Down and up ...

Another exhausting week + weekend. Yesterday we performed for a wedding ceremony. Of course, we played Pachabel's canon and various other sloppy string quartet arrangements. I'm probably exaggerating, but it seemed one of the hardest things that I've put myself through. My heart rate must have been a little dangerous at some points and I almost broke my bow by gripping it too hard.

"... as your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?"

hmmmm .....

"What God has joined together, let no man put asunder."

hmmmm .....

However, we played well (even some hymns that they suddenly dumped on us) and got a lot of congratulations afterwards. Later, we went down the pub.

Today was better. Joris arrived this morning and we got started on some work together. In the evening I went out for dinner with Natalie. We chatted about everything, came home and watched Monty Python, played the 'cello and guitar (I taught her the the basic jazz chord progression on the 'cello) and continued to chat about every topic possible (including snakes in the swimming pool). A great evening with a lovely person! I'm feeling really lively again now - ready for a busy day at work tomorrow.

A colour test

Jonathan found a web-based personality test (here) that he thinks is accurate. I've just taken the test and have obtained the following results - now you all know everything there is to know about me! I wonder what Maryam thinks of this analysis - actually I'd prefer not to know!

Your Existing Situation

The existing situation contains critical or dangerous elements for which it is imperative that some solution be found. This may lead to sudden, even reckless, decisions. Self-willed and rejects any advice from others.

Your Stress Sources

Delights in the tasteful, the gracious, and the sensitive, but maintains his attitude of critical appraisal and refuses to be swept off his feet unless genuineness and integrity can be absolutely vouched for. Therefore keeps a strict and watchful control on his emotional relationships as he must know exactly where he stands. Demands complete sincerity as a protection against his own tendency to be too trusting.

Your Restrained Characteristics

Willing to become emotionally involved and able to achieve satisfaction through sexual activity.

The situation is preventing him from establishing himself, but he feels he must make the best of things as they are.

Your Desired Objective

Strives for a life rich in activity and experience, and for a close bond offering sexual and emotional fulfillment.

Your Actual Problem

Wants to act freely and uninhibitedly, but is restrained by his need to have things on a rational, consistent, and clearly-defined basis.

A "religious" blog for Easter ...

"At the evening sevice tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What the hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice"

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I've just been playing the Four Last Songs again - this time with the soloist. She's good! My trip to Parkes went well although 19 hours non-stop was a little excessive (particularly as we were wind-parked for 8 hours). The flight back was fun - Daniel and I chatted away whilst bumping around in the small plane. I woke up this afternoon after sleeping for 15 hours and still feel tired.

Operating the telescope from Perth

We've just completed a pulse at Parkes run with high school students from Perth. This was our first mainstream observation with students not in Sydney. It all seemed to go well.

I was very touched today. Janette, the lady in charge of the lodge here, told me to come and see her. I thought that I was in trouble for breaking the washing machine or something, but she had baked me a huge chocolate and cream birthday cake!!!!! She told me that the ladies who looked after the lodge were my family now that M. had left!

Planning the trip to Alice Springs

Mum seems a tad worried about my skills at organising a trip to the outback. I therefore recently purchased a book on travel by Sir Francis Galton, a 19th-Century explorer. I'll be travelling with Christine and therefore looked up the section on travel with women. I found the following useful advice:

"It is in the nature of women to be fond of carrying weights ... Women were mdae for labor: one of them can carry or haul as much as two men can do. They also pitch our tents, make and mend our clothing ... women though they do everthing, are maintained at a trifling expense: for, as they always stand cook, the very licking of their fingers, in scarce times, is sufficient for their subsistence."

Sounds reasonably straightforward!

I'm off to Parkes tomorrow.

An amazing film ...

I highly, highly, highly recommend the Swedish film "Så som i himmelen" or "As it is in Heaven"

As it says on the DVD box "... a remarkable story about living life, the passion to pursue one's dream"

This Friday

... is the international "Talk like a physicist day"

Just thought that you'd like to know.

Astrology at Parkes

From the Hunter Valley News:

"At ATNF the eight Muswellbrook students were shown around by Dr David Champion in Sydney and spoke to astrologists located at Parkes.

'We talked to the astrologer at Parkes through a webcam,' student Todd Brind said."

If anyone wishes their fortune told then just ask ...

Thank God for music

Again my blog entry changes because I've just been to an orchestra rehearsal. Even though everything seems to be going well, I've been rather down again recently - basically missing M. and wondering why nothing is working out. However, looking back on the last few days things haven't been too bad. I played in a wonderful concert with the TOPS orchestra yesterday (followed by a Mexican meal with Kate, Jessica and Kate's parents). Today work went well. Dick took me out for lunch to celebrate my birthday. However, I'm was basically fed up with everything - I came home (on my birthday) to eat a pie and drink a beer (not quite what I was really wanting) and forced myself to get up and go off to orchestra! Wow! We only rehearsed the Four Last Songs, but they are magnificent! The people at Beecroft are also amazing. The lady who gives me a lift, Moya, had baked me a cake and (after singing happy birthday) we all ate it during the tea break!

The PULSE@Parkes project managed to get on to the front page of the Australian Physics journal!

Jodrell

I was going to bed, but got rather distracted about the news saying the Jodrell is likely to close! This would be an absolute disaster for the long-term timing programs that I'm working on with Andrew and Michael (as well as a lot of other science that is being carried out at Jodrell). I hope that the English government find some money from somewhere (in case you're interested - there are currently articles online in the Times, BBC, Manchester Evening News, ...) ... however, I'm certainly glad to be away from Jodrell at the moment - the morale cannot be great!

Molonglo

Just back from a two day conference at the Molonglo observatory site. Highlights include the wonderful drive to Molonglo (which is close to Braidwood, near Canberra), an amazing talk about pulsar observations in 1969 and the early 70's (we don't have to run down corridors holding chart recorder output nowadays), developing my collaboration with researchers from the University of Melbourne, looking around the telescope site (see photo) and not standing on a tiger snake (see other photo - I think that it is a "Brown Snake", but was told by "experts" that it was a tiger snake). It was fun! The talks were generally interesting and I certainly 1) learnt a lot and 2) realised that I have an incredible amount of work to do in the next few months.

I was going to write a long blog about the trip, but am feeling exhausted (maybe sometime over the weekend)! I also should catch up and write about the wonderful string quartet rehearsal that we had last week (and played the "From My Life" quartet).

It's only 8pm, but I'm ready for bed.

(P.S. Does anyone know where St-Felicien Wildlife Zoo in Quebec happens to be? They have polar bears!)