Monday, September 29, 2003

The Adventures of Amber Continue
Social organizing goes awry / plastic surgery / Dinner & the best Movie Ever

So, this is the harrowing summary of this last friday. I zoomed in to work by 9:30AM, and had a decently productive morning sending out sequencing reactions to the biotech department. It was my first time setting them up and entering them in the order form all by myself. So of course I freaked out when I saw the 80 dollar bil for them. . . went through all the possibilities of how I messed up something because this is the DISCOUNT SEQUENCING for goodnesssake. But then I realized that they really are 8 bucks a tube, and I sent in 10 tubes, and the PI had asked me to do that many. So whew.

I came back and ate lunch with Bailey, where she offered the idea of a corn maze later Saturday night. I had already spoken with Roger about some of us going to see a movie friday night, so I told her I'd be sending out an e-mail about the movie and I'd add a part asking for interest in the corn maze.

Apparently, this wasn't the clearest and best idea. Saturday afternoon had already been reserved for Petra's housewarming party, and I got an e-mail back from somebody that sounded like they were saying "WTF? what about petra's party? Screw the corn maze"

That put a knot in my stomach. I had been feeling for awhile like I wasnt' fitting in with the group very well, and now they were going to think I was ignoring her party and trying to get everyone to go to a damn corn maze instead. I quickly fired back an e-mail to apologize/clarify.

Back in lab, I went to the autoclave machine to pick up the stuff I had put in there to sterilize. Now, for those of you not familiar with these things, let me tell you that autoclaves are like big metal boxes in which you can sterilize equipment at VERY high heat and pressure. The door to my autoclave lowers when you push a pedal, and slowly the metal door creeped down. I kept looking for the bin I'd placed my stuff in, but it wasn't there. All the tubes and boxes where sitting. . . .in a puddle of molten plastic.

I ran back to the lab and announced my mistake. I knew I couldn't make it any better, so I just admitted failure, and expected hell for it. But Katy the PI was calm, and everyone else was all smiles and suggestions. It was funny, but it seemed like screwing up that badly made them like me more. It was an honest mistake, they said, and it never happens to them because they have an undergrad do ALL their autoclaving.

Still, I spent most of the afternoon scraping off plastic from the rack and the bottom of the autoclave, until Katy told me to leave it to the professionals. I picked myself up, and left for the Union Terrace. I needed a drink.

OF COFFEE DAMNIT.

I blame that horrible section of Friday on not having had coffee. I had wanted to cry on several occasions. But I met up with Bailey again at the Union, and I got a big steamin' cup of Southern Pecan Coffee. MMMMMMM. Everyone else had beer, but I was happy. And as for the e-mail fiasco, I got alot of support from my peers. I felt alot better. We moved to Angelic Brewery for dinner, where I had Idaho Nachos (just replace chips with waffle fries) and Cheese and Ale soup--which was THE BEST SOUP EVERRRRRR.

Rhett hitched a ride with me over to the movie theatres, where there were actually lots of people from our group there to see "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" Which turned out to be a fantastic movie. So fantastic, and with Antonio Banderas, Enrique Iglesias, and Johnny Depp. The phrase "edibly yummy" came to mind. But it was just a freaking fun movie. hilarious and yet action packed violent. Go see it now.

Saturday was a much better day, in that Petra's house was lovely. I got to see a puppy there, and drank some good beer and played Egyptian Rat Screw, Jenga, and Pictionary with some other micro students. Also got to play HALO on a projector screen--I lost most of the multiplayer, but it was damn good fun. It was a great evening, and I felt like I belonged.

Sunday I went into lab to do some work, while Dave had to go to Stop n' go to do some work. Sunday, blargh. Afterwards I went to Target and got some dark garnet placemats, one fallish leaved-placemat, some pumpkin pie scented candles, and some halloween cards. I have caught the fall fever. I'm ready for halloween.

Except I don't know what to be, and I need some votes. Right now I'm between being some sort of sci-fi matrixy chick with guns, OR a cutesy "Nurse Bunny" getup.

I'd really like to be Molly Millions from Neuromancer, complete with mirrored shades surgically inset and long burgundy nails hiding surgical scalpels. This would involve lots of dark clothing, and definitely pleather pants. The advantage is getting to buy pleather pants I could wear at some other point. The disadvantage is having nobody fucking know what I'm supposed to be, as well as figuring out how to do the inset shades. Also if anyone who's familiar with the character can give me some input on what they saw her as looking like, that would be good.

I liked a little getup I saw at Hot Topic with a white nurses's dress, fishnets, and then bunny ears & tail. It was super cute, and would be easier in theory to pull off. But would I wear any of it again? I don't know. I need help!!!