The subtitle on the sign entering Holyoke, MA, reads "Home of Volleyball".
They were calling for snow all up and down the East yesterday, but the storms weren't really supposed to hit NE. Well, they did, and almost every school district is cancelled, along with almost every university. UMASS included.
My morning appointments were cancelled up to 11 AM, so I decided to roam about the campus and play in the snow. I bundled up as much as I could, meaning normal clothes but double-socks. I asked the front desk if there was a place I might be able to buy a hat, but the bookstore is closed whenever the rest of the university is. I think that with one, and perhaps a better pair of gloves than my leather driving gloves, I would have managed to stay out longer than the half-hour I managed.
The crews had already cleared the main sidewalks, though of course I took the opportunity to tramp through unshoveled areas. At some parts the wind cleared the snow down to about half an inch, in others the drifts piled to about a foot (though much deeper in parts I avoided). The "Valley" was not hit as hard as parts more east or south of here, as Boston.
The guy on the news mentioned Worchester (Wooooster!) and Concord (Conk-aaard) often. It was cute.
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Monday, March 2, 2009
Friday, December 19, 2008
Hunt of the Muffin
Last Sunday I decided I really wanted a muffin before church.
I spent about 45 minutes on Google, trying to determine what Charlottesville bakeries/cafes were open on a Sunday, and then finding one open at 10 AM was a tough job indeed. Luckily the church I was going to was downtown, and there are a lot of cafes in that general direction.
The first one was a cafe I'd been wanting to try out anyway, though apparently it moved about two blocks down the street from when I'd last seen it, this past summer.
It was in fact open. That was good.
So I go inside, and I look confused. When I asked the one employee if he had any muffins, he said no, they only get their muffins in on Mondays through Saturdays (wait, they don't bake them themselves? Hmmm, dodgy...) and sometimes leftover ones are half-price, but there are none today.
Employee started picking up the wrapped items on the counter. "But, we have a croissant, some... umm... carrot cake, paninis.... Cupcakes! Those are muffin-shaped!"
Poor boy.
I found my muffins on the third try. They were okay, the cinnamon-swirl one would have been amazing but the outside was a little stale. It definitely satisfied my muffin craving though, and the blueberry was spectacular.
I found a new church that I like a lot better and I think I'll keep going to. It's a bit smaller, of the two narrow sets of pews variety, but I liked the pastor and the atmosphere, so perhaps it's worth the drive downtown every Sunday.
I spent about 45 minutes on Google, trying to determine what Charlottesville bakeries/cafes were open on a Sunday, and then finding one open at 10 AM was a tough job indeed. Luckily the church I was going to was downtown, and there are a lot of cafes in that general direction.
The first one was a cafe I'd been wanting to try out anyway, though apparently it moved about two blocks down the street from when I'd last seen it, this past summer.
It was in fact open. That was good.
So I go inside, and I look confused. When I asked the one employee if he had any muffins, he said no, they only get their muffins in on Mondays through Saturdays (wait, they don't bake them themselves? Hmmm, dodgy...) and sometimes leftover ones are half-price, but there are none today.
Employee started picking up the wrapped items on the counter. "But, we have a croissant, some... umm... carrot cake, paninis.... Cupcakes! Those are muffin-shaped!"
Poor boy.
I found my muffins on the third try. They were okay, the cinnamon-swirl one would have been amazing but the outside was a little stale. It definitely satisfied my muffin craving though, and the blueberry was spectacular.
I found a new church that I like a lot better and I think I'll keep going to. It's a bit smaller, of the two narrow sets of pews variety, but I liked the pastor and the atmosphere, so perhaps it's worth the drive downtown every Sunday.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
walking to work this morning...
..I was reminded of one of those sights you see only on college campuses. Older, male professor-types riding bicycles to work, dressed in wool suits and dress shoes, with a reflective band around the right ankle and a briefcase bungee-corded over the back tire. Incredible.
Yesterday was the last day of exams and now the Grounds are empty, devoid of human life. It's kind of peaceful, kind of creepy.
Yesterday was the last day of exams and now the Grounds are empty, devoid of human life. It's kind of peaceful, kind of creepy.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Ten minutes ago I handed in my take-home exam. That was the last item for the winter exam period. So my penultimate undergraduate semester is now over!
It's funny, though I didn't have any "real" exams--no three-hour closed-book, in-class exam--this was probably one of the tougher exam periods I've had. A lot of writing to do. Yuck. But I got it all done, and now it is Winter Break time!
Between semesters, I'm going to keep doing research for Stefan. I wasn't able to actually collect much data during the semester in my independent study, and there are other things we'd like to know, so I'm getting paid for a few weeks this winter. It should be nice, keep myself busy during the days, and yet also relaxing.
It's funny, though I didn't have any "real" exams--no three-hour closed-book, in-class exam--this was probably one of the tougher exam periods I've had. A lot of writing to do. Yuck. But I got it all done, and now it is Winter Break time!
Between semesters, I'm going to keep doing research for Stefan. I wasn't able to actually collect much data during the semester in my independent study, and there are other things we'd like to know, so I'm getting paid for a few weeks this winter. It should be nice, keep myself busy during the days, and yet also relaxing.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Dedication.
Oh wow, it's December.
Yup.
This week was the last week of classes for the fall semester! That's almost equally crazy. So today I had a presentation for my lab class, which was in lieu of a lab report for one of five physics labs this semester. My partner and I talked about a nuclear lab we did, in which radiation spectra were taken of a few different sources. But since it was the one required lab for everyone, we wanted to focus less on rehashing every single experiment and instead we focused on the practical side of the experiment. Namely, how do you decide what detector is appropriate for an experiment? So for a lot of our presentation we contrasted the main types of detectors.
Okay. So there's this class of detectors called scintillators, which means that the detector absorbs a high energy and emits a lower energy. The first scintillators used were in about 1906, way before technology caught up to the science they were trying to do. So they had materials that emitted visible light when hit by radiation. They would actually take a piece of the material under a microscope and count the flashes of light as it was hit by radiation.
Wow. That's some dedication to science.
Yup.
This week was the last week of classes for the fall semester! That's almost equally crazy. So today I had a presentation for my lab class, which was in lieu of a lab report for one of five physics labs this semester. My partner and I talked about a nuclear lab we did, in which radiation spectra were taken of a few different sources. But since it was the one required lab for everyone, we wanted to focus less on rehashing every single experiment and instead we focused on the practical side of the experiment. Namely, how do you decide what detector is appropriate for an experiment? So for a lot of our presentation we contrasted the main types of detectors.
Okay. So there's this class of detectors called scintillators, which means that the detector absorbs a high energy and emits a lower energy. The first scintillators used were in about 1906, way before technology caught up to the science they were trying to do. So they had materials that emitted visible light when hit by radiation. They would actually take a piece of the material under a microscope and count the flashes of light as it was hit by radiation.
Wow. That's some dedication to science.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Scorraig photos up!
Check the Edinburgh Uni Nov-Dec link for 15 new photos, those that Flora took while I was at Scorraig. Only two months late, but gives you an idea of some of what I wrote about, especially since I didn't take photos of my own.
Anonymous v. Scientology
So I had no idea that there were worldwide protests against Scientology this Sunday (10 Feb.) but Edinburgh was one city hosting such an event. Apparently a Scientology building is along the main street of Southside, at that point South Bridge St.
However, walking down South Bridge on Sunday afternoon I had no idea of this. I tried to find links to news articles focusing on just the Edinburgh protest but couldn't find any. What I could find were youtube videos.
Edinburgh Scientology Protest - 10/02/08 3:30. Long but the best-made video I found, it scans through the whole day and I think gives a feel for the streets near to Old Town/Royal Mile, if you can mentally remove the weirdly-masked people.
Anonymous protests Cult of $cientology in Edinburgh 0:11. Quick scan of the protesters, if you don't have the inclination to watch the first clip.
Anon 10th Feb 08, Edinburgh 0:46. This was pretty much what I experienced walking by the protesters, only I came up the opposite direction. Silent video.
There were about 30-40 protesters lining the sidewalks outside a bargain store, in strange masks ranging from Guy Fawkes masks to Stormtroopers to bandanas, picketting and handing out flyers and apparently passing a little banter with the Scientology building across the street. There were two police watching over them, as you can see in the videos (the police are wearing bright yellow), but the protesters were pretty well behaved.
However, walking down South Bridge on Sunday afternoon I had no idea of this. I tried to find links to news articles focusing on just the Edinburgh protest but couldn't find any. What I could find were youtube videos.
Edinburgh Scientology Protest - 10/02/08 3:30. Long but the best-made video I found, it scans through the whole day and I think gives a feel for the streets near to Old Town/Royal Mile, if you can mentally remove the weirdly-masked people.
Anonymous protests Cult of $cientology in Edinburgh 0:11. Quick scan of the protesters, if you don't have the inclination to watch the first clip.
Anon 10th Feb 08, Edinburgh 0:46. This was pretty much what I experienced walking by the protesters, only I came up the opposite direction. Silent video.
There were about 30-40 protesters lining the sidewalks outside a bargain store, in strange masks ranging from Guy Fawkes masks to Stormtroopers to bandanas, picketting and handing out flyers and apparently passing a little banter with the Scientology building across the street. There were two police watching over them, as you can see in the videos (the police are wearing bright yellow), but the protesters were pretty well behaved.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Yes, Virginia, there is "snow" in Scotland.
Just when I thought I'd figured out Edinburgh weather patterns, I am thrown for a loop. Yesterday had a high of 12C (about 53F) and was sunny and glorious, until some nasty rain in the late afternoon. This morning started just over freezing and never rose higher, but the promise of sun I saw walking towards breakfast changed into big fat snowflakes by the time I walked down to KB for my morning lecture.
During this walk the snow changed to icy sleet-like drops, then rain, then stopped completely by the time I made it to the physics building. So I actually walked in the worst half-hour possible. It drizzled a little bit this afternoon; the rain drops changed into snowflakes and then back again.
Brilliant.
This reminds me of a poster by the JCMB library, advertising need-based scholarship money. Today was not the first time I saw it, I just haven't mentioned it until now. I think it resonates with me because the phrase is so short and so profoundly Scottish:
"Clever but skint?"
Roughly translated, this means "Smart but broke?", yet has a much better ring. Every time I see it I marvel. Perhaps other phrases don't sound as good as in American English, but this one "clever but skint?" is a work of art.
During this walk the snow changed to icy sleet-like drops, then rain, then stopped completely by the time I made it to the physics building. So I actually walked in the worst half-hour possible. It drizzled a little bit this afternoon; the rain drops changed into snowflakes and then back again.
Brilliant.
This reminds me of a poster by the JCMB library, advertising need-based scholarship money. Today was not the first time I saw it, I just haven't mentioned it until now. I think it resonates with me because the phrase is so short and so profoundly Scottish:
"Clever but skint?"
Roughly translated, this means "Smart but broke?", yet has a much better ring. Every time I see it I marvel. Perhaps other phrases don't sound as good as in American English, but this one "clever but skint?" is a work of art.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
a few scattered notes
Oh yeah, so something I forgot to mention about the Salisbury Cathedral:
all the wooden supports have been around so long they have essentially fossilised into rocks.
So maybe once they had to worry about insects burrowing in, but no longer.
Sunday night it rained, and at some point snowed. All that was left on Monday morning was slush, which was really gross. Now I understand why it's best that maybe Edinburgh stay snowless. In any case, it was an opportunity to wear the wellies I bought in the post-Christmas sales!
Wellies
Likewise, sometime last night the temp dropped below freezing again, and so thin spots of ice greeted us in the morning.
Classes began yesterday. This first week is pretty light because the tutorials don't start until next week (an extra four or five hours a week) AND one of my courses doesn't start until the end of January.
Still, I think this term might prove to be something of a challenge. For the first time possibly ever my coursework will be completely, entirely new. None has the least amount of review, and all are at the third- or fourth-year level. Eeep. Sounds like a bit of work to stay on top.
all the wooden supports have been around so long they have essentially fossilised into rocks.
So maybe once they had to worry about insects burrowing in, but no longer.
Sunday night it rained, and at some point snowed. All that was left on Monday morning was slush, which was really gross. Now I understand why it's best that maybe Edinburgh stay snowless. In any case, it was an opportunity to wear the wellies I bought in the post-Christmas sales!
Wellies
Likewise, sometime last night the temp dropped below freezing again, and so thin spots of ice greeted us in the morning.
Classes began yesterday. This first week is pretty light because the tutorials don't start until next week (an extra four or five hours a week) AND one of my courses doesn't start until the end of January.
Still, I think this term might prove to be something of a challenge. For the first time possibly ever my coursework will be completely, entirely new. None has the least amount of review, and all are at the third- or fourth-year level. Eeep. Sounds like a bit of work to stay on top.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Coldstream
I spent the last three days visiting my friend Sandy, who lives in the Borders region--between England and Scotland. The small town of Coldstream lies right next to the river which at that point defines the boundary between the two. It was a quiet three days, full of home-cookin', card games, and walks around the town.
I had haggis for my FOURTH time! And it was better than any of the others. Mmm, homemade haggis!
Funny, my host-mum asked if I would eat haggis, but was not concerned if I'd eat turnips or pumpkin or any of that nasty stuff.
The Borders region is mostly pretty flat, with a few hills, and has an agricultural feel. In Sandy's area the farms are more of livestock, a little more south the farms grow more crops than animals. The open fields were a nice change, though it's not usually the kind of scenery I appreciate.
I've realised how weird it is to come back to Edinburgh after being away, even for just a few days. It's that feeling you get once you get to know a place well, it becomes a home at some point without official notice, just a feeling that creeps up unexpected.
I had haggis for my FOURTH time! And it was better than any of the others. Mmm, homemade haggis!
Funny, my host-mum asked if I would eat haggis, but was not concerned if I'd eat turnips or pumpkin or any of that nasty stuff.
The Borders region is mostly pretty flat, with a few hills, and has an agricultural feel. In Sandy's area the farms are more of livestock, a little more south the farms grow more crops than animals. The open fields were a nice change, though it's not usually the kind of scenery I appreciate.
I've realised how weird it is to come back to Edinburgh after being away, even for just a few days. It's that feeling you get once you get to know a place well, it becomes a home at some point without official notice, just a feeling that creeps up unexpected.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Massive Christmas Update: Scorraig
On Thursday morning I left Katharine's, took the train to the city centre (Central Station), walked about half an hour to the bus station on the other side of the city centre, and boarded a bus heading to Inverness, which is in the Highlands near Loch Ness and the North Sea, with a quick change of bus at Perth. Then Flora and I went grocery shopping for some important Christmas essentials, and we made it to the 'mainland' side of Scoraig, which Google Maps tells me might be called Carnach, seperate from Scoraig by a sea loch, Loch Rum. I think. Pronounced "Room".
Scoraig is a peninsula in the Highlands, nearish to Ullapool, and isn't an island but might as well be. It's best to access via boat. On the 'mainland' side is a free car park and a 'pier', a slope of concrete for small boats, but no permanent place for the boats to go. On the other side of the loch is Scoraig, another concrete pier and a boathouse, and a system by which the boats can be let out to sea using ropes on the pier. It is difficult to explain with words alone so I won't try. Scoraig is also accessible by foot, on a long path around some large hills/small mountains but it's so steep a road may never be put in. Very large things can be brought to Scoraig by a large raft if it's calm and clear.
About eighty people live on Scoraig (Scorraig is the local spelling, but one R is the official), though many were gone for the holidays. Flora divides them into the ones who are "creepy hippies" and the more normal. Most of the people came from England originally, and most are now in their fifties or older, though there are some children growing up there and a few people in their twenties escaping modern life. Everything is driven by wind power, which charges up the batteries used, with solar power secondary. Most people keep animals of some kind, mostly chickens, sheep, and a few people have pigs, cows, or horses. Most of the dogs are trained to be sheepdogs. Half the people are into drugs, some of the home-grown variety.
My first morning on Scorraig was the day of the winter solstice, so Flora and I joined the creepy hippies on the top of a hill to watch the sun come up. We arrived with an armful of fuel for the fire, and received brandy coffee and virgin hot chocolate at the top, shared amongst the dozen or so. The sky slowly lightened around nine, then we grew silent around 9:30 as the first rays broke over the hills. A low "ohm" began when the sun rose above the rocks. Some sort of crazy pagan ritual? Flora and I tried not to giggle. Our efforts were slighted when one of the dogs ran into our direct line of sight and squatted down, leaving its own offering for the solstice.
At that point giggling was guaranteed.
The rest of the time on Scorraig was relaxing and wonderful. What began as myself, Flora, and her parents for the first few days became eleven people in their large cabin. Eleven! During the few hours of daylight we went on walks exploring the area. About half a mile to the west was the end of the peninsula with beautiful views of sunsets, over the uninhabited islands. The mountains dividing Scorraig from civilisation were about two miles away, though I never went that far. One mile to the north brought one over the ridge and down to the other side, which was reputed to be amazing in the summer but muddy and desolate looking when we went over.
Our evenings were spent with large family dinners, games (including The Marble Game... Flora's young nephews, ten and eleven years old, asked me, "Does everyone play this in America?" Hah. Erm, no...) and talking.
Christmas dinner was the slightly untraditional roast beef, apparently most British people have turkey dinners, but it was accompanied by crackers (with crowns, jokes, and toys inside) and whisky---pretty Scottish! We followed the Bush family tradition of having our big dinner on Christmas Eve, and the opening of one present that evening, then a long morning on Christmas Day of presents after the equally-traditional breakfast of an egg and sausage sandwich (I did not partake). Because there were many crackers left over, we had more crackers with our Christmas dinner, which tasted surprisingly like Christmas Eve leftovers. The dinner, not the crackers.
I made friends with the two dogs belonging to Flora's brother, and became their primary caretaker for the almost-week I was on Scoraig. Mai (actually spelled My) was about ten, and her daughter Fati (actually Fatsy, but I felt that was too mean) almost a year old. Both were collie mixes, used as sheepdogs. Fati liked to jump up into laps and be cuddled though she didn't stay for long.
The day before Christmas I made my own contribution to the Christmas biscuits and baked a batch of coconut cookies that were more like coconut-hinted shortbread, as well as a batch of peanut butter cookies with Hershey's Kisses in the center, as Mom makes for Christmas. The Kisses baffled the other ten in the house, they'd never seen such a thing! Flora's "brother-out-law" told me, "I like the peanut butter shortbread biscuits, but what are these dodgy chocolates doing in the middle?" No one could understand how the chocolate kept the shape! I explained how the chocolates are made, and passed around the bag of unused Kisses, which did not impress our British friends. "It tastes like goat's cheese," Flora said. I suspect that British chocolate has different sweeteners than American chocolate. To me it was a bit like the taste of home.
Merry Christmas to all, and Happy Boxing Day!
Scoraig is a peninsula in the Highlands, nearish to Ullapool, and isn't an island but might as well be. It's best to access via boat. On the 'mainland' side is a free car park and a 'pier', a slope of concrete for small boats, but no permanent place for the boats to go. On the other side of the loch is Scoraig, another concrete pier and a boathouse, and a system by which the boats can be let out to sea using ropes on the pier. It is difficult to explain with words alone so I won't try. Scoraig is also accessible by foot, on a long path around some large hills/small mountains but it's so steep a road may never be put in. Very large things can be brought to Scoraig by a large raft if it's calm and clear.
About eighty people live on Scoraig (Scorraig is the local spelling, but one R is the official), though many were gone for the holidays. Flora divides them into the ones who are "creepy hippies" and the more normal. Most of the people came from England originally, and most are now in their fifties or older, though there are some children growing up there and a few people in their twenties escaping modern life. Everything is driven by wind power, which charges up the batteries used, with solar power secondary. Most people keep animals of some kind, mostly chickens, sheep, and a few people have pigs, cows, or horses. Most of the dogs are trained to be sheepdogs. Half the people are into drugs, some of the home-grown variety.
My first morning on Scorraig was the day of the winter solstice, so Flora and I joined the creepy hippies on the top of a hill to watch the sun come up. We arrived with an armful of fuel for the fire, and received brandy coffee and virgin hot chocolate at the top, shared amongst the dozen or so. The sky slowly lightened around nine, then we grew silent around 9:30 as the first rays broke over the hills. A low "ohm" began when the sun rose above the rocks. Some sort of crazy pagan ritual? Flora and I tried not to giggle. Our efforts were slighted when one of the dogs ran into our direct line of sight and squatted down, leaving its own offering for the solstice.
At that point giggling was guaranteed.
The rest of the time on Scorraig was relaxing and wonderful. What began as myself, Flora, and her parents for the first few days became eleven people in their large cabin. Eleven! During the few hours of daylight we went on walks exploring the area. About half a mile to the west was the end of the peninsula with beautiful views of sunsets, over the uninhabited islands. The mountains dividing Scorraig from civilisation were about two miles away, though I never went that far. One mile to the north brought one over the ridge and down to the other side, which was reputed to be amazing in the summer but muddy and desolate looking when we went over.
Our evenings were spent with large family dinners, games (including The Marble Game... Flora's young nephews, ten and eleven years old, asked me, "Does everyone play this in America?" Hah. Erm, no...) and talking.
Christmas dinner was the slightly untraditional roast beef, apparently most British people have turkey dinners, but it was accompanied by crackers (with crowns, jokes, and toys inside) and whisky---pretty Scottish! We followed the Bush family tradition of having our big dinner on Christmas Eve, and the opening of one present that evening, then a long morning on Christmas Day of presents after the equally-traditional breakfast of an egg and sausage sandwich (I did not partake). Because there were many crackers left over, we had more crackers with our Christmas dinner, which tasted surprisingly like Christmas Eve leftovers. The dinner, not the crackers.
I made friends with the two dogs belonging to Flora's brother, and became their primary caretaker for the almost-week I was on Scoraig. Mai (actually spelled My) was about ten, and her daughter Fati (actually Fatsy, but I felt that was too mean) almost a year old. Both were collie mixes, used as sheepdogs. Fati liked to jump up into laps and be cuddled though she didn't stay for long.
The day before Christmas I made my own contribution to the Christmas biscuits and baked a batch of coconut cookies that were more like coconut-hinted shortbread, as well as a batch of peanut butter cookies with Hershey's Kisses in the center, as Mom makes for Christmas. The Kisses baffled the other ten in the house, they'd never seen such a thing! Flora's "brother-out-law" told me, "I like the peanut butter shortbread biscuits, but what are these dodgy chocolates doing in the middle?" No one could understand how the chocolate kept the shape! I explained how the chocolates are made, and passed around the bag of unused Kisses, which did not impress our British friends. "It tastes like goat's cheese," Flora said. I suspect that British chocolate has different sweeteners than American chocolate. To me it was a bit like the taste of home.
Merry Christmas to all, and Happy Boxing Day!
Massive Christmas Update: Glasgow
So while I have internet back, it's about time I make an update on my life post-finals.
My last exam was Thursday, and I went to my friend Katharine's in Glasgow on Saturday. While there I pretty much recharged from the semester. There was a very large park across the street from her house. I'm bad at estimating areas, but to walk around the perimeter took me about an hour, and it had on the grounds a pond with pavilion and boating dock, walled garden, 'glen walks' that went through some heavier forest and around a waterfall from the man-made dam, a few large open fields, and a couple sets of children's playgrounds. Right next to the park was a train station, so a three-minute walk from her house and twenty-minute train ride got me right into the city centre, very convenient for visiting Glasgow. On my last two days I even took the train trip by myself, AND figured out the Glasgow Underground (a very simple loop with about a dozen stations).
I went to the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art, shopped a bit in the pedestrian area of Sauchiehall/Buchanan streets. I visited the museum of Kelvingrove, what used to be a huge mansion on a hillside in Glasgow, on the north side not the city centre---Kelvingrove was a bit of a mixed bag, by which I mean that the organisation was lacking. There were two open areas, one on the west end that had the taxidermy displays, and the one on the east had some really weird sculpture, including heads hanging from the ceiling with a range of emotions on their faces.
Right near Kelvingrove was the Museum of Transport, which included pretty much every range of transportation used since the invention of the steam engine---and the working model of the steam engine was so cool I could have watched it go for hours. I don't think I'd ever seen one before. The displays had: horsedrawn carriages, including gypsy 'caravans' (modern-day caravans are our RVs/trailers). Old cars, especially interesting because few were American and most were makes I'd never seen before. Some trams (still double-decker) back in the 1930's, before they had buses. Trains, which were boring except for the platform view of the engines. A large room of model ships, pretty boring except for the warships. And some bicycles and motorcycles, apparently the first bicycle is credited to a Scotsman!
Katharine's family was warm and inviting and I learned a lot of things about Scotland, some of it from her younger brothers who are both crazy about rugby. Their TV got a lot of channels, so it was pretty much my first experience with British television that wasn't set to a sports channel so that the pub-goers could watch the evening football match. I helped decorate the house for Christmas, and was asked a lot of questions about life in America. Her 16-year-old brother asked, "Is living in America like Laguna Beach?"
It was pretty cute.
My last exam was Thursday, and I went to my friend Katharine's in Glasgow on Saturday. While there I pretty much recharged from the semester. There was a very large park across the street from her house. I'm bad at estimating areas, but to walk around the perimeter took me about an hour, and it had on the grounds a pond with pavilion and boating dock, walled garden, 'glen walks' that went through some heavier forest and around a waterfall from the man-made dam, a few large open fields, and a couple sets of children's playgrounds. Right next to the park was a train station, so a three-minute walk from her house and twenty-minute train ride got me right into the city centre, very convenient for visiting Glasgow. On my last two days I even took the train trip by myself, AND figured out the Glasgow Underground (a very simple loop with about a dozen stations).
I went to the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art, shopped a bit in the pedestrian area of Sauchiehall/Buchanan streets. I visited the museum of Kelvingrove, what used to be a huge mansion on a hillside in Glasgow, on the north side not the city centre---Kelvingrove was a bit of a mixed bag, by which I mean that the organisation was lacking. There were two open areas, one on the west end that had the taxidermy displays, and the one on the east had some really weird sculpture, including heads hanging from the ceiling with a range of emotions on their faces.
Right near Kelvingrove was the Museum of Transport, which included pretty much every range of transportation used since the invention of the steam engine---and the working model of the steam engine was so cool I could have watched it go for hours. I don't think I'd ever seen one before. The displays had: horsedrawn carriages, including gypsy 'caravans' (modern-day caravans are our RVs/trailers). Old cars, especially interesting because few were American and most were makes I'd never seen before. Some trams (still double-decker) back in the 1930's, before they had buses. Trains, which were boring except for the platform view of the engines. A large room of model ships, pretty boring except for the warships. And some bicycles and motorcycles, apparently the first bicycle is credited to a Scotsman!
Katharine's family was warm and inviting and I learned a lot of things about Scotland, some of it from her younger brothers who are both crazy about rugby. Their TV got a lot of channels, so it was pretty much my first experience with British television that wasn't set to a sports channel so that the pub-goers could watch the evening football match. I helped decorate the house for Christmas, and was asked a lot of questions about life in America. Her 16-year-old brother asked, "Is living in America like Laguna Beach?"
It was pretty cute.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Wintertime
This morning I walked down to KB for the first time since classes finished (so, in about two weeks). Things actually got more treacherous than the last time I came down. Sometime, possibly last night, the temperatures finally fell below freezing, so the perpetually-wet sidewalks actually froze. The temperatures are back above freezing now, but of course not everything has melted yet. Luckily, my walk to KB is mostly south, and so most of the sidewalks were melted. The problem was with the east-west sidestreets, because the sun doesn't get high enough to extend over the buildings, and the ice was just thin enough to not be visible and just thick enough to still be slippery.
I'm starting to believe it doesn't get much colder than this in Edinburgh, although the wind chill makes it quite cold at times.
Luckily it's almost the solstice, and the days will start to get longer again. On December 20th (the furthest weather.com will let me see) the sun will be up from 8:40 AM - 3:40 PM. Oh good, a full seven hours of sun!
Of course where I'm staying over Christmas is even more north, near Ullapool (latitude: 57 N; Edinburgh is at 55 N; Washington DC is at 37 N, and currently getting 9.5 hours of day). By the time I'm there it will get about six hours of daylight. Oh good.
Flora: "It's really too bad you'll be visiting when it's at its absolute worst."
Anyway. I had my first exam yesterday, in Musical Acoustics, which took place in the same room (a basketball court!) as a medic exam. The medics papers were in the front half, so I spent a good two minutes not being able to find my name and flipping out. The acoustics exams were in the back corner. Why we couldn't take the exam in our usual room is beyond me, but the court has a balcony area that one or two of the proctors used to watch us from above. I felt like I was in a prison exercise yard.
Especially because I was seated at the front of a row, and if I need to cheat off of the medic in front of me for a different exam, then clearly I deserve to fail.
Down at KB this morning to turn in two hand-in assignments, which are actually due Thursday and Friday, but my last exam (Archaeology) is Thursday, so might as well turn them in now. So Thursday at noon, when Archaeology is over, I will be a free woman. (Sort of. I need to make study guides for my other two exams, in May. Another point I don't understand: why are my exams for Term 1 physics courses sat in May? Don't ask.)
I'm starting to believe it doesn't get much colder than this in Edinburgh, although the wind chill makes it quite cold at times.
Luckily it's almost the solstice, and the days will start to get longer again. On December 20th (the furthest weather.com will let me see) the sun will be up from 8:40 AM - 3:40 PM. Oh good, a full seven hours of sun!
Of course where I'm staying over Christmas is even more north, near Ullapool (latitude: 57 N; Edinburgh is at 55 N; Washington DC is at 37 N, and currently getting 9.5 hours of day). By the time I'm there it will get about six hours of daylight. Oh good.
Flora: "It's really too bad you'll be visiting when it's at its absolute worst."
Anyway. I had my first exam yesterday, in Musical Acoustics, which took place in the same room (a basketball court!) as a medic exam. The medics papers were in the front half, so I spent a good two minutes not being able to find my name and flipping out. The acoustics exams were in the back corner. Why we couldn't take the exam in our usual room is beyond me, but the court has a balcony area that one or two of the proctors used to watch us from above. I felt like I was in a prison exercise yard.
Especially because I was seated at the front of a row, and if I need to cheat off of the medic in front of me for a different exam, then clearly I deserve to fail.
Down at KB this morning to turn in two hand-in assignments, which are actually due Thursday and Friday, but my last exam (Archaeology) is Thursday, so might as well turn them in now. So Thursday at noon, when Archaeology is over, I will be a free woman. (Sort of. I need to make study guides for my other two exams, in May. Another point I don't understand: why are my exams for Term 1 physics courses sat in May? Don't ask.)
Sunday, November 25, 2007
This little piggy went to market.
I didn't find out about it until after it happened, but the Christmas lights came on Princes Street (the commercial area) on Thanksgiving, although why that day is beyond me because no one knows Thanksgiving here. This also marked the beginning of the Christmas markets, which I went to yesterday afternoon to do shopping and enjoy the atmosphere.
By the Sir Walter Scott monument is a large ferris wheel... which I didn't ride, as the queues were long and it cost 3.50 pounds. Ugh. A carousel, then the beginnings of the German Market. A lot of jewelry stands, hats, trinkets, candies, and so many German food stands. Lots of sausages... I ate half of a hot dog, my first since August. Also the smell of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine. I tried mulled wine and found that despite the good smell and lovely warmth, I am really not a fan. Carmelized almonds, on the other hand... mmm.
In the Princes Street Park, below, was an ice-skating rink, which of course I didn't go to, but it was well cute. A few blocks down Princes, in a small plaza, was the French Market. I finally found the wooden rose vendor, ten for a pound, and bought five cream and five scarlet. The French Market was much smaller than the German one, but still worth the look.
I have heard the markets stay past Christmas, and take advantage of the Hogmanay (New Year's) Festival. We'll see on that.
By the Sir Walter Scott monument is a large ferris wheel... which I didn't ride, as the queues were long and it cost 3.50 pounds. Ugh. A carousel, then the beginnings of the German Market. A lot of jewelry stands, hats, trinkets, candies, and so many German food stands. Lots of sausages... I ate half of a hot dog, my first since August. Also the smell of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine. I tried mulled wine and found that despite the good smell and lovely warmth, I am really not a fan. Carmelized almonds, on the other hand... mmm.
In the Princes Street Park, below, was an ice-skating rink, which of course I didn't go to, but it was well cute. A few blocks down Princes, in a small plaza, was the French Market. I finally found the wooden rose vendor, ten for a pound, and bought five cream and five scarlet. The French Market was much smaller than the German one, but still worth the look.
I have heard the markets stay past Christmas, and take advantage of the Hogmanay (New Year's) Festival. We'll see on that.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Bright as Yellow
I haven't updated much because I guess nothing is really happening... this is the third-to-last week of classes, so after the next two weeks it's exam time. Theoretically, everyone's focused on those problem sets, essays, and exam-studying.
But, I am now the proud owner of a new pair of glasses! And my first-ever sunglasses!
The sunglasses will be very helpful on my morning walks to class... actually, really, any time I walk in a Southerly Direction. Currently the sun rises at 7:50 and sets at 4:04 (according to weather.com) and spends much of the day at a low angle. My walks to KB are especially bad, it's half an hour long, at around 9, and going S/SE the whole way. Ouch, eyes.
Also keeping me busy are rehearsals for the Theatre Paradok production of "The Visit", by uhh, Durrenmatt? someone German anyway. I wasn't going to participate in it after all, but a week or two ago I agreed to help with lighting and so whenever we're in the theatre space I've been going to rehearsals, in an attempt to see what parts of the stage need to be lit when.
The play goes up next week, but I still shouldn't be too busy. It's a lecture theatre, so really our lighting will be pretty minimal: be able to light the three regions of stage (there's a small platform in front, close to the audience, and an extra 'room' in the back of the stage, usually hidden by a curtain) with the lights we have. Probably don't have enough lights to use colors... besides, we can't find gels and don't want to buy any.
So, simple enough.
This is something I've meant to put in this blog for weeks:
Anyone in any sort of hazardous occupation has a bright, neon yellow vest as part of their uniform. Construction workers, traffic police, other police, crossing guards. Cyclists. Police cars and ambulances also use neon yellow paint, although they are still white with blue.
I think fire trucks are still all-red but I could be wrong.
But, I am now the proud owner of a new pair of glasses! And my first-ever sunglasses!
The sunglasses will be very helpful on my morning walks to class... actually, really, any time I walk in a Southerly Direction. Currently the sun rises at 7:50 and sets at 4:04 (according to weather.com) and spends much of the day at a low angle. My walks to KB are especially bad, it's half an hour long, at around 9, and going S/SE the whole way. Ouch, eyes.
Also keeping me busy are rehearsals for the Theatre Paradok production of "The Visit", by uhh, Durrenmatt? someone German anyway. I wasn't going to participate in it after all, but a week or two ago I agreed to help with lighting and so whenever we're in the theatre space I've been going to rehearsals, in an attempt to see what parts of the stage need to be lit when.
The play goes up next week, but I still shouldn't be too busy. It's a lecture theatre, so really our lighting will be pretty minimal: be able to light the three regions of stage (there's a small platform in front, close to the audience, and an extra 'room' in the back of the stage, usually hidden by a curtain) with the lights we have. Probably don't have enough lights to use colors... besides, we can't find gels and don't want to buy any.
So, simple enough.
This is something I've meant to put in this blog for weeks:
Anyone in any sort of hazardous occupation has a bright, neon yellow vest as part of their uniform. Construction workers, traffic police, other police, crossing guards. Cyclists. Police cars and ambulances also use neon yellow paint, although they are still white with blue.
I think fire trucks are still all-red but I could be wrong.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
A daughter's right is to obey.
Last night I went to see "The House of Bernarda Alba", by Federico Garcia Lorca, performed at Bedlam Theatre. It was especially interesting because all the characters were female, with two off-stage male characters (one of whom had just died). Also in this particular production, there were chairs on either side of the stage, so the audience could watch from three sides. Sarah and I sat up on Stage Left, which was a little intimidating actually because there is a lot of fighting and yelling in that family, and sometimes they were a few feet away. But I like plays that are done in that way, the blocking feels much more natural to me, even if certain lines of site are impossible.
It was a very good production, and a very good play in general... so I would recommend it, if you ever get the chance.
It's been quite cold recently. I finally caved and bought myself a wool coat. Bright red. Not perfect, but warm and close enough to what I wanted, so I'm happy with it.
Only 30% or so of students go on to uni, which sounds like a very low number to me. A lot more go on to college (like trade school) for more practical degrees.
It was a very good production, and a very good play in general... so I would recommend it, if you ever get the chance.
It's been quite cold recently. I finally caved and bought myself a wool coat. Bright red. Not perfect, but warm and close enough to what I wanted, so I'm happy with it.
Only 30% or so of students go on to uni, which sounds like a very low number to me. A lot more go on to college (like trade school) for more practical degrees.
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