Formally, officially speaking, I am unemployed. I claim benefits, atm I have little choice in that, if I want to eat, afford lab equipment and reagents, buy myself new clothing etc.
I have two 'bits on the side, working, as lit calls it 'in the black', one is metalwork/engineering type stuff, making guitar parts-the truss rods that go in the necks of guitar/accoustic/bass, and the bolts that hold the depth guards on fret saws. The other, is custom synthesis in the lab. Basically amounting to 'people ask for something, I see if I can make it, then charge for the service.
Both can net me quite respectable amounts of ill-gotten moolah. And especially the (bio)chem I find really enjoyable in and of itself. Lol, if I can't sleep, I'll often get my arse out of bed, and pop into the lab and go clean my glassware, distill solvents over drying agents so I have anhydrous solvents on tap,so to speak, or just in general, experiment, play about like a little kid with his mechano/lego set
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But I very much enjoy my lab work, lol, the skunk works as I jokingly call it, is right next to my room for quick and easy access.