Sailor Coruscant...

Thought I heard you talking softly...

2010-03-13T15:21:00.001+11:00

Next time...

Washing first, then blog.

Came in from the rain on Thursday...

2010-03-13T14:59:00.003+11:00

I am such a boring person at the moment...

So I sat down on Monday to do a quick edit / runthrough of the chapter I wrote last year that the boss hadn't gotten around to reading because he's lazy, since he actually wanted to get to reading some of my stuff at long last. Six days, six pages and 2,000 new words later, I'm done, save for one equation that needs checking against the one in my notebook, because I think I'm down a factor of B_φ,s. *yawns* Ah well, time to get on with the real work I was going to do this weekend.

Actually, first I'm going to go fetch my washing from the line, as it may be dry and I don't trust this weather. But then I'll get on with the other work. And after that I'll have some fun.

to clear my conscience...

2010-03-11T17:50:00.002+11:00

Still alive...

Chocolate-covered crystallised ginger is the nommiest thing I've encountered this week, and I can't believe Ian gave me a giant block of it because it was his birthday yesterday. He should turn 70 more often.

ETA, because I'm too lazy for a new blog post: I may have just turned down my one shot at moving out of home and gaining a measure of independence and self-worth before the PhD is done because I'm too much of a wimp to try. I can't decide if I'm relieved or want to cry myself to sleep.

I have the wii fit music stuck in my head

2010-03-04T21:34:00.004+11:00

Not that I'm miserable or suicidal or anything...

Wisdom teeth out cost me: $50 hospital co-pay, $580 anaesthetic, $1,700 surgeon's fees = $2,330 (upfront. I raided my post-PhD vacation fund to pay those bills).
Medicare + my health insurance (in that order) have refunded/paid: rest of hospital, ($170.70 + 56.90) anaesthetic, (0 + $507) surgeon's fees = $734.6
Total out of pocket: Four or more weeks hostelling in Japan.
I don't really like to talk about money on the blog, but this was enough that I had to rant about it. We're talking more money than I've earned this financial year here, and most of the money I have earned this year has gone on my monthly health insurance bill (and my public transport costs and other people's birthday presents).

In other news, in case you missed it, the big earthquake in chile has made the day shorter and I'm not going to feel guilty about my lack of desire to reproduce, regardless of what Kevin Rudd or my grandmother may think (that said, I'm very happy for the acquaintance who I spotted across a mall today who it seems is very pregnant). Also, if you're one of the few people on the internet who hasn't seen this yet, you have to see this.

Expect better news about the thesis tomorrow, I hope. Right now I'm overtired and headed to bed. Sorry for any incoherences.

and those we have yet to meet...

2010-03-02T18:47:00.002+11:00

sighs...

Today I wrote a page, but my overall wordcount went down by 400 as I nuked about two pages of crap that had previously been commented out. The chances of this chapter actually hitting 10,000 words are dropping about as rapidly as the wordcount.

Where every little thing had its own secret life...

2010-03-01T18:47:00.003+11:00

Moderately Large Image Ahead...

This is what I spent my weekend working on:

(Based upon figure 2 of Greene (2001).

I haven't thought of you lately at all...

2010-02-27T18:44:00.003+11:00

I'm made out of meat...

Sometimes I love the suggestions that appear in my search box. I start typing "I", and get "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas". And now that I think about it, I do want a hippopotamus for Christmas.

Don't you?

There's a plot to ensure I never get to anything of substance...

2010-02-19T22:06:00.000+11:00

An Endorsement...

Dilmah Exceptional - Berry Sensation: tasty good fun. I approve and want to drink more. The fruit scent is too strong to store it with other teas, however. The scent was overwhelming even through the sealed packaging. :)

Oh, and I've submitted another three job applications this week, one at ANU. Still no job.

nothing like what I wanted it to be...

2010-02-17T21:55:00.004+11:00

I believe the correct way to write this is...

Fuck you, Amanda Palmer.

PS. No really, fuck you.

falling into the abyss of life...

2010-02-15T12:47:00.004+11:00

Worst Tooth Fairy Ever...

So, it looks like having four teeth removed will end up costing me ~$1450 out of my holiday account (Because I haven't earned that much yet this financial year). I'm so glad I have private health insurance where they'll pay me $93 for every tooth I have removed, when the surgeon is charging me $400/450.

Fuck it, I'm going to go get a coffee I can't afford.

It doesn't matter which you heard...

2010-02-13T18:31:00.000+11:00

Well then...

In bullet points, because I'm too lazy for full paragraphs:

The opening ceremony was fun, yes? I want to watch again tonight, if only for the fun bits with the First Nations dancers, the Bear and the hymn at the end. Also the USA beanies, which are great.
I didn't get my dream job. Life goes on; I've got a few more to apply to before the weekend is out.
I'm going to see Nation tomorrow. Looking forward to it muchly.
I've got the first two sections of chapter one decently drafted so that they're no longer really embarrassing. I've only got one more big section to go, and then two smaller ones, and I think I'll be done. Not where I wanted to be by this weekend, but sometimes life is hard. Writing a page a day of the literature review is not that slack, but I miss the speed of the later chapters. The thesis currently has 80 numbered pages of "quality" content (including bibliography), with 4.5 chapters yet to go.
I'll likely be switching to wordpress before the "end of March" deadline on blogger. Sorry to say that if they won't work within my blog/site structure I don't want them around anymore. It sucks, but then, so does google. Speaking of, if you don't want everyone to know who you're emailling and what you're emailling about, you might want to jump through many hoops to thoroughly opt out of Buzz.

Umm, I guess that's the important things. To distract, have a couple of fun links:

Phil Plait - "Seven Ways a Black Hole Can Kill You": A fun lecture on black holes and why they are awesome. (Phil is the author of Bad Astronomy, if you're a n00b to these things)
Dinosaur Comics on Lady Gaga's facade of bluffing

Now I'd better go write a couple of cover letters and get on with life. Hope you're having a good weekend.

Who said that every wish would be heard and answered...?

2010-02-03T14:33:00.005+11:00

Hi, you lot...

So, since my concentration is shot, I have a couple of questions for you all:

What are your thoughts on job interviews? Advice, suggestions, warnings that I ought to not wear a tshirt to work that day, questions that I ought to ask the bosses are all sought after.
What is your favourite non-blogger blog provider? Given that blogger will no longer allow me to use ftp to update my website (suggesting instead that I let google host my site or move to blogspot), I need a new solution. Keep in mind that anything we choose will have to vetted by my server guru, and it's unlikely that I'm going to move the archives over to a new system.
Melbourne?

Save me from the nothing I've become...

2010-01-30T09:16:00.004+11:00

Ouchies...

On a draft job app, about organising conferences: Obviously this involved soothing the egos of irascible academics and encouraging them to work together towards a common goal of not embarrassing the fuck out of the rest of us.

And with a day to go, I've submitted all things due in January, including the one that I really really want, that I may have jinxed simply by wanting it. I refuse to believe that I actually managed to address the selection criteria in the way that they wanted, but I'm hoping I scraped through because a few awesome people said that boss should consider me.

Now I just want this pain to go away!

do do do, do do do, do do doo doo doo!

2010-01-27T21:14:00.003+11:00

Why you should hire me...

I am interested in moving into <type x> simulations and in looking at <field of research>, I speak a tiny amount of German, have been there once and I think I would be perfect for this job.

Also, my face is kinda greenish-yellow.

Yours,
Catherine

......

2010-01-27T11:37:00.003+11:00

My teeth hurt...

One of these days I'm going to pick up a "fabulously witty" romance novel, about a woman whose been in a relationship with the man she loves and has been with for five years, and it's not going to be about how she "comes of age" / "comes to terms" / "comes to grief" / "comes to realise that she never needed him and is much better off with this fling who has wandered into her life and has a giant schlong". Some of those "going nowhere" relationships work out just fine, I'm sure.

Also, I'm going to pick up a book in which the author isn't the best friend / housemate character who helps our leading lady through. Because not everyone has a best friend /housemate who just happens to be a writer / poet / famous female comedian with a taste for being crude (really, Wendy Harmer? Did you think that was subtle or something?). Some of us have childcare workers and personal assistants and students for best mates, and we get along fine.

I think a week off work may be too much. I'm going insane here.

Surprises let me know she cares...

2010-01-23T18:41:00.003+11:00

And now to bed...

Home again, with four more teeth in a jar and a tongue that tingles on one side like pins and needles.

She left me roses by the stairs...

2010-01-23T09:46:00.001+11:00

So...

Going in for surgery today. Will be back later with no wisdom teeth.

Total removed teeth at 9:30am: 16.

Your very own Heroine Addict Bookmark...

2010-01-15T13:04:00.003+11:00

Raising money for a good cause...

I'm offering to make a bookmark of your favourite fictional character for the highest donation bid to help_haiti. Bidding closes on the 20th, American time, and the bookmark should be posted by February.

I may also offer an amigurumi katamari if I can find the time to make both and think anyone will want it.

2010-01-13T16:41:00.003+11:00

Really pissed off now...

Fuck you, Safari. And your lamearse implementation of adblock too.

ETA: And fuck everyone in this house too. 12 GB in 12 days, that's a new record. Time to investigate getting my own damn internet for the sake of not being on dial up for half the month.

I am a dreamer...

2010-01-12T21:58:00.004+11:00

Eep, I'm so slack...

So, how about yuletide, eh? I think I wrote here that I was feeling way too swamped with finishing the PhD to sign up this time around, and it's still true that the thought of committing to something else with deadlines gives me more stress than the thought of submitting another job application (I'm working on another due on Friday, but I'm not that stressed, honest).

But that's not the point. The point is that I did end up writing a Monkey Island stocking stuffer for someone called Nic, entitled "The Elaine Song". It's very silly, but I'm told it made several people laugh, which is really all I ever wanted out of it. Poor old Guybrush, he's so silly.

That's not even the point. The real point is that I did participate in a satellite exchange, where the good people of yuletide sent each other boxes or packets of candy. I may not be able to commit to writing, but shopping for chocolate is one thing I can always find time for. And as for receiving chocolate....... YUM! Made my Christmas, it did.

So, here is a big thank you to bluebrocade, who sent me a lovely package of chocolate from Chocolate Heaven in San Francisco and a little hot chocolate mug as well. So delicious, and cute too!

Thank you again, bluebrocade. You gave me a lovely gift, and I'm sorry it took me this long to write it up.

I'm so used to hear her say...

2010-01-11T09:51:00.002+11:00

Well, crud...

Realised this morning that I uploaded the version of the file with the section on research in astronomy education instead of the version without. Wasn't meant to do that.

I still have another 9 applications to go. Maybe I'll manage to get one of those right.

It's strange what desire will make foolish people do...

2010-01-10T22:51:00.003+11:00

Photographing a not-so-bad evening...

I liked the setting of this scene. This was my evening, after I submitted another job application. (And I got a response saying they'd received it -- eep!)

This stuff is really stressful to me, and I'm having a hard time getting through it. The more jobs I apply for, the more I find myself wondering if I actually want to go on in astrophysics at all. Or life, for that matter. I've felt so behind where I ought to be for so long, that now that I'm actually applying for paid work I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it.

Also, last night when I was flipping the fuck out I did a series of aptitude / which career suits you best? tests, and they almost all came up "housewife". One came up "journalist". I'm not sure what that says about my abilities to make it as a theoretical astrophysicist.

*sighs* In other news, my local op-shop burned down last night. Now where shall I dream over formal dresses that I might someday afford for cheap?

Egao ga ichiban suteki na watashi ni naru...

2009-12-30T22:15:00.002+11:00

Merry-Go-Round...

This story needs to be read by everyone who loved both Wall-E and Battlestar Galactica (the new one).

Don't ask about the thesis. Maybe next week.

Nanana Katamari Damacy...

2009-12-20T22:57:00.003+11:00

Submitted version...

My work has focussed primarily on star formation, looking at the problems of gravitational collapse, and on molecular clouds, simulating the emission of shocked hydroxyl molecules in clouds that are interacting with supernova remnants.

Screw the apologetic tone, I'm awesome and the world needs to know it without a broader opening sentence.

doom doom doom...

2009-12-18T15:27:00.003+11:00

The drafting process...

I was feel in love with astronomy as a teenager after a trip to a remote ghost town in central Australia where they’d never heard of light pollution. Late one night in an empty field I saw the Milky Way for the first time, and in the silence of the night I found myself wondering at how exactly all those stars worked and where they all came from.

Bleh, too girly.

I have wanted to be a theoretical astrophysicist ever since I first realised the power those two words have over mere mortals.

Too maniacal.

I dislike talking about myself and everything I have written within this document is complete bullshit.

Accurate, but you'll never get a job like that.

I’m just starting out on a career in astrophysics, so I haven’t developed a broad set of research interests yet. I have worked on star formation, looking at the problems of gravitational collapse and on molecular clouds, simulating the emission of shocked hydroxyl molecules in clouds that are interacting with supernova remnants.

Eh, it'll do until the boss tells you to write it more formally.