Alex Speed
@awhspeed.bsky.social
Chemistry Professor at Dalhousie University. Interested in sustainable organic and main-group chemistry, and asymmetric catalysis, with phosphorus, nitrogen, and sulfur compounds. Camper, plant hoarder, and Victorian house enthusiast.
I remade something yesterday, that I made about 10 years ago, and finally ran out of. Sadly, what I made this time did not look as nice as the dregs of the 10 year old stuff at the bottom of the jar.
November 15, 2025 at 1:06 AM
I remade something yesterday, that I made about 10 years ago, and finally ran out of. Sadly, what I made this time did not look as nice as the dregs of the 10 year old stuff at the bottom of the jar.
No hints, no autocheck. That's definitely my record for a Friday puzzle.
November 15, 2025 at 1:02 AM
No hints, no autocheck. That's definitely my record for a Friday puzzle.
Writing problem set answers in chemdraw, and the typing got glacially, frustratingly slow.... I was at a loss why, until I realized I had the "analysis" window on, and it was recalculating the masses of the atomic symbols in my written answers, and updating each time I wrote a letter!
November 12, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Writing problem set answers in chemdraw, and the typing got glacially, frustratingly slow.... I was at a loss why, until I realized I had the "analysis" window on, and it was recalculating the masses of the atomic symbols in my written answers, and updating each time I wrote a letter!
Funny, PAVLOVA is a word, but PAVLOVIAN is not.... would have been a Panagram! Though now I have a craving for a certain food item... might even be drooling.
November 10, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Funny, PAVLOVA is a word, but PAVLOVIAN is not.... would have been a Panagram! Though now I have a craving for a certain food item... might even be drooling.
investigation for us, in our thio-PAH work. Interestingly of the 2 isomeric naphthothiophenes shown in the image, one is known to be carcinogenic in the literature, and the other isn't (I no-longer remember which one is which). Just to further complicate things (5/n)
November 7, 2025 at 1:44 AM
investigation for us, in our thio-PAH work. Interestingly of the 2 isomeric naphthothiophenes shown in the image, one is known to be carcinogenic in the literature, and the other isn't (I no-longer remember which one is which). Just to further complicate things (5/n)
Not the greatest day, so I'm going to read a story about psychic vampires who steal people's souls so they don't age to cheer me up:
November 6, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Not the greatest day, so I'm going to read a story about psychic vampires who steal people's souls so they don't age to cheer me up:
It may not impress some, but I got my first sub-7 minute time solving a Monday NYT crossword!
November 4, 2025 at 2:07 AM
It may not impress some, but I got my first sub-7 minute time solving a Monday NYT crossword!
Why is it so dark and I am so hungry, it's only just past 5:00..... oh yeah.....
November 2, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Why is it so dark and I am so hungry, it's only just past 5:00..... oh yeah.....
It may not mean much to some, but I'm 1 citation away from getting 1000 citations! I didn't have a lot of publications from my PhD, so it's nice to eventually hit this milestone!
(TBH I already have over 1000, but google scholar stubbornly undercounts one of my papers).
(TBH I already have over 1000, but google scholar stubbornly undercounts one of my papers).
October 31, 2025 at 12:03 PM
It may not mean much to some, but I'm 1 citation away from getting 1000 citations! I didn't have a lot of publications from my PhD, so it's nice to eventually hit this milestone!
(TBH I already have over 1000, but google scholar stubbornly undercounts one of my papers).
(TBH I already have over 1000, but google scholar stubbornly undercounts one of my papers).
Yes, I really liked 5, 6 less so. Definitely brings back pandemic memories for me. Here's my most played song from 5:
October 30, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Yes, I really liked 5, 6 less so. Definitely brings back pandemic memories for me. Here's my most played song from 5:
Not that I'm going to do it, because there is a substantial price difference, but I wonder what I would get if I bought the compound on the right, rather than the compound on the left?
October 29, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Not that I'm going to do it, because there is a substantial price difference, but I wonder what I would get if I bought the compound on the right, rather than the compound on the left?
Reminiscing by going through some photos from over a decade ago. This was certainly not the largest medical bill I got during my time in the USA, but the number is striking. I had good insurance through my job at the time, but it was dependent on me having a job, and paying quite a bit for it.
October 29, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reminiscing by going through some photos from over a decade ago. This was certainly not the largest medical bill I got during my time in the USA, but the number is striking. I had good insurance through my job at the time, but it was dependent on me having a job, and paying quite a bit for it.
The clouds conspiring to ruin my Milky Way view:
October 26, 2025 at 1:27 PM
The clouds conspiring to ruin my Milky Way view:
Had a nice end of October camping trip. Though it was moody and foggy and cloudy, there was a fortuitous overlap of me being awake and the clouds cooperating. The greenish glow in the sky is likely light pollution from Jeremy's Bay, and not an aurora.
October 26, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Had a nice end of October camping trip. Though it was moody and foggy and cloudy, there was a fortuitous overlap of me being awake and the clouds cooperating. The greenish glow in the sky is likely light pollution from Jeremy's Bay, and not an aurora.
Wow, I feel really special and seen:
![e-mail that starts with Dear [First Name],](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:376gtsmlcgnlnmsp637iu3tf/bafkreidm5vp3rmhcr7zf3fwoe3xcgqvks7gc43g7cjefnx2pietturplzu@jpeg)
October 22, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Wow, I feel really special and seen:
Should I order sushi from this place? Wonder what I will get?
October 19, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Should I order sushi from this place? Wonder what I will get?
So I got the panagram(s) on my first 2 guesses, but I am irritated this was not one:
October 17, 2025 at 12:06 PM
So I got the panagram(s) on my first 2 guesses, but I am irritated this was not one:
Let's see if this works.
October 15, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Let's see if this works.
2 epic sunrises in a row
October 14, 2025 at 11:26 AM
2 epic sunrises in a row
Nice sunrise this morning:
October 13, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Nice sunrise this morning:
I had planned to go home for thanksgiving, but am too sick. So I present to you: salmon trimmings, and potato salad!
October 12, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I had planned to go home for thanksgiving, but am too sick. So I present to you: salmon trimmings, and potato salad!
Being home sick, the change in routine has made me forget my medication a couple of days, which is not good..... so here's my strategy. Brilliant or bonkers.... you decide?
October 11, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Being home sick, the change in routine has made me forget my medication a couple of days, which is not good..... so here's my strategy. Brilliant or bonkers.... you decide?
Come to think of it, this might not be the best time to ask about lanthanum prices:
October 11, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Come to think of it, this might not be the best time to ask about lanthanum prices:
I've felt pretty terrible for the past week, including an awful sore throat, coughing, and congestion. Thanks to a student I was finally able to get my hands on a COVID test, and was very surprised to find it was not positive! Stay safe out there. I will be signing up for flu and covid shots soon!
October 10, 2025 at 12:25 PM
I've felt pretty terrible for the past week, including an awful sore throat, coughing, and congestion. Thanks to a student I was finally able to get my hands on a COVID test, and was very surprised to find it was not positive! Stay safe out there. I will be signing up for flu and covid shots soon!