The right chemistry

I didn't have it...with Chem - the class. It started out in high school when our wonderful chemistry instructor ran off part way through the school year - with a guy. There went any chance I had of understanding the stuff. Evidently they had good chemistry. Her replacement was lame. My understanding of the subject - also lame.

When I got to college - all pumped about my pre-vet major, I quickly got side-tracked by my weak science background and desire to learn about science. Ironically, the very same Mrs. Beaver had landed in Ames (with her new honey) and I recall Roger Underwood and I went to get some tutoring from her on Chem. It didn't help. I had to hire a tutor to scrape out a "C". It didn't help that the Teaching Assistants were Chinese and they said the word Mole (a key word in chem) like More - which really threw me off...

I ended up changing majors...I had realized the science path wasn't for me. Pithing frogs made me sick. I didn't enjoy studying body parts. My dream of being a vet was just that - a pipe dream, based on the fact that I like animals. I also like sports, but I knew I wasn't going to be a professional athlete. So I ended up in a major eventually that fit my skills and personality - Public Service and Administration. And Gee - look at me now!

But ten years ago, when I ended up in a job that was on a path towards working with chemicals at a Household Hazardous Material Facility, I wondered - could I do it? In this case I didn't have to worry about Moles. The chemicals were more real - stuff like paint, thinner, bug killer and cleansers. I found out that I actually enjoyed this type of work - categorizing each product and putting it in its place for proper treatment and/or disposal by a contractor. I received special training and had annual updates. If I had questions, there were professionals I could ask.

I delivered this type of stuff I delivered to my old place of employment today, because we're moving.
Prairie Solid Waste Agency
If you live in Iowa, most likely there is a facility like this near you - check out this link to find out where:
http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/HouseholdHazardousMaterials/RegionalCollectionCenters.aspx
If you don't live in Iowa, just Google or call local officials to find out where to take it.

Movers won't accept HHM (Household Hazardous Materials) in their trucks. Why? Key word - hazardous. All it takes is a couple of those products to mix together and your stuff is toast - fire can break out. Blackened and charred. Or worse yet, an explosive fireball. We all tend to think of this stuff as harmless but it can be deadly when not used right or when combined with other stuff. (That's how terrorists do it.) The usable stuff I delivered will be put in the SWAP Shop for others to take home FREE! (if the staff doesn't get it first...).

Opening the HHM facility is still one of the things I'm most proud of in my career. Chemistry irony!