Silver lining... where are you

Well it has been nasty out and since I have been spending this month at Main Site it means more hop scotch and praying that next step isn't quite as slick as it could be. So far I have managed to navigate the puddles without incident but, I am sure that my chances to say that are dwindling.

Just a touch about work first and then on to the fun stuff.

The hydra to be slain as of late has been the laboratory inventory. It is an adjustment. I have been the technician before but, I only had to report to the dear Dr. Venkatraj to whom I was like a son and he gave me all of the responsibility that I ever asked for and then some. All I had to do was walk over to other end of the tunnel from the vet school to the basement of the Medical Sciences Library, walk into the lab supplies door and tell the fat guy behind the desk what I needed, signed my name and walked away with it. Needless to say it goes a bit differently here.

We have a new relationship with a vendor that requires that we put in the requisition to the administrative department eight weeks before we can expect to receive it assuming that there are no issues or hold ups at customs. A vivid contrast to the situation outlined in paragraph above. On top of that we have a staff that is prone to coming to us only when supplies have been 'finished' (this is now a four letter word, in my mind). So Kahler and I have notified all of the necessary powers that the inventory is so perilously stocked. Haven't taken any heavy blow just yet but, I have no doubt that IAVI will have a thing or two to say about it. What are they going to do? Fire me?

Enough of that. I did manage to squeak a little fun out of the week.

I got to meet some time with some fun folks at Mike and Lindy's game night last night (Friday night). There is a family that has just recently transferred to Zambia, Clay and Erin. Erin is an Aggie class of '97 and Clay... well he wasn't so blessed as to have been able to attend such a fine institution. I learned to play a card game called hand and foot which, it turns out, I am pretty terrible at. That is to say out of the three games that I play my partner and I came in third of three teams every time. Oh well

My loses weren't so bad as I decided, once I saw the way this thing was going for me to find another goal. This goal took the shape of teaching the oldest of Clay and Erin's four munchkins, a rascal named Bennett of, or around, age eight I think, the game. I was mostly successful but, I attribute that more to the brightness of the little fella than to my ability to teach. I had fun despite my competitive side being destroyed on the inside.

I heard from Dr. Martha Conkling, a great PhD contact from A&M. She is so wonderfully encouraging and heard that Dr. Allen would be around this week and offered the Stone's and I solace at her place while she stayed at the flats. I am so thankful for little texts and emails like hers. As it turns out we might just be taking her up on that offer come Feb 3-9.

Today was a busy day. There is a little bad news and a pretty cool experience that I need to share. I learned that I am on-call during one of the four day weekends that I was really hoping that I could do a little adventuring. This is a huge bummer but, on to that cool experience. I learned that I am kind of a celebrity to the Lusaka chemist.

So that first half is self explanatory and just pretty much sucks all around however, the second piece was pretty interesting and deserves a some detail.

I need to provide a little background first. Well, the lab has been trying to fumigate the IAVI site for a few weeks now and all is prepped but, despite several tries to send drivers to local chemists we had been unable to procure any formaldehyde, a critical piece to this process. Because we really wanted to get it done this weekend I decided to hop in the 'ol Toyota Condor and mosy down to the chemist myself and see what I could find.

I walked into the bustling shop and asked the first clerk I came to if they had any formaldehyde? He looked at me like I was nuts but, also excited because I was in the shop and pointed at another Indian (dots not feathers) across the sea of Zambians on the other side of the horseshoe-shaped shop that might now of this formaldehyde. I walked up to him and he, through a huge grin, motioned me to another man just next to him. I charged through the folks between myself and the man indicated and locked eyes with this guy.

He lit up and said, "So good to see you, brother!" I asked him about the chemical I was seeking and he promptly lifted the little divider and said "You, my friend come with me" grabbed my hand and we went behind the counter and into the pharmacy. Here another Indian (pumped that I was in his shop) gave me a hug and I dare say a kiss on the cheek. I asked him about what I was after and he said that he was not sure but I should look around and that my shop was his. I wandered around a bit and found my target a two and a half liter bottle of 37% formalin. I asked about the price and they said 35 pen (about seven dollars). Not sure if that is a good price or not here in Zambia. The thing I remember is how happy they all were to see me!

I had brought in my mug that Josh got me and they loved it! They were also psyched that I had a Dilmah tea bag tag hanging out of it (an Indian tea that is common over here). They saw me off with lots of smiles and exchanged information so I could ask them about anything that I needed.

All I can figure is that they thought I was someone else or maybe Brad Pitt (haha). It was pretty awesome and super humbling to be thought so highly of just because of where I am from.

There are a few more things that I will add here in a bit but, for now I am going to skype with Heather, other friends and family on this, your Saturday (my Friday). Hoping that this little post finds you all very well. Miss you a lot but, please know that I am well.