Week 17 - Christmas

Work is slow again for me now as I cleaned up our fermenters this past week. The data was confusing and I need some time to sit down, process it, work through what we need to try next, and also to come up with some new sampling techniques.  For what it's worth, cleaning out fermenters is not "just like cleaning really dirty glassware" as our lab manager declared. It requires line flushing, glass scrubbing, and what I would describe as a full dental exam cleaning on the metal moving parts in the stirring/heating/infusing-equipped lid. Absolutely gross, and even worse is the splashing of the cleaning process and the fact that you end up wearing some of what you clean.

Speaking of gross, this Sunday before I walked for graduation, we decided to hang up the Christmas lights. Nothing too crazy, just icicle lights. This being our first year hanging them, we came up about 3 strands short, which became 4 when a strand died the first day. I thought since we were already up on the roof, I'd clean out the gutters as well. Definitely not something to do with your bare hands if you are queezy at heart. I actually ended up going to graduation and forgetting to wash my hands until about an hour before the ceremony started. Good thing I remembered, since there were classy black rotten-leaved stains all over my hands. Amanda may think that our house looks tacky with the missing icicle lights, but I think that it just gives us a more authentic appearance than other people.

Christmas is indeed in the air around here, and this past week I finally had time to pick up all my gifts. Luckily, in this modern age we can log online and search for what we want exactly. Since I ordered the gifts, I have already received everything except what is to arrive today. One thing I did go buy in person at Best Buy, but that is because I can return it so much easier if things go South. I saw frightening reviews online and I really want to be able to deal with a real person for that product.

Centerpiece at the Christmas Wedding.

We went to a Christmas wedding this past weekend for a coworker of mine, down on the East side of Cincinnati. Had a little trouble finding the place, but the set up was very cheery and that is when the Christmas mood started to sink in for me. I've seen a couple Christmas movies on cable now and taken the time to watch them and can even tolerate the local all-Christmas radio for short amounts of time.

I did finally walk for my Master's diploma this past weekend, which was a nice recognition of the work we've all put into my degree, but more important was that I had the honor of receiving my degree in the same ceremony as Jack Hanna's honorary doctorate. As always, Jack Hanna came prepared to entertain as the guest speaker and even brought a cheetah out on stage (it didn't seem like it wanted to leave). Since my pictures are pretty far away, I've also included a video of some of his animal-sharing on the David Letterman Show. Great ceremony and while I may be biased, I think that it was one of the best I've been to, and definitely the best keynote speaker.

This is what I called "Graduating Coach Class". Very hard to fit in the row.

3 of the 5 of us who did our Master's essentially together.

You can just barely see Jack with a Cheetah up on the stage at commencement.

Speaking of Jack Hanna, and the Columbus Zoo, we went to the zoo twice the past weekend to see the lights. It's a great Christmas tradition here in Columbus, and the zoo was packed both nights, although we timed out the trips so we were either a bit earlier than most or later than most people there. Baby tigers and Hank the largest elephant in North America were the 2 big highlights for me. Hank is huge, no debate about it. Big elephant. But the baby tigers take the cake for me. Babies in general are just so exciting - not sure what it is, but I cannot wait until we have one of our own to care for and raise. I will be so proud.

Santa Claus diving and feeding the fish at the zoo!

Dug one thing from the annals of history on Youtube for your final entertainment today. I thought it was hilarious acting by some highschoolers I know.