#28: moment of inertia

Had I had the camera with me today, I would have tried to get a photo of the black squirrel that was cheerily jaunting about. I sincerely hope it was that squirrel or one of its little squirrel colleagues that I caught a glimpse of out of the corner of my eye on Friday: a blur of fur in motion, a momentary flash of dark on light from trash bin to the ground below the lecture auditorium's windowed hallway. At the time, I suspected it was a rat; I'm much, much happier thinking it's a cute squirrel fresh out of hibernation. So since I was camera-less and didn't want to try to point and shoot a laptop, you're getting yet another lab picture. (I know, I know, snow and labs, will they never cease? Have no fear: only another month of classes, and only another three labs.)

Physics Lab

Today's lab involved pendulums and moments of inertia. I actually enjoy interpreting for Physics labs. There's more interaction throughout the 3 hours, so I feel as though I'm earning my keep. No inertia for me today. Guess it didn't hurt that the usual lab demonstrator (a cocky 23- or 25-year-old) was away today and asked a pleasant, easy-on-the-eyes TA to fill in. I'm guessing the TA is in his late 20s, maybe early 30s; his hairline has begun to recede, and I noticed a few grays dotting the crown of his head. Apart from physical appearance, though, he exuded a maturity, a quiet confidence, that demo guy lacks. Demo guy is all bravado.

Anyway, I'm thinking that if a Faculty of Science wants to appeal to more students, it ought to consider makeovers for its labs. At least consider a paint job. (This from someone who doesn't relish painting herself.) Really, how dullsville is that nondescript yellow-green? It just screams "institution." The windows have potential, but I'd like to see the trim in a color that complements the countertops. At the very least, I'd like to see inspirational quotations stencilled on the walls. Something to convince me that it could be somebody's happy place.

#27: digging it

So while James was digging out our driveway for the better part of the weekend, I did my best to dig out from under all the paper I let accumulate on my desk. I managed to mail out two Xpresspost envelopes yesterday, and tomorrow I hope to send away my long overdue correspondence to our Compassion child (who has probably given up on me by now). To celebrate small victories, I bought a bag of Ruffles "Natural" chips. They sit next to the Tostitos organic blue corn tortilla chips we've come to know and love in the Organic section of our local grocery story.

By the way, we did manage to get to the one and only (purportedly) Mac store in Ottawa yesterday to get a new power adapter. Yay!

Late this afternoon, we took a little drive to the Chapman Mills Marketplace. I've been thinking of adding another cat perch, in an attempt--no doubt futile--to save the chairs, and to replace the one I ditched in Winnipeg. So when Darth was literally climbing the walls, that sealed the deal. Well, OK, really he was merely stretching tall and pawing at the patio windows, but nails on glass are about as annoying as nails on chalkboards. He appears to enjoy his new hideaway. I can't tell if Curli feels as attached to her new catnip-laced scratching board (another attempt--perhaps naively optimistic--to save the furniture).


And just for the record, more snow pictures. Why put us all through this misery? If this July is anything like last July, I'll be wishing for a snowbank to hurl myself into just to cool off. The next best thing to a snowbank will be revisiting these photos.

venturing to peer out an upstairs window

James estimates our snowbank now towers 5 ft. above his head. When I walked over to Loeb to buy the chips, I walked on the street, because there is no sidewalk to speak of: it's all blocked. Usually a smaller plow whips by to clear the sidewalk, and although one came by yesterday, it didn't make a pass today. Good luck if it tries tomorrow!

out & about

Strandherd (l) is a main road and gets plowed early on, but check out the traffic light (r): the crosswalk button's still clear, but how to get to it?

bus corridor (l) behind Strandherd Crossing &
parking lot near Rogers Video & Shoppers Drug Mart (r)

I did see a sign of spring today while we four-wheeled our way to the strip mall: a guy was out snowblowing in shorts.

#26: snow+bunny

I know spring is coming, despite all indications to the contrary: I've spotted the bunnies. Marshmallow bunnies. At WalMart.

Only after I'd bought them and eaten a few did I read the ingredients. A few weeks ago I finally paid attention to the fact that gelatin is the guck that results from boiled animal tissue; ever since then, I have felt motivated to read labels a little more closely. There go marshmallow rabbits, marshmallows, Rice Krispie squares made with marshmallows, and Jello, for sure. Bye-bye bunnies!

Now what's going to convince me that spring is close at hand? Certainly not the current climate. WARNING: More snow pictures.

©James Chychota, 2008
our driveway ~10 o'clock this morning
(James had to get a shot of his handiwork)

The snowplow ended up pushing the stuff on the street against the driveways of the folks who live opposite from us. This is the second time that's happened--James has been outside shovelling both times, so I imagine the driver has either (a) taken pity on him, or (b) figured he doesn't want to incur the wrath of such an imposing-looking guy. (And the UM Engineering jacket is imposing indeed.)

©James Chychota, 2008
down the street

a peek out the front door ~ 5 p.m.

Someday, probably near the end of May, when I'm outdoors taking in the mosquito-free evening air, I'll look back at this and laugh. At that time, it will seem like a distant dream. Right now, however, it's a nightmare.

#25: troublemakers

troublemaker #1

My power adapter decided for whatever reason that it wanted to take a permanent vacation.

troublemaker #2

Someone's been playing king of the castle on our hill and caused a mini-avalanche. (Sigh!) More snow to clean up. Guess it won't make that much difference, since the pretty flakes now falling are part and parcel of the additional 30-40 cm of snow we're expecting overnight. Good thing we've got 4-wheel drive. Hope we can get to that Mac store tomorrow: I really need power!

#24: bad habit

Never mind that I counted at least 15 books that I've bought and not yet read--and that was only in my SF section. ~ Conspicuous and unapologetic aside: Let me be clear on this point: it's SF, not sci-fi. That was the first of many lessons we learned in Dr. John Teunissen's Science Fiction seminar. I remember how I did not want to enroll in that seminar, but there were no other options to fit my schedule. Best course I never wanted to take!

The point is, I really didn't need to purchase any more books. Except that for my on-the-bus reading, I've begun a Fantasy (the F in SF&F) series called The Twelve Houses, and I enjoyed Mystic & Rider so much, I entered Chapters to purchase The Thirteenth House. Big mistake. Not reading this series--in fact, the characters are appealingly credible, for all their special abilities--but setting foot in a bookstore, any bookstore. Over here was Paul Quarrington's King Leary (I enjoyed his Whale Music many years ago), the "Canada Reads" pick; over there James K. Bartleman's Raisin Wine (I watched this former Ontario Lieutenant-Governor interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos). Everywhere in-between there were other distracting titles. One such gem was the following:


I picked it up, began skimming through it, and thought, "For $5, it's probably worth it."
I'll post an excerpt here as soon as my Mac once again has a working power adapter.

#23: in transit

This morning's photos are brought to you by: the color "distressed bus-seat red"...

the back of the bus (#76) or "a bigger chair for two to curl up in"

view from Mackenzie King Bridge
Rideau Canal on left, Château Laurier in distance

...the letters S (for snowstorm), R, and C (for Rideau Canal)...and by the number 30 for the centimetres of snowfall forecast for Ottawa yesterday & today.

#22: experimenting

Chemistry Lab, section A

Every Tuesday afternoon, this is where you can find me. The lab is divided into 6 sections, each with about 3 rows of counters, and approx. 16 students per section, roughly 100 students in total. My role is to stay attentive, for at any moment I might need to capture for the client/student announcements made over the PA system, instructions given by the TA (Teaching Assistant), or questions posed by other students. I've usually finished editing the morning's classes by the time I arrive at the lab. I tell you, three hours of virtually no typing pass by very slowly indeed. Ah, well, I'm being paid--and there are only two more Chem labs to go!

I arrived a half hour early today so I could inconspicuously take a photo; that's why the chairs are still overturned on the counters. The large cabinet-like object against the wall is a fume hood; there are 4 fume hoods per section. Last week's lab required students to work with strong chemicals in the fume hoods, so as not to knock us all out or subject us to unintentional skin peels. I'm always a bit concerned: not so much for me, but for my laptop. Usually at some point during the lab one can hear glass shattering--someone dropping a flask, burette, or graduated cylinder. So far my student's group has had no such accidents (let's hope they continue on that positive streak), but I can't help fearing that my non-scientific presence is somehow working against them, for they've had less than stellar results at least three times.

How do I convey Greek symbols when typing for these science courses? Unfortunately, I never took any language course in Classics, so the first time a new symbol turns up, I guess at the English spelling of the Greek name, according to the prof's pronunciation. I indicate it's a symbol in brackets. Then once I'm home, I consult a site that lists the Greek alphabet. Using MSWord's "Insert/Symbol" menu and "AutoCorrect" features, I arrange it so that when I type the word delta, I'll get ∆; epsilon gives me ε, sigma is ∑ (uppercase) or σ (lowercase), tau is τ. Just a little prep is all it takes. Actually, I program shortcuts for many other words like stoichiometry, thermodynamic, and potentiometer. Anything to save keystrokes when I'm trying to keep up with people who speak 200 wpm. :)