Corn cob holders anyone?

So what have I been doing at work lately? I have been shelling corn. yes, corn. To pay for grad school and research expenses I had to keep my job as a research tech working in a plant molecular genetics lab. the lab plants specific maize plants with specific genes of interest during the spring and summer months. next week we have to plant and since it is spring break many of the undergraduates are gone. the only people here are myself and one of my co-workers (who is also a grad student). the only thing, we are both part-timers because of school and work. we have a lot of corn to shell. so what do i do? i have specific corn cobs (corn ears) in which the seeds must be removed, counted, and placed into a labeled envelope. doesn't sound hard right. it isn't. it's just boring. it also gets tedious when you have several different seed colors involved and they have to be separated. my eyes are red from seed strain. i am going home for a quick dinner and i am coming back and staying in the lab late. i will see how much more i can do. after all i have been waking up at 5am and was out doing my own research in the early hours.
some corn ears are fine, others have hundreds of seeds, but the worse ones are the ones like the picture. they are covered in mold. after removing the seeds and counting my hands are a greenish-black.gross.

Sleepy at work

Yesterday I had fun in the afternoon. Went out to the field at 6am (waking up at 5am will be the norm for now on), hurried to seminar, then went "people watching" with an undergrad that works in my lab. We are coffee/people watching buddies. It's fun just sitting around watching people pass by and catch up on life. Got home and had to leave to help out the local shelter during their time of crisis. I was super tired by the time I got home.
Today I worked from home in the morning so I could be with the kids. Played fetch with Hoju. Maggie laid in the sun. Mindy played tug-o-war with me. Barney joined in. And Kodos practiced his guard dog run and growl move. i didn't know he had to practice, but I guess he feels he can better. Called my mom, went to work to do other stuff. Currently at work and I need coffee ASAP before I fall asleep. Can't wait to get home to my kids again. Now that it's warming up Maggie is using the kiddie pool more. I will post pictures of her splashing around. She is a big goober puppy and knows it. She is beautiful, inside and out...like all her other siblings.
I am pretty sure a cot would fit in my office. I will have to look into that.

Puffy dogs

Yesterday we had to take Mindy to the vet. She jumped into bed and Ruben noticed she looked funny (not in a good way). Her eyes were so puffy that they were closing and her muzzle looked the arms of inflatable furniture. She had either eaten or had gotten bit by a bug and was having an allergic reaction. Off to the vet she went to get anti-inflammatory shots. By mid day her swelling was gone and she slept for the rest of the day.
This morning Ruben, myself, and a student I am helping with a project all went out to my field plots to place my bee sticks. How many did we put out today...about 300! Tomorrow we have another 400 to place. I love this time of the year. my field season.

Working hard for the money

There was a small celebration at my lab today for one of the students in our lab. He is the same student who has been working with me for the past 2 years and I was with him at his poster session yesterday. These are the main people I work with and whom I love being around. This has to be the best lab to work in. Everyone is nice and we all joke around. It's great. And I couldn't believe that Troy (student, also wearing the sweater vest) actually listened to me and wore a sweater vest. Congrats to him on his award!

Confused dogs & grad student life

Why do you have to study mom? What about just staying home all day and playing fetch with me?
Tuesday was another good day. It was a long day for me. I had to stand with one of the students who works in the lab with me by his poster in the morning, then it was class all afternoon. I got home later that evening and nothing was destroyed. I was bad however...I didn't take Kids out for a walk. I have a lot of reading and studying for an exam I have next week. And I am still drying and drilling away at sticks for my artificial bee nests.
This was my rockin' night last night. Yes, I know it's just too nerdy but who cares.
So when is dad coming home?? tomorrow Kodos.