Only a couple days left

Well, to be honest here, I am starting to tire out... I have been walking non-stop since I got here and sleeping in places I'm not used to... and I am missing my bed! I really am loving my time here in Germany though and am SO glad that I took the time to take a break from my ever-exhausting thesis research.

I am loving the culture, the sights, and the not working!! I have made it a point to not do constant sight-seeing. I have taken time to slow down, cruise along the shops and sit and read my book either along the Neckar, Isar and tomorrow, the Rhine rivers.

Tomorrow I am going to cruise around Köln (Cologne) and relax with my book some more. Köln is the next big city that is only 20-30 minutes from Bonn. It is the 3rd largest city in Germany with lots to do. In the evening, I will go to dinner with my friends Veit, Andrea and Franz who are here in Bonn working hard (even on a Saturday).

Sunday I will spend in Frankfurt with a woman who I don't actually know (yet). As it works out, a friend of mine from the lab out in Worcester has a sister in Frankfurt and when she found out I was going to be flying in and out of that city, she wrote her sister immediately so that we could meet and she could show me around the town. I thought that was very sweet of her! Monday is a holiday out here and she is even going to bring me to the airport! How nice is that?!?!

Anyhow, there is still lots to see and people to meet, so I'll make sure to put up lots of pictures when I get back to my computer in the states.

The Labs of Germany

OK, so it seems that the very first thing that everyone wants to do is to show me the lab. It was the first thing I did in Heidelberg, München and now Bonn. The lab in Heidelberg was built in the 70's and it looks like it. The lab I visited at the Universitz of München is a brand new basement!! And it is also the size of my small bedroom in Worcester. The lab in Bonn which is brand new is absolutely amazing... brand new... nice and big... very pretty.

Now I am going off to tour Bonn and tomorrow, Köln.

ciao!

Tipping in Germany

Ok, so last night, I went out with my friends Peter, Barbara and their friends Matias & Jess. We went to this super chill Cocktail House for some drinks. At the end, we were paying our bill and mine was $5.90 so I gave $11.00 so I would get a 5 and $.10 back instead of a bunch of change. So I give her the money and she gives me the five and I#m thinking to myself "where's my 10 cents?". So I ask her for it and she kinda looks at me like "seriously?" but then she gives it to me and moves on.

This wasn't a normal bar. It was a nice place where you sit down and she waits on tables as a waitress would in a restaurant. I was going to leave $1 on the table for her... much nicer than 10 cents!! Anyhow, when she left, my friend told me that it was totally rude for me to ask for my change and that normally, they just round up and that is the tip. For example, If I owed $4.60, I would give $5 and let her keep the change.

I don't know why I haven't come across this yet, but I hadn't (probably because I haven't been eating in too many restaurants on my visit). I vaguely remember my friend Andrea telling me about this round-up rule... but in that moment, I had forgotten. Then I asked my friend Peter why he told me this in front of our friends (mostly because I was embarrased). When correcting me, he had started off with "I know this is the American way..." so in his mind, he was explaining to the friends that I wasn't trying to be rude, but instead was just doing what was normal to me but at the same time he was correcting me.

Anyhow, it's all good now. Matias, Jess and Barbara don't think I am rude... and hopefully the waitress enjoyed her buck more than the dime. I doubt this will be my last mistake...

MÜNCHEN

Hi from Munich (München) everyone! I am currently in Munich staying with my friend Peter and his girlfriend Barbara. We are really having just a lovely time. Monday I met up with my friend and saw his lab and ate lunch with his lab buddies. Then I did a bike tour of the city which was a great way to see many things fast. Tuesday I hung out with Barbara and we went and did some sun-bathing on the bank of the Isbach (?) River in the middle of the English garden followed by some shopping. Last night we had a pizza party with some of Peter's friends and his brother came also. We had a really great time just hanging out and relaxing. Today I am going to go to the Deutsche Museum and then hopefully go on the Third Reich Tour in the afternoon (weather permitting).

It has been quite hot the last couple days (high 80's) and today is significantly cooler- about 10 degrees... thank goodness!! Looking forward to more fun with friends... be patient for pictures!!

Corbin Vincenti Hartman is born!!!

The Hartman family welcomes a new baby boy. Born to my brother Craig and his wife Ana and their other son Matthew... May 23rd 2009 Corbin Vincenti Hartman.

Yay!

German Washing Machines

Germans take their washing machines very seriously... but it is rare to have a dryer in the house. I am staying with my friend Andrea in Heidelberg currently and I do recall that when she was in Worcester for several months, she complained about American washing machines and how they don't get her clothes clean. These can actually turn into heated discussions! Anyhow, yesterday she did a load of towels and we were waiting for that to finish. I kept waiting... and waiting... the cycle took at least 2 hours! Unbelieveable! 2 hours!?!? Apparently the machine fills with water, literally brings the water to a boil, and then starts the wash & rinsing cycles. I never knew I had to boil my clothes to get them good and clean. But then you've got to wait 2-3 days for your towels to dry...

Hi From Heidelberg

Hi everyone... I'm updating my blog from Germany...

First of all, I'd like to mention that I am using a German keyboard and this takes me longer to write... my first sentence would look like this if I were using an American keyboard:

Hi everzone... Iäm updating mz blog from Deütschland

(not much of a difference, but the "Y" isn't in the same place and neither is the punctuation stuff. Oh well...

Yesterday (Wednesday) I landed in Frankfurt at 10:45 am. I took the red eye flight from Chicago that left Monday at 7:30pm. I was destroyed yesterday but today am not so jetlagged. I was in bed by 9pm and woke up at 9am. Yesterday my friend Andrea and I walked around a bit... I saw her lab at the University of Heidelberg (she had to finish something up that she stopped to come get me at the train station) and I also saw the botanical gardens that are right by her lab. We also saw Marktplatz that is in downtown Heidelberg (right next to her apartment) and we went to the Old Bridge "Karl-Theodor Brücke". The original wooden bridge that was originally there was flooded and destroyed and was replaced by this beautiful "new" bridge is still pretty old though. :-)

Today we went to the Heidelberg Schloss (the old castle) which is basically a middle-age ruin. It was pretty cool... with some nice gardens and a German Apotheke museum. Then we went to a grassy area on the side of the Neckar river with a blanket and our books to relax and read a little bit. It is a really popular place for students to hang out at and it was pretty crowded... it was fun until it started raining. Then we came back to her flat and read a bit here while she washed a load of towels and then we went to the "Philosophenweg" which is a nice walk with an arduous climb to the top but a beautiful view of the city from there.

It was a really nice couple of days... I will be in Heidelberg through Sunday when I move on to München.

Pictures to follow when I return to the States. I didn't bring my computer link for the camera.

Having loads of fun...

Today I'm 27

Working Late on Friday's

I'll tell you what I really enjoy, working late on a Friday. This may sound totally strange to some, but I can tell you that right now, 5 pm Friday afternoon, the place is dead. I can collect my thoughts from my long week, I can catch my notebook up to speed, I can do some reading, I can plan for next week... all without feeling like I'm being robbed from my weekend. When Saturday comes around, the last thing I'm going to want to do is all of the things that I just listed. I'm going to want to play and hang out and relax... not work.

Today is especially good because two friends from the lab brought me an ice-cream cake to celebrate my birthday. Thanks Laura and Antonella!!

Real Conversation with my Dad

Me: So dad, did you see Star Trek yet?

Dad: No. But I'm HOPING to see it this weekend

(Mom joking in the background- "I'm not sure about that...")

Me: You've got to see it... it was ROCKIN'!

Dad: That's what I hear... I'm HOPING to see it this weekend

(Mom joking in the background- "I'm not sure about that...")

Dad: I've heard that it's so good that you don't even have to be a Trekkie to really enjoy it.

Me: Ya dad, but if you are a Trekkie, it's OK. We can still be cool.

Dad: (Laughs) ya...

Star Trek - The Movie

Loved it! Want to see it again!

I like to blame my dad for my less-than-cool fondness of Star Trek. We (my brothers and I) grew up watching that show because we had 1 TV in the house and if dad was home, he had "control" of the TV. Dad liked Star Trek. He did not chain us to the couch and make us watch the show, I could have gone outside or up to my room and done something else... but I did not. I watched it with him and my brothers. Honestly, I always thought the science and things they did in that show were totally cool. We grew up watching "Star Trek: Next Generation" with Captain Jean-Luc Picard and when the original was on, we'd watch Captain James Kirk... I did like that show although you would never know that deep inside this cool outer shell lies a "Trekkie".

Well, I will say it again... I loved this movie. It didn't hurt that they picked one hot Captain Kirk! Spock was cute too in his own boyish way... and I kinda loved how he had the girl that Kirk wanted!

I hope they do a "pre-quel" to Next Generation!

Best Sangria Recipe

I LOVE Sangria... I just finished making some for a house-warming party that I'm going to tonight. For other Sangria lovers out there, here's one to try. (warning- this is a sweet version)

1 Bottle of Red wine*
juice of 4 oranges
juice of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 or 1 lime (depending on how well it juices)
1/3 c sugar
1 oz Triple Sec or Brandy

Mix and let it marinate for a few hours or overnight in the fridge before serving

Just before serving, mix with 1 Liter of seltzer water (I tend to use seltzer water with a hint of Lime) and add sliced fresh limes/oranges/lemons to the pitcher

*I've had the best luck with blended wines like Yellow Tail Shiraz-Cabernet but I also have used Penfolds Koonuga Hill Merlot and it turned out great

I’m gettin’ there…

OK, so, I am going to be doing some microscopy soon using a dye that has a change in the excitation wavelength based on the pH of the compartment of the cell that the dye is in. It’s insanely complicated. Although I understand the basic principals behind the method, the art of setting up the microscope properly is going to be a challenge. Yesterday I spent some time with a professor here talking about the theory and some time talking about how to set up the microscope. My problem is that I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I want to get it right the first time. I am going to spend a considerable amount of time today trying to cement the chemistry of it all into my small brain. Then, hopefully next week, I’ll give it a go. I’ve been assured that it is “easy” and that “I can do it” but I decided to wait to do this until I have had more time to think it through… despite being encouraged to just “go for it” yesterday. Usually I’m all in for “going for it” but I really want to make sure that I get it first. We’ll see.

Quotable

Real conversation that happened between me and a friend after a not-so-great day in the lab:

Friend: Where did Positive go? Bring Positive back.

Me: Positive is having a bad day.

We laugh.

Friend: (while laughing) Positive can't have a bad day... it's Positive.

Thoughts for Post-Doc Positions

For those of you who don't know much about the world of science, when I'm done with my PhD at UMass, I will then have to go and work as a Post-Doc. (This is the equivalent to a residency for medical doctors). It is still considered a "training" position and I will be poorly compensated for the hours that I will work... similar to being a grad student. I am really OK with this, it's part of the process, and it's a fun place to be.

Last night, I spent about 4 hours looking into institutions all over the world that do the stuff that I am interested in (more on that some other time). I really want to do an international post doc, so I am looking abroad first. I found several places that do research in areas that I am interested (see map below for my considerations).

One major problem that I have in looking for positions in countries like Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland is that I do not speak the language. In some cases I couldn't even navigate the website! I was able to navigate around the website for ETH Zurich http://www.micro.biol.ethz.ch/ the Pasteur Institute http://www.pasteur.fr/ip/easysite/go/03b-00002j-000/en and The institute of Microbiology and Genetics at Geneva http://www.univie.ac.at/gem/.

But tell me, do you think I should go here: http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/forschung/index.html ?? Supposedly there is some really great research going on there, but the research pages are not translated into English. Boo. I think I'll pass... This may keep me in English speaking countries. I'm not sure I have it in me to go somewhere that can't even translate their webpage.

Compliments

So, I don't really know how to introduce this one because it's a long story. It's about a colleague and friend. We met at a meeting that brought people from all over the world together for a common cause- TB. I was very glad to meet him because #1- he taught me how to ski and #2- he reminded me that although I’m not dating anyone now, there are more guys out there that I connect with… all of the ‘good ones’ are not taken. (#2 was something that I really needed to be reminded of).

Anyhow, he made a comment about going home to watch soccer, excuse me, football alone with a beer after a rough day at work. To be honest, this guy is in his mid-thirties and he is smart, funny, athletic and handsome, so it didn't make sense to me why someone with all of those qualities would be single- especially because he lives in a lively city and not in Worcester! He lives on another continent and is just a friend, so I told him what I thought of him and asked him how it is possible that he is still single, me thinking maybe he just is shy and needs someone to tell him he's great to get going.

He gave a long answer, which all made sense to me, but he followed up with “Oh, and for what it's worth, you are ridiculously beautiful, very funny, very
 smart, a dream to kiss and, at times, endearingly sassy ;)”. I was not expecting to hear anything like that, and it made me blush, but I was thinking how sometimes a compliment like that can just make someone’s day. It’s something that people who are not in relationships hear very often and it really made me feel good about myself… especially because it did not come from someone who is supposed to say stuff like that (like a family member or long-time girlfriend).

Meanwhile, I’ve still got my eye on the prize (graduating), and am anticipating meeting someone to share my life with… whenever & wherever that will be.

Another Gamble

So, I received an e-mail from a friend and he had mentioned that he had a paper coming down the pipeline soon... I have yet to put out a first author paper for my research so I told him "Good for you... and I am insanely jealous that you're putting out another paper". Well... he wrote back confessing that he wasn't quite writing the paper yet but that perhaps soon he would be and "of course you're jealous, not everyone can be as brilliant as me" (in jest of course). Well, I thought, I'm going to make him work for that self-proclaimed brilliance assessment... so I started a little game.

I don't know how close he is to publishing his data... but I could be equally close... I've got about 4 figures and I may only need 5-7 depending on the journal. So I started a game. The game goes like this. Whoever publishes first wins. However, since he doesn't work on M.tuberculosis (and therefore doesn't have to wait three weeks for his data to grow) and he's a senior post-doc in his lab with much more experience than me, I get a little grace period. If I publish my paper within 4 months of his in a better journal, then I win and he will have to renounce his title as the winner.

We shall see...