Update

Well since last time I posted a real update my dear wife glittersavvy has been busy with her new job at the uni and we have had the pleasure of being able to spend more time together. It also means the future is somewhat more exciting as we can afford to go on holiday etc, the first of which is for our 1 year anniversary of being married, and we are going to York for a few days next weekend. IT should eb really good fun as we will also get a chance to see Nix and Tofu.

On the work front I am still coding away, getting nearer to that first Warwick paper, while also working hard on my first research proposal, and preparing for applying to EPSRC for more funding. I have also been getting a few chances to do some teaching, only helping in tutorials, but it is all good fun.

But I have now been able to sign off on my literature review paper. I have seen the final cover proof of the journal, and it will appear in print on March 18th in JPCA. I also have news that another paper is being put together based on my work at Manchester. This would bring papers from my PhD to 8. And this one would be the fucking icing on the cake as the models I developed are applied to long timescale simulations to obtain macroscopic water properties. Quite good timing considering the cover article on New Scientist this week.

IN other news roleplay for this year has been restarted, and the chronicle now nears the first major event. Setting shaking stuff. All this is on etheric_labs

Otherwise we have had the pleasure of having James M stay over for the weekend, glittersavvy photobook by aiko273. It's called The Orpheum Circuit. Aiko is extremely talented and the book looks stunning. Maybe some of you might consider buying a copy? You can do so here, as well as preview the book: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1147613

Add to that her nice new hair which I love!

So all in all not a bad few weeks!

London, Phantom, Photos, Work, Freshers

So once more it has bee a few weeks since my last update. Where to begin.

Well London for Sam's birthday was great fun after the disappointing weekend before. We trekked down to London ad made our way to our hotel for the next two nights and got ready to go see phantom of the opera. Of course the performance was amazing, and as my first time it was well worth it. The film is one thing but to see it live was epic and I was really glad to have a chance to see it. In particular the tricks used to make use of the space were impressive. Sam has a better summary here.

On wednesday we moved to other end of London to stay with our friend Rachel who we met two years back in Venice. We had the joy of meetig her and her then boyfriend at the masked ball we attended, and so it was good to catch up with her two years on now that Sam and myself are married. I then spent the next few days writing while Sam attended her classes. I was starting to put together the story that I woud be running for freshers week roleplay society.

We also made time to meet up with Dan, and headed to Brick Lane and ended up at a nice little bar that served the best cocktails. Of course Dan and myself descended into gentlemanly banter and discussion. Brick Lane by the way is hipster central save for the bar we ended up in.

I returned back on the Sunday ready for work, and over the last few weeks have finished of my literature review and it should be submitted soon. Otherwise work has been good, slow, but gettig there, and I think the end is in sight for my next paper. Just have a few more simulations to do and then that should wrap up the first one and setup the next paper (same thing alterative method).

Otherwise the roleplay group has seen the sad loss of our good friend James, as he moves back home with the end of his contract to his job here, and the group gaining two new players, James and Izzy. So far the Vampire chronicle has been progressing well, and I think I have already surpassed my last efforts in running it.

Also on the rp front I have had the joy of running a new World of Darkness mortals game for freshers week, which I hope to submit to white wolf as a example of my writing. Also I have a chance of getting a credit in a new rp as I made someuseful ideas and contributions to the game!

Plans for the future. Well halloween will be spent in London with my old PhD collegue Mike, and Sam will have her last two modules and we will go to Club Antichrist. Otherwise we should be up in Manchester closer to Xmas, and we have a gift voucher for use on gig tickets... maybe go to Alec Empire supported by Mechanical Cabaret?

Balance

He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, Aphorism 146

Well time for an update.

So now I'm 24. And a good birthday was had. The Thursday, my birthday was spent on my own due to the unfortunate situation of having to go to a meeting at 9:30 in the morning the next day and also do a lit presentation. However revelry was off set to the next night and the subsequent weekend, involving a good evening at the Wendyhouse in Leeds.

Though the week just got better after that. Much chinese bakery goods were eaten and the paper I am working on is coalescing finally as the results poured in.

The Saturday was spent with a nice trip down to London, purchasing many cool clothes that have sated my final fantasy addiction. In addition the lovely duo of

biomechanina

and

phuturatica

gave a great birthday present in the form of a JTHM comic and some cyberdog vouchers that went towards some nice new trousers (which being in the sale meant they were a total bargin).

Slimelight was pretty cool, save for the crap that clambered up onto my trousers. Nice music, grim venue, but thats half the fun.

So now another week is almost over, and again much greatness has happened. The paper moves on ever further with a meeting this afternoon that has helped refocus my work on the data analysis. This paper is getting works being a landmark paper. Also today has been spent breaking in the Bsc students just starting their research. Action plans have been drawn up, goals are ready and some papers should come out of their work I hope. Tomorrow I get to do that all again with the Msc student. Yay. At there is no early morning meeting or lit presentation.

Yesterday night I went out with my old uni mates from my year, the token goth going along for the ride. But none the less it was good to catch up on what they have been up to and it really helps put life into perspective.

So this evening was spent starting the last few stories of Vampire. I had forgotten how much I loved running games for people, watching their spotaneous ideas and foul dreams come into being. It really was a good release and I relished every minute of it. Can't wait to teach Barns all the setting so he can run the next season of the game. There is just so much background to play with and great plots to run with.

Chung Kuo remains a great read, along with getting through the backlog of rpg books I have to read, plus other things lurking in my bed room asking to be devoured by my brain. It was awesome to get for my birthday a copy of Vampire: the Dark Ages off

es0terika

.

Well that sorta sums it all up.

Tomorrow night is noise tek and then what ever else the weekend has in store (A visit to the museum).



So to all you guys who have been there these last few weeks for birthday things and so forth, well it means a lot. You keep a mad little scientist that bit sane.

The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words.

Philip K. Dick, How To Build A Universe That Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later (1978)