The pcr worked! I am so happy with myself since the pcr with the new (correct!!) primers did work the first time. With both the strains. With the higher temperature! Go me. Or something... The only thing that is annoying is that the second (new) primer, i.e. the second primer in the second pair of primer pairs that I need, have not been synthezied yet. The tech mumbled something about ”low yield” or something along those lines when I went down to the facility Wednesday to ask why the third new primer hadn’t been with the other two. Well, hopefully I can have them Monday and if (cross my fingers and wish for everything I hold dear at the moment) the reaction works on Monday I might actually greet my boss back with a happy ”I think I have the mutant”.
This is of course based on the fact that not only the first pcr reaction needs to work but the second one, with the three different fragments and the three different primers need to work when put together. Then the transformation (which I have yet to get to work in the other strains with that other fragment) must work. And then of course the cultivation and examination. But hey, I am going to feel happy for my wonderful band on the TAE gel today since it is Friday and doing an important experiment the last few hours of the day might result in a very distressed post doc for the weekend or, as in this case, a post doc that looks onto next weeks bench work with happy eyes and hope in her heart. This based on the fact that I am not considering the looong time spent trying to amplify the fragment using nonoptimised primers and other smaller things that have made this take way too long time. Not thinking about that now. Actually, it might not be that important since I learned what I did wrong and redid it right. Or so I hope. (knock wood!)
How mushy is this anyway? To be honest though, about the life of a post doc: I still have to go in to work later tonight and tomorrow morning and then tomorrow night and then the morning after... well, you get the picture?! Time points. As can be read about here [shamelessly proud is what I am about it!]. Hopefully that experiment will turn for the better because at the moment those things are looking a little bleak. Ah well, at least I might might have half a mutant ;) Time to go home for running and then dinner before returning to work and donning the protective gear.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
-80 degrees = burns
Having a PhD does not automatically make you smart. I remember I used to tell friends back home this after they pointed out that it was strange that I did this or that. Today I got reminded again. When opening the [vertical] -80 freezer to pull out the racks in metal it is better if you a)don’t press the side of your hand directly towards the metal in order to keep the rack stabile and b)don’t think ‘this will only take a second’ but then realising that the box you want is very close to the back of the freezer. IF one wouldn’t remember this (who could be that stupid?) one could end up with a burn on one’s thumb. But of course, this is just hypothetically speaking. No Doctor would ever forget to put on the BIG gloves when handling the -80stuff. Nahh…..
Friday, May 25, 2007
Lloyd Chudley Alexander
I learned today that Lloyd Alexander died the 17th of May, the National day of Norway and by other reasons an important day for me personally. When I recall my childhood as well as I want it will be in the library, childrens’ section with all its vast collection of books, books I could lend and take home in my back pack. To read and read and read and dream about all the wonderful places in those books.
I remember the librarians looking at me the first times I went there and the stack of books I wanted to bring home. “That is awfully many, love. You do realise you only have them for 14 days?” I nodded and my mum or dad, who usually accompanied me to the library, left me in the childrens’ section and walked the long walk up to the adult/grown up library to lend some books for them. Sometimes my dad staid with me and read the comics you could find in the children’s section though. And you were only allowed to bring three of them home, “otherwise it would be any left for others you see”.
I read, and still read, fast, especially when I was younger in comparison to other children my age. Therefore I could bring home many books in my little bag and read them all and then return them on time, or before time, and bring home new. I think it was then I started to reread books. It was like an old friend, someone you can count on.
I still remember listening to the radio during one summer and hearing the stories of “Westmark”, ”The Kestrel” and “The Begger queen” as a radio theater. I remember the horror I felt in the middle of The Kestrel when the rebels (or our heroes on a quest for freedom as they were in the book) were mortified finding their own soliders sitting leaning towards trees, dead, with no skin on them. I can hear the anguish and hate in the voice of [the actor of] Theo, ‘The Kestrel’, when he said “the are like meat, bloody and propped up towards the trees. Their eyes all bloody and there skin gone. The fiends that have done this is not human, so why should we.” I remember calling for my grand mother in the middle of the night when I relived the episode in my dreams, with me as Theo’s best friend – not Mickle though – never Mickle although she was and is a beautiful role model for a young girl when it comes to that.
I remember the bravado of the Rebel leader Florian, what a beautiful name, and the awful evilness of Skeit as well as Cabbarus, not to forget the fun yet enormously sad Count Las Bombas – the conman with his different potions and creams. And Justin, the rebel with the intense blue eyes and the madness to match it, the hurt and the loneliness that only those who have seen the world crumble down in front of them can really have. The lust of Theo to become one of Florian's children, like Luther, Stock, Justin and Zara. I realise in hindsight that these books might have given me a view of the necessity of rebellion, or maybe the necessity of realising the life is never ever fair, but we have to try and make it as fair as possible. And still it is a dream, a childish dream of the just war, the just means to make it all right.
To finish, if you haven’t read the books as a child (or adolescence maybe might have been more appropriate) I still think one can read them now. If I had kids for sure I’d give them the Chronicles of Prydain first, since they are more childlike and almost like a Fellowship of the Ring for children. And the stories of Vesper Holly, the third series of Mr Alexander, is also great for the independent girl who finds friends and adventures all over but never is portrayed as a second hand character. Then read the Westmark triology and see the influence from the French revolution, the fall of the Eastern Europe dictatorships [although that hadn't happened at the time] and other unjustly ruled countries all over the globe. I can not help but to speculate how much the series is inspired by Alexander’s own experience in the WWII where he trained in Wales and then moved over into the Rhineland and southern Germany in the end years of the war. After all the Chronicles of Pyradin are inspired by old folk lore from Wales and Alexander did translate more than a few books from French, among all Sartre as well. (The Kestrel does bring similar feelings as Sartre's The Victors, interesting indeed. Wonder if Alexander did a translation of that play as well?)
I realise now, when my eyes are filling up, that I probably never got over the fact that Theo, in all his splendor of being the brave rebel, lost his own faith in man when he became the Kestrel. The pseudonym hid more than just his name, he traded in the humanitarian side for the more vicious side and fought the horrible Cabbarus with his means – proving yet again that war will never be beautiful, fair or won. There are only those that loose more than others. And Theo put away himself for the cruel and innovative Kestrel, still the hero in so many eyes of the rebels to is own disdain.
I think I will look for the books on line and see if I can buy them. At least The Kestrel, since I am not entirely sure I really liked The Begger Queen… strangely enough in all this but I will probably buy all three of the books, after all it is a series.
In the end of the articles here and here it states that Alexander's wife, who he met in France and was married to for 65 years, died May 2nd. I guess that is somewhat beginning of hope for love and man for me, although I will miss the writer and my childhood feelings of innocence and grandness of rebellions.
I remember the librarians looking at me the first times I went there and the stack of books I wanted to bring home. “That is awfully many, love. You do realise you only have them for 14 days?” I nodded and my mum or dad, who usually accompanied me to the library, left me in the childrens’ section and walked the long walk up to the adult/grown up library to lend some books for them. Sometimes my dad staid with me and read the comics you could find in the children’s section though. And you were only allowed to bring three of them home, “otherwise it would be any left for others you see”.
I read, and still read, fast, especially when I was younger in comparison to other children my age. Therefore I could bring home many books in my little bag and read them all and then return them on time, or before time, and bring home new. I think it was then I started to reread books. It was like an old friend, someone you can count on.
I still remember listening to the radio during one summer and hearing the stories of “Westmark”, ”The Kestrel” and “The Begger queen” as a radio theater. I remember the horror I felt in the middle of The Kestrel when the rebels (or our heroes on a quest for freedom as they were in the book) were mortified finding their own soliders sitting leaning towards trees, dead, with no skin on them. I can hear the anguish and hate in the voice of [the actor of] Theo, ‘The Kestrel’, when he said “the are like meat, bloody and propped up towards the trees. Their eyes all bloody and there skin gone. The fiends that have done this is not human, so why should we.” I remember calling for my grand mother in the middle of the night when I relived the episode in my dreams, with me as Theo’s best friend – not Mickle though – never Mickle although she was and is a beautiful role model for a young girl when it comes to that.
I remember the bravado of the Rebel leader Florian, what a beautiful name, and the awful evilness of Skeit as well as Cabbarus, not to forget the fun yet enormously sad Count Las Bombas – the conman with his different potions and creams. And Justin, the rebel with the intense blue eyes and the madness to match it, the hurt and the loneliness that only those who have seen the world crumble down in front of them can really have. The lust of Theo to become one of Florian's children, like Luther, Stock, Justin and Zara. I realise in hindsight that these books might have given me a view of the necessity of rebellion, or maybe the necessity of realising the life is never ever fair, but we have to try and make it as fair as possible. And still it is a dream, a childish dream of the just war, the just means to make it all right.
To finish, if you haven’t read the books as a child (or adolescence maybe might have been more appropriate) I still think one can read them now. If I had kids for sure I’d give them the Chronicles of Prydain first, since they are more childlike and almost like a Fellowship of the Ring for children. And the stories of Vesper Holly, the third series of Mr Alexander, is also great for the independent girl who finds friends and adventures all over but never is portrayed as a second hand character. Then read the Westmark triology and see the influence from the French revolution, the fall of the Eastern Europe dictatorships [although that hadn't happened at the time] and other unjustly ruled countries all over the globe. I can not help but to speculate how much the series is inspired by Alexander’s own experience in the WWII where he trained in Wales and then moved over into the Rhineland and southern Germany in the end years of the war. After all the Chronicles of Pyradin are inspired by old folk lore from Wales and Alexander did translate more than a few books from French, among all Sartre as well. (The Kestrel does bring similar feelings as Sartre's The Victors, interesting indeed. Wonder if Alexander did a translation of that play as well?)
I realise now, when my eyes are filling up, that I probably never got over the fact that Theo, in all his splendor of being the brave rebel, lost his own faith in man when he became the Kestrel. The pseudonym hid more than just his name, he traded in the humanitarian side for the more vicious side and fought the horrible Cabbarus with his means – proving yet again that war will never be beautiful, fair or won. There are only those that loose more than others. And Theo put away himself for the cruel and innovative Kestrel, still the hero in so many eyes of the rebels to is own disdain.
I think I will look for the books on line and see if I can buy them. At least The Kestrel, since I am not entirely sure I really liked The Begger Queen… strangely enough in all this but I will probably buy all three of the books, after all it is a series.
In the end of the articles here and here it states that Alexander's wife, who he met in France and was married to for 65 years, died May 2nd. I guess that is somewhat beginning of hope for love and man for me, although I will miss the writer and my childhood feelings of innocence and grandness of rebellions.
Stanely Cup finals
So, the time has finally come for the Final! Monday is the day it all comes down to, or at least that is the starting of it all.
I am not really sure what to do though. I mean, I have never ever liked Anaheim Ducks. Never. Ever. And I like Canada just for being there as a hockey nation with few teams but gosh they still have a large piece of my heart. So, really it should be simple but still. Anaheim kicked both Predators as well as Canucks out of the play offs so if they win the other teams still could be considered good.... on the other hand, it is still the Ducks.
I guess the main reason for my shifting is that I really like Teemu Selanne (presently third in the goal statistics!) and the brothers Niedermayers. They play good hockey, revised - they play great hockey and that is something fun to see! And Pronger of course.... shouldn't forget him nor their goalie.
I guess I'll just watch the games and see who wins. Pah.... that will so never happen since I know I get involved when watching hockey.
I am not really sure what to do though. I mean, I have never ever liked Anaheim Ducks. Never. Ever. And I like Canada just for being there as a hockey nation with few teams but gosh they still have a large piece of my heart. So, really it should be simple but still. Anaheim kicked both Predators as well as Canucks out of the play offs so if they win the other teams still could be considered good.... on the other hand, it is still the Ducks.
I guess the main reason for my shifting is that I really like Teemu Selanne (presently third in the goal statistics!) and the brothers Niedermayers. They play good hockey, revised - they play great hockey and that is something fun to see! And Pronger of course.... shouldn't forget him nor their goalie.
I guess I'll just watch the games and see who wins. Pah.... that will so never happen since I know I get involved when watching hockey.
stories from the world of science
If one is interested in reading about the lives and thoughts of scientists & post docs there is an excellent collection of different people writing about vairous things in the "Post doc carnival" at the blogg "Minor revisions"
http://minorrevisions.blogspot.com/2007/05/4th-postdoc-carnival.html
...and no, this is not since I am in the link collection but because one can find other stories from people who love science but yet feel a little diverse about this world of science.
http://minorrevisions.blogspot.com/2007/05/4th-postdoc-carnival.html
...and no, this is not since I am in the link collection but because one can find other stories from people who love science but yet feel a little diverse about this world of science.
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