Worried

I have been working at a steady pace for over three months just trying to get good data for my master's thesis defense (qualifying exams).  Things were starting to go really well for the past two weeks... only three runs to go... now those three runs the things that complete my puzzle are all messed up.  I have run similar runs before so I know what to expect, but for some reason this is just not working any more it is not right, doesn't support my theory...doesn't fit with all the trends I have seen... I have only today left on my instrument before I have to give up on getting data and just focus on writing the paper, but that means I have to troubleshoot on the fly.  I am first testing to see if my proteins are bad... if that is all then I at least have a reason for the bad data.  If that isn't it I don't know what to do... I don't even know where to start over to analyze the problem.  I usually love troubleshooting and learning from the process, but when there is this huge looming deadline in place I don't get to tinker I just have to bust things out and it takes away all the fun!  I also like to be able to adapt a theory to the data, and all my other data has supported this theory and I have run some of these samples before (multiple times) and gotten the results I was expecting to get again today..but alas not today when I need them the most.

 

I am on the verge of tears as I prep the next set of samples hoping that this will fix my problems and I will be able to stick on three more runs and be done with it.  But three more runs means at least 6 more hours... means that I will be here all night... I will miss the dinner and celebration of a friend finishing his bar exam... three more runs means more time away from my fiance and more time away from my cute little puppy... but it might mean an easier write-up and a better presentation.  Oh the delimas I face - throw in the towel or grin and bear it... I will continue to grin-and-bear it.