Steve :)

It's been a while since I've written anything on my blog- in fact, nothing so special happened in my life and I was too lazy to carry around my camera to take good photos. Shame on me :P... BUT!! two weeks ago, I adopted Steve. I named him Steve because I adopted him from Steve's lab. Well... very creative, right? He was getting kind of sick, so I had to put him on medication for couple days. Hopefully he gets better soon :)

Steve and his bubble nest

freakin' Firey Friday

So... it was not that of a big deal, but today I was in the lab trying to do the isolation streak/plating whatever I needed to do. I had the Bunsen burner on to sterilize spreaders and stuff and it took me a while to go through all the tubes and plates. At around 5 (when everybody pretty much leaves), my professor stopped by to say goodbye to me. As soon as she walked out the door, I found a flame next to the burner. The first thought that came to my mind was WTH. When I saw the flame getting larger, I was so freaked out that all the safety training whatever I had was COMPLETELY out of my head. I ran REALLY quickly outside screaming Rachel!!!!!! (oh whatever, I had no time to say the full 'Professor Larsen') but nobody was outside. I literally felt like a child not knowing what to do about fire.

When I came back into the lab, there was another fire starting in the middle of the burner hose, and half the hose was already burned. I tried looking for towels to wet, but there were none. For less than one second I thought about using wet paper towels or using my raincoat, but then I realized my raincoat is waterproof and paper towel idea was just ridiculous. I even contemplated just running away or running down to the first floor to find somebody, but by then the whole table would be on fire. So I quickly turned the gas switch off, picked up a LABCOAT,wet it and threw it on the flames.

There was burnt/melted rubber hose smudged EVERYWHERE over lab table, smelling horrible and some ash flying in the air. The labcoat was covered in burns and ashes. My hands were literally shaking- or I was shaking... it took me more than half an hour to try to get rubber off the table. But the table's still BLACK :(At first I was really worried that I have to take the responsibility for damaging tables, coats and the burner, but then I was kind of angry that it was not my fault that there were holes on the burner tube.

I don't even know what would have happened if I even forgot to turn the gas off. Beth used to tell me that those gas suppliers make pretty good flame throwers. I guess I was lucky today :)

Well... I don't know how to end this post. In fact, I don't even know if this post even has a point. Anyways, I have to prepare my presentation (omg wth) so I'd better go read some bio stuff :D

Sampling Day!

 Naval Airbase. Photographed by Professor Larsen

Mussel Beach. Photographed by Professor Larsen

Soil Sampling around Maine :) It took the entire day just to sample 4 sites.

It was a beautiful day and I got to get around Maine for the first time!

Sampling is definitely one of the best part of doing bio research.

Third Day on Campus

It's been three days since I got back to campus. Brunswick Apartment is a little disappointing- things are so worn out and I can't seem to sleep well, but I feel like I am getting used to this place.

Right now, Faith just put on the movie Sarafina on her computer. Few moments ago, I had LOTS of Korean instant food, blueberry cereal bars, bread, cheese, lots of carbs and tea. My plan was to not overeat, but oops, I did it again. I am so disgustingly full that I feel high ;)

My summer research barely began. I spent most of my time designing, placing orders for chemicals for the research and searching for related journals. Hopefully I get to do some real research soon.

Feelin' Pensive

Pensive people are beautiful :)

Bubble

Ingredients from the Seven Seas

My very first cooking experience. 

Rice was failing in the pot and I had to freak out a little

in order to salvage the rice. The curry rice turned out edible in the end, though.

Dinner table; Faith cooked Kenyan bread, 

I cooked the curry rice and Lucy did the sauted spinach. 

Cary made vegi-cheese pizza, which was amazing. Now I am so F.A.T.

Dessert table; Lucy made this amazing raspberry-pear pie. 

The blueberry frozen yogurt and Chobani (of course!) was there, too.

All photographs besides the dessert table was taken by Lucy Walker.