the last 125 hours

To start off my re-entry into blogging after the past 10 days or so, I would like to recap (briefly) the last 125 hours.  I have been at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) part of Brookhaven National Laboratories (BNL) since Wednesday to perform x-ray scattering experiments as part of thesis research.  Here is the breakdown of a trip gone badly:

23 Aug- After awaking at 3:30 am to catch a shuttle to the airport, this day only goes downhill.  My connecting flight from Atlanta to Long Island is cancelled twice and I spend the night (a few hours of it anyway) in a Days Inn located directly in the landing flight path.

24 Aug- I awake bright and early to catch a flight to NY La Guardia airport (not my destination) from where I will rent a car and drive to the lab at the opposite end of Long Island.  Upon arriving at La Guardia, we discover our bags did not make the trip.  I round out the day taking safety tests and buying toiletries and underwear at the local Target.

25 Aug- My labmate and I spend 9 hours building our apparatus and setting up our experiment during which time, the safety administrators at the lab tell us that a critical part of our device can not be used due to electrical safety hazards.

26 Aug- Having found a suitable replacement for our unapproved equipment, we begin experiments in earnest at 10pm.  We begin 12-hour shift work.

27 Aug- We learn that there is unscheduled time following the scheduled end of our experiment.  This means we can recover some of the lost time during our troubled setup time.  This is the first good news we have had.

28 Aug- I just realized that it is Sunday and I have only written 1 page of the last of 3 research proposals due on Sept. 1 as part of my thesis program requirements.  I’d better get crackin’. 

I have also thrown together a quick photo album of my local surroundings here at the beamline.  If you are interested in seeing where I go click here.