Raising The Old Anchor.

For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. 
Steve Jobs

These days my mind keeps retuning to a time in my past, more than two decades ago. I was working at a university laboratory, fresh out of school, on the second year of my employment. Only twenty two years old, I enjoyed my life and the infinite, undefined future that laid ahead.

The laboratory had many members, anything from students and senior researchers to professors. Two of these were senior lab analysts, my colleagues - jovial, kind women, to whom I turned with questions and problems, when I was still very insecure in my profession and held very little experience in the science field. At that time, they have been employed there, at the same place, for over twenty years. I recall my infinite incomprehension of this fact. To me that time span accounted for a whole life time and the idea of being at the same location for such an eternity felt absolutely unimaginable. Indeed, about three years later, I left for the US, to work with my current employer.

Thus today, however outrageous that idea once seemed, I am exactly in their shoes, having worked for the same laboratory for twenty one years. There has been one relocation, the one that took me to Denmark, when my employer decided to go back home - but overall, I have been educated, trained and directed by the same man almost my whole professional life.

He brought out the hidden talents in me, gave me the opportunities to use my imagination and my skills and established an environment for me where I could thrive and flourish, excelling in the field of science with an incredible speed and endless success. He turned my work into my life and together with his wife, the couple became my best friends, a substitute family to a young girl far away from home. They became people I could - and still can today - count on one hundred percent to be there for me, should I ever need it.

Today I am one of the senior analysts in the lab.
I know where everything is, how everything works, as I am partly responsible for the overall running of the place. It is to me the young students turn with their troubles and problems. I am free to do whatever I like, I take days off at my fancy and decide my working hours. My work has always been the only constant in my life, something safe and secure. No matter how much my personal life changed, my professional life never did.

And yet, we all know that nothing ever stays the same, no matter how much we want - or expect it to. Along the way in life we make decisions that take us on novel paths, setting us on journeys that defy our world.
Thus all the choices I made in recent years in my private life slowly caused changes in my line of work as well, without me even noticing. At the onset, they were only ripples on the surface, but in time it became painfully apparent to me that the place of my employment, the one that has been my secure shelter and a solid anchor my whole adult life, has sadly played out its role...

In two weeks I will start a new job, for the first time in two decades. The emotion that encompass my being when I think about that fact is a wild mix of joy and fear.
There are days when I feel excited and happy about the prospect of a new start. I will still work in the research field, but my long commute will be cut by two hours every day, giving my personal life more freedom. However, the new position comes with responsibilities and a firm promise of hard work. I can not even recall any longer how it feels to work for someone else than my friend and my mentor and I wonder all the time whether I will be able to take direct orders from someone new - and whether he will find me competent in my skills.

Thus there are days when I wake up with a knot in my stomach, riddled with profound fear and anxiety, absolutely terrified and full of regrets. It feels as if I am to leave home again, for the first time since I was twenty, leaving my family for good, knowing I will miss them terribly.
I have made many outrageous changes in my life, but never before have I been so apprehensive about altering anything as I am today.

Somewhere deep within though, in the core of my very being, I know that I need to take this step, however scary it might seem. I need to say my thanks and my farewells and set out sailing anew.
I expect nothing and am prepared for everything, knowing hardship is linked to every change and things might get a lot worse before they get better. Yet hardship is what makes us grow and flourish, experiences have taught me that.
I believe that worst life is life lived with fear and I refuse to let fear of the unknown prevent me from embracing the very beauty of it. I try very hard to remember my own personal belief stating that change is what fuels our reality - I hope I will never get too scared to realize that.

Thus I have decided to raise my old anchor, the one that is rusty and buried in the depth of the sea, not having been moved for a very long time - a life time it seems. Yet the ship is still sail worthy and the ocean is open wide, thus lets sail into the unknown one more time.
I am confident that great adventures await.

Images: Photobucket

Winter Pre-Views.

Some of you might recall my very long commute to the university. I drive a total of one hundred and eighty miles each day.

It is amazing how we humans adapt.

If someone asked me a year ago if I would mind spending each day three hours in a car in order to get to and from work, I would have laughed in their face and said "no way!".
And yet here I am today, doing exactly that which at one time seemed unthinkable to me.

I have mixed feelings about this crazy commute. When it pours down with strong winds, when it is dark and the traffic is heavy, the drive is a terrible ordeal. I arrive at my destination exhausted, my body tense and my mood somber.
And yet, there are times, when the complete opposite takes place, such as this week.

As the days grow longer, I am currently gifted with absolutely stunning views that pass my car windows almost every day.
Setting out, I can watch breathtaking sunrises, which bathe the low lying landscape in pastel nuances of a winter dawn. With only a touch of frost, nature carries a gentle hue of white and yet the arctic air which has swept over the country holds a promise of heavy snowfall.

Turning into the second half of its reign, the Ice Lady is determined to tighten her grip. Until snowstorms prevent me from driving all together, I enjoy the unblemished beauty of an early morning drive - my daily simple pleasure and a true natural wonder.

(All images taken with my old Nikon Coolpix during a recent drive to work)

Carefree Highway.

My former drive to work was wonderful due to two reasons; it took me by the ocean side and it was short. Upon my recent relocation, neither of the above facts remained.

I love my work endlessly and as I am not keen on introducing too many changes into my life, I decided to keep my old employment, at least initially. Thus every day, my little car takes me on a round-trip that comprises a total of some two-hundred miles and about three hours commuting. A far cry from those fifteen minutes it took me once to drive to work.

However, being an undying optimist, I am slowly adapting to my new routine of long distance driving and I actually enjoy it. Of course, there are some setbacks.
I no longer get to see the sea on every day bases, I cry every day I have to fill up the tank as I see literally money being washed down the drain. I encounter many obnoxious, ignorant drivers and I have realized that driving in heavy rain gives me the creeps. The worst of them all is nevertheless by no means the fact that I waste three hours of my day on being confided inside a car.

With all that said though, the highway that I travel on takes me through some stunning scenery and when the sun shines and the traffic is light, the ride is very pleasant.
I have only a tape deck in the car, thus for a few hours each day I revert to my teenage years as I go through a stack of old tapes, some of them made several decades ago. I keep them stashed on the backseat and each time I sit behind the wheel, I enjoy choosing a new trip through my musical past.

The ride has by now become monotone of course. Gone is the excitement of the initial days, when I sat tensed in the seat, trying to concentrate on the traffic around me, feeling so out of place on a highway early in the morning.  Now-days I recognize each turn and each exit, I know all the speed limits, the places of congestion and the traffic signs. Nevertheless, my little car almost never drove faster than 35mph for a span of ten years. Thus when I accelerate to speeds that I did not think the little Toyota was capable of, I still feel that tingling of excitement in the pit of my stomach, while the speakers convey my favourite harmonies and beats.

I do love the drive home particularly. Due to my odd working hours, I drive past the rush hour and at times the highway is empty and carefree, almost like a wide runaway for my personal use. I sip my new brewed coffee, while I let my mind wonder, digesting the events of the day, winding down slowly, while beautiful natural images pass by the windows. I watch the sun set on my left and I know that by each passing mile I am getting closer to home - and to the loving arms of my man.

Unfortunately, I know that in a couple of months, this drive will be of a quiet different kind. As we reach the end of autumn and the days will grow darker and grey, when snow and rain will be my companions and only the headlights or tail lights of passing cars my beacons, I will recollect with an occasional longing those fifteen minutes it once took me to get home.

Still, there is one thought that will keep me warm and safe through my long drive - the thought of a lit house with warmth and love inside, the one waiting for me at the destination. Indeed, once it took me only a fraction of the time to come home, but I came home to a dark and empty place, devoid of happiness and affection.

I would not go back to that ever again and would drive a thousand miles if I had to. To get back home.

(Note: All images in this post and below are taken during my beautiful drive home.)

Monday On A Saturday.

Today I am at work. That is an odd feeling indeed, as I never work Saturdays. No, Saturdays are spend tending to my house and patios, sharing lovely pictures of my garden with you. But not this Saturday. My scheduled weekend has become very unscheduled, but it is all my own doing.

You see, I have a plan. A cunning one, may I add. Today it is raining cats and dogs (what a weird expression that is indeed) and as the weather forecasts predict sunny skies on Monday, I have switched my days around. Thus I will take Monday off.

It is quiet here, no one around. There is a certain tranquility that has settled over an otherwise busy lab. I actually enjoy being here.

Well, I would have actually a lovely day was it not for one thing; the fact that my lab computer had a melt down. It is a mac and even though I am a devoted Apple fan, I have to say this out loud: I HATE that computer. It keeps giving me a blue screen and has overall been very unstable. Thus I am writing this post on a PC. And that is not going all too well, I am afraid, as the computer feels very alien to me indeed.
Therefore while I wait for my electrophoresis to finish, I have decided to post answers to questions that were given to me by the lovely Mel at MELROXX in a recent tag. I have to say she impressed me with the quality of her inquiries, presented by such a young mind.

Thus dear Mel and everyone else interested, here are my answers:

1) What is your philosophy?
My philosophy. I guess that would mean by which wisdom do I live. That has changed a great deal over the years. But one has resonated with me more than any other. Although I find it very hard to follow, the following Serenity Prayer to me eloquently defines the art of living a fulfilled life:

"God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference."

2) If you could be any age again for one week, what age would you be?
This was such a great question, as I realized I am unable to answer it. Initially, I thought immediately; I would love to be twenty again! But after further contemplation I came to the conclusion that my life at twenty was quiet a struggle in every way, not to mention I felt lost and uncomfortable, trying to figure out who I was. Neither would I like to be back in my thirties, as that decade was preoccupied with painful realization of becoming older and stuck in a life I did not enjoy. I guess bringing back time only works if one has regrets. I have none.

3) Who is your fashion icon?
Women that dare to be themselves, through out their life.

4) What was the best moment of your life?
There are so many unforgettable moments as I call them. To single out just one can not be done. I love to revisit them in my mind, as I have one for every year at least.

5) Do you enjoy spending hours shopping or do you try to get over with it as fast as possible?
I used to enjoy going on shopping sprees as a young adult. Those could last for hours, I literally shopped till I dropped. These days I shop online, and although I do enjoy browsing the sites, I will get it done quiet fast.

6) Something you can't get to throw out of your wardrobe is ...
I can never throw anything out, thus I have my basement filled with boxes of old clothes.

7) What is your least favourite household chore?
Vacuum cleaning. I detest that, I dislike everything about it, least of all the smell.

8) A movie that you could never forget.
A few comes to mind, but having to chose just one, it has to be Only You with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. Even though my favorite movie of all times is Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet.

9) What is your favorite part of a day?
The dawn, even though I very rarely get to experience it. Although I love watching sunsets, sunrises have a very positive feel about them. They signify new beginnings. On the few occasions that I have been up at the crack of dawn, I relished in the stillness of the world, and in the idea of having the whole day new and pristine waiting to be seized. I simply love the notion that anything can yet happen, as the magic of the new day awaits.

-Optional- Which cartoon character do you resemble?
I have been asked this question before and I will answer as I have previously; none.

Anyone who loves these questions and would love to have a go at them, please be my guest. I am sure Mel would not mind.
Now I am going back to my experiments; I trust you are all having a lovely Saturday.

Science Before Prose Writing.

Or work before pleasure.
Yesterday was such a grey, rainy, dark and cold Sunday. Indeed, it instigated a feel of December rather than May. In some way I did not mind as I was preoccupied with work. Instead of my usual blog writing and doing research for upcoming posts, I spend it on putting final touches to a scientific paper.

I enjoy writing research papers and particularly this one, as we are presenting something novel and intriguing to the world. Results like these are what makes science so very exciting and rewarding.
Therefore I have been a slacker when it comes to blogging and have been absent from your lovely places; thus forgive me if this week my visits as well as my writing here will be sporadic at the best. I simply have a deadline to meet.

I decided though to post my traditional Birch Tree update. As a very cold May ends, the tree and its surroundings are growing greener and summery. Even though as we stand on the threshold of another seasonal change, parting with spring is easy. It somehow feels as if it never really arrived this year at all...

Dangerous Beauties.

I love my work. I am involved in research and am part of a scientific lab. I guess what I find very exciting about my carrier field is that it deals with nature. I take part in investigating the biology of not just the human body, but also the physiology of animals and plants.

Recently, our lab made an excursion to a plantation, positioned within a green house, which grows plants. But not just any plants. These are the plants of a somewhat dangerous kind, the so called Carnivorous plants ("meat-eating" plants).
Not to worry, they are harmless to us, but pose a certain danger to insects. This type of plants include about 630 species that attract and trap their prey, produce digestive enzymes, and absorb the resulting available nutrients.

Despite their somewhat unusual way of living, I find these utterly fascinating. And the place we visited was amazing as well. Square meters of large spaces, humid air scented with soil and shelves filled with nothing but small pots, as long as eye could see. All arranged in a perfect manner, containing unusual forms of life. Some had developed a form of clasping hands (so called Venus Flytrap) with spikes, effectively trapping the insect inside. Some had long sticky leaves containing a certain syrupy glue to hold onto their prey or even pitcher like leaves, posing a danger to anything that wanders within.

Nature is to me a constant source of wonder and awe. Visiting this green house only underlined this notion.

Beauty And Brains.

As it goes, there is major misconception that the above statement might not be true. Beautiful women are often considered exactly that; beautiful. They are judged by their appearance and no one even assumes there can be anything of substance to find in the beautiful shell.

As a woman in the world of science, I pay attention to women that came before me. In no way can ever claim to be in the same league as any of the famous females in history, that contributed to the changes in the world of science and technology. But I like to think about the fact that they existed. These strong women that made their mark and excelled because they worked hard and devoted their life to something they loved and believed in.
I also admit being somewhat shallow relishing in the fact that some of them were indeed beautiful. Or I guess, it might be my sense for that, which is aesthetic in an intelligent manner. An appealing woman, that pays attention to her looks, yet seems to posses an open mind, astuteness, curiosity and uncanny genius, encompasses my natural ideal.

The other day I watched a short documentary about a life of exactly a woman like that, the Austrian-born American actress and scientist Hedy Lamarr.

Considered an international beauty icon and often proclaimed to be the most beautiful woman in the world, Hedy was mainly known for her charisma conveyed by the silver screen.
Already as a teenager she was cast in movie roles and in 1933, when she was only nineteen, she married Friedrich Mandl, a Vienna-based arms manufacturer, 13 years her senior. Mandl prevented her from pursuing her acting career, and instead took her to meetings with technicians and business partners. In these meetings, the mathematically-talented Lamarr learned about military technology.
Unhappy in her marriage, she managed to leave her husband and escaped secretly to Paris and later to London.

In Hollywood, she was usually cast as glamorous and seductive. Her American debut was in Algiers (1938).
At one point she lived as a neighbour to the avant garde composer George Antheil, who had experimented with automated control of musical instruments. Together, they developed a "Secret Communications System" which they envisioned to be used against the Nazis in World War II. By manipulating radio frequencies at irregular intervals between transmission and reception, they invented an early form of signal encryption.

Lamarr and Anthiel received a patent in 1941, but the enormous significance of their invention was not realized until decades later, during the Cuban Missile Crisis and subsequently emerged in numerous military applications, after the patent expired. But most importantly, the "spread spectrum" technology that Lamarr helped to invent would stimulate the development of digital communications and wireless operations, such as those that today are in use in ordinary cellular phones.

Hedy Lamarr received recognition later in life for her invention and likewise have been featured in magazines, adds and articles over the years.
She became an American citizen and lived in Florida until her death in 2000.

The Universe Within.

Being involved in scientific research is to me an incredible adventure and an incredible privilege. When I finished my education and started to work exactly twenty years ago, I had no idea what I was about to experience. My professional career seems to have flourished over the years, as I was seemingly in the right place at the right time and met people who made it possible for me to excel in the field of science.

Working in research is a very complex and unconventional occupation. The successful scientists will tell you, it is not work, it is a way of life. You have to love it, or you will hate it. There is nothing in between. Ninety nine percent hard work and repetitions and one percent true magic.
There are days when I feel helpless, trouble shooting experiments that should work, trying to solve a puzzle with a piece that should fit, but it doesn't. And it takes all my mental power not to give up. Then, when it finally does fit, and the hidden message emerges, the obstacles are all forgotten and the feeling that encompasses me is indescribable.
And occasionally, those few precious moments in time occur, when all this leads to discoveries. Those that signify that one percent of magic, making the hardship worth my while, thousand times over.

I often feel like an ancient explorer, taking a journey into the unknown. My work is all about using my imagination, combining logic based on experience with visionary possibilities, in order to explore the biological process within the human body and the incredible mechanism with which it functions.

Our body is an amazing creation. Its simplicity and simultaneously its complexity, are astounding. We get up every day, never even realizing all the processes that has taken place over night, in the incredible machinery within us. While we have slept, multitude of small components started a chain of events, which has produced new material and new building blocks needed for repair, control or protection, inside a factory that never seizes it's production. With incredible precision, year after year, multitude of workers carry on, in order for our body to function adequately. And they work even harder, when it doesn't, as a part of our immune system. To me, it is almost as if we harbour a universe within us. Magical, fascinating and still as undiscovered as the space above us. And I get the privilege to venture into parts of it, every day.

The below is The Harvard 3D Cell Animation , which offers a glimpse into the micro-space that is the human cell. All the events depicted within the animation reflect the reality that is taking place inside all of us, right now, at a constant rate, endlessly. Resembling more an alien planet in a science fiction movie, than en environment in our cells, it can be difficult to comprehend that this world does truly exists within all humans.

In Awe Of Construction.

The neighbouring house where I live is being heavily and thoroughly reconstructed and renovated. It is really getting a facelift that will last probably for decades to come.
To be honest, it is not something very pleasant for us living in the vicinity. There is noise, obstructions and dust. But to be fair to everyone involved, it is done with minimal trouble and nuisance, considering the amount and the extend of work being performed.

I love watching workers renovating or building something. It doesn’t matter what it is they do; it can be just a facade lift, reconstructions of sidewalks, reparation or resurfacing of roads or even renovations of roofs. But the best is of course to watch them building a house from scratch.
There is something extremely fascinating in observing professionals in creating something marvellous such as a new building. To me, who knows close to nothing about most of the DIY work and who relies heavily on the Irishman to help me out, seeing collaboration between skilled craftsmen and watching them construct magnificent pieces of art is very rewarding.

Even in my work, which is very abstract for most parts, the best aspect of the science I carry out is something called “protein purification”. In my field, this means to purify one single component out of a crude mixture, such as human blood, by using different systems and procedures, until I have one single pure element, also called a protein. In my profession, I deal with parts of human biology, which are minute and invisible to human eye. Most of what I do is so called "basic research" which is like a step stone for other scientists. They can use my data to make discoveries that can possibly revolutionize the world.

Therefore ending up with a pure material that I can visibly identify after weeks of effort is the most rewarding aspect of my work; the feeling must be similar to that a builder feels when he can gaze upon a renovated structure or a brand new building that he has taken part in constructing. There is a true satisfaction in seeing the fruits of ones labour.

Work And Play.

Sometimes I get to play in the lab as well. The young chemists know how to have fun. Recently we were creating smoke; it looked just as if we were making a magical concoction of some sort.
Please watch the video clip and try to guess what we are doing; or read the explanation below the clip;)



It is dry ice that has been dumped into the sink and mixed with water to create smoke. Dry ice is frozen Carbon Dioxide, or CO2, which is a gas under normal conditions. When in the "dry ice" state, it becomes extremely cold and in the laboratory it is used to transport or to "snap freeze" samples. When it mixes with water, the extreme cold causes the water vapor to condense into clouds. This was in no way dangerous as the amount of dry ice was very small; only a harmless fun to end a long day at the lab.;)

Temporary Disenchantment.

I am dissatisfied with my work these days. Actually, more with the outcome of my work, if one can say so.
I work in a research lab, connected to the university. The lab is like a secluded world, which has a life of its own. It is a working environment like no other, in that respect, that it changes constantly. This due to the fact, that most of my colleagues are young students, which stay around for a couple of years and then leave. Sometimes I miss having colleagues that stay for extended period of time and are more my age, sharing my sentiments about life and understanding more the experience I have, and recognizing themselves in subjects I like to discus.
I remember when I was the youngest one in the lab; it feels like yesterday. Now I am almost the oldest.

I have described my work in one of my earlier post. Don’t misunderstand me; I completely LOVE what I do. But science is tough. Sometimes I face problems that just simply feel unsolvable. It takes persistence end devotion and all of my energy to move on with something that is not working. The most difficult part, at least for me, is to keep ones logic and sanity, to rely on facts and not let ones imagination run wild when experiments yield contradictory results.

At times like these I often wonder what would happened if I pursued something else in my younger years. I had many plans on what I wanted to become.
In a way I envy those who knew since childhood what their calling was, just like my mother. Already when she was a little girl playing with dolls, she was always treating them for something imaginary. She always knew she wanted to be a pediatrician (a child physician).
I on the other hand changed my profession as I went along. As a child I dreamed of excavating old tombs and digging up old bones and pottery. After reading about Heinrich Schliemann and his excavation of ancient Troy, I was going to be an archeologist.
As a teenager, I was interested in nature and agriculture and contemplated to marry a farmer and tend to a large piece of land.
Later on, on the encouragement of my art teacher, I played with the idea of studying art. However, after he took me around a few art schools and they all declined taking me in, I gave that idea up, somewhat disillusioned.
As a young woman, becoming more a realist and less of a dreamer, I realized I liked chemistry and figured maybe pharmacology would be something I could study. Eventually I ended up in the field of biochemistry.

Growing up in the 80s, we were encouraged not to pursue wild dreams, but get a real profession. A traditional one, such as a teacher, a lawyer, a physician. Becoming an artist or a journalist was out of question.

Today I wish someone would have told me, back then, that studying art did not mean that I had to make a living making my own paintings. There is so much in art I could have done and I wish I would have.
At times.

But then again, I know, that in a few days, in a few weeks, maybe a month or two, my impossible scientific problem will be solved and my troubles will be history and I would have overcome yet another hurdle. And then, when someone will ask me what I do for a living and I will describe to others what my profession is about, they will tell me that I indeed have the ultimate dream job, working in such a free and creative environment. In my line of work, I am a bit of an adventuress, pushing the frontiers of science forward - if it is ever so slightly. Like ancient traveler, I am privileged to discover and to thread a ground no one has before me.

Hot Chocolate.

Hot chocolate is the "Drink of Gods". That is what the lovely BPG calls a version of it in one of her posts (and I absolute agree with her), where she shares a delicious recipe. I have completely forgotten about that wonderful beverage this winter season. And today is a day as if made for a cup of hot, creamy, wonderfully scented chocolate, to be enjoyed at home in front of the fireplace.

I woke up to a very windy and dark morning. Honestly, it was on of those mornings when I do have a dialogue in my head with myself; one part is persuading me to finally get out of bed, the other is saying it is inhuman to be dragged out of bed and I should just call in sick.;) Well the first part always wins eventually.;)

While driving to work, I was contemplating whether it will even get light today. The ocean, that I pass on my way, was raging. It was a magnificent sight; the waves were crushing against the shore violently, the color of the water was a mix of dark green and grey. The white foam made the ocean look wild and free, while the sky was very low and thick with clouds the colour of ashes. The wind is so strong it takes hold of everything and moves the air around and anything with it.
As this weather was truly frightening, I came to think about drinking something warm and comforting. I therefore picked up box of hot Chocolate during my usual Friday grocery shopping and made myself a cup as soon as I came to the lab.

Below is a very "overdue" quiz that I took around the holidays. I stumbled upon this quiz in December on a wonderful blog of the lovely Gal Friday. It is simply entitled "What Holiday drink are you?" and considering the outcome, I can still share it anyways.;)

You Are Hot Chocolate

Your holiday personality is generous. The holidays are your favorite time to practice the art of giving. You enjoy picking out presents, sharing treats, and making everyone's day a little brighter. And you don't even notice if you don't get anything in return.

What Holiday Drink Are You?

Christmas Candy.

My teeth are definitely suffering comes December. This is the time when all the companies we do business with at work send us tons of candy! Any kind; chocolate covered pralines, caramel, fudge and even chewy or hard candy. It is impossible to keep one's weight down. Or do any work. But, it is nevertheless delicious and makes us feel like kids, all over again.;)

The Alchymist.

This picture was featured in one of our scientific catalogues at work. I liked it so much, that I decided to order a reprint of the painting and placed it on the wall just above my desk at home. It is called "The Alchymist" and it is painted by an English landscape and portrait artist, Joseph Wright of Derby, around 1771. I love the way he managed to capture the feeling of expectation and marvel that every scientist can recognize. The sensation that overcomes one just before getting a result or performing an experiment.
The piece is actually called The Alchymist in Search of the Philosopher's Stone and illustrates the moment of discovery of the element phosphorus by German alchemist Hennig Brand in 1669.
I love the atmosphere, the play on light and dark, creating a mysterious setting. I can see the painting every time I sit at my desk and almost always settle my eyes on it for more than a moment, as it reminds me of mankind’s curiosity and the never-ending pursuit of progress.

Back to Work Monday.

Yesterday we went off the daylight savings time, which means an hour more of sleep this morning. Wonderful, as I love to sleep. I recently included sleep as one of the things I love, and this list included my work as well. Considering that and the fact that work is in the title of my blog, I thought I would dedicate at least one post to this subject.

I work in a laboratory, in the field of biochemistry and the pictures here show the stickers posted on the entrance door of my lab. Yaiks!!! But, it is less dangerous that those signs indicate and I seem not to have been damaged or affected by anything sinister (yet;).
When I say I work in a lab, many people picture all those labs they have seen on all those popular TV shows. But let me tell you, it is nothing like that. Although I enjoy seeing shows where laboratory work is described or included, I always have to skip a few scenes in my mind and dismiss them with amusement.
I wish we had those fancy machines, which all the crime scenes investigators keep running back to. They always seem to be calmly and methodically pipetting solutions and samples in a tube, mixing, then placing those into some miracle working instruments, getting result within minutes. Nope, this does not happen, usually results take hours, sometimes days or weeks to obtain.

I do enjoy my work though, even though it is at times tedious and energy consuming. I love the fact that I am free to play around like a child. I am free to use my imagination, while exploring issues and fields that no people have entered before me. Or very few. Even if there are obstacles to overcome and even if the tiresome repetition and hard work are the key.