2008: Week 31

This has been quite a productive week. I spent a day going over my response to paper reviewers, and I'm hoping to have everything ready to go in a week or so. Things at work are winding up, and I'm making good progress on my list of things to get done before I leave.

At home we are trying to sort through everything and only take what is really needed. It seems that no matter how much I try not to accumulate unnecessary stuff, I still end up buying lots of things I don't need (or maybe even want - so many things fail the "do I love this enough to warrant shipping it across the country?" test). It's also apparent how much unnecessary packaging we accept as normal. Honestly, do we really need one of those big plastic cases for every DVD?

The worst of the sorting is the books. I love my book collection, and it's hard to be objective about which to keep and which to pass on for someone else's reading pleasure. The cost of shipping brings some perspective - maybe I'll actually get a library card in the next place!

Best of the week
- Finally working out how to create icons with transparent backgrounds. In fact I was so excited I was jumping up and down looking at my handiwork. Yes folks, I am a nerd.
- Success re-probing a very old western blot (from May 2002!). I know this makes no sense to most of you, but it's probably the difference between the paper being accepted and rejected.
- Slow but steady progress sorting and packing.
- Moving as an excuse to creatively use up everything in the pantry.

Worst of the week
- Reading the unfolding story of the poor young man killed on a Greyhound bus in Manitoba.