Vexing boxation

And so it continues...my arm is still sore and there are a few days of boxation left.
According to my boss (grrr) it's all fine, as my left arm and shoulder is sore but I'm right handed, so at least I can still work!
Yeah.
OK, funny man.

sigh

If I never see another box again I'll dance with joy. Even to polka music.
As it is, I'll just wibble about a bit as I've more to do and I must conserve my strength, as my labwork is piling up and I'd *love* to get back to it...
Sheesh.
Complain complain complain...
Whiny little bird aren't I? :)

Only 7 more sleeps...

Soon.
This will have to tide me over for now...

Everybody wins

I'm so tired I could sleep for a week.
All this moving stuff at work is quite tiring. Only 3 days left...well that I know about anyways :)
I got to help out J doing camera 2 (neat) on a show he floor directs on at his work last night...that was fun. I think I'll volunteer more if they'll have me. It's nice being with him when he has to work late, and he works with some great people. One of the cool things about where he works is there are some fun opportunities to volunteer and help out - I used to in Regina sometimes where he worked when I was in university and really enjoyed it then. And there's pizza after...so hey. Everybody wins.
I'm a bit rusty at the camera moves, but I'm sure it'll get better the more I do. Maybe I'll even get to try the jib camera sometime...*that* would be nervewracking but a lot of fun.
Off to box mine....

Hooray for the Wheelbarrow

Hooray for the Wheelbarrow

Dear YouTube
I've tried posting this video repeatedly with no luck.
You Suck.
I give up.
That is all...

Which came first

Much free time makes for idle minds...which wonder idle things...like *why* exactly is there and Easter bunny? Why a specifically a rabbit? And why does he (a boy bunny no less) leave eggs? Easter chickens would make just as little sense, but would at least link in the whole egg thing a bit more. Is the bunny magical? At least there's no list of who has been bad or good...but it still doesn't link up for me in any tangible way. Perhaps the egg thing is linked to the solstice of spring and fertility? It had to get dragged in there somehow...but then where did the rabbit come from? A fertile little beast for sure...but still. Why are we so quick to welcome in what is becoming such a patently odd holiday?

I really want to be there in a thousand years when they teach the sociology and culture of our times. How in the world will they bring that up in a way that makes any sense whatsoever? How will it have mutated even further by then? Will we even celebrate Easter? I mean historically speaking we've got a spring solstice fertility festival commandeered (date wise) by the christian faith and then slowly changed and adopted by holiday happy athiests with a penchant for stat holidays, fuzzy bunnies and Cadbury cream eggs. Who *knows* where we're up to next?

The Eggman

Well...I'm having a lazy weekend with J and family. My neice Elli and I had a long chat about the Easter bunny last night, and she's quite excited about the egg hunt she gets to go to today: "auntie - it's like a treasure hunt... only for *eggs* filled with *candy*!". We put a lot of thought into just where a rabbit might hide candy...for a 3 year old there is nothing more exciting. She has a rainbow raincoat and yellow wellies and is all set to go tromping thru the mud on an egghunt :)

And so I wish a happy easter to you all, a most warming solstice and a most fine day. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Now go find some eggs.
Go on - be off with you!

This is what apathy will get you

The ever lovely Chaucer's Bitch pointed out this interview with Dick CHaney (VP of the USA) on national TV in which he openly states that he doesn't care what the opinion of the US people is on the war in Iraq:

CHENEY: On the security front, I think there’s a general consensus that we’ve made major progress, that the surge has worked. That’s been a major success.

RADDATZ: Two-third of Americans say it’s not worth fighting.

CHENEY: So?

RADDATZ So? You don’t care what the American people think?

CHENEY: No. I think you cannot be blown off course by the fluctuations in the public opinion polls.

Check out this link to watch the clip. I realise context is important, but this is not a statement that can be or is taken out of context. It is the statement of a leader who is going about his plans for things without any regard to the opinions or views of the people he is serving and representing in office. I hope Americans have a bit of a freak out over this, because honestly...you elected the guys. It's YOUR country....you're coming up on elections.
Vote. Have your say about the policy of the country you live in. Protest.You're declining like the Roman Empire and if you don't try and change things, you can't come up here and take our stuff, OK? We have our own problems :)

If you don't get involved, this is what apathy will get you. 4 more years of this.

Squeeeeee

Went out for a run this morning.
A bit chilly...but glorious.

It really has been too long.

But I'm such a frail thing, how ever could I do all that? *blink*

Oh yes, I am mighty mighty
Like a giant Aphrodite
I can lift the heavy boxes with my arms

And I serve my betters better
Than a well trained Irish Setter
and will earn a case of Guinness for my charms...

*whew*
Long day...we're moving labs and stuff...and guess who's getting to do most of it?
I just *love* moving boxes! Wheeee!
Oh.
Yeah.
Personally I think this pay-me-with-Guinness thing is a great idea.
Although I'm enjoying the well defined arm muscles I'm developing this week I still think I should be paid a stipend in *good* beer...or maybe Tim Horton's coffee.
I'm not fussy.

I'm off to have a hot shower and stretch out my muscles...tomorrow is another day at the box mine.

Go n-éirí an t-ádh leat! Ádh mór ort

Sláinte chuig na fir, agus go mairfidh na mná go deo!


May those who love us, Love us.
And those who do not love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn't turn their hearts,
May He turn their ankles,
So we'll know them by their limping.

Happy St. Patrick's day :)

Delayed due to weather

I was all pumped up to go for a run this morning as the paths are clear of ice and it's been quite warm - above 0 most days recently. We were out for a nice walk on the weekend and it got me all excited at the thought of being able to run in the mornings again...but this morning I awoke to winter's last hurrah...snow and frost and -21.
So no run today.
Maybe tomorrow.

I can't wait.
Winter can't be here forever....

The worst is over I thnk

Well the family has headed home and it is strangely quiet now...and our cats are wierded out a bit, as they had just managed to make friends with our cousin's 2 cats that were staying with us. No more opbligations and meetings and meals...just some time together to mend.
I look forward to it utterly and completely.
Have a good weekend all...

Revenge of the Sith in 5 Seconds

Check this out.

S'OK

And though they were sad,
They rescued everyone.
They lifted up the sun.
A spoonful weighs a tonne...


We're doing OK.
After the funeral and wake Thursday I think things will be a bit more level. We've had cousins staying with us that we haven't seen in ages, so it's been good catching up and visiting. All the younger relatives have been coming to our place to escape and get a bit of space from it all, so we're all coping together. It helps a lot to be together right now.


Giving more than they had,
The process had begun.
A million came from one.
The limits now were none...


Thanks for your warm thoughts.
I do believe we will be OK...


Yelling as hard as they can,
The doubters all were stunned.
Heard louder than a gun
The sound they made was love

Nana

Wylma Knight passed away yesterday afternoon after a long battle with Alzheimer's.

She was a grand dame with spunk and spirit, and she helped raise my husband into the wonderful man he is today. Nana is finally at peace, and no longer trapped inside a frail body and mind. Free.

We will miss her, but we are glad she's finally found peace.

Goodbye Nana. We love you.

wierd

I'm feeling a bit better...just wierd.
But wierd is good. I'll take it...

How I feel

Is that gash in your leg
Really why you have stopped?
Because I've noticed, all the others
Though they're gashed, they're still going
Because I feel like the real reason
That you're quitting and admitting that
You've lost all the will to battle on

Will the fight for sanity be the fight of our lives?
Now that we've lost all the reasons
That we thought that we had
Still the battle that we're in
Rages on until the end
With explosions, wounds are open
Sights and smells, eyes and noses
But the thought that went unspoken
Was understanding that you're broken

Still the last volunteer battles on
Battles on

~Flaming Lips, The Gash

Sadness is a barnacle clinging to your bright boat

I'm a miserable punt at the moment. Yes, with a capital p.
Anyone have some happy juice?

Life appears to be conspiring to make us miserable. Little things building on others to pick away at the shiny veneer of my brain, to add shadows and gloom to the things I see and do. We're both on edge and up until this morning I felt rather bad physically, which wasn't helping.
And on top of all the minutia of life, J's sweet Nana, who helped raise him, who has been suffering with Alzheimer's for many years and is a frail memory of her former self, is not doing well. It feels strange to worry and feel relief at the same time at her decline...it really is time...and I feel guilty for feeling that way. And I worry for J as well -when he hurts I hurt. Guilt and sorrow don't particularly mix and they just add fuel to the stress and annoyance already about. And I worry I won't be a good partner to help him right now when I am, honestly, a miserable punt.
I'm not even sure why I'm typing this, as I'm just spreading my moroseness to all of you, but right now, quite frankly, I'm at a loss and J is far away from me at his work. Knowing he is there and I am here and he is more morose than I just compounds it all. I just needed to put it in words to look at it so I can banish it to the winds and get on with my day.
I'm going to go wallow in some soup.
Some happy soup...or maybe some Happiness Pie

I'll be back later after I've had some Gleemonex.

Frak

Most of what I did in the lab today failed.
I'm going home to pout and eat popcorn and ache my blues away with tea and more advil.
Later...

Thanks to the Weighing Gam e for the image

Whatever gets you through the day

My head aches. My legs ache. My butt aches.
*I* ache.
Body and soul.
...and yet not quite badly enough to stay home (I have a 48 hour experiument to finish up). So I am here to do my work and then home to rest.

Here's to Advil and caffeine...

Meh

I couldn't have said it better.
Busy day.
Talk amongst yourselves...

thnx I can Has Cheeseburger fer da pikshur

Warning: Science ahead

A friend sent me this...it cheered me up.

Someone wrote a silly mock song about PCR...

PCR when you need to detect mutation
PCR when you need to recombine
PCR when you need to find out who the daddy is
PCR when you need to solve a crime

Technically it's an ad, but I'll take it...for some reason it cheers me up. Just to know others know my suffering and plod on in the lab...if you're not a geek and don't get it that's OK.
That may be a good thing :)

Well, I must go amuse myself in the lab...much to do.
But before I go, read up a bit on PCR and why it's such a huge tool in genetic science. It's what I spent the last dissapointing months doing. It's neat...well...to *me* anyways. You can sequence someone's DNA. Honestly...you can't tell me that's not at least a little bit cool?

Ahhhh, if only I could have magical scientist TV PCR powers...I could have done this kind project in a few minutes...instead of over a month. Anyone know how to reach these guys??? They seem to have an advantage over us chumps in the real world...
Bloody CSI...

Bummed out

I've spent a lot of time and energy on a project that I thought I'd made a most excellent discovery on that would help sick people get weller (is that a word?) and actually be useful. All weekend I was giddy, thinking of how I'd go over the results with one of my coworkers today and we'd have something useful to publish to actually make a difference in people's lives.
AND after spending the morning going over stuff...
It turns out although it is interesting, I've found a mutation in a non-specific uncoding intron region, that although novel, is not changing the amino acid sequence of my protein of interest.

Translation to non-geekspeak: I spent a lot of time and money learning what *isn't* the cause of an interesting mutation disease and am rather bummed out.

*sigh*
Just once I'd like to discover something interesting...I know a lot of science is learning what isn't causing something and slowly building a proper pathway of action and this really is a useful thing I've done by adding to the pool of knowledge on a particular disorder, but it still sucks.

I'd like to find, just once, something ON the pathway, not off it.
Just for me.
I'd make a cake and everything.

*sigh*

It's the thought...

I was told this morning that J loves me enough to make a statue of my beauty out of mashed potatos.

Odd I know, but strangely enough I find it to be the sweetest thing anyone has said to me in a long time.