I survived.

And it wasn't that bad. I worked in the lab most all of yesterday afternoon. It was quiet, no one was around, which was nice I got to work at my own pace and no one bugging me for stuff. Of course, the flip side is that I couldn't bug anyone else for stuff. I needed to have an adaptor built and there weren't any technicians around to beg to do it for me. So I had to do it. Yes, I can build stuff when need be. But it would have taken a tech 30 minutes and it took me more like an hour and a half once I found the hardware and figured out what exactly I needed for the task.

Now the stuff is sitting there, ready to be pumped down and leak tested. *My* system will be leak tight, I know. My background in ultra-high vacuum says it will be. ;-) The system I hooked to I can almost guarantee will not be leak tight because the guys on this project don't understand "outgassing" (epoxy does not hold vacuum), or the concept of wearing gloves to handle vacuum components because of the oils on your fingers. But we will make it work. Now we are waiting for the use of an UHV pump.

Amazing. I actually feel good about what I accomplished yesterday.

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Leif had another good night. He woke up twice, I think. But by the time it registered he was fussing and I got up and got to his room, he was back out. So in essence, he wasn't really up I guess since I wasn't required to go calm him. My guess is that he lost his pacifier and found it again those times. Next step once the good sleeping is established will be to kick the pacifier to the curb.

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This morning Leif and I went to daycare and his teacher asked how his night was. She was concerned because he slept for almost 3 hours during naptime. I reassured her that I have no problem with him sleeping that long. He is so tired lately after his busy days at school. Yesterday Leif particularly enjoyed putting yarn on contact paper... this I would have *loved* to see!

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I am procrastinating work because the MKS website is down. I need some info about an instrument from there and am hoping it pops up again soon. Sure, I could find something better to do... or I could hang out here a few minutes longer.

Oh, so since some scientific minds frequent here on occasion, I will put out the word that I am looking to hire a post-doc. With my project funded (albeit as a task now under another project), I will need help. Ideally, I need someone with a background in physical chemistry, chemical physics or analytical chemistry, but I am open to consider other backgrounds (chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, nuclear physics...). Experience in ion optics, mass spectrometry and high vacuum systems would be ideal. And the kicker, the applicant must be a US citizen.

In addition to a post-doc, I have submitted an ad looking for a fellowship student (can be ongoing bachelors, Masters or Ph.D. candidate). The deal with the fellowship is that they get a stipend, tuition is paid for working summers on the project and in exchange they owe time back to the company. Instant job after graduation, pretty nice. High GPA and good academic standing is a must throughout the fellowship appointment.

Ok, must go work.