I never given much thought of why I am used to call micro centrifuge tubes for eppendorf tubes until I moved to the States and my new lab mates (very loosely used term) look at me funny when I started talking about eppendorfs. “You mean micro centrifuge tubes?” and I nodded. It never occurred to me that it is just a brand name, silly me. It’s probably the equivalent to calling all soft drinks for coke, or ginger ale if that is what you like.
Gilsons, the micro pipettes, on the other hand I am not sure of. Are they a brand? The first ones made? Or am I supposed to call them pipettes as well? In that case, how to I distinguish “real” pipettes (ranging from 0.5 ml to 25 mls) from the Gilsons i.e. the disposable ones versus the non-disposable ones. Gilsons cost plenty as an old friend of mine said.
Furthermore I realized today, or tonight rather, that again I am stuck with the lab bench adjacent to the wall on left side of the row. This might not be a problem but when the Bunsen burner is attached to the gas hook up is also on the left side is does become a problem for little ol’ me. Why? Because yours truly is left handed. So, I also realized that putting your latex gloved hand over the invisible flame (the burner I have hasn’t got a thing to adjust the air intake but only the amount of gas flowing) while trying to grab a sterile bacterial “smearer” hurts. It was the smell that made me realize I put my hand in the flame. The hurt came later. And then I saw the yellowish glove turned a bit deep orange/burned… Ah well, not too much of a burn but I was pretty much waiting for this to happen. Always strange to have a bench that is opposite what you need.
At least I think I have good data from the sad bacterial that did not want to grow until 3 pm rather than being over and done with at noon, so I got out of the lab by 9. I’ll count them tomorrow but the ODstudies looked really interesting. Hopefully they will cooperate more tomorrow so I can repeat it without too much hassle. Now, time to sleep.
4 comments:
ooh, nice greens.
Um, yes. We call 'em Eppies here, and Gilsons, and escalators. And hoovers ('to hoover' is a verb) and of course, we 'google' when we should be working.
To sleep, perchance to dream??
My labs in the UK called them eppies/eppendorf tubes too, even though we used another brand. I think it's because they were one of the largest manufacturers, plus we used Eppendorf microcentrifuges. (How's that for product placement?)
As for Gilsons vs real pipettes, you could give the large volume pipettes their full name: serological pipettes. But I know what you mean. Again, Gilson as a major manufacturer (and still most trusted, in my narrow opinion) cornered the market in the UK.
My use of British terminology often gets called cute or Scottish. The Americans can be as patronising as the Brits. Scientists are ego-maniacs the world over...
>BK: hoovers? don't use ugly words here. that is probably the thing I hate the most ;)
Did dream but nothing nice, just lots of crazy bacteria and all those different shoes to bring to a conference in June. Stress can really bring strange things to mind.
>bramble: it just seems so annyoing to call pipettes for serological when it is easy to just say gilsons'. Well, product placement is key I guess?! I never gave it much thought to be honest, which is why I wonder how many other things I use never questioning or wondering...
Regarding the patronising thing I will just be quiet - too many things to say about that but yeah, egos are big and need attention.
We call them eppies, too. I thought everyone did? Sounds like your lab is a little strange.
Still don't like calling them pipettemen. I call them pipette people. But maybe we should call them hoovers. I kind of like that, it's sort of funny!
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