Thesis writing

Hello,

it has been a while. Currently I have been working hard on my thesis and I am hoping to finish soon ( a few months that is). Unfortunately scientific writing doesn't come naturally for me and it takes me triple the amount of time, when compared to others, to produce something decent. I have been working on a few chapters but none of them is really in state fit to be presented.

I always though that research was what I wanted to do but in recent months I think I started to change my mind. I am nor particularly enjoying this part of my PhD and really...writing is what science is all about! Communicating your research in a well constructed and understandable format is essential.

So I am at the turning point of my career, which path to take? the choices are:
1- years of struggles going between 2-3 years post-doc contracts (if you can find one...) with no job security but only stress
2- try and find a mindless job somewhere involving getting up every day at the same time, doing exactly the same things every day till your spirit dries up and the only thing to do is to count the days to retirement

Cynical view isn't it? Of course a third option would be find a great job where your brain is stimulated and you get paid loads but really...how many of those are out there? I feel like I have to choose from being a overworked donkey or battery chicken.

I think it may be the stress talking o be fair. In the end if you have an interesting and stimulating private life should help making sense of things, maybe i'll get one of those when I finish and all will be well.   

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/cooked-chicken-can-be-toxic/story-e6freagu-1225997064989

raffles79

Norwich and Norfolk Festival 2011

Giant Robot-wolves and "piper" driving a wolf-head

For the past 2 weeks (6-21 of May) here in the East of England we had a large festival going on; the so called NNF11 aka Norwich and Norfolk Festival 2011.

The festival's programme included theatrical and musical events as well as workshops for all ages and general random entertainment.

Gosh it took me ages to figure out how to spell the word entertainment...

Anyway,

special effects of giant robot wolves

with so much going on in the lab I managed to select only a few events. The first thing I went to see was this crazy giant robot wolves performance. It was an interpretation of the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamling where the wolves followed an incredible woman playing the piano at the same time as driving a giant wolf head-cart around the city centre...I forgot to mention she is even a contortionist!

The day after (the beginning of the weekend), opened with the "May Daze". In Chapelfield Gardens they set up a lot of stalls and mini shows. I went to see the "side show of curiosities". Quite random as you can see from the picture of the bearded Houdini mermaid...very funny though! It involved cabaret & burlesque events. http://www.hocuspocustheatre.co.uk/

bearded Houdini mermaid

street entertainment

I loved the randomness of some of these performances, the colours and the creativity behind each thought and costumes. There were a lot of science outreach events too, mainly connected to pollution and conservation. Some very interesting workshops of mixing Art and Science as well (I love it).

Back to the festival. In the main time, all over the city, art displays and streets performances were on.

The highlight of the week for me was the "Dining with Alice" show http://diningwithalice.co.uk/. For that we traveled to Elsing Hall, a 15th century moated manor house in rural Norfolk. A wonderful place so fairy-tale like, my pictures don't do it justice so here the direct link http://www.elsinghall.com/. Some of my friends have even volunteered to participate and gave up much of their precious time for the performance! The attention to the details was fabulous.

dining with Alice 1

Dinner table

Izzy and I enjoying the party/show

Final show

In the end I managed to fit in a puppet show as well as a great classical music/choir concert at the Norwich Cathedral (The so called "voice project"), a very enchanting setting with so much history and atmosphere http://www.cathedral.org.uk/.

I seem to go through phases when I listen to a lot of classical music and others when I am more into contemporary pop/rock/folk genre. At present I am loving the old school classics, particularly while I am trying to write up a paper I wish to publish soon (ish...a few months I suspect)..we'll see. I found that listening to new age type of noises, the sound of waves in particular is also very soothing and helps me focusing blocking the other background noises out. Strangely on the website I found: http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/wmcstore/WMCshop.cgi?action=dbview&id=EA25 you can even select background such as "electric fan"...

I am disappointed I didn't get tickets for some of the show in the main tent arena but there is always next year. Shakespeare season is opening now, not that I understand all of what the actors are saying, with me being foreign and all, but I love a bit of theatre none the less! Shows really break the routine and they are very social. 

Experiments...in the kitchen!

I have never been great at planning my evening meals nor my lunch boxes unfortunately, so often I found myself opening all the cupboards in the kitchen trying to scrape something up together or even just ending up with a sandwich. I am generally a good cook and I do like cooking when I have the time and the motivation (when others are there to benefit from it too basically). 

So...In light of all the above, I started daring a little and experimenting with my dinners, implementing a good and solid scientific method "cough cough". Kind of. 

To start with I needed an hypothesis;

Hypothesis 1: It is possible to make a delicious meal under 20 minutes.

The experimental design involved trying to make something decent in the shortest time possible...and with whatever I had in the cupboard. That's because, as I have already mentioned, there is no way I was going to think before hand what to have for dinner (I only have room for plankton related planning at present, thus my internal memory is full). And because I hate shopping, there was no way I would actually drag myself to the supermarket unless moths were the only thing left in stock. 

(I do occasionally stop at the corner shop though...well you know...when the milk turns into yogurt I need to replace it).

The first experiment I attempted involved freezer related "stuff" plus some pasta and half a tomato that was in desperate need to be used up. While I put the pasta to boil (10 minutes), I chopped the tomato up then I added the frozen peas and prawns that I scavenged from the freezer and mixed with a pinch of salt and herbs.  Then I microwaved the whole lot together. Oh! and for a touch of class I added a couple of drops of the lovely truffle oil that my friend Liz got me for Christmas...

Once I drained the pasta and added a knob of butter I splattered the "sauce" on top and proceeded eating it. The result wasn't as bad as I thought, a little tasteless maybe...well I wouldn't pay for it in a restaurant but I think I had worse things. But then again I was late for the comedy show at the Norwich Play House so I just had to be happy with that.

For my second attempt I actually put a little more effort in (considering the first time around my effort level was 0). I discarded the freezer in favour of mystery cupboards 1 and 2 and the fridge. I found:

In the fridge:

• out of date tofu (only 5 days)
• wrinkled up pepper
• a sorry looking leek
• some shriveled up carrots 

Strange looking barley/lentil grainy thing

In the cupboards:

• lentils
• strange looking barley/lentil grainy thing, left behind from a previous housemate since 2009 (see pic)
• out of date saffron (surely being a dried spice it never goes off?) best before 2009 

I chopped the sorry looking veggies and then I mixed them all together with the other items in a pan, adding white wine and stock to stop the whole thing from sticking and adding spices and salt as I wanted.

I think the experiment was a success, I did like the result and I will make it again!

Experiment 2 results

I have to mention that hopefully soon I will be able to find the motivation to cook properly again, my partner is finally coming home from Qatar to stay and not just to visit! Finally after so many years. Maybe he can cook too... 

Where is the good in goodbye?

Raf & Elena

For the past 4 months Elena, a PhD student from Vigo University, has been in Norwich to work with me and Moritz at UEA. 

We had quite a lot of fun trying to compare different techniques to measure dissolved oxygen and she helped me greatly with my poor maths. I don't dislike maths, actually I quite like it, is just that I haven't really used it for years and my brain is taking a while to tune to it again. Well...I never was particularly good at it to be honest but I am sure I can improve. 

Anyway, Elena has now gone back to Spain and I will miss her greatly. Parting from friends and family is never easy, I thought that by now I would be used to it. My family lives in Italy and I live in the UK so I practice a lot on them and on my partner who works in Qatar. 

Elena and "Respi", her microelectrode

But unfortunately it turns out that, you may get used to say goodbye to someone in particular but each time a new person leaves you still end up feeling deeply sad.

I think I am a little bit crap with feelings...I don't realize how much I care about someone until it's time to part... But I suppose it's all in the knowing you'll see each other again (or not!).

"Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love." George Eliot

I hope we'll meet again even if I don't know when. Anyway we still have the secret plan about finding a postdoc in the same place. So to you my friend:

"Farewell, my sister, fare thee well.
The elements be kind to thee, and make
Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well".
William Shakespeare

And more:

"May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you".
Irish Blessing 

PS: for a godless version may I suggest "life" instead than the word "God"?  It is nice to have an option, scientists are seldom religious.

Can I add: "May Respi be fixed and always give you great data!"

The Railburn Affair

A couple of friends of mine are raising money for a MS trust charity sky dive so they have organised a murder mystery night.

Gosh, why did I have to be the seductress?? I wanted to play the role of a man! Apparently the "hot temper" bit of the character description is what made them decide...anyway; we are in 1936...the baron gets murdered at the hotel where we are all staying. Here the roles:

http://www.host-party.com

Character	Descriptions
Jake Daniels Bartender	Jake travels town to town getting work where he can find it. Bartending during prohibition is an odd occupation indeed. Jake’s real income comes from accessory sources: moonshine bootlegging and booking wagers.
Sylvia Railburn The Baron's Wife	Sylvia is a sensitive, caring woman, who has always been attracted to the opposite. She married Lawrence Railburn leaving her family and abandoning her aspiring art career.
Chastity Reynolds The Socialite	Attractive and seductive are the words most often used to describe Chastity. Her provocative nature has opened the door to many opportunities and challenges in her life. She attends all the best social events and is widely known among the fashionable elite. Those who know her best say that she is a lush with a hot temper.
Pippa Duright Hotel Manager	A proper host in all respects, except for a blaring deficiency in common sense. Philip’s absent-minded demeanor goes beyond common forgetfulness; his absolute disregard for the reality around him translates into a humorous, often ludicrous way of life. Many of his loyal patrons have known and appreciated this trait for many years during their free stays at his hotel.
Amos Hobo	To avoid an ugly and costly lawsuit the Western Pacific Railroad faced for unnecessary violence against a freeloader, the Company has given Amos (no one knows his real name) a complimentary vacation package to their most popular destination.
Sissy Bucks The Railsburn Accountant	Private accountant for Lawrence Railburn. Seymore is a human calculator and a shrewd businessman. After spending a career in public and private accounting, Seymore is preparing for an early retirement next year in the Bahamas.
Lolita Lady of the Night	Lolita spends most of her nights at the hotel bar. While she is not a member of the hotel, her hospitality services are highly regarded by the guests and staff alike.
Amber Bookly Personal Secretary	Recently hired, Ms Bookly is the precise and punctual secretary responsible for the Baron’s personal and professional affairs. She is a librarian with a wild side.
Sally Major The Sadistic Nurse	Sadistic Hotel nurse who’s remedy for all ailments is through torture or other infliction of pain.
Maria LaWenta The Chambermaid	Loyal servant and maid of the Railburn manor. She often travels with the Baron and Baroness to make foreign accommodations more hospitable. A young South American beauty, she has worked for the Railburn’s since the Baron made her acquaintance during a business trip to her country ten years ago.
Josh Railburn Son of Lawrence Railburn	A struggling artist with a flamboyant style, Josh is the only child of Lawrence and Sylvia Railburn. Josh has had few interactions with his family since a falling out during the previous year.
Johnny Fabulous Hotel Musician	Comedian, dancer and piano player extraordinaire, Johnny is the consummate vaudville entertainer. Quick with a joke and known for his ability to turn any conversation into a song.

The pre-game clue told us about some events published in the news regarding the Baron's business. Then the evening started with the discovery of the body with a broken bottle next to it.

The game was composed by 3 clue rounds, some to reveal to everyone, some to keep secret.

We all had fun..

SPOILER ALERT, if you plan to paly the same game don't read on.

At the final round we all had a go at guessing who did it. I thought it was Sylvia, she had 4 motives:

- the husband kept cheating on her (even had an illegitimate daughter: Amber)

- the husband really put their son's art down and she loved her son

- she was in love with the accountant and wanted to get rid of the baron

- she would inherit everything

Some of us believed it was Amos as the clues hinted to some sort of organised arrangement for the hobo to kill the "big guy" but again he was innocent. Jake attempted to hire him when he found his girlfriend Maria in the shower with the baron but also Sylvia and Josh were discovered plotting the same thing.

In the end the real murder was Josh, the son. the main motives were

- his father didn't accept he was gay and dis honed him 

- his father laughed at his artistic career and kept putting him down

- his father cheated repeatedly on his mother and mistreated her

Apparently there are several versions of the game. You can pick different time frames but also scenarios such as fairy tales etc. 

and in the beginning.....

Ciao, this is my very first blog, ever! I am quite excited but I am also quite wary; I really don't think I have the gift of the word unfortunately so blogging will not come naturally to me.

Nevertheless I want to try and keep this sort of diary and corner for random thoughts. Mainly because I believe that there are thing that if you let go once you never see again (by I don't know whom)... not just thing but people and memories too. (And...My memory is particularly bad!).

The idea come to me after I received an old e-mail I sent to myself  (from the past) through http://futureme.org/?redirect=1 I then thought; "wouldn't it be cool to read about the things that I did during my PhD? the tears, the laughter and all that comes with that?" And also...science needs to be more interesting for people, I want to try to be an ambassador for science and do my little for the world.

A few friends of mine are keeping blogs and I think they are great! Check Emma's one: http://sowhataboutseaweed.wordpress.com/ she is very expressive and interesting.

I have some plans for this blog which involve getting my friends to introduce themselves and talk about what they do. I also would like to add a section on my research topic for whoever is interested in plankton (I am...ha ha). I intend to add bits about my hobbies too if I get the chance, so hopefully I'll end up with a little about everything.

Introducing myself, well what can I say without being boring. I suppose my profile will tell you all you need to know. What I can add is that at present I am going trough a very intense period of my life. I am in my second year of my PhD and although a PhD is stressful throughout I believe that there is nothing as stressful as when you are planning and carrying out your experiments and data collection. They will determine the success of the whole enterprise and pretty much your happiness for the next 2 years... more later!

Ciao