Leven in Leuven - A late bloomer

I haven't posted for a long time. But once the madness of the highly changeable Belgian spring is over, posts will come back. For now, the first blue iris in the Groot Begijnhof, right outside my front door.

First Day of Spring...?

Seriously, the weather conditions here in this side of the Low Countries drive me mad at times...

Happy Spring Equinox, folks. (goes back to data processing)

Lusus Naturae - The Rise of the Homo Zapiens

From my tumblr.

Beware of the rise of the homo zapiens...!

Or should we?

The terminology "homo zapiens" was taken by yours truly from the weekly academic news alert I get from KU Leuven: "The trick to learning on the go? Keep it simple".  Because we've gone beyond Generations X & Y...it's Generation ZAP! with all the current electronic technobaubles nowadays--laptops, smartphones, tablet PCs, mp3 players, to name a few.  But coupled with these gadgets is the pull of going on a multimedia multitasking in terms of learning.

Now, the article talks about how "multitasking" nowadays is a myth, because our brains aren't built that way. Well, as Daniel Kahnemann discusses in his seminal book "Thinking, Fast and Slow", there are two modes of thinking--Systems 1 (fast) and 2 (slow).  Try to mix those modes and you're bound to trip over your proverbial shoelaces...not unless you do slow thinking (and learning) while doing something routine and repetitive (but not necessarily boring), like running.  Definitely not Facebook-ing, Tumblr-ing, Tweeting...or surreptitiously checking on my blog.

Leven in Leuven - Almost Spring

We're gaining back the days.

Dear Labby - Frying Pan or the Fire?

From Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson.

Welcome to our weekly agony-column for confused (post)grad-students--Dear Labby!  This week's letter is about how we deal with curmudgeons-in-chief (i.e., your boss...es).

Dear Labby,
I think I'm losing my sanity bit by bit every time my two thesis advisers call me for a one-on-one meeting. Not only do they "highly" suggest that I do additional experiments, they contradict each other when it comes to my project planning! Prof. A wants me to jump, but Prof. B wants me to sit--just to illustrate my point, if you know what I mean. Hnnnnnngh! What am I to do??? 

Torn Between Two Mentors

Lusus Naturae - Persistent as the Common Cold

From GiantMicrobes. You'd want to cuddle up with a fluffy version of the cold bug you have right now.

This transitional time between late winter and early spring is one of the most miserable times in the year.  Not only is the view from the lab office window dreary (a literal 50 Shades of Grey, without the prurient lexicon)--the season is accompanied by a loud cacophony of sneezes.

Yes, it's the cold-and-flu season. And, despite the vaccine I got last November, I still got floored by the bug in mid-February. Whether it's the flu virus or the more pesky rhinovirus (a family of virus behind the bane called "the common cold"), I had no idea. Being a stubborn woman with a PhD-student-guilt, after spending one day at home, I forced myself to report to the lab the next day, with near-disastrous results (i.e., ending up sicker than the day before).

But one email alert caught my eye during that time--a very informative article discussing about the role and mechanism of rhinoviruses responsible for the common cold.  What made me smile is that the secret behind the speed of mutations for these bugs (hence their persistence in infecting us) is their inherent simplicity in structure.

We should be as persistent as the common cold when working for our goals, it seems.

Leven in Leuven - Dusk Silhouette

Exhale, and perhaps the sunset spell will break. Moments like this jolt me into realizing that I am in the Old World, after all.

The Grapevine Speaketh - Naamdag

Date: March 5th
Reverse:
"Live long and prosper" - Many bodily processes depend on the presence of zinc. Zinc also plays a crucial role in preventing arteriosclerosis. Elderly (but also young) people can often suffer from zinc deficiency. Foods like oats, cheese, red meat, oysters, sesame seed, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, wheat flour, brazil nuts and almonds contain zinc.
Joke of the day--
"Let's say that you have lots of money--what shall you buy with it?" the father asks Ella.
"I'll buy a white dress, with a little white jacket, gloves, stockings and shoes."
"And then?"
"And so it'll be nicer to go rolling in the mud!"

The Sartorial Scientist - Skin Deep

From futurity.

I can hear the "uh-oh" coming from some of you.  Yes, let me get this straight and out of the way--this is the TSS version of a skin care post for busy, harried (science) grad students.  Because there's more to it than just grabbing the first-aid kit in case of minor lab accidents.

From salonnordic.

I'm talking about actually caring for your skin, if not daily, then weekly.

Again, I could hear your thoughts about the matter: "Who cares? I spend 10 hours a day in front of the lab bench, if not the office desk, so who's going to notice if I look like a million bucks?" Or, "Gee, I don't even have time on weekends to spare for myself because I have equipment-use time during those days and hell yeah if the instrument cares about my skin."  Even perhaps, "Vanity has no room in my intellectual pursuits."  And so forth.

Vrij(e)dag Friday! - Food-tripping at De Blauwe Schuit

One of the nicest things about living in a tiny burg like Leuven in Flanders is that it often has a lot of things to surprise you even though you've been a resident for some years.  This takes the form of oft-overlooked cobblestone alleys leading to cul-de-sacs with a cute and cozy cafe with a charming terrace and hearty comfort food.

De Blauwe Schuit is an example of this kind of hidden gem.

The anata and I met up with dear friend T at this establishment, tucked away in an almost nondescript corner of the Vismarkt.  For a plain facade, it actually makes it up with the cute sailing-and-flying-travel-themed interior (de blauwe schuit - the blue barge) and an indoor garden (open during summertime) with centuries-old gingko trees and the resident peacock, Joos.

From my tumblr.

The place has a good selection of Belgian beers (with a stray German one, Erdinger)--from the big-hitters of AB InBev (e.g., Stella Artois), Trappist brews and various streekbieren (I swear by the honey beer Barbar and the sweetly smooth Slaapmutske from the western part of Flanders).  But since we came here at around lunchtime, we opted for a more culinary type of get-together.

De Blauwe Schuit offers typical Belgian pub fare--gegratineered ajuinsoep (gratinized onion soup, which has my stamp of approval), croque monsieurs and its variants, pastas, bolletjes met tomatensaus (meatballs in tomato sauce)--but I often judge the place by its stoofvlees, Flemish beef stewed in beer, served with fries and a side-salad.

Butter-soft beef that melts in your mouth? Check. Richly flavored sauce, redolent of onions, laurel, thyme with the interesting prickle of mustard and pepper? Check. Crisp fries and fresh salad? Double check.  Their stoofvlees passed my muster with flying colors, even though I think the fries could have been cut thicker.

Price-wise, for onion soup and the main dish, plus their homemade iced tea, the meal cost around 20 EUR.  Not bad for a weekend lunch, but for students on a budget, this qualifies as an occasional extra treat.

--
De Blauwe Schuit

Vismarkt 16
3000 Leuven, Belgium
+32 16 22 05 70

Lusus Naturae - A Vacant Seat

Definitely a non-science related post. Like the rest of the Catholic Church, we are now in the transitional phase of Sede Vacante. It's somber enough that it's also Lent, so I dug up my old photos and found these.

Lusus Naturae's science news posts will resume next week.

Leven in Leuven - Cubicle Ephemera

Today I am off to the land of Brussels to visit my embassy for some important errands.  For now, a glimpse of a part of my lab office desk.

"Clutter, clutter everywhere, not a myth left from the ghetto," is what I would say, twisting a bit from what David Bowie once sang in "Young Americans".

The Grapevine Speaketh - February 28th

Date: February 28th
Joke of the day:
A young boy went to a restaurant with his parents for the first time in his life. While dining there, he kept on smacking his lips that it disturbed the other patrons of the establishment.
"You shouldn't smack your lips like that, dearie," said the mother. "You don't usually do this at home."
"No, mother, but there the food isn't that great," replied the boy.

(I did not pick this date just because of the joke. It was because of the resignation (and retirement) of Pope Benedict XVI on that particular day.)

Dear Labby - A Career-Changing Dilemma?

From photo-dictionary.

Welcome to your weekend agony-column for confused (post)grad students--Dear Labby! Today's letter is from a worried lady with two children--her PhD thesis AND her own unborn kid:

Dear Labby, 

I have a boyfriend for 3 years now and I am at the last leg of my PhD. I just found out that I got pregnant, but I am afraid my PI will not renew my contract next year because of funding issues. I am so close to finishing my thesis, but I don't think she understands the joy/responsibilities of having a baby.

Mommy-in-waiting

Vrij(e)dag Friday! - Choco-fix in Leuven from Quetzal

Leuven, despite being a student town, is tiny compared to the bustling metropolises like those comprising the Flemish Triangle (Brussel - Antwerpen - Gent). Hence, looking for a good place for sweeties like chocolate, can be daunting. I've mentioned dewerf before as a good cheap place to get warme chocolade and other desserts, but I wonder--are there other places which offer a variety of chocoholic goodness?

So far, the only one I've spotted is right across the Faculty of Law at Tiensestraat - Quetzal.

This chocolate bar is rather on the small side, with its simple, streamlined interiors warm and inviting (the lines look vaguely Scandinavian, but with the hip Flemish twist of using bright colors).  The menu has a small but interesting selection of hot and cold chocolate drinks--I settled for a dark chocolate Mexicana, hoping perhaps that it would be my Flemish version of thick Azteca chocolate from Cafe Xocolat back in Manila.

They were prompt in serving my order, with a nice touch of adding a nicely decadent square of homemade brownie.

But the chocolate drink? My eyebrow rose a bit when I saw that they served their chocolates in paper to-go cups.  Ah, well.  Then I took a sip.

It was OK.  But I must have set my expectations higher than usual.  The drink, which had a lovely mix of cumin, nutmeg and other earthy spices, did not really match up to the Azteca from my memory.  Despite the dark chocolate, it was milky and liquid--drinkable, approachable like a friendly puppy--but without the rich, unctuous texture I was hoping for as an advanced chocoholic.

If you want to introduce friends to interesting blends of chocolate drinks, Quetzal is a good place to start choco-newbies.

Lusus Naturae - The Mind of A Predator

Today's note is a very short one (I've been sick the past week), but upon checking my archives of science news alerts, I found an article featuring fluorescent calcium signalling in the zebrafish brain when it sees a delicious (living) item swimming past its eyes.

It's...fascinating. Especially for someone who has been working with these critters for more than 3 years already...

Leven in Leuven - Spring Snow

I know it's not the Spring Equinox yet, but still, snow during the last days of February is a surprise.  But with the crisp flakes comes the scent of Spring in the air...after all, according to De Druivelaar, "februari is de dooimaand" (NL: February is thaw-month).

The Grapevine Speaketh - February 20th

Date: February 20th
Joke of the Day:
Little Jan went to the butcher's to get some beef slices.
When the transaction was done, the butcher asked him, "So, Little Jan, is that all?"
"No," the child replied. "Maybe some of the scraps for the dog, but not too fatty, since our father became very ill the last time."

(Hmm, maybe his father got sent to the doghouse because he was in the cathouse?)

Dear Labby - Of Mice and Men

From my tumblr.

Welcome to our weekly agony-column for confused (post)grad-students--Dear Labby!  This week's letter is about how we deal with working with animals.

Dear Labby,
I want to cry. It's the first time I've handled mouse models. And I have to kill them to get their liver. I'm just a master's student doing a 3-month internship, so it was really my first time to see them slaughtered.
They're so cute. and I love animals. HOW CAN I SURVIVE DOING THIS? 

WHY SCIENCE? WHY?
-Rodent Murderer

The Sartorial Scientist - Tongue-In-Cheek Stereotypes We'd Like To Avoid

From Inkity and CartoonStock.

I can see the eyerolls already. Everything in the previous TSS post seems to be common-sense, right? Now, the tricky part is this--wearing and maintaining them.  Here are the usual pitfalls of PhD lab students:

• The Real Reason Why We Wear Lab Coats: Primarily to protect ourselves and our clothes from stains, burns and other lab accidents on the bench. But for some folks...it's to hide the fact that they've been wearing the same get-up for two weeks already!  Please, even if you douse yourself with a gallon-jug of Fa Deo, we can still smell you...and did you perhaps have pasta marinara a few days ago? It's on your shirt.
• I'm a Gym-Rat: Tracksuit and sneakers = ultimate comfort? Yeah, in the gym, but not in the lab. Not unless you're a Yanki and a member of the yakuza like Momoko's deadbeat-dad in Kamikaze Girls.  AND you're still fresh from the bath and not fresh with sweat and B.O.
• Sexy Lab Scientist: As much as feminists say that women can wear what they want, I'm sorry but wearing hot little numbers underneath the lab coat just doesn't cut it. It depends, however, if you want your data to speak for themselves during update meetings, or your cleavage can do the talking.  Sure, I'm all for injecting femininity to boost interpersonal relationships at work, but put some class into it.
• Did a Whirlwind Pass By Your Place?  This is the least offensive of all pitfalls--when people just grab and put on clean, comfortable clothes available to them at the moment.  But beware of the color combinations. And, as much as leopard is a standard print, you just can't wear an all-leopard print clothing. Unless you're working in camouflage. 

Now, to put together your everyday work outfit, just remember the three C's: Comfort, Color-coordination, and Cleanliness.  We'll talk about the three C's in detail in the next posts.

For questions and suggestions for TSS, please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Vrij(e)dag Friday! - Luikse Wafels at Croccantino's

There's nothing like a cheap, hot sugar rush during winter evenings than grabbing a waffle to-go from your neighborhood shop in Flanders.  And there's nothing like noshing on a freshly-made Luikse wafel (Liegoise waffle), gooey with caramelized sugar and oh-so-moist texture, from Croccantino's, located at a side street off Bondgenotenlaan (Leuven's 1-mile long shopping street). For waffles are traditionally held to be a hot sweet treat for winter--for spring and summer, Croccantino's well-known for their gelateria.

But, one day, I will get myself a wafelijzer and make my own batch of Luikse wafel, or perhaps a Brusselse wafel (but for this kind, I'll need a giant set of irons).


--
Croccantino's
Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 13-15
3000 Leuven, Belgium

Lusus Naturae - Science Wears A Lipstick

The lab where I'm currently at is predominantly female (approximately 2/3). Even though our chief PI is a man (married to a fellow scientist, with two teenage daughters), most of the PhD students are women (except for one guy, who we've made into an honorary woman just because).  This gender-proportion makes for very interesting lab dynamics, since we handle zebrafish and rodents in routine work, aside from down-and-dirty chemical biology.

So, when someone posted a leaflet (see above) about the current EU initiative on increasing the number of girls studying science, it elicited more than one raised eyebrow and some chuckles.

"Science: it's a girl thing," written (presumably) using a pink lipstick.

On one hand, my latent (belligerent) feminist aspect began to raise its hackles at the leaflet.  But nothing was broken or torn--the leaflet is still hanging in the lab.  Just because they chose to use a lipstick to denote femininity is not enough reason to go up to the level of bra-burning insanity.

Whether or not a lady scientist wears lipstick or Chapstick (or none at all) is not important--a lipstick can possibly be considered as a cultural sign of femininity, whether we like it or not. It's the quality of data and incisiveness of thought that makes a lady scientist valuable--lipstick is just incidental, even though it adds a nice visual bonus.

And besides, aren't girls performing better than boys in science exams lately around the world?

Leven in Leuven - An Everyday View

Mild weather days ahead, thus perfect for walking to work (sometimes). I still cannot figure out what in the world is that white pillar at the roundabout of Gasthuisberg.

The Grapevine Speaketh - February 13th

February 13 (Ash Wednesday)
Joke for the day:
"We live in a free land," says the professor.
The two young students at the back of the class looked doubtful.
"Are you not with me on this?" asked the professor.
"No, absolutely not. I am required every single day to be forced to go to school," replied one of the students.

--
With that joke, I hope you folks have a good week ahead of you!

Dear Labby - Well, Excuse Me, Princess~~!

From lorrainefish. Because Hatsune Miku is the only #1 (VOCALOID) princess in the world, according to her.

Welcome to your weekend agony-column for confused (post)grad students--Dear Labby! Apparently, February is the luuuuuuuurve month, even lab rats like us aren't spared by the cheeky arrows of Cupid.  But maintaining that frothy state is dependent on the delta-H (or "work") needed by the system.

Dear Labby,  

I am PhD student currently writing my PhD thesis. Problem is, my boyfriend is doing the same and he's stressing me out! Asking for support, talking about problems and wanting time alone?!? What do I do? Ain't nobody got time for that!  

Sincerely,
Princess PhD Student

Vrij(e)dag Friday! - "Corrected" Coffee Jelly

In a country where tiramisu, javanais, frangipane, chocolate mousse and fruit bavarois are so much de rigueur to appease the sweet-toothed Flemings (and Walloons), these get boring easily, especially when you're a (non-EU) grad student managing the already-tight purse strings of your monthly stipend.  And, as a grad student, you need your dose of the Big Three to function through the day/evening at the lab bench:

1. Caffeine
2. Sugar (or carbohydrates)
3. Alcohol (!) - this is quite tongue-in-cheek, but very applicable for hectic Fridays

I've been missing coffee jelly--a Japanese dessert--ever since I relocated here in Belgium.  And I missed it so much that I tried making a batch when some friends came over for a weekend supper using instant coffee, sugar and whatever gelatin I had on hand. Yes, it was caffeinated and sweet, but the gelatin just did not cut it...it came out more like coffee pudding than jelly.

Then a few days later, I spotted a few packets of seaweed agar powder in a dusty shelf of an Asian grocer.

And when I opened my dish cabinet / liquor box, I saw a bottle of absinthe down to its last quarter (the anata has been using a tablespoon of absinthe for caffe correto before class-time).

Natuurlijk, I just couldn't resist making this:

Ingredients (good for 2 servings) 

3 tsp strong freeze-dried coffee granules
2 tsp absinthe (or any anise-flavored liqueur)
Sugar (to taste), possibly 2-3 Tbsp
500 mL still, filtered water
~ 4 g of seaweed agar powder 

In a clean non-reactive pot, heat the water until you can see wisps of steam coming up from the surface. Stir in the agar powder until it dissolves (i.e., no visible grains of agar in the water).  Then add the coffee, sugar, then the absinthe. DO NOT BOIL. 

Immediately remove from heat and ladle into cups or bowls.  Once set, place the filled cups in the refrigerator.  Before serving, add a dollop of whipped cream and/or chocolate syrup.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can modify it as you see fit. Not a coffee fan? Try using tea.  For extra oomph, you could opt to use different liqueurs to add that flavored punch.  Pun unintended.

And this country being the land of chocolates, I had to layer some chocolate syrup on top and add a cocoa-dusted cacao bean (Ecuadorean, from Miss L) on top.

Liefde in Leuven -14 February 2013

An extra post to greet folks "Happy hearts day"! Much love from Pikachu from its plushie heart.

Lusus Naturae - Women Aren't Rocket Science

Shhh! This is the only time this blog gets provocative in *that* way.

Since the hoi polloi have declared February as the month for luuuuurve (thus spiking the incidence of the "bedside tango", so to speak, ahem), it begs for a potentially NSFW (but not), provocative(ly short) and educational (?!) Lusus Naturae post.

As featured in a New Scientist article a few weeks back, scientists have mapped out the precise parts of the brain's sensory cortex upon *cough, cough* stimulation in women.  How's that for edification?

In other words, women aren't rocket science.

They fall under the purview of neuroscience, and this is just one aspect to the "being brainy is sexy" adage.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, discuss!

Leven in Leuven - Self-Evident

Studying Dutch on during weekly evening classes at Groep T often benefit from an extra boost of glucose courtesy of Pocky.

The Grapevine Speaketh - February 3rd

February - "thaw month" (dooimaand)

Date: February 3, 2013
Feast day: St. Blaise (patron of throats); St. Ansgar (patron of Denmark)

Reverse side--

"Uit 'T Manneke Uit De Mane" (From the Man of the Moon):
A glowworm spoke to another, "I absolutely must see an eye-doctor."
The other replied, "Yeah? Your eyes hurt or something? Or it's something that I know of."
"Not really...but, yesterday I made love to a cigarette butt."

(Seriously? It's a bizarre joke.)

"Alles" (For All)
Jef stood before a shop's display window which had a sign: "All articles for smokers". He went in and asked...
"I'm looking for a pair of underpants, miss."
The lady shop-clerk replied, "But, sir, have you not seen the sign at the display window?"
"Ah well, but do you think maybe smokers don't wear underpants?"

(Corny, but it actually made me crack up a bit.)

Dear Labby - Love in the Lab?

From flatworldknowledge. Because, you know, the enzyme-substrate complex is the same as l'amour.

Welcome to your weekend agony-column for confused (post)grad students--Dear Labby!  This week's post involves a potential love-in-the-lab situation which can do some mean matter-phase shifts.

Dear Labby,
My Master student came in this morning for the first time. He is a very smart and likeable guy from Frankfurt. We seemed to complement well with skills as he's well-trained in molecular biology while I am more into physics and chemistry. While doing some work on the bench, I noticed him standing really close to me. I didn't think of it as anything, but during our  break time he seemed to sit really close and our knees were hitting all the time. As he was about to leave, he gave me a quick hug. I am getting freaked out. Germans are supposed to be prim, proper, distant and all professional. What should I do?  

Distressed Biophysicist 

PS. I do admit that he's quite a hottie too!

Vrij(e)dag Friday! - Slow-Food Take-Away at L'Inizio

I had to do a double-take when I saw the clapboard sign outside the hole-in-the-wall along Parijsstraat.  Slow-food pasta dishes for take-away? Is that even possible?  But L'Inizio does all of that, and more.

This brave little establishment is a one-man enterprise, serving fresh pasta with made-from-scratch sauces (hence, the Slow Food philosophy) during the lunch-rush and the evenings--located right behind the Oude Markt, this place never runs out of student clients needing a bite of carbs with some good quality olive oil to tide over their Stella Artois binges.  During summertime, the chef actually sets up ONE tiny square table and two folding chairs in front of his counter, for lucky diners who want to enjoy the rare Flemish sun while taking forkfuls of spirelli alla puttanesca or rigatoni bolognese.

And since I was too tired this week to even bother cooking for myself, I picked up a serving (a very generous portion! I even brought the leftovers for lunch) of spirelli alla sasi. And I was rewarded with a good flavorful mix of fresh pesto, peperoncini, toasted pine nuts and grilled slivers of zucchini, with immoderate flakes of parmesan to top off the order.

When I was halfway through the pasta, I realized that I was full and I forgot to take a "before" photo of the food.  So here's the "leftovers" for the next day...

--
L'Inizio
Parijsstraat 39
3000 Leuven, Belgium
+32 16 202056

Lusus Naturae - Of Mussels and Men

From  privedesigngroup.

Eating mosselen met frieten (mussels with fries) is quintessentially Belgian, especially when done during mussel season (September to April), with mussels fished from the Zeeland region of The Netherlands (Belgium may have a coast, but its demand for mussels exceeds local supply).  But, could this hunger for Zeelandse mussels be whetted by some less-savory news about its freshwater cousin, the zebra mussel?

A news item from Spectroscopy Now talks about a proteomic study on freshwater mussels exposed to metabolites of illicit drugs found in waterways (think rivers, canals, etc.). One of the (unsurprising, but) interesting results is that these little critters suffer from oxidative stress and damage not just from the drugs themselves, but also from the metabolites of the drugs.  Researchers from Milan (Italy) and Cork (Ireland) demonstrated that zebra mussels are susceptible to oxidative stress upon exposure to benzoylecgonine, the primary metabolite of cocaine, which can be found from roughly 500 ng/L to 3 µg/L in water.

What could be the implications?  Culinary-wise, zebra mussels (although edible) are not usually eaten because these creatures accumulate a lot of undesirable things through filter feeding.  Think heavy metals, drug metabolites.  However, these mussels are not the only filter-feeders in the aquatic food web.  That is, there are other shellfish which may be also be vulnerable to such events (such as actual mussels used for mosselen met frieten, which grow in brackish coastal areas).  And by being such efficient bioaccumulators, predators (e.g., large gamefish) may also be affected by the "gift" of zebra mussels.

But I still look forward to digging into a casserole of mussels (certified clean by rigorous EU standards, at least!) sometime before April.

Leven in Leuven - Parenthesis

At home on a Monday because it's a university holiday. Will do some catch-up writing work on my antique secretariat with Jean-Luc Roshambo the nutcracker glaring at me.

The Grapevine Speaketh - January 30th

Day of the week: January 30th

Joke of the day: "Doubting Thomas": It had snowed a lot, and, on her way to work, Sanne saw an old road sign which said "closed road".  But the snow was cleared, and so she decided to take the same way. But a large snowbank rose before her, thus she chose to turn back...and when she passed by the road sign, she saw that behind it was "You see!"

Quote - Those who have good neighbors can sleep peacefully.

(I love the quote because I have neighbors who are such nuisance to the building. >_<;)

The Sartorial Scientist: Everyday Clothes for the Everyday Researcher

Miss J (one of my best gals and a talented geekette specializing in semiconductors) and I would sometimes have online conversations that do not entirely refer to our own research projects.  We would eventually end up talking about sartorial issues in the (lab) office and workbench because we're women.

She would always despair on a few things on that matter, pertaining to her labmates, with a matching facepalm and sweatdrop.  Because they would be in either of the two modes: fashionable skank, OR a recent-flood victim.  And I've seen a share of those two modes myself in other lab groups (not in mine, by golly!), with some variations (e.g., Just Got out of Bed in Pyjamas, A Rat in a Gym-Suit for Meetings, Sex, Lies and Lab Recorders).  These sightings got the collective The Sartorial Scientist a-thinking--what would be considered as proper "everyday clothes for an everyday researcher"?

Three Basic Groups to consider: Jeans, Sleeved Shirts/Tops, Sensible Shoes.  These are nice basic denim pants from C&A; shirts from C&A, H&M and Pimkie; and shoes from Deichmann

Dear Labby - Dealing with Lab Rage

Welcome to our weekly agony-column for confused (post)grad-students--Dear Labby!  This week's letter is about how we deal with pushy colleagues with a rage problem.

Dear Labby,
I think I'm going to go crazy. There's this one PhD student in the lab who demands a lot from other students but never contributes anything. She wants everything done her way and she doesn't communicate well (since her English is really terrible). One time I asked her for some help with the protein purification since she's supposed to manage the HPLC, but she says she has no time and locked her office door on my face. Another day, she came up to me for some network problems because I manage the lab network/computers/webpage and when I told her I had no time, she kept on bugging me every 5 minutes and shouted at me, telling me it was my job to fix these stuff.
I am totally going berserk, I want to slap her face and kick her ass.

Raged Geekette

Vrij(e)dag Friday! - That Egalitarian Vibe of dewerf

I have no clue why the owners specifically chose the theme, but hey, it works!  Egalitarianism just became hip and chic in dewerf, one of Leuven's cheap and cute watering-holes.  Where else can you find (in Leuven) a cafe where instead of napkins or paper serviettes, they just plonk down rolls of kitchen paper in tin pails?  Or use raw construction tools as decor?  Or even offer blankets to the most intrepid of diners who want to have their drinks outside in the cold winter air?


The proof is in the pudding, or dare I say, in its clientele--as Leuven is a student town, the expected customer base is composed of students...and on any given weekday, this little eatery / bed & breakfast is jam-packed with youngsters goofing-off unwinding after a day of lectures, huddled under blankets on the terrace, or in its cluttered-yet-cozy rooms while sipping do-it-yourself hot chocolate or nursing cold glasses of Belgian beer.

A brief perusal of the menu (printed on A4 bond paper, in a worn plastic folder) reveals simple classics.  Think student, think plebeian--sandwiches, salad wraps, pasta and a selection of desserts...none exceeding 10€.  Regulars often order the pastas and salads, but their bestsellers are the DIY hot chocolate drink and their dessert menu. A plus for the bio/organic hipster-fanatics out there--all of these items are bio-certified.

And on times that I'm able to drop by this place, it's the dessert menu that draws me back again and again.  That and their mug of lavender tea. Or just the experience of sitting outside in the evenings, wrapped in a blanket while inhaling the sweet aroma of milk and chocolate.

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dewerf
Hogeschoolplein 5  3000 Leuven, Belgium
+32 16 23 73 14