Pretty Good Weekend

[persephone_kore]

I went to see my parents and mess with the bees. They seem to be doing well -- not filling up both supers we gave them, so we consolidated into one, but then we are giving them foundation rather than drawn comb up there, since I don't actually have an extractor and have accordingly been harvesting as comb honey. We did take a couple of frames from them, and it looks like there should be a few more coming. Two isolated cells have pink honey -- or at any rate honey that is distinctly reddish by comparison to the rest. It's very pretty.

I also joined, or applied to join, the Biochemical Society, admittedly for entirely mercenary reasons -- my PI and I want to go to the RNA conference in Edinburgh, and the cost of membership (at least for me) is less than the amount of the resulting discount on the registration fee, as well as making me eligible for a student travel grant.

Irritatingly, however, attendance is by application -- apparently they're going to review everybody who registers and decide how many they can take and which ones. Which is all well and good, except that they just started registration and will not be announcing who got in until after November 4, by which time it will probably be much more expensive to get flight and hotel reservations. Sigh. Well, maybe there will be some way to get an estimate on the probability ahead of time... Maybe if I submit my poster abstract and they like it I'll have a better chance.

And on a completely different note, I have ordered a neti pot. (This after improvising with a funnel and measuring pitcher -- I had some success but entirely too much spilling.) Actually I bought two, in case anybody in my vicinity decides to take it up, in which case we'll have saved on shipping. I suspect I could have bought one locally, but all the places I tried calling said they didn't carry them. Probably vacuuming more often would be the place to start, though.

Comments

[sannalim.livejournal.com]

And on a completely different note, I have ordered a neti pot. (This after improvising with a funnel and measuring pitcher -- I had some success but entirely too much spilling.) Actually I bought two, in case anybody in my vicinity decides to take it up, in which case we'll have saved on shipping. I suspect I could have bought one locally, but all the places I tried calling said they didn't carry them. Probably vacuuming more often would be the place to start, though.

I'm confused....

I hope you get accepted for the conference in Edinburgh. I'm jealous just that you can apply for it :)

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

I'm confused....

Oh dear. I suppose that did look rather cryptic.

A neti pot is sort of like a watering pot/can for the nose. Really. The practice of washing out the nose with salt water (to prevent colds/clear up the sinuses/just clean up) seems to have developed independently in multiple places, but the practitioners of yoga seem to have come up with the easiest way of doing so with minimal risk of actually breathing it or otherwise choking yourself. The beginner's version involves tilting your head sideways and pouring warm salt water in one nostril and out the other (and then the other way).

I was first introduced to the notion a couple of years ago when drharper posted that since she'd been prescribing nasal irrigation to patients with sinus infections (on the grounds of a study showing this was as effective or more so than antibiotics), she figured when she got a bad cold that she should put her money (and nose) where her mouth was and try it herself. I was recently reminded of it by somebody else's post. The whole thing still sounded really strange, but I remembered my mother claiming it was good for your sinuses to get smacked in the face with a wave while swimming in the ocean, and I have had some annoying sinus headaches lately -- the kind that are either bad enough all at once or low-level but just persistent enough to make the idea of being able to wash things out seem appealing.

Of course, what I'd forgotten about drharper's post was that she hated it, though she was pleased with the results by the next day. It wasn't actually all that uncomfortable when I tried it -- I suspect that it would be rather more disgusting with major congestion, though. (It also didn't seem to do much good, but I'm not sure it's a fair trial if you spill half the water.)

The vacuuming is of course relevant as another method of reducing dust and general crud in the respiratory system. ;) I recently bought a new vacuum because the one we'd been using was wimpy and not really designed for carpet, so that should also be good if used diligently.

I hope you get accepted for the conference in Edinburgh. I'm jealous just that you can apply for it :)

It does sound like lots of fun. :) Though how attentive I'd manage to be at the first few talks -- which will basically be at 4:30 in the morning from my perspective -- is perhaps a little shaky. ;) Thanks!

[karet.livejournal.com]

Can you make reservations now and cancel if you don't get to go? Good luck either way (:

What do you suppose they made the pink honey out of?

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

We might be able to, but there would probably be a fee to cancel, and the places might or might not kick up a fuss. I shall be talking to my PI about possibilities this afternoon.

I shall have to get a passport, too. Eep!

I have no idea about the pink honey, but apparently there wasn't very much of it.

[dreagoddess.livejournal.com]

I'm SO jealous. Edinburgh is one of my absolute favorite cities in the world. Think I could fly out and join you? :D Good luck!!!

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :) I somehow don't think I'm going to see a lot of the city, though...

[dreagoddess.livejournal.com]

Probably not, which is why I need to go with you. I'll take lots of pictures and do your souvenier shopping. ;)

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

Hey, if you can get away... ;) Don't think I could get the lab to pay for you, though.

[dreagoddess.livejournal.com]

What, "co-writer and official souvenier buyer" isn't on the list of approved equipment? :)

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

Strangely, it doesn't seem to be.

[rexlapinii.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Edinburgh. Nifty town. Hope you get to go. :)

And I still say that nose-water thing is freaky.

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

I hope so too and yes it is.