Things I Never Thought I'd Say at Work

So, way back in late June/early July I started a job at a medical school. I'm the administrative go-to for a group of faculty whose primary area of research is the brain. Having come from a law firm background, this was ALLLLL new to me and I find myself saying things that I never thought that I would say. Like.....

"I know this (human organ/or other organic part that used to come off of something living) is in a box of dry ice and sealed or whatever, but I feel like we need to get it in the fridge just in case. I'm not dealing with a leaking box with a (whatever) in it."

"Is today brain moving day?"

Me: "Is that dangerous?" (Motioning to colorful vials of liquid)
Coworker: "Well it depends what you mean by dangerous."
Me: "If I drank all of them at once would it kill me?"
Coworker: "Uh...no. Well, no. I mean you'd get really sick and probably wish that you were dead but you wouldn't die"

(I would NEVER EVER EVER put anything REMOTELY near my face that was in the lab area - even though most of it is probably harmless but I'm always so curious. Though I guess I might ask this question too much because I have one coworker who, whenever I walk past him and he's holding a vial of something says "Wesley, don't drink this, ok?". He might have real worries that I taste test things when everyone is in seminars or something).

And then there are the things that I say all the time:

"I only understood about half of what you just said. Can you run that by me again?"

"I don't know the answer to that question, but I'm sure I can find out for you. Can I call you back?"

"If that is what you are doing today can you warn me so I don't accidentally walk by and see it?"

and the by far most popular

"I'm not a scientist. You'd have to ask someone who does the science".



via GIPHY