Hot Time

Few days back I got a lesson on dry heat sterilization from a guy in another lab. The lesson which could have easily lasted all of about 45 seconds and been entirely complete went for a good solid 20 minutes. He insisted that we have this conversation before I used his transfer hood. He was something of a strange man who used the phrase, "if you need to leave for anything more than a potty break" in an adult scientific conversation. I could be wrong but I think even in podunk jonesboro, potty break is not a precise measure of time suitable for scientific research. But its besides the point, he was very concerned about me not using a good old Bunsen burner to sterilize my tools (the way every other lab on the planet does) and also mentioned that the hood I would be working in was the least flammable of any major hood manufactured. For those not involved in science, this hood is a large metal box with sterile air circulating through it and they all look mostly the same so I would think the most flammable hoods would be about as combustible as a roll of aluminum foil but its good to be safe...I suppose. So after this lengthy conversation I of course felt the unquenchable desire to poke fun at this man with others who had the same experience. Come to find out today...the guys lab almost burned down a few years back because of an errant Bunsen burner and some ethanol spillage. Well, now I feel like a major jerk...of course, not enough to hold back from relating to you here that he used the term "potty break" but I've never been perfect.

In other news, that party I mentioned earlier is tonight. Dan and I are going to trek 20+ minutes into another county to buy beer...desperate you ask? Maybe...but if you were in jonesboro I would defy you to do anything different. Patrick OUT!