tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46932337549035712602024-03-13T06:17:32.737-07:00Eppendork- Science is sometimes just about how you hold your tongue...Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-19173048632948641292010-02-15T08:20:00.000-08:002010-02-15T08:50:30.299-08:00Labstyles of the poor and published...<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/S3l6r4805VI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/F0g1B9-wg0Y/s1600-h/Lifestyles_of_the_Rich_%26_Famous.jpg">Eppendork has been reassured that the universe wants her to stay in science - my rocky road muffins turned out to be the bomb, also my recipe for raspberry coconut ice muffins is rocking along - like recipes for media it needs to be tweaked but tastes good nontheless. Just so you know the muffins weren't the sign - it was more of the fact I had two job interviews - one for major league university - the main investigator contacted me in person to turn me down - but I was okay with that cause he said I was impressive (it's the small things I know) but the competition was fierce. I like that Im fierce too - followed up by another interview for a job that I thought I had little chance of getting but hear I am happy to say I am employed - it's a short term contract but Im okay with that.</a> </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So back to the real world of champagne wishes and caviar dreams and I am really, really happy about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's all.</div><div><br /></div><div>E.</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-26521559304577908082009-12-15T12:39:00.000-08:002009-12-15T12:53:51.540-08:00I has surfaced...<div style="text-align: justify;">Hello faithful readers - I have been a very lax sci blogger. In fact, some would say I had fallen off the face of the earth since August. Well for all intents and purposes I had, I consider it a well need vaykay or more accurately post stress funk, truely considered walking away from science as my psyche and ego had taken a bit of a battering, but I bend I don't break. This time it was was an extended held pose, consequently I am well stretched and have started applying for jobs again in the science field of mine - some not. Just thought I would let you all know I am alive and am doggy paddling again. </div><div><br /></div><div>Just to keep you remembering how cool science is - it even does christmas:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; "><p class="citation" style="margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 0.91666em; line-height: 1.45em; "><a href="javascript:AL_get(this,%20'jour',%20'Paediatr%20Anaesth.');" title="Paediatric anaesthesia." style="color: black; font-weight: normal; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: black; text-decoration: none; ">Paediatr Anaesth.</a> 2004 Dec;14(12):1016-20.</p><h1 class="title" style="font-size: 1.3333em; line-height: 1.125em; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 0.375em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.375em; margin-left: 0px; ">A Christmas tree in the larynx.</h1><p class="auth_list" style="margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Philip%20J%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstract" style="color: black; font-weight: normal; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: black; text-decoration: none; ">Philip J</a>, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Bresnihan%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstract" style="color: black; font-weight: normal; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: black; text-decoration: none; ">Bresnihan M</a>, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Chambers%20N%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstract" style="color: black; font-weight: normal; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: black; text-decoration: none; ">Chambers N</a>.</p><p class="aff" style="margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 0.91666em; line-height: 1.0915em; ">Department of Anaesthesia and Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Princess Margaret Children's Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia. jennyphilip@hotmail.com</p><div class="abstract_text" style="margin-top: 1.1em; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 1.2em; margin-left: auto; "><p style="margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">A 2 year-old boy presented with acute upper airway obstruction following a 15-month history of noisy breathing and hoarseness. An urgent laryngotracheal bronchoscopy was performed following inhalational induction of anesthesia. Using a fiberoptic bronchoscope, visualization of the larynx through a laryngeal mask airway revealed a flat plastic Christmas tree embedded within granulomatous cords causing almost complete obstruction and requiring tracheostomy prior to extraction. Twelve days later, the tracheostomy was successfully decannulated with the child's voice beginning to normalize. The family remembered the decoration from Christmas celebrations 2 years prior and recalled a coughing episode that predated the onset of hoarseness.</p><p style="margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">You gotta love it.</p><p style="margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">E.</p></div></span></div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-17140036901695665432009-08-04T11:58:00.000-07:002009-08-04T12:34:35.586-07:00You know I loves Science<div style="text-align: justify;">but I just don't love scientists (well that's a sweeping generalisation) but flow with me here. Officially Eppendork <s>doesn't love</s> hates a system that tolerates unprofessional behaviour because you are a leader in your field and you bring in the big bucks. My supervisor is a great scientist (I completely respect his science) but his managerial skills are absolute crap, and if I had to I would say they are non-existent. I have never ever been managed so badly by a supervisor, never. Nor have I ever been so stressed out and paranoid about making mistakes as I have been in the past few months, I have been a complete fking wreck (hence the lack of blogging). He just has no stop measure on his temper - there is a zero to 100 in terms of anger in like 5 seconds and just lets rip on the person - alone, in front of people, in front invited guests. He just doesnt give a shit and everyone takes it because with his name on a paper you are going to get it published in one of the big ones. He is a micromanager, in and out, in and out - unless he has some one else distracting him that he can 'help' them see the error of their ways (cause they arent thinking just like him), you never get time to do stuff and he continually adds things to your list of stuff to do.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have been contemplating in the last week or two whether he is a workplace bully or he is just insensitive to the dignity of others, and to be honest I think it's the later and has no control over his temper. He had threatened me twice with being 'fired' from this PhD project - the first time was like - OMG he's threatening me - WTF?? This was after he and my other supervisor had a meeting and worked out a plan for me to improve my performance to be reviewed in three months at which point we as a group would decide if this project was to go forward. The last time he told me 'you dont know how close you are to being fired!' and in my head I was just like - meh if you are going to do it, do it (the reader must realise at this point I had got my head around the fact that he and i shouldnt be working together cause we are a really bad fit) I dont care that much. But I still thought I had my now two months to prove myself worthy of his godlike tuterage, unfortunately this morning he had decided he had enough and told me I was fired from the project. And you know what (having spent my weekend working my arse off for him) just sat there and went thank fucking God - thank you Jesus. It had been taken out of my hands and I am glad cause me being stubborn and not wanting to give up on something until the last possible moment would have sat there a stressed out, wreck of a person, a shell of the person I walked in here as and I can tell you I would have lost my love of science. It was ridiculous how much lighter I felt walking back into my office - one of them (who is in my office but not in the group but see how he behaves to all of us) - was like 'Oh Eppendork I am so happy for you - this is a really, really good thing!'. Every one including the tech who is also leaving soon because of his behaviour (although she gave him another reason cause she needs a good reference), was like it is a positive positive thing.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And dear readers it is! It really, really is! Just have to go find me another job and explain why I spent x amount of time on a PhD project that has come to nothing - but I can live with that, I still love science and tonight Im not a wreck!! I might just sleep soundly for the first time in months as well....</div><div><br /></div><div>Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.</div><div><br /></div><div>E</div><div>xxx</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-1892049596133831922009-06-30T11:26:00.000-07:002009-06-30T11:42:09.027-07:00Eppendork's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad six months<div style="text-align: justify;">I confess I have a problem. It is all to do with my love of praise and dislike of disappointing people and feeling like a failure. I have spent the last six months spending more of my time feeling like I am dog paddling in the pool of wanton science dreams. Yep you heard floating/dog paddling and not swimming and I am getting tired. I desperately want to get my shit together and I am hoping my research proposal will meet with supervisor A and supervisor B's approval so that i can get my shit together. My manic depressive relatonship with supervisor A is not helping my balance - he is a really high achieving and extremely well respected in our field (which makes lit reviews fun when he's on half the papers you are talking about), he has high expectations of all his staff and students and gets all disappointed (verbalises this both in front of other people and has been known to lose his temper at people in front of people even at visiting students - which reduces you and whoever else is around to feeling super duper crap). He does give you praise and its honest not manipulative praise - when i get it im like omg the world is brighter, better more fabulous place and then in the next breath he will go 'I'm disappointed' or I dont have time for this go away and do it again (tbh some of the time its me thats cocked up - but more often he changes his mind about what he wants after I spend ages on it and I have to do it again. Or he just doesnt listen and you have to push the point and make him hear you or he will walk all over you with his assumptions. I made a choice I chose this project this supervisor go me!<br /></div><br />Having said that i love this field, I love the kind of work I am and have been doing. I am not stupid. I will resolve it. I just need a really big wine right now. Tommorrow is a new day - I have a project proposal to work on and hopefully they will buy it and not throw me out on my ear.<br /><br />E.Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-18669148101874041652009-06-22T14:01:00.000-07:002009-06-22T14:02:49.327-07:00Be scared, be very scared and dont fall asleep!<p align="center"><a href="http://cyborg.namedecoder.com"><br /><img src="http://cyborg.namedecoder.com/webimages/edox-EPPENDORK.png" width="240" height="180" alt="Electronic Positronic Person Engineered for Nocturnal Destruction, Observation and Rational Killing" border="0"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://cyborg.namedecoder.com"><small>Get Your Cyborg Name</small></a></p><br /><br />Heehehe - eat my cyborg dust science!<br /><br />That is all.<br /><br />EEppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-21911968796707991402009-06-15T12:33:00.000-07:002009-06-15T12:39:53.799-07:00Everybody say Yey-ah! Yey-ah!I got the script to work :-p which is good and maybe i will share with you maybe I wont in the future - probably will! But then in future planning will remember about the primary key needing to be the same as the key you want to join the tables with :-p but i think that is relatively easily solved I think a new_list.remove will work - let us all cross our fingers and tune in next time for when we hear Eppendork say Yey-yah! uhuh! Yey-yah!<br /><br />E.Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-82205835201916195962009-06-09T13:08:00.000-07:002009-06-09T13:24:33.856-07:00Calling all Pythonistas!Okay so I have a question:<div><br /></div><div>I have a pile of sequences (200+) in fasta format in a text file eg </div><div><br /></div><div>>geneA</div><div style="text-align: justify;">asdfdfasfsdfasdfsdfsdfsfdsfsdfsdfsdfasdfsdfsdfasdfasfsdfafasdfsdsdfsfs</div><div>afasdfasdfasdfsdfasdfdfafdasdfsdfafasdfasfafdsfasfafsdfsdfasfsfasdfsdf</div><div><br /></div><div><div>>geneB</div><div>asdfdfasfsdfasdfsdfsdfsfdsfsdfsdfsdfasdfsdfsdfasdfasfsdfafasdfsdsdfsfs</div><div>afasdfasdfasdfsdfasdfdfafdasdfsdfafasdfasfafdsfasfafsdfsdfasfsfasdfsdf</div><div><br /></div><div><div>>geneC</div><div>asdfdfasfsdfasdfsdfsdfsfdsfsdfsdfsdfasdfsdfsdfasdfasfsdfafasdfsdsdfsfs</div><div>afasdfasdfasdfsdfasdfdfafdasdfsdfafasdfasfafdsfasfafsdfsdfasfsfasdfsdf</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I need to make it into columns like this:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">geneA<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>asdfsdfasdfsdfsdfsdfasdfsfasdfsdfafsdfsdfasdfasdfsdfasdfs</div><div>geneB<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>asdfsdfasdfsdfsdfsdfasdfsfasdfsdfafsdfsdfasdfasdfsdfasdfs<br /></div><div>geneC<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>asdfsdfasdfsdfsdfsdfasdfsfasdfsdfafsdfsdfasdfasdfsdfasdfs</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">all in one line. I want to have the text file set up like this because i want to use python to stuff the text file into an SQL table - only I dont know how to do it - I can concatenate the sequence bit of it in excel for one of the sequences but that doesnt work for the 200+ other sequences I have. Everything I have found on fasta and or concatenation involves simple exercises or pulling down individual fasta sequences from genbank which didnt help me a lot.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So what I want to know is how do i get the sequence name in one column and all sequences in the other so that I can make an output file that I can open using a python script then stuff into an SQL table. Any ideas?</div><div><br /></div><div>E.</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-25900456588959563922009-06-05T14:55:00.000-07:002009-06-05T15:27:09.837-07:00It's a good day today<div style="text-align: justify;">I feel slightly like I have a manic-depressive relationship with my supervisor. One its good and he's happy and all is right with my world (sometimes I feel really good). Then the next day he will just be tearing strips off me and handing my arse to me on a plate and I feel like what the hell was I thinking doing a Phd. Kinda like this:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>SELECT * FROM "Eppendork"</div><div>WHERE "EmotionalState" LIKE 'F%'</div><div>ORDER BY "Dayoftheweek" </div><div>AND "Houroftheday"</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Which roughly would give you the hours and days of the week where I felt F**d or Fabulous. Yes this week has been good for SQL and me making a start on learning Python. I got excited today by:</div><div><br /></div><div>n = int(raw_input('What's my favourite number?: '))</div><div>if x >4:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>print 'No that is not my favourite number!'</div><div>elif x<4:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>print 'No that is not my favourite number!'</div><div>else:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>print 'Yes that is my favourite number! Woot!'<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I know baby steps - its the small things.</div><div><br /></div><div>E.</div><div><br /></div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-88570237570966045332009-05-31T09:34:00.000-07:002009-05-31T09:57:57.457-07:00Reality sux, but in the meantime I have Chilli-tomato lentilsSo I have been burying myself in my literature review basically to distract myself and avoiding the very real family crisis that is going on at the moment - given I am far, far away and feeling a little helpless. My mum has been told that her heart is so badly traumatised by her congestive heart failure (not to mention al the other things) that they cant replace the pacemaker that is currently failing - she wont survive any type of surgery and they basically they have sent her home with the expectation that she wont see out the year. So Im gutted. My supervisor has been good and said I can take time off to go home - but I need to time it right given I cant afford to make the trip more than once. I was trying distraction but apparently not that well.<div><br /></div><div>So I was head down bum up trying really hard to focus on the lit review - but with the help of a friend realised that to a large extent what i was writing was skimming the surface, trying to cover too much and not enough detail. It also hasnt been any near where the level of my writing usually is - so it is in other words crap! So i have set it aside and made up a new plan of attack hopefully supervisor will agree to it. Starting next week after an intensive programming course which I had asked for earlier prior to the current goings on but I need to get my shit together and get things done - focus Eppendork - focus! But it's hard.</div><div><br /></div><div>E.</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-6870249795248942992009-05-30T03:16:00.000-07:002009-05-30T03:36:47.160-07:00And on and on and on and on and on infinitum<div style="text-align: justify;">Notice no fullstop at the end of infinitum because although you can get to the end of the word infinitum the concept itself just goes on and on and on and on and on. Much like lit review writing, thesis writing and the writing of those loverly journal articles we all like to prize above all else epeshially if they manage to get snagged by the she daddies of the science world in terms of journals. Eppendork is not so lucky. Although she has two more articles out of her MSc .than previously (they are still in the process - one in press the other submitted) neither of them will be submitted to the double mecca of dynastic scitholicism, just plain ole respectabible journals that dont do the bells and whistles and pretty sequins. No, no she is currently writing for a lit review and my what fun she is having - gee if i had known it would all be picnics and fuzzie bunnies I would have done this sooner!<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SiEKz8Pfx9I/AAAAAAAAAFA/TwnVFAHS4UA/s1600-h/PeerReviewCartoon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 323px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SiEKz8Pfx9I/AAAAAAAAAFA/TwnVFAHS4UA/s400/PeerReviewCartoon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341562520498849746" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.ee.bgu.ac.il/%7Erosen/PeerReviewCartoon.jpg">Figure:</a> I love this cartoon - it just makes me laugh!</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Note to self: sarcasm may go over heads of readers - I don't think its fluffy bunnies at all and if the weather would just stay sunny for a while it may be picnic weather. It's Saturday and I have been head down bum up for way longer than I care to admit - and I may be just procrastinating now and yes, yes I am procrastinating. Rather I am giving the brain a little rest and I will be back into it asap because really chickens I do see the light at the end of the tunnel today - didn't yesterday - its babysteps.<br /></div><br />E.Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-12660361251019224092009-05-13T14:59:00.000-07:002009-05-13T15:18:36.594-07:00Pink No MoreTired of gingham - so March! I am had long day at the Biosafety cabinet chickens so Eppendork is tired and thought about <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/isisthescientist/2009/05/sex_sells_but_will_it_work_for.php">Abel Pharmboy's</a> little titilating rant about vaccintions and sexy, sexy videos. I was going to have a <s>rant</s> balanced discussion about the pro's and con's of vaccinating your beautiful children - very little con's lots of pro's to be very honest and how more discussion and talking with people who don't have 7 year degrees is a good thing (and I realise here that saying if you have Phd or a MD you are going to vaccinate your child is not always true but more likely I think if the PhD is in some form of Science). How ever I don't think it matters how much we the microbiologists, the medical plethora and other scientists say vaccinate your child those who really dont want to aren't going to. Which saddens me but not a lot you can do about it. I still think it does border on child abuse - when a disease is preventable it should be prevented. Fullstop. End of story. If you want a nice discussion about how vaccines work <a href="http://madscientistjunior.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-vaccines-work-immunological-primer.html">ToasterSunshine</a> has one. I am just too sleepy.<div><br /></div><div>E.</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-32839625369286118712009-05-11T11:49:00.000-07:002009-05-11T11:51:18.596-07:00I wonderI wonder if the person giving a presentation on their past year or two's work should feel insulted that a lead PI nodded off during their presentation? What do you think?Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-28639992970366438192009-05-10T07:14:00.000-07:002009-05-10T07:20:26.699-07:00Eppendork may have a little crush on Mr Nick Cave<object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ZsfpQP7SPw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ZsfpQP7SPw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />I love this song - PJ Harvey rocks the house too.<br /><br />I am up to eyeballs in Lit review at mo - so not too much blogging going on unfortunately.<br /><br />E.<br /><br />PS fave Nick Cave song - Into my arms - seriously good song - the man's a genius.<br /><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FG0-cncMpt8&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FG0-cncMpt8&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-25932352178355870192009-04-09T02:50:00.000-07:002009-04-09T03:21:35.876-07:00On why Macs rock da hizzle<div style="text-align: justify;">I Eppendork own a Mac - it's true. I haven't always been a fan Mac's used to be very naf and then one day they weren't they were sexy and sleek and did all sorts of hot funky things and the whole no virus thing is da bomb, well the world was mac's oyster. With itunes/ipod, iphone and beautiful Mac laptops well they can do no wrong really. There is even a documentary about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QMhOIySiyE">people who love their Macs</a>. Now the iphone is truely an ass kicking hot piece of technology - it is just that sexy - love playing with it a lot. I havent manned up and brought one yet but I know some one who has one and they let me play with it if I'm good. The reason for this little ramble into Eppendork's sometimes mac fetish was this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/03/23/science/032409-Scan_index.html">little slide show</a> in the New York Times - what to do when you have too much time on your hands.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/Sd3ID_cICkI/AAAAAAAAAE4/7W2Ms3u43Ys/s400/27418355.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322630305516358210" /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/03/23/science/032409-Scan_3.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Figure 1</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ooooosh! </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ask me again why I think Mac's are da bomb - they're like little cockroaches of the computer world...</div><div><br /></div><div>E.</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-79409875318176505802009-04-06T15:38:00.000-07:002009-04-06T15:47:26.263-07:00I'm so sick<div style="text-align: justify;">So sick that I wrote sik three times before I could get the word spelt properly. I wanna bitch about American Idol - are you all so stupid that if they tie them up with a bow they're gonna make it in the fickle, fickle world out there? Removing anyone of any real interest - bar the guy with the indie bent - makes AI a dull show - cookie cutter molds are destined to fail - cause the flavour is going to change and no one wants your gingernuts any more. And really why isnt there a Science Idol - hmmm? Well I realise there is the Nobel prize but thats for people who have been there done that a lot - kinda the point of the prize. Seriously, where is the competition for noobs who have talent but just lacked their 'big break' - huh? <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I may need some more flu meds. </div><div><br /></div><div>E. </div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-88520254790750544142009-04-06T03:44:00.000-07:002009-04-06T10:00:57.286-07:00The Leslie Winkle experimental methodology<div style="text-align: justify;">Okay so as I write this I am tucked up in bed with the flu, I have my lemon, honey and ginger tea next to me, on the other side is the work I brought home with me that I have yet to pick up yet. Very hard script is on top of the pile mocking me with its brilliance - I made a little progress on understanding it - upside is I have realised I will have to learn how to script in python - although I am told once I know how to script in it - I wont ever go back - bit like the dark side really. Any who I was reading <a href="http://www.myfairscientist.org/2009/04/part-1-pre-med-post-bac-programs-vs.html">Juniper's blog</a>, about her current trevails and trials in her pathway to become a real scientist, and I thought to myself damn - how can it be so hard? Then as I do in my slightly drug-induced fluey state I thought - things happen for a reason and sometimes we dont get what that reason is until we get to a place where we do. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For me I wanted to do science when I left high school - but due to a mixture of severe lack of intellectual self esteem and generally propensity to take the easy way out (when I was 17) I enrolled and completed a very average BA and then took up the only career I believed was open to me. Turned out I was good at it but I felt like my true potential was being smothered and I just couldnt do it anymore - so I stepped outta my comfort zone a long way outta my comfort zone and found the confidence to do what I wanted to do in the first place, science. I thought of doing medicine so I started there and my undergrad was focussed on that goal - but in the end I decided Micro was where it was at and battabingbattaboom whaddya know here I am.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Course it didnt happen all nice and neat like that - when I said I wanted to do science, my then partner basically laughed and fully expected me to fall flat on my face and go back to doing what I did before within a year of starting my undergrad. It felt good to show him the straight A's I got in my first year - I didnt give up I worked two part time jobs and was a full time student and a mother. It wasnt easy and I have to say the first year of my MSc was the most stressful year I have ever experienced in my whole life - I wouldve lost the plot completely had it not been for a very good friend of mine who I love dearly. Needless to say my relationship with my ex didnt last, but my relationship with science is still going strong. When I think about it now - if I had of tried to do my science straight out of high school I would have crashed and burned majorly - I didnt have the motivation or the self confidence to do the work that had to be done. I couldn't see that at the time. I do now - I had to go through a shit load of growing up to realise I had a brain in my head was useful for something other than sleeping and breathing.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Juniper sweet cheeks - I almost feel like you need to take a time out and center yourself and make a plan. OMG I am such a control freak - I am such a planner - I like to know what to expect - go figure. You need to focus your efforts, don't disperse them left right and center - get a piece of paper out - write down what you want, what you want to do and how you are going to get there. Find places that are doing what you want to do - then ring them up and explain your situation - could you intern for them? Could you do an MSc with them? You never know your luck - and believe that half of the science opportunities start because some is in the right place at the right time. You are a kick ass writer - your blog shows that - figure out what you want to happen and then make it happen - you are the only person who can do it for yourself and you are the only person who can stand in your own way. Focus chick focus.</div><div><br /></div><div>E.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PS: Still fluey gotta love viruses - they are little pieces of God's own glory they are, they are. Mmmmm I have M&M's as well - purely for medicinal purposes you understand. </div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-79319295533511595812009-04-03T15:01:00.001-07:002009-04-03T15:13:34.075-07:00Old Skool Styles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SdaJiW3DbRI/AAAAAAAAAEw/lbBbzHQSvYM/s1600-h/barbie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SdaJiW3DbRI/AAAAAAAAAEw/lbBbzHQSvYM/s400/barbie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320591233129868562" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Vintage just says Im Styling hot Science Chick - dont make me take off my sunnies and come over there!</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I took a facebook quiz to burn a little time - Eppendork decided that if Isis can blog about Barbie then I can certainly take a quiz to find out just what sort of Barbie I am. So I took it and the news is out - Eppendork is old skool - Vintage Barbie - classic down to her mean patent pumps and kick ass corset figure. Did I mention I have a slight girl crush on Ms Von Teese? I wish I looked that good!<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>That is all.</div><div><br /></div><div>E.</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-49087671824330699432009-03-24T07:07:00.000-07:002009-03-24T07:09:00.213-07:00A good use of Resources - MethinksSo trawling through the internet one fine day - I found this:<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="437" height="370" id="viddler_a6467a0c"><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.viddler.com/player/a6467a0c/" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed src="http://www.viddler.com/player/a6467a0c/" width="437" height="370" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" name="viddler_a6467a0c" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br /><br />Not for the squeamish - forewarned is forearmed. Couldn't do it these days....<br /><br />E.Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-46055663473151318552009-03-19T13:16:00.000-07:002009-03-19T13:44:57.814-07:00I'm out and I'm proud<div style="text-align: justify;">Hello my name is Eppendork and I write a pseudononymous sci-curious blog. I started this as a way for me to blog about (crap) important stuff that was going on in my search for just the right kind of scientist I wish-hope-wanna be. Little did I know I would find out that I had a latent talent girls and boys - not hula hoop dancing, not how many M&M's could possibly fit in your mouth should you ever try, not intuitively knowing Gregory House style that the cat likes the warmth feverishly dying people give off. No darlingks I Eppendork - Current Queen of the Pink Gingham - have (Eppendork hangs her head - sigh) an apparent latent talent for writing scripts - computer program scripts - not pharmaceutical scripts before you get excited. <br /></div><div><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 278px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/ScKuAgKKIFI/AAAAAAAAAEg/UbktAxAEPs0/s400/Wanted--Geek-Girl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315001833906380882" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Figure 1: Yes, Eppendork does look this hot, but will try hard in the future not to search for hot geek girl or eve comp geek girl in Google.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wrote my first real script today that actually did something useful rather than "Hello World" or similar. It was a short little script and it really only changed a few things in the database but it saved me work and I wasn't expecting to feel proud of myself for doing it - but I did (blush). I kinda feel like scripting will save a shedload of time and effort in taking care of my db's (eww listen to me db's) in the future. </div><div><br /></div><div>E.</div></div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-15511946109926371222009-03-09T12:24:00.000-07:002009-03-09T12:49:47.776-07:00Open Letter to AdobeDear Creators of Adobe Illustrator,<div style="text-align: justify;">I am a great fan of Adobe - where would be without our faithful versions of journal articles? I for one am really, really grateful - I love my interesting reading and pretty, pretty pictures therein associated with said articles. However, Eppendork is not a computer geek - although evidence to the contrary (learning various scripting languages should not be taken as evidence of the former), and finds programmes such as Illustrator very cool, just not very intuitive at all. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 368px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SbVx65rNyuI/AAAAAAAAAD4/Ch2Wx6QJRO8/s400/geek-poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311276592281799394" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.geekologie.com/2007/12/07/geek-poster.jpg">Figure 1</a>: Any of these geeks will do - I am sure the Apple guy will know!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I spent an hour and a half this morning trying to figure out how to import a picture and then recolour it - figured the first bit out pretty quick - the rest of the time to figure out the later. Sufficient to say Eppendork is not stupid - just hasn't worked with your program before. I would be completely in your debt if your computer savvy boffins could figure it out for me and other non-computer geeks. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Luv and Hugs,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Eppendork. </div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-14591963429590387632009-03-07T06:17:00.001-08:002009-03-07T06:21:43.982-08:00Apparently I am not the only one...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SbKCT9ahofI/AAAAAAAAADw/DRmCua-mhRc/s1600-h/phd051501s.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 181px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SbKCT9ahofI/AAAAAAAAADw/DRmCua-mhRc/s400/phd051501s.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310450190038180338" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">I now have had Waterloo running around in my head all week - that will teach me to share the ABBA love. I do have things I want to blog about soon - but they need to ruminate a bit so they get all nice and smelly and good.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is all.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">E.</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-33230065575103273222009-03-03T12:00:00.000-08:002009-03-03T12:09:03.661-08:00For Phizzle and Juniper! Abba's got your back!!!<div style="text-align: justify;">For Phizzle cause some times doing PhD bump and grind is more grind than bump and Juniper I have fingers crossed - Abba is the cure - there is no ill they cannot cure - also Muriel's wedding will just cheer you up so I give you "Waterloo" Muriel styles.</div><div><br /></div><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3U4kDzwZAMk&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3U4kDzwZAMk&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br /><div><br /><div>Love and hugs</div><div><br />E.<br /><br />Although Im not comfortable with a shiney white catsuit - have totally danced like this before.</div></div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-16820613276310901512009-03-02T13:20:00.000-08:002009-03-03T10:55:09.940-08:00Slick moves by the ID God squad<div style="text-align: justify;">So Eppendork was sitting contemplating her bejewelled navel, as you do on a slow Monday morning, when she came across a pretty cool <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16844786?ordinalpos=32&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum">paper</a>. And now I think the mechanisms behind diphasic flagella in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Salmonella</span> are pretty fucking cool. I mean the switch mechanism is just that hot. So here’s how it goes – <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Salmonella</span> have two flagellin loci in the genome – not terribly unusual for bacteria – kinda cool not that that interesting – the interesting bit comes in the form of the switch that allows the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Salmonella </span>cell to express only one form of flagellin subunit either<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> fliC</span> or <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fljB</span> (the genes are only expressed alternately, such that you can have only one form of flagellin - no mixies going on, or so they thought). </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As far as I can tell <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fliC</span> is transcribed constitutively by the cell – which is fine if that’s all it ever does then it will only have a phase 1 flagellin – however if the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fljB</span> is thrown – well it all gets interesting (if it is you get a phase 2 flagellin). The flagellin 'switch' are two proteins Hin and Fis, working in conjunction with each other to cause the inversion of the the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fljB/fljA</span> operon, which is normally inverted. Normally this operon remains dormant and isn’t expressed, but invert it and bobs your uncle you have a working operon. And this is where it gets cool – <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fljA</span> is expressed, it then latches on to the constituitively expressed <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fliC</span> rendering it unable to be translated! It never gets translated so <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fl</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">jA</span> acts as a gatekeeper/mediator of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fljB/fliC</span> expression. And export! Previously it was thought that if <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fljB</span> is expressed then <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">fljA</span> must be acting as a transcription repressor – but it’s not its working posttranscriptionally – how cool is that? Eppendork thinks its hot shit so to speak. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 345px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SaxZIz9RO6I/AAAAAAAAADo/mkRPVw_jRZk/s400/42-19896207.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308716068683987874" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?CID=isg&mediauid=%7BA8A5C74F-73D5-4EAB-BD32-57E586B8BA7C%7D">Figure 1:</a> Salmonella rocking an improperly prepared egg sandwich somewhere near you this lunchtime....</span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Which of course made me think about intelligent design – cause you gotta admit the complexity of this switch could give the foaming at the mouths id nutters cause for joy. The complexity and yet at the same time simplicity of it is stunning (the science to prove it was very cool - kudos people). So one thing lead to another when you are moi and here is where I ended up - that’s right peoples the concept of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreducible_complexity">irreducible complexity</a> – id proponents favourite chew toy. So I will dissemble for the non up-to-date with a quick evolution primer: the idea floating around is that there are certain biological systems are too complex to have evolved as they are – that there had to be an intelligent designer ie a God figure that created them just so and that if you took one piece of the design away it would all fall to pieces and all would be lost (IC has validity - just not the denial of evolution which is just sniffing some bad mojo). I may sound a bit sarky over here at the real scientists table but I have had this q and a with many different people - I am still firmly Darwin's bitch. But any who, nuff said on the snarchasm between Eppendork and the ID God squad. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The problem with the ID God squad is that they are slick - they have some pretty "solid" evidence - eyeballs, the bacterial flagella, antibodies, gene cascades - the "list" goes on - and they present pretty vids with tbh sexy cgi, and if you didnt know better you would think - that's reasonable. Well sorry sonny-Jim it isnt reasonable - it's insidious - i mean seriously have you looked at bacteria lately? Huh? Have you? They are like the poster child for Natural Selection and evolution - now showing in your local armpit! and you guys are holding them up as perfect examples of the Creator's intelligent design?? FFS - scuse Eppendork's language - she may be ranting now. So I am putting the verbal crow bar down now and walking away - I found this on youtube (may I say god bless spewtube for all its unsolicited and uncensored offerings) I like it - it's reasonable and based on the dirty word round the ID halls of residence (S.C.I.E.N.C.E).</div><br /><div><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LZdCxk0CnN4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LZdCxk0CnN4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: left;">Figure 2: Good point!<br /></div></span><br />E.<div><br /></div><div>PS: Eppendork is not an Atheist - she fully believes in God - just not licentious ID dribble - that is all.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PPS: My favourite bits about the you tube videos are the unsolicited comments - god bless them all :)</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-24497281572437321862009-02-23T09:57:00.000-08:002009-02-23T13:33:02.316-08:00Warm Fuzzies<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So a post or two ago I blogged about foetus scientist and their possible plagiarism. It turns out after I read the lit review - it was just bad writing and not understanding the project or the field very well at all - rather than purposeful plagiarism. I talked to fs made it abundantly clear what needed to happen I think I repeated myself about four times in one email (I emailed the lit review back to them with appended comments) - I even used italics and exclamation marks. I think they got the point - they have a practice 10 minute presentation soon - we shall see.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 173px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SaLm2EkejzI/AAAAAAAAADg/NHzGULIxCAw/s400/phd012609s.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306057127609929522" /><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Figure 1: </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">H o w E p p e </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">n d o r k c </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">u r r e n </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">t l y f </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">eel</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">s.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Apart from that I am just tired - I have been doing my best sponge impersonation - some of it is working. I am also currently thinking I need glasses I am finding it hard to read text on the computer screen from more than 30 cms away these days. I turned the text size up and I am currently sitting about 30 cms away from it and it is nice and clear. Joy - another gem of my old age.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">E.</span></div></div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693233754903571260.post-350703402531799242009-02-15T05:56:00.000-08:002009-02-15T06:23:22.354-08:00Hap Hap Happy V'day to you all<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SZgk2V091qI/AAAAAAAAADQ/YQZU3Yu_16E/s1600-h/heart_ext.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H8FNYw-ySZw/SZgk2V091qI/AAAAAAAAADQ/YQZU3Yu_16E/s320/heart_ext.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303029077219595938" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bme.unc.edu/~wsegars/heart_ext.gif">Figure 1: </a>Eppendork's beating V. day heart<br /></div></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">So feeling particularly in a happy full on, doped out high on sugary self bought chocolate and a few glasses of rose (cause it was valentines day (now isn't as Eppendork fell asleep due to wine but had good intentions) and her beloved is a million miles away doing man stuff) - I found this beautiful little geek fest Vday poem.<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /># open HEART by Eric Windisch, Feb 15, 1999</span></div><div><br />open (HEART, ">for_me");<br /> for ($this-valentines-day; $you and $me; $together++) {<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>$you = "My special one";<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>$me = "Your darling";<br /> }<br /><br /> %time = ($you => $me, $together => "forever");<br /> while ($you = push(@me, @away)) {<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>foreach (@second) {<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>die a_bit to my $death;<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>goto hell;<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>}<br /><br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>pack $my_bags, @and_leave;<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>package my_love;<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>unless(!$i_see_you) {<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>write YOU_SOON;<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>}<br /> }<br /><br />reverse keys %time;<br />bless me;<br />for (last; kill $me;) {<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>if ($you) {<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>die;<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>}<br /> }<br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh be still Eppendork's beating heart - the Sandy kind not the Edgar Allen Poe kind. I do love me some comp geek (and yes my own beloved is a comp geek, tho he refuses to admit to it). I now have an inane desire to sing "I love you in the morning and in the afternoon. I love you in the evening and underneath the moooooooooon!". Which may well just be extra chocolate I found that was left over from yesterday - cause really Eppendork doesnt hang out with too many purple dinosaurs that she knows of.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy Vday to you all.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">E.</div>Eppendorkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04132194424804555944noreply@blogger.com2