I need to learn.

As all graduate students know all too well, you not only attain a Ph.D. by becoming an expert in your sliver of the scientific universe, but by being obviously well-read in the literature of your general field as well. As an organic chemist, I am currently working on a project that does not allow much diversity in the way of synthesis, but I fully intend to leave this place with a more comprehensive and intuitive ability to predict reaction outcomes, more named reactions under my belt, and understanding of combinatorial and solid-phase synthetic techniques. None of that can I really pay much attention to during the work day, so in my *copious* free time, I will learn them here, and if you care to, you can learn too. I also dig science news, not only because sometimes it's really cool shit, but also because it helps me hang on by that little string by reminding me of the greater picture, so I'd like to learn more about "science" as well. This blog is my ticket to NOT remaining a one-trick pony.