I had a bio lab that was all about microscopy.  That probably sounds boring.  If it weren’t for the fact that I’m in the research-stream version of my cell and developmental biology class, it probably would have been.  As it happens, though, I am.  The awesome thing about being in the research stream is that you have really small classes, and Really Sweet Toys.  While the other classes have to use the crappy old microscopes, we get to use Totally Freaking Awesome microscopes.  Where they get an old jury-rigged TV setup for fluorescence microscopy, we get Real Lab Equipment.  Bliss, I tell you.  Sheer bliss.  So anyway, my lab partner and I spent a good portion of our morning geeking out over the gear.

Okay, so we were only looking at tomato leaves (and the fine hairs on the stems), but it was still pretty nice to work with microscopes that you can actually adjust properly.  Refreshing.  Also, it is rumoured that in a later lab this term, we get to remove the ovaries from a female Drosophila melanogaster, commonly known as a fruit fly.  I have no idea how that’s going to work, but I’m hoping for a Honey-I-Shrunk-The-Kids sort of scenario.

In pottery news, I have a couple of pieces from last week to show off:

Jonathan immediately pointed out that the shape of the handle is reminiscent of the Pompeii mummies, so this shall henceforth be known as the Pompeii mug.  I can’t unsee it.

The interesting thing about this simple yellow cup is that I used no yellow glazes on it.  The yellow colour is actually from an interaction between two brown glazes.  It’s also (in my opinion) a nicer colour than any of the actual yellow glazes.

I learned a new skill tonight, too - I trimmed my first foot:

I’m so pleased with it that I think from now on I’ll be trimming all of my wheel-thrown pieces.  It makes such a big difference to the look of the piece.

Finally, I tried my hand at a larger bowl than any I’d attempted before.  The elbow got a bit thin, though, and it started to collapse.  I managed to collar it just enough to rescue the piece, but it’s a bit lopsided.  Still, I liked it well enough to set it aside to be trimmed next week.

…but I just can’t resist the cookies.

Canadian Blood Services is doing a big drive right now because of flu season stuff - I guess they need extra at this time of year.  Anyway, it was time for my regular bimonthly donation, so in I went.  Apparently Thursday night is pizza night.  Who knew?  I guess they get a lot of students on Thursdays because of this.  I’ve always gone in the afternoon before, and I highly recommend avoiding the 5-7pm range.

One of these days I’ll successfully get a shot of them inserting the needle.  I know a lot of people avoid watching needles go in to their skin because it freaks them out or something, but I’m honestly fascinated that this great huge PIPE can go into my vein, and that my body can then close up the hole within minutes of the needle’s removal.

The big excitement of the evening: I was a gusher.  It took 4 minutes and 30 seconds for me to fill the bag.  Apparently 5 minutes is considered quick.  I suggested that they should keep track and give out prizes for the fastest donations every month, but I don’t think they were going for it.  They did tell me that most men are VERY pleased with themselves when told that they were quick.  I guess it’s one of the few times in a man’s life when speed in bodily functions is considered a positive trait

Joker’s Hill is a chunk of land north of the city on the Oak Ridges moraine.  A moraine, of course, is the thing that happens to the land when it’s right at the tail end of a glacier for a few centuries or so.  The ice flowing forward from underneath grinds down all the rocks and shovels stuff forward into a big heap, and the stuff on top pushes forward and recedes each year with the seasons, so basically you end up with great heaps of sandy, rocky soil.  Now this moraine is kind of important, because it does all the water filtration for our lovely city.  This is not my image, but it does a damned fine job of explaining things:

Complete with explanation.  Sweet.

Right, so the moraine is kind of a big deal.  It’s also under a lot of pressure from the suburbanites.  Think of it - a lovely bit of woodland, an hour from the city, and right by some of the best farmland in Canada, so you know the farmer’s markets are fantastic.  Who wouldn’t want to live there?  Thankfully, a sizable plot of land was given to the University of Toronto a number of years ago, so it’s well protected.  They use it for research and education, primarily.

Did I mention I’m taking a forestry class this year?

We had a little day trip out to Joker’s Hill to learn all about estimating basal area, measuring biodiversity, and other really essential life skills.  Okay, it wasn’t exactly survival stuff, but it was interesting.  I brought my camera in the hopes of seeing some interesting critters of the many-legged variety, but the day was chilly and wet, so everything but we stupid humans were tucked away snug in little leafy beds.  Hence I present to you some pretty fungi.

And as an added bonus, some bored students:

Last night I became a cyborg.

Electrodes in my hair.  Awesome.  Electrode gunk not washing out in the morning shower, less awesome.  Itchy rashy bits from tape, totally not awesome.

Still, I did have this totally sweet control panel:

I don’t know what any of this stuff does (well, aside from the gloves XD), but it was right outside my room.

My phone home finger gave me awesome powers

…which I used to gain access to a massive supply of totally inadequate blankets.  Being a cyborg is chilly work.