Comprehensive failure on all fronts

Oh dear, it has been a long time. Since I realised even Richard ha dstopped his monthly reports I decided I should revisit my own progress, with some startling results. How about this for a catalogue of disappointment and inadequacy:

1. Earn Your Beers
Well, it's business as usual in Santa Barbara now - I am settled in a new flat, and the 7-week workshop has finished and all my collaborators gone home. Trouble is - I am finding it hard getting going again. Lacking motivation and self-discipline I fear. For example, I am at work now but am typing this...

2. Email Little and Often
The "I have moved" email I eventually sent (after being delayed by not having an address and then not having any photos to show) was longish and sent to everybody (sorry!). This is a flagrant flouting of resolution 2.

3. Write Up as You Go
I have totally failed at this all year, let alone the last 2 months where I have not got much work done to wrte about. No excuses I'm afraid.

4. Don't Forget a Single Birthday
Well, I was doing OK in September and October (although I think my cards always arrive late) but there's been some slippage in the last month. partly due to not knowing where the letterboxes are in Santa Barbara, but alsio because a stack of post got returned to me from the campus mail system...

5. Leave a Legacy of Institutionalized Tea Time at KIPAC
Well, I tried. When I left in September it seemed to be healthy enough, but I hear that no-one has really taken up the teapot in my absence. Ill find out more when I visit in December.

6. Learn More Lyrics
Despite being the resolution I remember best, I still havent gone beyond the first vers of Jerusalem. Maybe the problem is that I have stopped singing in the shower.

7. Stand Up Straight
Well, this one may not be so bad - there is a full-lngth mirror in my bedroom reminding me of what Jeremy and I look like when hunched. My desk posture is awful though, as evidenced by aching shoulders at the end of the day...

8. Keep Nails Short
After 10 months of relative success, someone noticed my long fingernails just last week. Sigh.

9. Don't Ask Too Much
The problem here is that I may have gone too far the other way, and not asking enough (of myself, for one). Its also a vague resolution that maybe was not well thought-through, but still, its hard to claim success here.

10. Further the Public Understanding of Science
I met the teaching/outreach worker at Las Cumbres Observatory here back in September, and mentioned that I was interested in participating - but have done nothing since. Maybe next year?

11. Play With Physics
Again, no progress here - I seem to do a lot of talking about doing things involving physics, but not actually doing them. I always get sidetracked by operational things such as bureaucracy, or image processing, or writing stupid scripts to do menial things more efficiently.


So there we are - it helps to write it all down, for sure. Ill read it back, and then see about making a solid push for the last month and a half of the year. See if I can earn some beers in Dakar to go with writing next year's resolutions...

John Coltrane, Kenny G...or Donald Duck?

Sadly the latter, but at least I have bought a saxophone and found someone to teach me - even if I have only made it to two lessons and can only play a squeaky version of 'doe a deer'. But not too bad for resolution number 4 b and c. Its a way to go before I shall be taking centre stage for a solo at Pen Art, my local jazz club (4a accomplished). It would be difficult to not do something musical really, having moved to the music capital of West Africa. So long as you have the stamina, there's something on Monday to Sunday 11pm-6am...

... as Phil, David, Danielle and Tonya will discover in December when they come to stay in my little house (number 6). I think it beats the Dar es Salaam flat actually: spare room with plenty of areas to relax, including a garden fairy/candle-lit space under creation. Air conditioning means cooking in your bra is unecessary too. Always a bonus. Reservations being taken now for 2007. Current attractions include: beach house for rent, St Louis (run down former colonial capital on a little island with bird reserve and plenty of cafes and music), desert adventures, and the Dakar music scene of course (dance to Youssou N'dour at his club, be one of 50 in the audience for Cheikh Lo, Orchestra Baobab and Suleymane Faye).

So I am not doing too badly at separating work from play (1) and leaving work earlier than I did in London (2). Not helped by being on the road a lot but am enjoying travelling around a region that is full of challenges. Not so good for the carbon consumption but very interesting and hopefully a little useful to someone somewhere.

3. Finish what you start. Mmmm. Not sure how to crack this one.

5. Swim or gym more than three times a week, even when travelling. Poor. Think about it a lot.

7. Get closer to finding eternal happiness. Who knows.

Off to try and perfect that C major scale...and try and find a sharp or flat. Got a way to go before the end of year review of progress I fear.

Posted by Phil on behalf of Jen