Free Cameron!

Clever little monkey, turning the web-blog survey into a meme. I wonder how many samples he'll get?

I have discovered the best way to write a Lit. Review: find someone clever who wrote a Phd on a similar subject and read theirs(*). Pity I didn't do this earlier, the bits I'd already written (with much pain. I hate finding references) were almost identical anyway. Then again, the gaps I need to fill he'd mainly glossed over himself :)(**)

Ooh! And happy birthday to this blog! Was it only a year (and twoish hours) ago I finally succumbed to peer pressure? And I still haven't come up with a better name. Maybe next year.

(*)As a source of reccomended reading, not for straight plagarism :P I'm not the worlds best mathematitian, but I do try to at least be honest.
(**)As indeed have all those of his references I've read. Cam's of the opinion that the algorithms noone has a reference for don't actually exist, but noone wants to have to write them so they all pretend somone else did.

More fangirling

I have recently become addicted to the web-comic Narbonic thanks to Web-Snark, despite my reluctance to read a comic whose archives were inaccessible without filthy lucre. But I found myself liking it enough I was actually pondering paying the exhorbinant fee of $4 to read them..and now they're free! Till July 3!

I wish I'd realised I had till July 3 before I finished my fevered dash to read them all before they dissapeared. Anyway, go read! Or at least have a look while you can.

Also, I got inspired to draw a fan-comic. Yeah, I know :) It won't make much sense unles you've read the most recent storyline, though I geuss it has a kind of surreal charm. And yes, I traced a bit to get the style right, I just haven't felt very drawingyish recently. To be honest my main reason for posting it is so that if the artist does the same joke herself I can go "Hah!!" :)

Cheating with chemicals

WARNING: Pure, unadulterated geekery ahead. Chemistry geekery at that.

gelignite came over and infected me with the need to work out how to model the diamond "lattice" using one of those magnetic stick and ball sets. (All Peter Hills fault, apparently) Anwyay, today I did a little angularly-correct model using blu-tack and toothpicks and realised I was clearly completely off since it's impossible to make anything with rotational symettry containing rhomboids, despite my memory of the shape of the lattice. So I looked it up, and made this model (see here for a different angle)

I did warn you.

Also, my paper has been accepted for publication, yay!

Pomp and circumstance

Just so as people who are interested know, I and Cam decided (rather suddenly, as is sometimes our wont) that we don't want a formal reception after all, so we're just going to have it at someone's house, probably Cams parents or Pavlas.

Also, my computer is possessed. Really, the cd tray comes in and out at random intervals, I keep expecting the speech function to turn on and go "DIE.. DIE..." Probably in the "whisper" or "bad news" voice.

Finally...uh, I forget. *edit* That's right! Saw Madagascar with gelignite, Phlebas (alias nico_wolfwood), mandragora, Enforced Equanimity and the newly (and very happily) divorced Alex M (nee N) who clearly needs to be peer-pressured into getting a blog. Anyway, it was reasonably amusing, but I am still rather annoyed that they managed to get the animals right (I hadn't even heard of a fossa), but also gave the impression that Madagascar is a small island with no human population. Which is not strictly true.

I'm so looooooooonelly *sniff*

Ok, so I've been really obsessed with my Phd recently. Which is good, but means I've been paying very little attention to my other priorities, like buying my brothers birthday presents and social stuff. The fact I keep feeling cruddy and having to cancel things doesn't help. But I really am obsessed, so I can't motivate myself enough to organise anything. (It's been a force of will not spending today trying to get the stupid index to work) This is fine when unis on and I can just hang in unisfa etc but now its exams I have Noone To Talk To (apart from Cam, but the poor dear can only do so much)

Thus: I now declare Wednesday my official Anyone who is Also Bored And Has No Exams Comes To Sophies day. I'll be home working on the old Phd, and if anyone chooses to visit well all and good. I live walking distance from a video store and own several games. My house isn't very big, but I'm more worried about noone turning up, really :) (*)
Any time between 10am and 4pm is cool(**). Anyone who would like to hang out but is busy can organise something themselves :P
email me at sqbr-at-tartarus.uwa.edu.au for the address if you don't have it.

I'm pondering posting this to the unisfa list, but it seems a bit disorganised and crap, even for a unisfa thing :) And yes, me getting around to "organising" something is a direct result of finding out Terracon is booked, meaning I won't neccesarily be hanging with the people I thought I would be hanging with. (I'm sure it'll still be fun, it just made me think is all)

(*)Or like one or two people turning up and it being really awkward. So, come in a group! Bring food!
(**)I'm not a big fan of late nights, which is why this isn't a party. Well, that and parties are Too Much Effort.