Gustavo

As promised, here is the life story of a much loved pet fish named Gustavo.

Labor Day weekend, senior year of college, my roommate and I decided to get pet fish. So we went to PetCo, and we each got a beta fish. Angie named hers Bruce, and I named mine Gustavo.

Because our male beta fish were aggressive if they could see each other, one lived on the coffee table and one lived on the dining room table for their own safety.

Bruce had a short life, taking the trip down the toilet after only about a week with us.

Gustavo missed him, but soon had a new companion. Angie's boyfriend Tony stepped in and bought her a new fish, christened Bruce Lee.

Bruce Lee lasted several months before joining his predecessor Bruce.

After an appropriate mourning period, we welcomed Bruce Wayne into our household. He and Gustavo would be lifelong friends, despite spending the last year of their lives apart.

Upon graduation, Angie, Tony, and Bruce Wayne moved to the northwest, and Gustavo and I moved to Tucson.

For the 1500 mile journey, Gustavo's bowl was nestled into a 5 gallon bucket that sat between the bucket seats of the UHaul that my dad and I drove from St. Louis to Tucson. As it was July, it was quite hot, so every night Gustavo was snuck into the hotel. Gustavo and I were subject to quite a bit of ridicule from my father, but he was very tolerant when I insisted Gustavo come in with us.

Shortly after moving to the northwest, Angie and Tony got a pair of kittens, Cosmo and Dot. Alas, Bruce Wayne and his bowl had to move into a cupboard to be safe from the curious kittens.


All through the trials and tribulations of my first year of graduate school Gustavo was a faithful friend. When I went out of town my first semester he went over to my friend Dallas' apartment for a visit. Second semester, I left him in the care of my roommates.

In the middle of July, the summer after my first year, I noticed that Gustavo had become unusually lethargic. A few days later, on Angie's birthday actually, I came home from school to discover he had died during the day.

When my roommate Lisa got home, she instantly knew something was wrong. She kindly agreed to flush Gustavo up to heaven, as I was too squeamish to do it myself.

Bruce Wayne did not long outlive Gustavo, dying just a couple weeks later. (Actually, neither Angie or I quite remember when Bruce Wayne died. I only remember it was the same month as Gustavo, but it sounds better this way.)

And that, is the story of Gustavo the fish and his friends Bruce, Bruce Lee, and Bruce Wayne.

Like in a Movie

Last night I'm happily chilling on the couch watching the season premier of Project Runway, when I get a Gchat message from Sugar Pants.

Sugar Pants: anne

you there?

me: yes

what's up?

Sugar Pants: I did a boo boo [At this point I'm thinking he's in lab and messed up an instrument somehow.]

i locked myself in my garage

me: hahahahahahhaha

Sugar Pants: i know i know

can you come save me?

the front door is unlocked

me: haha ok

i'll be there in a few minutes

Sugar Pants: thanks

He recently bought a house, and has been doing some work on it in the evenings before he actually moves in. Apparently last night was the night to disassemble the built in cabinets in the garage (you know, so you could actually put a car in it) and install a lock on the door between the garage and the house.

About 10 minutes later I pull up to Sugar Pants' house just as his neighbor is pulling into her garage, which is immediately adjacent. I go through the house and open the door to the garage. He's sitting on the floor out of view, so I step into the garage. Before I know it, the door has swung shut behind me.

Yes. Yes, that's exactly what happened. I went over to free Sugar Pants from his garage and got locked in there with him. Go ahead and laugh. I know it's funny.

I told him his neighbor pulled in when I did. So he pounded the wall and yelled, but she'd already gone inside. He asks if I have my phone to call Dallas. My phone is in the car... (Next time I'll take my phone with me before freeing somebody from a locked room.) He doesn't have his phone either, the key to the newly installed lock is on the other side of the door, and the garage door is padlocked from the outside.

Sugar Pants has his laptop, but the battery is quickly dying. E is on Gchat still, but not answering. He asks if I know her number - I don't (Actually, since my parents phone number changed when they moved, the ONLY numbers I have memorized are my cell phone, my office, and my grandparents'.). He knows his girlfriend's number, but she lives in Pheonix. He uses Google's call feature, and calls twice before she picks up. After explaining our predicament, and some totally justified laughing on her part, she agrees to call Dallas.

After another uncomfortably hot and humid 15 minutes in the garage (seriously, why won't it just monsoon already!), Dallas arrived with his girlfriend to laugh at us. Before actually letting us out, he tried to convince us that the front door was locked, so he couldn't get in to open the door. After we called BS about 8 times he let us out.

There's a key to that lock hidden in the garage now.

Introducing Leopold

Me: hi

Little Sister: HI

i'm legit

about to go to bed

BUT

i'll fill you in

i got a new fish!

Me: hahahahahaha

congratulations

did [friend] get one too?

Little Sister: yes

betas

hers is garfunkel

mine is leopold

Me: hahaha

nice

my fish was gustavo [I'll have to tell you all about Gustavo another time.]

Little Sister: but dad hasn't met him yet

i left him on the counter

with a sticky note

that says meet the newest addition to the family - leopold! hes the most handsome beta around

mom came home like 20 min ago

and i was sitting in a chair next to the counter talking to him

i love him

my little fishy

Me: oh my goodness

Little Sister: mom thinks im gonna give him a complex

bc [other friend] told me its a girl

but i dont want a girl fish

so im gonna pretend its a boy

but i told her i want to laminate a prince harry and put him in his fish bowl so he can have company and bc its prince harry

and hes beautiful

and mom reminded me its a boy

she really thinks im gonna give him a complex

and the stones at the bottom of his fish bowl are bright pink

like breast cancer pink

Me: actually i think they generally sell boy beta fish because the girl beta fish aren't pretty colors

Little Sister: oh ok good

i think its a boy too

bc it made a bubble nest

and only the boys make those

Me: what the heck is bubble nest?

Little Sister: its what they do

when they prepare to mate

it means they're really happy!

my fish is happy!

because he loves me

OK WEELL

going to bed

byee

Me: goodnight

Sugar Pants' Birthday

Yesterday was my labmate's birthday - we'll call him Sugar Pants for this conversation - and he requested German chocolate cake. So E and I made him a cake - using this recipe from Annie's Eats (a fantastic cooking blog with all sorts of delicious looking stuff, including, but not limited to super fun cupcakes).

It's two layers of cake, cut into four, where each layer is covered with rum syrup followed by a coconut and pecan filling. The sides are then coated with ganache.

Apparently it was so delicious that my other labmate, Slim, decided he wants this cake for his birthday, too...which isn't until January.

Happy birthday Sugar Pants!

Quote of the Day

A friend/labmate, upon tasting his beer:

It tastes like they poured church wine into PBR.

Yeah, right!

I just got the following email:

Thank you for making an oral presentation at the 2011 ASMS Conference. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of your oral presentation webcast recording, please fill out the attached form and return it to me.

Thank you,

Joe Schmoe
ASMS Office

Ha! Fat chance! There is no way in hell I'm paying $20 to have a copy of me giving a talk! Giving it was torturous enough the first time, I certainly don't ever want to listen to it again!

What are the odds?