A new year has arrived! After the ordeal of Christmas lunches and pretending that you liked that photo frame made from seashells, it is time to return to the lab and get ready for another series of ordeals in the coming months. Here are a few things that are on my mind at the beginning of a new year in the lab:
- What if the Santa Claus sticker I put on the centrifuge does not come off any more?
- How do I find an address for the devil, in case I need to sell my soul in exchange for eternal success with ELISAs?
- If I choose a very high-level article for the journal club, it may create the enduring impression that I’m at the top of my game; the tough part will be having to confirm that for the remaining 364 days of the year…
- Perhaps it is time to acknowledge that sales reps are not just a source of gadgets. Maybe I should try to pay attention to what they are trying to say, at least once I feel sure that I will get that fluorescent pen.
- What will I do when the dreaded moment comes: at the end of a day when none of my experiments have worked, and I am thinking that the only remaining option is to audition for X Factor, when a smiling lab mate announces that on his first attempt he has mastered the technique that has given me headaches for months, just as the head of department is passing by…Well, trying to ignore the immediate tempting consideration that stabbing the above-mentioned colleague with a pipette could lead to a relaxing life of ready meals and walks (albeit behind bars), I will have to get through this moment of martyrdom with maturity by offering a polite grin and running to the broom closet, where nobody can deny me the right to a good cry.
What’s on your mind for the coming year in the lab? Brace yourself and join me in jumping into the new year with courage! Best wishes!
