Quiet Pre-Holiday Week

Sunday, December 14

154.9 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Rest (5/6)

My neck felt a bit tight today, so I skipped yoga and did light stretching at home. I wrote a blog and relaxed while planning my Christmas trip to New York. Time there will be short, so I tried to pack in the must-see spots. It still needs edits, but Christmas in New York already feels exciting.

Monday, December 15

154.6 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (1/6)

My neck was not perfect, so I did a morning run on the gym treadmill. After the group meeting I uploaded my progress report. Wet-lab work still feels like there is a lot to optimize. I am relearning protein prep with a Korean postdoc in the DeGrado lab, which is great, but optimizing a different protocol in the Shokat lab requires many careful details. I hope to do a test run soon🙏

Tuesday, December 16

154.5 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (2/6)

My neck improved, so after running I added light weights. In the past I would push through even when something felt off. Now I stop when it does not feel right. The building is very quiet😛 this week since many people left for the holidays. I have a meeting with Kevan tomorrow, so I organized the discussion points and sent a pre-meeting note. Writing notes before and after meetings takes effort, but it really helps with tracking. I also started an Excel sheet listing all reagents I use with location, volume, vendor, and specs. It is already very helpful. I linked data sources on a separate tab to keep everything organized.

Wednesday, December 17

154.2 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (3/6)

I am easing back into workouts without pushing to failure. I had a meeting with Kevan and then the Shokat lab group meeting, so the day was busy. I am grateful that Kevan gives strong support and encourages me to request quotes for any reagent or instrument we need. I ordered the essentials for the new protocol, so I can start as soon as they arrive. I continue to learn the DeGrado lab protein prep method from the Korean postdoc.

Thursday, December 18

154.1 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (4/6)

I wrapped a simple experiment, then studied which assays best fit my thesis project. I also chose my paper for next month’s Journal Club and started reviewing one key concept. Skipping streaking, colony picking, and sequencing in protein prep is very innovative. I want to understand it thoroughly so I can apply it to my project and give an inspiring talk for the QBC program!

Friday, December 19

153.5 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (5/6)

By evening, I finished a major chunk of work with the Korean postdoc in DeGrado. I feel I learned well and can handle other proteins on my own. I even saw some decent results, which is motivating. Reagents for the other protocol are on the way, although a few will be delayed until January due to the holiday, so I will target a mid-January start. After work, I went to Costco and bought a variety of foods to keep my diet sustainable: ready-to-eat brisket, new cheeses, frozen fruit, cooked turkey, and more. Before going to bed, I made a phone call with my friend in Korea. He always takes care of me, and listening to his story in grad school is always pleasing. He will be going through a lot of changes in 2026, and I hope he will adjust quickly to the new environment.

Saturday, December 20

152.9 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (6/6)

It rained steadily, but I still managed to make it to the library and go for an evening run. With the trip approaching, I felt excited and couldn’t stay long at the library😅, so I did more trip preparation at home. I cleaned, did laundry, and read my Journal Club paper at a steady pace. I am ready for next week!