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fun work distractions
Apr. 11th, 2018 11:05 pmI had had plans for what to do at work today. Instead there was an email from Lydia, my Master's student and SCA friend who moved back to the States in the autumn (missing Norrskensfesten so that she could be at her brother's wedding). She has finally gotten her thesis pretty much written and sent it to me for comment. It turned out to be so well written and organized that I am actually reading it (and making comments, of course), and learning all kinds of things I never knew about orogenic gold deposits. This ate all of the time between arriving at the office around 11:00 (these things happen when one stays up till 03:00) and time to head to Parkour.
This was my first time back at Parkour in three weeks, and this time there were only three of us. Therefore, while I did try some of the vaults and jumps that were the day's official plan, I also got help on technique for handstands, cartwheels, backwards somersaults, etc. It felt good to move again after not much all week (well, other than short yoga sessions and pedaling to and from work). Yes, indeed, it is bikeable weather here in the north. While the snow is still waist deep in the yard, they had done a good job on plowing the bike paths, and we have had 16 days in a row where it was above freezing during the day (and below freezing at night), so the bike path is totally clear. Well, there is some gravel, but it was such a good snow year, and so little above zero temps (until the past two weeks) that they didn't need to put much gravel on the path at all, so it is easy to pedal. Of course, the street in my neighbourhood, being a dirt road, is rather muddy, but that is why they invented rain-pants.
When I sat down to the computer this evening, again with a plan of what to do for thesis work, I discovered a letter from my colleague at the Nidaros Cathedral restoration project in Trondheim. He has now packaged up a number of samples from different quarries they work with, and is sending them to me so that I can analyze them and compare the composition with the archaeological objects I will also analyze. He emailed me the list of quarries, so I spent this evening happily playing with google maps to see if I could find the quarries just from their names and looking for quarry like features in that area. I managed to find five of the eight, and have sent photos to him to have my guesses confirmed or denied. He also reiterated his invitation to come visit their workshop, so I asked on FB to see if anyone wants to join me.
This was my first time back at Parkour in three weeks, and this time there were only three of us. Therefore, while I did try some of the vaults and jumps that were the day's official plan, I also got help on technique for handstands, cartwheels, backwards somersaults, etc. It felt good to move again after not much all week (well, other than short yoga sessions and pedaling to and from work). Yes, indeed, it is bikeable weather here in the north. While the snow is still waist deep in the yard, they had done a good job on plowing the bike paths, and we have had 16 days in a row where it was above freezing during the day (and below freezing at night), so the bike path is totally clear. Well, there is some gravel, but it was such a good snow year, and so little above zero temps (until the past two weeks) that they didn't need to put much gravel on the path at all, so it is easy to pedal. Of course, the street in my neighbourhood, being a dirt road, is rather muddy, but that is why they invented rain-pants.
When I sat down to the computer this evening, again with a plan of what to do for thesis work, I discovered a letter from my colleague at the Nidaros Cathedral restoration project in Trondheim. He has now packaged up a number of samples from different quarries they work with, and is sending them to me so that I can analyze them and compare the composition with the archaeological objects I will also analyze. He emailed me the list of quarries, so I spent this evening happily playing with google maps to see if I could find the quarries just from their names and looking for quarry like features in that area. I managed to find five of the eight, and have sent photos to him to have my guesses confirmed or denied. He also reiterated his invitation to come visit their workshop, so I asked on FB to see if anyone wants to join me.
