Learning curve

So I got a more detailed intro to the lab today... somehow in a couple of short years I've managed to go from rat gynecologist to chicken vampire. At least one component of my study will involve taking blood and tissue samples from chicken embryos... with a glass pipette and suction provided the old-fashioned way. Slurp. Not something you want to do too quickly.

But I do get to learn to pull my own pipette tips. At long last!

I've been kicking myself for the past couple of days for missing out on bio methods classes at Kenyon... I had the opportunity to take both Cell and Neurobio methods courses with Dr. Itagaki, and darn it if I didn't miss an awesome chance there. For starters, I'd be at least passably familiar with all this stuff, rather than requiring a month to play catch-up.

On the other hand, I have a whole year here and the chance to really focus on my lab work, so maybe this isn't too bad. I'll pick stuff up quickly enough. Plus, if I had thrown intro bio lab onto my coursload freshman year I think I would have dropped out of school... or missed out on other really good classes. C'est la vie. (Wait... that's totally not german... Ordnung muss sein??)

So now I get to learn everything I ever wanted to know about amyloid-beta processing (already have 5 or 6 awesome articles to read) and really nifty modern ways to study it, and it's totally my life this year. No applications, interviews, and million other things to gum up the works! How cool is that?

In conclusion, science is awesome. Das stimmt.

*****

On the other side of things... Do I need to take classes? I haven't pinned any of that down yet. I went to the international students office this morning (it's only open between 9 and 1) to try and get my student ID and the info to register... and it turns out I needed another form from the other side of town before we could proceed. So, biked around, got mildly lost, went a few blocks out of the way... only to learn that the office will only deal with my request between 9 and 11 am. It's just past 12 at this point, so no go. Tomorrow. Plus I need to get my dorm situation finally situated. That office is in another direction and is only open between 9 and 12... then hopefully back to the international students office before it closes. Sigh. Tomorrow morning is going to be busy.

I feel the need to keep up formal studies, if just a german class and some relevant bio course. Is that so wrong? We'll see how many offices I have to find tomorrow.

Now to go on a quest for a bike helmet and basket, not to mention a locksmith to see about this lock. Wish me luck!