Canto LXX

I knew there was going to be at least one day that I missed. But seriously, at least I'm trying. I miss everyone!

Anyway, today I have a quick-hits thing in mind. A few paragraphs on several topics about things that have been going on lately.

First up, I got a hair cut. And trimmed the beard. You may have noticed that in the Lebowski pictures the beard was not it's full, disheveled self. But rather than just cutting it all at once (like last year), I decided to phase it out over the course of a week. Here's the link, I recommend the slideshow. Let me know which you like best. I think I preferred the Fu Manchu.

Part of the reason I missed posting yesterday has been how busy work has been these last few weeks. It's actually really exciting! I understand what I'm working on, can talk somewhat coherently about it, and I'm doing useful calculations that are advancing a possible new result in my field! I think this is really the first time I can say that. Also, meetings with my adviser and the post-doc I'm working with have been a lot of fun and very fruitful. I must say that this is the most excited about work I've been in a long time. But that excitement has led to long hours of late. Not necessarily a bad thing if it leads to a nice result and publication, but I do miss seeing Steph for dinner. Anyway, I'll let everyone know how it goes!

[For those interested, my research is on constructing an AdS background solution in Heterotic string theory. There is a "No-Go" theorem in this subject, but as physicists like to say, a no-go theorem really tells you exactly where to go. They usually say something like "If you do X, Y and Z, then you can't get a xylophone." But then you should just say to your self, 'If I don't use X (or Y or Z), then can I still get a marimba?' Just slightly tweaking the no-go result often causes it to give you something very similar to what you're looking for.]

I've also been watching less TV lately. The best sporting season (football) is over, I really only watch March Madness and some NBA playoffs in basketball, and I'll watch the Sox if a game's on and I'm not doing something else, but I don't obsess over it. But I have been watching 'The Big Bang Theory'. I feel really dirty doing it. Like, really dirty. It's a terrible 3-camera sitcom. Sadly placed next to one of the greatest 3-camera sitcoms of all time, How I Met Your Mother (which I recommend for everyone). I'm only watching it because there may never be another time where a television show is about theoretical physicists. But the various stereotypes are ridiculously bad. First, it should be pointed out that more than 1/3 of the graduate students in the CTP are married, and another 1/3 or so have significant others. [Small, but somewhat representative sampling: my office. 1 married, 1 engaged, 1 steady girlfriend (going out 1+ years), 1 single - with the singleton as a first year grad student.] So 4 single, can't-get-a-date grad students/post-docs is pretty rare. Maybe they congregate, but that's not really my experience. They also have 3 Americans and 1 Indian. While the 1 Indian is correct, 3 Americans not so much. More Europeans, more Chinese. They also assume that everyone is some kind of uber-nerd. Trust me when I say this is not the case. I don't know anyone here who role-plays, has an encyclopedic knowledge of comics, or knows any more about Star Wars than I do (that may not be saying that much). We're total geeks - as in we know way too much math & physics. We talk in physics, relating various things that have nothing to do with physics in terms of physics or math and then laugh about it. But the geekiness ends there. They do capture (somewhat) that aspect of our lives, but even then it's only half-assed. Anyway, hopefully the show will be canceled soon and I can be free from this misery. I'm sure I have more on this, but now I'm all worked up. I have to get back to my real physics work. To The Action, Jackson!