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anarchist_nomad Feb. 27th, 2008 05:32 pm)
anarchist_nomad Feb. 27th, 2008 05:32 pm)First things first: I want to thank everyone who shared kind words about last week's good news -- namely the discovery that The Boy does not have cancer. Really, it means a lot. In two days, we should have results for Foxy's next set of tests. This should either confirm or rule out a thyroid problem. If the thyroid is ruled out, then we still do not know what is wrong with her... and a different line of testing will commence. Wish us luck!
Second things second: Don't forget to go to yesterday's entry and vote in my birthday poll! I plan to choose the location for my birthday party tomorrow, provided there seem to be enough people who are interested in (and able to) attend to actually have a party. Otherwise, the Oxford University Society of Change Ringers is planning an outing to Cambridge for that day, to spend time with our counterparts at the other place.
Meanwhile, it has been several days since I updated with any of the goings on in my life. This seems as good a time as any to rectify that with some recent highlights:
Saturday: The Kiddo and I bought tickets to see Billy Joel perform in New York in July. This is the so-called "Last Play at Shea" concert -- the final concert at Shea Stadium before it will be decommissioned. We appear to have gotten very lucky and procured field-level seating! Very nice!![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
squeektoy42 and her lovely husband will be joining us, as well. Having not seen BJ perform since March 2006, I am very much looking forward to being serenaded by the Streetlife Serenader once again. Other than that, I spent a fair bit of time on basic chores, as Skullcrusher Mountain was beginning to look precisely like what you would expect a lair place with that name to resemble.[*]
Sunday:cheshcat and I finished watching season six of Smallville. Now we wait for the final season to finish... and for the DVDs to come out. In the evening, I went to St. Giles to ring bells for services. I realised that my Plain Bob Doubles has become quite good by now... at least for a plain course when I am on the #2 bell (or the treble, or a covering tenor).
Monday: Had my second ice skating lesson in the evening. Still not dead, though I did have my first spill. Twas harmless. Our instructor considers that we are a good enough bunch to advance to the skills normally taught in the level two course... which is precisely what he did with us. I am not quite that agree with his assessment -- this whole "attempting to skate backwards" thing is making me nervous -- but no disasters so far. After skating,cheshcat and I had dinner, then played two games of Bohnanza. I won the first (13 to 12) and the second (17 to 12).
Tuesday: The topic of the particle physics seminar was results from Auger, my former experiment. The presenter was a local Oxonian professor -- the only Auger collaborator at the University here. He gave a good talk, and it was nice to see the latest results from my old project. I will admit, however, that the photographs from the observatory down in Argentina made me feel a little nostalgic for my time there -- it has now been over two years since my seventh, and final[**], trip to Malargue. During the talk, I thought I noticed somebody in the audience who looked a little like Frank Wilczek, who I met at Stony Brook during a neutrino workshop in 1999 and who won the 2004 Nobel Physics Prize. Clearly I was mistaken, though, since Wilczek works at MIT. Having not seen him in years, it is an easy enough mistake to make. In the evening, I rang bells at Mary Mag in the evening. Mainly just rounds and called changes -- nothing special.
Wednesday: Today, after lunch, I attended a workshop on science writing. I believe that this is something that I am already pretty good at[***]. When it comes to writing for other scientists, I should note that three of the four professors on my dissertation committee told me afterward that my thesis was the best written one that they had ever seen.gyades was also complimented on the writing in his dissertation... which had been edited by me. And when it comes to writing science for non-scientists, I believe that I am also adept at bringing out both interest and understanding in my audience. In any event, I have had ideas for a popular science book percolating in my head for a little while now, and I am hoping to start writing it sometime this year. As such, attending such a workshop -- which looks to become a regular bi-weekly event -- seemed like a good idea. The workshop was organised by a woman named Betsy Devine... who happens to be married to Frank Wilczek. Turns out that he is on sabbatical here in Oxford right now. Looks like my facial pattern matching algorithms are functioning just fine. Tonight I went to St. Cross to ring bells -- besides the rounds and called changes, I also practiced my ropesight by ringing the treble during a touch of Grandsire Doubles.
Oh, and for those of you still trapped in the States, I should note that the dollar sunk to a new record low today versus the Euro. I did warn some time ago that y'all should get out while you still can. Of course, with most of my life's savings in two pieces of US real estate, the plummeting housing market and US dollar hardly leaves me unscathed, either. Ah well, at least I am earning in sterling now... which is in decline, too, but not as badly. With any luck, the UK will switch to the Euro sometime soon. And I think I see a pig on the wing flying by my office window...
[*] Minus the crushed skulls, at least so far.
[**] For now.
[***] One advantage of having been in a relationship with a writing teacher for essentially all of my adult life. This has been a message from the "Give Credit Where Credit Is Due" Department.
Second things second: Don't forget to go to yesterday's entry and vote in my birthday poll! I plan to choose the location for my birthday party tomorrow, provided there seem to be enough people who are interested in (and able to) attend to actually have a party. Otherwise, the Oxford University Society of Change Ringers is planning an outing to Cambridge for that day, to spend time with our counterparts at the other place.
Meanwhile, it has been several days since I updated with any of the goings on in my life. This seems as good a time as any to rectify that with some recent highlights:
Saturday: The Kiddo and I bought tickets to see Billy Joel perform in New York in July. This is the so-called "Last Play at Shea" concert -- the final concert at Shea Stadium before it will be decommissioned. We appear to have gotten very lucky and procured field-level seating! Very nice!
squeektoy42 and her lovely husband will be joining us, as well. Having not seen BJ perform since March 2006, I am very much looking forward to being serenaded by the Streetlife Serenader once again. Other than that, I spent a fair bit of time on basic chores, as Skullcrusher Mountain was beginning to look precisely like what you would expect a Sunday:
cheshcat and I finished watching season six of Smallville. Now we wait for the final season to finish... and for the DVDs to come out. In the evening, I went to St. Giles to ring bells for services. I realised that my Plain Bob Doubles has become quite good by now... at least for a plain course when I am on the #2 bell (or the treble, or a covering tenor).Monday: Had my second ice skating lesson in the evening. Still not dead, though I did have my first spill. Twas harmless. Our instructor considers that we are a good enough bunch to advance to the skills normally taught in the level two course... which is precisely what he did with us. I am not quite that agree with his assessment -- this whole "attempting to skate backwards" thing is making me nervous -- but no disasters so far. After skating,
cheshcat and I had dinner, then played two games of Bohnanza. I won the first (13 to 12) and the second (17 to 12).Tuesday: The topic of the particle physics seminar was results from Auger, my former experiment. The presenter was a local Oxonian professor -- the only Auger collaborator at the University here. He gave a good talk, and it was nice to see the latest results from my old project. I will admit, however, that the photographs from the observatory down in Argentina made me feel a little nostalgic for my time there -- it has now been over two years since my seventh, and final[**], trip to Malargue. During the talk, I thought I noticed somebody in the audience who looked a little like Frank Wilczek, who I met at Stony Brook during a neutrino workshop in 1999 and who won the 2004 Nobel Physics Prize. Clearly I was mistaken, though, since Wilczek works at MIT. Having not seen him in years, it is an easy enough mistake to make. In the evening, I rang bells at Mary Mag in the evening. Mainly just rounds and called changes -- nothing special.
Wednesday: Today, after lunch, I attended a workshop on science writing. I believe that this is something that I am already pretty good at[***]. When it comes to writing for other scientists, I should note that three of the four professors on my dissertation committee told me afterward that my thesis was the best written one that they had ever seen.
gyades was also complimented on the writing in his dissertation... which had been edited by me. And when it comes to writing science for non-scientists, I believe that I am also adept at bringing out both interest and understanding in my audience. In any event, I have had ideas for a popular science book percolating in my head for a little while now, and I am hoping to start writing it sometime this year. As such, attending such a workshop -- which looks to become a regular bi-weekly event -- seemed like a good idea. The workshop was organised by a woman named Betsy Devine... who happens to be married to Frank Wilczek. Turns out that he is on sabbatical here in Oxford right now. Looks like my facial pattern matching algorithms are functioning just fine. Tonight I went to St. Cross to ring bells -- besides the rounds and called changes, I also practiced my ropesight by ringing the treble during a touch of Grandsire Doubles.Oh, and for those of you still trapped in the States, I should note that the dollar sunk to a new record low today versus the Euro. I did warn some time ago that y'all should get out while you still can. Of course, with most of my life's savings in two pieces of US real estate, the plummeting housing market and US dollar hardly leaves me unscathed, either. Ah well, at least I am earning in sterling now... which is in decline, too, but not as badly. With any luck, the UK will switch to the Euro sometime soon. And I think I see a pig on the wing flying by my office window...
[*] Minus the crushed skulls, at least so far.
[**] For now.
[***] One advantage of having been in a relationship with a writing teacher for essentially all of my adult life. This has been a message from the "Give Credit Where Credit Is Due" Department.
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From:
"It will only get worse."
""It will only get worse. This record will be shattered by subsequent declines," said Peter Schiff, author of "Crash Proof: How to Profit from the Coming Economic Collapse" about the S&P/Case-Shiller report. "We will experience the most substantial decline in history because before this we had experienced the most unprecedented rise in U.S. real estate history." "
http://www.azcentral.com/realestate/articles/0226biz-homeprices26-ON.html
And it will be aggravated by the actions of Ben Bernanke and Hank Paulson declaring war on savers and ex-pats.
From:
Re: "It will only get worse."
Still, even for me it sucks. We tried to sell the Boston house and just couldn't do it in the current market. I don't have money in stocks anymore, but I predict that those are going to come tumbling down soon, too.
Yup, I agree with your prediction -- it will only get worse!
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Thanks for the good wishes for my little furry ones!
How are things in Boston treating you?
By the way, are you planning to come to Starwood this summer?