Week 64 - Santa

Not a lot getting done on the work front this week. As we get colder and the leaves fall, and the sheep ship off, it is increasingly obvious that winter is coming. And with winter comes a growing struggle to get a parking space behind the building at work. During the summer, this is not a problem, but with the students back in session, 9.30 am is generally the limit to get a spot close to work. But now, as more students drive and pay for parking only with the inclement weather, that number creeps earlier, reaching 8.50 am by full December. Luckily, this is just when finals and break come. Is it sad that I already know this? Including my master's, I have already been here at OSU for 4 years.

Well, the one thing that has happened at work this week was donuts. Usually, donuts at work means we are fixing something and this week it has been the freeze dryer. Lyophilization is the bane of my existence most days, and our damn dryer continues to find something to gripe about. We have replaced the vaccuum pump (because someone let it suck air into the oil) and now we are replacing a condenser valve that got plugged. Oh, did I mention that each of these fixes totals about $5,000 and that we only get to run it once or twice before it breaks again? Then the seals went bad, splitting from the constant open and shut of the door with the repairs and testing. So now I am a rubber expert. Several calls in to companies that tell me they won't support our freeze dryer seal, and no calls back from Gilson or other local rubber companies (shout outs for failure) where I was hoping to just purchase a sheet of 3/4'' neoprene to make my own seal. Thank goodness for Amazon, the lab lifesaver. I ordered a sheet of rubber and traced a pattern on it with permanent marker, cutting it out with a pocketknife.

My sister came in to visit the lab and take a pumpkin donut.

Trial CO35, as we call the project from Virginia Tech, is rolling along nicely. I can breath a bit as the first  one went down smoothly, isotope infused accurately, and no deaths of fermenters. The cameras are a nice bit of comfort, but the care taken during checks (and a lot of time on my part) have made a bigger impact so far.

I got a nice touch of generosity for our state representative, Pat Tiberi, this week in the mail and it totally made my day. Last fall, we rode along politicking with him on a miserable day and I was able to see that he is more than just a great representative in Congress. He is a nice man, a loving father and a good listener. This fall, we played in a volleyball tournament for him and represented nicely, winning 3rd place. Afterwards, I asked if there was any possibility that he could sign a picture for us. Since he wasn't there, one of his staff said she would take care of it and I doubted it would be remembered. But sure enough, a special delivery showed up at the house this week. He will be getting framed up in the office as soon as I have a chance. I wish more politicians were like Pat Tiberi.

Crazy week as gas hit below $3.00/gallon. Almost like it's election season.

This week, we took a trip up to Frankenmuth to buy some Christmas stuff and sample the local beer as a family w/the in-laws. My sister-in-law had just finished matching Spartan hats for me and my daughter. So, I thought I would share a little love with a pretty scUM-heavy part of the state after the 29-6 thrashing that we gave them last weekend. Needless to say, the bar scene was pretty unhappy as they watched their school lose to Nebraska (when does losing to Nebraska ever feel good?) and I got quite the looks. One person thought they'd be funny and asked me about why I was wearing an OSU jacket (pretty cold outside, I don't have winter coats in green), and a MSU hat. Well, that's pretty simple - I told them I was predicting the future. Both schools are now quickly progressing towards a clash to which those boastful pricks up in Ann Arbor won't be invited.

Hannah looks so great with all that Spartan green going on.

While on the trip, our in-laws bought a gift for me that is pretty special to me since my time in the Netherlands - a Jim Shore Dutch Santa Clause carving. Tulips and windmills rightly highlight this figure and I think he is really special. When I went to the Netherlands, my life was in a lot of turmoil and I struggled with my identity and life's direction. And yes, I did drugs. During all of this, I really took the time to learn about myself, what mattered to me and I learned to be more relaxed, big-picture oriented and focused on what really matters in life. Our struggles forged lifelong friendships, and a part of my heart always rejoices with Dutch sports triumphs and sinks with their tragedies because I feel like I became a very small part of their culture. Not being very big on memorabilia, I didn't bring a lot back with me. A cheese wheel, a set-around seal, a coffee mug, broken beer mugs and some wooden tulips from the Koekenhoff (shattered by a wild night that I shall explain a different time). As I sat and reflected on the depth of impact this trip had to me, and glued those tulips back together, I realized that the study abroad experience was great, but the trip as a whole was a huge part of shaping who I am, and I am proud of the person that I have become since that time. Holland will always have a special place in my heart, and this Sinterklaas (St. Nicolas) reminds me of those good times and brings Christmas cheer to me.

And yes, I know that Christmas is still over a month away. Nobody ever accused me of celebrating too soon, and I don't plan to start now.