Night at the lab - For all the working night birds out there (Oct/16/2008 )
Did you ever spend nigh at the lab?
Everything is quiet, nobody there to rush or interfere, only you and problem to solve, work to do..
But when you wait for reaction to finish, machine to halt, whatever to whatever, you may feel a bit lonely. So you can tell here what are you working at right now. What you hear, what you see and feel at night. What wories you when everything is dark. And most importantly why are you here? Feel free to explain.
It's 4.11 AM here.. and I'm isolating tonight's second row of erythroid colonies from Trizol. It's very slow (takes about two hours each run) and I still can't make it work 100 %. Colonies are very small bunch of cells, gathered from semi-solid media right into the Trizol. And I want to get a DNA from them for a real-time PCR genotyping. Only some of them comes even positive on PCR.
The PCR step works fine by now, but I'm woried about the template, I can have a 8 out of 10 positives on PCR, but also 4/10 or even 2/10. And of course it worked better before and I don't know why. What small differences in handling, what solutions are old or another batch.. so I took this night to move it a bit, with the lab empty so I can use anything when I want to.
I will be here all night, nonstop and continue tommorow, er today actually (it's friday right?). It's not that I'm a workoholic of some kind, I just like it here, empty. And I feel obliged to, because I just missed all of wednesday (got new pills, slept all day till the evening).
And yes, I should be writing a review too (which I'm not).
The empty building makes a creepy noise, sometimes I feel like I'm beeing watched, but nobody's there. Cats outside are making loud..well.. cat-sounds. Just me, lefover pizza and a tea.
hello there
it's 1:20 am here and I'm in the lab....but I'm not alone, there are many mosquitoes in here......ever heard of Dengi?
today I'm in the lab for 15 hours,
I usually work better in the evening when people go home....but I can't stand being alone after 11pm usually....to be honest I forget that I need to go home some times 
Everything is quiet, nobody there to rush or interfere, only you and problem to solve, work to do..
But when you wait for reaction to finish, machine to halt, whatever to whatever, you may feel a bit lonely. So you can tell here what are you working at right now. What you hear, what you see and feel at night. What wories you when everything is dark. And most importantly why are you here? Feel free to explain.
It's 4.11 AM here.. and I'm isolating tonight's second row of erythroid colonies from Trizol. It's very slow (takes about two hours each run) and I still can't make it work 100 %. Colonies are very small bunch of cells, gathered from semi-solid media right into the Trizol. And I want to get a DNA from them for a real-time PCR genotyping. Only some of them comes even positive on PCR.
The PCR step works fine by now, but I'm woried about the template, I can have a 8 out of 10 positives on PCR, but also 4/10 or even 2/10. And of course it worked better before and I don't know why. What small differences in handling, what solutions are old or another batch.. so I took this night to move it a bit, with the lab empty so I can use anything when I want to.
I will be here all night, nonstop and continue tommorow, er today actually (it's friday right?). It's not that I'm a workoholic of some kind, I just like it here, empty. And I feel obliged to, because I just missed all of wednesday (got new pills, slept all day till the evening).
And yes, I should be writing a review too (which I'm not).
The empty building makes a creepy noise, sometimes I feel like I'm beeing watched, but nobody's there. Cats outside are making loud..well.. cat-sounds. Just me, lefover pizza and a tea.
Nighthawks in the deserted lab...
...during my PhD-work I did it, but only until late evening. After some time it is a depressing situation, at least for me and therefore I gave it up. Working at home this long while writing the thesis is much better, you have enough things for relief (a full fridge, tv, telephone, books) and a better, placid atmosphere. And if you are too sleepy, the bed is nearby.
Night shifts are unhealthy for constitution and mind.
Hi Trof,
Have you watched Night At The Museum? That's the kind of adventure I would like to have in a lab setting..plates and petri dishes spinning, gels coming alive, pipettes doing the tango, machines chasing you off..I'd take front row for this and then one wouldn't get lonely nor be spooked 
.
But I agree with dr H..if it's really essential or unavoidable, then it's ok but if it's part of your regular schedule..hmm...I also think it's unhealthy..we're not machines which can work straight 18 hours without losing efficiency and then anything can happen esp accidents and if you're alone....but if there's a cute guy/gal in the neighboring lab who's also doing the night shift as you...then why not 
?
Seriously, there are better things to do at night like-raid the fridge, listen to casandra's radio at last.fm, chat with friends, read books 
....then you'd feel well-rested and energised for your next bout of gruelling work in the lab the next day.
casandra
Btw..Curtis dude...must I remind you to go home.... stop impressing the mosquitoes......
Have you watched Night At The Museum? That's the kind of adventure I would like to have in a lab setting..plates and petri dishes spinning, gels coming alive, pipettes doing the tango, machines chasing you off..I'd take front row for this and then one wouldn't get lonely nor be spooked
. But I agree with dr H..if it's really essential or unavoidable, then it's ok but if it's part of your regular schedule..hmm...I also think it's unhealthy..we're not machines which can work straight 18 hours without losing efficiency and then anything can happen esp accidents and if you're alone....but if there's a cute guy/gal in the neighboring lab who's also doing the night shift as you...then why not
?Seriously, there are better things to do at night like-raid the fridge, listen to casandra's radio at last.fm, chat with friends, read books
....then you'd feel well-rested and energised for your next bout of gruelling work in the lab the next day.casandra
Btw..Curtis dude...must I remind you to go home.... stop impressing the mosquitoes......
I'm already back....it's 5:23am....goodnight/morning!
Carry with you a very soft pillow and a loud alarm clock. The pillow is for you to rest when you have to wait for time to pass, while the alarm will wake you up when it's almost time to get back to work. Some lab do have sleeping quarters, especially labs that never sleep. I'd rather sleep than to let my mind wonders. Hope your effort works out for you and wish you all the best.
Over here, whenever we work very late at night, we'll experience two different world in transition. The day's melody changing to something creepy. E.g. the cry from an own, constantly asking for "who", a cat that sounds like baby crying, the cicadas or crickets that never stop pulling the broken violin, the breathing and huffing of wild hogs (I saw some very hairy), other sounds from lizards, dripping tap, whirring machines like the fridge that sometimes stops abruptly with jolts and clanks, floors and furniture that creaks, etc...
Agree with others, if can help it, don't work late, it will cause an urge to hasten work, concentration will wane and mistakes might accumulate. If you really have to do it, just rest well when you have the time, and the pillow is for you to rest your head (don't mind the saliva stain) or as a bolster if you have a sofa.
Urgh, that is why I hate working weekends or long evenings and avoid it whenever I can. I feel lonely and the lab is creepy, and sometimes I'm really scared, like that time when I was left alone and the -20 freezer malfunctioned.
Well of course it's fine someone was there to replace the reagents, but I freaked out.
i find the kind of behaviour trof and curtis have kinda strange. there have been other discussions in bioforum about work hours. is it really that difficult to organize the day so that you don't have to sleep there? also some people eat in the lab, not even that sacred event will let them out of there
I do organize the day, but sometimes for some experiments I would prefer to do the work continuously...sometimes i need to collect samples every 6 hours....I live far from campus so it would be better to take a nap in the lab rather than going home and come back....but as I said I don't like staying in the lab alone after 10-11 pm AT ALL.
but at the same time I like the lab environment....I like being in the lab....I like watching other people doing experiments...in fact I had my lunch in the lab today....we have a pantry there....so all of us eat our lunch there....but I presume not all labs have that.
The place I am in. .
it is a culture to be there in the lab till late / early morning. I don't find it strange.
About me. . I am in and out all the time. I do my experiments whenever I want - may it be early in the morning or late at night. Good thing about doing late in the night is that I can do everything as I want = I do not have to wait till someone finishes their 5 mins centrifuge (I hate waiting for that 5 mins) or when someone is done with FCM. I do not have to plan to stop for lunch. So, I prefer doing experiments in the weekends or Thu/Fri when nobody else is there in the lab. Else, start in the evening late and finish it late at night/early in the morning. In the day, I can go around the city or do anything I wish. Life is better outside in the day 
My friends here work in the day (part time for money) and do lab work in the night.
Plus, I would be bored in the evening in the room sitting doing nothing or watching TV. Better, I come here (3 mins away from my room) and do what I wish to.
(Friday, Saturday, Sunday evenings are sacred and should not be spent in lab)