Caffeine Vs. Eyelids

Who would have know that it mattered so much whether you put the NED reagent in before the sulfanilimide? Maybe if I bothered to find out what NED is other than, uh, "Ned" I might have realized that if I put it in first it would mean three additional hours in the chem lab.

Yesterday was nutrient day. It's a very cruel follow-up to Tuesday, which was sampling day. Oh sampling day! now only joyous carefree moments of my past. What could be better than spending a hot day outside in rubber pants? Despite the sweat, rampant poion ivy, creek scuz and mysterious orange ooze, saying "Hi" to Casper's 21 sample sites (ie filling 105 bottles with water) is actually something I love to do. The amazing highlight of sample day was the discovery of tomato plants miraculously growing out of the rip-rap behind K-mart. That particular site is by the side of a US route and between K-Mart, Blockbuster and a Valvoline station. Casper is completely channelized and most people--even those who live in the residential areas much further downstream--think of it as a drainage ditch rather than a creek. But there they were, aided I'm sure by the runoff-induced high levels of nitrogen and phosphate in the creek, a cherry tomato and your classic Big Boy. I can't wait to digest the one I brought home in acid and run it through our ICP to check out if it did any heavy metal uptake!

Anyway, as for the cruel follow-up. Classes at this "Highly Selective Co-Educational Small Liberal Arts College," which has been so kind as to provide to me full-time employment hanging out with Casper, begin today. Significance? I have lost all of my summer research students. And all of my jolly professor helpers have lost their spare time. Sad Face. We have to run the nutrient analysis within 48 hours lest some stray organic material break down and deplete our numbers. Thusly, I was stuck with the job of four people in one day. Add that to the whole screw-up with Ned and you get 12.5 hours in the lab. Hello biking home at 10:45.

Oh, but wait, first I had to beg security to let me into my office. (The HSCESLAC claims to care about the enviroment, but my research labs are in three different buildings none of which are the same building as my office). This request was met with an incredulous look and "Are you a STUDENT?" "No," I replied, "I am approximately three months older than students, but I am actually an employee." I'm pretty sure the security guard is still debating whether or not I was actually just trying to steal my bike out of the office. And here I thought I was going the legit route by not just climbing in the window.

End of the story: had a breakfast date with an old friend at 7am. Am tired.