The Lab Shoe Reminder

When working in the clean lab, I have a special pair of shoes that are only worn in that lab.  It keeps me from tracking dirt in from the outside and also keeps my feet nice and safe from any acid that might spill.  Most of us who work in the lab use rubberized garden clogs, which also have an added style bonus! ;-)

Earlier this week, I was happily working along in the clean lab dissolving garnet.  At some point I looked down at my clean lab shoes and realized..."GASP! I have a hole!"  The time has come for my shoes to remind me that I have been a PhD student for three years now.  I ordered new shoes, which arrived today.  I think it shows clearly just how far I've already come as a PhD student....

If all goes well...this pair will last me through the rest of my PhD!  I've walked many miles in those shoes and they've seen a lot of science...here come new science adventures and new shoes!

Metamorphosis of a Superhero

Spies go undercover, adopting a new set of clothing and a new appearance in order to fulfill their missions.  Superheroes have brightly colored suits, capes, and a wide array of weapons and gadgets at their disposal while they save the day.  Geochemists often have their own equivalent of the superhero costume or undercover spy clothing- they have clean lab gear!

Several weeks ago I shared a picture drawn by my best friend that shows me as a superhero named GeoKate.  Here it is again in case you missed it the first time:

This picture along with questions from several people about what I have to wear when working in the clean lab have inspired me to present a real-life view of GeoKate, who by attending grad. school is in training to become a geochemistry superhero.  Enjoy!

The Metamorphosis: From Ordinary Grad. Student to Clean Lab Superhero
Upon entering the outer room of the clean lab, the heroine leaves behind the tools of her everyday life (keys, phone, shoes, etc) and prepares to transform.  Winding her way deeper into the lab, she encounters the cloak room, and the metamorphosis begins.

1)  Shoes- Lab shoes not only prevent acid from damaging the heroine's feet, but add a stylish touch to the superhero uniform.

 2) Hair net- A stray hair in your lab beaker is definitely not acceptable.  Neither is having your hair in your face while you're flying.

3) Hood-  A key part of obscuring your identity, since it makes everyone in the lab look identical from most angles.

 4) Lab coat-  Besides the practical use of keeping her clothes clean while fighting crime and dissolving rock, it nicely doubles as a cape while in flight.  It also confuses all of the various evil doctors and villains who often use lab coats as their standard uniform.  They don't expect a superhero to wear one!

5) Face shield/goggles-  GeoKate is modeling the face shield here but most of the time wears the less extreme goggle option.  But sometimes you just need the extra protection and a bug guard while flying!

6) Gloves- Blue nitrile gloves.  Definitely an up-and-coming fashion trend for the functionality conscious.  No germs, no mess, and a splash of color that matches the shoes. Not to mention no fingerprints.....

  Voila! The metamorphosis is complete.  Now...off to save the day! (or learn more about garnet...)

Behind the Apartment's Door

In Boston, most leases start on September 1st.  Since a large percentage of the city is populated by undergraduate or graduate students, a good portion of the city ends up moving at the same time.  Boston quickly becomes a maze of U-Hauls and trailers at the beginning of September.  I joined the chaos, arriving to move in on September 1st knowing I had a roommate I had never met in person and an apartment I had never seen.  I have one roommate and live in a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment with sky high rent in the city.

I met up with my roommate in person for the first time as we picked up our keys and headed back to unlock the door to our apartment for my first look.  I got there first, unlocked the two deadbolts, and opened the door to find....an absolute WRECK.

What we found on the other side of the apartment door is not the sight that you hope for when you see the place you are going to live for the first time.  There were piles of trash, four abandoned bed frames spread throughout the apartment, the shelves from the fridge were in the bathroom, there was a hole in the wall, the air conditioner didn't work, the refrigerator didn't work (though the freezer did), the floors were marked, stained, and filthy, the toilet was stained brown..and on and on and on.  In fact, it appeared like three people had moved out and one person hadn't even bothered- leaving behind everything from clothing to a nicely made bed.

We called the rental company immediately, asking what was going on.  They looked into it and eventually let us know that they hadn't realized it but they were still missing a set of keys for our apartment, so they would delay us being able to take occupancy for 24 hours while they addressed the problem, changed locks, etc.  Thank goodness my parents were staying at a bed and breakfast where I could stay as well and that the movers weren't scheduled to arrive with my stuff until the next day!  We had to leave not knowing what it would look like the next day when I would need to move in.

The next day we went to the store and stocked up on even more cleaning supplies than we had originally brought with us.  I had to go to orientation for my PhD program (more about that) so my parents met up with my roommate and her parents to go see the unknown.  After orientation I came back to maintenance people, my roommate and parents geared up in gloves scrubbing everything, and a whole bunch of boxes!  It was already a marked improvement!

Now, less than a week after we originally moved in I can say that all the boxes are unpacked and we are settled in what has FINALLY become a livable apartment.  Here are some before and after pictures to give you an idea! (Although frankly the pictures don't do justice to the original filth because you can't see the grime and holes, etc.)

Living Room:

Before

After

 Kitchen:

Before

After

 My Bedroom:

Before

After

 Bathroom:

Before

After

 I am going to avoid moving next year if at all possible!