Frozen fingers but not frozen sections
I’m doing an experiment today that involves sectioning tissue into thin slices at a cold temperature, -11 C to be precise, which the thermometer on my desk (don’t ask) tells me is around 6 degrees F.
That is kind of beside the point, the Point is that after sectioning the tissue, I have to place the section on a glass slide and then melt it into place with the ‘heat’ of my finger on the back of the slide.
As you might imagine, finger heat becomes less and less available after doing this work for several hours, which is actually why I’m here typing this entry. Working at my desk for a few minutes gives me a chance to
A) drink water – cause you know it is a big No No to have beverages in the lab
and most importantly
B) run the space heater on the floor to warm up the rest of my body, most importantly, my hands.
Finally, and here is the real Point for this entry, the section has to REFREEZE onto the slide before it can be tucked away in its little slide box along with all of its nearby neighbor sections.
About 45 minutes ago, I finished sectioning one set of tissue, and this stupid slide had been sitting there for, oh, at least 15 minutes and still reFUSED to reFREEZE.
Here is what happened:
“FREEZE! Dang you!”
“Fine, I’ll just prep the next tissue and by then, you’ll be frozen, right?”
*preps next tissue*
*looks to see if section has refrozen*
“No? Oh, you are being recalcitrant, eh? FINE! I’ll just go drink some water in the office and give you time to change your mind.”
*drinks water*
*goes to bathroom*
*checks Squirl’s blog and makes a comment*
*comes back to the tissue, happily thinking about various conversations and comments for Talk Like a Pirate Day*
“NOT FROZEN?! DAMN IT! WOULD YOU JUST FRICKIN’ FREEZE ALREADY?!!?”
*Waits 10 seconds or so*
*tissue freezes*
!
“hrmph. I guess we know who is BOSS around here, don’t we?”
*happily goes back to envisioning comments for Talk Like a Pirate Day*
So, now I’m thinking “Is it BAD that I talk to my sections?”
Um, that’s a rhetorical question.
Note: As you might imagine, sectioning is a bit brainless.
Amber says:
I don’t think it is bad to talk to you sections. And maybe you should talk like a pirate to them, as well, for added taste. You know:
“Arggh Mateys, why don’t ya freeze?!”
or
“Arggh, you yellow bellied cowards, if ya don’t freeze, yer goin ta walk the plank.”
or
“Enough with the mutiny!”
And when they finally freeze:
“Aye. Now who da Captain?”
Had to throw some Diddy into the mix.
Amber says:
Oh yes, and may I suggest tea for warming up?
Stay warm, I know I’d be freeeeeeeezing!
(No wonder you’ve got brain leakage!)
Danielle says:
Amber, I looooooooooooove your pirate comments.
They cheered me up.
I had lunch outside, that got me (temporarily) warm and I did have hot tea too. More for the caffeine than the warmth, though, I must admit.
I’m done sectioning now, and now the step I do requires me to work with dry ice (which is far colder) and standing inside a 4 C cold room for minutes at a time.
Doesn’t it make research sound, well, coooooooool?
(couldn’t resist)
LadyBug says:
I think it’s okay to talk to your sections, as long as you don’t try to put the moves on ‘em or anything.
“Hey, little frozen slice of tissue, How YOU doin’?”
Squirl says:
Thank goodness it’s still summer when you’re having to work with those cold sections. And yes, it’s fine to talk to your sections, pirate or otherwise. And you used one of my favorite words, recalcitrant. I hardly ever see or hear anyone using that.
You know I felt it was my duty to post about talk like a pirate day. Wouldn’t want everyone to get caught offguard next Monday!
Ladybug, I don’t think Danielle would get too far propositioning those sections. Word on the street is that they’re frigid.
kristine says:
hee hee….You’re such a geek. I LOVE IT!
*TACKLEHUG*
Danielle says:
Oh! Tacklehugs are the BEST! I love that you love my geekoid post, Kristine.
Squirl – You know, I didn’t see your comment until this morning, and last night, as I was laying down in bed I thought to myself “Odd that I used the word recalcitrant. I haven’t used that much lately.”
And I loved your frigid comment.
Ladybug, as I read your comment, I thought you were going to say “I think it’s okay to talk to your sections, as long as you don’t think that they are talking back to you.” But um, yeah, I think that you’d know I’d gone over the edge if I was talking dirty to them.