Lab, cleaning, new roommate

A couple of random moments...

Apparently Fairview Crescent does do cleaning checks, once every few months. We got a notice last week and they gave us a time period of three days in which they would come. We already keep our apartment really tidy, but we did all the cleaning the night before the first day and I forgot about it soon after. On the last day, the cleaning checker knocks on our door and wants to do his inspection. I am thinking to myself, "darn, our apartment has become messy in the last few days and we aren't going to pass". He walked through and came back to us, asking, "How long have you lived here? This is the cleanest apartment I have checked so far!" Ha! We would have totally failed if it was a BYU cleaning check, but at UBC we get the award for the cleanest!

We also got a new roommate. Her name is Layla (sp?) and she is very friendly and easy to talk. Somehow I won the roommate lottery here. However, she is taking a summer class and a few nights a week she has class from 7-10pm, which is the only time I am home.

I am learning so much in lab, particularly about working as a scientist and the logistics behind the lab. Dr. Hayden is so interesting in the way he runs his lab; he is extremely demanding and direct and tells everyone exactly what he thinks, which often isn't positive. If your presentation in lab meeting isn't good enough, he criticizes it and tells you that it is horrible in front of everyone. These lab meetings are much different from what I am used to because they are very animated and involved and often include arguments. For example, last lab meeting on Monday there was an argument over data for about 25 minutes, with people literally yelling at each other and Dr. Hayden actually encouraging it! I am learning a lot from Dr. Hayden; I don't think I would want to work in his lab permanently because he is often rude and harsh but at the same time his directness creates efficiency and productivity. It makes me wonder if it is possible to run such a successful lab in a more kind way, or do you have to be so outright and demanding to see good results? I would think that there is a better way.

(this is the view from my bedroom window)