New job

It was two weeks ago today that I started my new job. Brad was very sweet and sent me flowers on my first day.
It has been going pretty well. I have been spending a lot of my time getting acquainted with the lab and building and getting a lot of paperwork filled out, as well as straightening out all my access issues.
I have also been busy reading journal articles and grants to better understand our lab's research focus. I had my first presentation at our lab journal club yesterday (it went very well!), and also talked to Yukiko about my specific project. I got my first vials of Drosophila (fruit flies-yes, just like those you see at home by the ripe bananas) yesterday to start my crosses! I need to wait for the next generation, though, which will take about ten days. I have also been learning and practicing some of the new techniques I will be using. Here is a phase-contrast picture from one of my first fruit fly dissections:

It is all very exciting, but also a little scary to start in such a different field from what what I worked on before. Everyone in my new lab has been very friendly and helpful, though, so that makes things much easier.