Today was one of those good Fall days, cool, but not cold, good clear sky, leaves blowing around, and a hint of Winter in the air. All in all, very nice.
Today was a good day at work, it seems like a lot of good stuff is falling into place now. I had a meeting with someone from the Faculty side of the College, to talk about finding ways to encourage Faculty involvement in the residence halls. We had a good conversation on the subject, and now I have some direction to move in with this project. We also just shot the breeze for awhile, which was productive in a good, collegial way. This is someone who used to work in the Dean of the College area (meaning the Student Affairs side, where I am), so we had had some contact in the past, but not any real working relationship. Our conversation was a good start to building a solid professional base with her.
Of course, there are some things in the air over here in the Res Life side of the world, which I am waiting to see how it all develops. Word should be out soon, and perhaps by the end of the year I'll have some new information to share with you all... We shall see...
NP: The Daily Show (coming up now!)
03 November 2005
02 November 2005
Nobel
So, tonight I shook hands with the first Nobel Prize winner I've met. His name is Sidney Altman, and he was one of the recipients for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry from 1989, for his work with RNA. If you're actually interested in the chemistry of this, check out the link with his name above.
Here at Dartmouth, we have a program called the Montgomery Fellowship. The program brings learned, interesting people from many different backgrounds here, usually for a week, in order to speak, visit classes, and generally enlighten the student body and college community. The East Wheelock program, where I work, has a relationship with the Montgomery Fellows office, and we try to get them down here, usually for a dinner with students, which is what happened tonight. The dinner was at the Faculty Associates home, which is a great setting for these more casual dinners.
Dr. Altman, a relatively soft spoken man, got to eat and hang out with residents from one of my buildings. He took some questions from the students and from others in attendance. I asked how he was notified of the Nobel win, and how it changed his work and life since the win. In theory, you're not supposed to know if you're under consideration, but sometimes you get hints dropped, which Dr. Altman was oblivious to until looking at them in hindsight. Afterwards, he said the biggest change was that he got invited to speak at more places, but other than that, it wasn't that big of a change.
He also told stories of baseball, and of his friendship with Bart Giamatti, the former President of Yale who then went on to be Baseball Commissioner in the late 80's. All in all, an interesting guy who once met George Gamow, one of the originators of the Big Bang theory.
I have a neat job.
NP: Steve Hackett, The Steppes
Here at Dartmouth, we have a program called the Montgomery Fellowship. The program brings learned, interesting people from many different backgrounds here, usually for a week, in order to speak, visit classes, and generally enlighten the student body and college community. The East Wheelock program, where I work, has a relationship with the Montgomery Fellows office, and we try to get them down here, usually for a dinner with students, which is what happened tonight. The dinner was at the Faculty Associates home, which is a great setting for these more casual dinners.
Dr. Altman, a relatively soft spoken man, got to eat and hang out with residents from one of my buildings. He took some questions from the students and from others in attendance. I asked how he was notified of the Nobel win, and how it changed his work and life since the win. In theory, you're not supposed to know if you're under consideration, but sometimes you get hints dropped, which Dr. Altman was oblivious to until looking at them in hindsight. Afterwards, he said the biggest change was that he got invited to speak at more places, but other than that, it wasn't that big of a change.
He also told stories of baseball, and of his friendship with Bart Giamatti, the former President of Yale who then went on to be Baseball Commissioner in the late 80's. All in all, an interesting guy who once met George Gamow, one of the originators of the Big Bang theory.
I have a neat job.
NP: Steve Hackett, The Steppes
31 October 2005
Updated...
Hello! Just a quick note to say that I've updated my website. Take a look, especially at the Genealogy page. I've put a lot of photos there.
I have a lot more I could put up, but I want to think a bit about the layout, what would make the most sense.
Anyway, enjoy!
Mike
I have a lot more I could put up, but I want to think a bit about the layout, what would make the most sense.
Anyway, enjoy!
Mike
30 October 2005
Welcome to the Time Change
I'm assuming everyone survived the time change last night. Nothing too shocking for anyone, I would think...
Today was a good relaxing day, although my body hasn't adjusted to the change in time yet, as I got hungry about an hour earlier than I really should have.
No real music related activity today, although I did backup the home recording files on my computer, so that if the computer blows up, we'll be spared the indignity of losing my musical output for future generations to lament over.
I have been reading "Binge," the book written about modern college life. It's not a bad read. The author, Barry Seaman, who I met and hosted while he was here at Dartmouth, is generally a nice enough guy. Reading the book as someone in the field of Higher Education, it seems to be a very "surface" look at the issues facing colleges today. I could imagine though, someone who is less familiar with college being a bit more intrigued by the book. Not a bad read, but I don't think I'm going to gain much perspective from it, as I haven't read anything that's surprised me yet, or that I didn't already know. I haven't reached my references yet, and since life is really all about me, I expect to be thrilled with what I have to say...
NP: Catherine Wheel, Tumbledown
Today was a good relaxing day, although my body hasn't adjusted to the change in time yet, as I got hungry about an hour earlier than I really should have.
No real music related activity today, although I did backup the home recording files on my computer, so that if the computer blows up, we'll be spared the indignity of losing my musical output for future generations to lament over.
I have been reading "Binge," the book written about modern college life. It's not a bad read. The author, Barry Seaman, who I met and hosted while he was here at Dartmouth, is generally a nice enough guy. Reading the book as someone in the field of Higher Education, it seems to be a very "surface" look at the issues facing colleges today. I could imagine though, someone who is less familiar with college being a bit more intrigued by the book. Not a bad read, but I don't think I'm going to gain much perspective from it, as I haven't read anything that's surprised me yet, or that I didn't already know. I haven't reached my references yet, and since life is really all about me, I expect to be thrilled with what I have to say...
NP: Catherine Wheel, Tumbledown
A fun Saturday
Ah, the weekend. Got to sleep late today, till about 10:45am or so. It's good to be lazy on the weekends, especially around sleeping. But even with it being a lazy Saturday, I still got a good amount done.
Sue and I were a hit with our "Industrial Accident Couple" get up for the Halloween party we went to. It was one end of a prop bolt going through my forehead, and the other end coming out of her's. Sue's idea, and quite funny! I think next year I'm going to start working on a Londo costume during the summer...
Funny thing with the party. I thought it started at 8pm, but Sue actually looked at the invite around 5pm, and she noticed that it started at 5:30pm. Even so, we were one of the first people there, so life is good.
I just finished up some demo recording of the song I've been working on. I've given it a tentative title of ""So In Love (with your presence)," although that might change. I did a completely new demo version, starting with recording the bass part to a click track, then I did vocals. I wanted to start some ideas for the accompaniment (I think that's spelled wrong, but I don't care right now), so I loaded up a midi keyboard, and just put down chords of an electric piano on the beats, and it actually sounded quite good. I'll have to listen to it again in the cold light of day, to see if it's just the late night talking to me right now.
I also did a vocal recording of a repeatitive bass line that's been going through my head. It's simple, but it has a groove to it, so I wanted to get it on "tape" so that I wouldn't forget it. Tomorrow I may try playing along to the vocal track on bass, so I can start working on other pieces of it.
And, I've continued my burning of CD's onto my computer, so I can enjoy Radio Mike Lord whenever I choose. I'm a bit more than halfway through right now, and I'll be glad when I'm done with the majority of the music.
I finished the Krakatoa book today. Quite good, although I would have liked more photos in it. There was a lot of description of the Modern Krakatoa, and a better map showing the old and new layout together would have been helpful. I'm sure if I do a bit of searching on the interweb I can find something very easily, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.
Now, I have to decide what book to start next. I have a few on deck, including a new biography of Neil Armstrong, and the new novel by Kim Stanley Robinson. Neil Gaiman's new one is also on my shelf, along with the book Binge, that I'm indexed in. I may read Binge, to get it out of the way, since I've borrowed the book from the director of my office.
Tomorrow, my plan is to clean up around the apartment, do some genealogy updating, get gas for my car (since on Sunday's some of the stations knock 5 cents off the price of a gallon), and enjoy the extra hour of sleep. I also have to call a few friends to chat, I haven't done that in awhile.
Cheers! Get some rest!
Sue and I were a hit with our "Industrial Accident Couple" get up for the Halloween party we went to. It was one end of a prop bolt going through my forehead, and the other end coming out of her's. Sue's idea, and quite funny! I think next year I'm going to start working on a Londo costume during the summer...
Funny thing with the party. I thought it started at 8pm, but Sue actually looked at the invite around 5pm, and she noticed that it started at 5:30pm. Even so, we were one of the first people there, so life is good.
I just finished up some demo recording of the song I've been working on. I've given it a tentative title of ""So In Love (with your presence)," although that might change. I did a completely new demo version, starting with recording the bass part to a click track, then I did vocals. I wanted to start some ideas for the accompaniment (I think that's spelled wrong, but I don't care right now), so I loaded up a midi keyboard, and just put down chords of an electric piano on the beats, and it actually sounded quite good. I'll have to listen to it again in the cold light of day, to see if it's just the late night talking to me right now.
I also did a vocal recording of a repeatitive bass line that's been going through my head. It's simple, but it has a groove to it, so I wanted to get it on "tape" so that I wouldn't forget it. Tomorrow I may try playing along to the vocal track on bass, so I can start working on other pieces of it.
And, I've continued my burning of CD's onto my computer, so I can enjoy Radio Mike Lord whenever I choose. I'm a bit more than halfway through right now, and I'll be glad when I'm done with the majority of the music.
I finished the Krakatoa book today. Quite good, although I would have liked more photos in it. There was a lot of description of the Modern Krakatoa, and a better map showing the old and new layout together would have been helpful. I'm sure if I do a bit of searching on the interweb I can find something very easily, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.
Now, I have to decide what book to start next. I have a few on deck, including a new biography of Neil Armstrong, and the new novel by Kim Stanley Robinson. Neil Gaiman's new one is also on my shelf, along with the book Binge, that I'm indexed in. I may read Binge, to get it out of the way, since I've borrowed the book from the director of my office.
Tomorrow, my plan is to clean up around the apartment, do some genealogy updating, get gas for my car (since on Sunday's some of the stations knock 5 cents off the price of a gallon), and enjoy the extra hour of sleep. I also have to call a few friends to chat, I haven't done that in awhile.
Cheers! Get some rest!
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