Category: Fun

Labsgiving 6.0

Looks like we forgot to share Labsgiving 4.0 (2020, aka Labsgiving: COVID Edition- Outdoors, with all items individually packaged and no serving utensils) and Labsgiving 5.0 (2021, back to normal!), but rest assured we have not foresaken our annual tradition. Recently, we celebrated Labsgiving 6.0 (aka 2022 Edition).

As in years past, we were again warmly welcomed by some custom artwork.

The turkey looked (and tasted!) delicious

We had a special turkey-shaped butter decoration, which was promptly beheaded.

So many desserts!
(But, let’s be honest, that’s the real reason we were there.)

Including cupcakes that were almost too pretty to eat (almost…)

We were entertained with science fair projects…

And a show! 

HAPPY LABSGIVING!

Halloween 2022

We confess, Halloween kind of snuck up on us this year. But, rest assured, we still did a group costume and it was just as amazing as you have come to expect from us. We did The Good Place!

From left to right (click photos to enlarge):

  • Matt dressed up as Michael, the architect of the neighborhood. He was rocking a 3 piece suit with a matching bowtie and pocket square
  • Steph went as Best Person Eleanor complete with shrimp in her bra
  • Sam was ‘regular’ Eleanor with a flannel shirt and skinny jeans
  • Jacob dressed up as Mental Breakdown Chidi, complete with M&Ms (but sadly no peeps)
  • Zack dressed up as Chidi and even brought his own Ethics book
  • Margaret made an excellent Janet, cactus and all!
  • Ricky nailed the Jason Mendoza look – tracksuit and gold chains. But he did not take advantage of the opportunity to bring jalapeno poppers

The in-character photo!

The whole BME-BPC Crew: TORL as The Good Place, Brown Lab as favorite condiment, Greenbaum lab went with black t-shirts printed with their own microscopy images, and Freytes Lab went as ghosts

For previous Halloweens, check out this post

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Mini Golf Returns!

Thanks to the easing of COVID restrictions, we felt that it was time to return to the annual TORL Mini Golf Competition™!  This was our fifth year of competition (technically spread over 7 years, but still). We all had one goal: bring down Matt!

Lewis watches on while Danielle plans her shot
Lewis watches on while Danielle plans her shot
Lewis watches on while Danielle plans her shot
Ricky plans his next shot while Steph chases her ball
Ricky plans his next shot while Steph chases her ball
Ricky plans his next shot while Steph chases her ball
Danielle managed to defy the laws of physics by having her ball stop right on the very top of the donut-shaped hill surrounding the hole.
Danielle managed to defy the laws of physics by having her ball stop right on the very top of the donut-shaped hill surrounding the hole.
Danielle managed to defy the laws of physics by having her ball stop right on the very top of the donut-shaped hill surrounding the hole.

We proposed that scores would be averaged across everyone with shared DNA. It seemed more than fair. Steph’s score would be averaged with… no one. Zack’s score would be averaged with… no one. Jacob and Lewis and Ricky and everyone else? Also averaged with no one. Matt’s score, however, would be averaged with his kids (who joined for the outing). Really, who can argue with that fairness? According to these new rules, Matt’s score was 57 which put him squarely in the middle of the pack.

One of Matt’s two handicaps
One of Matt’s two handicaps
One of Matt’s two handicaps

But, alas, by the old rules, Matt won again. We didn’t even take a picture this year because, really, why bother?

But in an exciting new twist, we had two trophies this year! It was decided that the second trophy would go to the most holes in one, which was won by Steph with a terribly impressive TWO holes in one. And, really, the Ewok is the better trophy anyway.

Score Cards + Ewok trophy!
Score Cards + Ewok trophy!
Score Cards + Ewok trophy!

Then we went out for Pizza. We figured it only made sense for the winner to treat everyone else– it’s the least he could do.

Waiting for Pizza
Waiting for Pizza
Waiting for Pizza

TORL Goes to a Basketball Game

A few years ago several lab members got together to go to an NC State Men’s basketball game, and we had a great time. Now that sports are back, we decided to do it again this year. Sadly Matt was not able to join us, but he was there in spirit (hovering over our shoulders, so to speak) to see State crush their opponents in the historic Reynolds Coliseum.

GO PACK!

Looks like Matt’s floating disembodied head forgot his mask.

Some very cool artwork on the walls:

The court:

Halloween Retrospective and 2021 Edition

Looking back through the posts, it’s become apparent that we’ve neglected Halloween on this website, which does not align with our actual treatment of Halloween. We love Halloween! So, here’s a look back at the TORL Halloween costumes throughout the years.

Skip to: 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021

First up, 2017: Where it All Began

For our first annual TORL Halloween (TORL-o-ween?) we decided to go as The Office.

Matt was, of course, the World’s Best Boss and, in true Michael Scott fashion, he bought himself that mug.
Matt was, of course, the World’s Best Boss and, in true Michael Scott fashion, he bought himself that mug.
Matt was, of course, the World’s Best Boss and, in true Michael Scott fashion, he bought himself that mug.
Steph was the Assistant Regional Manager Assistant to the Regional Manager Dwight, and the lab even put her stapler in Jello. They wrapped it in cellophane first, but it never was quite the same.
Steph was the Assistant Regional Manager Assistant to the Regional Manager Dwight, and the lab even put her stapler in Jello. They wrapped it in cellophane first, but it never was quite the same.
Steph was the Assistant Regional Manager Assistant to the Regional Manager Dwight, and the lab even put her stapler in Jello. They wrapped it in cellophane first, but it never was quite the same.
Lewis was 3-hole-punch Jim, and Paul doubled down and went as 3-hole punch Asian Jim, channeling two different episodes. Impressive!
Lewis was 3-hole-punch Jim, and Paul doubled down and went as 3-hole punch Asian Jim, channeling two different episodes. Impressive!
Lewis was 3-hole-punch Jim, and Paul doubled down and went as 3-hole punch Asian Jim, channeling two different episodes. Impressive!
Danielle went as Angela, complete with sour expression and a real, live, (stuffed, not real, not alive) cat
Danielle went as Angela, complete with sour expression and a real, live, (stuffed, not real, not alive) cat
Danielle went as Angela, complete with sour expression and a real, live, (stuffed, not real, not alive) cat
Zack went as Toby, the HR rep, and was generally kind of sad that day.
Zack went as Toby, the HR rep, and was generally kind of sad that day.
Zack went as Toby, the HR rep, and was generally kind of sad that day.
Emily, on the other hand, went as the very chipper Kelly Kapoor!
Emily, on the other hand, went as the very chipper Kelly Kapoor!
Emily, on the other hand, went as the very chipper Kelly Kapoor!
Last but not least, Stephanie C was Pam, and even carried the phone around all day just to make sure she didn’t miss any calls.
Last but not least, Stephanie C was Pam, and even carried the phone around all day just to make sure she didn’t miss any calls.
Last but not least, Stephanie C was Pam, and even carried the phone around all day just to make sure she didn’t miss any calls.

Some Outtakes: 

Throwing the cat in the air!
Throwing the cat in the air!
Throwing the cat in the air!
Cracking up between takes
Cracking up between takes
Cracking up between takes

2018: First Halloween in BPC

(and therefore first Halloween where other labs dressed up too) 

In 2018 we went with a slightly less cohesive theme that gave everyone a bit of room to flex their creative muscles. Our theme was “90s Nickelodeon”.

Front Row, L to R: Lauryn: Plankton from SpongeBob, Paul: Timmy from The Fairly Oddparents, Danielle: Angelica from Rugrats
—-
Back Row, L to R: Alex: Krumm from AAAHH! Real Monsters, Zack & Stephanie: Nigel and Eliza Thornberry from The Wild Thornberries, Steph: a contestant  from Legends of the Hidden Temple, Lewis: Otto from Rocket Power, Matt: Artie from Pete & Pete
Front Row, L to R: Lauryn: Plankton from SpongeBob, Paul: Timmy from The Fairly Oddparents, Danielle: Angelica from Rugrats
—-
Back Row, L to R: Alex: Krumm from AAAHH! Real Monsters, Zack & Stephanie: Nigel and Eliza Thornberry from The Wild Thornberries, Steph: a contestant  from Legends of the Hidden Temple, Lewis: Otto from Rocket Power, Matt: Artie from Pete & Pete
Front Row, L to R: Lauryn: Plankton from SpongeBob, Paul: Timmy from The Fairly Oddparents, Danielle: Angelica from Rugrats
—-
Back Row, L to R: Alex: Krumm from AAAHH! Real Monsters, Zack & Stephanie: Nigel and Eliza Thornberry from The Wild Thornberries, Steph: a contestant  from Legends of the Hidden Temple, Lewis: Otto from Rocket Power, Matt: Artie from Pete & Pete


Next Up, 2019!

Aka the upside-down year, or the year we did Stranger Things season 3.

From left to right: Steve, Alexei, Jonathan, Murray, Joyce, Jim, and Eleven
From left to right: Steve, Alexei, Jonathan, Murray, Joyce, Jim, and Eleven
From left to right: Steve, Alexei, Jonathan, Murray, Joyce, Jim, and Eleven

2021: Squid Games

In what is perhaps a disturbing metaphor for the way we’ve felt for the last ~18 months or a scathing commentary on the cutthroat world of academia (or just what everyone was watching at the time), we opted to go as characters from Squid Games. Except Steph– who has never seen the show and doesn’t want to– chose to go as 2000s-era Netflix, complete with DVD. Only somewhat relevant but everyone decided to allow it.

TORL Goes to Star Wars

Our (more or less) annual lab holiday tradition is to go see whatever Star Wars movie is being released in December. This year it was the final installment in the Skywalker Saga, Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. We all enjoyed the movie, we think (some of us are still processing).

Stephanie Cone’s Last Day

We recently dedicated a lab meeting to celebrating Stephanie and Paul and their accomplishments. We’re so proud of the lab’s very first PhD students!

We started with a review of the 2+ year-long study that they’ve been conducting: A retrospective of Paul’s man-bun.

Matt presented them with gifts wrapped in their very first posters (or the earliest we could find):

Personalized jerseys! (Size youth extra small, for for display rather than wearing). Matt also had all of their lab mates sign a photo mat that went in the frame.

Fourth Annual Mini Golf Competition (aka we’re getting tired of this Matt!)

In a shocking turn of events, Matt won at mini golf once again, and made sure to rub in his 4-peat. You’re the best at mini golf, we get it, SHEESH. He was bequeathed the 2019 mini golf trophy, which he will lord over the rest of us for at least a few months.

 

In a new twist, we had a tie for last place – Paul and Zack get joint custody of the much coveted losers trophy. Great job guys!

 

Matt adds to his trophy collection

 

 

 

They were clearly thrilled to be sharing last place

 

Labsgiving 2018

It was once again time for our most favorite annual tradition – Labsgiving! That day when we eat too much food and celebrate all of our awesome lab members. Luckily, no one passed out at the end of the night this time like last year. We also didn’t take quite as many photos, because we were too excited about the food. We’ll try to do better next year.

 

And rest assured that our fearless lab manager did join us, but she came late because she scored Hamilton tickets and, frankly, we’d skip the start of Labsgiving for Hamilton too.