While exploring matterverse.ai, I looked at the formula for rubber:

C5H8.

its bandgap is 5.803

After a few minutes I discovered a slight modification:
C2H4, with a bandgap of 6.85!

"Holyshit, why aren't linemen using this instead of rubber for electrical insulation?"

*looks up formula*.

C2H4, the formula for:
Ethylene.

It's ethylene, a highly flammable gas.

And now you know why I don't do chemistry.

Me: Hey, guys, this stuff is seriously flammable. Like, I’m surprised it hasn’t caught fire yet. I really want to clean it up. Here’s how I’d make it better.

Management: No. It’s fine, it works. Don’t touch it. It’s getting replaced anyway. Just add the things on top like we asked you to, and call it a day.

Me: Are you sure? This is seriously going to be a problem.

Management: We just said it’s getting replaced. Don’t. touch. anything. OK?

Me: alright.

… Eight weeks later …

Management: so this thing caught fire over the weekend, and the fire spread to other areas. We’re doing some emergency cleanup. The new guy looked at it and figured out why, and has some great ideas on fixing it, so give him some well-deserved praise!

Me: Hey! I told you about this months ago!

Management: Yes. I tuned out during today’s firefighting meetings. But it’s important to strike a balance in everyone’s style. Do you have any other concerns?

Wk13 seems to be a flammable topic

my luck is terrible

woke up this morning to a blizzard. I love snow though. had to walk middle of the road because the sidewalks had a meter of snow. so fun. tons of people shoveling their cars, interrupts to their day and awkward problem solving (love it!), even saw some people traversing the city in snowshoes... never seen Canadians not magically clear snow instantly!

got my stuff, came home, showered, put coffee on to make, decided I was gonna do a lot of laundry and clean the place. was listening to podcasts, ate cake and coffee, went nuts cleaning the apartment. even did some impromptu gardening because my plants needed some TLC. my muscles were exhausted and it was awesome

... got a new blanket on Valentine's day from the boyfriend. well turns out it's flammable or something. messed up my drying machine. ended up messing up the laundry load and just putting up clothes to dry hanging... lame. tried to fix the blanket best I can wtf.

... but while sweeping and trying to make sure the drying machine was adequately vented out... my phone slipped out of my hoodie pocket and dropped on my toe... and cracked in half

I am in despair now, irrationally

I also feel irrational fear on the matter

the phone works perfectly fine... there's just a crack across. sensors all good, visuals all fine. but noticing the air bubble in the screen protector, the tiny crack in the correct lighting, just makes me feel like such crap

feel so cursed and like everything I touch breaks. my laptop is also broken... a screw fell off the corner. I just feel so cursed. grrrr. and I don't get the irrational fear. now the reminder on my phone screen... this phone slips out of everything, I've had it fall often, but I guess because this time it landed on my toe and not flat on the screen the weight distribution made it crack. probably next time it slips somewhere it will break entirely 😔

just irrationally in fear, grief, whyyy 😭

In my latest interview. It's the first in a overly morose process that includes many.

Me: So, about the scope of responsibilities...
Interviewer: <translated from fart noises> "we're a dynamic company"
<translated again> do any shit some big headed brass asks of you

Me: it involves many meetings?
Interviewer: <dismissive fart noises>

Me: Is it for an open field project or an ongoing structure?
Interviewer: We have many ongoing projects, and you allocation may be changed dynamically <so, fart noises>

Me: about the salary...
Interviewer: <Extra-stinky-fart noises>

...
It went on for an hour, never an straight answer. Not even for the name of the company.
...

Me: Have you noticed that, even that you are interviewing me, I'm the one asking all the questions?
Interviewer: <actual fart> yes, you really seem to have the knack for it!
Me: ...
Interviewer: so, any more questions?
Me: Yes. Are you flammable? <actual quote>