Women in Science

After last weekend I realized that I don't really understand people when they tell me there is a shortage of women in science. I don't know where the shortage is...must be in math, physics, engineering. I am surrounded by a lab full of smart intelligent women. My buddy/spouse/li/git/g, SuSien just had a summer student who reminded me of that. She thanked us for all our help at the end of her presentation and said that she was privileged to work with such nice intelligent and funny women. I have always been surrounded by women in science since I was very young. In elementary school I had a couple of female teachers who ran the outdoor science lab and encouraged me/the class to participate in extra science projects. In middle school I had a female science teacher who forced me to learn about Carolus Linnaeus by singing his name aloud to help us remember the dear father of taxonomy. In high school I had a wonderful female mentor who helped me to go far in the science fair and learn many things about biology. I also had another female teacher who taught me biology and other life lessons in high school. Then when I went to undergraduate at Manchester I had a couple of great female chemists to help me along the way. Now do not get me wrong my study/love/hate of science has been influenced by male scientists along the way I even work for one now, but I am just noting that I have not seen a shortage of great women scientists. I currently work in a lab of all females-my boss and the lab pretty much started all female and for the most part has remained all female. So Hooray for Madame Curie, Rosalind Franklin, Nettie Stevens and the like paving the way!!! Women in science are here!!!!!

It is never too early

Well It was my niece's 3rd birthday. I decided that since she is called princess and her favorite color is pink, just like me, that for her present I should introduce her to a pampered life. Although I may not be able to afford much more than Ramen noodles for dinner (living on a grad school budget), I really think one should make time to pamper themselves. Especially if you are like me and deserve it! I took my 3 year old niece Selena for her first manicure/pedicure. She picked out pink with sparkles and I thought what an appropriate birthday color. She actually opted not to get the pedi once we got there (she was a little scared/timid) I don't blame her. She looked B-E-A-U-tiful. I then decided that she needed new pink earrings to match her nails so I bought her some. By the end of all this my sister said we had to come home for Barbie fairytopia cake and ice cream. (Not sure what Fairytopia is, but I am sure it is pink!) Happy birthday Princess Selena!

Spandex Queen

I have discovered a new love, which I always thought I hated. I mean I used to make fun of people for wearing it. I used to say "NO ONE should EVER WEAR SPANDEX!" Yep that's right last night I fell in love with spandex. Special thanks to Pam Paris the super mother in law who knew that spandex would hold in my jiggly butt and make it look too cute. I know maybe it is only being held in because she classically bought "the one size smaller that I will "fit" in next month". Well anyways I asked for a new yoga mat for Christmas. My very generous mother and father-in-law got me not only a new mat, but as an added bonus a spandex yoga outfit. Now for all who know me, I have high self esteem but would not be caught dead in spandex. Yesterday something came over me as I went home to grab my yoga gear for the night class. It was probably that I was running late and needed to make it to lab in time for another meeting and before I got totally wet from the downpour. I grabbed my ready made work-out outfit and a extra t-shirt in case I decided that I looked really really bad. Later that day I went to change for my lab buddies to judge. They said oh cute can you tell your mom-in-law you have friend?. Then the jacket came off. I thought well if I suck in my gut as much as possible not so bad....only a few fat rolls.....not total gross out.....so I left to the gym. On the way there I called Alanna to see was there yet, she said she was and to show her the outfit in the locker room after she promised not to laugh too loudly at me in spandex. I was wearing the jacket and she said oh cute makes you look thin. Then the jacket came off and she said are you really gonna wear that and I said yes. My reasoning being that since Yoga is done in front of mirrors I would be forced to look at myself in the spandex reminding me that I need to do the more challenging poses and not the modified version of poses. Plus additional bonus is that my stomach would be tight and held in the entire time.
After class I was dripping in sweat! More sweat than ever, must be the extra work I put in that the spandex motivated me to do. Added plus is that it is comfortable in fact I think more comfortable than cotton yoga clothes....if that is possible? Well Just to let you know I have fallen in love with Spandex.

Disclaimer: My actual yoga outfit is similar, but in purple not pink.....but if anyone was thinking of buying me a gift...this is from champion double dry fit yoga line!

Diets

My buddy showed me this video today! IT is super funny and although she says that she is Winston I believe that Winston is the animated pig version of me! I mean it was just yesterday that I tried to start my diet off. I had 1 egg for breakfast and a salad with zesty Italian dressing (which was a little too zesty and not that yummy). Then my friend Bethany asked me to drive her to Mcdonald's for lunch and I pretty much beleive that's like asking an alcoholic to drive you to the bar and wait outside and smell all the yummy goodness. So I fell so short and ate a large fry. I mean I was at McDonalds. Then we arrive back into lab after my exercise with Bruiser (a ten minute walk around the complex). As soon as I arrived back at lab I was talked into leaving in order to get Silver dipper! I love sivler dipper so I drove and got ice cream I did debate getting the no sugar added and would had if only they had the chocolate marshmallow as NSA. Well I eventually made it home where I decided I had to eat 4 of the thin mints I bought from the girl scouts this weekend (I had to, before Ross ate them. ) So Today I restart my diet, but oops I already ate half of a kitkat and forgot my salad I packed at home. Yes I really forgot it and no I had good intentions of eating it. Anywho...watch the clip and laugh, I think we all are like Winston sometimes. I guess I will start the diet tomorrow. WISH ME LUCK!

science fair

Well this past weekend my life came full circle as I became part of the Blue Ribbon Senior Division Lafayette Reigional Science and Engineering Fair. I must say things are quite different when the tables are turned. You stand there as a contestant for what seems like an endless amount of time waiting on judges to come and speak with you as a student. You eye the other contestants thinking they had more judges or there judges stayed longer. When on the flip side you try to time yourself in order to give each contestant an equal amount of time. Although I must say there were quite a few projects that were very lacking and one could tell were solely done for the ten extra credit points probably given out for attending the fair. They should be embarrassed some of them, but alas I guess it won't matter to anyone, but them in the long run. Others were quite impressive and I kept thinking back if I knew as much as them when I was their age (which yes was ten + years ago now). I miss the excitement and grandiose ideas you have then...you know...with further studies we can find a way to regenerate spinal cords and limbs, or we can find a way to prolong life, and cure cancer......save the human race. Can you believe I thought that was once true, until I have now had all the dreams and aspirations crushed by a brutal, cold graduate education.

Well anyways, alas I vote yes to actually coming up with your own ideas and testing them at your school and no to working at a university and presenting data from experiments that were the ideas of some professor and the data that was more than likely collected for the most part by a graduate student or with a graduate student watching your every move. OK....so if and let me say IF you understand the data/work then maybe...well actually even then I vote no! Why not give a presentation award then actually a science award. Learn how to come up with scientific questions and use the old Sci. method to solve these. !!!!! Long live the project born out of a high school classroom after school!!!!! I digress.

Congrats to the winners! Good luck at State and International!!!
http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080309/NEWS04/803090358/1141/NEWS

Bruiser Doozer

Last Month my lovely Husband Ross convinced be that we should buy a puppy. I am very sure that I said yes only because I was so tired and hungry. However now that we have the 3 month old Husky, Bruiser I am discovering that I love puppies! He is so cute most of the time. WE have taught him a few simple commands like sit, stay, shake, lay down, and speak (I really want to teach him to play dead like Bei's dog). He is so smart if you say wanna go for a walk Bruiser? he gets his leash off the table and runs to the door. You know I would have an exceptionally smart puppy! Any who here are some pics! He just looks grumpy he really isn't.

clean and press

Today the pregnant woman was missing. I discovered the name of my favorite move is the clean and press. I also came to work and discovered Krispy Kreme Donuts little evil things! I however brought a salad/lettuce/rabbit food for lunch.