#I've been doing research for this prof since last fall

[thejabber-talkey]

Lmao what happened to ur HPLC

I wish I fuckin knew what was wrong with it. Right now it keeps blowing past the safe pressure limit, and we first though it was maybe the tubing, because it was happening when it would pull from those specific slots, but we changed out all the tubing and no dice. New running theory is that something's up with the injector pump, because the other HPLC's injector pump is flat out refusing to do it's job. We don't have any spares though, and the repair guys can't come in until mid April. My research partner and I are clawing our fucking eyes out over this, because we use the HPLC for everything, so we're at a standstill for now. The only other thing we can work on atm is microtox, which is tedious as hell and I hate it.

The HPLCs have been kindof on the fritz since last spring. There was this crazy power outage on our campus and the surrounding town because of some fuck up at the power plant (I was in our science building at the time and there were people trapped in the elevator). Apparently our HPLCs were the only things in the instrument lab that weren't connected to surge protectors, idk why that is, but that's about when they started having trouble so I think they got screwed up by the surge and that it's a bigger problem than just the injector and tubing.

We thought we cleared up the original original problems from last spring, but apparently our professor never actually had anyone come in to professionally check on the HPLCs after the power surge (Stingy bastard, I know we have the grant money to do it). So yeah, they've been on and off for the better part of a year now. The past three month though have been the worst for it though. Before, we could get decent readings, we just had to be delicate. Now we cant even use them reliably.

[coolwyou]

042121 | late night updates

long time no update! this past month has been a whirlwind. let's start around when i last updated..

i am now a fully vaccinated bean! (more on the bean thing below) the second shot almost sent me to the hospital, but i made it out! however, i want to take this moment to talk about that. talking about very extreme side effects should not be avoided or shamed, and talking about them is NOT anti-vax at all. my side effects from the second dose triggered a full IBS episode, which i have still not recovered from. i cannot eat most meats, and the only foods that don't cause some level of pain are rice and... rice. this was because the second dose caused extreme GI issues for me, and even after all other side effects went away, those stayed since i have a serious history with GI problems. i am now having to see my specialist once a month in order to figure it out when we were on a once a year basis.

anyway, moving on from that, i got a full time job! and to be honest (i haven't shared this with anyone else) it is a major disruption. i work from home, but my tasks are easily viewable by my boss so any time away from them is responded to by a "what are you doing" text from them.

it is incredibly difficult to handle my last few weeks of classes, the McNair research, and trying to find an internship, but i make a LOT more money than i ever have at any point in my life. i'm going to try to force the studying, take any shortcuts i can (very thankful to be dating an english major who can help with essays), and reaching out to professors when i need help. i cannot say this enough, REACH OUT TO YOUR PROFS!!!!! the worst they can do is say no

so yeah, trying to balance things. the only resistance i have been met with is with the McNair program, as they aren't accommodating at all (understandable? maybe? though now i see no accommodations as wilfully being ignorant) but i can deal with that.

the job is only 3 months, but then i have to look again. i got my Fall schedule, mostly higher level crim and One Spanish class.... i don't have much faith in that. i am taking practicum though! i'm rushing to get diagnosis paperwork from my doctors to prove disability and get accommodations in case i can't find an internship willing to work with me. that's a whole other can of worms i've been vocal about this month, i might make a post about it as well as #financethespectrum

so, that's all of my academic and professional updates. on a personal note, my health is failing pretty rapidly, but not in a way i'm used to. i'm in pain almost every day, i sleep a lot more than i used to, and food has not been appealing for a few months now. the food thing may be due to a combination of OCD on my part and living with an unhygienic person (seriously, who leaves raw chicken on the counter though?)

with this new job, i don't get insurance, but i am covered under my parent, so i'm taking it upon myself go get things looked at: my limbs going numb every day, my constant shoulder pain after sleeping, my constant fatigue/sleeping against my will, and my extreme paranoia/OCD. will any doctors listen to me? probably not. but i have to try, and i finally have the money to do so! if any other students are going through this process, we're all strong to be dealing with this and every other responsibility, so make sure to rest when you can.

some happy personal news: i began streaming again! i'm a bean, but some behind the scenes secrets: the bean is going to grow into a normal girl (me!) and i'll use the bean model when i feel super weird/not in the mood to be a person (if that makes sense).

other than that, i'm trying my best, and i hope you all are too. let's try to update again sooner rather than later, so the post won't get this long