The Blog

 *sigh*...

Today's rejection letter is brought to you by The Pennsylvania State University (via Belgium, for some reason).

(Official-sounding note: This might be the last blog post for a while, as I have yet to switch away from blogger and they're shutting down external blogs this week. Also, your comments won't appear here after that point. Bear with me, I'll find time to fix it eventually.)

Labels: a pity party for one, astronomy, I would make a cool Jedi, jobs

 Marking...

Locate the plane of the galaxy. What features can you see along it?

"Along the plane of the galaxy, there is a pancake of stellar objects surrounding us and we are a raisin embedding along it so all we see around us is pancake."

Someone save me.

Labels: astronomy, marking, pancakes, uni

 Okay universe, much is forgiven...

...because google could tell me what 0.03 g/cm^2 is in solar masses/parsec^2, and one of the builders outside is whistling beautifully.

I'm still not sure about this 'getting out of bed each morning' thing, but right now that's tomorrow's problem.

Labels: astronomy, depression, hating myself, music, thesis ftl, time and space, tired, web stuff

 Moderately Large Image Ahead...

This is what I spent my weekend working on:

(Based upon figure 2 of Greene (2001).

Labels: art, astronomy, don't ask about the commas, never going to graduate, protostars, star wars, thesis ftw

 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?

Labels: accent issues, astronomy, blogger, holy crap they gave me an interview, internet famous, jobs

 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!

Labels: astronomy, jobs, suck, teeth

 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.

Labels: a pity party for one, astronomy, Catheirne can't do anything right, jobs

 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?

Labels: astronomy, feeling better (with application of alcohol), jobs, rum

 Well, have at it...

I've quite stupidly decided that I want to apply for jobs. I want to be one of the underpaid, unappreciated, unloved. That is, a postdoc. My first application deadline is this Sunday, and I haven't yet got myself a statement of research interests, which is apparently a Big Deal.

But after most of a week of suffering, I present to you my CV. All feedback and job offers are gladly appreciated.

Labels: astronomy, dangerous things, jobs, middle class mediocrity, uni

Space Frosting...

So, a blog, eh?

Well, I suppose I promised. So, I’ve had a day of conferencing, and several days on the beach, and I’m coming to the conclusion that Rio is a bit of a rip off, mainly because people don’t give you the right change when you go for food. This has happened twice now, and I’m really bummed about it. Yes, I’m stupid for not paying enough attention and not realising until it is much too late, but it’s not nice to take advantage of my jetlag like that. Stupid paper money that all looks the same. I’ll be on my guard from now on.

Anyway, I’m still under budget, so that’s okay. Worse, I bought a loaf of bread and will pack some vegemite sandwiches tomorrow. *grins* But I must be sure not to turn a profit on the trip, because that wouldn’t be nice for the boss.

So I’m thoroughly jetlagged. I got myself sorted so I was able to stay awake until a reasonable hour, but now I’m waking up at 3am, and by about 7pm I’m so very dead it’s no wonder the restaurant people can rip me off. This morning I made it back to sleep around 5am and it was the most wonderful thing in the world.

Yesterday I went to Ipanema, as there were some markets there that certain parties wanted to see. They were alright; I managed to pick up birthday presents for the people back home, and a few more small things for the family. Ipanema is more of a surf beach than Copacabana, at least in the winter, and the water was full of young people taking their turns on perfectly curled waves.

I love the beaches here, and wish I could go swimming as I think it would be nice (after the first moment of OMG WINTER SWIMMING AIEEE!). There’s something perfect about sitting in the shade of a palm tree, drinking out of a nice ripe coconut and watching the pretty young men play volleyball or soccer. It’s just wonderful.

The conference started today, so there goes my next two weeks. I hope I will have time to do Sugar Loaf and Corcovado this weekend. Otherwise I might have to miss out on some of the official business sessions to get there. Because, you know, it would be a tragedy to miss out on the vote to pass a resolution stating “the IAU members should continue to encourage and support the female astronomers in their communities.” Why can’t they have some controversy on my trip?

Hopefully as time goes on they’ll come up with some sort of interesting thing to vote on. Or at least discuss meaningfully.

***

Think I’m going to skip the politics, as oh my does it sound boring. It’d be okay, but there are at least an hour and a half of speeches before they get to the music and ddancing. And six hours until the drinking. But really, it’s okay.

Went to a fantastic review talk this morning on icy bodies in the solar system, which is the comets and asteroids and space junk out past jupiter (including pluto). It was really good, given by a David Jewitt, who speaks in a manner quite like that of Steve Jobs, and his “powerpoint zen” (keynote really) was fantastic. I think I might get in touch to get his slides, since he had to skip many for time purposes.

So, the next session is starting. Will post more tomorrow.

Labels: astronomy, conferences, rio de janeiro, trip09

Checking in...

Still alive. Have no internet at my hotel, so I can't post from there, but I'll try and write something tonight to post tomorrow. The conference is okay, only nodded off once today (and the boss saw, oh crap!), although they need more coffee stations and food. Oh, and a few more available IP addresses, as I'd rather like to just be able to switch on my internet and have it work.

Labels: astronomy, conferences, rio de janeiro, trip09

Why hello there, silent blog...

The good news is that the IAU has decided that I really am a student and thus qualify to attend their awesome conference at the discount rate. Sadly, I'm not awesome enough to be allowed a vote on any matters of planet defining importance.

Labels: astronomy, conferences, science

  Checking in to prove I'm still here...

And hot to boot!

All images copyright Macquarie University, all rights reserved, blah blah blah, they're of me so I'm posting thumbnails here.

Measuring astrographic plates - One of the tasks you could be assigned as a summer scholarship student at Macquarie is to measure these plates and properly map out the stars therein, although in these modern times a great many of them have been scanned and you do the work on a computer rather than on an old measuring machine (though we have one of those too). I was fascinated to find this photo, showing the women who did this work for so long before the plates ended up in the library basement at Macquarie.

This is me. And maybe you too. Unfortunately, it says nothing about how to fix the problem of feeling useless and like we're falling behind in life, aside from the obvious "get over it". ETA: I'm not endorsing the stupid lists presented in the article, because of course I don't feel that I'm a failure because I don't have a shoe collection, just acknowledging that I do make similar lists in my head that are less vapid and feel bad because I haven't done those things and I often regard myself as 'falling behind' my peers in terms of life goals.

Labels: astronomy, drowning in the sea of apathy that is your kindness, feeling useless, old photographs, photos, science, sexy-Cat

 Awesomeness...

1st IAA Planetary Defense Conference

I was disappointed to find that the subtitle was Protecting Earth from Asteroids

Labels: astronomy, conferences, planetary defence, science

   *snoozes*...

Subconscious decided that after a full day's work and 3.5 hours of tutoring sleep would be overrated, so now I look like a panda.

The workshop was severely overrated (I have no idea what they're talking about, so am going to hit the wiki and ask it). But I think it won't be too hard to catch up enough that I can understand tomorrow.

I wrote 500 words for yuletide, which is a huge improvement over the 0 I had yesterday (hooray for not understanding the workshop and being bored). Sure, it needs entirely too much editing, but it's the first writing I've done for any fandom other than DP for about 3 years, so I'm glad I'm writing at all.

Anyway, dinner now, then tutoring, then catch ups for tomorrow. And maybe I'll have a chance to do the research I need for my fic too. Sleep is for the weak and the tired, after all.

Labels: astronomy, losing sleep, yuletide

   Back to work today...

Not that the thought of going back doesn't make me into a gibbering wreck, but we have to fight past that if we want to succeed (and go on that long-awaited round-world trip when I get the PhD). So, it's a new day and I'm going to fight on.

James has taken charge of my iBook, and yesterday he pulled it apart enough that he was able to get it charging. With two full batteries, it looks like he might be able to do a full backup of the hard disc, which would be great. And if we're lucky, when he puts it all back together it might just work. Otherwise, we'll apply money to the problem and see what Apple has to say. I've only had one good experience with Apple servicing my machines (*huggles the replaced iPod, named Haruka for the curious*) and a couple of bad ones with respect to the laptop, so we'll see what happens.

The toe's almost completely healed up, which is great. Still hurts sometimes when a shoe presses on it in the wrong direction, and doesn't quite have full mobility, but it's close enough.

The conferences are mostly done; I just have to do a set of final updates to the websites with photo galleries and the like, but I'm hoping that will be sufficiently fun that it doesn't particularly stress me out anymore. Oh, and I have to make a naked set of web pages for the WA peoples who are hosting it next year, remembering that I need to put in a few pranks, to see how long they propagate in the system.

Anyway, I'm going to go catch a bus now. Hope this finds you all in great health and spirits, and that you've all kept out of mischief while I've been away. I will be catching up on everything soon, I promise.

Labels: astronomy, conferences, iCatherine

   No, I'm not really here...

But I got to thinking too hard about things, and then I got confused. So I thought I'd take my query to the few readers of my blog.

Is the phrase "stellar astronomy" redundant?

I thought it was, but then I found that it had its own (albeit a stub) wikipedia page. I mean, I get what they're getting at, that astronomy has branched out and everyone needs a category these days, but still... It confuzzled me when I started thinking about the words themselves.

Labels: astronomy, don't ask about the commas, uni, wasting my life, yes I am dumb

   So, at the end of three years...

I have:

• 1.5 (draft) chapters of my thesis written;
• no real results to speak of (though I have duplicated the results of others, which I'm told is a good place to start);
• only 1 year left in which to get this bitch done.

Is it any wonder I'm depressed?

Labels: astronomy, freakshow, hating myself, latex ftw (but not the fun sort of latex), never going to graduate, phd, thesis ftl, wasting my life

Ghostwriting...
Well, maybe not, but I thought I'd better continue on with my list of everything that has been going on with my life. So, where was I?

Oh yeah, I was up to friday.
So anyway, there I was on friday morning, getting up blooming early and dashing into uni by 11am (so early... *giggles*) so that I could hunch up in an uncomfortable seat in the Mason theatre and watch Niea under 7, which rocked! Although, I must admit, 13 episodes is a few too many for any given sitting. But I got a lot of my knitting done. I'm almost finished the scarf I'm working on at the moment, which is the same colour as my shawl that almost everyone is always bagging out but I love.
Anyway, James and I stayed in at uni, bought ourselves a pullapart for dinner and then walked over to the observatory. (Long walk when you're that tired) to work my night away. But only six people turned up, to everyone's absolute astonishment! And they didn't even stay to 8.30, which is our normal closing time (though we're often there til 9.30-ish if the grown-ups want to hang around longer, but we mostly cater to families).
So that was when Jeff (who was in charge since Lesa was elsewhere) asked if we wanted to have a go mucking around with the Meade (16-inch) and look at stuff we wanted to see... So of course we said yes. And that is where the title for yesterday's post came from. We got to observe each of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto through the telescope, and although they really didn't appear to be more than just bright points of light, we did get to see colour (well, not in the case of pluto, but anyway) and it was all very very cool. I've never seen the outer planets before, and it's just a shame that Saturn was below the horizon. I would have to say that James and I playing with the big telescope was one of the best things of my holidays. I hope I get the chance to do so again one time.

I'm rambling and this post isn't nearly as good as I had planned it to be, so I think I will quit my yawning and go to bed. Goodnight all ye who visit here.

Labels: astronomy, this was before tags

Uranus, Neptune, Pluto - No Action
Grrr at the lack of dubbed Sailormoon in my life. Just when I thought I would finally get video copies of 67-68, Channel ten is showing garbage. But anyway, moving on to an account of the past few days in my life...

On Wednesday, I did have to go into uni for fun and not-profit. Yup, the observatory was open to a bunch of vacation-care kids who all wanted to look through the telescopes at pretty things. Well, actually, because it was the middle of the day, we started things off by taking them into the planetarium, because it's fun and because in the planetarium they get to see stars even at lunchtime (which it was). Once again I didn't do the presentation, but that's okay, because I love watching them and it is always a lot of fun. The little girl sitting next to me was scared of the dark, so I had to hold her hand throughout, but she was okay and ended up feeling brave enough to whisper to me about what stars she knew and how her mum had shown her how to find Libra and Gemini. So kawaii!!!!
Anyway, after that, we did walk the group over to the observatory, doing the scale model of the solar system as we went. It was fun also, for the kids enjoyed running around holding stakes with the names of the planets on them and one boy especially enjoyed calling out "I am Uranus" as he ran across the field. It was all kinda amusing really. Then we got to the observatory, where Geoff (according to Lesa his name is pronounced "Ge-Off" which pisses a bunch of us off) had set up the 16-inch telescope for observing of venus. Now Venus is absolutely gorgeous at the moment, half-phased, and full of shining planety goodness. And of course, once someone points it out to you, you can see Venus naked-eye during the day. Very, very nice.
As we were all gaping at Venus, James, my uber-sexy boyfriend, had set up another telescope for observing the moon, which is also half-phased at the moment. And everyone loves staring at the moon, which I'm sure will come as a shock to Lesa, who always insists we find lots of globular clusters to show people when they come to the observatory. But anyway, they could see craters and things and it was very exciting.
Ooh, and as I was helping James with showing off the moon, Lesa set up her 6-inch telescope with the uber-cool filter on it so that we could observe the sun! Don't try this at home without the proper equipment, but looking at the sun through a telescope was definitely one of the coolest things ever. Even James being afraid his eyeballs would be fried was cool. But yeah. Sunspots are pretty...
So, after the chibis went home and we packed up, I headed off to James' house, where we curled up watching Sailor Moon for a few hours... More than a few actually, but that's beside the point.

Thursday...
Umm, I watched some more Sailor Moon with my boy. We got through a lot, right up until Endymion is captured by the Dark Kingdom. *whimpers softly* But yeah, lots of fun. And there was chocolate and coke to be consumed. Oh, and pancakes too! I love pancakes, as James can now doubt attest to. *grins* But yeah, it was so much fun. And his mum is a good cook. I should steal more of her recipes, I think. *smiles*

*yawns* Actually, it's past my bedtime now, I believe, so I'm going to leave you. I'll finish bringing this up to date tomorrow or something.
Goodnight world.

Labels: astronomy, sailor moon, this was before tags