Monthly Archives: February 2008

math is hard, let’s go shopping

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The laboratory where I do my nefarious experiments is less than 5km from my home as the crow flies.

Unfortunately, I cannot fly (yet). In order to get to work, I have to take:

  • a bus (technically optional)
  • a boat (until I invent aqua shoes or become Jesus)
  • a train

THREE! Three methods of transportation to go 5km! That is insane and also expensive. Transit helpfully decreed the line between zones to be in the middle of the Burrard Inlet, so it costs $7.50 a DAY to get to work and back via public transportation. I desperately can’t wait for spring, because riding Oscar to work everyday is not only fun it is also very economical. I pay about $3 a week in gas and if I opt to take part in the Amazing Free Motorcycle Parking Deal (aka Operation We Hope the Parking Authority Doesn’t Catch On), parking will be free. I could opt to pay for parking as noted below, which would bring my daily commute cost up to $4.30 – still noticeably cheaper than what I pay in bus fare, even if you take the fare saving options into account ($5.70/day in tickets, $4.95/day with a bus pass).

Math is useful when used to justify the cost of paying for daily fun.

Hey, I have a massive amount of chemicals to mix and ingest.  *glee*!

first impressions

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I’ve got about an hour left in my very first day as a Mad Scientist, and I am quite pleased.

There’s an unbelievable amount of information I have to learn, but that’s what makes me happy. I’m also frankly delighted to see how much science there is for me to do – my position is a new one for the lab, and everyone is happy to have me here. That’s a nice feeling, and I’m sort of savouring it.

Now for the important stuff:

  • The nearest Starbucks is across the street
  • I don’t have a window, but if I push my chair back a foot or so and lean a little I have a view of the Burrard Inlet and specifically, the floating Chevron and the sulphur piles
  • I left the house at 7:55 and it took me 50 minutes to get here, with a stop at the ATM and for a smoothie because I had time to kill
  • $86/m will get me a motorcycle parking pass in our building – tempting, since a bus pass is $99/m
  • The dress code (lab coats aside) seems pretty mixed with a good dose of business attire and a lot of denim
  • I didn’t get my L – apparently real companies like to set up new hire access well before the start date. Amazing!
  • I need to start trucking in some trinkets and photos – it’s been a long time since I’ve last been in a cubicle, and I’ve forgotten how much I dislike this particular shade of green
  • Everyone is friendly
  • No one laughed at my leg warmers (which did exactly as advertised)

Yay for good first days!

crushing disappointment

Posted in everyday kimli by

I checked the mail this morning, and for a brief shining second I was awash with confusion and delight – someone was having a christening, and I was invited to it! Hooray!

Okay, so I don’t know of anyone due to be christened or of anyone who would invite me, of all people, to this sacred and blesséd event – but still! A fancy invitation in a heavy envelope with embossed calligraphy and pretty names on it!

My glee was quickly squashed though, as I realized that none of the pretty names were mine. I knew it was a little too weird to be true, but I still had hope. This faint hope was also extinguished, though – not only was the christening invitation not for me, it wasn’t for anyone in this building past or present. The mailman goofed: right apartment, wrong building. I don’t know the Gonzalez family, but I hope they have a very nice time at the exclusive christening of J. Alexander Vasquez Jr. *sniff*

By noon today I had done most of the things I didn’t do all week – I dropped off the laundry, got my haircut, replaced my mug with an even fruitier one, found a store that actually had 2L bottles of Diet Coke in stock, and took a test. I am a productivity ninja! A productivity ninja who is not invited to christenings!

Tonight: a fancy dinner for the celebrations. That will have to tide me over until I can work on getting my OWN invitation to little J. Alexander’s big day.