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I want a better computer
Mar. 28th, 2009 12:12 amAround 6:30 this evening I determined that I need a better computer--one which doesn't freeze up when one has open 12+ files in 7+ different programs. So I managed to get the computer shut down (took a while) and went for a walk. When I returned I discovered that the problem wasn't *only* the level of multi-tasking I'd asked of the poor machine, but was due to the specific file I'd tried to open. It was only a 33,000 KB CorelDraw file (I've got others which are larger!), but when I tried to open it, the darn thing froze up again. So I restarted the computer again (and picked up a sewing project) and then proceeded to spend a couple of hours trying various techniques to get the file to actually open. Once it finally did (after much stitching progress while I waited), I cut half of the data into a new file and saved each half separately. Sigh. I still want a better computer, but I don't think it is going to happen any time soon. As a result of all of that mucking around, I didn't get as much uni work done as I wanted, but I did get the most recent monazite results typed up and added into the thesis, and created the new figures to go with it. I will still need to go back and recalculate the averages for all of the data now that there is new data, but just doing the above took sufficent energy that I shall wait till tomorrow do do that part.
In other news I received a surprising e-mail today. A few days back I saw an advertisement for a post-doc position in Europe which involves experimental petrology. I've not had a chance to do the experimental stuff, and it sounds intriguing, so I sent off an e-mail & copy of my CV asking if they are interested in applications from folk without experiance in that field, and indicated that if they'd like, I could prepare a formal application. Yesterday I received a letter back with some questions, which I replied to promptly, and today received another letter suggesting that while they consider the applications that I contact their embassy to ask about visa arrangements--he was concerned that as a US citizen in Australia would I need to return to the US to apply for an European visa. I let him know about my dual citizenship, which, at the least, would mean I could apply as an Australian, rather than as an American, and I did fire off an e-mail to the embassy asking them about visa applications. He also asked for my Skype account name so that we could do an interview. I gave him the information that he requested, and then asked him if he wants a formal application, or if the correspondence we've exchanged thus far is sufficent indication of my interest. I'm not really clear at this point if I've applied, and if so, what kind of chance I've got, but what the heck, I'm going with the flow.
Here's hoping that tomorrow is without any computer issues and I can get things further along with the thesis before heading out to the Folk Federation dance in the evening.
In other news I received a surprising e-mail today. A few days back I saw an advertisement for a post-doc position in Europe which involves experimental petrology. I've not had a chance to do the experimental stuff, and it sounds intriguing, so I sent off an e-mail & copy of my CV asking if they are interested in applications from folk without experiance in that field, and indicated that if they'd like, I could prepare a formal application. Yesterday I received a letter back with some questions, which I replied to promptly, and today received another letter suggesting that while they consider the applications that I contact their embassy to ask about visa arrangements--he was concerned that as a US citizen in Australia would I need to return to the US to apply for an European visa. I let him know about my dual citizenship, which, at the least, would mean I could apply as an Australian, rather than as an American, and I did fire off an e-mail to the embassy asking them about visa applications. He also asked for my Skype account name so that we could do an interview. I gave him the information that he requested, and then asked him if he wants a formal application, or if the correspondence we've exchanged thus far is sufficent indication of my interest. I'm not really clear at this point if I've applied, and if so, what kind of chance I've got, but what the heck, I'm going with the flow.
Here's hoping that tomorrow is without any computer issues and I can get things further along with the thesis before heading out to the Folk Federation dance in the evening.
