By yesterday I reached my threshold for caca del toro (bullshit) at the lab, stopped at Taco Bell for dinner, and then knocked out while watching CSI on Spike.  I finished the Nacho Supreme, Beef and Potato Burrito, and a Cheesy Gordita Crunch, then got cold enough to curl up in the blanket lying on the couch.  Perhaps out of a fat induced coma, the next few hours were spent coming in and out of consciousness until heading up to my room to call it a night.  Taco Bell probably played a part in my drowsiness, but all the stress from the lab and pressure to finish graduate school essays probably deserve the real credit for tapping out so early.

The same thing happened to another co-worker last night.  She was out like a light and refused to wake up even after her fiancee begged her to take a shower before officially going to bed.  Her answer to his pleas was to continue sleeping fully dressed.  I can definitely relate.  It could be that we spent the entire day trying to coordinate 18 plates for nine PCR machines between the two of us, make enough gels for our plates, and then proceed to check those 18 plates on those gels.  Feel free to throw in a rude PCR machine nazi that feels the need to remind anyone even looking at a machine that she is signed up for it until after 2 pm, along with finding an overdraft fee hanging out in my checking account, and you get a very, very crabby Jessica.

Fast forward to around nine this morning and the arrival of one of my co-workers trying to get my attention.  Generally she cracks me up because of all her weird remarks such as, “Let’s get this show on the boat!”, but other times it takes her forever to get her point across which drives me up a wall.  These conversations usually begin with, “Jessica!  Jessie Penny!” to get my attention and proceed as follows:

“What do you want?”

“RuuuudeATTiiitude…Jessie Penny!”

“You already said that.  What did you need?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Yes.  Hurry up.”

“Oh my gosh, so quick and rushed.  Are you sure?”

“Nope, time’s up.  No more questions.”

Fearing I would be interrupted from trying to make my assigned machine time, I instead continued making worksheets and gave an unsure answer when she asked if I had a minute.  “Uh, what do you need?”

“Do you have a minute?”

“Uh, not really.  Sorry, man.”

“What are you doing?”

Without turning around I answer, “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Makin’ worksheets.”

“Yep.  If you already knew, why’d you ask?  I can’t talk now ’cause I gotta finish this but I’ll come find you after I’m done.”

“Oooookaaaay.”

She leaves and a few minutes later an intern comes up to hand me a cute plant in a bright blue pot.

Immediately knowing it was why my co-worker had wanted my attention, I asked him where she went.  He said he didn’t know, so I set off to thank the person that suddenly made a week’s worth of stress and bad days bearable enough to come back and do it all over again tomorrow.  My little blue potted plant also taught me not to be so short with her, because maybe her dialogue filled distractions are hiding some much needed warm rays of green sunshine behind them.  Thank you. Thank you so, so much for the rays.