All entries for November 2005

Engelland

Just another quick update.. last weekend I had a great time visiting England again. My flight landed about 45 minutes late (so, at 00.15) and it was -2 outside while I was waiting 20 minutes for a taxi. Not the best start, but things very quickly got so much better!!

Catching up with Erika and Laura after so long was really cool – a combination of schlager, card games, and general silliness was just what I was after :-) I spent Friday at uni, catching up with sooo many people and taking the odd picture around the place.

Saturday, Erika and I headed over to Birmingham. We caught up with Andy and (after losing horribly at some playstation music quiz show!)ventured off to the Frankfurter Weihnachtsmarkt.. a mug or two of Gluehwein, Feuerzangenbowle, a Bratwurst, and other such Germanic treats, and learning the lyrics of "Im Wagen vor mir". =)

It goes without saying that Saturday night was a rather drunken experience – paying £10 for an open bar. But I still made it up in time on Sunday morning to catch up with Caroline and Dave and his family. It's great to see everyone again.

Monday morning I was up bright and early to head back to Warwick. I had a perfectly pleasant, but not especially insightful careers interview… yes, the world-renowned self-proclaimed lord of laziness himself is facing the prospect of finding employment in the not too distant future! In the afternoon I stocked up on some of those old British favourites (ie Twiglets and Cheeselets!) before heading off to Cov airport.

Well, then disaster struck. I checked in before 5pm, and wasn't too surprised to hear that the airport was closed due to fog. I spent the £5 of gift vouchers they proffered, buying a soup and a smirnoff ice and then we were all bussed up to East Midlands. Ground staff there seemed a little bemused, but by 7.30pm I'd checked-in (again)... to be told the flight would board at around 10.30. Well, killing 3 hours in East Midlands airport is no mean feat, but a few phone calls and strolls around the cafe, duty free shop, cafe again, duty free shop again, managed to pass the time. Sadly at 10.30 there was no plane / boarding / any bright prospect in sight. Well, to cut a long story a bit shorter (too late) we eventually took off around 1am getting me home and in bed at 6am Tuesday morning – 8 hours late :-(

It sounds crazy, but I really feel like I have jet lag – my sleep pattern's screwed up again. But I did learn one neat trick – Thomsonfly flights between Cov and Barcelona don't seem too busy.. so, when they ask "Window or aisle, sir?" I respond "Can I have an empty row at the back so I can lay down, please?". Works a treat, and if you're enough of a contortionist, you can actually get quite comfy lying down!

Ok, that's all – enough rambling about days gone by! I've uploaded a few photos.. my gallery names continue to astound and inspire – this time it's.. Warwick . Check them out!

As for the coming days.. Beth and Rai are arriving on Friday and staying for the weekend. Planning an everybody-bring-a-different-bottle cocktail party for Saturday night, and maybe the new Harry Potter film on Sunday. We'll see!

See yaz all again soon :-)

: 23 Nov 2005 21:43 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The Lighter Side of Maths

Now that we can type maths here, I have to publish the highlight of Monday's real dynamics seminar here.. even non-mathematicians should appreciate what was written on the board…

I kid ye not!

: 16 Nov 2005 16:02 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

New Pics

Ok, having a bit of free time today means I've finally sorted out some photos from my trip to the States. They're in the unimaginatively-titled 'USA' gallery. For those that don't know, the itinerary was Los Angeles, San Diego, Sunnyvale (just south of San Francisco), San Francisco, and Narragansett in Rhode Island. Amazing… but I'll write more another time :-)

I think my favourite is the trees by a lake in Narragansett.

: 12 Nov 2005 14:29 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

I'm so bored

What did I always used to do on weekends?! Ah yes, recovering from hangovers, watching omnibus editions of Hollyoaks and walking RSPCA dogs. Well options 2 and 3 are out, so I guess I have to get drunk tonight so that I can feel sorry for myself all day tomorrow!

Meanwhiles I've been killing time on quizilla again…

You are blessed with the gift of tongues.
You are an extremely friendly person to be around with, and it's hard to ever hate you. You seem to make friends with everyone you meet. People are attracted to your charm, and can't help but feel comfortable around you. This also goes for the animals, who seem to understand your language as well as you can understand theirs. Whenever there is a language barrier blocking your way, you break it down with ease. You know how to communicate with those who can't speak your language, and in no time make a quick friend. Man are you happy-go-lucky!


Everyone has a secret ability. What is yours?
brought to you by Quizilla

Sounds like me.. I'll talk to anyone

Your element is Wind. You are the guy that is unpredictable. No one knows what you're going to do next and what you're in the mood for. Studying is not your thing and you would rather go to a party than stay home. Life is just for fun and you need to be free to live according to you. You waste no time on lies, if you feel or think one thing you say it even if it hurts. Of course, people may be quite upset but that doesn't really bother you. It's not that you don't care, because you do, but in these situations it's a waste of time. You live up in the clouds and are quite a dreamer about life. People often consider you beautiful, but harsh and they would think twice before getting to know you. But once they do, they'll learn that you are always willing to take yourself and your friends on adventures. Never will it be a boring time with you and your friends appreciate that. You are not often seen sad, but you have your times. If someone has been mean to you, you can quite easily trash-talk them for betraying you. Nevertheless, you are most of the time a good spirit who just want to have some fun.

Oooh, and such a big thank you to blogideas.com – their random suggestion for something to blog about….. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Um, four. That filled in a whole lot of time…

: 12 Nov 2005 13:39 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

WTF Part II

Follow-up to Amazon Recommends… from El Meu Blog

Of course, because I bought aforementioned Shrek 2, I would love to buy a Logic3 i-Station Docking Station for iPod and iPod Mini … if only I had an iPod to dock. But thankfully a little further on, the Black iPod 4Gb Nano also gets a promotion… the most logical thing for one to buy after acquiring A Short History of Nearly Everything..

Panasonic SD253 Breadmaker with Nut Dispenser and I quote, Recommended because you said you owned Shrek 2

Last time I admit to owning anything!

LMAO.. finally they recommend that I buy a DVD player – and not because of this damn Shrek 2 dvd, but the bloody digital camera I bought once upon a time.

Think it's time for me to hit the sack. 'Night folks

: 09 Nov 2005 23:41 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Amazon Recommends…

Just a random observation (well, that's about 90% of my blog probably!), but this evening I'm wasting a bit of time browsing through Amazon.co.uk, on the lookout for ideas for my Xmas list and what I might be able to get for those nearest and dearest to me.

Anyway, for the first time ever, I thought I'd investigate the "Amazon recommends…" feature – of course Amazon has recorded every purchase I've ever made, and now feels it's in a position to offer me top tips for my next purchase. But some of it is just so damn surreal!

Ok, recommending a pair of headphones because I bought Shrek 2 on DVD… I can see some tenuous link there. But Sin City on DVD because I bought "A Short History of Nearly Everything"? A book called "100 Naked Girls" because I bought.. wait for it.. a memory card for my digital camera (I don't want to know what the connection is there..); and finally, a Jamie Oliver Flour Shaker because I bought a book called "Watching the English"?!?!?!?! I'm not usually one for swearing, even in acronyms, but WTF?!

And if that weren't random enough for ya

I just read that we can now include Latex in our entries…

where of course C(f) is the critical set…..

Sorry, the mathematician in me just wanted to try it out!

: 09 Nov 2005 23:23 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem