Thai Birthdays

Today, the Kong lab celebrated a birthday. This one demanded more than the customary cake from Cathy's bakery (Arcadia). 

This birthday was for Thai, the baby of the lab. It had to outshine past years. And it had to suit his personality because he is a character. 

And I reckon he deserves the few minutes of my time between experiments to explain the events leading to the pictures below.

I met Thai more than three years ago when he decided to pursue a few projects in the Kong Lab as a graduate student. 

We are like water and oil. If I were a fire-bender, he would be a water-bender. 

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

In past posts, I have alluded to four things that we agree on (see: Kong Lab Civil War). It all relates to food. 

Our boss has famously described our relationship as a pair of siblings: "When one is away, the other is sad because they are lonely; but when they are together, they are annoyed by each other." 

So given this context, what happened today? 

I'm glad you ask. A little over three years ago, Thai was annoying me. I knew his birthday was coming up and so I began asking questions to gauge his comfort level when it comes to social awkwardness.

I first asked if he would be embarrassed if I bought him an impressive bouquet of flowers. 

"No," was his response. 

"What if I bought balloons and made an exaggerated statement about your birthday in an email to everyone on the floor?"

"No. I don't get embarrassed. You'll need to try harder, Xazmin." 

"Okay. That's cool. Just checking." 

I decided at that time, I would pester him every year on his birthday. 


In 2015, I didn't plan anything embarrassing. I did want to return a favor though. At that time, Thai was in the habit of tapping my chair (we sit with our backs to each other) while I worked until I turned around. He would then break into song, "Do you want to build a snowman?"

Hence the simple Frozen themed decorations:

May 08th, 2015

In 2016, I decided to go with an island theme. He was constantly day dreaming about relaxing on the sunny beaches of exotic locales. 

Hence the following...

May 8th, 2016

He wasn't embarrassed. Surprised and amused, but not embarrassed. Whatever mortification he felt didn't show itself until I invited the department chair to join us as we sang 'Happy Birthday' to him that afternoon. That year he took the party in stride. 


I knew that I couldn't replicate the detail of last year's feat. So I decided to up the antics when it comes to distribution of the message.


Step 1: Pull out the 6' feet banner conveniently stored in my bottom desk drawer. Place it at the entrance of our floor so that everyone is aware there will be a party later in the day. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THAI! 28
JOIN US, THE KONG LAB, FOR CAKE LATER TODAY! 5.08.17

Step 2: Decorate any space he occupies with gold and silver stars hanging from the ceiling. 

 

Step 3: Find colorful pens to write 'fun facts' about Thai on a banner that will be unfurled when we eat cake. (Remember, everything on this banner is a fact, especially that last blue sentence.)

Step 4: Scope out the lunch room for the best place to hang one more happy birthday sign. Use the empty vase to fill with photo props.

Step 5: Pick up the birthday cake at the best bakery in the city. 

Step 6: Sign the birthday card and send an email invite to the entire floor for a Thai-centered party.

Step 7: Party time with singing, fantastic conversations, cake, and pictures.

This year was a success. Thai did not like the banner at the entrance of the floor. He did not like the 'fun facts' sign. To his chagrin and my delight, Dr. Chen's lab halted their lab meeting for 15 minutes to sing happy birthday to Thai and grab some cake! Thai conceded through uncontrollable laughs as I unveiled more stories, "You win this year, Xazmin." 

A day in the life...

I once promised a student I mentored that I would write a blog post detailing my week as a scientist. That has proven to be more challenging that I expected. Some days are busier than others and often times I opt to write about something else when I have a chance to leisurely think. As I scrolled through my phone's notes at lunch, I came across some bits of material that I had recorded for a potential blog post. In retrospect, these notes explain my moods. By Wednesday (April 5th), I was starved of conversation with my old lab mates, one who left for a three week vacation and another who began a job elsewhere. Great colleagues make failed experiments more bearable. They also provide laughs for every day occurrences. On Thursdays, thoughts are unleashed and subject to the whims of the lab. Granted, this happens every day, but depending on who is giving lab meeting, the pressure is heightened. On Friday, it's time to get down to business. Of course, whatever I just described could happen in whatever order on any day of the week. What is presented below happens to be a snapshot of just three days. And it's not even a detailed description. It's just whatever I had written down and enhanced with gifs for my own pleasure. 

Wednesday April 5^th, 2017

12:15 PM- My two main peeps are no longer in the lab. They were enablers when it comes to getting a burrito fix. The craving is strong enough to visit Pepe…solo.

Whilst walking there, I develop a hankering for some shaved ice (a well known weakness of mine). I call my sister and she reveals she is eating a popsicle, a childhood delight of hers. We realize together that our mom pairs any dessert with ice cream. We laugh at our predilection to cold treats. 


via GIPHY

12:30 PM- I return to the lunch room to eat my asada quesadilla in peace. There is only one other person there. Unfortunately, it is a character who frequently likes to talk about marriage with me. Of course this warrants a text to my two peeps. 

*It's not forbidden.

1:59 PM- I walk to the annual campus wide safety training session. Every year, the Safety People pick a theme to focus on. I speculate as to what it might be. I can't help but think of this popular t-shirt slogan. 

2-3 PM- Turns out the theme for this year is brush fires... Australian brush fires.

via GIPHY
  

2:10 PM- Chuck (the instructor) plays a video highlighting the dangers of Australian brush fires. We are presented a scenario in which we need to combat an encroaching fire with a list of tools. Chuck stops the video so that participants can begin to form a plan. The girl next to me reads the directive on the screen, "Please stop the VCR and complete the exercise." She asks, "What is a VCR?"

via GIPHY

 

My reaction... and I wasn't even wearing my glasses. 

via GIPHY

2:30 PM- We are instructed to talk with the people at our table to determine a survival plan when our vacation home in the Australian outback is threatened with a brush fire. I'm not in the talking mood.


via GIPHY

Chuck emphasizes that we are better off with a group of people than alone. My succinct conclusion to the group of strangers sitting at my table after calculating our score.


via GIPHY

3:00 PM- I return to the lab and asked how the safety training went.
via GIPHY

Thursday April 6^th, 2017

9:30-11 AM- Lab meeting
We discuss whether we should put some of our mice on an exercise schedule. I am more motivated to stick to my running schedule. I don’t want to be outdone by our experimental mice.

Rest of the day- Emails, phone calls, meetings, scheduling, reading, analysis

Friday April 7^th, 2017

9:00 AM-6 PM


via GIPHY

Bring it. Today is busy. It demands the classic rock playlist. 

1- metabolite extraction... 6 hr incubation followed with ~2 hr speed vac

2- set up for proliferation assays... cell counting (6-well plates) and MTS (96-well plates)

3- sonicate fixed cells for chromatin immunoprecipitation with p53 Ab (DO-1)

4- collect protein (use RIPA)

5- use protein for gel electrophoresis (Western blot analysis)

6- place a large order for laboratory bulk items (pipets, tissue culture plates, medium)

7- routine tissue culture (1.5 hrs)

8- search and rescue mission for mRNA stored in -80C... use to repeat qPCR experiments (use the dates from the hardcopy of my experiments printed yesterday)

One day, I will expand on Friday's to do list. Trust me, it was a fun day. I sat down at my desk once (to order items).