Woollyboos

Comic Sans MS

James Valcour — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:45:44 +0000

When I worked in PEI I used to have this morning ritual where I’d come in, boot up my computer and then read my daily comics from various websites. These were all comics that were published in the daily newspapers. Comis like Dilbert and Get Fuzzy. But I had also discovered UserFriendly , a webcomic with a computer geek theme.

But once I started my Ph.D. this ritual fell to the wayside … until a year or so ago when I got introduced, what I feel should be required reading for any graduate student, to Piled Higher and Deeper. It captures the graduate student life so well.

Since then I’ve added a couple of regular web comics to my daily list of links I peruse. I really enjoy xkcd a webcomic described as being about “romance, sarcasm, math, and language”. I’ve also discovered Questionable Content, a comic ripe with musical nerdiness. I started reading from the beginning so I’m few years behind the current content (why is everybody laughing?). What I love about reading a comic from the beginning is watching how the author has developed the characters and drawing style.

I found Questionable Content via a link from xkcd. I haven’t had the time to check out more, but I’m sure there’s some other gems lurking out there. Now if I only had the time to investigate more web shows like The Guild (season 2 coming soon!).

The Interview

James — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:24:36 +0000

I’m sitting in the St. John’s airport mulling over the past few days. Reflecting upon what can only be called a marathon of an interview. I’m trying not to do too much of a post-mortem on the whole interview. I’m sure I made a faux pas or too, but hopefully mt shining moments were bright enough to blind them to the mistakes.

It’s quite an experience. This was the first academic interveiw that I had been on. Before this all interviews I’ve had last a couple hours at the longest. This was a full two day affair. I met senior adminsitrative faculty, virtually everybody in the department. Dispite how overwhelming it was, I felt very positive about the whole process. I met a lot of very interesting people. People who I’ll likely try and collaborate with in the future.

I was the first interviewee so there will likely still be a month or so wait before I hear what the results will be. I’m now left wondering if St. John’s is a place I’m willing settle down in. The department is very good. The university is undering a fair bit of expansion. It would be exciting to be part of this new expansion. I do like St. John’s. I enjoyed when I lived in PEI and Newfoundland has a lot to offer for a city it’s size (much more so that Ch’town offered). It would be hard to leave Guelph and everybody behind. But at the same time life’s an adventure and one needs to push their personal boundaries.

The Watch-who?

James — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:57:36 +0000

I’m not a big fan of comic books (sorry, sorry Graphic Novels). Don’t take that to mean I don’t like them. I just never got into collecting or regularly reading them. I enjoy ‘superhero’ movies as much as the next guy. So when I saw the first trailer for the “Watchmen” I turned to somebody more knowledge than myself and said “The Watch-who, what’s this about?”. He pulled a copy from the dusty reaches of his shelf and passed it to me and said “It’s about washed up superheroes”. I was intrigued. It was good, but not the most mind blowing thing I read. It was a switch from the usual superhero plots. That I liked. All of this rambling was leading up to the fact there’s a new trailer out. Enjoy.

The Great Goolge Has Spoken

James — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:50:39 +0000

I feel better now.

Which way to go?

James — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:53:50 +0000

I have yet to decide which direction this blog is going to go. I don’t know whether I’m going to post overly personal thoughts (I can hear you all cringing now, “TOO MUCH INFO”!!) or keep it to tidbits of info I pull of the net that I find interesting or shall I make it a science blog with all the new juicy science gossip (alas, as a scientist I know I’ll never have to fight off the paparazzi).

For now it’ll be a meandering of glacial streams and only once they start to coaless into a larger river will I know the course.

First!

James — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:48:17 +0000

Why a blog and why now when I should be putting any writing effort into my thesis?

I’ll answer the latter first. I need to write something that’s not scientific sometimes. Sometimes it kicks me over the ‘writer’s block’ stage or just gets the writing juices flowing. But mostly, I need something that a diversion (read procrastination tool) from thesis writing.

As for why? I’ve was posting on Breakable Crate for a while. I finally thought I wanted little piece of space for myself so I mulled over creating my own blog. I actually had signed up on another blogging host but never started things up there. Once I finally came up with a name all the domains were taken, hence I ended up here.

I’m heading into one of these life altering changes. I’m finishing up grad school and will hopefully be starting a job soon, likely in a new place. I wanted to share this journey from one chapter in my life to the next.