Break-through!

I had very little to do today at work because the oven I needed in order to cure a sample was otherwise occupied with a grad student's sample. In a late afternoon attempt at productivity, I observed Wonje as he attached and calibrated a clamp onto the DMA for tension testing. He had to call in Xia because it wasn't working (Xia is better at it, I guess). It was all business for a long time, and then Wonje (Korean) asked me (in his understandable, yet broken English) where in town I live. I explained how I'm from out of town, and he replied he'd heard of it. Wonje thought for a moment and then his face lit up. "Do you know Ankeny?" he asked. "Yeah, do you go there often?" I replied. With big eyes and a grin, he exclaimed "Super Wal-Mart!" My heart started smiling right then. I've heard this guy make different pitched grunts, hums, and whines when some instrument is acting up, I saw him run-skipping down the hall from the lab, and then this. I hope this would be the initiator (polymer-talk) for further conversations. Xia, also with Wonje on the Super Wal-Mart, asked me if I knew some store name that was unintelligible to my Western ears. He proceeded right there to pick up a dry-erase marker and write "Marble Slab" and draw me a map. Marble Slab is an Ankeny ice cream shop. I later left that room with a light heart.

The ironic thing is, I'm trying to get in touch with a sales rep with the company that sold us the instruments in the thermal analysis lab to discuss purchasing marble slabs to reduce vibrational noise that is showing up in the data. "Marble Slab" was written pretty darn close to the prime offender (the DMA).

I'm flying solo making a sample tomorrow. I finally worked out some dissolving issues I was having with the dilulin and catalyst today. I'm nervous, and I don't exactly know what to do with myself for the rest of the day. I mean...what else is there after making a sample???? I hope it takes a long time! Things are a little more comfortable, but I still have my panicky moments. Not having a computer at my desk means I do a lot of walking back and forth...and I basically have to pass my PI's open office door each trip I make...unless I walk out of the way (which I'm not going to deny having done a few times already). I would suppose I don't look very busy, though Wonje commented that I did just before I left today.

Reflection: Everyone is still really nice. Will, whom I've never worked under, always asks me (using my name) how I'm doing. He's about 2 weeks away from his thesis due date and a month from his defense. But he took the time to learn the peon undergraduate's name and treat me like a person. This lab is unreal...I've never seen an office so seemingly friendly with each other! Oh wait...that's right...I'm the only girl. Mystery solved. ;)