diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 45d1bfc..e56a089 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,4 +8,6 @@
 # Ignore Jupyter Notebook checkpoints
 .ipynb_checkpoints/
 
-__marimo__
\ No newline at end of file
+__marimo__
+__pycache__/
+
diff --git a/Sentiment_Analysis_Research.py b/Sentiment_Analysis_Research.py
index 116635e..5e36c39 100644
--- a/Sentiment_Analysis_Research.py
+++ b/Sentiment_Analysis_Research.py
@@ -7,27 +7,13 @@ app = marimo.App(width="medium")
 @app.cell
 def _():
     import marimo as mo
-    import requests
-    import ollama
-    from ollama import Client
+    from utils import connect_qumo_ollama
 
-    VM_NAME = 'hiperf-gpu'
-    #VM_NAME = 'ollama-vb'
+    # VM_NAME = 'hiperf-gpu'
+    VM_NAME = 'ollama-lite'
 
-    QUMO_OLLAMA_URL = f'http://{VM_NAME}.tail44fa00.ts.net:11434'
-    return Client, QUMO_OLLAMA_URL, mo, requests
-
-
-@app.cell
-def _(Client, QUMO_OLLAMA_URL, requests):
-    try:
-        requests.get(QUMO_OLLAMA_URL, timeout=5)
-        client = Client(
-            host=QUMO_OLLAMA_URL
-        )
-    except requests.ConnectionError:
-        print(f"Failed to reach {QUMO_OLLAMA_URL}. Check that the VM is running and Tailscale is up")
-    return
+    client = connect_qumo_ollama(VM_NAME)
+    return (mo,)
 
 
 @app.cell(hide_code=True)
diff --git a/VB_interviews_sandbox.py b/VB_interviews_sandbox.py
index 11b6e66..363551b 100644
--- a/VB_interviews_sandbox.py
+++ b/VB_interviews_sandbox.py
@@ -7,33 +7,13 @@ app = marimo.App(width="medium")
 @app.cell
 def _():
     import marimo as mo
-    import requests
-    import ollama
-    from ollama import Client
+    from utils import connect_qumo_ollama
 
-    VM_NAME = 'hiperf-gpu'
-    #VM_NAME = 'ollama-vb'
+    # VM_NAME = 'hiperf-gpu'
+    VM_NAME = 'ollama-lite'
 
-    QUMO_OLLAMA_URL = f'http://{VM_NAME}.tail44fa00.ts.net:11434'
-    return Client, QUMO_OLLAMA_URL, VM_NAME, mo, requests
-
-
-@app.cell
-def _(Client, QUMO_OLLAMA_URL, requests):
-    try:
-        requests.get(QUMO_OLLAMA_URL, timeout=5)
-        client = Client(
-            host=QUMO_OLLAMA_URL
-        )
-    except requests.ConnectionError:
-        print(f"Failed to reach {QUMO_OLLAMA_URL}. Check that the VM is running and Tailscale is up")
-    return (client,)
-
-
-@app.cell
-def _():
-    print("Hello")
-    return
+    client = connect_qumo_ollama(VM_NAME)
+    return VM_NAME, client, mo
 
 
 @app.cell(hide_code=True)
@@ -82,7 +62,7 @@ def _(mo):
 
 @app.cell
 def _(client):
-    response_chat = client.chat(model='deepseek-r1:32b', messages=[
+    response_chat = client.chat(model='gemini-3-pro-preview:latest', messages=[
       {
         'role': 'user',
         'content': 'Why is the sky blue?',
@@ -109,7 +89,7 @@ def _(mo):
 
 @app.cell
 def _(client):
-    response_generate = client.generate(model='deepseek-r1:7b', prompt='Why is the sky blue?')
+    response_generate = client.generate(model='deepseek-r1:32b', prompt='Why is the sky blue?')
     return (response_generate,)
 
 
diff --git a/layouts/VB_interviews_sandbox.slides.json b/layouts/VB_interviews_sandbox.slides.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..af4970a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layouts/VB_interviews_sandbox.slides.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "type": "slides",
+  "data": {}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ab1c1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+"""
+Standard utils for this repository
+"""
+
+import requests
+import ollama
+from ollama import Client
+
+
+def connect_qumo_ollama(vm_name: str ='ollama-lite') -> Client:
+    """Establish connection to Qumo Ollama instance
+    
+    vm_name: str ('ollama-lite' or 'hiperf-gpu')
+        Name of the VM running the Ollama instance
+    
+    Returns:
+        tuple(Client): Ollama client connected to the specified VM
+    """
+    QUMO_OLLAMA_URL = f'http://{vm_name}.tail44fa00.ts.net:11434'
+    try:
+        requests.get(QUMO_OLLAMA_URL, timeout=5)
+        client = Client(
+            host=QUMO_OLLAMA_URL
+        )
+    except requests.ConnectionError:
+        print(f"Failed to reach {QUMO_OLLAMA_URL}. Check that the VM is running and Tailscale is up")
+
+    print("Connection succesful.\nAvailable models:")
+    for m in client.list().models:
+        print(f"  - '{m.model}' ")
+    return client
+