Derelict

I have been derelict in my duties as a Quantum Diaries blogger. Clearly, being a stay-at-home dad has overwhelmed me. No blogging, no sleeping, no TV watching, no...

OK, I exaggerate a little. I have done some things in the last six weeks. As time is limited, I'll just write up a brief summary. Each of these items was going to be a blog of its own, but now I'll just have to lump them into this one.

1. Got first show biz commission. Yes, I got paid for a job while I was on leave(!). It was an unusual job. I wrote up an equation for a TV show script. Naturally, I got the gig because I have some family in show biz - isn't that the way it always works? An upcoming sci-fi TV pilot needed a "big" equation to feature in its plot, so I provided a relatively appropriate one. I wrote out the differential cross section for e+e- annihiliation to fermion pairs; the story had tachyons annihating with each other, but I figured most Joe and Jane Bloes wouldn't make a fuss. At $50/hour it was a worthwhile way to spend a couple of hours. I just had to read the script, and do some LaTeXing.
2. Went on family holiday to Vancouver Island. My wife, daughter and I visited my dad and his wife and saw lots of wildlife: killer whales (on three different occasions - never from a boat!), bald eagles, seals, deer, rabbits, snakes, quails, hummingbirds, and much more. On the left is a picture of Zoe in the flowers at my dad's house. Vancouver Island is lovely. If you have never been, try to go before you die :)
3. Got my first MRI. Getting an MRI can take a long time in Canada (due to a Healthcare "crisis"). If you believe the media, the average wait time in eight months. I waited one month. Either I got lucky, or the media is exaggerating and fear mongering to further the interests of those who would like to privatize health care in Canada. I am inclined to believe the second option. I got the MRI on my wrist after hurting it playing soccer - yes, I know you don't play soccer with your hands - I got flipped head over heels by an opponent while going up for a header.
4. Attended one SNO phone conference. This is the only SNO related work I have done since I went on leave. Nothing much exciting to report about it, though. It was just a routine meeting to convince those who will be nit-picking the Hep neutrino analysis that the analysis we are doing is reasonable.

That's it for my brief summary. Hopefully, I will re-start writing in earnest soon. Less than three more weeks of leave, so it won't be long I suppose...

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Comments

[m.visaya]

particle physicists make great graphics sparingly.

it's all gone. (35K[4])

#10 LaBs

[Mark Martin]

That's very interesting about the MRI. My 1st one was about ten years ago... had to schedule about a month in advance. Next one was about four & a half years ago... had to wait a couple of weeks. Last one was just over two months ago, and I only had to wait one week.