That was the week that was

Well, I survived the flights with minimal sedation. I’ve no idea just what is in the wine they serve in battery-hen class on Virgin Atlantic, but it isn’t alcohol. Or rather, it has none of the time-warping effects of alcohol.

I actually got back last Monday, I’ve just been otherwise occupied and unable to update here. In addition to the 3000ish miles I few back home Sunday night / Monday morning; I’ve added another 500 or so travelling around South England and South Wales for reasons both personal and pleasurable.

Back to work in earnest next week. Only two more weeks of that and I’m jobless. Bum. Back to temping for a couple of months I think while I find something fun to do again.

An American adventure

I’m off to the US for a week. Sunny Virginia via gun ridden Washington DC for a laser conference.

Seven hours spent blasting though the skies at a few hundred MPH several miles above the ground ‘fun’. I hate flying. Taking off and landing is no problem, but the sheer mindnumbing tedium of of the actual flying part gets to me. I do wish sedation were an option on long flights. Yes, I consider seven hours a long flight, anything more than 2 hours taxes my patience.

Note to self: Invent teleportation when you get back to the lab.

Apple battery recall

I’ve switched off my G4 Powerbook for the first time in about 6 months to pull the battery and see if I’m eligible for a new one under the Apple battery recall program. I was rather hoping I was, because battery life on the laptop is now down to about 45 min. A shiny new battery would be very welcome.

Alas it is not to be, I have one of the nonexplodey battery types. Having just seen the price of a replacement battery for this machine I fear I shall be living with an ageing battery for quite a long while to come.

Buying condoms on petty cash

When you are practising science on a tiny budget you sometimes have to get creative with replacement equipment. The following happened nearly a year ago, I’ve just happened to find what I wrote at the time.

Taken from a chat log at the time.

[dtl-afk] I’m just about to ask stores to reimburse me from petty cash for a box of condoms, this could be interesting.
[friend] oh my. um, why?
[dtl-afk] we needed a thin flxeible tube, and the only thing we could think of was those
[dtl-afk] it sort of works
[friend] HAHAHA
[dtl-afk] cue me going to the chemist asking for “a box of thick unlubricated condoms please” “no we don’t have those” “oh, a box of extra safe then I suppose please”
[friend] i can just imagine the quartermaster going “are you sure you weren’t having a lunchtime quickie?”
[dtl-afk] quite probably knowing Alan (the storeman)

Stores were closed that day. I did get a ribbing next day when I made the claim. The things I do for science.