Working without Mark....

Working without my direct supervisor, Mark Stevens, seemed to be rather difficult. I would be able to perform procedures without any problems and know what to do in the event of such problems. It's been a real challenge, I admit, trying to remember the recipe for the master mixes for the Has2, Erb2, and HBEGF. There was so much to deal with. I had to write an abstract, and being caffeine-free, it was really, really, really difficult. I guess the caffeine affected my brain, literally, taking over my synaptic regions and replacing dopamine. Ugh....but now moving on. I had to take power naps in order to actually sustain my composure during the day. I guess I'm getting a little burned-out. I shouldn't, though. I really like this internship. I get to work alongside researchers and still hang out with people my age.

It's so difficult to focus now, because I'm getting too used to being an intern. That's the problem. Unlike most people, who focus MORE when they get used to a job, I somehow focus less. That's scaring me, because I really want to do a really good job in this internship. Dr. Camenisch and I are trying to figure out what I can do in order to better my lab experience at their lab, such as more benchwork and less paperwork. This is definitely time to buckle down, especially since it's the last three weeks or less left of the research internship.

I've got an abstract to do. Ugh. Those are definitely not fun. Not fun at all. I don't like them. It's six hundred words of what I did. Well, I guess....six weeks...six hundred words...that comes down to...a hundred words a week easily. So...moving on...I think it'll be slightly easier if I actually write an outline concerning my project and what I did over the summer. I think that's what the project is supposed to be about. Either that or it's supposed to be on my project: Cell Signaling Directing Embryonic Cardiogenesis. Translation: How cells make hearts.