We’re rearranging the lab, and clearing out some old equipment, including taking down part of the original Cesium Fountain laser layout (which uses a lot of optical table space). A colleague was moving a rack, and wanted to know where it should go. I suggested next to a hard place, but leaving a gap, so something could go in between. Badump-ching!

Fortunately for me, puns are not inherently part of the “creating hostile work environment” definition which applies to Federal employees.

Anyway. part of the laser system of the Cesium fountain (the slightly less dense optics forest on the far side of the table in the picture) is no more. Walking into the lab to see that half the table bare was a bit traumatic for me, since it’s the experiment I raised from a pup. But my colleagues said the setup isn’t really gone — they moved that part of the experiment to a very nice lab out on a farm, and assured me that the optics were much happier there, because it has very nice temperature control and people to clean the mirrors and keep everything aligned. So I feel a lot better about that.