There are 186 days left before I leave bench science.
There are some things I can’t wait to leave behind. Like beta-mercaptoethanol. But there are a few things I’ll miss about not being in a lab everyday.
The ability to vortex my hand in moments of boredom
Using lab supplies for side-projects
Intriguing contaminants
Cravings for salt’n'vinegar-flavoured chips
Things that change colour
Fantasies about making a prom dress out of leucine crystals
Yellow-capped tubes with blue labels
Machines that only I can use (and select others trained in the Way of the Jedi)
I guess I’ll miss the science, too. But mostly the yellow-capped tubes.
I already miss always having a bottle of ethanol on hand to remove labels with, and centrifuges to spin things down. Can you imagine how much my kitchen would benefit from having these things?
You know what I could use in the kitchen? A carboy. I would fill it with different delicious beverages as the seasons change.
As much as I wan to leave the bench behind…it makes me sad to think of you leaving!! Is that weird?
Hmmmn. Does it work better
if we leave the bench together? We could get started on that sushisheetz!
A bittersweet post.
I had been teaching cell culture and cell biology lab classes at the university for 20 years when I moved to online teaching. I miss the lab everyday. EV-ER-EE DAY!
I miss being in charge and showing everyone the tricks to the perfect SDS-PAGE set-up. I miss standing for hours! I miss tiny eppendorf tubes, pipetman, and yes, ethanol, carboys and balances.
I won’t miss beta mercaptoethanol either.
I am paying “blog calls” to each @scio12 attendee to say “Hi” and give your blog a shoutout on twitter (I’m @sciencegoddess). I look forward to meeting you in January!
Thank you so much for visiting, Joanne! It’s very generous of you to say hi to us all – but I’ll say thanks in person! (and I forgot about balances – something else that would be handy in the kitchen…)
Awesome post. I will miss having endless access to magnesium to impress my friends with and amaze my glancing-to-the-side eyes (*but not actually taking any magnesium from lab or doing anything non-research-related with it, because I would never do such a thing*). Good luck with your non-research gig. I’m headed out of lab as well and am psyched/scared. Gotta find a new job ASAP!
Yes, lab supplies are only ever used for research purposes. And I’ve never used my access to radioactive hazard labels for halloween costumes. Good luck to you too and enjoy the Mg while you can!