There's a trick to drawing dotted lines on a chalk board? Oh, I'm totally going to try this in the spring!

#ProfLife

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbWeSHbL-rM

Final poster session done. I am dead tied. Vacation starts tomorrow.

#ProfLife

Second session finished. Smaller crowd this morning, but very good interactions and the room was nice. Feeling grateful for these colleagues. Also, my talk was well received.

#ProfLife

First half day of talks is over and it was a resounding success. We had great attendance and terrific speakers. My talk is in 10.5 hours, so time for sleep. Also, the sun came out today, I drank a coconut, and resisted getting another tattoo.

#ProfLife #Pacifichem2025

I am revising some draft text from a grad student and reflecting on how bad of a writer I was in grad school. I think it took me at least a decade of being a PI to get to be any good. #PI #proflife #writing

A student gifted me this little monster today. She said “I picked this one because it reminded me of an electron.” 💗💗

#ProfLife #pokemon #Minun

Christmas is in 2 weeks. I haven’t processed this. Leaving town for a conference on Monday and trying to get everything done for my presentation and classes beforehand so I don’t have to lug a laptop. Feeling both nervous and excited about the trip, but it means I have not even started thinking about upcoming holidays. I also have not been getting enough sleep, so my batteries feel perpetually undercharged. Would my class mind if I took a nap right now?

#ProfLife

45 min left in the exam. I’ve sneezed loudly 3 times. (Stupid nose)

#ProfLife

Proctoring a gen chem exam. Amazed at the number of students who cannot read an analog clock (aka one with hands)!

#ProfLife

What happens when I stay up late working on a presentation? I start adding #DnD references. I just named a group of textbooks for character classes and added a talking water elemental to my final slide. I should probably try to sleep. 😆

#ProfLife #2am #TimeBlindness

Thanks to a bunch of successful phishing exercises, we now have to 2FA super-frequently at work, plus many apps that formerly talked to Exchange, etc. are now locked out.

FFS - I must have to authenticate 10x a day now, whereas I used to complain about 3x per week.

I've seen the future, and it sucks.

#ProfLife

Last class today, we talked about metals in medicine and the final. This class has been wonderful. I am all the more sure I don’t want to give up teaching for administration at this point in my career.
#ProfLife #Chemistry #Chemiverse

#minorrevision #proflife

Proud to put my graduate school training to use this afternoon with some outdoors mailbox repair work!

The ol’ "bag o’ bolts” (laser lab & optical breadboard essentials) is reincarnated in the /real world/ as the “coffee can o' crap.”

You never know when you might need a random washer, bolt, screw, or doohickey!

#GradSchool #ProfLife #Laser #PhD

The advantage of being a parent with an academic-year schedule is that I usually have breaks when my kids have breaks

The disadvantage is that my kids usually have breaks when I have breaks
#profLife #momLife

Quiet lab and building too - all the better to have some loud music in my office as I potter about taping and scanning receipts for expense reports and writing recommendation letters [so I don't have to do it on the weekend]

#ProfLife

“Academia is like a pie-eating contest where the reward is more pie.”

How have I never heard this phrase before? And what a perfect summary of academia!

#ProfLife

https://www.chronicle.com/article/feeling-anxious-youre-not-the-only-one/

My presentation went well, good questions + discussion, then nice dinner with hosts (they were kind to ask and I let them know that I was ok with Japanese food). Post dinner I checked into the hotel and got my stored backpack from the morning and went to my room.
Holy shit! There's a fucking massage chair in the room!! I've never been in a room with a massage fucking chair! (Sorry am I swearing too much)
And here I am checking in with my hiking boots and backpack.
Fancy ass #ProfLife

Yay! Made it to Osaka University. Got off a bus stop before the when I saw where we were on the map. Took a short cut through a lovely botanical garden (almost everything was labelled!), stopped to smell the roses (always stop to smell the roses!)
I think I cleaned up ok! Ready for my presentation soon. Please #AltTxt4Me
#ProfLife

And whaddya know it's raining!
But that's after I made it through to hotel after 2 train changes, & Shin-Osaka station. Was able to drop off my backpack again and ask to keep a package in the fridge - like yesterday. Also seems like I packed sensibly, had a small bag to take my computer along and have my rain jacket too - goes nice with my all black outfit for afternoon seminar presentation (but please don't look down at my hiking boots). Expeditious not great lunch done too!
#ProfLife #Travel