Author: Steen

Steen is a nerdy biologist who spends a lot of time trying to cultivate Chloroflexi, who also likes to draw comics, play video games, and climb.

All Worlds Fair

On February 22nd, 2013 I went to the All Worlds Fair in San Francisco’s Old Mint building as a part of Group Aichi (the first group). It was a wonderful night put together by a lot of talented people, so I am grateful that I got to go.

After waiting in line, everybody was herded into a tarp enclosure and given time to fill out a battery of forms which were promptly ignored and shredded.

Ironic bureaucracy: is it just as harmful as REAL bureaucracy? Filling out forms in Mint Plaza.

We were given an hour on floor 1, and then an hour on floor 2. The floor 1 exhibits were all interactive art exhibits which the attendees were expected to participate in, whereas the floor 2 exhibits were all performances which the attendees would passively watch.

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The doors are closing; please stand clear of the doors.

I got sick of driving, so I’ve been taking public transit to work every day. BART train to Ferry Building, ferry to Marin (and vice-versa). The best part about this change is that now I get to have BART adventures like everybody else in San Francisco.

I can has BART adventures?

One of the Buddhist monks from the monastery on 22nd and Capp was sitting down on the seat in front of me. She was small, with a shaved head and robes. I was standing, packed into the train car, next to a tall man with long hair.

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The Dangers of Phase Contrast Microscopy

“Every time that the person before me left the scope in phase 3, and I forgot to check.”

This honestly happens to me far too frequently, you’d think I would learn to avoid it or something. I’m just going to say that I get so excited to see my little bacteria under the scope, that I can’t help myself and shove my eyes into the eyepieces as fast as possible. I mean, some of these guys have week-long doubling times!