Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.   More posting tomorrow.

SWRM highlights.

I promised updates about the Southwest Regional ACS meeting.   I unfortunately missed a lot of sessions that I wish I could have made it to, due to being lost, and a resume review session, but I did get to see some.
My favorite research by far was looking at air mixing by radioactive isotopes, coming out of Arkansas.   They found troposphere and stratosphere mixing, and looked at things like time to see results from Fukishima.  Interesting stuff.   Also, some good green chemistry overview, but much of it seemed like just that-an overview, not new knowledge.   An interesting model of toxicity studies-preliminary at any rate-to be done on the computer.  
I did a lot of career events, because in part I was there looking for a job.  I heard excellent panelists talk about things that you can do with a chemistry degree other than labwork, which I'm looking hard at right now.  And about people's individual stories.   I heard about being the only woman at a water treatment plant.   I still hope to hang out with that speaker-she sounded very interesting.
I love getting to hang out in Austin, especially now, because I love warm weather.  It's cold outside.  

The Austin SWRM for the ACS

I am still here.  I didn't get anything up yesterday, because I was at this regional ACS meeting.   I will be here through the end of the week.   There will be posts about this, because I have already heard many interesting things, but I'd rather be listening than writing.   So until then, have fun listening to chemistry songs from the last post.   Or share some of your favorite chemistry jokes.  

Because everyone deserves chemistry fun

Okay, I enjoy fighting zombies as much as the next young person apparently does.   And I enjoy chemistry.   So what could possibly be better than an online game that combines the two?   Well, okay, there are things.   But this looks pretty fun.   zombie fighter.    It's all organic chemistry, which I'm more inclined to forget than just about anything else, because I haven't had to use it.   So play games!
Also, a comic just to add to the "older nerdy teacher" jokes that I love, even if I rarely use, like the Ferrous wheel.
H2O?

And songs.  chemistry songs
Enjoy!

Being a chemist without someone else's lab

People used to do this all the time. The chemist who had their home laboratories, and made discoveries in their spare time. Is that still possible today? I have to admit, I can't try much, because my husband and I rent, and I don't want to make permanent changes to the house, and am pretty risk adverse when dealing with someone else's property. But I try to collect resources, to make myself feel connected to chemistry, and that I am still doing productive things. I am still in the process of working on cosmetics, which, at least at the level I'm doing, are pretty low risk. I'm also looking at things/ways online to get chemicals/resources. I found a decent thread on about.com here . I wrote earlier about free full pdf resources. I can sometimes get friends still associated with schools to look up papers for me, particularly if I have a quick reference. Have I missed anything? What are other suggestions?

short new cool thing.

Three new elements named by IUPAC. I love this stuff. Check it out.  NY times link

Edited to add the link.

Now what?

So, I worked through much of my backlog. I am sure you're all blown over by the amount of posting that has happened in the last few days. Now what am I going to write about, you ask? well, I have a couple of plans coming up 1. A new book-The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean. Has anyone read this? 2. a big new ACS meeting-the Southwest Regional meeting. I'm looking at relocating down here and looking to make contacts. If you're around here, say hi. 3. Then, later, a local section ACS meeting. At the Science Museum of Minnesota, which is a wonderful place. I'm excited.