091205

cast+load+run+Coomassie stained an SDS-PAGE gel using only e cat's voice. involves one of e slowest methods known as 'teaching honours year student', which takes up to twice e usual amount of time it takes a cat to cast+load+run+stain a protein gel.

somewhere towards e end, e cat thought it was fainting when it suddenly keeled sideways. scary in those few moments as you fall, when you realise that your legs seem to have disappeared, you can't seem to keep yourself standing upright, & that you seem to be 'consciously blacking out'. even scarier when you realise that you were still giving instructions & explaining details to e student without missing a beat, & that he didn't realise that anything was happening to you =P & then you stretch out your hand to catch the edge of the bench, & then your feet come back to you.

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sad news that someone's wife was killed when a truck 'fell off' e slope leading up to e village where e cat stayed for a few weeks exactly one year ago, & is going back to (for a visit) in a week's time....she was younger than e cat, who is e same age as her husband, & leaves behind a toddler.

on e way home, thought of how she grabbed hold of e cat & squealed with excitement when we were watching a cartoon film during e movie night organised by e NGO in e village. & how we ribbed e husband for having to do all e laundry. & how on returning from our first night trip to Chieng Rai city, e driver of e songthaew (pickup truck) that e cat & Fuchsia Halcyon were in refused to drive up that slope into e village with passengers on board. all of us had to alight & climb up by torch light while he drove e empty vehicle up to make a U-turn (e other 2 songthaews all went up e slope with all passengers on board). & later at home, saw Fuchsia Halcyon's email that also mentioned her (e deceased) excitement while watching movie, & how she'd cried at e ending.

there were quite a no. of other villagers on that songthaew, hope that e rest are OK....in a village with just 30+ households, think just about everyone is bound to be affected by what has happened. & their New Year is coming soon =|

[ filed under: labrat + chiangrai_2004 ]