Chelsea's first real job...

I started my new job on Monday. So far so good. The one experiment I have done went well. Dr. Bartlett gave me about a 5% chance of having it work, and it turned out very well. Other than that I have been reading articles and grant proposals to figure out what kind of stuff I will be doing here. I have also been given a book on Xenopus laevis development to read, so I will have a better understanding of them before I start using them. I took online courses on bloodborne pathogens, lab chemical safety, radioation safety, animal use polices and surgical techniques. I still have a couple to finish on anesthesia/anelgesia and something else I can't remember. I also got to watch some microinjections of Xenopus eggs. I will probably learn to do microinjections in the future.

Thanks to Amanda and the hospital's Noon News I have a new project to channel my crocheting skills into: The Preemie Project. I bought a few skeins of baby yarn and have started on a blanket. I also have plans to make some hat and bootie sets and possbly some teddy bears and burial buntings, if I can make sense of the patterns. I may also make some hats for the UIHC's volunteeer services. They give handmade hats to all the newborn babies. Tacia said she would like to learn how to make baby stuff to donate too! If anyone else wants to learn to crochet, I will gladly teach you.

I better be productive for a little while. My PI, Dr. Bartlett, said she would stop by this afternoon, so I better look busy when she comes.