Things I haven't learned

I said yesterday that I'd write about things I haven't learned. So here it is.

1. How do look for low levels of chloride in ICP. One of the hardest things I had to do was tell the boss that this just wasn't happening/wasn't possible. I couldn't see peaks from concentrations much higher than what we thought we had. I know, from past experience in school that this isn't a good plan. Cl- has almost no signal, and that's not unique to me. Nobody at Varian, when I talked to them, or online, was really recommending ICP as a way to do this. They were right.
2. How to hang out at lunch when other people aren't really outgoing/social. My awkwardness is a topic for another post, and not that bad in most situations. But I prefer to draw people out and listen, rather than talk. This means I need people who like to talk to talk to. The few days someone from another plant came to learn, there was lots of conversation and I talked lots. The rest? Not so much. I know I need to get better at making conversation with others who are quiet like me, but this whole double whammy of not talking is hard. Still in progress
3. How to make ppb standards. Still not precise enough, except in the case of Cd. Maybe it's just that the metals aren't intense enough. I'll go with that.
4

Another day, another post

Hey, I have managed to get another post in a reasonable timeframe. Very proud. I'm winding down my temp project, as previously stated, and trying to find some way to mark that. I don't know how much I can say here, but I've learned a lot about chemistry and the business world. So I think I'm going to do a set of two posts, one about things I've learned, one about things I haven't. Here's things I've learned
1-I really do like Varian ICPs better than Perkin Elmer-sorry PE. That's how it goes.
2-Microwave digestion isn't as scary as I'd previously thought
3-reading the manual helps(already knew that, but will put it down here anyway
4-I need time to adjust my schedule earlier, but I really do get stuff done in the morning.
5-sitting and looking at a computer all day isn't good for your eyes.
6-labcoats are really useful(once again, I knew, but I'm trying to dress a bit better for this job than as a grad student.

later this week-what I haven't learned

Wow it's been a long time

So, I've been away for a long time. I swore I wasn't going to be one of those bloggers who just posts 3 to 4 posts then vanishes. Life has gotten busy-getting heavily into skating, and I got a job!! at least, I got a job, in Feb., that was supposed to last a month. The more clever of you readers might be here asking, wait, a month? shouldn't that be done? and yes, a month has come and gone. Two months have come and gone. I will be done in two weeks. I have really enjoyed having a job-it gives me a sense of purpose, it gives me a sense of having structure, which I really need. It's nice to get to use my brain and ICP training. The best thing has been mostly figuring out, hey, I can do this. The most stressful event was this past Friday, telling them "no, I can't do what you want with this technique" I felt like a failure, though I know that low concentration Cl- lines are a pain to physically impossible to measure with ICP. But I suppose that was also a good learning experience. I can't do everything, though I'd try.
Well, it's time to look for the next job now. I'm trying to get something more environmentally motivated-applying at the city and state for inspection type jobs, as well as more private environmental companies. We'll see how that turns out. I'm more excited about most of these jobs than a lot of "formulation chemist" positions that I had previously applied for, so that's hopeful. I remember a lot of advice boards saying "if you're really passionate, that'll show". Hopefully it will.
Skating. I've decided to try out for roller derby, for Minnesota Roller Girls and Northstar Roller Girls. This means skating over an hour about 5 times a week. Sometimes a bit less, because the closest rink doesn't start sessions til 8:30 for adults. and a whole side part of the having a job is getting up before 6 am. and I need a full 8 hours, apparently. At least, I do when I'm doing heavy athletic stuff. So I'm training myself to get home early, and get to bed.
I have read some of my chemistry books-got a good one on ICP by Steve HIill, which I knew a lot of the ICP-OES material, though am curious about ICP-MS. I also have a new environmental one Environmental Chemistry, by Manahan. I do hope to do a couple of full out book reviews eventually.