Here is some sage advice on how to get the most out of your holidays. People do not get the maximum benefit because they go about it all wrong. What you really need to do is first recognize that what you are trying to do in a holiday is disconnect from work, let your hair down, forget about work issues and celebrate life. You do not do that by finding a long weekend and blocking a vacation around it so that you get your holiday, a weekend at either end and a 'free holiday' from the statutory vacation day in the middle somewhere.
Shocked? Surprised? "But that's what I always do!" you complain. Well, as a bona fide scientific researcher, I can tell you that it is the wrong approach.
Let's go back to first principles. Let's look at the whole happy-work equation. It includes not only holidays, but long lunches, long weekends, half days and team golf-days (or other activities). But happy work times also includes camaraderie, sharing details of our personal lives and short work weeks.
What we don't like about work falls squarely into space of work-stress, too much to do for the time available, overtime and unreasonable demands from others.
So why pick just one of the happy things, and furthermore, why pick one, while also inviting more of the negative things on your back? When you do a vacation that is bookened with weekends or long weekends - you lose. First you have a full work week leading in, and an full work-week on return. Plus, you have all that backed up work waiting for you upon your return.
When you include a long-weekend stat-holiday in the vacation time, you've also blown that other enjoyable work event - the short-work week.
The smart way to use your vacation time is to wrap it around a weekend. There's an even better approach I'll explain in a minute, but first this initial step. When you wrap your three, four or five vacation day break around an ordinary weekend (not a long weekend!) you win three times. First you get a short week leading into vacation. Brag to your co-workers "Ha, ha, suckers. I'm out of here on Wednesday! Short week for me wahoo!".
Then you are on holidays for a week or so. Live it up, enjoy.
Then when you come back to work on, say the next Thursday: repeat previous bragging. "Wahoo - back from vacation, co-workers. Come look at my pics. Oh and by the way, two day work-week for me this week suckers. Wahoo!"
Okay, you might want to call your co-workers "suckers" a little less often. But if they're still taking conventional, non-high-value vacations like I'm advocating, well...
Okay, now the advanced course.
You find a pending long weekend on the calendar. Say August 4 this year is a vacation day in your country (it is for me). So you would then take time off in the weeks leading up to it, using the aforementioned approach. So, you take three vacation days (Tues, Wed, Thur) in the previous week. What does that do for you, you ask. It's only three days. What value can I get out of three days?
Well look at your work plan for the previous few weeks. At the end of a normal week ending July 25 - "whopee, it's the weekend." Two normal days off - it's summer, it's nice. Then you go back to work the following monday (today). "Ha, ha - I'm off tomorrow bozo's!" (We really have to talk about those disparaging remarks to your co-workers). Then it's three days off in the Big Apple, fun and copious sweating in the high humidity no doubt... but in a fun way, I'm sure. Then your back for Friday. "Hey guys, long weekend coming, yippee."
That's better, no insults there.
Then guess what - long weekend is upon you, and you've got three days off. But wait, it's not over yet. The next week comes along, and it's a short work week! Yippee.
So you've taken just three holiday days, you've had three short work weeks, many days off. Your work hasn't really backed up so much, so your time at the office in the interim was slack enough you could show all your digital pics from your trip. (Oops, not that one!)
Congratulations, you've completed the master class in vacationing. Plus you didn't join all the other slugs on the Friday leading into the long weekend travelling somewhere in crowded airports and on parking-lot highways. Enjoy your new-found vacationing prowess.
Researchinator returns to googling NYC fun spots.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Living for the Weekend? Really?
Another weekend looming, and I'm thinking about all those things I don't get around to doing. I can see the day already unfurling. Get up and shower etc, then go out for breakfast somewhere, maybe connecting with friends to join us, then come home, and go shopping for groceries. A couple of hours to tackle a few yard-work items, and then it's supper time out with friends - one day gone. Sunday comes along. Probably a nice one, so we'll walk to Chinatown for dim sum. Back in early afternoon with 10km under our belts, we'll be pretty tired. Maybe do a chore or two, get packed a bit for the trip next Tuesday, have supper, watch a movie on TV and the weekend is over.
So here I sit at work and contemplate a day ahead and all the huge things that keep getting put off and the thoughts of a few months off between jobs starts to sound pretty good. And Research? Well, my sideline research project is moving slowly forward. I'm sure I could draw that out for a year without a problem. The challenge is to advance it enough in a short time that it could become a real business. I wanted to have something demonstrable by the end of next week, I think. Hmmm goals don't work too well if you don't remember your target date. Let's say middle of August then. There's a good chance that at the end of the day today, I could have something that starts to look like the user side of the puzzle. I have another large probably 8week task on the other side, back end of the project though, to make it much more like a business proposition. The deeper into the system I go, the closer I get to the big technical problems. So lots of work ahead of me still.
Researchinator thinks a tea would be an appropriate start to the day.
So here I sit at work and contemplate a day ahead and all the huge things that keep getting put off and the thoughts of a few months off between jobs starts to sound pretty good. And Research? Well, my sideline research project is moving slowly forward. I'm sure I could draw that out for a year without a problem. The challenge is to advance it enough in a short time that it could become a real business. I wanted to have something demonstrable by the end of next week, I think. Hmmm goals don't work too well if you don't remember your target date. Let's say middle of August then. There's a good chance that at the end of the day today, I could have something that starts to look like the user side of the puzzle. I have another large probably 8week task on the other side, back end of the project though, to make it much more like a business proposition. The deeper into the system I go, the closer I get to the big technical problems. So lots of work ahead of me still.
Researchinator thinks a tea would be an appropriate start to the day.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Patronization Corporation
I've got a call this morning with my 'supervisor' for an update I guess. His supervisors have shut down our little, successful centre of oceanographic research, mostly out of a combined sense of ingratiating their buddies in their own location, and protecting their existing empires through sacrifice of the 'foreigners' - in this case us.
So given that that was announced two months ago, and our deliverables are essentially cancelled, an update call is a bit much. I guess it's out of a sense of trying to 'be there for us' perhaps, or provide some perceived support. The richest part of this is when he usually asks "can I talk to group xyz for you and put in a good word?" Well, group xyz is located at our facility and we deal with them on a regular basis. You have just arrived on the scene due to a power play move by some executives in another country, you reside and work in another country, and your role is pretty much unknown to group xyz. So, how exactly would your call do something for us?
Oh well - I know he's well meaning, and at least outwardly he appears to have supported our continued existence. It's nice that we have a long lead-time to our decimation, but I think letting us go quietly is the best game.
I'm building a vast and flashy archive of the prime project I was managing. I know that there's pretty much no chance that anyone will make use of any of this, but there's some value in revisiting all this work, and creating some order around it.
Just putting it all together would be a wasted effort, but building it into a big stand alone web-site of oceanographic goodness at least keeps me learning new tidbits about HTML and CSS stuff, and maintaining those that I already knew.
That's the key thing with web technologies, I recognize at this advanced stage of my career. Learning any given software skill isn't so much of a challenge as is keeping the skill current. With a couple of years away from it, you're pretty much learning it all from scratch again... although the Unix interactions I learned 15 years ago are still programmed into my fingers, which seem to remember obscure commands even when my brain has lost the memory.
Mac OSX which I use at home is nice that way, in that with the underlying unix-like shell, I can pop open a window and poke and prod around keeping it all in my memory.
Meanwhile I'm almost two weeks away from my sideline project and I'm going to have to worry about remembering how that works again if I don't buckle down and get back onto it. These are the turning points at which self-driven research projects die. A bit of apathy and you get buried enough that you never go back. I have a few of those around home that are 10years old and sitting there mocking me. "Hey buddy! Remember 68HC11 programming? huh? Think you're going to pick that up again sometime?"
Researchinator grumbles at the passing years...
So given that that was announced two months ago, and our deliverables are essentially cancelled, an update call is a bit much. I guess it's out of a sense of trying to 'be there for us' perhaps, or provide some perceived support. The richest part of this is when he usually asks "can I talk to group xyz for you and put in a good word?" Well, group xyz is located at our facility and we deal with them on a regular basis. You have just arrived on the scene due to a power play move by some executives in another country, you reside and work in another country, and your role is pretty much unknown to group xyz. So, how exactly would your call do something for us?
Oh well - I know he's well meaning, and at least outwardly he appears to have supported our continued existence. It's nice that we have a long lead-time to our decimation, but I think letting us go quietly is the best game.
I'm building a vast and flashy archive of the prime project I was managing. I know that there's pretty much no chance that anyone will make use of any of this, but there's some value in revisiting all this work, and creating some order around it.
Just putting it all together would be a wasted effort, but building it into a big stand alone web-site of oceanographic goodness at least keeps me learning new tidbits about HTML and CSS stuff, and maintaining those that I already knew.
That's the key thing with web technologies, I recognize at this advanced stage of my career. Learning any given software skill isn't so much of a challenge as is keeping the skill current. With a couple of years away from it, you're pretty much learning it all from scratch again... although the Unix interactions I learned 15 years ago are still programmed into my fingers, which seem to remember obscure commands even when my brain has lost the memory.
Mac OSX which I use at home is nice that way, in that with the underlying unix-like shell, I can pop open a window and poke and prod around keeping it all in my memory.
Meanwhile I'm almost two weeks away from my sideline project and I'm going to have to worry about remembering how that works again if I don't buckle down and get back onto it. These are the turning points at which self-driven research projects die. A bit of apathy and you get buried enough that you never go back. I have a few of those around home that are 10years old and sitting there mocking me. "Hey buddy! Remember 68HC11 programming? huh? Think you're going to pick that up again sometime?"
Researchinator grumbles at the passing years...
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Morning Commute With Shocking Twist
Driving into work I was shocked and amazed to see my engine warning light come on. My 2000 Accord has not been the best performing Honda I've had - and it is my forth. It seems to consume oil since about 100k km, and it's had lots of little things annoy me over the years. I think I'll switch over to Toyota for my next vehicle. I picked up a quart at the next gas station and continued on to work.
But I pulled over anyway and saw that my oil was very low, so I'm assuming that 'threw a code' to my computer and resulted in the engine light. I'll reset the computer tonight with a power cycle and see if it comes back. At lunch time today I was going to buy some more oil but noticed I was due for a change anyway, so went for that, and got a flush out as well, as running low no doubt concentrated the sludge for me nicely.
I also managed to find a barbershop just when I needed one and got a trim from an old Italian guy. Seemed like a good authentic barbershop experience and at $15 it's a good deal, considering the crappy 'First Choice' place does about a 90second job for me and collects about the same amount. I think I'll be seeing this guy again for a while. A hair cutting peeve for me though is that nobody cleans up between trims these days. Do I really have to sit in a chair covered with everyone else's trimmings? How do I know how healthy or contagious that previous customer was?
In the office I continue to work on archiving research work. It's a bit silly, as I'm sure nobody will ever look at this stuff. But there is some satisfaction in pulling it all together into a single place.
It's quiet again today, and I've still not got back into my sideline project. The longer I wait the harder it will be. I'd best buckle down and give it a shot, to immerse myself before I get too far away from it.
Researchinator fights off early afternoon drowsies
But I pulled over anyway and saw that my oil was very low, so I'm assuming that 'threw a code' to my computer and resulted in the engine light. I'll reset the computer tonight with a power cycle and see if it comes back. At lunch time today I was going to buy some more oil but noticed I was due for a change anyway, so went for that, and got a flush out as well, as running low no doubt concentrated the sludge for me nicely.
I also managed to find a barbershop just when I needed one and got a trim from an old Italian guy. Seemed like a good authentic barbershop experience and at $15 it's a good deal, considering the crappy 'First Choice' place does about a 90second job for me and collects about the same amount. I think I'll be seeing this guy again for a while. A hair cutting peeve for me though is that nobody cleans up between trims these days. Do I really have to sit in a chair covered with everyone else's trimmings? How do I know how healthy or contagious that previous customer was?
In the office I continue to work on archiving research work. It's a bit silly, as I'm sure nobody will ever look at this stuff. But there is some satisfaction in pulling it all together into a single place.
It's quiet again today, and I've still not got back into my sideline project. The longer I wait the harder it will be. I'd best buckle down and give it a shot, to immerse myself before I get too far away from it.
Researchinator fights off early afternoon drowsies
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Horrific Cafeteria Trip
Mid-day and post lunch. The cafeteria was miserable today, with a salad bar almost fully depleted at 12:10 and unattractive soup selection, so I ventured over to the alternate option and had some noodley thing with a bagel.
I'm feeling a bit down lately. Post vacation blues I guess. Perhaps the plan is a good one - take a week away, then come back for a week and a bit, then go away again. Thus, when the post vacation blues hit, you are just about to go on another one. This next break to NYC should be good. Very urban, lots of culture, and not doing stuff by myself, but rather having the SO along too.
The down-ness is just a general fatigue with my situation I think. I'm sure it will pass, but I do re-evaluate the sanity of an ordinary life. The routine is energy-sapping, but I recognize the need to have it there as a structure on which I build everything else.
The air is a bit 'close' today. Following my lunch I went out for a walk in some greenspace and thus added to the stepcount for today. Only 3100 steps so far. Should get some more on their tonight, as I have some volunteering time on tap. It's a one-on-one time with a 'disabled' person. I must admit I'm a bit skeptical as my disabled guy doesn't seem very disabled. I have friends who are more challenged than he is. Oh well, perhaps I'm having a very dramatic, and immediate effect with my time sharing.
I read somewhere that blogs get more attention with the use of copious hyperbole. I'm a fairly hyperbolic person in my casual chat anyway (I like to think I keep it in check in formal communications), so I'm limiting my hyperbole to my blog titles. They say it gets more readers... perhaps not if I include sentences like this one disarming my hyperbolic intentions :)
Researchinator slowly fades away
I'm feeling a bit down lately. Post vacation blues I guess. Perhaps the plan is a good one - take a week away, then come back for a week and a bit, then go away again. Thus, when the post vacation blues hit, you are just about to go on another one. This next break to NYC should be good. Very urban, lots of culture, and not doing stuff by myself, but rather having the SO along too.
The down-ness is just a general fatigue with my situation I think. I'm sure it will pass, but I do re-evaluate the sanity of an ordinary life. The routine is energy-sapping, but I recognize the need to have it there as a structure on which I build everything else.
The air is a bit 'close' today. Following my lunch I went out for a walk in some greenspace and thus added to the stepcount for today. Only 3100 steps so far. Should get some more on their tonight, as I have some volunteering time on tap. It's a one-on-one time with a 'disabled' person. I must admit I'm a bit skeptical as my disabled guy doesn't seem very disabled. I have friends who are more challenged than he is. Oh well, perhaps I'm having a very dramatic, and immediate effect with my time sharing.
I read somewhere that blogs get more attention with the use of copious hyperbole. I'm a fairly hyperbolic person in my casual chat anyway (I like to think I keep it in check in formal communications), so I'm limiting my hyperbole to my blog titles. They say it gets more readers... perhaps not if I include sentences like this one disarming my hyperbolic intentions :)
Researchinator slowly fades away
Monday, July 21, 2008
Shocking Return to the Office
Yes, returned from a UK visit, to find the office shockingly unappealing, and strangely quiet. I think my guys (having both returned from their own vacations) are realizing that showing up every day for a job that has been terminated is less than an optimal work situation.
By 9:30 they had shown up though and are beavering away at nothingness. I'm actually being pulled into real work activity related to research relationships, patent licensing and of course, job hunting.
I've been away from my 'project' for a week and haven't got my head around what I was last doing again yet. I forgot my notes at home, so I can kind of figure out where I was, but I don't remember what I was working on.
When you are nearing the end of a period of work, knowing you'll be away for a week, it's easy to think 'ya, I'll remember what I was doing.' But I know from experience it is very hard to recover that frame of mind. Hence, I'll typically write some copious notes to myself to remind me what the hell I was trying to do.
Luckily - my project being software related - I was able to leave it in a functional state. I'd hate to have to come back to outstanding bugs.
But I'm also dealing with entrepreneur's remorse - that sinking feeling 'do I really want to push on this rope for the next few years with no income and mounting expenses?' I've been there, done that, and it's not too pleasant. Sure, I maintained my standard of living to an extent, but part of my standard of living is to grow my horizons and move forward. Incomeless existence is more about maintaining things as is. Plus I need some investments in new cars and house upgrades.
The world of oceanographic research is rather sluggish now too. Plus, my particular role and set of experience is particularly hard to market. Sure everyone I work for uses glowing phrases to celebrate my wonderous contributions... but that does you little good when you're just another schuck trying to get someones attention. "I'm really great, sure I am, not like those other losers who just claim to be great!"
It doesn't really work out so well. But a big part of me wouldn't mind the time off to accomplish some big projects. We'll have to see whether it pans out or not.
Hence, am I back at work, back in the real world following my week in the UK, and I have to somehow get through this and appear both attentive, interested and plan for my future.
By 9:30 they had shown up though and are beavering away at nothingness. I'm actually being pulled into real work activity related to research relationships, patent licensing and of course, job hunting.
I've been away from my 'project' for a week and haven't got my head around what I was last doing again yet. I forgot my notes at home, so I can kind of figure out where I was, but I don't remember what I was working on.
When you are nearing the end of a period of work, knowing you'll be away for a week, it's easy to think 'ya, I'll remember what I was doing.' But I know from experience it is very hard to recover that frame of mind. Hence, I'll typically write some copious notes to myself to remind me what the hell I was trying to do.
Luckily - my project being software related - I was able to leave it in a functional state. I'd hate to have to come back to outstanding bugs.
But I'm also dealing with entrepreneur's remorse - that sinking feeling 'do I really want to push on this rope for the next few years with no income and mounting expenses?' I've been there, done that, and it's not too pleasant. Sure, I maintained my standard of living to an extent, but part of my standard of living is to grow my horizons and move forward. Incomeless existence is more about maintaining things as is. Plus I need some investments in new cars and house upgrades.
The world of oceanographic research is rather sluggish now too. Plus, my particular role and set of experience is particularly hard to market. Sure everyone I work for uses glowing phrases to celebrate my wonderous contributions... but that does you little good when you're just another schuck trying to get someones attention. "I'm really great, sure I am, not like those other losers who just claim to be great!"
It doesn't really work out so well. But a big part of me wouldn't mind the time off to accomplish some big projects. We'll have to see whether it pans out or not.
Hence, am I back at work, back in the real world following my week in the UK, and I have to somehow get through this and appear both attentive, interested and plan for my future.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Last Day for a While
A week off is pending - off to the UK for some R&R and some research of a different sort. Ostensibly its about family history, but in reality it's an excuse to dig through old records in an archive, drive around the back roads and generally take it easy.
I suspect there won't be much here from me until the 21st, but you never know... Perhaps a brief moment of wifi access with drive me to post a note from the UK.
Researchinator looks forward...
I suspect there won't be much here from me until the 21st, but you never know... Perhaps a brief moment of wifi access with drive me to post a note from the UK.
Researchinator looks forward...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Pending Vacation
A Thursday and these next two days are going to go fast. London is starting to seem real now, will get my day started there on Sunday. We'll pick up a car and drive south of London.
One day I'm by myself, and will be staying just on the edge of Hyde park. Hope the hotel isn't too lousy. Must remember to bring ear plugs.
A challenge that comes to mind is that I'll be away from my research project for a week, and I'm in the thick of it just now. Hope I'll be able to pick up where I left off effectively. Maybe I should bring my work laptop rather than my personal one. Hmmm. I could certainly fill my hours easy that way. But research of another sort is on my agenda for the trip. Off to the archives for some digging, plus some driving around my old family stomping grounds from a couple of centuries ago as well.
Today though, I'm looking forward to advancing my project. I had a brief giddy moment of success yesterday when I had the first view of one tiny functional element of my eventual goal. Lots to do to realize the whole picture though still. Hope I can advance that today. And so forward.
Researchinator contemplates a bowl of instant porridge to start his morning and quell his growly stomach.
One day I'm by myself, and will be staying just on the edge of Hyde park. Hope the hotel isn't too lousy. Must remember to bring ear plugs.
A challenge that comes to mind is that I'll be away from my research project for a week, and I'm in the thick of it just now. Hope I'll be able to pick up where I left off effectively. Maybe I should bring my work laptop rather than my personal one. Hmmm. I could certainly fill my hours easy that way. But research of another sort is on my agenda for the trip. Off to the archives for some digging, plus some driving around my old family stomping grounds from a couple of centuries ago as well.
Today though, I'm looking forward to advancing my project. I had a brief giddy moment of success yesterday when I had the first view of one tiny functional element of my eventual goal. Lots to do to realize the whole picture though still. Hope I can advance that today. And so forward.
Researchinator contemplates a bowl of instant porridge to start his morning and quell his growly stomach.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Thoughts on Blogging
Took a moment to google 'research blogs' and my assumptions about blogging seems to hold up. Most blogs seem to fade away after a short time. There was a short blog about blogs, or more like a list of research blogs, and pretty much every one of them seems to have died several years ago. Some are gone altogether, others are frozen in 2003.
It's interesting that rarely do they continue to exist. I think the enthusiasm wanes.
My 'research' blog isn't so much about research, it's more about pre-tea, first thing in the morning thoughts. On that note, I think I'll get a cup of tea started... Okay, kettle's on.
Anyway - I was saying - the concept of a research blog, first of all, is a bit implausible. Any research has an element of trying to discover something, or achieve something original. And no sane researcher would give their 'competitors' the details of what they are doing on a daily basis. Sure, much of the research we do gets shared eventually. Corporately, it gets shared through product success, or publishing/patenting. But we don't share the process along the way, thus enabling our competitors to benefit from our labour and steal the prize. Even academic research or 'pure' research if such a thing exists - nobody would expose their work to being scouped by someone else who could take the glory. Mere explanation of the problem and vaguely how you are approaching it could be fatal. So I don't think you'd see much in that vein.
My approach, exploring the vagaries of big corporate (oceanographic of course) research from an individual point of view, pseudo anonymous to avoid being chastised by my irrational employer is more likely. And surely most of these fade out after a while too. Actually I'd like to find another one of these - are you out there?? Post a comment with a pointer to your work-a-day blog. I promise I won't erase it (assuming it's not one of those "I found your blog inquisitive" spam-postings that are the scourge of blog comments everywhere.
This is my only continuous blog. I think success in blogging is more likely if you make it more event based. For example, I blog about travel, and that blog sits dormant until I go on another trip, then it springs to life and my friends can follow my progress, along with the odd other person who might stumble upon it.
I also have what I call weblists or "blists" (yeah, I know it hasn't caught on). It's a list in a blog. So my favourite movies, or various other things I like to keep a running list on. They are blogs with only one entry, and I just keep updating it.
You'd think Google/Blogger would think of that (drat, should have patented it) and they could market it as a new thing. Meanwhile, I occasionally get on and update the single entry with another example of whatever, and increment the date to today.
Anyway, the kettle is hot, and my tea is ready, so I'll turn my attention to that. Hope someone out there is occasionally enjoying my 'research blog' but even if I'm typing into the ether without an audience, I've enjoyed being able to peek back and see some of my thoughts from days gone by.
And when this fades out like all the other non-corporate, personal blogs, perhaps it will hang around on a server somewhere for a few decades as a snapshot in time for someone doing their PhD on early net culture in 2138.
Researchinator fishes out the tea paraphernalia to make something sippable.
It's interesting that rarely do they continue to exist. I think the enthusiasm wanes.
My 'research' blog isn't so much about research, it's more about pre-tea, first thing in the morning thoughts. On that note, I think I'll get a cup of tea started... Okay, kettle's on.
Anyway - I was saying - the concept of a research blog, first of all, is a bit implausible. Any research has an element of trying to discover something, or achieve something original. And no sane researcher would give their 'competitors' the details of what they are doing on a daily basis. Sure, much of the research we do gets shared eventually. Corporately, it gets shared through product success, or publishing/patenting. But we don't share the process along the way, thus enabling our competitors to benefit from our labour and steal the prize. Even academic research or 'pure' research if such a thing exists - nobody would expose their work to being scouped by someone else who could take the glory. Mere explanation of the problem and vaguely how you are approaching it could be fatal. So I don't think you'd see much in that vein.
My approach, exploring the vagaries of big corporate (oceanographic of course) research from an individual point of view, pseudo anonymous to avoid being chastised by my irrational employer is more likely. And surely most of these fade out after a while too. Actually I'd like to find another one of these - are you out there?? Post a comment with a pointer to your work-a-day blog. I promise I won't erase it (assuming it's not one of those "I found your blog inquisitive" spam-postings that are the scourge of blog comments everywhere.
This is my only continuous blog. I think success in blogging is more likely if you make it more event based. For example, I blog about travel, and that blog sits dormant until I go on another trip, then it springs to life and my friends can follow my progress, along with the odd other person who might stumble upon it.
I also have what I call weblists or "blists" (yeah, I know it hasn't caught on). It's a list in a blog. So my favourite movies, or various other things I like to keep a running list on. They are blogs with only one entry, and I just keep updating it.
You'd think Google/Blogger would think of that (drat, should have patented it) and they could market it as a new thing. Meanwhile, I occasionally get on and update the single entry with another example of whatever, and increment the date to today.
Anyway, the kettle is hot, and my tea is ready, so I'll turn my attention to that. Hope someone out there is occasionally enjoying my 'research blog' but even if I'm typing into the ether without an audience, I've enjoyed being able to peek back and see some of my thoughts from days gone by.
And when this fades out like all the other non-corporate, personal blogs, perhaps it will hang around on a server somewhere for a few decades as a snapshot in time for someone doing their PhD on early net culture in 2138.
Researchinator fishes out the tea paraphernalia to make something sippable.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Muggy weather these days, but still nice to get outside after hours in the air conditioned refrigerators of our offices. I think an office area that is down a notch and encourages shorts and light shirts would be nice. Here, I couldn't wear shorts and a golf shirt without shivering all day, so instead I sweat on the way home. Well, until I get my car's A/C wailing.
Southern climes deal with this all the time I guess. On various biz trips etc it's a brief walk through the oppressive heat from one a/c'd place to the next. A major energy issue during the summer would have people dropping in the streets there. I suppose that's what happened in Europe a few years ago.
Speaking of which, I'm off to the UK shortly for a bit of a getaway while the SO tends to biz over there. A rental car, and some genealogy to pursue should be fun.
Meanwhile, here in the centre of the Oceanographic research corporation, things tick along. I have some items to pursue and any time I think of them, my heart sinks briefly. It seems such an imposition to do real corporate related stuff! It's taking me away from my exploratory work. How can I be expected to get another company started with these distractions! Ha.
Made a bit of progress lately, but would like to have a full client-side demo running before the first week of August. I guess that's only about 5 more days. Oops, looking at the calendar, I see that I made an error in my holiday date warning in a recent email. Best go correct that.
Researchinator departs...
Southern climes deal with this all the time I guess. On various biz trips etc it's a brief walk through the oppressive heat from one a/c'd place to the next. A major energy issue during the summer would have people dropping in the streets there. I suppose that's what happened in Europe a few years ago.
Speaking of which, I'm off to the UK shortly for a bit of a getaway while the SO tends to biz over there. A rental car, and some genealogy to pursue should be fun.
Meanwhile, here in the centre of the Oceanographic research corporation, things tick along. I have some items to pursue and any time I think of them, my heart sinks briefly. It seems such an imposition to do real corporate related stuff! It's taking me away from my exploratory work. How can I be expected to get another company started with these distractions! Ha.
Made a bit of progress lately, but would like to have a full client-side demo running before the first week of August. I guess that's only about 5 more days. Oops, looking at the calendar, I see that I made an error in my holiday date warning in a recent email. Best go correct that.
Researchinator departs...
Monday, July 7, 2008
Long Live the FLCT! (Front For the Liberation of a Cup of Tea)
A sore Monday, but otherwise back in the saddle. Some landscaping work over the weekend and I am definitely not used to spending time kneeling on the ground slinging pavers around. Oh well, I guess this is how you get used to it. Anyway, sore muscles all around, but not a bad result.
Managed to keep my mind off my current work activities, which counts for something. And some time with friends was good too.
Morning RSS crawling across my browser caught my eye - the Viacom demand for Google data in its lawsuit to get compensation out of youTube. The US has so lost its way. Even though I think that Viacom should see the benefit of having clips from their shows popularized through YT, I have to respect their right to be unintelligent and keep their copyrights. But for a judge to not rule that Google has to provide audited numbers for the court case, but rather has to provide all the data on who watched what video along with user info, IP addresses and the whole nine yards... that's just more of the crazy US disregard for personal privacy and basic human rights. They've bragged about freedom as if it were synonymous with USA for so long, but they are so oppressive at every level of their society - whether it's racism against 'foreigners' in their neighbourhoods, or neighbours imposing their political beliefs on neighbours (put a flag on your lawn or we'll do it for ya), or their government stripping people of basic human rights (detention without trial or awareness of the charges against you).
Anyway, their judiciary seems to be under the thumb of the neocon masters and I feel for the people who understand what the loss of their rights really means. The others will only figure it out as it happens to them.
Well, a political start to the week. Back to the world of Oceanographic research and all that.
Researchinator goes in search of a cup of tea...
Managed to keep my mind off my current work activities, which counts for something. And some time with friends was good too.
Morning RSS crawling across my browser caught my eye - the Viacom demand for Google data in its lawsuit to get compensation out of youTube. The US has so lost its way. Even though I think that Viacom should see the benefit of having clips from their shows popularized through YT, I have to respect their right to be unintelligent and keep their copyrights. But for a judge to not rule that Google has to provide audited numbers for the court case, but rather has to provide all the data on who watched what video along with user info, IP addresses and the whole nine yards... that's just more of the crazy US disregard for personal privacy and basic human rights. They've bragged about freedom as if it were synonymous with USA for so long, but they are so oppressive at every level of their society - whether it's racism against 'foreigners' in their neighbourhoods, or neighbours imposing their political beliefs on neighbours (put a flag on your lawn or we'll do it for ya), or their government stripping people of basic human rights (detention without trial or awareness of the charges against you).
Anyway, their judiciary seems to be under the thumb of the neocon masters and I feel for the people who understand what the loss of their rights really means. The others will only figure it out as it happens to them.
Well, a political start to the week. Back to the world of Oceanographic research and all that.
Researchinator goes in search of a cup of tea...
Friday, July 4, 2008
Jumping into the Day
Getting my day started (post emails I might add) and dealing with some frustration in a collaborative project that seems to have difficulty dying. In spite of my clear indication that I'm out of here and the project is off, I get a request for clarification on our terms of collaboration. Go figure. Someone is in denial.
Anyway, I hope to pass that off fully to someone else who also seems to be ignoring most of the communications. Have I mentioned how dysfunctional the modern office environment has become? It's interesting, with about 5 years between my terms inside big companies, the modus operandi has totally changed. Telephones are archaic, rarely used items. Ignoring communications has become a common behaviour, as teams become more distributed. Nobody can walk up to your desk, so you can hide more effectively.
Perhaps it's just the culture in international oceanographic research and development corporations such as this one. But it's not very conducive to an effective environment. I'll be glad to leave this behind... if indeed I do.
Anyway, Researchinator has some more interesting stuff to do, so back at 'em.
Anyway, I hope to pass that off fully to someone else who also seems to be ignoring most of the communications. Have I mentioned how dysfunctional the modern office environment has become? It's interesting, with about 5 years between my terms inside big companies, the modus operandi has totally changed. Telephones are archaic, rarely used items. Ignoring communications has become a common behaviour, as teams become more distributed. Nobody can walk up to your desk, so you can hide more effectively.
Perhaps it's just the culture in international oceanographic research and development corporations such as this one. But it's not very conducive to an effective environment. I'll be glad to leave this behind... if indeed I do.
Anyway, Researchinator has some more interesting stuff to do, so back at 'em.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Post Canada Day
A conversation yesterday with Americans about Canada day - basically it boils down to "our fourth is on the first." Yes, it is in fact a different country. So we've finished our celebratory Dominion Day, which was a pretty good name I think, in retrospect. I suppose though, it gets celebrated by Canadians around the world, and telling people in UK that you're celebrating Dominion Day wouldn't be as self explanatory as saying "Canada Day."
Anyway, enough on that. A migraine morning for me, which isn't too pleasant, but eager to dive back into my stuff. Enjoying the quiet week here, with fewer attendees in the office than normal. Had some real work required yesterday in managing relationships with our university collaboration partners, and now I can get back to my own project.
My tea supply was dwindling lately, so I bought more, but it has taken me almost a week to get it out of my car. It's amazing what creatures of habit we are. Each morning grabbing my usual bag from the car and going in to the building, and never remembering to reach behind the seat and extract the bag of tea and kleenex there. When I get in and make my first cup of tea I think "Drat, I've got some more good stuff in the car," and briefly contemplate the long walk back out to get it.
Finally I remembered to put it on the front seat when returning home yesterday, and hence it was there calling me this morning. Hence, I sip Earl Grey while I type this morning.
Well lots to do today. My goal today is to figure out how to xml format data moving between my browser and server. Let's see how that goes...
Researchinator out...
Anyway, enough on that. A migraine morning for me, which isn't too pleasant, but eager to dive back into my stuff. Enjoying the quiet week here, with fewer attendees in the office than normal. Had some real work required yesterday in managing relationships with our university collaboration partners, and now I can get back to my own project.
My tea supply was dwindling lately, so I bought more, but it has taken me almost a week to get it out of my car. It's amazing what creatures of habit we are. Each morning grabbing my usual bag from the car and going in to the building, and never remembering to reach behind the seat and extract the bag of tea and kleenex there. When I get in and make my first cup of tea I think "Drat, I've got some more good stuff in the car," and briefly contemplate the long walk back out to get it.
Finally I remembered to put it on the front seat when returning home yesterday, and hence it was there calling me this morning. Hence, I sip Earl Grey while I type this morning.
Well lots to do today. My goal today is to figure out how to xml format data moving between my browser and server. Let's see how that goes...
Researchinator out...
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