Fauns, Dryads, SPIRITUAL TRUTH!

(1:45-2:21 in particular)

I somehow missed the Narnian bandwagon while growing up, so I'm working on catching up now. Books first, then movies. I just finished watching The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I quite enjoyed it, although I was disappointed that one of my favorite quotes from the book was skipped over:

"Then he [Aslan] isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

They did include a different version of the conversation with Lucy and Mr. Tumnus at the end, but I don't think it holds the same weight.

Some of the symbolism is so much stronger when seen live. For example, when Aslan breathes on Mr. Tumnus to bring him back to life, Tumnus makes all sorts of crackling, icy noises while thawing out. At this point, Kendal commented, "That would be painful... unfreezing..." Yes, absolutely! If we're being literal, thawing out totally hurts; think about coming in from the cold and your fingers and toes warming back up. It actually hurts. But looking beyond the obvious, being brought from death back to [spiritual] life, continually molded by the Spirit into a different person than you were before, and fighting against our human nature. The sanctification process can definitely be uncomfortable and even painful, but totally and completely worth it.

A snowy observation

People smile more with 9+ inches of snow on the ground. On the walk to meet up with friends for lunch today I met the eyes and smiles of a few others that were out trudging through the snow-piled streets and sidewalks. It was like finding camaraderie in the piles of beautiful, white snow and the shared joy of a day off. The same thing happened when we went to play at the park. People were out laughing, playing with their dogs, sledding, and building forts, snowmen and snow angels. There's just a different feel to life on a snow day... light-hearted, joyful.

Happy Snow Day. :)

Questions?

This afternoon I was having coffee with Becky. We were sitting in the Union with our cups of Starbucks and chatting about family, testimonies, women's ministry (or reformation thereof), and Cgroups. As we discussed the Cgroup retreat last week, I was telling Becky that I don't consider myself to be very good at formulating questions for our Cgroup study. My thoughts tend to come as statements--'Here's what I think, now what about you?' Before I just considered it to be something that I wasn't talented with--I still think this in light of the fact that it just doesn't come as easily to me as other things do. However, I do think I can improve on it (with grace of course), instead of just chalking it up as a loss. As I confessed this to her, she said something along the lines of "Huh. That's funny. I figured as a scientist you'd be good at coming up with questions." Haha I'd never thought of it that way. I actually think I am quite a bit better at coming up with scientific questions. I could write you out a list of questions that I have about apoptosis, and alphaviruses, and persistant infection in arthropods, and host factor and viral protein interaction. There's a pile of journal articles on my bench waiting to be read to shed light on those subjects and another to-do list of experiments that I'm going to do to hopefully add something to that bank of knowledge.

So what's the difference? Why can I come up with loads of questions about science, but when I look at a passage of Scripture I find it harder to come up with those questions? I'm still tossing this around in my mind, but I think part of it is the type of information I'm looking for. In science I'm searching for knowledge, facts. This protein interacts with that one, this is what happens, and here are the implications of that on a larger scale. In Scripture, I'm looking for wisdom, insight, God. The goal for the study is to get people to talk, ask questions that will lead to discussion of God and life... That's all for now... still thinking on this one.

Ridiculously adorable toddlers

And they're even cuter live:
Haley plays babies
Watching Sid the Science Kid

AI Evaluations

Just got my evaluations back, which were good for the most part. This one made me laugh:

Q: What do you like least about your AI?

One student's answer: "Sometimes she wears brown with black."

Hahahaha. I apologize for mixing my neutrals... I will immediately go buy a black belt so as not to repeat the offense.

Be warned: Your students are judging your fashion sense... and some will be bold enough to comment on it in the departmental evaluation.

People vs. Ideas

Along the top of my gmail inbox, there are random things that pop up everyday. Sometimes it's an advertisement, sometimes a CNN or ESPN news clip... a few days ago, it was a quote:

"Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas." --Marie Curie

Now, Marie was a pretty smart lady and one heck of a scientist. I keep going back and forth on whether I agree with this quote or not. I do and I don't. Here are a few of my thoughts...

The first thing that pops into my mind is gossip and nosiness. Why is it that as humans we want to know everyone's business? If we took all the energy that we spend worrying about who's dating whom or who made what mistake, and instead fueled it into ideas... innovation, technology, theology, science... then would we make more progress? Possibly.

Another application that is near and dear to my heart is, of course, science. We're researchers. We want to find answers, solutions, ways to make life better for those around us and future generations. However, I think sometimes we think too big to begin with. For instance, we want to develop a vaccine for a virus; this vaccine could save thousands of lives. Great. But it's not beneficial to start there, with the human application. Before we can even begin to figure out how to make an effective vaccine, we need to know how the virus works, how it enters, how it replicates, how it is transmitted. If we don't know this information, not only can we not make an effective vaccine, but we could make the problem a lot worse. For example, Dengue virus has four serotypes. If you get one type of Dengue, you'll get those Dengue fever and probably recover from it, but if in the future you get one of the other three, you'll end up developing Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever which is fatal. So if you get vaccinated for 1 serotype, your basically primed for death if you get one of the other three. It's important that we learn about the details, before we deal with the people. (I'm an advocate of applied science, but I think pure science is just as important.)

Those are two examples in which I agree with Marie, but there's also something to be said for the opposition. What's the point? Why are we here? Last Sunday Pastor Bob spoke about the two greatest commandments. Our first priority: Love God. Our second: Love each other. The second greatest commandment is all about people. We need to put down our agendas, goals, and motives, and just care about each other. Ideas have there place, but people should be more important. I've mentioned this before, but I feel as though this was hammered home to me over break. I was back early, prepared to get a lot accomplished in the lab before the semester began. It was lonely. No one was around, even the lab was pretty vacant. And ironically, I wasn't very productive. Now that everyone's back I feel as though a missing piece has been added back. I tend to get selfish and somewhat self-centered when I'm by myself for too long. It's great to have people to care about and take care of (hello, two) and who care about and take care of me too.

So, Marie, I agree and I disagree. Bottom line, people and ideas are both important, but don't forget to balance it out.

Contaminated limestone?

The autoclaves (machines that sterilize glassware and solutions with high temps and pressure) in my building caused floods down the hallways last week. Here are excerpts from Simon Hall emails about the solution...

"To fix the [drainage] problem, we think we need to replace the 2 1/2 tons of limestone chips. That probably will not happen for a few days... maybe by Wednesday of next week."

"Physical Plant is in the process of accessing the problem and will likely decide to replace the contaminated limestone chips."

Question: Doesn't moving 2.5 tons of limestone sound like a bigger deal than they're making it?

Question: How, pray tell, does limestone become contaminated? And what is it contaminated with?

Hmmmm...

They teach us science, we teach them technology

This comic made me laugh when I ran across it the other day.

Partially, because I've been that student. Former PI: "Megan, I need you to take this [massive] stack of papers and enter all of the references into EndNote. Then I think there's some way to enter those right into the Word document for this grant..."
Yes, yes there is. It's called 'Cite While You Write' and half of the beauty and convenience of it is that you do it WHILE you write. So I had a good chuckle remembering that, and then thought about how my current PI is totally not like that and pretty self-sufficient when it comes to technology/word processing/etc...

Then today...

The PI walks into the lab.
PI: "Ying! Just the person I needed to see."
Ying: "Yeah..."
PI: "I need you to teach me how to use Excel."

Haha. Classic.

Fake it until you make it?

Recently AJ posted the question: “Do you ever feel like you’re faking it?” After commenting, I realized that I didn’t actually answer the question, but went straight into the justification of my viewpoint. So to answer the question: Yes, sometimes I feel/know that I’m “faking it.” Faking what? My feelings about a situation would be the most common probably. I consider myself to be a sincere person. For the most part, what you see is what you get. However, I do think that “faking it” is ok in certain situations. Ironically, Beth and I had just had a conversation similar to this and I’ve thought quite a bit about it during that conversation and after AJ’s post and the comments that followed. Here’s my opinion on when it’s ok and not ok to “fake it.”

When is it ok to “fake it”
First, I’ll start with the same example I used in my comment on AJ’s blog. I think it’s ok to fake it when it’s inappropriate to do otherwise. Last semester was pretty rough for me. It was difficult to find a new balance with my grad school responsibilities in lab/teaching/class and one of my classes was hellish (read: class exam averages were around 55%). Add onto that unavoidable tension with some friends. That said, I did not walk around with my heart on my sleeve all semester. I couldn’t and besides that, I don’t think that it would’ve been appropriate to do so. So, if you asked me how I was doing last semester, I probably said “fine” and maybe elaborated that my schedule was tough. Was I fine? Nope, not really, but only God and a few of my closest friends were privy to what was really going on. It wasn’t necessary or appropriate for me divulge all of the inner workings of my heart and mind to every person that asked how I was. So yeah, I “faked” being happy and light-hearted at times last semester because the alternative would have been to be a complaining, gushing, emotional mess--detrimental to others and myself.

Another example. I think it’s ok to “fake it” when it’s for the good of the group. For example, team building activities—the problem-solving ones disguised as games. I don’t like them and for the most part think they’re silly. Are they really going to teach me how to be a leader? No. Are they going to show other team members how I will really act/react when problems arise? Probably not. However, when required to do these activities at a retreat or leadership event, I do it with a smile. I don’t like it. I think it’s pointless. I don’t want to do it. BUT, these things must be important to someone if we’re doing them, even if it’s just the person who planned them. So in that case, I’ll participate willingly—I’ll “fake” my way through it because it is important to someone. I don’t want to spoil it for them.

On the other hand when is it NOT OK to “fake it”
I find this side of things to be a little more straightforward, so I won’t elaborate much. For me, it’s not ok to “fake it”, if:
--it requires me to sacrifice my beliefs, morals, and/or values
--it hurts someone else (mentally, emotionally, or physically)
--it’s a situation like James 3:9-12

This post is obviously not exhaustive (although lengthy). This topic, like many others, is not as easy as we would like to make it, but hopefully, you get an idea of where I’m coming from.

Happy New Semester

Grad Student Work Output
(phdcomics.com)


This is remarkably accurate. So here's to Monday... and all the work that could possibly be accomplished this week. :)

The 5 people you meet in the lab

Sparked by the thought “There’s one in every lab…” here’s a short description of some typical lab personalities.*

The Grinch
Mad at the world, the Grinch finds fault in almost everything. Failed experiments, messy lab benches, and personal issues are all fair game. The grumbling can take the form of amusing or annoying depending on the nature of the Grinch. He/she can often be found banging their head against the wall in frustration over a failed experiment/an obstinate PI/a stressful committee meeting. The Grinch can be intimidating to new lab members, but once you confirm that the frown wasn’t caused by you and bond over a shared disappointment, you realize that the Grinch's heart is really three sizes bigger than you thought

The Candide
The opposite of the Grinch, the Candide can find the bright side of anything. The Candide’s cheeriness can be either encouraging or irritating. The Candide is typically new to the science world and therefore not jaded yet, or has been doing research so long that they’ve developed an apathy that overrides disappointment and scientific hardships. Even the PI that is notorious for making people cry can’t squeeze a tear out of the Candide.

The Go-to Guy/Gal
The answer to many questions lab members ask each other typically ends in “Hmm, not sure. Did you ask ____?” The Go-to Guy knows it all. He’s on top of everything from how to troubleshoot your failed transformation and the location of the elusive ampicillin aliquots to tomorrow’s weather forecast and the best youtube videos. Opinions about the Go-to Guy depend completely on his level of humility. Humble Go-to Guys are everyone’s friend and immensely appreciated for their knowledge. Arrogant Go-to Guys are avoided at all costs even though it will take you an extra 20 minutes to search through two -80 freezers to find those hidden freezer stocks by yourself.

The Chatterbox
If you want to get anything done today, don’t get this one started (on the other hand if you want to procrastinate, fire away). The Chatterbox can talk extensively about anything, anytime, anywhere. Subjects range from politics to grocery store produce. Ask one simple question and receive an hour long analysis of experimental design/weekend plans/“When I was a kid/in undergrad/did that experiment…” stories. Neither lack of eye contact nor walking away is an effective escape strategy. The Chatterbox will follow… still talking.

The Over-achiever
The Over-achiever is in the lab when you arrive in the morning and still around when you leave. There may actually be a cot hidden under their bench to ensure that no time is wasted going home to sleep. Sometimes guilt seeps in when you feel like you should be working harder like the Over-achiever. Then you remember that most people need rest, social interaction, and hobbies to balance out their work life.

* Not based on anyone in particular, but rather a combination of personalities I’ve encountered and heard stories about.

The Spirit, Africa, and a stubborn atheist

A couple days ago, Tim Leisz (a friend from Cgroup) posted this article from the Times on facebook:

As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God
(by Matthew Parris)

I highly suggest reading the whole thing; it's only about a page long. Here are a few selected quotes:

"Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good."
...
"In the city we had working for us Africans who had converted and were strong believers. The Christians were always different. Far from having cowed or confined its converts, their faith appeared to have liberated and relaxed them. There was a liveliness, a curiosity, an engagement with the world - a directness in their dealings with others - that seemed to be missing in traditional African life. They stood tall."

I find the article both encouraging and frustrating. Encouraging because Parris acknowledges the good that's found in missions work in Africa, the difference it's making to both the physical and spiritual needs of the people. He also acknowledges that while secular charities also do good works, they're not providing the same benefits as Christian charities and missions. On the other hand it's frustrating to listen to Parris talk about this because he sees it. He SEES it. The characteristics he notices in the people--freedom, a relaxed state of mind, liveliness, curiosity. This is the Holy Spirit at work in these people. God's glory is shining through them. And Parris CAN SEE IT. But he doesn't acknowledge it for what it is; he's still holding to atheism. While I find this frustrating, hopefully the fact that he sees the Spirit is a stepping stone, just a piece of the story that God is showing him while pursuing his heart. I hope he gives in to the chase someday.

Awkward hug

Here's another good one. This time from Newsies. Minute 6:06. We had a good laugh over this one. A word of advice: Never hug a girl/boyfriend like this. This hug is like when two guys get excited after a big sports win and they hug, but in the midst of the hug they become uncomfortable and feel the need to reinforce their masculinity so they use the pat on the back.


Jack's bad hug

(embedding disabled. drat.)

Theodore Laurence

I just watched Newsies with Christina and Sarah. Singing, dancing, a fight for justice, a happy Disney ending, and Christian Bale--you can't go wrong. Still, in my heart, Christian Bale will always be Laurie. My favorite Laurie moment is minute 1:00-1:10. Mischievous. :)

A year in review

Happy New Year! Ok, I have to be honest. I don't really get all that excited about New Year's Eve. Or New Year's Day. I'm not a New Year's party-pooper; it's just not in my top 5 most anticipated holidays. There are a couple different post ideas I considered, but the things that would appear on my Best/Worst of 2008 list are a little to personal for a public blog post and I don't usually make New Year's resolutions. But here are a couple things that I've learned about myself over the past year.

1. I could never be a hermit. I'm an introvert, yes, but not a loner. I need interaction with people. I've been back at the apartment by myself for 3 days, and already I'm anxious for my roommate to be back. Thankfully, I went out to a movie with Mateo and Joni last night, so I was at least able see some friends since most are still out of town for the holidays. Beth wrote a few days ago about the importance of friends and Christian community. I completely agree. We were created to live in community, to support each other, to care about each other. The second greatest commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. The two in me thrives on community (in a healthy sort of way, most of the time.)

2. I have a love/hate relationship with email. Email is wonderful; what would I do without it? I'm not really a "phone person." I call people to make plans and that sort of thing, but if I can do it over email I probably will. I'd rather talk in person so unless you're my mom or I know you really well, I'm probably not going to have a long conversation with you over the phone. So I love email because I don't have to use my phone, but when it becomes the only form of communication between friends it's not a good thing. I hate email because it can make it way too easy for us to just get by, not really take the time or make the effort to really see each other and show that we care. I love email and I hate email. I'll keep emailing because it's convenient and a good form of communication... just as long as it's not the only form of communication. :)

3. God likes to teach me lessons that I don't want to learn, but in retrospect I'm thankful. I've learned a lot over the past year. At times I've appreciated it during the process, but more often than not I've just wanted to get it over with--learn the lesson without the teaching. Looking back I'm really grateful for the lessons; they've made me depend on God for strength, love, and joy and realize that this life is not about me and all about Him. (And I'm working on being grateful in the midst of the teaching :) )

So long, 2008. Let's look forward to 2009.