Despite being completely, physically, exhausted this weekend, I managed to get some time in my garage lab. Richard came by and kept me company for a bit while working the experiment. It was fun to set things up, work and have time to chat too. While Richard was with me, I took note on how his visit impacts actually working experiments. Specifically, I made note on the types of distractions his company created. This is not a bad thing, and contrarily, it gave me an opportunity to note what things to pay attention to when I have one or two teenagers working experiments.

For example, goggles and aprons are a must. I need to be habitual about insisting both are worn when the garage is in ‘lab mode’. No exceptions. Saturday was a beautiful day, 75° F (24° C), sunny and almost no breeze, so I had my garage wide open. Richard, who lives a few houses away, walked right in and joined me. I need to set a mental alarm for when that happens. Enter the garage – put on goggles, etc.

Also, keeping a good lab notebook is harder when you are in a conversation. Keeping a lab notebook is more important, so, “excuse me for a moment, I need to write this down”, should be a stock phrase.

I think I am getting better and at working experiments too. I hoped and expected this. It makes sense that efficiency comes with practice. I am making note of the little things I need to have on hand for each lab and particularly how long each lab takes to complete. This will be helpful when I start having people share my lab with me; a day which is fast approaching. As I note and address these peculiarities, I spend less time adjusting and more time working.