"Last Day"

Today definitely feels like my last day at work. I still have to go in on Monday, but I just have a short experiment to run and some misc stuff to finish up. Today is when I process my very last patient samples!

Things I'm going to miss about my job:
1. The people. I'm definitely going to miss my coworkers! I work with some great ladies and am going to miss eating with them every day and getting to know them. I've made some good friends here, and I really hope we still keep in touch. Thank goodness for Facebook! :) The people at my new job are unbelievable welcoming, though, so I'm sure I'll make new friends!

2. The view. I work on the 9th floor and getting to see all the way to the Capitol is pretty cool.

3. .....Is that it?

Things I'm not going to miss:
1. Sputum, more sputum, different sputum, saliva, more sputum, tons of sputum. Get the picture?

2. Schedule tracking. I have to keep track of what I do every half an hour, and it's on a calendar that my boss can see. It ends up being a lot of pressure!

3. The lack of real science.  I process samples. Let's not kid ourselves here. I'm not working towards curing asthma. I'm not working on new therapies that could affect the lives of every asthma sufferer. What I do is not research. I assist with the research of others, but I do very little actual science myself. In my last job in cancer research, I was actually doing something, learning new things, making a difference. I have a feeling that my new job is going to be very similar, and I'm really excited for it!

4. The Z1 Particle Counter. This machine makes my life miserable. I swear that it has a mind of its own and only gives me problems when it knows how busy I am. It's use is to count how many white blood cells are in a sample. Fine. It works. Then you have to reset it after each sample, and that's where the problems lie. I have spent hours trying to clean this thing. It hates me, and I hate it.

Vanilla Walnuts

Olive oil
Walnuts
Vanilla beans
Agave syrup

1. Put about a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan and let it get hot
2. When the oil is hot, throw in the walnuts
3. Stirring frequently, roast the walnuts until they smell "nutty" and are browned on all sides. (but not burnt)
4. In a side bowl combine the vanilla bean seeds and a couple tablespoons of the agave. Stir until well mixed.
5. Once the walnuts are to your liking, add the syrup mixture to the pan. Turn the heat to low.
6. Stir frequently to let the mixture coat all of the walnuts
7. Let cool
8. Enjoy!

I love this recipe. I just made it last night, but still can't find my camera, so no pictures available. I love it because it's a delicious snack that tastes bad for you, but really isn't too bad!