It's incredible how people can make or break your day. Today my boss let me help out at the conference for which she is the chairperson. Seriously, I am actually excited to be the one to click through the PowerPoint slides; it allows me to attend!
http://www.dsls.usra.edu/meetings/sysradbio2010/
Flashback: sometime last month or so
I hesitantly walked into my principle investigator's office to discuss the end of my contract terms. William had cast doubt on my ability to leave for a summer program, but it was all up to our boss. I started off with, "Well Cary..." and she cut me off there by saying, "Don't plan for anyone else. What do YOU want to do?" It was amazing and very liberating. We talked about me leaving for Berkeley in late June and she was ok with that. And I started to forward to finishing up my time at my job to the best of my ability because I felt my boss really cared for my best interest as well as the entire lab's.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
how much did that cost?
i love hanging out with people. the company in itself is great, i am content to sit on the floor of someone's apartment or house and talk. no money used, and the time couldn't have been spent better. it's also fun to catch a movie, sip on a cup of coffee or grab brunch on a sleepy saturday afternoon, (like this past Saturday at Petite Abeille on 20th Street and 1st Ave with Jess - such delicious blueberry pancakes!). it hurts the wallet a little more; those long overdue catch ups can pile up fast. but during those times, it is so easy to brighten up someone's day, too. with the simple, "no, i got it." lately i've been doing that more. it's maybe an extra however many dollars, but i will assume that it brightened up that person's day, and that is worth more to me than the cost. especially when people do that for me all the time.
i went out with a friend in south williamsburg a couple weekends ago. he was just talking about how he had no job and was being frugal, but when we ordered our canned wheat beer, he insisted on getting it for me. it was so kind. it didn't cost much and i would have happily gotten it on my own, but the the gesture was so thoughtful.
this past weekend, i was in a cab with the usual group and my one friend asked if the cabbie had a glass of water. it was funny the way she asked. it was funnier that the driver told me, sitting in the navigator seat, to grab a bottle from the side door. she happily took the bottle and sipped her water. when i asked how much it was, he said not to worry about it. small gesture, but also grand.
and today, my parents came into the city to hang out in chinatown. i went to meet them after work and we were able to enjoy some food and conversation. my mom always insists on refilling my fridge; i don't think i would be as healthy without her (just kidding). the bag of vegetables, fruits and vermicelli didn't cost much, but knowing that she would take the time out of her day to buy me groceries and ensure i was eating enough means a lot... that even though i'm supposed to be independent, there is someone out there who is thinking of me and making sure i'm doing well.
i went out with a friend in south williamsburg a couple weekends ago. he was just talking about how he had no job and was being frugal, but when we ordered our canned wheat beer, he insisted on getting it for me. it was so kind. it didn't cost much and i would have happily gotten it on my own, but the the gesture was so thoughtful.
this past weekend, i was in a cab with the usual group and my one friend asked if the cabbie had a glass of water. it was funny the way she asked. it was funnier that the driver told me, sitting in the navigator seat, to grab a bottle from the side door. she happily took the bottle and sipped her water. when i asked how much it was, he said not to worry about it. small gesture, but also grand.
and today, my parents came into the city to hang out in chinatown. i went to meet them after work and we were able to enjoy some food and conversation. my mom always insists on refilling my fridge; i don't think i would be as healthy without her (just kidding). the bag of vegetables, fruits and vermicelli didn't cost much, but knowing that she would take the time out of her day to buy me groceries and ensure i was eating enough means a lot... that even though i'm supposed to be independent, there is someone out there who is thinking of me and making sure i'm doing well.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
just to remember an ordinary day.
Yesterday as I was going to the animal room to give the mice with blespharitis grape-flavored antibiotics and puralube on their eyes, I knew it was not going to be a day I will remember. There was nothing out of the ordinary. In the morning, I decanted the 10% formalin from the glass scintillation vials, rinsed the A1004 tissues with tap water and stored them in 70% ethanol. I labeled whole mount cassettes for Irineu's A0914_4 experiment. Then after lunch, we collected murine mammary fat pads to preserve in carnoy's solution. I labeled some tubes for RNA purification and planned my schedule for Monday's clonogenic assay preparation. By 4:30, I changed the A1004 whole mount cassettes from carmine dye to 70%, 90%, and 95% ethanol to dehydrate the tissue and eventually stored them in toluene.
I met up with Kenny and Ed at a bar for nachos and drinks around 53rd and 2nd Ave. We then went to Good Burger for real food. That vegetable burger was really good. After, we went to Crumbs and over-indulged ourselves with delicious cupcakes. As we walked down the street, Ed said something that was awesome without realizing it: That girl is too skinny. It was the kindest thing ever. In a superficial city, there are people out there who don't care about it.
However, that didn't prevent me from going to the gym.
I met up with Kenny and Ed at a bar for nachos and drinks around 53rd and 2nd Ave. We then went to Good Burger for real food. That vegetable burger was really good. After, we went to Crumbs and over-indulged ourselves with delicious cupcakes. As we walked down the street, Ed said something that was awesome without realizing it: That girl is too skinny. It was the kindest thing ever. In a superficial city, there are people out there who don't care about it.
However, that didn't prevent me from going to the gym.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
ohm.
sometimes i wonder what it takes to get peace of mind.
some of the people we meet are so self-content, it's admirable. i think i may have met a handful of people like that. my father and brother included. they remind me to take a deep breath and a step back from situations that are overwhelming to me. it's crazy when you have self-confidence, you unconsciously inspire it in others. they inspired me. and a few of my good friends now. there are people out there who accepts you just as you are, i've found them. it's wonderful. personally, i pick up on people's feelings easily and i know what to say when they need me to say it. for better or for worse, i can be sensitive. i've realized i can't expect all people to reciprocate because that people are different than me, with different ideas about human interaction. sometimes though, i meet people who do. i just wish i tell these people how much they mean to me more often.
then, there are the others, with whom it is difficult to maintain relationships. they are not satisfied with anything, and there is nothing you can do to help them realize that what they seek is unobtainable, what they seek is not worth trying to obtain. in high school, i used to be one of them. i used to want material things. i believed it made me worthy. luckily, i've grown out of that. i don't know how, but maybe it's just a vital part of growing up: to lose that insecurity that often walls you off from forming meaningful relationships. how many times have i hesitated because i didn't think i measured up? if i could turn back time, i can think of some things i could change. would i? probably not, the possible butterfly effect would not be worth changing what i do have. i love my life.
i shouldn't have drunken that coffee at 6 pm. i can't sleep. (but if you bring a travel mug to starbucks today, tax day, you can get free coffee! it's not in honor of tax day though, it's preparing us for earth day!)
Flashback:
November 2004. I had just gotten my license that August and got into my second car accident in three weeks (I know that sounds bad, but I haven't gotten into one since!!). I was so bummed, but Dan consoled me in health class when I was being super pessimistic and exclaimed dramatically that I was a failure. He pointed to his thick binder and said, "This could not hold all of the good things you've done." He was one of the few people I knew who always knew what to say to me. Then, around Christmas, he texted me and asked if I was home. When I said, I was, he asked why I didn't answer the door. There he was with a copy of, "The Voice of Reason", to get me through my angst-y time. I wonder if he is like that anymore because I haven't met anyone like him since.
some of the people we meet are so self-content, it's admirable. i think i may have met a handful of people like that. my father and brother included. they remind me to take a deep breath and a step back from situations that are overwhelming to me. it's crazy when you have self-confidence, you unconsciously inspire it in others. they inspired me. and a few of my good friends now. there are people out there who accepts you just as you are, i've found them. it's wonderful. personally, i pick up on people's feelings easily and i know what to say when they need me to say it. for better or for worse, i can be sensitive. i've realized i can't expect all people to reciprocate because that people are different than me, with different ideas about human interaction. sometimes though, i meet people who do. i just wish i tell these people how much they mean to me more often.
then, there are the others, with whom it is difficult to maintain relationships. they are not satisfied with anything, and there is nothing you can do to help them realize that what they seek is unobtainable, what they seek is not worth trying to obtain. in high school, i used to be one of them. i used to want material things. i believed it made me worthy. luckily, i've grown out of that. i don't know how, but maybe it's just a vital part of growing up: to lose that insecurity that often walls you off from forming meaningful relationships. how many times have i hesitated because i didn't think i measured up? if i could turn back time, i can think of some things i could change. would i? probably not, the possible butterfly effect would not be worth changing what i do have. i love my life.
i shouldn't have drunken that coffee at 6 pm. i can't sleep. (but if you bring a travel mug to starbucks today, tax day, you can get free coffee! it's not in honor of tax day though, it's preparing us for earth day!)
Flashback:
November 2004. I had just gotten my license that August and got into my second car accident in three weeks (I know that sounds bad, but I haven't gotten into one since!!). I was so bummed, but Dan consoled me in health class when I was being super pessimistic and exclaimed dramatically that I was a failure. He pointed to his thick binder and said, "This could not hold all of the good things you've done." He was one of the few people I knew who always knew what to say to me. Then, around Christmas, he texted me and asked if I was home. When I said, I was, he asked why I didn't answer the door. There he was with a copy of, "The Voice of Reason", to get me through my angst-y time. I wonder if he is like that anymore because I haven't met anyone like him since.
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