Would it make a good blog post if I extracted today’s inbox and excerpts of the telephone calls I had? I’m dying to, but it would be bad form. Especially the twelve that I got from my panicking (and rightly so) would-be U.S. collaborator in the last 24 hours. One of these contains the project itself for the grant application in progress, that I will continue to read and critique rather than write the promised blog post. I’ll try to do a spoof on these in a few years. Hope said collaborator has a sense of humor.
Note to myself: stop promising blog posts on anything. I still have to do that interview with Dr. Mike Barresi, too.
Why is it that pollen-based allergies make you have headaches and swollen, mucus-secreting tissues lining various cephalic cavities, but extra mucus produced elsewhere is not considered to be particularly unpleasant or disgusting (exception made for its quality, but still)?
How can a medical doctor who has had any contact with a science lab at all in his life, believe that he can wangle himself an automatic second authorship on all papers coming out of a resource to which we asked his service to contribute tissues that otherwise go into the incinerator?
Did we finally work out those details with DHL so that the samples my Paris lab is sending on dry ice will make it here before Friday? And what on earth happened to those slides sent last week by regular mail, anyhow?
Will the technical service fellow from Agilent who called me back resolve my difficulties with his machine?
Will I remember to embed the rabbit corneas tomorrow?
Will I get to close some tabs in Firefox by finishing choosing the reagents needed by the student who will come stay with me for two weeks, next Monday?
Will I ever have a complete thought again?
Q: Why is it that pollen-based allergies make you have headaches and swollen, mucus-secreting tissues lining various cephalic cavities,
because they don’t want you to be able to think. Just be home in a room with closed windows and no fresh air and sleep…. at least that is what my eyes and nose told me last month. (I ended up in an animal facility with no fresh air…. so no pollen, in theory)
As for the last question, I think the answer might be “after May” since pollen goes away then?! right? Or are you unhappy allergic to grass too??
Oh, the things science can’t explain – wonderful!
’… but extra mucus produced elsewhere is not considered to be particularly unpleasant or disgusting… ’
Err, best not ask you to expand on that one.
’How can a medical doctor… ’
Maybe because he’s a careerist with clout, and can argue the toss on anything. Wait, and one day you may catch him arguing a position contrary to one previously advocated, if it suits.
The truth of life lies not in the facts.
How can a medical doctor who has had any contact with a science lab at all in his life, believe that he can wangle himself an automatic second authorship on all papers coming out of a resource to which we asked his service to contribute tissues that otherwise go into the incinerator?
Is there a clue in the adjective medical? ;-)
(Though I know they’re not all the same Martin!)
I was not exaggerating on twelve. Two more e-mails this evening.
The many excellent, ethical medical doctors (yes, as opposed to Ph.D. doctors) I work with have spoiled me, so this sort of expectation shocked me beyond all proportion.
In my naïveté, although I know such attitudes exist in theory, coming on one such is gnawing at me inside. Granola-crunchy Heather, ideals of scientific Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love and tissue recycling to boot, coming up against young Doctor Me. Grrrrr. Hasn’t this guy had any education?
How can a medical doctor who has had any contact with a science lab at all in his life, believe that he can wangle himself an automatic second authorship on all papers coming out of a resource to which we asked his service to contribute tissues that otherwise go into the incinerator?
Oh, don’t get me started on this one! I will spare the details of my own experience, but I feel your pain/frustration/exhaspiration.
Will I ever have a complete thought again?
I so know what you mean by this. I can’t answer the question, though, but at least I understand the question.
Ah yes, the complete thought. I remember I used to have lots of those…once…is it age, or my life, or the internet?