Working for the Weekend

For most people, this week was the Week of Work.

Now, this is not to say we haven't been working prior to this week, but since this coming week is Innovative Learning Week, most assignments were due now. My workload wasn't too bad — just a 1200 word paper (4-5 pages) for celtic civilisation and a genetics assignment, but it was enough to make the week uneventful. I have no classes next week, and my flatmates have dubbed it Innovative Baking Week, so many delicious things shall be made (including Milwaukee Butterhorns. For sure.).

For bio, one of the questions asked us to determine 'whodunnit' by looking at DNA samples. I had a little too much fun concocting an answer... It's student-graded though, so hopefully someone will enjoy it. Here was the question:

A man was found murdered in his dining room and a blood-stained candlestick was found next to his body. The dead man was known to have a turbulent domestic environment with several recorded episodes of violent disagreement within his home. As well as the dead man’s DNA, additional DNA was recovered from hairs, which were found on the candlestick, and from skin cells under the murdered man’s fingernails. The results of PCR analysis of this material, together with the PCR analysis of DNA from the dead man’s wife and two other suspects, are shown in Figure 3. 

We had a figure showing the DNA of the man, wife, hair, skin cell, and two suspects so the relationships between them all could be deduced. Here's the story I came up with to match the evidence:

The skin cell belongs to the daughter of suspect 1 and the dead man’s wife. Suspect two is the daughter of the dead man and the dead man’s wife. Suspect two and the owner of the skin cell are half-sisters. The hair on the candlestick belongs to suspect one. 

It was a dark, stormy night at the Smith household. John and Susan Smith were eating dinner with their two daughters, Shelley ‘Skin-cell’ Smith and Belinda Smith, along with their mailman and neighbour Rupert. Their power had gone out due to the storm, so they were dining by candlelight around a nice cosy table. Almost too cosy, in fact, with Susan seated next to Rupert, across from John. John had been having suspicions for weeks. I mean, surely there was only so much mis-delivered mail that had to be personally returned to Rupert’s house for resending... right? John had tried to convince himself that Rupert was merely horrible at his job, but that thought can comfort for only so long. Something had to be done. 

With this resolution made, John confronted Rupert. Rupert acknowledged that Shelley was his daughter instead of John’s. John had always been an angry person, so he thrashed out at Rupert with the candlestick, hitting him on the head. The room was thrown into darkness as their only candle was extinguished. Shelley was shocked to see her newfound father hurt, and ran across the table at John. John tried to stop her, reaching out with his hands to push her away. John’s wife just looked on in horror. These acts of violence pushed Belinda over the edge. Belinda couldn’t handle seeing her father strike down the mailman, and likely soon her sister. She needed to stop all the fighting. She reached for the candlestick, and tried to hit John away from Shelley, but due to the darkness miscalculated and hit too hard. (Blood sample analysis from the candlestick would serve as better evidence for what actually took place.)    

Murder mysteries aside, the weather has been beautiful the past two days. I've been able to wear sunglasses for two days IN A ROW, an amazing feat for Edinburgh. This weekend I've heard it's supposed to get into the 50's, so I've made plans to to go the farmer's market tomorrow morning and then walk in Holyrood park and around the river to enjoy some sunshine. Earlier this week, on Wednesday, I went to the Harry Potter Society with Yvonne and her mom, who is visiting from Madison, WI. The society was doing a Care of Magical Creatures quiz, which was crazily difficult. The four houses competed against each other. Apparently the week before a quiz, some houses divide up the books for people to STUDY sections in preparation! Also, this past Tuesday was national pancake day (also known as Shrove Tuesday) so I enjoyed some delicious pancakes + Nutella with friends.

Next week I'm hopefully climbing Arthur's Seat, finally. And baking, of course. I'm also hopefully getting a guitar today!

update: I HAVE MUSIC NOW.