head rush

February 24, 2011

how can it be thursday!?
is it me, or is the week flying?

lab is going a little better. i finally get that in order NOT to be just sitting there floundering, i need to go in each day with a very clear plan:

exhibit A: yesterday
exhibit B: today
now that i’ve figured this out (sort of), my stint in the lab is almost over until may! i will be back on clinical service for march-april as well as june (may is another lab month, and then 75% of the next two years are mostly lab). i know it’s probably to be expected but i really haven’t accomplished much over this past 2 month block — i wrote one more grant, i’ve played with some liver samples, i re-learned how to isolate RNA and make cDNA and run a real-time — but that’s about it.

and i have to admit that i am a bit paranoid that the others in the lab think i am a slacker. because of my clinical responsibilities (plus the need to finish grant writing), i really have only been in lab 3 days/week — if that. for example, this week looks like this:

monday: AM: finish grant at home. finish presentation for that afternoon (at home). PM: teaching session, long-@$$ department meeting (i like these meetings, actually! but they are long.)

tuesday: AM: grand rounds at duke –> RD appt –> required class at noon –> painful GYN/radiologic study –> required stats lecture

wednesday: lab all day (8:30 – 5)

thursday: lab all day (8:30 – 5 or whenever i finish)

friday: clinic all day in raleigh

from my perspective, it’s been a pretty busy and productive week. from the lab’s perspective, i’m a lazy good-for-nothing who could only be bothered to even show up 40% of the time. back in my old research life, we actually had a member of the lab — an MD/PhD candidate, no less — who really did have the worst work ethic on the planet. whenever he wasn’t there (which was . . . most of the time), the jokes never stopped flowing. i don’t want to be that guy! (and i promise: i am NOT that guy).

i guess i should stop worrying about what others think and just focus on my own productivity. i do know that i am not planning on making my lab work my life — but given that my goal is not to become a researcher when i am finished with fellowship, i think that should be reasonable. i want to work hard while i am there while enjoying NORMAL work hours.

lab peeps: any advice for me?

shirshashana
i can do it! i can do it!

ever since our yoga-licous dinner party, i have been obsessed with doing a proper yoga-style headstand. and yesterday, i whipped it out — in class — without falling over! of course, i had to go home and show off my skillz to josh right away, who took this video. [watch with the sound off if you don’t want to hear the duke game in the background and my jubilant upside-down thank you to my yoga personal trainers!]

now i just need to get a bit straighter and hold for longer. next challenge: side crow. [someday: this whole list. or not!]

photo from yogadownload.com
(yeah, this is going to take a while!)

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2.23.11

workout: 75 minute yoga class at blue point. honestly, this one was a little slow for me. i noticed the intermediate/advanced class happening at the same time (you can sort of see them through the divider in the studio) and wanted to be there, where i saw faster-moving flows and more fun balances and twists. i MAY try it next week if i get the nerve . . . after all, the worst that can happen is that it’s too hard, and then i’ll just stay away until i’m ready!

yummmmmmmm: real simple balanced things out nicely in their weeks-worth of dinners: tuesday’s meal was super-healthy, while last night’s was . . . not. but it was incredibly delicious, and i’m sure that it was still worlds healthier than the equivalent (invariably giant-sized) meal at a restaurant would be!

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