I've got one experiment that requires tissue culture left to do. It's a positive control for the really shit labeling system that I was trying to get to work in Drosophila. Unfortunately, I suck at tissue culture. I have no idea why I suck so badly at it, but I do. I had cells ready to go yesterday, but they weren't adherent enough, so I figured I'd leave them for the night and get in early this morning. Which is great in theory, but not so great in practice. I get here at 6.15am and find that the cells are flat, they are all spiky and not looking great. Certainly no good for the labelling steps that were required. FUCK! So now I'm in the process of trying to get more cells set up so that maybe I can do the labelling this afternoon. Maybe. It's so frustrating to suck at something that others find so simple. This time I don't even know what was wrong with the cells. Only that they weren't right. At least last time it was obvious that I had bacteria wriggling around in there.
I even got someone to do the transfection for me so that I wouldn't contaminate the cells too early in the process. I wish I'd been able to convince that same person to get the cells onto the slide for me. Maybe if this fucks up and I don't have any cells to work with I can convince her to do it. It's a massive favour to ask, but perhaps chocolate will be my friend and get me the help I need. Or diet Coke, or sushi?
Onto other stories. Last night we had an awesome thunderstorm. I made it home just in time to avoid the rain. I got to sit inside and just enjoy the fact that the garden was getting some water and that I didn't have to go out again. I had the house to myself. LJS was doing a bomb search (she's in the bomb squad, how cool is that?) and SKW was, as I found out later, in Sydney for some purpose or other. On a side note, SKW has started her new job doon sooth and is looking for somewhere else to live. With the rental market so tight, I think it's been difficult. This has meant that bomb-girl and myself have been asking around for a new housemate. Not to put the mockers on it, but I think we may have found someone. Will tell more when I know more. But it could be really, really good!
So anyway, doggo and I spent the night in front of the teev,waiting for my lamb curry to cook. I've made this curry before, it's from a packet mix from the indian shop, that is below the pole dancing studio. It's a very, very hot curry, or at least, hot to me. But it's so goddamn tasty! I made enough for three meals and added chick peas for a bit of variety. I'm quite looking forward to eating it. It did, however, take a long time to cook. So it was a late one for me last night, which made getting up before six even more fun.
What else you ask? I'm off to a WIS (women in science) yum cha today. Should be good for a giggle and full of pork and prawns to boot. Last time I went to yum cha in Canberra, I ended up going with a muslim and a jew. You realise how much pork and prawns are in yum cha when two of the 6 people you are eating with, can't/won't eat them. But I love a bit of pig and am not too adverse to the shellfish, so today will be great. I'm looking forward to the pork buns and the various dumplings and all that good stuff. I'm salivating as I type.
Yesterday, thinking of food, I went to the multicultural festival. This predominantly consists of lots of food stalls and displays of various national dances and music on two stages. I was watching some, guessing here, dancers from Vanuatu(?) while eating some souvlaki. I had to leave, though, when the song came on that had approximatly the following lyrics "We're your mate. Something something great." It was really painful to listen to. Give me crazy singing, give me drums, give me interesting instruments I've never seen before. But please, don't go into the 'look at us, we're Aussies, we are. See, we're using the term mate to show how we are totally Aus'. I'm completely convinced that they're Aussie. I don't need some John Howard-esque use of mate and mateship to convince me that you belong here. I'd much rather see you showing off the culture of the country your family came from originally. Even if they came here 200 years ago. You can, I would hope, as an Australian, be proud of where your family originally came from, and be proud of the stuff you get up to here. I know I am. I love all the German stuff, and it is definitely part of who I am. Got to love a bit of bratwurst and sauerkraut and punctuality. I don't know where I'm going with this rant, so I'll stop. Suffice to say, the dancing was great, the song was shithouse.
I'll get into the joys of little britain later and tell you all about my 'I'm the only gay in the village' t-shirt. But for now, I'm off to the fly room to collect me some virgins and yell at the little bastard to breed!
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