. Damnit, I don't have one! Sigh. Enough rant. Back to work.

  Kingdom of Heaven sdtk
  A Clash of Kings, George RR Martin.
file under: working Posted by Jen at 12:10 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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So today (yesterday, if you want to be technical about it) Luigi got back from his mini vacation (wish I had one of those) and not only did he give me an official form for submitting another paper, but after talking to him about the aforementioned performance 'U' he gave me a new evaluation with all "Satisfactory"s. Yay! Hopefully that will help my chances at getting another job at the university. I really want to stay.

I feel slightly proud of myself since I finally got my Easter present in use. My mom had gotten some risers for my bed at that home, so there would be room to store stuff underneath, and I expressed the thought that I would like some for that reason and lo and behold, about a week before Easter my dad packed me off for the apartment with some. He jumped the gun a little bit, but he's cute that way. So I finally set my bed up on them (having, of course, to fix the bedframe along the way). I didn't want to take the whole mattress set off the frame so I probably made it harder on myself than it needed to be, but yes, they're up. Damnit now I need to stay in the apartment since I got them set up and can store stuff more efficiently.

Got a message in reply to my month old post at the newsgroup about the roommate sitch, which was a little odd, and it was a guy, which I'm leery about, but there's the whole, I don't know if I'll be here when it comes time to renew, but yeah. I want this apartment! I like it here. I really don't want to have to move, even if my room at the 'rents place looks quite nice now.

Also got a message from a random Jewish boy from Tickle.com which was kinda cute. He started reading Moonstone. I'm almost embarrassed by the stuff that's up there, since it's all mostly stuff that was written when I was 13, even if it was revised four years ago. It's not *bad*, it's just not on par with what I wrote in a hurry last November for NaNo. One of these days I'll go back and try to fix it, but I should at least finish one big writing project before I try to overhaul the beginning.

And I'm sure you noticed the lovely KOH banner atop the posts. Clickity-click! You know you want to! I'll get my butt around to making a new KOH layout soon, in time for the premiere, I hope Lots of good choices now that the publicity kits are going out.

  The Matrix Reloaded Disc Two

file under: working Posted by Jen at 12:33 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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ATTENTION! If you're in the St. Louis area this weekend, stop by the Affton Arts & Crafts fair. My mother will have a booth, and you'll really like what she does. Pick up an Easter gift for someone.

After that nice public service announcement...how much things can change in such little time. The end of the entry was written before I found this out...

I just found out that my position will be terminated in April. Tax day, no less. The irony is that I'm 3 for 3 with lab jobs running out of money. The grant they pay me from has been frozen because we're between phases. Joy. There is hope though...a lab down the hall is looking for techs, and I'm supposed to talk to them on Monday. Luigi said good things about me, which is great, so hopefully I'll be able to just go from one to the other.

Huh. Now I guess I won't be able to take that vacation. I doubt they'll be able to pay me for it, either. Perhaps they'll carry over to the next one. My luck, I guess.

Now onto the stuff that was written before I had that most disturbing news.
Moon Names, in relation to the lovely scents that BPAL puts out. Incidentally I just got my shipping confirmation, so hopefully I will come home one day and see a nice little package for me. Also hopefully it will not be in the form of a post-it note on the front door saying "We could not deliver your package" grumble. Just because we have a locked entryway...boo. Just buzz around, people, someone's usually home...

This book looks interesting...gonna head to the bookstore tonight and see if it's around. Robots comes out today. Whee! Perhaps I'll get to see it with my family when they come into town next week. Well, in two weeks, really. It's not quite next week yet...

file under: muses , rants , working Posted by Jen at 5:17 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Wow. Yesterday was loooong. I was at work for 12 hours. Yuck. It's not entirely my fault, but on the other hand it is. See, I knew I was in for a long assay, but I didn't think it would be quite that long. And the person who was supposed to find the samples for me ended up not being able to do it, so once we established that, I had to go find the samples myself, which took longer than expected (of course). Then I had to wait for them to thaw, dilute them, acidify and neutralize them, and then, right about 1 pm, I was able to get started on the assay, which was 6.5 hours minus time to put in reagents and wash the plate and such. Ugh. All that plus having to go over to the CRC twice because I thought I would try going early just in case they were ready and I could get those bloods spun before I had to start the ELISA but noooo, they hadn't drawn them yet. Just about every other day they would have been ready but I'm just lucky that way. Eventually got them later, but I really hate making that trip. It's not that far away but it's up three flights of steep stairs with orange railings. Not sure that the orange railings really have anything to do with it, it just always makes me feel like I'm in some back alley.

Now, here's the part where it's my fault. Theoretically I could have just stuck the plate in the cold room and come back to do the rest of the assay today...or incubate it for three hours and finish the thing last night. I chose finishing it, since we've never actually tried out the cold room tactic. And Luigi pointed out that if I stayed late yesterday I could leave early today, which I will do, as soon as I make my trip to the CRC for more bloods. I'll be sure to wait an appropriate interval today.

So yeah. A bit boring while I waited and waited and muzzily came back to life when my stopwatch alarmed, telling me it was time for the next step. I played a lot of MSN games and chatted with Alex and should have brought my Orgo homework but didn't (and probably wouldn't have done it anyway). Didn't do any hogwartsch lessons either. I'm terrible. Read some of Fortress Draconis in my free time and made some bookmarks which I need to resize and maybe then I'll put them up on the gallery for your taking. Dunno. Working on it.

There's some sort of athletic field rededication at my high school tonight and they're honoring past athletes, so I guess I'll go. Wonder who will show up. The St. Louis Balloon Glow is tonight, and it follows that the Balloon Race is tomorrow, which is always fun to see. And also tomorrow my next-door neighbor Laura is getting married, which means that I've been to three weddings this year, and Alex points out that this is a lot. I guess so...there's another wedding that I know of next year, but really, we're reaching the sum total of my friends who could possibly get married. Whatever.

ugh. just realized I have to go into work next saturday. ah well. Guess it's time to head over to the CRC. Lovely. Then time to go...must remember to drop off the library book!

  John Mayer: Daughters

file under: working Posted by Jen at 10:37 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Today is the fifth anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton Colorado. I can't believe it's been five years. I hope that the people out there have come to terms with what happened. My deepest sympathy.

And yesterday was the ninth anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. It doesn't seem like it happened so long ago. CNN.com - Families observe Oklahoma bombing anniversary as Nichols trial resumes - Apr 19, 2004

And on a slightly lighter note...Luigi just had his first big paper come out in PNAS (which is a really important scientific journal) and he has been fielding interviews all over the place. Now you too can know what I work on. Er, sort of. I didn't actually do any work on this paper, but I'm happy for him anyway. He was interviewed for the Post-Dispatch which you can read here, and for many many other publications and/or shows around the world, which you can search here. And that Tina Hesman you see as the author for a bunch of those stories...she's the medical reporter for the Post. Yay, StL! And the Post Weatherbird 'bird line' refers to the (below the fold, but!) front-page story. Heh. Like the Weatherbird needs to lose some weight

Heh. I just got a call from WGN radio in Chicago...they wanted to talk to Dr. Holloszy who is my ultimate boss. Whee! National coverage is fun. And yes, if you were watching channel 2 news last night, that was in fact my boss

file under: serious , working Posted by Jen at 9:42 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Heh. So it only took most of a year, but I'll finally have my name on a scientific paper. Kitt, you still want an autographed copy? Or do you want to wait until I'm first author, lol. Yes, second author for Jennifer L Shew, BS. lol. Seems so silly to stick that title after my name. Ah well. Makes me want to go to grad school.

So yeah, been here at the Holloszy lab for 11 months today. Seems strange that I've been here almost a year...of course, it still seems strange that I haven't run track for WU in two years.

(until I get a permanent place for this banner, it'll have to go here...keep looking for that new layout, right? lol)

file under: working Posted by Jen at 10:57 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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My cousin's finally the same age as me again She spent the day driving to New York and sightseeing. Lucky for her with the sightseeing...not so fond of the driving part.

It SNOWED! And I got to SLED! Whee! Jen is happy. I'll probably be more sore tomorrow what with having to walk back up Art Hill after sledding all the way to the bottom, but it's worth it. And the new sled I got, while it did split up the middle on the bottom, worked wonderfully. Nothing a little duct tape can't fix! It was a pretty even snow, not so much accumulation, but icy. It took quite a while just to get the ice scraped off the car...hopefully it won't refreeze so I don't have to spend more time scraping the car tomorrow morning! Maybe I'll get into work on time. Last friday I somehow managed to turn off my first alarm but sleep through my emergency second alarm. So I woke up about ten minutes before I'm theoretically supposed to be at work, even though I never get into work until 15 after anyway. Darn walk from the parking lot gets me every time.

Anyway, after sledding Alex, Leo and I saw the Butterfly Effect. Interesting movie. While there were some horrifying moments I'm not disappointed I saw it. Ashton Kutcher is sort of a cutie, especially when he's clean-shaven...It's a good concept, and I think it was well done. It's just not quite up there. Eh. I guess my standard is pretty high now, what with the LotR movies...shoot, they even influence how long I feel a movie is. Anything under three hours is a short movie now, haha. But yeah, about TBE...I'd recommend it, I guess, it's pretty suspenseful. It's not a movie you could see again very readily though. Part of what made it good was that you really didn't know what would happen. So here's my ambivalent-with-a-nudge-to-go-see-it vote.

And speaking of LotR...watched the end of the golden globes tonight so I got to see RotK win Best Original Song, Director and Motion Picture Drama (!!!Whee!!!) RotK also won best Original Score which means they won all the awards they were nominated for. Go RotK! At least the Hollywood Foreign Press got it right. Let's hope the Academy are taking the hint.

I like snow.

file under: lordoftherings , movies , working Posted by Jen at 11:44 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I just found out that the University College at my alma mater is offering an english lit class on Tolkien. Of course, registration started quite a while ago and the class is full. sigh. I could have gotten excited about that one. Maybe they'll offer it again, as this is the first time there's been a class like that...maybe next fall. I just love how I can't take anything that doesn't require a previous semester of class or that damn Organic Chemistry that I should have taken when I was in school. Gaaah! I don't want to be late anymore.

Perhaps that's why I ran...because it was something I could be first at. Something I could win. As long as you ran the race there was no way you could be late. Just last. and thank goodness I was never that.

Well, there's always tap dance, but I somehow doubt that the lab would like paying for that one. Having nothing at all to do with science, etc.

I want to take advantage of the tuition remission benefit that I get for working here...though since I (and my parents) have put so much into the school already doesn't it make sense that I should be able to take a class or two for free?

Mom keeps saying that if I paid as much attention to the things I do at work and back in school as I do to the Lord of the Rings I'd be much better off, and it's true. *sigh* Tell me again why no one wants to just pay me to write? Oh yeah, my standards are too high. Blah. I'm getting that scared feeling again about work. You know, am I doing well enough, am I working hard enough, am I learning anything that's worth what they're paying me? I even had a dream with some of my coworkers last night. It was a little offputting and for some reason had the gold medallion from Pirates in it. Go fig. I wasn't even watching Pirates last night. Foreboding.

*forlorn* why isn't the layout working?

file under: reallife , working Posted by Jen at 6:35 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Extreme Caloric Restriction Dieters

You know the calorie restriction stuff I was working with Luigi on? Still am, sort of...well, there's going to be a 20/20 special on ABC tonight where they talk to a couple of the dieters, and amazingly enough, they're people we work with. I guess it's sort of a small group anyway, but it seems funny that out of all the people they could have chosen, I know them in sort of an abstract way. Just by blood, but still...

Don't forget, Orlando Bloom on Jay tonight as well! Whee!

file under: working Posted by Jen at 10:58 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Or actually, 13 days. I was going to mention the fact that the movie I've been waiting all year for is coming out in two weeks yesterday, but what with learning the ropes in the glucose transport lab I've not been able to goof off as much at work Got to talking about LotR with the guys in the lab and I of course showed off my geekiness in knowing exactly when the movie comes out and that I've already got my ticket for the midnight premiere...ah well.

Did I mention how I don't have a dvd player in my laptop? This is probably a good thing in the long run as it cuts down on procrastination. I still want a comp with a dvd drive though. But it wouldn't help me all that much anyway as even if I got a new one as it would only be good for watching a movie, say PotC, which has lots of enhanced PC dvd features. Meh. This is where I, defeated, admit I would like a PC for some reasons. Sigh. Silly people. Don't they realize that Mac-lovers are movie-watchers too?

Anyway, it's late, so I'm off to bed. Two weeks! I can't believe it. Must run dhea. Don't ask.

file under: lordoftherings , working Posted by Jen at 3:01 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I guess it was from being in the animal house yesterday working with the rats, but I was alllergic to something I encountered yesterday. My eyes are all swollen and I have the occasionally runny nose. It was really bad before I tried to sleep last night...even went to bed early but I think I got less sleep than I normally do because it hurt even when I closed my eyes. Yeah. That sandpaper feeling? Right here. And now I know how John Rhys-Davies felt with that prosthetic makeup hurting his facial skin...the skin around my eyes is all tender. I don't know why, if this current attack is from working with the rats, it hasn't come up before this. I mean, I've worked with the rats for longer times than yesterday...although I did have to do it twice...maybe it was because it was hot in there? Eh. I dunno. I probably shouldn't have driven to work today. And actually Pablo, the dude I'm working with (running the experiment, natch) isn't here, cause he's got the same thing I do only worse, I suppose. Rats. In any sense of the word.

I can't believe I didn't mark the one-month countdown to RotK when it happened two days ago. Exciting, no? I'm still worried about getting tickets to *some* midnight premiere. I wonder when the Esquire will get their act together and start selling tickets! As I recall they weren't sure about a midnight premiere until around a week beforehand...I sure would like to know before then this time. Silly I know, but I would love to see all three of the movies in the same theater at the same kind of premiere...

The song for the RotK credits sounds pretty good. It's called Into the West and it's sung by Annie Lennox. Which originally sounded odd to me, but I really like some of her stuff and this particular song seems to fit really well. I'd love to get the soundtrack right now...I'll probably wait until I can get the special edition or even the internet special edition, if lordoftherings-soundtrack.com would ever get updated. Silly people. I want my stuff!

Posted this at the other blog, but it's a taste of what I'd love to work on...Dr. Koop-Healing Your Own Heart Valves

file under: lordoftherings , working Posted by Jen at 1:47 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I really want these. Yes, I know they're daggers, yes I know they're replicas of a fictional character's weapons, yes I realize they're expensive. However, I'm most likely not going to buy them unless I somehow come into a lot of money (unlikely) so you can all breathe a sigh of relief. This place also sells a somewhat movie-similar Galadhrim bow, which would also be cool. Sigh. Computer first. Make money. Then cool stuff. I hate waiting.

Luigi told me he thinks I should go to med school. Let's hope that my grades could hold up with nice recommendtions with the boss. Also said I should get a raise next month, as they're very happy with me and I'll have been there for six months. whoo!

file under: working Posted by Jen at 3:41 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Work's going pretty well. I'm really leaning in the direction of an apartment. Course, the apartment means I have to buy the Saturn and pay all the insurance for it, and then a monthly rent check...and actually buying food every week! Eh. Money goes too fast. Esp. when you go to bookstores on whims and buy $60 more than you spent on clothes. Yes. I know. book freak. I often wonder how many books I have...perhaps it's reached a thousand. I certainly have hundreds of cds. I actually made a list of some of them the other night. Over 150 and that's not all of them. Borders was made for me. I could live there if they had better food.

It's funny, cause I can't see myself doing the technician thing forever, but I've got to (sort of) resign myself with doing this for at least a year so I can get maximum benefit. Maybe longer, who knows? And maybe then the super-upper-level education. Who knows? At least I get Memorial day off

When I get home I'm gonna start working on the costume again. I've got a fair looking muslin made up, if you ignore the fact that it's too short and the sleeves don't work with it yet...and somehow I have to make up props. A girl emailed me about making a skit for Comic-Con...so I've really got to get cracking!

and now I must be going...time for home!

file under: reallife , working Posted by Jen at 5:30 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Ok. So I've officially survived week one of my new job and am moving on with the second. Thank the Lord God Almighty that I at least have a job. I need to remember to sign my health insurance forms, find my chemistry book, and bring in an ethernet cord. Who says you never use stuff you had in college?

So...this job is also at Wash U Sch of Med, much to the chagrin of the unemployment office, but a different lab. Totally different department. No more stem cells...well, maybe. We'll see. I might work with them here. I know I still want to work in tissue engineering, but this job could be a means to an end. My boss, Dr Fontana (Luigi) nicely hinted to me that if his boss likes me there's the possibility of an MD/PhD program down the road. Hmm. Dr Shew, eh? lol. The timesheets say Applied Physiology department, but my id says Geriatrics, Div of Medicine. Go fig. I'm actually doing something with the blood serum of calorie-restricted human volunteers, trying to help Luigi find out what it is about these people's sera that makes them less prone to cancer and perhaps live longer. Could be cool, no? One of these days I'll actually learn this fancy ELISA procedure (enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay) to determine what antibodies are in the serum...I think...don't ask me to explain yet cause I'm not so sure about it anyway!

I've been isolating PBMCs and aliquoting sera, learning some ins and outs of the lab...I don't think I have everybody's name down yet, but at least they all smile at me...

The family is thinking of getting a new car. A Toyota Sienna, to be more precise. Ok, so it's not really a car. But it is silver, which, after green, blue, and maroon, is my favorite color! ha. Too bad we can't get the superduper deluxe version which has a rearseat dvd player. Ah well. I'll just have to get a new computer, with dvd drive...pet peeve: why don't dvd makers make the extras viewable on macs? I don't understand why that would be so hard. Silly people. You don't like the artists! ah well.

hold your horses, there's more coming soon!

Oh, and thanks to no one for rescuing me from Shelob's Lair...nobody loves me enough to get me out of the den of the mama of all scary spiders??? sigh. That's ok. I don't care all that much. But there was that pretty graphic up there all last week, and no one clicked? meh.

file under: working Posted by Jen at 4:42 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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It's been raining oh so much. And hail! Hail in May! Sigh. I'm surprised all the flowers in our garden aren't just so many petals on the patio. Apparently irises love lots of rain, they've exploded into these huge purple and white and yellow blooms all over. Pretty, but if nigh-monsoon weather is what's needed to get them like this, I'll pass...

I've been spring cleaning. My mom and I went to an antiques shop called the White Rabbit. We didn't know where it was, and we'd watched the Matrix the night before so my mom said, Neo, can you find the white rabbit? lol. The funny thing was, we were driving and on the lookout for the store, but we didn't see it. Finally my mom pulled into a parking lot, saying, 'I don't see it.' and I said, 'but it's right there! I thought that's why you turned into this lot!' She honestly hadn't seen the sign but turned into the right lot anyway. Follow the white rabbit indeed. I would adore seeing the Matrix on opening night...

..even though it probably won't happen, given that it's my first week of a new job. Hopefully I can do this one better and I won't be expected to formulate my own experiements for some time yet. I just don't feel like I know enough. One day, grasshopper...Dr Fontana seems pretty nice, pray that he doesn't get fed up with slow-at-math me. He said I look smart. lol. At least I can pull that off. Wouldn't you know the day after I accepted the job at the lab this guy from Kforce (who I'd talked to somewhere around a month ago and decided what he'd called me about needed more experience than I had) calls again, sort of out of the blue, and tells me he'd found something in the tissue engineering industry. Sigh. I know it's still what I want to work in, someday, but not now, I suppose.

and last but not least:

Rescue me, mellon (hint: look at the 'who's lost' link) Thanks

file under: rants , working Posted by Jen at 10:26 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Geez. It's weird, how you can just click a button and have your resume sent off to companies in Florida or Virginia. God knows what I'd do if I got jobs elsewhere than Missouri...it would be fun, leave the nest and all that, but scary at the same time. But the good kind of scary. I just hope I get *a* job, somewhere. Web design sure would be nice, eh? Maybe I should post some of my writing so those people looking for technical writers could read it. Yeah.

file under: working Posted by Jen at 6:30 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Tonight on Lakewood Family Church, Pastor Joel's message was about how changing your perspective can make your life better. I probably need a dose of that. His example was how everyone thought Goliath was invincible until David showed them differently. Even though he was bigger, David saw something everyone else didn't. The rest of the people saw Goliath as too big to beat, but David saw him as too big to miss. Your problems may be high, but God is Most High, and he'll fight your battles for you.

Not to get all prosyletic on you, but I really need a prayer or two from you guys. I'm really depressed about work. I won't have a job come February, and I'm looking for another. A grant fell through and I'm not knowledgeable for my job level, so there I go. I need something that I can feel useful and smart at, and let me be happy. Where are all those web design jobs?

I went on my last shopping spree before I'll be jobless. Lots of books, a few dvds, a few cds. And some LotR:TTT valentines. so send me your addy and I'll send you a valentine

Don't forget to vote for me, please. I'd appreciate it muchly.

file under: muses , working Posted by Jen at 12:10 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Either do not attempt it at all or go through with it.

Ovid

I don't have anything of importance to say. And what I was going to say disappeared into the ether, so we'll try a different version.

I'm looking for a new job because this one is going kaput. Not enough money and not enough effort. My fault, her fault, everybody's fault. I hope I can get another job on the WU campus so I can keep my benefits. I think I'd take a pay cut wherever I go. I did make a rather professional website for the lab, if I do say so myself: The Nolta Lab. Maybe they'll keep paying me after I'm gone. Ha. I also made them a short-ish HTML primer. You can check it out too. Finally got around to making one.

I think it's terribly ironic that they noticed I like computers so much. I mean, I feel like I tried to get away from doing things so creative and tried to do something scientific. It's not working. There are more and more days when I feel like I should have just been an english major or an art student. But then I read articles like the ones in "Tissue Engineering" and I start thinking about my dreams again. I don't know why I can't keep my mind on my work. Or get a clue. I'm supposed to find a job that's creative and analytical, an oxymoron if you ask me. Too bad I can't get anyone to pay me for making websites. Why can't I find a Lord of the Rings fan with loads of money who just wants someone to make websites for them? I suppose the best thing would be making graphics for a scientific company. I wonder where those jobs are?

I still want to do something in the biomedical engineering field. Specifically tissue engineering. I just don't know if that's going to happen. Kind of like I wonder if my novel will ever get published. I was reading an article at Sara Douglass' site (she's the author of the Wayfarer Redemption books) about how to get published...I have to think up a synopsis for Moonstone. But I'm too lazy to do it. Any volunteers?

I really need DSL at home, and a comp update. I keep not doing things cause it would require firing up this comp (on the laptop right now) and transferring everything with Zips and then uploading on the slow slow slow modem connection. Or waiting till I get to work where I'd still have to use the Zips cause of the wireless network fiasco. Ah well. Life was not meant to be easy, I suppose. And for those of you owed letters, I promise I will get them out to you soon. I've got the paper ready...I've just got to figure out something to write. I guess I should shush here so I have something else to write about!

Enjoy your weekends, melloneamin. I think I'll sleep.

file under: working Posted by Jen at 4:56 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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It doesn't suck. But I got a talking to today. I need to do more work. And I feel really bad cause some of the stuff that I should have been doing and just didn't could help Todd with his poster. And he said that Jan was non-confrontational and would just disapprove without telling you. Shite. I still wonder if tissue engineering is truly the way I want to go, maybe I should just be a writer. I'd enjoy myself more, I think. I just wouldn't make any money. I used to be a problem solver. What happened to that? Did the advanced math just kick it out of me?

On a happier note, Alex got tickets for the midnight premiere of TTT today, so I'll be very happy in two weeks or so...

also, I finally uploaded Chapter Five of TMC to Caldir. If you don't know how to get it, send me an email.

file under: lordoftherings , working Posted by Jen at 12:22 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I forgot how good Fellowship of the Ring is. I'm rereading it, so I can have reread The Two Towers in time for December. Just so I can have something to compare. It's taken me several weeks to get to 'The Council of Elrond', where Legolas is introduced...which is weird. I used to tear through books in a few days, much less a week. Work really cuts into your reading time.

I moved up to Lothl�rien for next week in the Wizard's Quest... thank you all! Don't forget to keep voting, please!

So friday was rather hectic at work. I did most of my work by myself, cause Todd and Dr Nolta were down in New Orleans (luckily the hurricane cleared up by the time they got there--no joke!) for a conference. I was supposed to phenol-chloroform my dna samples to purify them--and anyone who was reading this over the summer remembers how I burned myself with phenol when I did that in the other lab. Ew. So, I was looking at the protocol and I found another way to repurify the samples...so I did that instead. Hopefully Todd won't mind and the PCR will actually work this time. I was going to run on Friday cause Billy was supposed to be there, but I actually got my butt up in the morning and did a short workout at the new Webster high school track. So in the grand scheme of things it's ok that I didn't run in the afternoon. It may sound shallow, but I would have liked to have seen Billy. Even if he's still going with Amy. Why are the cute ones taken?

Anyway, the protocol ran late and I missed the shuttle that would have gotten me there on time. That was probably a good thing anyway, cause luckily I remembered another thing I had to do for Monday. Hopefully it's ok that I put a little too much trypsin in, and the cells will be growing alright so we can have virus to inject in muscles... don't ask, I can't explain. And the check gel I ran actually had DNA in it (even though some of the wells didn't have enough dna cause of the ethanol), and the ladder worked, my psuedo-ladder that I concocted. So, sometimes I can make things work.

I watched the Buffy season premiere last night. Get this: the UPN affiliate is now the Home Shopping Network on friday evenings. LOL! It's funny, cause I only saw two or three Buffy eps from last season (have them all on cd though) so I was just a little bit lost. But they had a bunch of old enemies from previous seasons.. how cool was that! I just wish Angel and Buffy would get back together...it's sad that they're on different networks. No chance for a crossover! I do have to say I'm turning into a bit of a Spike fan, I mean, who can resist those cheekbones! And besides, he can sing. And supposedly he's got a soul now, so I can just see the slayer-vamp vibes coming back... I then watched two eps from last season while I was in bed. The musical ep...hilarious! I loved it, and the songs were actually really good. Did I mention how I wanted to be a singer-songwriter, like John Mayer? He rocks my world.

I also want to be a writer. I'd love to just sit down and write my story. I know, I know, I should just go and do it... but you have to be in the mood to write. As I obviously am right now, lol. But I really want to write all of the story, coherently, I want to introduce you to Faldor and Myrhysa and Risk and Rraric and Aurin. I want to tell you of the Gem of Akkaan and the plains of Iragea and Imagea. There's a place called Myropel for which I invented a mythology. May already knows about what happens to Zach, but I have to actually get there... You really should read it. What's written, anyway: The Moonstone Chronicles. And you could check out my Roswell fanfic while you're at it: (Human) Development. Both also available on my site without the ads.

If you made it through all that, I applaud you. Any ideas for my next layout? I really need a new one. Not that I don't love staring at Legolas Comments and suggestions very welcome.

file under: working , writings Posted by Jen at 10:09 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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So I was just staring out the window, waiting for some cells, when I see this pigeon alight on the parking garage next door. So I stared at it and started thinking, come to me, little birdie and the like.

And wouldn't you know it, the bird didn't move an inch. It looked at me for a good long time though.

However, I started looking out the window in the first place because I had never seen the metrolink crossing closed so the train could go through.

And wouldn't you know it, the gates were going down at that instant.

So I guess I'm neutrally telepathic, eh?

I bought the LotR dvd today. And the Art of LotR. What a deal. Got free shipping and everything. Haven't seen my lovely digital content yet though. And my buying spree is not done yet, for I have to go back to Borders, where of course the two cds that I wanted to get at Target are on sale. There, instead of at Target. Grr. At least my dad is nice and drives me. Dave Matthews, here I come. I still need a dvd player though.

Won't it suck if I have to pay for parking? ew.

God I love this song. Kiss the Rain by Billie Meyers. I remember when I was going out with Chris and we started to have problems, I listened to this single for hours. I wrote out all lyrics. It was perfect for what was happening with us at that time.

I miss a boyfriend. I find it supremely ironic that this lab has only two guys, and they're both married. Why are there no cute scientists?

Geez, what a rant. I'll shut up now.

file under: muses , working Posted by Jen at 5:03 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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so I found out I probably won't have a job during the year, because money's so tight at the lab. Seriously, the account that pays me has no money so she'd have to switch me over to another account for the last month of the summer. Ah well. Three months of this and I have plenty to buy a new computer. I just have to get some kind of job so I can get a monthly check so I can get rid of the large mountain of student loan debt. Ugh.

Talked to PI, obviously, and was rather proud that I didn't sound too dumb. I even sort of know what I'm talking about. If only I could understand totally. I still get the feeling that I am so far down the knowledge ladder that everyone else is ten storeys above me. Can we say insecure much?

and it's rather amusing how I keep having to remember things about my ex because my friends are asking.

file under: working Posted by Jen at 2:21 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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so I think I made three rather large mistakes at work today. But hopefully nothing terrible will come from that. And the thing that we were doing didn't work, so I have to pick more colonies, probably. I do hope it works soon, cause as much as I love picking colonies, it isn't exactly as exciting as this job could be. Yun Shin is nice, she doesn't quite ridicule me for forgetting *all* of my high-school as well as college chemistry and biology, and she actually explains it to me if I don't know what solution 2 is for.

I still haven't told my parents that I'm going to the John Mayer concert next weekend. Or the DMB concert on my birthday. erm.

Nuts. It just turned midnight so I won't get two posts on this day. Ah well.

egad, I have to do a mini prep all by myself tomorrow. yck. yrch!

file under: working Posted by Jen at 11:56 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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it's so weird, people are talking about budget problems. I never thought that I would be somewhere with that going on. But I guess it makes sense, I mean, you've got to stay on budget, and the things here are so astronomically expensive! Machines cost thousands of dollars.

More when I get done, I hope.

file under: working Posted by Jen at 10:27 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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today was totally new. Since JJ went back to China for three weeks, it's nigh on impossible to continue the experiments that we were doing, and they were going wrong anyway, so now I'm working with Yun Shin. I learned alot today, not just (supposedly) how to set up a colony hybridization experiment (hey, I was (watching Yun Shin) working with radioactive labels!) and how to pick a bacterial colony.... and how to make agar plates. I also found out that my boss (hereafter referred to as my PI, or primary investigator) is four months pregnant. So possibly that accounts for her moodiness. Also found out that she's married to someone who works in the same building. They seem very disparate, so I hope they're happy. Also found out for sure that she's Korean, not Chinese. Which is fine. I just don't think I could handle the food.

Because I love her, visit my mom's site: Betty Shew: PaperArt.

PI's husband said that they were in France during her early days of pregnancy and all she wanted was Korean food. Apparently it's difficult to find Korean food in Paris. Wouldn't know.

but yeah. Lab has been hectic. I don't know how I feel about it. Changwon (a med student who just took his med school exams, I think) said that maybe I should think about a rotation among the labs when the summer's over; I guess that would be a good idea. He also said that my PI was the primary stem cell person, though. And my ID and parking pass expire at the end of July, so I guess that I have to talk to her about it.

Anybody know how to do Chinese calligraphy? Korean as well. I'm looking for accurate renditions of the characters so my mom can do some artwork with them. I don't expect museum quality calligraphy scrolls, but something sort of big so we can work with them.

gah, I miss ethernet.

I got site of the month from World of the Strange for my Roswell site, so I have to finish updating it... yay.

file under: working Posted by Jen at 10:55 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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