Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Not my day
Man alive I don't believe it. I was super efficient all morning sorting out new samples for experiments today from a couple of old archive samples in the freezer to check that I'm not going mad and also to fill in a couple of points for this scary talk I'm giving in a few weeks. I was zipping across campus between labs and dodging the millions of builders lorries which I'm sure are out to get me, the building round here is totally doing my head in, everything is dusty, grubby and in my way. Anyhow I was happy with my speedy efficient ways until I finished my first experimental run and realised the stupid set up was leaking. I thought with the new screws and stuff that it was all pretty water tight, but apparently not. Anyway managed to get everything set up again (I was determined to get everything set up for a good experiment as I had the best surface in a long while so I wanted to make the most of it). But even though my set up wasn't leaking, I was still getting results that were characteristic of a leaky experimental set up and in the end I had to go off for cake. Unfortunately cake did not magically solve my strange leaky looking problems but I have a good idea of what the problem is and will try fixing it tomorrow as it's too late to restart anything today and I have also run out of surfaces. Fingers crossed tomorrow I will have a good surface, no leakiness and some decent activity. Generally I find I can get 1 out of 3 right but unfortunately the results aren't useful unless I can coordinate all of it together at once.
I think one of the best things I ever learnt as an undergrad was about zen and the art of practical experiments. If the going gets really bad, just leave everything on the bench, step out for a cup of tea and large cake and then come back and try to sort it again, rather than staying there and getting so annoyed something finally breaks putting you even further back in the experiment.
I think one of the best things I ever learnt as an undergrad was about zen and the art of practical experiments. If the going gets really bad, just leave everything on the bench, step out for a cup of tea and large cake and then come back and try to sort it again, rather than staying there and getting so annoyed something finally breaks putting you even further back in the experiment.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]