Updates from Nebraska

Here are some things I've been doing!

Eating!

I don't really like the blogs where ordinary people (who are not chefs or fancy cooking people) post pictures of food and are all, "Look what I made!"

But! I went to a farmer's market, like an adult. And then to a store where they sell food other than cookies! And I made a meal that didn't involve frozen things.

So, LOOK WHAT I MADE!

LOOK AT IT! I'll know if you don't!

Lettuce, radishes, & carrots from the farmer's market. Apple-gouda chicken sausages in red sauce. Bread from a legit bakery. Mexican Coca-Cola with real sugar from the Spanish half of this little grocery store I found.

And, because I also love stores where they ONLY sell cookies, here are some cookies I bought to take to work tomorrow!

Orange Kool-Aid chocolate chip cookies from Eileen's Colossal Cookies

I guess Kool-Aid is really important around here, because it was invented in Hastings in 1927. They have a big celebration in August called Kool-Aid Days, and I'm pretty sure the elementary schools do plays about the birth of Kool-Aid, where small children fight over who gets to play Edwin Perkins and who gets to be the Kool-Aid guy/jug/thing.

Hastings, I am your father. OHH YEAAHH.

Anyway, the cookies are AMAZING. They taste like the sweet, delicious love-child of an orange creamsicle and a chocolate-chip cookie.


And, because I love carbs, Back Alley Bakery is pretty much my favorite place ever.

Bleu cheese bread (aka, "I WANT TO EAT ALL OF THIS")

Toasted 5 Seed (aka, "I could honestly eat it for every meal. Or just all the time without even stopping.")

Why would I get fat?

It's cool. I work out.

Also, while we're talking about food (and, to be honest, when am I not talking about food?), here is a picture of the Ethiopian food I shared with Eric when we were having a Kansas City adventure in May:

The injera bread looks picked-at because I was like, "NOM BREAD I LOVE BREAD," and Eric was like, "I'm trying to take a picture!", and I was like, "OMNOMNOM."

Here is some other Nebraska stuff!

This is what I see from my car!

Sometimes, this is what I see from my car!

Because in Nebraska, rain falls upwards. And sideways. Because that makes sense, right?

I have been following a vet around after work! I saw some yeast from a dog's ear:

This yeast is not in the ear. It's under a microscope!

I played with a kitten!

Yes you are the cutest thing ever, aren't you?

"Yes, I am!"

I made these:

Because this is what was on tv:

Oh, Nebraska!

I also did some laundry.

I am this classy and I don't care who knows it.

I have been doing work and stuff, too!

I drew blood from some heifers!

Isolating monocytes from the blood:

Cellz N Da Hood

I practiced all kinds of tests! I've counted cells with a hemacytometer, used a Cytospin to prepare slides, grown cells in flasks with liquid media, isolated monocytes, processed blood serum, and SO MUCH MORE! This is my first cELISA test:

Different day; same shirt

I am also allowed to use a microscope with a digital camera attached. Clearly, my affinity for the microscope was underestimated. THE POWER!

Neutrophils. BAM!

Fuzzy eosinophil! BAM!

Monocytes! BAM!

Cells that look like Mickey Mouse! BAM!

THE MICROSCOPIC WORLD IS MINE TO CONQUER!

Anyway, in case you didn't read this and just skimmed to the bottom, or in case I wasn't clear enough, I love my job! I love my supervisors! I love microscopes! I love food! I love immunology! I love animals! I love learning things! I love my summer!