Cheryl's Blog!

Poorly Cosmic...

2005-10-31T11:40:11+01:00

Sorry I've not been around much - I've been rather poorly over the last week or so. But as soon as I'm back to full strrength I'll be back with a vengance; and that includes scanning all your blogs and adding my extremely useful comments (as ever)!

Hopefully I'll be back soon.

Cheryl
xx

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Free Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream!

2005-10-21T20:40:43+02:00

Free Ice Cream?! I'm there!

Just so that everyone knows, Ben and Jerry's are giving away free ice cream to everyone who donates blood during their tour; a few of the dates have already gone, but there are some left. I'm lucky - I'm due to give again in November anyway, just when they arrive in Durham!! Mmmmm....ice cream...

So everyone needs to get their bums down to their local university - hey, if I can go and give blood, everyone can!

Cheryl

P.S. Sign up for bone marrow donation as well while you're there!

CG
xx

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My first week as a postgrad...

2005-10-03T23:31:41+02:00

Phew!
Long long week! And sooooo tough for me because there's such a difference between undergraduate and postgraduate research. I'm used to sitting down and being talked at for 4 hours - now I just wander in whenever I feel like it and do whatever I fancy!! It's bizarre. The next couple of weeks I'm expected to just follow a few other members of the group around, see how things work, see the types of experiments and stuff I'll be doing. But to be honest I'm not much for doing that! I like direction, I like to know where I'm going, and what I need to do to get there - I'm so keen to get a plan together and really get my teeth into this project! If anyone's interested, my title is:

The Role of Keratin 15 in the Maintenance of the Epidermal Stem Cell Compartment

Sounds quite complicated doesn't it?! If anyone's remotely interested in what this means, just ask, I'll go into a little more detail!
Actually, that reminds me...I started my induction lectures today and there are a series of training courses on communicating science to the general public which I'm really keen to do - it includes working with teachers and school children too so I think I'd like to do that!
Here is a picture of a hair follicle...

Anyway, hope everyone else is keeping well...I've still been reading your blogs so I'm pretty sure you are!

Cheryl xx

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Nervous About Tomorrow...

2005-09-25T21:27:37+02:00

...As I mentioned before, my PhD starts tomorrow and I'm now getting a bit nerv-y! I mean, I know I'm staying at the same uni, but it's at a different campus with different people and doing a PhD is going to be soooooo different from an undergraduate degree! It's just a little scary, and I know that I'll be walking for the bus tomorrow with my tummy full of butterflies!

So who's got some idea's on beating first-day nerves?!

Cheryl
xx

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I'm a Biomedical Scientist

2005-09-21T18:11:38+02:00

Greetings fellow bloggers!

Just a short note really...to tell you all I passed my IBMS assessment! Yeay!
My assessor said that I would make a very very good biomedical scientist...I decided not to upet the apple cart and tell him that I was actually starting a PhD on Monday! I just grinned a lot at the complement!

He first sat down with me for the informal chit-chat bit...he asks me what I liked and didn't like about my training and which aspect I most enjoyed, that sort of thing, then I had to give him a 30 minute tour of the lab. This one was a bit tricky...as I'm sure most of you have established my now, I do have a tendancy to go on a bit, and theres lots of things I wanted to squeeze into that 30 minute tour! I probably went on for a bit longer than that, but he was asking questions as we went round too. After that the poor assessor had to sit and read through my portfolio - not an enviable job! It's not very interesting; basically the portfolio asks you a bunch of questions, and your answers determine your suitability to working in a medical laboratory. So, like I said, not very interesting.
Once he's worked his way through that, the assessor calls you back for another chit-chat, firstly to tell you whether you've passedor not, then what you could have improved on and what your training lab could do better on. And that was it!

I'm so pleased I've passed...I'm not a trainee any more!

Hope everyone else is having just as good a day too!

Happy Cheryl
xx

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Bored

2005-09-14T20:28:51+02:00

Bored bored bored.
Why is it that I've loads to do, I don't feel like doing any of it, yet I feel really bored?
Can anyone enlighten me?!

Cheryl
xx

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Hi Honey, I'm Home!

2005-09-14T10:44:28+02:00

Yeay! I'm back and everything is in full working order!! (I'm referring to my computer/internet/e-mails; everything else was always in full working order...I don't think we should go there though!!)
And I've just spent the last hour catching up with you all - luckily for me I'm a fairly speedy reader, otherwise I would have been here all day!!
I've been back to my folk's house and have been ridiculously busy...doing nice things though! Like I said before, I was making the most of the summer, which is now almost over.
Next Wednesday (21st Sept) I've got my IBMS assessment, to see whether they will let me call myself a biomedical scientist (instead of a trainee biomedical scientist)...apparently the assessment is about 4 hours long, so I will let you all know how I get on next week.
Then the following Monday I start my PhD - I'm all excited about it! Lord knows what I will be up to - if anyone reading this has a PhD and can give me some hints and tips they would be most gratefully received!!
And just on a last note...I haven't been watching the cricket, because I didn't want to. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than pleased to hear that a national team has excelled, and that the increase in popularity of cricket will hopefully encourage more people to get off their bottoms and go outside and play, but personally, I'm not a cricket fan. That's all!!

I hope everyone else has enjoyed themselves at least a little this summer, what with holidays and what-not - I'm saving my holiday until Christmas...I can't wait! Unfortunately the remainder of the payment is due at the beginning of October, so I will be a little poorer than usual - but hey, I'm sure it will be more than worth it!

Finally, I'd just like to apologise for the bizarre random-ness of this particular entry, but if you're reading this then you must have been brave enough to survive it, and for that I thank you!

Cheryl
xx

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No e-mail! But I've still been keeping my beady eyes on you all...!

2005-08-25T00:51:37+02:00

Hello all!

As the title suggests, my e-mail's broken totally now, and I wasn't planning to go home for a while yet so I'm not sure when it will be fixed...*very annoying!* :XX" class="middle" border="0">
Otherwise everything's going ok...my mum and dad are on holiday this week and tonight my brother's girlfriend is staying over. Rather her than me - my brother has to be awake at some ludicrous hour of the morning to go to work!
I was trying to have a conversation with him earlier tonight about out prespective views on our childhood. I was explaining that there were times when I felt 'overlooked' by our parents (not intentionally I'm sure), as they had to spend so much time attempting to get my brother to behave himself then learn to read/do his homework etc. that I didn't get to spend as much time with them as I'd have liked (I was taught to read before I went to school and didn't struggle with academia as my brother did), and I felt a little left out. I think my brother was tired though, and basically told me I was talking crap. So I asked him how he remembers his childhood, to which he replied 'he didn't'. Now baring in mind the boy is only 19, is it unreasonable of me to suspect he was lying?! Like I say, I think he was tired and it was a conversation that was far too interlectual for him.
BTW, I'd just like to add that I was in no way mistreated as a child, nor am I suggesting that my childhood was terrible!! (Quite the opposite!)

I do like this blogging lark...I just seem to be typing whatevers on my mind, and I like that...I'm not sure what everyone else thinks mind...!!

Cheryl
xx

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5th Worst City...?!

2005-08-18T16:32:52+02:00

I've just had a look at the 10 best and 10 worst places to live in Britain, and I'm disappointed to see Middlesbrough at 5th worst! I now live close to Middlesbrough and I really like it in the North East; in fact I like it so much that I'm staying here to do my PhD now that I'v finished my degree - I could quite easily move to Durham if I wanted to but I don't! Ok, there are areas that aren't too friendly, but there isn't a city in the country where this isn't the case! I worked in the heart of Middlesbrough for two years whilst I finished my degree and the people there were lovely! I will admit the chemical plant isn't the most beautiful of structures, and does lead to the nickname 'Smoggies', but it doesn't smell as is claimed on the website! You may catch a whiff crossing the Tees flyover (A19), but its certainly not as bad as the rapeseed fields that you often find along motorways! And, as the site tells us, Middlesbrough is the birthplace of Royston Vasey (Roy 'Chubby' Brown) - but lists this as a bad thing! Well, each to their own, but I think that's mean and very unnecessary - I think he's really funny, and I'm not originally from the North East!

Ohh look, I've had a rant!! And it's only taken me a fortnight! I said something would annoy me enough sooner or later didn't I?!

Cheryl
xx

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Nothing to report...

2005-08-18T02:42:45+02:00

Well, as the title suggests, I haven't been up to much...again! I really do like having this lazy summer you know; I do appreciate that it will never happen again!
I was a bit constructive today and did go into town with my mum to give her a hand with the shopping...she was trying to convince me to buy some new clothes...again!! The woman never stops!! Honestly, my mum has so many clothes she can't possibly wear them all; I told her I'd help her sort her wardrobe out because she claims she just doesn't wear some garments often enough; hardly surprising really
Anyway, enough about my mum's clobber!
I have managed to see a few friends and neighbours since I got back, and everyone's said how pleased they are that I got my degree - so am I!! I had to work really hard for that 2:1 but it was all worth it! >" class="middle" border="0">
Hope everyone else is keeping well - I'm still happy! Just like most people on here; although I haven't as yet 'vented my spleen' (re: Just_A_Guy, tee hee), but I'm sure something will annoy me enough soon for me to moan at everyone! But as for now, happy happy happy!

Cheryl
xx

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Travelling

2005-08-13T20:50:56+02:00

As you can guess from the title, I've finally managed to get back to my folk's house today...despite the unbelieveably crap weather! I'm sure the hugest raincloud was just following me down the M1 (so my apologies to anyone else who was caught in the 'shower'; it was possibly my fault! I say my fault because I started off on the A19 with my sunglasses on ) Luckily the chinchillas didn't get wet when I took them out of the car (and no, that is not a metaphor!!!). And I am also back in the Midlands for a while, but not for too long because I will miss the North East.
As it happens I didn't have my viva for IBMS approval on the 16th - apparently mine isn't until September! So I'm a bit miffed that my plans went out the window for no reason, but then again it means I've plenty of time to get my portfolio finished. And of course spend some more time down here with my friends from college...I haven't seen them for about 18months and I miss them all lots!
I'm off now to check how Middlesbrough have got on against Liverpool...but beware, I maybe back later!

Cheryl
xx

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Happiness

2005-08-08T23:21:18+02:00

Howdy!

What's everyone been up to today?
Just a quick note...I had to call my 'phone company today to pay a bill, and the chap in the call centre who was talking to me said I sounded chirpy, all bright and happy! Now I took that as a complement, but afterwards it did strike me that it must be quite sad for that guy in the call centre if he noticed me as 'chirpy' - I was just being normal! You know, the sun is out, I don't have much work to do and I'm pretty much on top of my life (for a change!) so why shouldn't I sound happy? So what's wrong with everyone else?! Like I say, I just feel sad that that guy has had to listen to miserable people all day!
Is everyone else happy?!

Cheryl

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Does anyone know a biomedical scientist?!

2005-08-07T20:44:15+02:00

Hello!
Haven't logged on for a while, so I thought I'd better check-in!
I'm a bit miffed actually - I was planning on going back to the Midlands to see my family and ol' college chums tomorrow, but now I can't. I've just been told that I've got a viva (possibly) next week, so I've got to prepare for that now instead :(" class="middle" border="0">
It will be worth doing though...is anyone here a member of the Institue of Biomedical Sciences (IBMS)? Because that's what my viva is for...to see whether I'm worthy! You have to fill in a portfolio while you are training you see, and then the IBMS check it; luckily I did all my training while I was doing my degree so I didn't have to do it afterwards, and I can get straight on with the PhD.
I still grin though when people ask what degree I did and I say 'biomedical sciences' because sometimes people look at me as though I'm speaking a foreign language! But once I explain that biomedical scientists are the guys who test the blood/urine etc. samples that you give to your doctor, people understand! >" class="middle" border="0"> I reckon it's just one of those magical things that happen - sometimes you just don't appreciate that there are so many people doing so many other jobs that make our own lives better, but we don't think about it. Biomedical scientists are a perfect example - we just give out 'sample' to the doc and it disappears! A week later we get some results...and thats it! It's not the most glamourous job in the world, nor is it well paid (something which is apparently being reviewed), but it is essentital nonetheless - it's surprising how often patients are diagnosed with a condition from a blood test or a cerebral-spinal fluid sample. And where I worked, tests were even sent in for people to diagnose stuff like heart attacks!
I'm ranting...but I just wanted to, erm, 'spread the word' of biomedical sciences!

Cheryl
xx

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The Hunger Site

2005-08-02T22:00:03+02:00

My dad referred me to this website when he heard about it on the radio, and Just_A_Guy has got me thinking hard about the state of the world again.
So I thought I would post the link to this website - all you have to do is click the button (up to once everyday) and it (apparently!) helps to feed the hungry. There are other tabs at the top for other charaties too - the same applies to these. Like I say, just go to the site and have a look for yourself.

www.thehungersite.com

Go there now!!

Cheryl
xx

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First blog comment!

2005-08-02T21:17:33+02:00

Hello everyone!
This is my first attempt at a blog! I think I will be having a nosey around other people's for some ideas, because I haven't decided what to fill my blog with yet! Could be anything...!
If anyone reading this has any ideas, please feel free to comment - I will get back to you; I think it's rude to ignore people, particularly when they are offering free advice!
I'm not sure what pictures to upload yet either...I will have to get the camera out and have a play!

Anyway, I hope everyone else is having a lovely day and everything - I'm having a nice long holiday at the moment and I'm throughly enjoying it! I'm making the most of it because I know it will be my last chance for a holiday for a while.

Get in touch, even if it's just to say 'hi'!

Cheryl
xx

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