Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Don't tell anyone, but...
... I actually managed three hours of work today which I can legitimately claim as research.
Okay, so I'm going to have to make it up later in the week, and it's the first I've done for about 5 months, but it was definitely research. More precisely it was data processing in advance of statistical analysis, and half an hour was a Skype call to my collaborator in Canada (which led to the requirement of another hour or so of further processing which I think I can squeeze in on Friday), but it's definitely research and it definitely relates to the project for which we got some funding from KEA earlier in the year.
Samhain 1 (the traditional one, not the astronomical one, which is November 7th this year) has been quiet around here. Hallowe'en is not a festivaal that is celebrated up here, although there are rumours that one of the local shops, 66 North, had sweets available for anyone turning up in costume. The locals seem to be split about this idea - some think it's a fun excuse for dressing up while others feel it's another unwanted foreign (i.e. American) import.
Me? I think that it's a great idea (having a festival, not necessarily the 'trick or treat' aspect). Samhain may be known as a pagan festival but, like all of the major pagan festivals, it's one based upon a logical point in the year. There's always such discussion as to the number of bank holidays and how badly they're distributed around the year. So why not just take the solstices, equinoxes and cross-quarter days instead of complicated movable feasts like Easter and Whitsun? Something else to put on the to-do list for When I Rule The World.
1 comments
Okay, so I'm going to have to make it up later in the week, and it's the first I've done for about 5 months, but it was definitely research. More precisely it was data processing in advance of statistical analysis, and half an hour was a Skype call to my collaborator in Canada (which led to the requirement of another hour or so of further processing which I think I can squeeze in on Friday), but it's definitely research and it definitely relates to the project for which we got some funding from KEA earlier in the year.
Samhain 1 (the traditional one, not the astronomical one, which is November 7th this year) has been quiet around here. Hallowe'en is not a festivaal that is celebrated up here, although there are rumours that one of the local shops, 66 North, had sweets available for anyone turning up in costume. The locals seem to be split about this idea - some think it's a fun excuse for dressing up while others feel it's another unwanted foreign (i.e. American) import.
Me? I think that it's a great idea (having a festival, not necessarily the 'trick or treat' aspect). Samhain may be known as a pagan festival but, like all of the major pagan festivals, it's one based upon a logical point in the year. There's always such discussion as to the number of bank holidays and how badly they're distributed around the year. So why not just take the solstices, equinoxes and cross-quarter days instead of complicated movable feasts like Easter and Whitsun? Something else to put on the to-do list for When I Rule The World.
1 comments
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Basically safe
I now have a shire of basically safe, if as yet unauthorised, fencers.
At 18:40 tonight I was on the point of phoning around the shire and telling folks that I'd been scared off by the two inches of snow we'd had in the last hour. I know it doesn't sound much, but it does have quite a bit effect. Nevertheless, not wanting to appear a complete outlander wuss I packed the fencing kit into the car and drove carefully back to the university. It's not far but there are some unpleasantly steep bumps in places.
We've now been having the fencing sessions most weeks since the end of July and have done lots of footwork and blade control drills. Tonight, then, I decided it was time to get let them actually try fencing with each other. It was a little complicated, with lots of switching of leather jackets and my armour, but in the end I not only got everyone sparring but we also did a round-robin at the end of the evening. This was won by Biggi, who's definitely an Italian fencer rather than a Spanish fencer, and who is proving very good at hand-sniping. This is good in some ways, as it means that the rest of the shire will learn how to protect their hands in future.
I have a suspicion that tonight may spur people on to get their armour and fencing garb sorted out and to buy their own masks and epees. We're almost certainly going to focus on epees to start with as it is possible to buy them in Iceland rather than having to import them. Several of the fencers aren't physically strong enough to fence with a heavy blade for any length of time, so that's another good reason for working with epees for a while. If we happen to get another fencing marshal over for Troll Hunt in early March then we'll probably try to do all of the authorisations there; failing which we should certainly be able to manage it for Revel in June, which will mean that we can have a real fencing tournament as part of the event. Hurrah!
0 comments
At 18:40 tonight I was on the point of phoning around the shire and telling folks that I'd been scared off by the two inches of snow we'd had in the last hour. I know it doesn't sound much, but it does have quite a bit effect. Nevertheless, not wanting to appear a complete outlander wuss I packed the fencing kit into the car and drove carefully back to the university. It's not far but there are some unpleasantly steep bumps in places.
We've now been having the fencing sessions most weeks since the end of July and have done lots of footwork and blade control drills. Tonight, then, I decided it was time to get let them actually try fencing with each other. It was a little complicated, with lots of switching of leather jackets and my armour, but in the end I not only got everyone sparring but we also did a round-robin at the end of the evening. This was won by Biggi, who's definitely an Italian fencer rather than a Spanish fencer, and who is proving very good at hand-sniping. This is good in some ways, as it means that the rest of the shire will learn how to protect their hands in future.
I have a suspicion that tonight may spur people on to get their armour and fencing garb sorted out and to buy their own masks and epees. We're almost certainly going to focus on epees to start with as it is possible to buy them in Iceland rather than having to import them. Several of the fencers aren't physically strong enough to fence with a heavy blade for any length of time, so that's another good reason for working with epees for a while. If we happen to get another fencing marshal over for Troll Hunt in early March then we'll probably try to do all of the authorisations there; failing which we should certainly be able to manage it for Revel in June, which will mean that we can have a real fencing tournament as part of the event. Hurrah!
0 comments
Monday, October 29, 2007
Jovian moments
More like Jovian hours, really.
This afternoon I've been having some Jovian moments. Not the sort of moment when you sit there as ruler of your own kingdom with people running around you entirely under your control. Nor the sort of moment when you sit there, big and bloated, and reroute incoming junk so that it doesn't hit the inner system (although that's not actually a bad description of me at work most of the time). No, more the sort of moments when you think that Athena is about to spring, fully-armed, from your head. From a spot just above my right eyebrow. Co-codamol is called for now that I'm back at home, I think.
The network problem I had with my Monday morning lecture last week still hasn't been fixed, so I've dutifully reported it again. The problem with MySQL hasn't quite been fixed but we're getting there - I won't have it ready for tomorrow, but at least I'll be able to do the lab Thursday. I think that I'm going to have to give an extension to the databases coursework to compensate for this.
More positively, I've marked over half of the local first-year spreadsheet coursework, and I'm reasonably happy with the results. The plan is to get the local stuff finished before the distance-learning submission deadline on Wednesday. I hope.
For now, then, I'm going to curl up and try to get some embroidery done. Must finish before December...
0 comments
This afternoon I've been having some Jovian moments. Not the sort of moment when you sit there as ruler of your own kingdom with people running around you entirely under your control. Nor the sort of moment when you sit there, big and bloated, and reroute incoming junk so that it doesn't hit the inner system (although that's not actually a bad description of me at work most of the time). No, more the sort of moments when you think that Athena is about to spring, fully-armed, from your head. From a spot just above my right eyebrow. Co-codamol is called for now that I'm back at home, I think.
The network problem I had with my Monday morning lecture last week still hasn't been fixed, so I've dutifully reported it again. The problem with MySQL hasn't quite been fixed but we're getting there - I won't have it ready for tomorrow, but at least I'll be able to do the lab Thursday. I think that I'm going to have to give an extension to the databases coursework to compensate for this.
More positively, I've marked over half of the local first-year spreadsheet coursework, and I'm reasonably happy with the results. The plan is to get the local stuff finished before the distance-learning submission deadline on Wednesday. I hope.
For now, then, I'm going to curl up and try to get some embroidery done. Must finish before December...
0 comments
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Wanted: oomph
I have no oomph.
Today I have burned a couple of CDs and made labels and inserts for them. I've transcribed five dances from a booklet onto the computer so that I can print out versions with fewer repeat marks (it's long enough since I did any serious music that I know I'll get confused with variable numbers of repeats and repeats in strange places). Oh yes, and I've checked that I can play them. Hmm... I wonder if I can deaden the sound of my recorder by bunging something in the bottom hole? Even the alto seems a terribly loud instrument and I don't want to disturb the neighbours with the sound of my practising. Last weekend I retreated to the car to practice rather than make everyone listen to the racket while I warmed up my fingers and played through the two pieces a few times just to make sure that I could.
Other than that I've just pottered around and seem to have got nothing done. I keep looking at some embroidery I really should get on with and complete well before Christmas, but I just can't face picking it up at present. Part of me wonders if that's because I take my glasses off to sew but have a selection of documentaries on in the background which I mainly listen too but occasionally glance up to see what's going on if the soundtrack suggests a particularly impressive image. And having to put the glasses on and off is such an annoyance.
I've also been on a bit of an eBay spending spree - a new drop belt with matching pouch and tankard holder (and a pre-order on a matching rapier belt with frog and maybe even a scabbard), a plain wooden tankard ready for a heraldic paint job (although I'm planning to change my SCA device as I'm tired of trying and failing to draw ravens) and a new gorget. Yes, I know I already have two, but this one is shiny! And besides, having three means that I can keep mine on and have two people fencing wearing the other two, as swappnig masks is much easier than swapping gorgets.
For now, though, I must eat and force myself to embroider. How sad that sounds... time was when I'd rather embroider than eat. I suspect that this may be a case of job-related-stress -> depression.
0 comments
Today I have burned a couple of CDs and made labels and inserts for them. I've transcribed five dances from a booklet onto the computer so that I can print out versions with fewer repeat marks (it's long enough since I did any serious music that I know I'll get confused with variable numbers of repeats and repeats in strange places). Oh yes, and I've checked that I can play them. Hmm... I wonder if I can deaden the sound of my recorder by bunging something in the bottom hole? Even the alto seems a terribly loud instrument and I don't want to disturb the neighbours with the sound of my practising. Last weekend I retreated to the car to practice rather than make everyone listen to the racket while I warmed up my fingers and played through the two pieces a few times just to make sure that I could.
Other than that I've just pottered around and seem to have got nothing done. I keep looking at some embroidery I really should get on with and complete well before Christmas, but I just can't face picking it up at present. Part of me wonders if that's because I take my glasses off to sew but have a selection of documentaries on in the background which I mainly listen too but occasionally glance up to see what's going on if the soundtrack suggests a particularly impressive image. And having to put the glasses on and off is such an annoyance.
I've also been on a bit of an eBay spending spree - a new drop belt with matching pouch and tankard holder (and a pre-order on a matching rapier belt with frog and maybe even a scabbard), a plain wooden tankard ready for a heraldic paint job (although I'm planning to change my SCA device as I'm tired of trying and failing to draw ravens) and a new gorget. Yes, I know I already have two, but this one is shiny! And besides, having three means that I can keep mine on and have two people fencing wearing the other two, as swappnig masks is much easier than swapping gorgets.
For now, though, I must eat and force myself to embroider. How sad that sounds... time was when I'd rather embroider than eat. I suspect that this may be a case of job-related-stress -> depression.
0 comments
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Finally!
They've stopped putting an annoying interval in films at Sambió.
Or at least they didn't have one tonight. I've just come back from seeing Stardust with some folks from the university, and I have to say that I'm looking forward to buying it on DVD. Definitely a film in the same vein as The Princess Bride, even if the swordplay is somewhat less. Although having said that the final duel is quite amusing.
It's been another day for sitting down with the computer playing about with iPhoto and iDVD. I've now managed to pare the nearly-200 photos taken at Álfadans by myself and Martha down to a more manageable 45, which are now available as part of the event report on line at the Shire website.
I also uploaded the complete set up to Flickr if anyone is desperate to see more. They're not in order there, as Flickr seems to want to put them alphabetically rather than numerically. I've been pondering getting a Flickr account for a while, just for the online storage space. I'll see how I feel about it over the next year. Uploading seems to be faster than LJ or Google (which is useful if you've got 200 images) but I haven't been entirely grabbed by any of them as yet.
Here's the taster: Come to Klakavirki - the water's lovely!
2 comments
Or at least they didn't have one tonight. I've just come back from seeing Stardust with some folks from the university, and I have to say that I'm looking forward to buying it on DVD. Definitely a film in the same vein as The Princess Bride, even if the swordplay is somewhat less. Although having said that the final duel is quite amusing.
It's been another day for sitting down with the computer playing about with iPhoto and iDVD. I've now managed to pare the nearly-200 photos taken at Álfadans by myself and Martha down to a more manageable 45, which are now available as part of the event report on line at the Shire website.
I also uploaded the complete set up to Flickr if anyone is desperate to see more. They're not in order there, as Flickr seems to want to put them alphabetically rather than numerically. I've been pondering getting a Flickr account for a while, just for the online storage space. I'll see how I feel about it over the next year. Uploading seems to be faster than LJ or Google (which is useful if you've got 200 images) but I haven't been entirely grabbed by any of them as yet.
Here's the taster: Come to Klakavirki - the water's lovely!
2 comments
Friday, October 26, 2007
Photo manipulation
I went to work. I did a lot. I came home.
And then I spent the evening playing with iPhoto and iDVD. I'm very impressed with the software that came with the MacBook. Now that I've got the hang of iPhoto (specifically now that I've worked out how to make it save to a webpage that isn't an iWeb page) I'm quite happy to work with it instead of Picassa.
Not only am I now happy working with iPhoto, I'm also quite impressed with iDVD. I'd experimented with it a little beforehand, but now I've spent an evening working with it I'm reasonably happy that I've got it sussed. Assuming you ignore the three blank DVDs I messed up earlier this evening, that is. Still, I've learned from my mistakes.
Tonight has been spent making DVDs for Martha, both of her recent trip to China and also of her recent SCA adventures. I'd already made the Raglan DVD but I've now managed to create a DVD which contains not only that but also the photos from Revel, the first dance practice and Álfadans. I thought of doing myself a copy of the Klakavirki 2007 DVD but the purist within me is holding back until May so that I can do the Klakavirki A.S. XXXXII DVD instead.
Tomorrow I'll try to pare down the 200 Álfadans photos into something more suitable for the web. I'll have to update the shire website as well, but that should be done on a regular basis anyway.
0 comments
And then I spent the evening playing with iPhoto and iDVD. I'm very impressed with the software that came with the MacBook. Now that I've got the hang of iPhoto (specifically now that I've worked out how to make it save to a webpage that isn't an iWeb page) I'm quite happy to work with it instead of Picassa.
Not only am I now happy working with iPhoto, I'm also quite impressed with iDVD. I'd experimented with it a little beforehand, but now I've spent an evening working with it I'm reasonably happy that I've got it sussed. Assuming you ignore the three blank DVDs I messed up earlier this evening, that is. Still, I've learned from my mistakes.
Tonight has been spent making DVDs for Martha, both of her recent trip to China and also of her recent SCA adventures. I'd already made the Raglan DVD but I've now managed to create a DVD which contains not only that but also the photos from Revel, the first dance practice and Álfadans. I thought of doing myself a copy of the Klakavirki 2007 DVD but the purist within me is holding back until May so that I can do the Klakavirki A.S. XXXXII DVD instead.
Tomorrow I'll try to pare down the 200 Álfadans photos into something more suitable for the web. I'll have to update the shire website as well, but that should be done on a regular basis anyway.
0 comments
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Nothing interesting
Today I didn't do an SQL lab but I did finish writing an HTML lecture.
Yes, the day has been that exciting. I spent part of the non-SQL-lab (which became a lecture on database transactions, conflict-equivalence and serialisablity - how exciting!) explaining why I wasn't devoting half of the module to teaching how to install and configure MySQL and the other half to programming in PHP. How could I be so cruel as to expect three of the students to learn how to do it themselves as part of their group projects? Evil, I am. Evil. :)
Still, the lack of anything of interest today gives me a chance to post the threatened images of the two scrolls I did for Álfadans. The A&S scroll probably took about 5 1/2 hours in total, with the calligraphy taking two of them. The annoying thing about it is that when I filled in the name I mis-spelled it, missing out a 'c' in the easier part of the name but getting the strange part of the name correct. Bah. Still, my Lindquistring scroll has an error in it and there are plenty of mediaeval manuscripts with errors in them. Bah anyway.
The other scroll is the promissory note that I did on Thursday night because the AoA scrolls hadn't arrived (they still haven't) and we wanted something to hand out at court on Saturday. It took about 3 hour and is a bit quick and dirty - the letter is in inks rather than than painted and the silver detailing should be white but I didn't have time to paint it in so I used silver ink instead - but it's not too bad. I really am going to have to look for a decent white ink pen.
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Yes, the day has been that exciting. I spent part of the non-SQL-lab (which became a lecture on database transactions, conflict-equivalence and serialisablity - how exciting!) explaining why I wasn't devoting half of the module to teaching how to install and configure MySQL and the other half to programming in PHP. How could I be so cruel as to expect three of the students to learn how to do it themselves as part of their group projects? Evil, I am. Evil. :)
Still, the lack of anything of interest today gives me a chance to post the threatened images of the two scrolls I did for Álfadans. The A&S scroll probably took about 5 1/2 hours in total, with the calligraphy taking two of them. The annoying thing about it is that when I filled in the name I mis-spelled it, missing out a 'c' in the easier part of the name but getting the strange part of the name correct. Bah. Still, my Lindquistring scroll has an error in it and there are plenty of mediaeval manuscripts with errors in them. Bah anyway.
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The other scroll is the promissory note that I did on Thursday night because the AoA scrolls hadn't arrived (they still haven't) and we wanted something to hand out at court on Saturday. It took about 3 hour and is a bit quick and dirty - the letter is in inks rather than than painted and the silver detailing should be white but I didn't have time to paint it in so I used silver ink instead - but it's not too bad. I really am going to have to look for a decent white ink pen.
0 comments
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Psychedelic Nightmare
Never wear stripes on television.
I know I've heard this one before, so why did I put a striped top on this morning? Not only a striped top, but a top which has two different widths of stripe. This being a Wednesday From Hell I had labs all afternoon and then a video lecture afterwards... which is where I discovered that the warning against stripes is a very sensible one.
It was a good thing that for most of the lecture the thing which is being transmitted to the remote sites and, therefore, is what I see in the bottom corner of the television screen, is the output from the computer rather than the camera. It was only during the mid-lecture break when I had it switched back to the main camera that I noticed the stripe problem. And believe me, once I noticed it it was very difficult to take my eyes off it. Every time I moved, every time I breathed, my top turned into a psychedelic nightmare. Red and white bands flowed across the screen in a positively nauseating manner. I feel rather sorry for my students - I was only viewing it on a small insert window - it must have been quite awful seeing it on a big screen. Me, pulsating like something from a fifties sci-fi movie. *Shudder*
There are two more televised lectures left this semester. I really must remember to wear plain tops for them.
0 comments
I know I've heard this one before, so why did I put a striped top on this morning? Not only a striped top, but a top which has two different widths of stripe. This being a Wednesday From Hell I had labs all afternoon and then a video lecture afterwards... which is where I discovered that the warning against stripes is a very sensible one.
It was a good thing that for most of the lecture the thing which is being transmitted to the remote sites and, therefore, is what I see in the bottom corner of the television screen, is the output from the computer rather than the camera. It was only during the mid-lecture break when I had it switched back to the main camera that I noticed the stripe problem. And believe me, once I noticed it it was very difficult to take my eyes off it. Every time I moved, every time I breathed, my top turned into a psychedelic nightmare. Red and white bands flowed across the screen in a positively nauseating manner. I feel rather sorry for my students - I was only viewing it on a small insert window - it must have been quite awful seeing it on a big screen. Me, pulsating like something from a fifties sci-fi movie. *Shudder*
There are two more televised lectures left this semester. I really must remember to wear plain tops for them.
0 comments
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
A Cheering Discovery
The strangest things can perk you up after a long day in the office.
Today I gave a lecture, had a couple of phonecalls, did some admin, wrote another lecture. As usual, my left shoulder protested at the lecture because I used my left arm to do all of the pointing (even though I now have my extendable and magnetic pointy stick which means that i don't have to wave the whole arm about any more). It's been about normal for a workday.
What prompted the burst of joy was that there was a parcel in my postbox. A parcel! Not a postcard telling me to go to the post office to collect something and pay the import duties on it. Nor even a letter asking for my permission to open something in order that they can work out how much they can gouge out of me in import duties. How exciting!
It proved to be my order from Fettered Cock Pewters containing my tortoise brooches and my renaissance cutlery. Yes, I know that they don't really go together but I've had the beads to go with the brooches for ages and have been meaning to make the apron dress to go with them. Having the brooches will no doubt give me a bit more impetus to actually do it. Maybe I can have it all complete as daywear for Troll Hunt in March...
The cutlery is superb - a matched set of knife, spoon and two-tined fork. Such is life that it arrived too late for Álfadans but such is life. I'll have them for Troll Hunt. And Rent-A-Don, for that matter.
There's no fencing tonight as the heavies are consolidating what they learned from Paul over the weekend. This is fine by me as I really should take the evening to try to return the flat to normal. It's still in a state of autocratic pre-event panic. Or, for the conventioneers among you, a state of pre-convention, con-chair insanity. So far I've managed to put the iron away. There's quite a lot left to do.
0 comments
Today I gave a lecture, had a couple of phonecalls, did some admin, wrote another lecture. As usual, my left shoulder protested at the lecture because I used my left arm to do all of the pointing (even though I now have my extendable and magnetic pointy stick which means that i don't have to wave the whole arm about any more). It's been about normal for a workday.
What prompted the burst of joy was that there was a parcel in my postbox. A parcel! Not a postcard telling me to go to the post office to collect something and pay the import duties on it. Nor even a letter asking for my permission to open something in order that they can work out how much they can gouge out of me in import duties. How exciting!
It proved to be my order from Fettered Cock Pewters containing my tortoise brooches and my renaissance cutlery. Yes, I know that they don't really go together but I've had the beads to go with the brooches for ages and have been meaning to make the apron dress to go with them. Having the brooches will no doubt give me a bit more impetus to actually do it. Maybe I can have it all complete as daywear for Troll Hunt in March...
The cutlery is superb - a matched set of knife, spoon and two-tined fork. Such is life that it arrived too late for Álfadans but such is life. I'll have them for Troll Hunt. And Rent-A-Don, for that matter.
There's no fencing tonight as the heavies are consolidating what they learned from Paul over the weekend. This is fine by me as I really should take the evening to try to return the flat to normal. It's still in a state of autocratic pre-event panic. Or, for the conventioneers among you, a state of pre-convention, con-chair insanity. So far I've managed to put the iron away. There's quite a lot left to do.
0 comments
Monday, October 22, 2007
Technical challenges
It's been a day of "technical challenges".
I arrived in my office this morning to find a sheet of paper sitting on my keyboard. It explained (in Icelandic) how to set up my Outlook email account. This, I thought, did not bode well for the day. And how right I was...
To start with I tried to log on. First I noticed that the familiar Novell Networking login was missing and instead I had a Microsoft Ctrl-Alt-Delete instruction. Okay, so they've changed the network. This could be interesting I thought. I gave the machine the appropriate three-fingered salute and tried to click into the username box to change it from the main network administrator to my own login. Nothing. Hmm... So I hit tab and entered the admin password, starting it up.
A few clicks later I realised that it had turned my left-handed trackball into a right-handed trackball, by which time I knew that something pretty serious was going on. Armed with this knowledge I logged out and logged back in as myself, only to find that the desktop was certainly not my desktop - it was the desktop of someone with a need to see the shortcuts to as many network applications as possible and who doesn't understand the concept of the toolbar. Not only that, but all of my firefox bookmarks, start-up items and interface customisations were missing. Oh, and that I got the Outlook Account Setup Wizard when I tried to open my email - although at least I expected that thanks to the flyer.
It turns out that the main server was replaced over the weekend and they had to change every machine to work with the new networking protocols. This had two results: first, I had to spend half of the day returning the machine to a usable state, and secondly when I went to give a lecture this morning the network drive which is supposed to follow me around and upon which I had my presentation failed to follow me to the other building. Fortunately I had already uploaded it into WebCT so I could run it from there but that does reduce the screen size by about 20%. When I reported it after the lecture the chap at technical support was quite surprised. I have a horrible suspicion that I'm going to have to log out of my office machine before every lecture rather than leave the machine on and just lock the door.
During the lecture I had a technical difficulty of another kind. As well as the main powerpoint I also had a ten-minute video to show - the amusing and informative (or should that be reinforcing?) Warriors of the Net. Unfortunately it's a bit dark so I had to turn the lights off. This was where the problems occurred; all of the lights in the lecture room are linked to a set of motion sensors. Now while this is a laudable energy-saving concept it meant that I had to stand through the video with my hand on the light switch ready to turn the lights off again when they were triggered by a random student movement. Ho hum.
Back to the office and the continuing rebuild of the machine. Once I'd reconfigured my email I read the response from tech support to my recent questions about Office 2007. As at least a third of my business students have shiny new laptops with shiny new Office 2007, so even if I ask them to submit their coursework in Office 2003 format some of them are bound to submit in 2007 format, and that number will no doubt increase with the distance-learning students. The response stated that tech support does not support Office 2007 and that I should tell my students to save in Office 2003. My, that's going to be good word-of-mouth publicity, isn't it? The university can't handle up-to-date business software so students should use the old version instead.
Now while I know of the 2007-2003 converters it'll be interesting to see what happens when some of my less-computer-savvy but better-connected-politically colleagues face the same problem. It turns out that one senior non-computing colleague who has acquired his own copy of Office 2007 is now incapable of connecting to his email because the new server doesn't support Outlook 2007.
I'm laughing rather than crying again.
2 comments
I arrived in my office this morning to find a sheet of paper sitting on my keyboard. It explained (in Icelandic) how to set up my Outlook email account. This, I thought, did not bode well for the day. And how right I was...
To start with I tried to log on. First I noticed that the familiar Novell Networking login was missing and instead I had a Microsoft Ctrl-Alt-Delete instruction. Okay, so they've changed the network. This could be interesting I thought. I gave the machine the appropriate three-fingered salute and tried to click into the username box to change it from the main network administrator to my own login. Nothing. Hmm... So I hit tab and entered the admin password, starting it up.
A few clicks later I realised that it had turned my left-handed trackball into a right-handed trackball, by which time I knew that something pretty serious was going on. Armed with this knowledge I logged out and logged back in as myself, only to find that the desktop was certainly not my desktop - it was the desktop of someone with a need to see the shortcuts to as many network applications as possible and who doesn't understand the concept of the toolbar. Not only that, but all of my firefox bookmarks, start-up items and interface customisations were missing. Oh, and that I got the Outlook Account Setup Wizard when I tried to open my email - although at least I expected that thanks to the flyer.
It turns out that the main server was replaced over the weekend and they had to change every machine to work with the new networking protocols. This had two results: first, I had to spend half of the day returning the machine to a usable state, and secondly when I went to give a lecture this morning the network drive which is supposed to follow me around and upon which I had my presentation failed to follow me to the other building. Fortunately I had already uploaded it into WebCT so I could run it from there but that does reduce the screen size by about 20%. When I reported it after the lecture the chap at technical support was quite surprised. I have a horrible suspicion that I'm going to have to log out of my office machine before every lecture rather than leave the machine on and just lock the door.
During the lecture I had a technical difficulty of another kind. As well as the main powerpoint I also had a ten-minute video to show - the amusing and informative (or should that be reinforcing?) Warriors of the Net. Unfortunately it's a bit dark so I had to turn the lights off. This was where the problems occurred; all of the lights in the lecture room are linked to a set of motion sensors. Now while this is a laudable energy-saving concept it meant that I had to stand through the video with my hand on the light switch ready to turn the lights off again when they were triggered by a random student movement. Ho hum.
Back to the office and the continuing rebuild of the machine. Once I'd reconfigured my email I read the response from tech support to my recent questions about Office 2007. As at least a third of my business students have shiny new laptops with shiny new Office 2007, so even if I ask them to submit their coursework in Office 2003 format some of them are bound to submit in 2007 format, and that number will no doubt increase with the distance-learning students. The response stated that tech support does not support Office 2007 and that I should tell my students to save in Office 2003. My, that's going to be good word-of-mouth publicity, isn't it? The university can't handle up-to-date business software so students should use the old version instead.
Now while I know of the 2007-2003 converters it'll be interesting to see what happens when some of my less-computer-savvy but better-connected-politically colleagues face the same problem. It turns out that one senior non-computing colleague who has acquired his own copy of Office 2007 is now incapable of connecting to his email because the new server doesn't support Outlook 2007.
I'm laughing rather than crying again.
2 comments
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Alfadans day 3 - Caradrhas Strikes Back!
It was an early start this morning to get Pól and Caitriona back to the airport at Akureyri.
The weather had deteriorated overnight and it was rather cold wet and miserable at 07:30. We had a quick breakfast of Gloriana Porridge and then got on the road just after 08:00 - which proved to be rather earlier than the snowploughs. As we approached Öxnadalsheiði the rain turned first to sleet, then snow, and the road over the heath turned treacherously slippery. Just the sort of weather in which I hate crossing the mountain. Fortunately we'd allowed ourselves two and a half hours for the one hour journey (paranoid? me?) so we had time for a quick coffee at my flat before I returned them to the airport.
At the airport something strange was happening. Every car which entered the airport precinct was stopped by the police, who asked to see the driver's license. Fortunately I carry mine in my purse so I had it with me and I was waved on after only a few seconds. The cars in front and behind of me were less fortunate and both took rather longer and involved drivers getting out of their cars. It was most strange.
Now back in Akureyri after a rather unpleasant drive east I seriously pondered phoning one of the folks back at the site to say that the road was so bad that I wasn't coming back but my sense of autocratly duty over-rode my worries and I duly drove back over roads which had, at least, had one run of the snowplough and were therefore a little better than earlier in the morning.
I returned to people having breakfast on the remains of last night's feast so I grabbed a coffee and a couple of pieces of chicken and joined them. The weather was getting increasingly unpleasant even in Varmahlíð and we decided that even though we weren't due off-site until 18:00 we ought to speed up the clean-up and get out as soon as possible. Eventually we set off just after 16:00 and I let Björk drive (she having had far more experience with such foul road conditions than I have). What was normally an hour-long journey took well over an hour and a half but we got back to Akureyri in one piece.
I'm now back on the sofa, having enjoyed a simple meal of egg and chips, savouring one of the precious two bottles of cider which I brought back from Raglan. I decided that I deserved it as people seemed to have had quite an enjoyable weekend.
2 comments
The weather had deteriorated overnight and it was rather cold wet and miserable at 07:30. We had a quick breakfast of Gloriana Porridge and then got on the road just after 08:00 - which proved to be rather earlier than the snowploughs. As we approached Öxnadalsheiði the rain turned first to sleet, then snow, and the road over the heath turned treacherously slippery. Just the sort of weather in which I hate crossing the mountain. Fortunately we'd allowed ourselves two and a half hours for the one hour journey (paranoid? me?) so we had time for a quick coffee at my flat before I returned them to the airport.
At the airport something strange was happening. Every car which entered the airport precinct was stopped by the police, who asked to see the driver's license. Fortunately I carry mine in my purse so I had it with me and I was waved on after only a few seconds. The cars in front and behind of me were less fortunate and both took rather longer and involved drivers getting out of their cars. It was most strange.
Now back in Akureyri after a rather unpleasant drive east I seriously pondered phoning one of the folks back at the site to say that the road was so bad that I wasn't coming back but my sense of autocratly duty over-rode my worries and I duly drove back over roads which had, at least, had one run of the snowplough and were therefore a little better than earlier in the morning.
I returned to people having breakfast on the remains of last night's feast so I grabbed a coffee and a couple of pieces of chicken and joined them. The weather was getting increasingly unpleasant even in Varmahlíð and we decided that even though we weren't due off-site until 18:00 we ought to speed up the clean-up and get out as soon as possible. Eventually we set off just after 16:00 and I let Björk drive (she having had far more experience with such foul road conditions than I have). What was normally an hour-long journey took well over an hour and a half but we got back to Akureyri in one piece.
I'm now back on the sofa, having enjoyed a simple meal of egg and chips, savouring one of the precious two bottles of cider which I brought back from Raglan. I decided that I deserved it as people seemed to have had quite an enjoyable weekend.
2 comments
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Alfadans day 2
The breakfast cook always has an early start.
After last night's late-night hot-tubbing I was up again at 07:30 to cook Gloriana Porridge for breakfast. Two litres of milk, a litre of cream, half a box of oats, some brown sugar and raisins later I was ready to announce that breakfast was served. As many people had gone to bed later than I this was met by a number of moans and groans but everyone was fed, watered and garbed by the time we started at 10:00.
The schedule for the day was quite light, giving people lots of time to relax and talk. I started the ball rolling with a class on mediaeval and renaissance cryptography, then we had a pre-feast dance practice, followed by lunch, more dancing and a class of heavy combat drills given by Vicroy Barún Pól, which finished just in time for the heavies to get in some more hot tub time before court.
Court was the first taste that most of our folks here in Iceland had had of the pomp and ceremony of the SCA. I acted as herald, complete with the ID herald's tabard which P&C had brought with them. We started off with AoAs for Hrútur (Ásgeir) and Sóla (Björk). I discovered later that Sóla didn't entirely realise what it was that she was being awarded, but the look of delight when she finally realised that she was now Lady Sóla was quite priceless. The AoA scrolls have been eaten by the postal strike in the UK so she was given the 'promissory note' I'd done on Thursday night instead. Jacquelyna (Martha) won the A&S competition and was rewarded with the other scroll I've been working upon. Their Excellencies also thanked the pre-event and on-site organisational teams with small gifts and also handed out tokens to those in the Shire for whom this was their first court... almost all of them. :)
Then we got on to the feast:
Meat and Vegetable Pasties
Roasted Salmon with Wine Sauce
Vegetable Gruel
Roman Honey Cake with Ice Cream
Flatbread with Smoked Trout
Lamb with Pepper Sauce
Cabbage Chowder
Crustless Siennese Tart
Slátur with Sweet Mashed Turnips
Chicken with Rice and Almonds
Green Pea Pottage
Apple and Berry Pie with Cream
I think that we got the amounts about right as everyone was appropriately stuffed at the end of up but there was sufficient left for breakfast tomorrow. During the meal Estelle told many Icelandic ghost tales (including explaining why sex with ghosts is not recommended) and was later made a novice of the Drachenwald Minstrels Guild. Olafur Islandslayer sang a song of his own writing and was also entered into the Minstrels Guild.
Once the feast was finished the kitchen team (Ekaterina, Guðbrandur and myself - I served the feast) unwound in the hot tub while other gentles cleared the feast hall, which was extremely pleasant. Once it was clear then the dancing began... at about midnight. As I have to be up early tomorrow to drive to the airport I stayed only long enough to play Nouvelle Amour and Petit Vriens on my alto recorder. I'd decided to bring it just in case, and as it happened I had some time during the afternoon to learn these two dances so that the dancers could have live music for at least a couple of their dances. My playing certainly wasn't perfect - it's a number of years since I played a recorder seriously and Nouvelle Amour contains far too many B flats for my liking - but it lent a certain something to the festivities. I'm definitely considering a) learning far more dance tunes and b) buying an instrument more suited to the job than a plastic alto recorder.
I think the day went pretty well. People seem to have enjoyed themselves and the feast went down well. They're now singing in the main room and I expect that to go on late into the night.
0 comments
After last night's late-night hot-tubbing I was up again at 07:30 to cook Gloriana Porridge for breakfast. Two litres of milk, a litre of cream, half a box of oats, some brown sugar and raisins later I was ready to announce that breakfast was served. As many people had gone to bed later than I this was met by a number of moans and groans but everyone was fed, watered and garbed by the time we started at 10:00.
The schedule for the day was quite light, giving people lots of time to relax and talk. I started the ball rolling with a class on mediaeval and renaissance cryptography, then we had a pre-feast dance practice, followed by lunch, more dancing and a class of heavy combat drills given by Vicroy Barún Pól, which finished just in time for the heavies to get in some more hot tub time before court.
Court was the first taste that most of our folks here in Iceland had had of the pomp and ceremony of the SCA. I acted as herald, complete with the ID herald's tabard which P&C had brought with them. We started off with AoAs for Hrútur (Ásgeir) and Sóla (Björk). I discovered later that Sóla didn't entirely realise what it was that she was being awarded, but the look of delight when she finally realised that she was now Lady Sóla was quite priceless. The AoA scrolls have been eaten by the postal strike in the UK so she was given the 'promissory note' I'd done on Thursday night instead. Jacquelyna (Martha) won the A&S competition and was rewarded with the other scroll I've been working upon. Their Excellencies also thanked the pre-event and on-site organisational teams with small gifts and also handed out tokens to those in the Shire for whom this was their first court... almost all of them. :)
Then we got on to the feast:
Roasted Salmon with Wine Sauce
Vegetable Gruel
Roman Honey Cake with Ice Cream
Flatbread with Smoked Trout
Lamb with Pepper Sauce
Cabbage Chowder
Crustless Siennese Tart
Slátur with Sweet Mashed Turnips
Chicken with Rice and Almonds
Green Pea Pottage
Apple and Berry Pie with Cream
I think that we got the amounts about right as everyone was appropriately stuffed at the end of up but there was sufficient left for breakfast tomorrow. During the meal Estelle told many Icelandic ghost tales (including explaining why sex with ghosts is not recommended) and was later made a novice of the Drachenwald Minstrels Guild. Olafur Islandslayer sang a song of his own writing and was also entered into the Minstrels Guild.
Once the feast was finished the kitchen team (Ekaterina, Guðbrandur and myself - I served the feast) unwound in the hot tub while other gentles cleared the feast hall, which was extremely pleasant. Once it was clear then the dancing began... at about midnight. As I have to be up early tomorrow to drive to the airport I stayed only long enough to play Nouvelle Amour and Petit Vriens on my alto recorder. I'd decided to bring it just in case, and as it happened I had some time during the afternoon to learn these two dances so that the dancers could have live music for at least a couple of their dances. My playing certainly wasn't perfect - it's a number of years since I played a recorder seriously and Nouvelle Amour contains far too many B flats for my liking - but it lent a certain something to the festivities. I'm definitely considering a) learning far more dance tunes and b) buying an instrument more suited to the job than a plastic alto recorder.
I think the day went pretty well. People seem to have enjoyed themselves and the feast went down well. They're now singing in the main room and I expect that to go on late into the night.
0 comments
Friday, October 19, 2007
Alfadans day 1 - Dancing skies
In theory today I should have got up, gone over to Martha's for breakfast, then accompanied Martha, Paul and Catriona on the "Tour for foreigners".
But naturally no battleplan survives contact with the enemy so that wasn't what happened. Instead I got up, printed out a few things, went into the office to pick up the shield and do some photocopying ready for tomorrow's class, then went up to Martha's for breakfast. Breakfast was as long as expected :) and then when the others went off sightseeing I went shopping for last-minute stuff and then back to the flat to finish putting it together.
I got through almost everything on my checklist and managed to leave for the site only half an hour late. The site is about an hour from Akureyri in a small hamlet called Varmahlíð. It's the place I visited with Björk and Ásgeir earlier in the year. Fortunately this time the pass was clear of snow, and the only 'interesting' part was that the road has recently undergone some major changes to get rid of the most dangerous bits - the sharpest turns and the single-lange bridges. The new layout is a considerable improvement, the only problem being that it isn't quite finished yet and although you drive along it there are no road markings whatsoever. No centreline, no outer edge lines, no reflecting poles at the side of the road and no barriers to prevent you from falling over a precipice to your doom if you get it wrong. I drove through in twilight and it's not somewhere I'd want to drive through in the dark.
The sight is a wooden cabin which nominally holds twelve. We are thirteen so someone's going to have to sleep on the sofa as well. The table will seat twelve for the feast, but with two cooks and a server that'll be a more comfortable ten. I had one or two problems finding it - it's the second large one, the one with the green roof I was told. Fair enough, except that I couldn't see the colour in the dark and overshot. Still, I got there in the end, unloaded the car and was handed a goblet of wine to help me relax.
People gradually arrived over the next couple of hours and we broke out some wine, some beer and the hot tub. I was impressed - we managed to get eight people into it. I'm sure it's only meant for 4... :) Unfortunately I'd managed to remember pretty much everything except for my nightshirt and my swimsuit. The latter wasn't a big problem but I ended up hot-tubbing in a Worldcon t-shirt. This was fine apart from one thing - when I stood up to watch the aurora my t-shirt got very cold very quickly.
There was quite a lot of standing up to watch the aurora because it was a particularly spectacular display - lots of curtaining, sometimes extremely rapid in motion, and as well as the normal green light we had red, white and even a little purple. We lounged in the hot tub gently pickling our skins and our livers as the skies danced for our amusement. It was a very good way to start the weekend.
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But naturally no battleplan survives contact with the enemy so that wasn't what happened. Instead I got up, printed out a few things, went into the office to pick up the shield and do some photocopying ready for tomorrow's class, then went up to Martha's for breakfast. Breakfast was as long as expected :) and then when the others went off sightseeing I went shopping for last-minute stuff and then back to the flat to finish putting it together.
I got through almost everything on my checklist and managed to leave for the site only half an hour late. The site is about an hour from Akureyri in a small hamlet called Varmahlíð. It's the place I visited with Björk and Ásgeir earlier in the year. Fortunately this time the pass was clear of snow, and the only 'interesting' part was that the road has recently undergone some major changes to get rid of the most dangerous bits - the sharpest turns and the single-lange bridges. The new layout is a considerable improvement, the only problem being that it isn't quite finished yet and although you drive along it there are no road markings whatsoever. No centreline, no outer edge lines, no reflecting poles at the side of the road and no barriers to prevent you from falling over a precipice to your doom if you get it wrong. I drove through in twilight and it's not somewhere I'd want to drive through in the dark.
The sight is a wooden cabin which nominally holds twelve. We are thirteen so someone's going to have to sleep on the sofa as well. The table will seat twelve for the feast, but with two cooks and a server that'll be a more comfortable ten. I had one or two problems finding it - it's the second large one, the one with the green roof I was told. Fair enough, except that I couldn't see the colour in the dark and overshot. Still, I got there in the end, unloaded the car and was handed a goblet of wine to help me relax.
People gradually arrived over the next couple of hours and we broke out some wine, some beer and the hot tub. I was impressed - we managed to get eight people into it. I'm sure it's only meant for 4... :) Unfortunately I'd managed to remember pretty much everything except for my nightshirt and my swimsuit. The latter wasn't a big problem but I ended up hot-tubbing in a Worldcon t-shirt. This was fine apart from one thing - when I stood up to watch the aurora my t-shirt got very cold very quickly.
There was quite a lot of standing up to watch the aurora because it was a particularly spectacular display - lots of curtaining, sometimes extremely rapid in motion, and as well as the normal green light we had red, white and even a little purple. We lounged in the hot tub gently pickling our skins and our livers as the skies danced for our amusement. It was a very good way to start the weekend.
0 comments
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Alfadans day 0 - Emergency scroll-making
Today was given over to baking... and other things.
The plan today was to get everything done so that I could relax a bit tomorrow before the event, but I haven't got anywhere near it. I started pretty well, having made most of the pastry I needed last night I could start baking immediately. Unfortunately it had cooled sufficiently well overnight that I had one or two problems rolling it out until I kneaded it a bit more to get the fat warmed up. Never mind, I still got about four dozen snack-sized meat and vegetable pasties done by lunchtime and a pair of apple and berry pies done before I collected Paul and Catriona from the airport and took them up to Martha's for dinner.
I knew already that they were planning to hold court at the event but now I got the details. We have two AoAs to hand out, but the actual scrolls have got caught in the UK postal strike so they're not here. One of the gentles in question won't be at the event so that's not too much of a problem, but I volunteered to do a 'promissory note' which could be handed over in court as a stopgap until the actual scroll arrives sometime next week.
As P&C had been up since 3am we didn't carry on late at Martha's, so I came home and wrote the note. It's a quick and simple thing illuminated in ink rather than gouache as I don't have time to do anything more complicated. All the same I'm quite pleased with the outcome. I'll post scroll pictures after the weekend when I get all of the event photos online. Assuming I get any decent photos, that is.
0 comments
The plan today was to get everything done so that I could relax a bit tomorrow before the event, but I haven't got anywhere near it. I started pretty well, having made most of the pastry I needed last night I could start baking immediately. Unfortunately it had cooled sufficiently well overnight that I had one or two problems rolling it out until I kneaded it a bit more to get the fat warmed up. Never mind, I still got about four dozen snack-sized meat and vegetable pasties done by lunchtime and a pair of apple and berry pies done before I collected Paul and Catriona from the airport and took them up to Martha's for dinner.
I knew already that they were planning to hold court at the event but now I got the details. We have two AoAs to hand out, but the actual scrolls have got caught in the UK postal strike so they're not here. One of the gentles in question won't be at the event so that's not too much of a problem, but I volunteered to do a 'promissory note' which could be handed over in court as a stopgap until the actual scroll arrives sometime next week.
As P&C had been up since 3am we didn't carry on late at Martha's, so I came home and wrote the note. It's a quick and simple thing illuminated in ink rather than gouache as I don't have time to do anything more complicated. All the same I'm quite pleased with the outcome. I'll post scroll pictures after the weekend when I get all of the event photos online. Assuming I get any decent photos, that is.
0 comments
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Making progress
After yesterday's panic I seem to be getting things together at last. Sort of.
One of the things that added to yesterday's panic was the snow. I couldn't sleep the previous night and looked out of the window at 01:30 to see snow covering the roads. My first thought was Nooooo! as I really don't fancy the drive to the site if it's snowy. Last time I did it I came off the road, remember? I don't want to do that again.
Fortunately today it has disappeared from the roads and is merely sitting in the grass. This is good in many ways, not least of which is that it allowed me to go out shopping. Arnfriður and I did most of the non-dairy shopping for the weekend and I did some other shopping for less edible items. As I'm going to be doing the tour of northern Iceland on Friday that has, at last, become Someone Else's Problem.
As for my own problems, I've decided to fake the herald's folder for now, I've strung my viking beads so that someone can borrow them, I've stewed the apples for the pies and I've almost finished writing the notes for my class on Mediaeval and Renaissance Cryptography. Okay, so the notes go to 6 pages including the two reference grids, but I can't help it, I'm an academic. Tomorrow I can spend the day baking and packing. And, no doubt, doing quite a lot of washing up. I still wish I didn't feel quite so tired, though.
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One of the things that added to yesterday's panic was the snow. I couldn't sleep the previous night and looked out of the window at 01:30 to see snow covering the roads. My first thought was Nooooo! as I really don't fancy the drive to the site if it's snowy. Last time I did it I came off the road, remember? I don't want to do that again.
Fortunately today it has disappeared from the roads and is merely sitting in the grass. This is good in many ways, not least of which is that it allowed me to go out shopping. Arnfriður and I did most of the non-dairy shopping for the weekend and I did some other shopping for less edible items. As I'm going to be doing the tour of northern Iceland on Friday that has, at last, become Someone Else's Problem.
As for my own problems, I've decided to fake the herald's folder for now, I've strung my viking beads so that someone can borrow them, I've stewed the apples for the pies and I've almost finished writing the notes for my class on Mediaeval and Renaissance Cryptography. Okay, so the notes go to 6 pages including the two reference grids, but I can't help it, I'm an academic. Tomorrow I can spend the day baking and packing. And, no doubt, doing quite a lot of washing up. I still wish I didn't feel quite so tired, though.
0 comments
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Missing:
My oomph.
Tonight was a last-minute A&S night during which (amongst other things) we planned tomorrow's shopping trip. We can't do it Thursday because the cheaper supermarket doesn't open until noon and I have to be cooking by then.
Other than the lack of oomph today I did manage to finish the most pressing lecture and even managed to get some more not-too-expensive inks and a new gold pen. I even discovered (entirely by accident) that I can get the ink cartridges for my Lamy calligraphy pens in Penninn rather than having to go to Heathrow Airport or the stationers in Chester.
I have managed to cross several things off my to-do lists (partly by doing quite a lot of shopping) but there's still quite a lot to do and not a lot of time in which to do it.
Still, there's always the weekend after to sleep.
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Tonight was a last-minute A&S night during which (amongst other things) we planned tomorrow's shopping trip. We can't do it Thursday because the cheaper supermarket doesn't open until noon and I have to be cooking by then.
Other than the lack of oomph today I did manage to finish the most pressing lecture and even managed to get some more not-too-expensive inks and a new gold pen. I even discovered (entirely by accident) that I can get the ink cartridges for my Lamy calligraphy pens in Penninn rather than having to go to Heathrow Airport or the stationers in Chester.
I have managed to cross several things off my to-do lists (partly by doing quite a lot of shopping) but there's still quite a lot to do and not a lot of time in which to do it.
Still, there's always the weekend after to sleep.
0 comments
Monday, October 15, 2007
A late but productive weekend
'm taking advantage of my day in lieu to do a pile of preparation for Alfadans this weekend.
So far today I have finished the event tokens and done part of the prize for the A&S competition (photos after the event as I don't want to spoil the surprise). I've also written up four lists - the pre-event to-do list, the to-buy list, the event to-take list and the personal to-take list. I've even managed to cross two things off the pre-event to-do list already.
So what's left to do? Amongst other things I need to make a lucet cord upon which I can string my viking beads so that Edna can wear them; put some trim on some garb; write a class on medieval/renaissance cryptography (I was going to do practical demonstrations but alum is about £20 per hundred grams and only comes in hundred gram containers); make pasties and apple pies (but that'll wait until Thursday morning); and I've go to... :)
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So far today I have finished the event tokens and done part of the prize for the A&S competition (photos after the event as I don't want to spoil the surprise). I've also written up four lists - the pre-event to-do list, the to-buy list, the event to-take list and the personal to-take list. I've even managed to cross two things off the pre-event to-do list already.
So what's left to do? Amongst other things I need to make a lucet cord upon which I can string my viking beads so that Edna can wear them; put some trim on some garb; write a class on medieval/renaissance cryptography (I was going to do practical demonstrations but alum is about £20 per hundred grams and only comes in hundred gram containers); make pasties and apple pies (but that'll wait until Thursday morning); and I've go to... :)
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Sunday, October 14, 2007
Distance-learning weekend
That's the distance learning weekend dealt with.
Every October the distance-learning students come to Akureyri for four days of intensive classes. This is the local equivalent of the Open University's summer schools, although rather more concentrated. For instance, my first year practical computing module was given 7 1/2 hours of time yesterday afternoon/evening and this morning.
As tutor it was a pretty hectic session, partly because of the length of the sessions, and partly because of the numbers of students. There were about 70-80 students in total and I had to split them into two rooms because not everyone had a laptop computer. And 1 tutor. This meant that I had to dash backwards and forwards between the main lecture room and the small computer lab - we were originally due to use only the computer room until I pointed out that there was no way we could physically get 80 people into it. This morning it was clear that someone had tried to squeeze about 40 people into it after I left at 7pm last night as there were lots of new tables and chairs which meant that it was very difficult to actually reach any of the student machines. I hate to think what it must have been like when full.
Although it was pretty stressful for me, I do have to feel a little sorry for the students as well. Whoever timetabled the classes didn't leave them any time for meals or breaks other than the ten-minute breaks between lectures. When I got them yesterday they told me that they'd already been sitting in the lecture room for 8 hours. Some of them were even double-booked and couldn't turn up to some of my labs. Now while I appreciate that timetabling is a black art, this is a little ridiculous.
But never mind. It's over and I've got no lectures this week because it's the mid-semester reading week. Most staff go on holiday this week. If I hadn't been stuck lecturing this weekend I'd have been in the UK myself. Unfortunately I'm going to have to go in for at least a couple of days to try to catch up on some other stuff that has been back-burnered by other things that have cropped up (I am, in effect, teaching the equivalent of three modules and doing all of the paperwork so occasionally things do slip).
Even so, I've no intention of going in tomorrow. I'm taking a day to make up for the weekend.
0 comments
Every October the distance-learning students come to Akureyri for four days of intensive classes. This is the local equivalent of the Open University's summer schools, although rather more concentrated. For instance, my first year practical computing module was given 7 1/2 hours of time yesterday afternoon/evening and this morning.
As tutor it was a pretty hectic session, partly because of the length of the sessions, and partly because of the numbers of students. There were about 70-80 students in total and I had to split them into two rooms because not everyone had a laptop computer. And 1 tutor. This meant that I had to dash backwards and forwards between the main lecture room and the small computer lab - we were originally due to use only the computer room until I pointed out that there was no way we could physically get 80 people into it. This morning it was clear that someone had tried to squeeze about 40 people into it after I left at 7pm last night as there were lots of new tables and chairs which meant that it was very difficult to actually reach any of the student machines. I hate to think what it must have been like when full.
Although it was pretty stressful for me, I do have to feel a little sorry for the students as well. Whoever timetabled the classes didn't leave them any time for meals or breaks other than the ten-minute breaks between lectures. When I got them yesterday they told me that they'd already been sitting in the lecture room for 8 hours. Some of them were even double-booked and couldn't turn up to some of my labs. Now while I appreciate that timetabling is a black art, this is a little ridiculous.
But never mind. It's over and I've got no lectures this week because it's the mid-semester reading week. Most staff go on holiday this week. If I hadn't been stuck lecturing this weekend I'd have been in the UK myself. Unfortunately I'm going to have to go in for at least a couple of days to try to catch up on some other stuff that has been back-burnered by other things that have cropped up (I am, in effect, teaching the equivalent of three modules and doing all of the paperwork so occasionally things do slip).
Even so, I've no intention of going in tomorrow. I'm taking a day to make up for the weekend.
0 comments
Saturday, October 13, 2007
30 second pastry
I love my food processor!
Thirty seconds from flour, butter and water to perfect shortcrust pastry (minus the half hour in the fridge and the baking time, that is). Not only that, but I now have a magic recipe for pastry (twice the weight of the fat in flour) as well as for sponge cake (the weight of the eggs in sugar, fat and flour). Actually all of the fat was butter, which made the pastry a little on the rich side for a savoury dish but I'm sure that I can find some lard before I start baking again for Álfadans next weekend.
The savoury dish in question was a meat and vegetable pasty - not quite a Cornish pasty as there were no potatoes in it - which went down well at the pot-luck pre-event planning meeting tonight. I only used about have of the meat&veg mix so I've frozen the rest for next week. I'm going to have to get a) a smaller plate and b) a bigger mixing bowl. The plate I used for the pastry circles, although small, made meal-sized pasties so I'm going to need something about 2/3 that side to make half-sized ones.
Which means that I shouldn't have to make more of the mix. This is good, as I spent an entireScrapheap Challenge (on the Discovery channel) peeling and cubing carrot and turnip. I was thinking of making some meat ones and some cheese and onion ones, but with the downsizing of the plate I should have enough mix left. It looks like we'll have about a dozen people there.
The revelation of the food processor pastry is probably going to tempt me to make pies from time to time. Nice steak pies with gravy that don't require lots of vegetable cubes. :)
5 comments
Thirty seconds from flour, butter and water to perfect shortcrust pastry (minus the half hour in the fridge and the baking time, that is). Not only that, but I now have a magic recipe for pastry (twice the weight of the fat in flour) as well as for sponge cake (the weight of the eggs in sugar, fat and flour). Actually all of the fat was butter, which made the pastry a little on the rich side for a savoury dish but I'm sure that I can find some lard before I start baking again for Álfadans next weekend.
The savoury dish in question was a meat and vegetable pasty - not quite a Cornish pasty as there were no potatoes in it - which went down well at the pot-luck pre-event planning meeting tonight. I only used about have of the meat&veg mix so I've frozen the rest for next week. I'm going to have to get a) a smaller plate and b) a bigger mixing bowl. The plate I used for the pastry circles, although small, made meal-sized pasties so I'm going to need something about 2/3 that side to make half-sized ones.
Which means that I shouldn't have to make more of the mix. This is good, as I spent an entireScrapheap Challenge (on the Discovery channel) peeling and cubing carrot and turnip. I was thinking of making some meat ones and some cheese and onion ones, but with the downsizing of the plate I should have enough mix left. It looks like we'll have about a dozen people there.
The revelation of the food processor pastry is probably going to tempt me to make pies from time to time. Nice steak pies with gravy that don't require lots of vegetable cubes. :)
5 comments
Friday, October 12, 2007
Lack of oomph
I don't really have the oomph to write much tonight.
I'm still coming in from work and collapsing onto the sofa. Most of the time there is noise from the TV but I've no idea what it is. The only exception seems to be for How It's Made/How It Works, which is mesmerising in a strange geeky manner. We had the Belgian chocolates one again the other night. That chocolate tanker still seems to be unhijacked.
I'm sure I should be doing all sorts but don't have the energy. This weekend is my distance learning labs weekend so I have my 7.5 hours of teaching Saturday evening and Sunday morning. I have a distinct suspicion that my voice isn't going to hold out for it.
At least I don't have any lectures next week - mid-semester reading week - so I will be able to rest it a little then.
0 comments
I'm still coming in from work and collapsing onto the sofa. Most of the time there is noise from the TV but I've no idea what it is. The only exception seems to be for How It's Made/How It Works, which is mesmerising in a strange geeky manner. We had the Belgian chocolates one again the other night. That chocolate tanker still seems to be unhijacked.
I'm sure I should be doing all sorts but don't have the energy. This weekend is my distance learning labs weekend so I have my 7.5 hours of teaching Saturday evening and Sunday morning. I have a distinct suspicion that my voice isn't going to hold out for it.
At least I don't have any lectures next week - mid-semester reading week - so I will be able to rest it a little then.
0 comments
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Plague protection
Another trip to the doctor, but no real progress.
I've now had the throat and chest problems for over six weeks and I'm thoroughly tired of them. My voice is still... shall we say variable... which is very frustrating both as a lecturer and as someone known to occasionally sing. The result of the latest visit is a new set of broad-spectrum antibiotics and a promise of a trip to see either a lung or an ear, nose and throat specialist if it hasn't cleared up by Monday.
The interesting thing, though, is the antibiotic. I've been given Doxycyline - considerably less expensive than the last one and intrinsically more interesting. Why? Because other 'common' uses for it are against Bubonic plague, Elephantiasis and Lyme disease. It also has a relatively high (10%) chance of a photosensitive skin disorder as a side-effect.
It sounds like it's a good thing we're heading into winter - I'd hate to have a photosensitive skin disorder up here in the summer! :)
0 comments
I've now had the throat and chest problems for over six weeks and I'm thoroughly tired of them. My voice is still... shall we say variable... which is very frustrating both as a lecturer and as someone known to occasionally sing. The result of the latest visit is a new set of broad-spectrum antibiotics and a promise of a trip to see either a lung or an ear, nose and throat specialist if it hasn't cleared up by Monday.
The interesting thing, though, is the antibiotic. I've been given Doxycyline - considerably less expensive than the last one and intrinsically more interesting. Why? Because other 'common' uses for it are against Bubonic plague, Elephantiasis and Lyme disease. It also has a relatively high (10%) chance of a photosensitive skin disorder as a side-effect.
It sounds like it's a good thing we're heading into winter - I'd hate to have a photosensitive skin disorder up here in the summer! :)
0 comments
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Getting a bit chilly
Winter is definitely on the way - I'm going to have to change my shoes.
I realised this as I walked across the upper car park at work this evening. At present its numerous potholes are full of muddy brown water but very soon these are going to freeze and turn to pale brown ice. Several times now I've had to scrape the ice off the windscreen in the morning, and I also noticed that one of the local puddles by my apartment block had also begun to freeze over. It is definitely getting to that point in time where I'll have to replace my nice (and relatively stylish) flat work shoes with the rather more solid winter not-quite-hiking-boots.
The snowline on the mountains is going up and down like a yo-yo. I suspect that some of it may be heavy frost rather than snow but it's gradually making its way down towards the town. It settles, it melts, then it settles again, every time a little lower down the mountain, a little closer to the town. There's been no snow settling in town yet - nor, indeed, any serious snowfalls but I think it's just a matter of time. Now if only it will hold off for another fortnight... I'm due to be returning people to the airport the morning after Álfadans and the journey involves crossing Öxnadalsheiði - something I'm not keen on doing in the snow.
It's also time to break out the winter coat as the wind is definitely getting a bit on the chilly side. Normally I'm happy to wander around in shirt sleeves and a wrap, but even I have to admit that's a little impractical in the depths of winter. Although we haven't reached the depths yet I think that I ought to get into practice staying warm.
0 comments
I realised this as I walked across the upper car park at work this evening. At present its numerous potholes are full of muddy brown water but very soon these are going to freeze and turn to pale brown ice. Several times now I've had to scrape the ice off the windscreen in the morning, and I also noticed that one of the local puddles by my apartment block had also begun to freeze over. It is definitely getting to that point in time where I'll have to replace my nice (and relatively stylish) flat work shoes with the rather more solid winter not-quite-hiking-boots.
The snowline on the mountains is going up and down like a yo-yo. I suspect that some of it may be heavy frost rather than snow but it's gradually making its way down towards the town. It settles, it melts, then it settles again, every time a little lower down the mountain, a little closer to the town. There's been no snow settling in town yet - nor, indeed, any serious snowfalls but I think it's just a matter of time. Now if only it will hold off for another fortnight... I'm due to be returning people to the airport the morning after Álfadans and the journey involves crossing Öxnadalsheiði - something I'm not keen on doing in the snow.
It's also time to break out the winter coat as the wind is definitely getting a bit on the chilly side. Normally I'm happy to wander around in shirt sleeves and a wrap, but even I have to admit that's a little impractical in the depths of winter. Although we haven't reached the depths yet I think that I ought to get into practice staying warm.
0 comments
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Problems solved... maybe
After my late-night ponderings the other night, I think I may have found a way to solve two problems at once.
These two problems are that a) I have no late Tudor gowns and b) that over a year ago I promised my good friend Kate that I'd turn the dress I wore for her wedding into a Tudor gown of some sort. With a bit of thought I think that now might be the time to do it. I'm going to have to check to see if I have enough brocade to do a set of sleeves, stomacher and to fake a front panel for an underdress, but if all else fails I could get something else for the sleeves. I've just ordered some trim (we love Calontir Trim!) to brighten up the front edges, which means that all I have to do are make the sleeves, split the skirt, make the underdress and trim it... oh, and make myself a new farthingale and I'm all set. Oh yes, and a nice big new open ruff with lots of lace on the edge. And maybe a new partlet...
Hmm... maybe I'm getting a bit carried away here. Maybe I don't have time to do all of that by November 7th. And even if I did, could I possibly sit in a cinema seat wearing a farthingale? Somehow I think that final criterion might be the decider. On the other hand, it would be a good way to push myself to fulfil the promise sooner rather than later. Oh yes, and I can get creative with lots of beads and a billment. With feathers. Although maybe not too big a billment, as anyone sitting behind me might not appreciate it. :)
0 comments
These two problems are that a) I have no late Tudor gowns and b) that over a year ago I promised my good friend Kate that I'd turn the dress I wore for her wedding into a Tudor gown of some sort. With a bit of thought I think that now might be the time to do it. I'm going to have to check to see if I have enough brocade to do a set of sleeves, stomacher and to fake a front panel for an underdress, but if all else fails I could get something else for the sleeves. I've just ordered some trim (we love Calontir Trim!) to brighten up the front edges, which means that all I have to do are make the sleeves, split the skirt, make the underdress and trim it... oh, and make myself a new farthingale and I'm all set. Oh yes, and a nice big new open ruff with lots of lace on the edge. And maybe a new partlet...
Hmm... maybe I'm getting a bit carried away here. Maybe I don't have time to do all of that by November 7th. And even if I did, could I possibly sit in a cinema seat wearing a farthingale? Somehow I think that final criterion might be the decider. On the other hand, it would be a good way to push myself to fulfil the promise sooner rather than later. Oh yes, and I can get creative with lots of beads and a billment. With feathers. Although maybe not too big a billment, as anyone sitting behind me might not appreciate it. :)
0 comments
Monday, October 08, 2007
Mad as a hatter
At last, I seem to be getting back to 'normal' in crafting terms.
For a number of weeks now - certainly since Raglan - I just haven't had the oomph to pick up a needle, let along do anything complicated. Finally yesterday I managed to pick up a tablecloth that I'm intending as a Christmas present for a friend. It's about 15% complete, so it needs quite a bit of work. I hope to have it done by the end of the month.
On top of that I found myself finally picking up my remaining piece of buckram at 02:00 this morning (I'm not sleeping well again for some reason that isn't the daylight as of yet) and starting work on an attifet. There seems to be one attifet pattern out there and it's something you have to buy. There are various comments saying that it's not a particularly good pattern and so I've decided that if I can get this to work then I'll publish the instructions online. So far I've looked at a lot of paintings online and have come up with some thoughts, although I'm still working on it.
The reason for this burst of millinery is that the shire has decided to go on a mass outing to the cinema to see Elizabeth - The Golden Years in garb on its opening night here in Akureyri. But I've only got an early Tudor gown, not a late one! So I keep wondering if I've got time to make up something a bit later by November 11th. At other times I think I'm quite mad to even consider it, but the thought keeps coming back to haunt me.
0 comments
For a number of weeks now - certainly since Raglan - I just haven't had the oomph to pick up a needle, let along do anything complicated. Finally yesterday I managed to pick up a tablecloth that I'm intending as a Christmas present for a friend. It's about 15% complete, so it needs quite a bit of work. I hope to have it done by the end of the month.
On top of that I found myself finally picking up my remaining piece of buckram at 02:00 this morning (I'm not sleeping well again for some reason that isn't the daylight as of yet) and starting work on an attifet. There seems to be one attifet pattern out there and it's something you have to buy. There are various comments saying that it's not a particularly good pattern and so I've decided that if I can get this to work then I'll publish the instructions online. So far I've looked at a lot of paintings online and have come up with some thoughts, although I'm still working on it.
The reason for this burst of millinery is that the shire has decided to go on a mass outing to the cinema to see Elizabeth - The Golden Years in garb on its opening night here in Akureyri. But I've only got an early Tudor gown, not a late one! So I keep wondering if I've got time to make up something a bit later by November 11th. At other times I think I'm quite mad to even consider it, but the thought keeps coming back to haunt me.
0 comments
Sunday, October 07, 2007
It's only take three years
But I've finally started the Iceland scrapbook.
Scrapbooking is not something I've tried before, but it seemed a sensible way to record all of the more interesting parts of my time here in Iceland. At some point when I was still visiting Keflavík I picked up a purple scrapbook for this purpose - and since I stopped doing that over eighteen months ago you can see how long it's taken me to get around to this.
Having said that, these are not the sort of scrapbook pages that are going appear in the pages of any scrapbooking magazine. I'm not really very good at adding all of those decorative fiddly bits around the main focus of the page so my pages consist of a piece of text (the appropriate blog entry for the day) and a couple of supporting photographs. I supose another point is that I've only just got the photo printer working, for that matter.
In time I suspect that I'll have pages that have more than just photos (I still have my final base pass, for instance) but for now I have seven fairly simple pages and know what the next couple are going to be which is a start.
Not only that, but I've even put everything away again and created a set of sticky labels for the apartment manager. So in some ways it's been a very productive day... even if I didn't get to sleep until 06:00 this morning after last night's gaming session. Not that it went on that long but for some reason I couldn't settle and spent the night re-filing stuff on my computer and downloading free cardboard character figures from DriveThruRPG. And the odd other game-related item or two. :)
2 comments
Scrapbooking is not something I've tried before, but it seemed a sensible way to record all of the more interesting parts of my time here in Iceland. At some point when I was still visiting Keflavík I picked up a purple scrapbook for this purpose - and since I stopped doing that over eighteen months ago you can see how long it's taken me to get around to this.
Having said that, these are not the sort of scrapbook pages that are going appear in the pages of any scrapbooking magazine. I'm not really very good at adding all of those decorative fiddly bits around the main focus of the page so my pages consist of a piece of text (the appropriate blog entry for the day) and a couple of supporting photographs. I supose another point is that I've only just got the photo printer working, for that matter.
In time I suspect that I'll have pages that have more than just photos (I still have my final base pass, for instance) but for now I have seven fairly simple pages and know what the next couple are going to be which is a start.
Not only that, but I've even put everything away again and created a set of sticky labels for the apartment manager. So in some ways it's been a very productive day... even if I didn't get to sleep until 06:00 this morning after last night's gaming session. Not that it went on that long but for some reason I couldn't settle and spent the night re-filing stuff on my computer and downloading free cardboard character figures from DriveThruRPG. And the odd other game-related item or two. :)
2 comments
Saturday, October 06, 2007
MidEvil
I may not have been at Satellite 1 today, but I did at least do some gaming.
On the whole it's been fairly quiet today - another one of those tired Saturdays for most of the rime, with some snoozing interspersed with some reading, a bit of washing up and some last minute tidying before this evening.
This evening, then, we played MidEvil, the successor to Zombies!, this time with skeletons in the middle ages. The designers have taken the basic mechanics of Zombies! and tweaked it slightly, replacing cardboard counters with plastic figures either directly or indirectly. As a result it's not 100% compatible with the older game but the differences are nowhere near insurmountable.
In fact, I think I prefer the cardboard counter version. By Zombies! 5 the rules have evolved to a point where there are three sets of cournters, each with a fairly obvious use. The counters may be a little fiddly but they're easily identifiable, both from the zombies and from each other. This is a problem with MidEvil as the lives tokens are pale grey figures, while the skeletons are white, red and blue figures. The player figures also come in red, white and blue (amongst other colours) which can cause identification problems. I think that in future I'll use the counters and the advanced Zombies! 5 ruleset, thus making it (un effect) another Zombies! expansion pack.
Having said all of that, it's still a fun game. I know that there's an expansion pack and I'll probably buy it. Hopefully it'll close up some of the holes in the rules that we discovered this evening.
0 comments
On the whole it's been fairly quiet today - another one of those tired Saturdays for most of the rime, with some snoozing interspersed with some reading, a bit of washing up and some last minute tidying before this evening.
This evening, then, we played MidEvil, the successor to Zombies!, this time with skeletons in the middle ages. The designers have taken the basic mechanics of Zombies! and tweaked it slightly, replacing cardboard counters with plastic figures either directly or indirectly. As a result it's not 100% compatible with the older game but the differences are nowhere near insurmountable.
In fact, I think I prefer the cardboard counter version. By Zombies! 5 the rules have evolved to a point where there are three sets of cournters, each with a fairly obvious use. The counters may be a little fiddly but they're easily identifiable, both from the zombies and from each other. This is a problem with MidEvil as the lives tokens are pale grey figures, while the skeletons are white, red and blue figures. The player figures also come in red, white and blue (amongst other colours) which can cause identification problems. I think that in future I'll use the counters and the advanced Zombies! 5 ruleset, thus making it (un effect) another Zombies! expansion pack.
Having said all of that, it's still a fun game. I know that there's an expansion pack and I'll probably buy it. Hopefully it'll close up some of the holes in the rules that we discovered this evening.
0 comments
Friday, October 05, 2007
Giving in Iceland
The Icelandic approach to collecting for charity is very different to that in the UK.
There are far fewer of the counter-top boxes that you see everywhere in the UK. And you certainly don't get people shaking tins at you as go in and out of the supermarket. No, what you get are people waiting for you outside supermarkets trying to get you to buy a lapel pin for 1000kr (just over £7.50). Or a fluffy 'bug' for the same amount.
Now while I have no problem with the idea of tin-shaking outside of supermarkets - it's an excellent way of getting rid of all of that shrapnel that builds up in your purse and if I happen to feel anything for the charity in question I'll probably chuck in a pound coin or two as well - I do draw the line at someone waiting with a portable card reader ready to take your credit/debit card details and give you something small and pointless in exchange for a relatively large donation. Another alternative is to just phone you directly and ask for donations. Sometimes the phone call asks you to buy something relatively normal at a massively inflated price, or directs you to a website where you can buy similarly-overpriced wares.
A third approach that I find equally objectionable is that from time to time an 'optional payment' will appear in the bills section of my online banking site. These things often 'suggest' a donation of 1500-2000 krona and if you're in the habit of going online on the first of the month and clicking on "retrieve all unpaid bills" you can be in for an unexpected "surcharge".
So here's a hint - if you want me to donate to your charity of choice (rather than mine) then you're more likely to succeed by shaking a tin at me than by expecting me to hand over my credit card. If I'm interested enough in the charity you're hawking then I'll take my credit card to the appropriate website in my own time.
0 comments
There are far fewer of the counter-top boxes that you see everywhere in the UK. And you certainly don't get people shaking tins at you as go in and out of the supermarket. No, what you get are people waiting for you outside supermarkets trying to get you to buy a lapel pin for 1000kr (just over £7.50). Or a fluffy 'bug' for the same amount.
Now while I have no problem with the idea of tin-shaking outside of supermarkets - it's an excellent way of getting rid of all of that shrapnel that builds up in your purse and if I happen to feel anything for the charity in question I'll probably chuck in a pound coin or two as well - I do draw the line at someone waiting with a portable card reader ready to take your credit/debit card details and give you something small and pointless in exchange for a relatively large donation. Another alternative is to just phone you directly and ask for donations. Sometimes the phone call asks you to buy something relatively normal at a massively inflated price, or directs you to a website where you can buy similarly-overpriced wares.
A third approach that I find equally objectionable is that from time to time an 'optional payment' will appear in the bills section of my online banking site. These things often 'suggest' a donation of 1500-2000 krona and if you're in the habit of going online on the first of the month and clicking on "retrieve all unpaid bills" you can be in for an unexpected "surcharge".
So here's a hint - if you want me to donate to your charity of choice (rather than mine) then you're more likely to succeed by shaking a tin at me than by expecting me to hand over my credit card. If I'm interested enough in the charity you're hawking then I'll take my credit card to the appropriate website in my own time.
0 comments
New SCA gadget
This afternoon I went out and bought a new gadget for this evening's A&S meeting.
A food processor. Yes, you did read that right. It all started when Arnfriður found a rather interesting-looking recipe for a crustless Sienese cheesecake that she wanted to try out before Álfadans. Given that the meeting was planned for my flat I offered her the use of my kitchen (thus giving us some extra time to discuss the feast itself while the cheesecake was baking). But the recipe called for a food processor...
This was something that I didn't own, but which I'd been pondering acquiring for some time. I'd noticed a cheap and cheerful one in Hagkaup the other week and given it some serious consideration. I didn't buy it there and then because, I reasoned, if it was that price in Hagkaup it would be cheaper almost anywhere else.
So after work today I went off up to Húsasmiðin in search of something similar. No luck, unfortunately, as they only seemed to have the top end of the market range in-store. Ah well, that just meant that I stopped in at Byko on the way back to town and, lo and behold, a couple of more reasonably-priced versions.
In the end the one I got was a bit more expensive than the one in Hagkaup, but it's a name I recognise (a Bosch) which the other one wasn't. A quick wash and I was ready to give it a try. Given that it was my new toy I naturally had to have the first play with it, and it certainly produced very good fine grated cheese. I then handed it over for the more serious cooking of the evening.
Which went exceedingly well, once I remembered that I'd managed to turn the oven off, not down. It has the texture of a custard but is flavoured with cinnamon and almonds and is served with sugar and rosewater. I think it would also be superb with cream poured on top of it. That's another feast dish confirmed. :)
0 comments
A food processor. Yes, you did read that right. It all started when Arnfriður found a rather interesting-looking recipe for a crustless Sienese cheesecake that she wanted to try out before Álfadans. Given that the meeting was planned for my flat I offered her the use of my kitchen (thus giving us some extra time to discuss the feast itself while the cheesecake was baking). But the recipe called for a food processor...
This was something that I didn't own, but which I'd been pondering acquiring for some time. I'd noticed a cheap and cheerful one in Hagkaup the other week and given it some serious consideration. I didn't buy it there and then because, I reasoned, if it was that price in Hagkaup it would be cheaper almost anywhere else.
So after work today I went off up to Húsasmiðin in search of something similar. No luck, unfortunately, as they only seemed to have the top end of the market range in-store. Ah well, that just meant that I stopped in at Byko on the way back to town and, lo and behold, a couple of more reasonably-priced versions.
In the end the one I got was a bit more expensive than the one in Hagkaup, but it's a name I recognise (a Bosch) which the other one wasn't. A quick wash and I was ready to give it a try. Given that it was my new toy I naturally had to have the first play with it, and it certainly produced very good fine grated cheese. I then handed it over for the more serious cooking of the evening.
Which went exceedingly well, once I remembered that I'd managed to turn the oven off, not down. It has the texture of a custard but is flavoured with cinnamon and almonds and is served with sugar and rosewater. I think it would also be superb with cream poured on top of it. That's another feast dish confirmed. :)
0 comments
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
NVW?
Sometimes I wonder if 'Versatility' ahould be my middle name.
Take today, for instance. In my Practical Computing lab I found myself dealing with technical questions based upon three different flavours of Microsoft Excel. Roughly half of the class either have older laptops or use the university computers, and these people use Office 2003. Most of the rest have new laptops and use Office 2007. A handful use Macs and have Office 2004. Each of these is subtly (or not-so-subtly) different in terms of look, feel and command location.
The book I use, which is an excellent text and gives very detailed instructions for all of its exercises, is for Office 2003. It's not too bad updating it to 2004 even if some of the controls have moved menu. That's relatively simple. The change between 2003 and 2007 is, naturally, somewhat starker. As I don't have a copy of 2007 (the university maintaining its copies of 2003), every time I start a new lab I have to improvise until I've worked out where all of the new controls live (normally a combination of guesswork and the occasional exploratory click).
What is interesting to see though is that some of the people who have been used to 2003 but have bought new laptops are beginning to get used to the way 2007 does things. Now that they're over the hump of the learning curve most of them are saying that it's not bad once you're used to it. Not all of them - some are still having problems, but I think that this is because they're not using the software much outside of the labs.
I can see that I'm going to have to put in a special software request for Office 2007 so that I can update the lab notes for next year. Unfortunately the publishers have told me that they're not planning to release an Office 2007 version of the text, which is annoying as I'm not looking forward to having to recreate the current text using 2007 as I'd rather not have two different sets of exercises depending upon which version of the software people are using. Unless, of course, the university decides to upgrade all of its software over the next twelve months.
0 comments
Take today, for instance. In my Practical Computing lab I found myself dealing with technical questions based upon three different flavours of Microsoft Excel. Roughly half of the class either have older laptops or use the university computers, and these people use Office 2003. Most of the rest have new laptops and use Office 2007. A handful use Macs and have Office 2004. Each of these is subtly (or not-so-subtly) different in terms of look, feel and command location.
The book I use, which is an excellent text and gives very detailed instructions for all of its exercises, is for Office 2003. It's not too bad updating it to 2004 even if some of the controls have moved menu. That's relatively simple. The change between 2003 and 2007 is, naturally, somewhat starker. As I don't have a copy of 2007 (the university maintaining its copies of 2003), every time I start a new lab I have to improvise until I've worked out where all of the new controls live (normally a combination of guesswork and the occasional exploratory click).
What is interesting to see though is that some of the people who have been used to 2003 but have bought new laptops are beginning to get used to the way 2007 does things. Now that they're over the hump of the learning curve most of them are saying that it's not bad once you're used to it. Not all of them - some are still having problems, but I think that this is because they're not using the software much outside of the labs.
I can see that I'm going to have to put in a special software request for Office 2007 so that I can update the lab notes for next year. Unfortunately the publishers have told me that they're not planning to release an Office 2007 version of the text, which is annoying as I'm not looking forward to having to recreate the current text using 2007 as I'd rather not have two different sets of exercises depending upon which version of the software people are using. Unless, of course, the university decides to upgrade all of its software over the next twelve months.
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Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Fish and more fish
It's been a long day, with a lot of fish.
Today was the culmination of about twelve months of administrative effort - it was the visit of the overseas assessors as part of the ministry of education's new university assessment scheme. For those of you in academia or education, this was nothing like as stressful as a (S)HEFC / normal school inspection (they specifically didn't look at quality of teaching for a start, as there would have been a minor revolution if the ministry had tried to do that from scratch) but it has involved a lot of people doing a lot of unfamiliar paperwork with less than ideal supporting information on what was needed and in what format. Including me.
I was fortunate to give the first departmental presentation over lunch - fortunate, because as was expected everything overran somewhat and I don't know if the final two speakers ever did managed to give their presentations. This meant that I could then relax a little and have lunch (fish, courtesy of external caterers). Thankfully I wasn't needed for the entire afternoon so I finished off the final spreadsheet lecture and its associated courseworks before we reconvened for the session with lecturers.
It's always a bit of a problem when people ask for opinions and no-one speaks. It encourages me to say something just to avoid the embarrassing silence. Some interesting points were raised, mainly because all of the physical scientists are feeling unloved (which we are).
There was then another meal (this time fish in a local hotel - the Icelanders are very proud of their fish) and during the discussions I learned that what I'd feared for so long is actually true. I am working in a lunatic assylum. Well, strictly speaking I suppose I'm working in the annexe to a lunatic assylum, as it turns out that the main building was a mental hospital before the university took it over.
We won't get the result of the assessment until the new year, but I think that it went fairly well. I am quietly hopeful for a very positive outcome.
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Today was the culmination of about twelve months of administrative effort - it was the visit of the overseas assessors as part of the ministry of education's new university assessment scheme. For those of you in academia or education, this was nothing like as stressful as a (S)HEFC / normal school inspection (they specifically didn't look at quality of teaching for a start, as there would have been a minor revolution if the ministry had tried to do that from scratch) but it has involved a lot of people doing a lot of unfamiliar paperwork with less than ideal supporting information on what was needed and in what format. Including me.
I was fortunate to give the first departmental presentation over lunch - fortunate, because as was expected everything overran somewhat and I don't know if the final two speakers ever did managed to give their presentations. This meant that I could then relax a little and have lunch (fish, courtesy of external caterers). Thankfully I wasn't needed for the entire afternoon so I finished off the final spreadsheet lecture and its associated courseworks before we reconvened for the session with lecturers.
It's always a bit of a problem when people ask for opinions and no-one speaks. It encourages me to say something just to avoid the embarrassing silence. Some interesting points were raised, mainly because all of the physical scientists are feeling unloved (which we are).
There was then another meal (this time fish in a local hotel - the Icelanders are very proud of their fish) and during the discussions I learned that what I'd feared for so long is actually true. I am working in a lunatic assylum. Well, strictly speaking I suppose I'm working in the annexe to a lunatic assylum, as it turns out that the main building was a mental hospital before the university took it over.
We won't get the result of the assessment until the new year, but I think that it went fairly well. I am quietly hopeful for a very positive outcome.
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Monday, October 01, 2007
Almost feeling appreciated
Almost, but not quite. :)
Some time ago I did some work for Iceland Express, the low-cost Icelandic airline. My time was in exhange for some flights so we could have visiting speakers come over and give seminars a couple of years ago. We got the speakers, they got someone to do a usability audit on their website. In the end I had time to do the audit but not the experimental stuff to follow it, thanks to a variety of workload-related issues. Nevertheless, I did manage to do a full audit on the site and present them with a report detailing all of the issues I'd found.
Then I discovered that Icelandair is no more expensive than Iceland Express most of the time and their service is a damned sight better - they don't use Servisair and Stanstead for starters, and you don't have to queue for an hour a check-in - so I gave up looking at the Iceland Express website very often.
This morning when I went into work I did my normal run through the useful news websites - places like The Register - which includes Iceland Review. And there, almost at the top of the list, was the news that Iceland Express has just won an award for having the best low-cost airline website in terms of content and usability. Curious, I had a look at the website only to discover that they've implemented pretty much everything that I suggested and it is indeed a more usable site than it used to be.
I suppose this means that I did something right. It's nice to know that, even though a lot of the things are just really just the application of some basic rules and principles. It would have been nice if Iceland Express had let me know, but I suppose that if I hadn't been so busy I'd have remained more involved and would have known anyway. Still, it's good to see that my work has had a positive effect somewhere and, hopefully, that they now know how to do their own usability audits for the future. I probably ought to update my CV to reflect that... you never know when it'll come in useful
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Some time ago I did some work for Iceland Express, the low-cost Icelandic airline. My time was in exhange for some flights so we could have visiting speakers come over and give seminars a couple of years ago. We got the speakers, they got someone to do a usability audit on their website. In the end I had time to do the audit but not the experimental stuff to follow it, thanks to a variety of workload-related issues. Nevertheless, I did manage to do a full audit on the site and present them with a report detailing all of the issues I'd found.
Then I discovered that Icelandair is no more expensive than Iceland Express most of the time and their service is a damned sight better - they don't use Servisair and Stanstead for starters, and you don't have to queue for an hour a check-in - so I gave up looking at the Iceland Express website very often.
This morning when I went into work I did my normal run through the useful news websites - places like The Register - which includes Iceland Review. And there, almost at the top of the list, was the news that Iceland Express has just won an award for having the best low-cost airline website in terms of content and usability. Curious, I had a look at the website only to discover that they've implemented pretty much everything that I suggested and it is indeed a more usable site than it used to be.
I suppose this means that I did something right. It's nice to know that, even though a lot of the things are just really just the application of some basic rules and principles. It would have been nice if Iceland Express had let me know, but I suppose that if I hadn't been so busy I'd have remained more involved and would have known anyway. Still, it's good to see that my work has had a positive effect somewhere and, hopefully, that they now know how to do their own usability audits for the future. I probably ought to update my CV to reflect that... you never know when it'll come in useful
0 comments