I had a bad day. It wasn't that anything extremely terrible happened, or that any one particular person was an ass to me. It was just one of those days. You know, where you end up having to wait to walk the dogs because it starts pouring rain. Then you're already running late for work just to re-discover that you don't have enough gas to get to work. When you finally do arrive to work your boss is sitting right there noting that you're an hour late. Then you drop your birth control pill into your purse and end up having to dump every single thing out to find it, cause we don't want no babies! Then your boss keeps annoying you about the grad students and what you have planned for them to do all day (seriously, calm the eff down, I got this). Then thanks to an illy (wait is that a word?) timed fire drill and your boss interrupting you several more times you discover that you only accomplished one thing today. Just to end the day with pouring rain on the way home (thanks to the drought people in Texas have forgotten what that liquid substance is and are terrified of it when in a vehicle) and getting behind someone on that last stretch of road doing 30 in a 55 mph zone.
It's ok though. I got a kiss from Ben and picked up two forties of Olde English and two scratch off tickets on the way home. With a few more kisses and some more cuteness from the dogs, these worries will melt away.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
New Year, Same Old Bathroom
Yay, it's 2012! So many exciting things are happening this year! For instance, getting to marry my best friend =) I didn't really make any resolutions this year....but I'll try to blog a little more frequently. That being said...first post of the new year:
Sometime last year I blogged about the bathroom we use at work. Some of those problems have been taken care of (haven't really noticed the smell creeping out of the drain lately), but one thing in particular has really started to grate my nerves. The handicap button on the door.
Now, let me go ahead and give a disclaimer. If you are a dude and hold the bizarre belief that girls never fart or take a dump then you should stop reading (and you should probs stop being my friend). I mean, come on, everybody poops.
For those of you who are still with me, we have a handicap accessible bathroom. Which is totally fabulous, I'm all for equal opportunity. However, we seldom get handicap people in our building, in particular, using the bathroom on the third floor which requires two separate card swipes to be accessed. All of the contempt I hold is for the women that work on said floor.
Anyway, there's this handicap accessible button on both the outside and inside of the bathroom. Meaning, when that button is pushed, the door opens on its own and stays open for a few seconds before slowly shutting. A few times I have ran into this scenerio:
Me thinking to myself (as I clench and make my way to the bathroom): Wow, I really shouldn't have tested out my lactose intolerance by drinking that glass of milk with breakfast this morning. Great, boss is standing in hallway having a scientific discussion with two other people. I hope they're almost done and don't notice how long I'm about to be in here. Crap, someone is at the sink, they should be making their way out soon though. Yay, I made it to the stall, now only clench it together until this person leaves.
AND THAT ASSHOLE PUSHES THE HANDICAP BUTTON!
Me sweating: Oh God, my gut won't let me hold this together any longer....
Then all hell breaks loose and I can only hope that the conversation in the hallway had ended and people were no longer standing there.
I don't understand the thrill of using the button. While using it from the inside of the bathroom, it's just as dirty as if you had pushed the door with your hand. Is there something wrong with these people's arms? Are they just that lazy? Is the door too heavy for them and it causes them physical pain to open it? Regardless, it annoys me that several times a week, the hallway is subjected to whatever I've got going on in the bathroom.
Sometime last year I blogged about the bathroom we use at work. Some of those problems have been taken care of (haven't really noticed the smell creeping out of the drain lately), but one thing in particular has really started to grate my nerves. The handicap button on the door.
Now, let me go ahead and give a disclaimer. If you are a dude and hold the bizarre belief that girls never fart or take a dump then you should stop reading (and you should probs stop being my friend). I mean, come on, everybody poops.
For those of you who are still with me, we have a handicap accessible bathroom. Which is totally fabulous, I'm all for equal opportunity. However, we seldom get handicap people in our building, in particular, using the bathroom on the third floor which requires two separate card swipes to be accessed. All of the contempt I hold is for the women that work on said floor.
Anyway, there's this handicap accessible button on both the outside and inside of the bathroom. Meaning, when that button is pushed, the door opens on its own and stays open for a few seconds before slowly shutting. A few times I have ran into this scenerio:
Me thinking to myself (as I clench and make my way to the bathroom): Wow, I really shouldn't have tested out my lactose intolerance by drinking that glass of milk with breakfast this morning. Great, boss is standing in hallway having a scientific discussion with two other people. I hope they're almost done and don't notice how long I'm about to be in here. Crap, someone is at the sink, they should be making their way out soon though. Yay, I made it to the stall, now only clench it together until this person leaves.
AND THAT ASSHOLE PUSHES THE HANDICAP BUTTON!
Me sweating: Oh God, my gut won't let me hold this together any longer....
Then all hell breaks loose and I can only hope that the conversation in the hallway had ended and people were no longer standing there.
I don't understand the thrill of using the button. While using it from the inside of the bathroom, it's just as dirty as if you had pushed the door with your hand. Is there something wrong with these people's arms? Are they just that lazy? Is the door too heavy for them and it causes them physical pain to open it? Regardless, it annoys me that several times a week, the hallway is subjected to whatever I've got going on in the bathroom.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Being Thankful
Like me, I'm sure you have one or two Facebook friends that are posting something they are thankful for from Nov 1st through Thanksgiving. While some people are doing a fantastic job with it, other posts are way on the shallow side and it makes me want to cyber slap some individuals. I don't know if I should consider these people lucky because they've never been through something hard and don't realize where they should be giving thanks, or if I should go on thinking that they are stupid.
Last month, I had a conversation with not one, but TWO, individuals very close to me that started with, "So I've found a lump." Unfortunately, some of you know all too well the heart dropping, gut wrenching emotions that follow those four little words. After spending quite a few weeks worrying like crazy, thinking about what if it's cancer, being a little too over emotional, I am thankful that in both cases, the results came back benign.
This year, I am thankful that these two individuals are healthy and cancer free. It really would have turned my world upside down had the results came back differently. I am thankful for my wonderful family that is always there for support. I am thankful for Ben...I would still be lost without him in my life. I'm thankful for my friends (even though I miss a bunch of them every single day) and how willing they are to help me out or drop me a line of encouragement when needed. I'm thankful for our dogs that bring us endless hours of entertainment. I'm thankful for being fortunate enough to live in an awesome house in a nice neighborhood where I don't think twice about running by myself in the dark. I'm thankful for having a job, even though I bitch about the commute from time to time. I'm thankful to be able to go on awesome vacations. I'm thankful. I'm thankful. I'm blessed.
Last month, I had a conversation with not one, but TWO, individuals very close to me that started with, "So I've found a lump." Unfortunately, some of you know all too well the heart dropping, gut wrenching emotions that follow those four little words. After spending quite a few weeks worrying like crazy, thinking about what if it's cancer, being a little too over emotional, I am thankful that in both cases, the results came back benign.
This year, I am thankful that these two individuals are healthy and cancer free. It really would have turned my world upside down had the results came back differently. I am thankful for my wonderful family that is always there for support. I am thankful for Ben...I would still be lost without him in my life. I'm thankful for my friends (even though I miss a bunch of them every single day) and how willing they are to help me out or drop me a line of encouragement when needed. I'm thankful for our dogs that bring us endless hours of entertainment. I'm thankful for being fortunate enough to live in an awesome house in a nice neighborhood where I don't think twice about running by myself in the dark. I'm thankful for having a job, even though I bitch about the commute from time to time. I'm thankful to be able to go on awesome vacations. I'm thankful. I'm thankful. I'm blessed.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
ADD?
I've never been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, so maybe I'm just clueless....or bored, or apathetic, or would much rather be doing something different than what is currently occupying my time. Maybe you guys can tell me if this happens to most people and I am totally normal. This is what happened today:
My thought process: Yay, 15 minutes until I need to take my stuff out of the autoclave. I'll take this time to look at Facebook, flights home for Christmas, and annoy people on gchat.
5 minutes later......in walks boss.
Boss: Just checking to see how things are going, can I help you with (insert experiment), how is (insert other experiment)?
Me (as I frantically try to minimize everything and pretend I'm doing something work related): Yep, everything is going fine. I plan to start (experiment) tomorrow due to timing.
After a 10 minute discussion, boss walks over to talk with coworker.
My thought process: Yay, now I can get stuff out of autoclave and start making reagents for (experiment) and go do (other experiment).
Overhear boss's discussion with co-worker......get sucked in which goes like this for me.
Boss: Sarah, do you have any ideas for what we should be doing in order to gather more background information that would help us get a paper published?
I reply with an okay answer that doesn't make me look like a blubbering fool.
Boss: That's a good idea.....(not done talking)......
My thought process: Woohoo, I sound smart for once!
Boss: ..... are they excitatory or inhibitory neurons?. Also, we need to show where the receptor is located.....
My thought process: I feel like I may have missed something, but I still know what's going on. I got this.
Boss: .....cell signaling, we should look at the amygdala.....
My thought process: Hmm, there was a sign on the autoclave not to leave liquids 15 minutes past end of cycle. I wonder if I should be concerned because it has now been 20 minutes past end of cycle.
Boss: ....brain word....
My thought process: Crap, I should know more about that word. I should take home one of the text books and actually study. I bet he expects me to know more about my project than I currently do.
Boss: ....saying more science words....
My thought process: It looks dark outside, hey, there's a guy on a bike. Wonder where he's going. I bet it's nice out for a run. It'll probably be dark when I get home this evening.
Boss: ....saying more science words....
My thought process: Crap, I totally missed what he just said. Thank goodness for co-worker who is adding to this conversation and taking notes. I wonder if she'll share those with me later.
Boss: ......more science words.....
My thought process: I wonder how the skate party will be. I need to send our officiant our rehearsal time. Oh, we should also fill out those forms she asked us for. Reese is retarded. Wonder if Ben has a plan for dinner. My stomach still hurts. I need to come in to work at 7 am tomorrow.
Boss: So what do you think about that?
Me: Sounds good, I'll start working on it.
Awkward silence.
Coworker: Wanna go get started on (experiment).
Me: Yes, but I need to go get my stuff out of the autoclave first.
And I swear, I forgot what I was doing for about 5 minutes on my way to the autoclave.
My thought process: Yay, 15 minutes until I need to take my stuff out of the autoclave. I'll take this time to look at Facebook, flights home for Christmas, and annoy people on gchat.
5 minutes later......in walks boss.
Boss: Just checking to see how things are going, can I help you with (insert experiment), how is (insert other experiment)?
Me (as I frantically try to minimize everything and pretend I'm doing something work related): Yep, everything is going fine. I plan to start (experiment) tomorrow due to timing.
After a 10 minute discussion, boss walks over to talk with coworker.
My thought process: Yay, now I can get stuff out of autoclave and start making reagents for (experiment) and go do (other experiment).
Overhear boss's discussion with co-worker......get sucked in which goes like this for me.
Boss: Sarah, do you have any ideas for what we should be doing in order to gather more background information that would help us get a paper published?
I reply with an okay answer that doesn't make me look like a blubbering fool.
Boss: That's a good idea.....(not done talking)......
My thought process: Woohoo, I sound smart for once!
Boss: ..... are they excitatory or inhibitory neurons?. Also, we need to show where the receptor is located.....
My thought process: I feel like I may have missed something, but I still know what's going on. I got this.
Boss: .....cell signaling, we should look at the amygdala.....
My thought process: Hmm, there was a sign on the autoclave not to leave liquids 15 minutes past end of cycle. I wonder if I should be concerned because it has now been 20 minutes past end of cycle.
Boss: ....brain word....
My thought process: Crap, I should know more about that word. I should take home one of the text books and actually study. I bet he expects me to know more about my project than I currently do.
Boss: ....saying more science words....
My thought process: It looks dark outside, hey, there's a guy on a bike. Wonder where he's going. I bet it's nice out for a run. It'll probably be dark when I get home this evening.
Boss: ....saying more science words....
My thought process: Crap, I totally missed what he just said. Thank goodness for co-worker who is adding to this conversation and taking notes. I wonder if she'll share those with me later.
Boss: ......more science words.....
My thought process: I wonder how the skate party will be. I need to send our officiant our rehearsal time. Oh, we should also fill out those forms she asked us for. Reese is retarded. Wonder if Ben has a plan for dinner. My stomach still hurts. I need to come in to work at 7 am tomorrow.
Boss: So what do you think about that?
Me: Sounds good, I'll start working on it.
Awkward silence.
Coworker: Wanna go get started on (experiment).
Me: Yes, but I need to go get my stuff out of the autoclave first.
And I swear, I forgot what I was doing for about 5 minutes on my way to the autoclave.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
I Like My Job......
I don’t love it.
I read this article the other day that really irritated me. It was directed at younger people entering the workforce and those who had only been in for less than 10years. There were some good pointers….like if you want people to take you seriously you shouldn’t dress like a ho-bag (you’d be surprised at how scandalous I’ve seen female co-workers dress). However, one statement put me over the edge. It stated something along the lines of, “Be willing to put in the hours if you want to get ahead. Young people these days believe that as soon as the clock hits 5:00 pm, their work day is over. You should be willing to put the time in to get the job done.”
I highly disagree with this statement. Why, you might ask? Well, because I have a fricking life outside of work. I hope that I will always have a life outside of work. I get here at 8, I leave at 5, and if I have to stay 1 minute past 5 o’clock, I start getting pissy. I have 8 hours every day for 5 days in a row to get whatever it is done. Don’t come to me at 4:30 asking me to start something else. I have zero aspirations to become head of the department or CEO of some company. If I wanted to get paid nothing to work all of the time, I’d pursue my PhD.
Right after I graduated college, I was super eager to do whatever. I thought my hard work would pay off, getting me promotions and more pay. This is what I soon discovered: 1) the effort put in doesn’t matter, your longevity matters 2) a promotion doesn’t really get you more money, just more responsibility and more dealings with the bullshit that occurs 3) in order to get promoted, there are lots of asses one must kiss.
Okay, number 3 is a little wrong depending on your boss. Luckily, after a year at my first job, I was passed on to a phenomenal lady who did recognize hard work over ass kissing. I wish I could’ve followed her to the UK.
Another thing that irritated me about the statement was that it had the audacity to not only suggest I deprive time from my social life, but that I should work for free. Okay, I’ve had the opportunity to work both in the industrial and academia setting for my field of expertise. After working 6 years in the industrial setting, I made the switch to academia. My current salary in academia (with 7 years of experience, mind you) is what I started out making RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE. So you can see my lack of interest in putting in unpaid overtime.
That said, I do get a lot more enjoyment out of my current job. It’s interesting, makes me think, and I don’t dread coming here every day like I had started to do at GSK. Proof that you can’t buy happiness.
Either way, I like my job….I don’t love it. I’m here from 8-5. If you expect anything past that then you can blow me.
I read this article the other day that really irritated me. It was directed at younger people entering the workforce and those who had only been in for less than 10years. There were some good pointers….like if you want people to take you seriously you shouldn’t dress like a ho-bag (you’d be surprised at how scandalous I’ve seen female co-workers dress). However, one statement put me over the edge. It stated something along the lines of, “Be willing to put in the hours if you want to get ahead. Young people these days believe that as soon as the clock hits 5:00 pm, their work day is over. You should be willing to put the time in to get the job done.”
I highly disagree with this statement. Why, you might ask? Well, because I have a fricking life outside of work. I hope that I will always have a life outside of work. I get here at 8, I leave at 5, and if I have to stay 1 minute past 5 o’clock, I start getting pissy. I have 8 hours every day for 5 days in a row to get whatever it is done. Don’t come to me at 4:30 asking me to start something else. I have zero aspirations to become head of the department or CEO of some company. If I wanted to get paid nothing to work all of the time, I’d pursue my PhD.
Right after I graduated college, I was super eager to do whatever. I thought my hard work would pay off, getting me promotions and more pay. This is what I soon discovered: 1) the effort put in doesn’t matter, your longevity matters 2) a promotion doesn’t really get you more money, just more responsibility and more dealings with the bullshit that occurs 3) in order to get promoted, there are lots of asses one must kiss.
Okay, number 3 is a little wrong depending on your boss. Luckily, after a year at my first job, I was passed on to a phenomenal lady who did recognize hard work over ass kissing. I wish I could’ve followed her to the UK.
Another thing that irritated me about the statement was that it had the audacity to not only suggest I deprive time from my social life, but that I should work for free. Okay, I’ve had the opportunity to work both in the industrial and academia setting for my field of expertise. After working 6 years in the industrial setting, I made the switch to academia. My current salary in academia (with 7 years of experience, mind you) is what I started out making RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE. So you can see my lack of interest in putting in unpaid overtime.
That said, I do get a lot more enjoyment out of my current job. It’s interesting, makes me think, and I don’t dread coming here every day like I had started to do at GSK. Proof that you can’t buy happiness.
Either way, I like my job….I don’t love it. I’m here from 8-5. If you expect anything past that then you can blow me.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
A Farewell to Tree Balls
I thought I had blogged about Tree Balls earlier, but I just realized it was in the pictarz blog we had started and ultimately failed to continue updating. The very first time I saw Tree Balls, I was walking with my co-worker and boss to our building. Not yet knowing their sense of humor, I had to contain myself from busting out laughing and saying, "Look y'all, tree balls!"
I would walk past this fella every day, sometimes several times a day, and would always giggle to myself thinking, "Hahaha, that tree has balls."
Sadly, yesterday, my friend Niki and I were greeted by this image:
Farewell, Tree Balls, you've been a real pick me up over the past 9 months and will surely be missed.
I would walk past this fella every day, sometimes several times a day, and would always giggle to myself thinking, "Hahaha, that tree has balls."
Sadly, yesterday, my friend Niki and I were greeted by this image:
Farewell, Tree Balls, you've been a real pick me up over the past 9 months and will surely be missed.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Bogue Inlet Pier
When I woke up this past Saturday morning I was greeted with this image of Bogue Inlet Pier.
Before Irene:
This made me sad and extremely sentimental. Over the past 6 years I have created quite a few memories at this pier and the wonderful beach that surrounds it, Emerald Isle.
It all started in 2005 when I was still a newbie at GSK. I was still making the transition from college life to real-world-I-work-full-time life. I still hadn’t really made any deep connections with any of my co-workers. This is when Kim and Lora came along and invited me to a girls’ weekend at Emerald Isle. Thus started my love affair with this strip of earth and the girls that brought me along.
Fortunately for us, our friend Judi bought a place about 300 yards from the pier, enabling us to hold a girls’ beach weekend every summer for the past 6 years. I can’t even begin to describe the bonds I’ve formed with these girls just sitting and talking on a patch of sand. We’ve walked to the pier for the wonderful slurpies served to get a break from the mid-day sun. We’ve walked past the pier and back to wear off the alcohol at the end of the night. We’ve sat there tearing up, comforting each other after arrests, break-ups, divorces, and other life adventures that just didn’t work out as expected. We’ve laughed hysterically and praised/congratulated each other after promotions, new loves, engagements, and other life adventures that one of us were about to embark upon. We’ve people watched, giving us all a boost in self esteem. I’ve had the best advice given to me sitting right by that pier. It has marked so many changes in all of our lives.
My love affair doesn’t end there. In addition to these girls’ weekends I’ve been down for sisterhood retreats where the house got toilet papered and someone may have threatened to slit our cab driver’s throat if “you bring that fat bastard back here.” This girl is going to be in my wedding, haha. I’ve rung in New Year’s at the E Club with a bff from Colorado. I’ve watched as another friend got married with the ocean in the background.
Ben and I had only been dating a couple of months when he invited me to his dad’s beach house in NC (we were both still up north then). We arrived and I exclaimed, “OMG, my friend Judi has a place about a quarter of a mile from here! We should call her!” So began our history with the pier. We’ve hung out at the end of Bogue Inlet Pier so many times late at night I lose count. Not to mention, on top of this pier is where we held our first serious discussion about getting married. Upon seeing the pictures of Irene’s aftermath all I could say was, “I’m glad we spent some time on the pier while we were there in July.” I hope they decide to rebuild.
These are my girls:
Before Irene:
This made me sad and extremely sentimental. Over the past 6 years I have created quite a few memories at this pier and the wonderful beach that surrounds it, Emerald Isle.
It all started in 2005 when I was still a newbie at GSK. I was still making the transition from college life to real-world-I-work-full-time life. I still hadn’t really made any deep connections with any of my co-workers. This is when Kim and Lora came along and invited me to a girls’ weekend at Emerald Isle. Thus started my love affair with this strip of earth and the girls that brought me along.
Fortunately for us, our friend Judi bought a place about 300 yards from the pier, enabling us to hold a girls’ beach weekend every summer for the past 6 years. I can’t even begin to describe the bonds I’ve formed with these girls just sitting and talking on a patch of sand. We’ve walked to the pier for the wonderful slurpies served to get a break from the mid-day sun. We’ve walked past the pier and back to wear off the alcohol at the end of the night. We’ve sat there tearing up, comforting each other after arrests, break-ups, divorces, and other life adventures that just didn’t work out as expected. We’ve laughed hysterically and praised/congratulated each other after promotions, new loves, engagements, and other life adventures that one of us were about to embark upon. We’ve people watched, giving us all a boost in self esteem. I’ve had the best advice given to me sitting right by that pier. It has marked so many changes in all of our lives.
My love affair doesn’t end there. In addition to these girls’ weekends I’ve been down for sisterhood retreats where the house got toilet papered and someone may have threatened to slit our cab driver’s throat if “you bring that fat bastard back here.” This girl is going to be in my wedding, haha. I’ve rung in New Year’s at the E Club with a bff from Colorado. I’ve watched as another friend got married with the ocean in the background.
Ben and I had only been dating a couple of months when he invited me to his dad’s beach house in NC (we were both still up north then). We arrived and I exclaimed, “OMG, my friend Judi has a place about a quarter of a mile from here! We should call her!” So began our history with the pier. We’ve hung out at the end of Bogue Inlet Pier so many times late at night I lose count. Not to mention, on top of this pier is where we held our first serious discussion about getting married. Upon seeing the pictures of Irene’s aftermath all I could say was, “I’m glad we spent some time on the pier while we were there in July.” I hope they decide to rebuild.
These are my girls:
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