I spent last week at the 2008 Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology meeting at the University of Toronto. Don't be fooled by the name: this conference isn't about yeast in and of itself; it's about tackling basic problems in biology. Unfortunately the science and beer were overwhelming, and my evening internet access non-existent, so blogging suffered. But I did have a great time hanging out with our Canadian colleagues, and they put on a great meeting. The only problem is that Canadians appear to be excessively punctual: as soon as coffee break was over, the catering people literally dumped the coffee in the streets, instead of allowing the stragglers an extra cup. But I can't complain too much. Typically these yeast genetics conferences are meant to be affordable, which means that you stay in university dorms. That's right: your reward for leaving college, getting an advanced degree and a job in science is to stay in a dorm at meetings. Dorms - with their depression-inducing atmosphere, inadequate lighting, lack of rugs, and communal showers, hairy drains and all. I've stayed in dorms in past meetings but this time I lucked out: through a glitch in the housing arrangements, I ended up with an 11th floor suite: king sized bed, 2 bathrooms, and a spectacular view of Toronto's cityscape. I didn't blog, but I did give a talk. I'll put up some highlights here soon.