Like love and war, timing is important for protein purification (okay I didn't really come up with this analogy. It was actually from my biochemistry textbook when it talks about the expression of lambda phage genes). First you have to induce the cells at the right time so that it can express the proteins optimally. Then when you extract the protein you have to do it quick so to maintain the stability of the proteins. Then after protein purification you cannot let it sit for long otherwise strange things will happen. I think proteins are really capable of anything, both good and bad. Nothing is impossible for them. And they are like little kids. You have to treat them gently and make them happy, or they will do terrible things. This makes me love and hate them at the same time. Like my supervisor said, proteins are little bastards.

So this is probably the only weekend I'm not going anywhere. I kind of long for train-rides though, and the weather is pretty. I miss the bustling train stations filled with travelers. But I seriously need to get my Fulbright essays done this weekend. It's like now or never.