Monday, October 26, 2009

Am I insane?!

Okay, the answer to that question is, and probably always will be, 'Oh hell, yes!'.

So let me rephrase - I have a somewhat insane idea, and I'm not sure if I should go through with it or not.

My main weakness as a scientist is my lack of background knowledge (okay, that, and staying up to date with my lab book. Let's never mention that again). I don't read the literature. Firstly, because I'm spending so much time doing the actual lab work, which my boss, understandably, considers far more important than reading papers. Secondly, because it's boring. I mean, the science itself, the moment where you go 'So THAT's how it works!' and are all impressed by how the other people worked it out, is incredibly cool. But the language we're expected to use to convey this discovery beats all the excitement out of it with a crowbar made of Boring.

But, really, I have no excuse. It would only take an hour to get through a paper properly. Two if I happen to write a little bit on it. Like a mini review/explanation, basically all the fun stuff. On a blog. Say, once a week.

So that's my idea - to do a Papers Cannonball, alongside the book one. Would anybody be remotely interested in that? I'll try to write in layman's terms, and explain how/why it's exciting. It would help me out, and maybe if I think somebody is reading my 'review' (even if they're not!) I'll be more inclined to yanno, do that part of my job. Instead of just the parts that involve cutting out organs or dousing mice in cigarette smoke.

4 comments:

  1. I, for one, would love to read about sciencey stuff that has been translated to a less skull bashingly boring state. I get to read legislation on a daily basis so I can relate to the zzzzzzzzzzzz factor.

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  2. you are too cute! i'll read whatever you post, even if it's super boring and makes my brain hurt. just write what you know, and me and my straight-boy posse will goo-goo over every word. (let me know if they don't and i'll speak with them, i've got the goods on most of them. that canadian above in particular)

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  3. Holy crap, legislation? All day? How the hell do you do it, Admin? No wonder you established StabbyMart.
    gp, I know I don't deserve to be goo-goo'd over by you, but that won't stop me from loving every second of it!

    I'll do my very best not to be boring. Just do me a favour and let me know if I'm making no sense, or talking down to you, or something, 'kay?
    Anything in particular you guys are interested in? My work is in lung disease, inflammation and mouse models, so that's probably what I'll do a lot on, but even I'm going to find that boring after a while, and I'm weird and obsessive.

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  4. Miss Geek, I don't care what you write about. I just want a humourous science boner.

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