A very analytical week

This has been a week of new data acquisition for my thesis project. On Monday I spent eight hours using the ( Laser ICPMS )

On Tuesday morning I received an e-mail telling me that the microprobe has been repaired, and that if I am keen I could use it that evening starting at 16:00. I had already ( arranged to go in at 15:00 )

So I said "yes" to the probe time and took an early nap so as to be alert in the early evening. It was actually a joy to be back on the microprobe, ( I very much like that machine )

On Wednesday evening I returned to the ( Laser )

It is actually really delightful to be trusted with both the Microprobe and the Laser to work on my own, and in the case of the 'probe, set it up and tell it to "run" and go home, and in the case of the Laser be trusted with the keys to go shut down the plasma, the argon, and the helium (all located outside the building in little sheds).

It has been fun to return to data collection, and I hope that the new information will give good results. But in the mean time, I've made no new further progress on my thesis writing. At least I got that job application sent off.

A very analytical week

This has been a week of new data acquisition for my thesis project. On Monday I spent eight hours using the ( Laser ICPMS )

On Tuesday morning I received an e-mail telling me that the microprobe has been repaired, and that if I am keen I could use it that evening starting at 16:00. I had already ( arranged to go in at 15:00 )

So I said "yes" to the probe time and took an early nap so as to be alert in the early evening. It was actually a joy to be back on the microprobe, ( I very much like that machine )

On Wednesday evening I returned to the ( Laser )

It is actually really delightful to be trusted with both the Microprobe and the Laser to work on my own, and in the case of the 'probe, set it up and tell it to "run" and go home, and in the case of the Laser be trusted with the keys to go shut down the plasma, the argon, and the helium (all located outside the building in little sheds).

It has been fun to return to data collection, and I hope that the new information will give good results. But in the mean time, I've made no new further progress on my thesis writing. At least I got that job application sent off.

the duties they don't mention

I have said before, I don't need kids, I've got an apprentice. Today was a very good example. I had just sat down to the computer after a short break, when my tall apprentice, who had been in the yard doing some grinding with a belt-sander on a knife he's making came in holding his hand wrapped in a bit of bloody paper towel asking for help. Apparently the sander managed to hook on something on the knife and grabbed it, and wrenched it around till the point lodged in his finger tip. Of his left hand (he's *very* left handed). So I helped him get it cleaned up, taped the wound closed with steri-strips, and used regular bandaids to tape a bit of cotton wool (the Australian term for cotton balls) to the finger lest it start bleeding again, and advised him to take a break for a bit. He says he can't feel it at the moment, but as deep as that point must have gone in, given the width of the wound at the surface, it is going to hurt later! No one told me that first aid is part of the laurel-apprentice responsibilities!

the duties they don't mention

I have said before, I don't need kids, I've got an apprentice. Today was a very good example. I had just sat down to the computer after a short break, when my tall apprentice, who had been in the yard doing some grinding with a belt-sander on a knife he's making came in holding his hand wrapped in a bit of bloody paper towel asking for help. Apparently the sander managed to hook on something on the knife and grabbed it, and wrenched it around till the point lodged in his finger tip. Of his left hand (he's *very* left handed). So I helped him get it cleaned up, taped the wound closed with steri-strips, and used regular bandaids to tape a bit of cotton wool (the Australian term for cotton balls) to the finger lest it start bleeding again, and advised him to take a break for a bit. He says he can't feel it at the moment, but as deep as that point must have gone in, given the width of the wound at the surface, it is going to hurt later! No one told me that first aid is part of the laurel-apprentice responsibilities!