Growin' Blog

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The local landscape

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:23:00 +0000

Yeah, I know. Now I'm just showing off.

I see Great Blue Herons (I'm told--please correct me if I'm wrong loyal reader) daily in the estuary. After Sunday night's storm, a real 12 hour soaking, I noticed that many of the birds relocated to shore. This guy was even still there in the afternoon. He (she?) is behind a fence on top of the beach cliff, about 12 feet away from me. This morning he (or another individual, but I like to think it's the same one) was on my side of the fence. A jogger passed within 5 feet of him and he didn't startle at all.

Many of the other big shorebirds (great egrets, snowy egrets, other things with long legs, cormorants, and a variety of ducks [and yes, I know ducks aren't shorebirds]) have returned to the slough as the week has gone on. The water level in the river-y part of the slough has fallen a good 3 feet since Monday morning. I wonder what motivates them to move? I'm guessing the water is too turbid for them to see what they're eating.

The rain has freshened up all the spring vegetation, and each morning's bike ride is extremely fragrant. I wonder if it's mostly the eucalyptus that I'm smelling? There are distinct times it's citrus (because I can see it). But there's lots of different scents. It's a smell party riding in each day.

The longer ride is also having an effect on me. I think I'm in a belt-loop already. And I'm hungry on a totally different schedule, and hungry for different things. More cravings for protein and starch. Less for salty snacks. I had to force myself to each my chips and (fresh, local) guacamole last night while my dinner cooked.

I know....poor me.

Settling in, but moving on.

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 03:19:00 +0000

Big happenings here in the American Riviera. After one week on the job, folks are hollering for an update after yesterday's big Facebook and Twitter announcement that L and I will be heading back to China come late August.

Yesterday afternoon I asked L for a Skype date to discuss my UC benefit package. She replied by saying 'maybe we should Skype right now to check out the envelope from the Fulbright people that just came through the mail slot.'

Sadly, the webcam was at the apartment so I had to settle for hearing the good news on the phone. So here's the plan:

There are some administrative details to clear, but the letter was definitely one of congratulations.

Late August we head to Beijing for orientation,

Then head to wherever they tell us to. We expressed a preference for Shanghai

I teach library school, in English, for the fall term, which runs through Chinese New Year. I don't know exactly what I'll be teaching, but I sent them 3 sample syllabi. Alternately (and again it's really up to the Chinese) I put on a series of public lectures and 'participate in the daily life of the department.'

20% of my time is supposed to be set aside for research. The project I described in my paper was to combine information science user studies with geographic methods to study how mobile communication technologies (read: smart phones) are affecting how people interact with the city. I have a model to follow, which I've thought about running in 3 different and distinct ways. It should generate quite a bit of data for analysis once I return.

Meanwhile, we rent out the house in Eugene. Upon our return, L relocates to Santa Barbara

We continue to work for 24 more years, then retire to Eugene.

Granted, it's a long term plan and you, loyal reader, can see that we've really put the most thought into these next 10 months. The important thing right now is that you all pay your damn taxes on April 15 because you, dear American reader, are footing the bill for this adventure. The Fulbright is a State Department program and while there is some private money involved, it really is all about creating opportunities for cross-cultural exchange. It's a good deal for me: a good chunk of my salary gets paid (UC is letting me take a leave of absence); I get book, housing, travel, and language tutoring allowances; and L and I get to spend 5 months at a major Chinese university that has yet to be announced.

As for Santa Barbara, life is tough. Last Thursday evening I rode along with a First Thursday bike parade. That was a great first day of work activity. Friday I visited the campus gym for the first time and returned to the Goleta Sushi House. Sadly, I forgot the business end of my headlight and had a rough, long ride home. Happily, without incident and with a full belly of sushi. Saturday was spent around the apartment, shopping, and acquainting myself with the new office Mac. Sunday saw a lovely Easter afternoon around town. Monday it was back to work and acquainting myself with the new office. There's a ton to learn and everyone seems pretty happy to have me there.

Yesterday was the big day, but even with all the excitement I followed through on my plan to attend the SB farmers' market for the first time. Oh my--what a different ecoregion I live in now. Multiple kinds of avocados and citrus. Ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, parsnips, carrots, and beans already. I guess this is all part of being in California. Lamb, eggs, cheese and butter too. I brought home herbed cultured butter, a loaf of bread, and pixie mandarins. Consumed onsite was a half pint of fresh squeezed blood orange juice.

To celebrate the announcement yesterday I followed up the market with dinner at the Wine Cask. As I was pathetically dining alone, each course was live-updated on Facebook, capped off with me Tweeting / Status-ing my news.

Now I really have to study my 汉语。 But first, check out this tree:

From SB beginnings

And thus it begins...

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:51:00 +0000

I have finally settled on tomorrow's ensemble. We all know the debate between the utilikilt with measuring-tape suspenders versus the Sheila Moon jacket and knickers was fierce.

The argument centered around balancing my hard-ass managerial side with the more playful tropical-business-casual ethic that is appropriate to Santa Barbara. All the while staying true to my rock-and-roll roots.

I can't even believe I just typed that. Nonetheless, the Sheila Moon jacket will make an appearance tomorrow because it's chilly here in the mornings (and indeed, was all day today) and I am attending an event after work that calls for both a warm outer layer and a reflective stripe.

Add to the jacket a business-like wrinkle-resistant button down, brown trousers, and my new green and black Vans with white sidewalls and I think I have struck the appropriate aging-skatepunk / wannabe YA librarian vibe. Not that I was ever a skatepunk or actually tried to ever be a YA librarian.

Wardrobe aside, it's been a pleasant few days of unpacking. The apartment is in order, and I think everything is set for a few months alone while L finishes school and we await the results of the funding application for China. What lies ahead is anyone's guess.

Those of you following along on Twitter and FB know it was a pleasant last day: a bike ride, some snacks, reading on the beach. What I failed to mention was that the forecast today was for rain.

If only all my rainy days look like this.

Onward

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 15:33:00 +0000

But will it really be upward? It's too soon to tell, as I haven't even started the new venture yet. I suppose only time will tell, and judging by the local vibe, nobody's in a hurry to figure anything out.

But I get ahead of myself. I arrived in SB a couple hours late on Friday evening, which made it too late to get the keys to my apartment. So it was off to the mid-centure modern motor lodge for me. After checking in I wandered a bit and had a beer at the tavern that L suspected will be my closest. Super friendly old folks, though not much of a beer selection. And I was told the bartender gives excellent haircuts in his spare time. Dinner at the hotel restaurant, the Crocodile, was fair. The service was, uhm, leisurely. But I did end the evening with a scotch by the pool.

Saturday morning I shuttled my bags over to The Fran. One trip with a big backpack, one with a roll-y bag, and then I returned to the hotel on my bicycle for my daypack. Breakfast was a perfectly average Benedict at Steve's Patio (I'm afraid the hollandaise was bottled), but it was serviceable.

The Pod worked out. There was a little bit of shifting, but nothing actually moved or fell over. I set myself the goal of moving everything in one day. As I moved back-and-forth, it got a little warm so I scaled back my plans. It's the California way, right? So I attempted to get all my furniture inside so that I could move it around trying to figure out the best arrangement. I am glad I left the bookshelves empty that first night because I did wind up moving a few things around.

I spent the afternoon biking to the boardwalk, getting my public library card, and acclimating to the neighborhood. As I tweeted (@jonjab), the local grocery's bike rack sucked. I asked the manager how often people complain and he said 'daily.' Again: not in much of a hurry. The local Chinese food is better that Steve's Patio, and the folks very friendly. The sign says Sichuan and Mandarin, but upon inspecting the buffet I told the folks at the front desk '没看到四川菜。' The sister said 'Oh, I can give you a menu,' and the brother said '我觉得他说了汉语。' (or something to that effect--I think he may have used the 是...的 construction, but I'm not sure how to get the adjectives in there). Mama looked up surprised, and sister giggled. I've got new best friends. They gave me the Chinese-only menu and were gracious enough to steer me away from the tripe.

Unfortunately, the Mexican waiter didn't speak Chinese. Maybe me could have wrestled some up if I had actually gotten the menudo.

Sunday, because of my furniture moving head start, was a short moving day. All of the boxes were inside by 1pm, so I set off to the mall (@jonjab: "I've never seen a dead fancy mall. La Cumbre Plaza -- You are so sad with your 30% empty storefronts. And all I need us a stinking Brita."), stopped in the park to listen to a birthday party's mariachis, and made yet another trip to the Ralph's--this time on foot with a stop at Trader Joe's.

So far I feel like I've been spending my time spending money, but I've also been reveling in the time off. Without gardening, the days are long and varied and filled with little trips to here and there. Today it was a test ride to campus (46 minutes en route), lunch out, and a quest for the bike shop. On my way BACK from UCSB, my brakes started making a terrifying screeching sound. Wheelhouse is closed on Mondays, so I threw myself on the mercy of the ex-Paul's mechanic at Velo Pro. He rode it out, said he didn't hear anything (it took me a good three beats to get the joke) and then said 'yeah man, that sounds awful.' I reiterated that I'd be happy to go to Wheelhouse in the morning as they regularly deal with drum breaks and internal hubs, he scratched his chin, said he's go look in his Trek book, hesitated, and then said conspiratorially and in a hush 'you know, maybe you should go to them.' We agreed that it's best to go someplace where they do this work daily and I pointed at a mountain bike 'yeah man--you do those all day everyday, I'm sure you can figure it out but I'm good going to the place that deals with this kind of bike everyday.'

So now I'm squeaky and at risk of having to be a bus rider for my first day of work. Or maybe I can get a loaner. Regardless, tomorrow I have a date with the cable guy, the bike shop, and need to sharpen my pencils and mentally steel myself for returning to the land of the employed. I will attempt to get photos / maps / route profiles posted once I get this out.

It's all good man.

I'll leave you, loyal readers, with this: the doctor's office down the block from the Trader Joe's, right next door to the smoking supply store, was open late on Sunday afternoon, had a two-way mirror in the waiting room, and the practice was named homophonorifically "Dr. Referral." Just sayin'.

It's odd...

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:39:00 +0000

Here I am in my last few weeks at Duck U and I have found some sort of a balance. Oddly, I find myself doing the same things I did before starting grad school again: holding strictly to 9-5; doing my best to exercise and get on the tennis court as often as feasible; having a nice glass of wine or beer before reading a book and going to bed (ok, and tonight liver sausage and crackers too).

The house is clean (-ish). The wife seems satisfied. Dinners, with actual vegetables, have been put on the table. Time is being spent with friends. If only the backache would go away, life would seem completely satisfactory.

Why is it this happens only now that I am preparing to leave? Is it an indication that the correct decision was made? Or is it another symptom of short-timer's syndrome? Or has the exercise and wine and vegetables and 9-5 achieved an actual balance? Dammit! Too many variables and not enough empirical data. I'd have to change jobs 5 more times just to figure out the true cause!

Our National Scavenger?

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:32:00 +0000

The vote(s) are in. The cloud / hive mind thinks it's an eagle. I understand considerable time was spent. Perhaps later in the spring additional empirical data can be gathered.

Mystery beast

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:59:00 +0000

Since November, I've been starting each day with a brisk walk to the top of Skinner's Butte. Several times now, about half-way up, I am greeted by the warble or some creature. It seems like it's coming from high up in a conifer, but I wouldn't swear to it (those of you who have ever walked up the north face of that hill in semi-darkness would understand).

So: anybody have a clue what makes this sound? (250k .wav file)

#WAMLsp10

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:50:00 +0000

I hereby declare that our hashtag for the upcoming Western Association of Map Libraries spring meeting, the hosting of which will be one of my very last tasks at Duck U. Today I officially filled the program, announced registration, AND received my 100th email related to the meeting.

I also reconnoitered the fieldtrip by taking a long lunch out at King Estate Winery. This had been previously arranged, but the day turned out to be stunning: sunny and 60 degrees. This was foreshadowed last night by the appearance of crocusses in the front garden--I hadn't even noticed they had broken through the ground. I don't know why I'm surprised by this development, as there is precedent. I suppose my midwestern DNA continues to be morally outraged by flowers in January.

From WAML

Oh, the lunch: I'm still full. A bacon-foie gras cheeseburger and truffled French fries. I think the fired may have been made in duck fat. My gut is still a little stunned--it's a good thing I was only in the office for a couple hours today, I don't think I could have digested the meal if my stress hormones had been activated by a full day's work.

So register for WAML!

(ps: I did NOT put the burger on the fieldtrip lunch menu. I hope WAMLites reading this post don't consider that teasing.)

Where everybody knows your name.

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:35:00 +0000

It's starting to sink in a bit that we are actually leaving Eugene. Put more accurately: last week I had an experience that bummed me out about the move. I ran to the Red Barn for some Shanghai pork supplies (and yes, you can substitute anise seed for star anise), and because Facebook told me that the Dylan tribute band was playing, I stopped in Sam Bonds for a quick beer and listen. I got a head nod from the doorman (and no ID check); a New Year smooch from the bartender; and a hug from the guitar player's girlfriend; and a heyyyyyyy... from a couple neighbors (or maybe it was a smooch from the guitar player and a hug from the owner?). And the band was great! And I thought all the instruments in Brian's man-den were just for show.

It wasn't until I got back home that I realized that I had had an awesome neighborhood experience. And this sense of belonging has been steadily growing as we have set down roots here in Eugene. But now we're throwing them into a pot again and hauling them south. Does Santa Barbara have a Chicken Town?

Moving on.

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:27:00 +0000

Another New Year internal debate has been how frank to be with this blog and with social networking sites. As President Obama says, I'm someone who wants organizations to err on the side of openness. Does that mean that I also have a personal obligation to be as open as I want my institutions to be?

This morning I tested the waters by announcing, somewhat cryptically, that I am leaving my job at Duck University, although I failed to mention exactly where I'm heading. Indeed, I simply updated my status to say "Jon Jablonski just quit his job." Along with the expected congratulatory notes and comments, this generated quite a bit of confusion. Some folks were obviously in the know, others are still catching up.

It also prompted my mother to ask 'Isn't quit a strong statement'? In response I ask: can I not call a spade a spade?* I'd love to start my new job off by being the strongly opinionated, plainly stated person that I am. After all, if one's head is firmly planted up one's ass, should I not be able to tell him or her to remove it? (This assumes that my own head is in the fresh air. Perhaps that is not a fair assumption?)

The crux, of course, is that there is a big difference between being honest and being a jerk. If I'm aiming for breezy self-confidence, how do I avoid being labeled a cocky (and crude!) bastard. First impressions are hard to overcome, and I definitely don't want to go in tossing verbal hand grenades. That said, most future coworkers probably know about the Google, therefore they can easily see what I've been up to over the past few years.

So what approach should I take? As Jordan Jesse Go and a future colleague pointed out recently, new beginnings are also opportunities for reinvention of the self. On the other hand, this isn't the summer between 8th grade and freshman year of high school (see above comment about the Google). It's not like I can suddenly adopt a Manchester accent. Should I go with the Mork and Mindy suspenders or the utilikilt for my first day as the head of the University of California, Santa Barbara's Map and Imagery Laboratory?

*etymological note: the phrase comes Greek and has no racial connotation. Indeed, it refers to shovels.

New Year new blog?

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:15:00 +0000

I suppose the New Year always comes with a resolution to post more often (or more deeply), but this year it will take on special meaning as new opportunities are poised to be seized.

Tonight though, is cribbage at a local bar with friends. Part of the new regimen of early-morning exercise, not going in too early, and evening recreational activities. The goal, is to not take work too seriously. In other words: to have a personal life.

The possibilities are endless I suppose, and will perhaps be detailed on the blog. Or maybe not.

OH, Canada!

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:54:00 +0000

Just returned from a couple days at Whistler, and finished up a wander-around downtown Vancouver. My Vancouver companion agrees that two days of riding/skiing in a row is idea, and the second day sees a huge improvement in skill and comfort.

The resort itself was lovely, and our party included a lovely couple, one half of which is contemplating a move to Vancouver. The couple is affectionately known as the cocoon, as when they colocate in the same city, they tend to lay low and enjoy each other's company. It was the first ski for both of them, and they said they loved it. Dinner was excellent, even if the service was a bit slow. I couldn't tell you the last time I was in a restaurant where the owner's cookbook was on sale at the front desk (and yes, he does look just like his jacket photo). We were definitely lingering, but the wacky Quebecois waiter definitely forgot to put in our wine order. But he did regale us with a tale of a poutine made with fois gras. JBM had a carpaccio plate that he said was excellent (I totally should have tried it--but I was attempting to be careful with my 'delicate' stomach). I had squash tortellini with prawns, and it was EXCELLENT. Well worth the wait.

The cocoon stayed only one night, leaving JBM and I for a second day on the slopes and a second evening out in the village.

I don't do it nearly often enough, and likely will never be proficient. But it sure is a ton of fun.

....the conversation continues.

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:18:00 +0000

The phone won. And planning for a brief trip while learning a new device has been a bit entertaining.

Many events are on my mind. Looking at joining a budding consortium; trying to work within a separate one; and juggling many pieces of the puzzle. Oh--and planning a 4 day meeting! But my entertainment this week is figuring out the new gadget. I'm hoping to become proficient before hitting the road with it. But then I need to turn it off while in Canada--but I think that will be ok. It will help to transition me to a deep vacation in which I will not save email. That's right--I picked up one new online technology while walking away one that was working just fine. But I need a couple weeks away, and that means no work email. Will this here blog become a one-way channel of communication? Will I microblog? Shall I tweet? Or is it Tweet?

If it wasn't winter, I think I'd be going camping or fishing. Cold and rainy (and snowy?) make for indoor activities. And it seems like going mobile is sort of made for that.

Hard, throbbing gadget lust.

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:53:00 +0000

Since returning from UVa ten days ago, my gadget lust for a smartphone (or app-phone as one reviewer dubbed it) continues unabated. We are leaning towards a Droid and Verizon because of AT&T's oft-mentioned coverage problems. Also, if I had to make a long-term bet on a platform, I'd bank on the more open model of Google and Android. But then again, the iPod and iTunes juggernaut continues unabated even with crippling DRM and the difficulty of using a Pod with anything BUT iTunes.

Beyond feature sets and platform wars, more interesting in our household is the debate about adopting a cellphone lifestyle.

GIS Humanities Institute

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:30:00 +0000

I'm at UVirginia attending a training seminar for GIS folks working in the humanities. Actually, that's not quite accurate, since I don't work in the humanities all that much. There are people here deeply involved with the humanities, but the attendees are all over the map. Librarians, developers, lab managers, a handful of entrepreneurs. And yes, even humanists.

We've just started, so there hasn't been much actual content yet, but there is a lot of potential here. We're divided into 2 groups: stewardship (I'm in that) and software. One thing I didn't expect can be summed up by this comment: "Stewardship isn't just about stewarding the data. It's about stewarding the projects and the scholars." Stewardship in this sense is piece of cyber-infrastructure. I've been neglecting that piece.

Lots of other good stuff. But it's been an exhausting day.

What's the purpose of metadata?

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:27:00 +0000

GIS practitioners generally blow off metadata. 'Yeah, yeah--metadata is important, I'll get around to writing it as soon as we finish updating the data itself at the end of the next leap-fiscal year.' And their lack of emphasis on it is not misplaced: their job is generally to make sure that their data is as accurate and current as possible. Someone who makes data generally knows where all of his data is.

But how does he find out where everyone else's data is? If Joe is in charge of the county land ownership file, why should he care where Susie's city parks file is? He only has to figure that out once every three years when he is banging out a basemap to justify his job or entertain his kid's Cub Scout pack.

For Joe and Susie, their daily need for metadata is to document data that is already found. So naturally, they don't think of it as serving a discovery function. The metadata sits right next to the data--it doesn't help anyone discover it. This is exactly like descriptive cataloging versus subject cataloging. The descriptive cataloger is just trying to accurately describe the item in hand. She doesn't care about making sure the item is findable. It's not her job.

So who does need a discovery mechanism? Where do description and discover meet? Who is searching for GIS data? Where do they start looking? What methods do they use? Do they act like other users with information needs?

25¢ coffee.

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:41:00 +0000

With my chicken-fried steak for breakfast. What is it about the chicken fried steak that attracts me like a spider to the moths near the porch light? Is it the combination of salt and fat that Michael Pollan says we have all become addicted to?

Or is it the pizza-like infinite variation in country gravy? It’s never actually bad, but sometimes it’s spectacularly good. Or at least an interesting local variation. American breakfast is American breakfast: eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, omelets. There’s a wide variety of combinations, but basically they are all variations on a theme. I’m not sure what to do with the fact that most of them are bad for you.

Cody turned out to be a fun town, and the meeting I attended was flawlessly orchestrated. I’m thinking that libraries and conferences only have so many variations also. All the librarians complain of slow-moving administrations, irrational belt-tightening measures, and a misunderstanding of our various specialties. But we also brag of generous donors, engaged readers, and pride in our collections. I struggle to reconcile this contradiction as well. It is so easy to fall into complaint mode, but it is also easy to share accomplishments.

It was a pretty good 25¢ cup of coffee.

WAML dinner talk

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Before dinner two nights ago, I had a lovely talk with Dr. Peter Simpson, former Wyoming legislator, Republican nominee for governor, and retired history professor. Oh: and Duck U alum. He shared fond memories of many of our emeriti in the geography department, where he rounded out his education. I shared with him that there are only two real disciplines in the social sciences: history and geography. All others are derivative.

He seemed to really like that.

After dinner, he gave a great talk that revolved around the history 5oo yards around the restaurant where we sat. The three terraces of the Shoshone River have been settled in three distinct phases, and he walked us through the social and economic developments of each. And he charmed the comfortable shoes off the room full of librarians. There are rumors that we'll publish the talk in its entirety. I'm not sure if the whiskey jokes will be included.

Hong Kong and Shenzhen

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:40:00 +0000

Here we go! Last photos from the trip.

And now I'm on the road again in Cody, Wyoming. Great little town, great company at WAML.

And this weekend in Seattle.

I need to slow down.

Lagging...

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:51:00 +0000

We had dinner tonight with my friend's parents, whom we have been euphamistically referring to as our 'package from Shenzhen.' This was a nice opportunity to apologize for any misunderstandings / deprivations / draggings-to-tourist-destinations that happened over our 3 days together. They swore there were no such things, and that the traveling went off without a hitch. I have to say though, that I was pretty much panicking in SFO trying to explain the monitors to them--they were originally scheduled to come in 2 hours later and the gates tend to change a lot with the mini-planes there.

We also got to fill in some gaps in the narrative--are they retired? How big is their town? How long have the 2 other kids been in Shenzhen? Did you really like the bird park or were you just humoring us? I was really happy for the chance to have this follow-up. And we got some typical Hubei food--rive powder stir fried with cabbage and pork. We were also treated to CY's and XB's first attempt at homemade sausage, which I enjoyed very much.

We are still a bit jet-lagged. Well--our schedules are off anyway. But tomorrow it's back to work and our normal schedule. That will take some getting use to--just like the empty streets of Eugene.

The next set of photos is ready. These are all from Shanghai, where we spent 5 days. As always--click on the thumbnail.

China tour 2009--Shanghai

First photos from China.

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:08:00 +0000

Sorry to those who were hoping for frequent updates. Blogger was caught up in the Great Firewall. I did post a few geographer-ish notes over at the more business-like blog.

The thumbnail below will lead you to the first batch of photos--all from Beijing. I'll post the details of the trip in coming days, but I figure that most people just look at the pictures anyway. It was a great trip, and the only possible shortcoming (other than the weather--hot and humid all the way through) was a lack of time to visit with friends at Bei Da. I promise you all that next time will be more leisurely (if not for a full 5 months--but we all know the location of that trip is not up to me).

China tour 2009--Beijing

What's next?

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:56:00 +0000

The public diary seems to have moved over to Facebook, but that doesn't mean that the blog is dead. Although my mother continues to complain that it does not get updated enough.

I resisted blogging our remodel this summer for fear that writing anything negative would fuel the fire (or at least make me worry) if there was any conflict with the contractors. Now that that's (almost) over, I am gestating a 'ten things you should know before hiring a contractor' posting. Don't hold your breath though.

There's also the next steps now that the degree is complete. The everyday stress of working at an under-funded university makes having some sort of side-project almost mandatory. I'm realizing that if I stay, I need either an extremely active personal life or an extremely engaging personal research agenda that I can drive forward with a minimum of logistical support and funding. From my understanding of our internal procedures, securing outside funding might create more problems than it solves. So off we go to China, just as internal GIS projects are taking off.

Speaking of GIS, Friday afternoon I spent about 3 hours doing something that I should have done several months ago. And it's going to bite me, because now I have to go ask for gaps in a dataset to be filled in. But the process will result in a great new set of imagery for campus users--now I just have to figure out how to give people access to it!

Ampersand

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 23:20:00 +0000

Another reason for big city envy. We just don't get cool stuff like this:

Is that jonquil?

noreply@blogger.com (Growbot) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:22:00 +0000

I KNEW we picked a good color, but I didn't realize we were in such distinguished company.

From house