Update

well It's been ages since I posted so I am sure you have all stopped reading my blog. So hello to cyber-space, I will tell you why these past couple of weeks have been so great/busy.

Work stuff.

Its proposal season. I submitted a proposal for 3 nights on Keck for 2009B. The TAC (time allocation committee) at Swinburne already met to make decisions on this but we are not notified of the results until Caltech schedules the nights in April/May. Karl was pretty confident of our chances with this one and the over-subscription was low (so fingers crossed). Even so, when another student goes in May he will try to fit in some of my targets (I will remote observe again).

The Keck stuff is to get kinematics but we would also like to get some less expensive time to confirm objects and get more precise spectroscopy. Therefore we are also puting in a proposal for 5 nights at the AAT (where I observe for WiggleZ). That is due Sunday. I'm procrastinating revisions. The other exciting thing about this proposal is that last week the director of the AAO decided to use his director's nights towards my projects (since he is on the WiggleZ team and this is WiggleZ science). So even if we don't get time next semester from this proposal we will still have a shot at these targets in May.

So, what is to be taken from all this? Well, my project is cool and the WiggleZ team is very excited by it. It also means I've been distracted from my 6th month review science goals.

I am also going WiggleZ observing again next Wednesday for 4 nights. Being an observer is fun! :)


Theater stuff.

I emailed the Artistic Director at Melbourne Uni to see if I could get involved in theater there since there are no student groups at Swinburne. We met this week at another theater in town where I met the Executive Producer of the theater we were having a coffee in. When the executive producer later heard I was an astrophysicist interested in theater (and simultaneously a poor student) he offered to organize a special pass for me that significantly reduces the price of the shows at his (professional) theater. So instead of paying $50 for an adult ticket or $40 for concession, I can now see shows for $19! It is amazing how much of a difference this makes, if I put $100 a month to see theater I could now see 5 shows instead of 2!

The Melbourne Uni guy also suggested a few people to get in contact with for theater work as he was worried about student funding going to non-Melbourne Uni students. So I have a meeting with the artistic director of a youth community theater near where I live.

Also... I got people from the department to see the show Copenhagen with me last weekend (as it is a great play about physics).


Personal stuff.

Congratulations to Matt and Cindy!

NOTE TO THE FAMILY: if you do not show for up for Christmas this year you may find your precious new children on the other side of the world.

Melbourne is great.