Celebrate with abandon..

..not just yet.

Last week, I had an experiment that I had been working on for 8 months or so culminate in pretty much a picture perfect result. Predicted results, even. Might I add that this almost never happens?

A little bit of background. I have now been working in my lab for a little over two years, and most of what I have been trying to do has been towards generating reagents, as there are none available for my project in my field (One of the few instances when I envy fly and yeast labs). The feeling of gratification that is experienced when we design and execute a hypothesis-driven experiment is an unparalleled high (for us labrats only, of course), and one that keeps us going despite the subsequent failures we are sure to encounter while we keep chasing after that high.

My consistent experimental failure has ensured that I am extremely skeptical of any non-negative result, and I went back to look at some controls for my experiment. My heart sank as I discovered that my experiment was a success only because of non specific reactivity.

My first impulse was to think about dumping this project entirely and come up with alternate projects. The results on this project have been few and far between, and this is pretty much the last straw. I am dejected and my heart is utterly broken (I wonder if I will ever be this heartbroken about a guy). I am finding it hard to stay motivated. Any pointers?

For now I am trying to distract myself by working on other stuff that may or may not move my project ahead. I just need to work on something to not go mad.

/ me is sad.

The long awaited update is finally here!

I will soon complete my third year in New York city. NYC OMG! Is it ridiculous that I still think is it awesome that I made it here and am living in Manhattan? I love Bombay to bits, but within a year of moving to NYC I had embraced it as my hometown.

New yorkers intimidate, inspire and enrapture me, and I could never see myself as one of them- but I find myself getting increasingly comfortable in this sea of pretty people. I had never thought I would fit in, let alone be comfortable here.

Sometimes while walking around the city I suddenly notice something on the street that reminds me, almost like a slap across my face, that I'm not in Bombay anymore. A designer shoe, a dog in a bag, a bright red sports car. Couples kissing on the street. Women in calf-length skirts and headscarves, walking next to women in hoodies and short shorts. Biracial couples. People breaking out into spontaneous song on the street. The fruit vendor who always gives me one free banana. :)

The last four months have deprived me of these sights and sounds (and some smells). Now that spring is here, I can't wait to step out of the house and reclaim my city!