Things have been busy this week, after we got back from Melbourne I had four talks to give in two days, all of which needed preparing. Two of them I managed to adapt from previous presentations so it did eventually all get done. I thought they all went down pretty well.
You can always tell from the number and type of questions you get afterwards.
If people ask things that you already covered in laborious detail, then it's a pretty clear sign that they switched off part way through.
If you manage to get members of the audience bickering amongst themselves about some of your results, then it's a success.
On the other hand, if there are lots of questions it either means (a) people are really interested or (b) you didn't explain yourself sufficiently.
If there are no questions then either (a) nobody turned up, (b) nobody cares, (c) your work is so fantastic that everyone understands it, or (d) you were practising in front of the mirror at home.
This afternoon I fly out to Melbourne for the ICONN 2008 conference. I have a 15-minute talk to give on the Wednesday which still needs preparing. 15 minutes is a bit of a nuisance - it's not really enough time to really get into the guts of your work; although in the present situation that is probably a good thing.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Reality check
Last weekend I had one of those enormous reality checks that arose from something completely mundane.
We'd finished our experiments a day early, so that night the two guys went into the city to go clubbing. Not my scene, I told them, so I stayed behind, caught up on some work and some much-needed sleep. They arrived back at about 3:30 am and found that their cards to get in wouldn't work, so they called to get me to open the door. Long story short we got locked out of the room. A series of bizarre suggestions followed - should we break the door, after all it's 'their' fault for locking us out, etc. Thankfully I managed to convince them otherwise, eventually they woke up the manager and got a new keycard to get in. But trying to reason with somebody who's had a couple of drinks too many is not something I've had to do very often, and definitely not something I enjoy.
People these days seem to be so proud of their alcohol-consuming ability. I really don't get it. I haven't ever drunk any (knowingly) because of a commitment I made to God when I was 12 (not to drink, smoke, do drugs, have sex before marriage, or swear). And that night (or, early morning) as I lay on the bed unable to sleep, I was just filled with thankfulness that God had spared me from all of that 'culture' and that I have a higher purpose in life.
It just hammered home to me the difference between the Christian values that I hold, and those of 'the world'. Call me weird if you want, but I know where I stand.
We'd finished our experiments a day early, so that night the two guys went into the city to go clubbing. Not my scene, I told them, so I stayed behind, caught up on some work and some much-needed sleep. They arrived back at about 3:30 am and found that their cards to get in wouldn't work, so they called to get me to open the door. Long story short we got locked out of the room. A series of bizarre suggestions followed - should we break the door, after all it's 'their' fault for locking us out, etc. Thankfully I managed to convince them otherwise, eventually they woke up the manager and got a new keycard to get in. But trying to reason with somebody who's had a couple of drinks too many is not something I've had to do very often, and definitely not something I enjoy.
People these days seem to be so proud of their alcohol-consuming ability. I really don't get it. I haven't ever drunk any (knowingly) because of a commitment I made to God when I was 12 (not to drink, smoke, do drugs, have sex before marriage, or swear). And that night (or, early morning) as I lay on the bed unable to sleep, I was just filled with thankfulness that God had spared me from all of that 'culture' and that I have a higher purpose in life.
It just hammered home to me the difference between the Christian values that I hold, and those of 'the world'. Call me weird if you want, but I know where I stand.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
No rest for the...
Well ordinarily the saying goes 'no rest for the wicked' but I don't think that can really be said of me... maybe 'no rest for the frantic' would be better, but then that is stating the obvious, isn't it?
I'm in Melbourne this week, the first of two week-long trips here in February. The present trip is to do some experiments at the brand-new synchrotron facility, and in the last week of Feb I'll be back again for a nanotechnology conference. More about that in due course.
These experiments are a PR dream: we are the first 'general access' users of the x-ray diffraction beamline (and only the second users ever) and the experiments are going very well indeed. We're looking at in situ dealloying of AgAu foils (the silver leaches out in acid, leaving behind a nanoporous gold network that can be used for high surface area applications such as catalysis or gas sensing). I heard there were only 27 days scheduled for users in this first cycle, and we have got 5 of them. Not bad going...
While I'm here I'm meant to be preparing a bunch of talks for a work pow-wow meeting next week, as well as drafting up some Calvary Kids Club programmes and puppet skits. It's hard to be motivated to do the former, and I feel so far removed from the latter (even though we had a meeting about it only 2 days ago) that it's just easier to leave it until I get home. Everything will come out in the wash though.
It's 11 pm here now and we are probably going to be here for another hour yet. Ahh, the beamtime routine...
"There'll be time enough for sleeping
When the experiment's done."
I'm in Melbourne this week, the first of two week-long trips here in February. The present trip is to do some experiments at the brand-new synchrotron facility, and in the last week of Feb I'll be back again for a nanotechnology conference. More about that in due course.
These experiments are a PR dream: we are the first 'general access' users of the x-ray diffraction beamline (and only the second users ever) and the experiments are going very well indeed. We're looking at in situ dealloying of AgAu foils (the silver leaches out in acid, leaving behind a nanoporous gold network that can be used for high surface area applications such as catalysis or gas sensing). I heard there were only 27 days scheduled for users in this first cycle, and we have got 5 of them. Not bad going...
While I'm here I'm meant to be preparing a bunch of talks for a work pow-wow meeting next week, as well as drafting up some Calvary Kids Club programmes and puppet skits. It's hard to be motivated to do the former, and I feel so far removed from the latter (even though we had a meeting about it only 2 days ago) that it's just easier to leave it until I get home. Everything will come out in the wash though.
It's 11 pm here now and we are probably going to be here for another hour yet. Ahh, the beamtime routine...
"There'll be time enough for sleeping
When the experiment's done."
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
The difference one week makes
So it's about a week since I got back. Work has been going well and I caught up with Karen and Katie Pasanen on Sunday afternoon (hi if you're reading!). Tomorrow being Waitangi Day is a welcome holiday and I have lots of plans already.
But the difference this week is that I scrapped the 'Bible study' I was doing, and went back to the routine I've had for about the last 2 years but haven't been doing for about 4 months. It's just reading a couple of chapters a day (Old Testament and a Psalm in the morning, New Testament in the evening) that goes through the OT once and NT and Psalms twice in 320 days. [If anyone wants a copy I would love to share it with you...]
The Word really is 'living and active' (Heb. 4:12). It 'will not return void' (Isa. 55:11). And I'm already noticing the difference in just a week of reading it again on a regular basis, just letting it wash over and cleanse me. Yes I do struggle to concentrate on it at times, and I have to be conscious not to skim over the familiar passages. But I am being built up in my spirit, and my perspective is changing. Perhaps reminiscent of when I got back to cycling to work in London and initially feeling rather unfit, but quickly getting back into the routine. I've allowed myself to get a bit unfit spiritually, but I've figured out how to start correcting things!
But the difference this week is that I scrapped the 'Bible study' I was doing, and went back to the routine I've had for about the last 2 years but haven't been doing for about 4 months. It's just reading a couple of chapters a day (Old Testament and a Psalm in the morning, New Testament in the evening) that goes through the OT once and NT and Psalms twice in 320 days. [If anyone wants a copy I would love to share it with you...]
The Word really is 'living and active' (Heb. 4:12). It 'will not return void' (Isa. 55:11). And I'm already noticing the difference in just a week of reading it again on a regular basis, just letting it wash over and cleanse me. Yes I do struggle to concentrate on it at times, and I have to be conscious not to skim over the familiar passages. But I am being built up in my spirit, and my perspective is changing. Perhaps reminiscent of when I got back to cycling to work in London and initially feeling rather unfit, but quickly getting back into the routine. I've allowed myself to get a bit unfit spiritually, but I've figured out how to start correcting things!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Back home, back into it
I got back on Wednesday morning and resisted the urge to go into work that day. Instead I did washing and spent the afternoon around at Mum and Dad's just relaxing, talking, playing Wii etc. We had indoor soccer in the evening and although we lost, I think it is the first game in this league where I haven't ended up on the floor. And I tackled somebody and ended up with the ball; it was almost too good to be true!
Thursday I went into IRL and Friday into RSNZ. All is going well. Tomorrow is the weekend! yay!
It's not every day you see a big Samoan lad at the train station wearing a skirt, a netball bib, and lingerie. But then it's not every day the rugby sevens are on.
Thursday I went into IRL and Friday into RSNZ. All is going well. Tomorrow is the weekend! yay!
It's not every day you see a big Samoan lad at the train station wearing a skirt, a netball bib, and lingerie. But then it's not every day the rugby sevens are on.
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