Something is coming....

There is no escape. Everyday a new olympic themed advert appears on the screens here.

This one I saw at the cinema and thought it was a pretty cool one (even if its for The Sun newspaper). Apparently the torch will be going by my place of work, which is kinda cool!

Springy,spring, summer

Spring is springing here- like old billie-o.

February is best left to a distant memory- it was crap in a word. Experiments failed left right and center along with equipment. It was a slog frankly and really didn't feel like interacting with anyone at all. The only good thing was joining a choir. Its just for a short time (until April), but its been really great to switch off from work and sing in a group. Its been years since I've been in one, but I'm loving it.

So far March has been an improvement, although work isn't letting up. I survived a 2 day workshop on bioinformatics- a charming combination of computers, computer language, statistics and things on chips and big scary machines with a sprinkling of statistics. My brain hurt after that. Then the whole department went into safety overdrive with the arrival of a health and safety executive visit. There were emails and spot visits and a rash of new signs and instructions. We were under strict instructions to be suited and booted in our labcoats and gloves today.....and nothing, zip, nada. Apparently they got to one place and that was it.

Now, I'm currently trying to wind things down for easter, which seems to be rapidly approaching, if the cells will let me!

Having one of those days....

Weeks....

You know....when the gods of science decree that your 14 day experiment will suddenly fail and become infected on the last day; the same one you've been trying to get to work for more than two months. When your incubators you grow cells in grow mold and suddenly stop working in cacophy of alarms and failing gas supplies.
When your careful plan of work for the day is turning into a day of being wearing masks and rubber gloves with a tub of disinfectant. And the website you really need in order to arrange going to a conference is down for 3 days and counting....

These are the days when you escape and eat cake.

A big slab of the most chocolately, gooey, moist cake....with an extra topping of chocolate sauce.

The march of time...

This time last year I was spending my last few days in Japan...It feels weird, like it was yesterday and years ago at the same time. This last year has been pretty full on...starting a new job, moving, LOTS of new things to learn in lots of places. From September to December last year it was super busy. I had reports to suddenly write and prepare, courses to do (who'd have thought that financial management could have been so fun!) and I went off to 2 weddings and met up with friends I haven't seen for years. So Christmas was a really nice break away from all of that, though I still managed to meet up with a former flatmate and another uni friend during that time.

This year is filling up too... new projects and aspects to the project will start to happen, papers to write and maybe a conference or so. I'm looking forward to Oyomesan sailing in for a visit in the summer.

so 2012 bring it on!

Happy Christmas and a Merry New year!

Found a quiet moment to sneak away from the parents open house christmas bash to say merry christmas and Happy New Year. Finally caught up on sleep- and my energy levels from all the chocolate has built up enough to power up the laptop.

Its been great being cut off from the world for a few days, just to catch my breath from jaunting around the country.

Nice pressies and relaxing with the family, taking the dog for long walks was just a perfect antidote to financial management courses and meetings and report writing.

Hope to write a little more shortly.

In the meantime, Hope everyone is having a nice festive break.

See you in 2012 (if we're all still here!)

back again

Yes, I am here...The last few months have been hectic work wise and it left me without much energy for much else. I hopefully fill in some details of the last few months- the travels were fun and exhausting at the same time. I'm enjoying having November off the travels.

Views of the previous months...

Back in the saddle again....

After a fairly quiet August, I'm off again with a month of travels. I'm glad I had a few weeks of peace and quiet, cause its going to get pretty hectic.

First though is a proper holiday with a wedding at the end. After the rubbish summer here in the UK, I'm finally off to get some proper sunshine and warmth in Italy. My first ever time and my first holiday with just my sister and I. Hopefully all the sights of Rome will keep us from killing each other too much. After Rome we're heading off to the Chianti region for my friends wedding, where I'll be singing...I'm still learning one piece, but it should all be fine now I've got it on the ol' ipod.

Once I'm back from Italy it all gets a bit hectic- with a couple of days to wash and pack for a working trip around the UK- all part of my project, and I've a few days back to change over and re-pack before heading off to Cheltenham for the wonderful Part 2 of the management course, where I'll be once again in "dragons den" mets "the apprentice" mode. Its formal business attire presentations (video'ed for ultimate torture apparently) and then a leadership course, which we have to bring "clothes that we don't mind getting wet or muddy" too. Which in the middle of October probably should be warm too, I'm guessing. Fun, fun, fun!

So Ciao for now

I leave you with one of the songs I'm singing for my friends wedding-I'd like to hope I can sound like Hayley here, though we'll only have a harp for the orchestra.