Saturday, November 24, 2007
KEVIN 07!!! HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!
Kevin Rudd is our new PM!!!!! Wooohooo!!! Telle does the happy dance!!! He's a bloody legend!!!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The Rockies and Chainsaw Bears...
Dear Lynette,
So this weekend was pretty hectic! James and I actually went out and socialized for most of it which definitely beats staying at home all weekend!
Friday night was drinks and nibbles with James' work mates (who are fantastic). Saturday was knitting with the girls and Sunday was a day trip to Bragg Creek for the annual Christmas Fair and then a trip into central Calgary for the Art and Craft Fair (of epic proportions) followed by a potluck at on of the PI's from Physics.
Bragg Creek is a little township about 30minutes west of Calgary. The drive to Bragg Creek with Sam (a lovely Canadian lass from the Canadian Prairies) and Yaz (another Aussie chicky here in freezing Calgary) was awesome. Sam and Yaz are from the knitting group I got to and we are all recent arrivals to the city keen to head out for a girly day. I got my first real view of the Canadian Rockies and they are suitable stunning (even though it was from afar!).
The Art and Craft Fairs were really lovely, quaint even. I tasted (and later purchased) my first Saskatoon Berries, which are like a combination of cranberries and cherries to taste. They go well with natural yoghurt and on ice-cream and can also be used in place of normal fruit mixtures for Christmas pudding and taste divine!
My favourite thing was the whittled Christmas decorations! I got two of them, both Santa ornaments, one is a stick with Saint Nicholas whittled into it looking all wind blown and the other is a wooden spoon with Santa carved into it and painted. They look really cool and when we get a Christmas tree up I will post pictures!
Oh!!! Its snowing really hard outside right now!! (And they said we wouldn't get snow for the next few months......haha!).
Anyhows, back to the fair below is a picture of some Bears (especially for Mum). These were carved by a local gentleman in Bragg Creek......with a chainsaw!! I kid you not! They are so cool. The big ones in the picture stand about waist high on me. He has made a much smaller bear with a chainsaw but it was too much effort to make anymore!
I have his card cause I reckon I could get one shipped to Australia when we leave (at least I hope so).
There is heaps to write about but I am going to head off and cook some dinner!
Love Chantelle
P.S. Happy Birthday Kylie, Jo, Ashlea, Piers and Josh! We may not be there to celebrate in the flesh but we are there in spirit!
So this weekend was pretty hectic! James and I actually went out and socialized for most of it which definitely beats staying at home all weekend!
Friday night was drinks and nibbles with James' work mates (who are fantastic). Saturday was knitting with the girls and Sunday was a day trip to Bragg Creek for the annual Christmas Fair and then a trip into central Calgary for the Art and Craft Fair (of epic proportions) followed by a potluck at on of the PI's from Physics.
Bragg Creek is a little township about 30minutes west of Calgary. The drive to Bragg Creek with Sam (a lovely Canadian lass from the Canadian Prairies) and Yaz (another Aussie chicky here in freezing Calgary) was awesome. Sam and Yaz are from the knitting group I got to and we are all recent arrivals to the city keen to head out for a girly day. I got my first real view of the Canadian Rockies and they are suitable stunning (even though it was from afar!).
The Art and Craft Fairs were really lovely, quaint even. I tasted (and later purchased) my first Saskatoon Berries, which are like a combination of cranberries and cherries to taste. They go well with natural yoghurt and on ice-cream and can also be used in place of normal fruit mixtures for Christmas pudding and taste divine!
My favourite thing was the whittled Christmas decorations! I got two of them, both Santa ornaments, one is a stick with Saint Nicholas whittled into it looking all wind blown and the other is a wooden spoon with Santa carved into it and painted. They look really cool and when we get a Christmas tree up I will post pictures!
Oh!!! Its snowing really hard outside right now!! (And they said we wouldn't get snow for the next few months......haha!).
Anyhows, back to the fair below is a picture of some Bears (especially for Mum). These were carved by a local gentleman in Bragg Creek......with a chainsaw!! I kid you not! They are so cool. The big ones in the picture stand about waist high on me. He has made a much smaller bear with a chainsaw but it was too much effort to make anymore!
There is heaps to write about but I am going to head off and cook some dinner!
Love Chantelle
P.S. Happy Birthday Kylie, Jo, Ashlea, Piers and Josh! We may not be there to celebrate in the flesh but we are there in spirit!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Warning, indulgent work content
As well as coming over for the food, culture and hockey, Telle and I also have to occasionally breeze past the university to do some work. Generally, we'll avoid talking about work, but some of you might be wondering what I actually do for a living, having spent almost a decade at university becoming "the" Dr., and the rest of you will just have to suck it up and find out anyway.
I now work in the field of complex systems, more commonly associated in the public psyche with chaos (for those keeping track my PhD was in non-equilibrium thermodynamics, but to be fair these aren't hard and fast divisions). There are a number of different ways of describing complex systems, but the way I like to think of a complex system is one that has a set of simple rules that tell you how it works, but when you actually put these rules into practice it exhibits unpredictable/unexpected behaviour.
For my opening work, I'm playing around with the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation. To describe the CGLE imagine a grid of paper, and at every intersection of the grid imagine there is an arrow. The value of the CGLE is given by the size of the arrow (the magnitude) and the direction the arrow points (the phase). As time goes by the value of the CGLE at each point changes based on its current value, and the difference between it and its neighbours. We can tweak the behaviour of the system based on two numbers, one that controls the contribution from its current value and one the controls the contribution from the difference in its neighbours. Just by playing around with these two values, we can radically change the behaviour of the system with time, but exactly what will happen isn't immediately clear before you simulate it (though that's not true now, because the system has been pretty heavily studied and you can actually get diagrams describing what it will do at various values).
Anyway, to test my program, I took two values described in the literature as generating a vortex glass, which is a state where you get whirlpools form in the system that repel each other and lock up the system into a series of whirlpool domains. I started with a random field (all the magnitudes and phases chosen randomly), let it evolve, and then after a while you get this (the color of each point corresponds to its phase).
I now work in the field of complex systems, more commonly associated in the public psyche with chaos (for those keeping track my PhD was in non-equilibrium thermodynamics, but to be fair these aren't hard and fast divisions). There are a number of different ways of describing complex systems, but the way I like to think of a complex system is one that has a set of simple rules that tell you how it works, but when you actually put these rules into practice it exhibits unpredictable/unexpected behaviour.
For my opening work, I'm playing around with the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation. To describe the CGLE imagine a grid of paper, and at every intersection of the grid imagine there is an arrow. The value of the CGLE is given by the size of the arrow (the magnitude) and the direction the arrow points (the phase). As time goes by the value of the CGLE at each point changes based on its current value, and the difference between it and its neighbours. We can tweak the behaviour of the system based on two numbers, one that controls the contribution from its current value and one the controls the contribution from the difference in its neighbours. Just by playing around with these two values, we can radically change the behaviour of the system with time, but exactly what will happen isn't immediately clear before you simulate it (though that's not true now, because the system has been pretty heavily studied and you can actually get diagrams describing what it will do at various values).
Anyway, to test my program, I took two values described in the literature as generating a vortex glass, which is a state where you get whirlpools form in the system that repel each other and lock up the system into a series of whirlpool domains. I started with a random field (all the magnitudes and phases chosen randomly), let it evolve, and then after a while you get this (the color of each point corresponds to its phase).
Monday, November 12, 2007
Religion in Canada
On Friday Chantelle and I decided to share in that greatest of canadian religions: Ice Hockey. In Calgary, the main ice is located at the stampede grounds, so the first step was our first trek across downtown and on the C-train: Calgary's somewhat eclectic commuter train. Fortunately we were going in a posse (it seems the appropriate term around here), with some people from my group, so we managed to avoid getting lost.
Now to put it in perspective, we were going to a junior league game (16-20yo players), not the NHL game (being held on the same ice the next day against edmonton), and we still had a horde of enthusiastic Canadians surrounding us to watch the Hitmen play the team from Moosejaw (I couldn't make this up). All the bells and whistles were there, the opening rememberence ceremony, the various break fillers, the between period shows (hockey is played in thirds for the uninitiated). Some of the fillers were great: McD's sponsored a dance competition for the kids, there was a competitive slushy eating contest (ice cream headaches projected onto giant screens), and the fans really got into it. At the first break, two guys competed to race tricycles around the ice, and at the second break, the mascot came out with a t-shirt gun and fired into the crowd (also no mean feat at a hockey match where chunks of the ice are netted to protect the crowd). It was just great.
Now for the game, Ice Hockey gives new meaning to fast and furious. Even this game (which according to the Hockey Expert in the group was not the greatest) was fun to watch, with some quick play, and some absolutely brutal checking (one guy was given a 5 minute penalty for ramming a guy headfirst into the boards). This combined with good company and a great atmosphere made it a memorable night, with Telle and I looking forward to going to future games.
Of course after the game we were obligated to go out, and fortunately enough the stampede grounds are in walking distance of one of Calgary's nightlife districts on 17th ave SW, and we found a pub (Bob the Fish) to hole up in. After some nice conversation, a wee bit of beer and a whole pile of buffalo wings (or possibly the other way round), we had to rush home because somebody who will remain nameless (ie me) had gotten confused and thought that our bus (which goes down 17th ave SE) went down our street, so we had to rush a little to catch a train and bus home (fortunately our bus went at 00:30, so that was no problem).
It was a hell of an introduction to religion in Canada.
Now to put it in perspective, we were going to a junior league game (16-20yo players), not the NHL game (being held on the same ice the next day against edmonton), and we still had a horde of enthusiastic Canadians surrounding us to watch the Hitmen play the team from Moosejaw (I couldn't make this up). All the bells and whistles were there, the opening rememberence ceremony, the various break fillers, the between period shows (hockey is played in thirds for the uninitiated). Some of the fillers were great: McD's sponsored a dance competition for the kids, there was a competitive slushy eating contest (ice cream headaches projected onto giant screens), and the fans really got into it. At the first break, two guys competed to race tricycles around the ice, and at the second break, the mascot came out with a t-shirt gun and fired into the crowd (also no mean feat at a hockey match where chunks of the ice are netted to protect the crowd). It was just great.
Now for the game, Ice Hockey gives new meaning to fast and furious. Even this game (which according to the Hockey Expert in the group was not the greatest) was fun to watch, with some quick play, and some absolutely brutal checking (one guy was given a 5 minute penalty for ramming a guy headfirst into the boards). This combined with good company and a great atmosphere made it a memorable night, with Telle and I looking forward to going to future games.
Of course after the game we were obligated to go out, and fortunately enough the stampede grounds are in walking distance of one of Calgary's nightlife districts on 17th ave SW, and we found a pub (Bob the Fish) to hole up in. After some nice conversation, a wee bit of beer and a whole pile of buffalo wings (or possibly the other way round), we had to rush home because somebody who will remain nameless (ie me) had gotten confused and thought that our bus (which goes down 17th ave SE) went down our street, so we had to rush a little to catch a train and bus home (fortunately our bus went at 00:30, so that was no problem).It was a hell of an introduction to religion in Canada.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
We have internet!!!
Woohoo! Happy happy joy joy!!!
After a full week without internet at home thank goodness. Yes it seems a little sad that we should be so happy about it but when you try not to use the net at work for personal stuff it makes it difficult when you are feeling a bit home sick and out of contact with everyone.
So its been a week since we moved into our new place. Its lovely, warm and close to public transport (even so I miss my car!). You don't realise how much you rely on your own transport till you don't have it. Everything has to be relatively well planned so as to make the buses. Grocery shopping is a bit of a nightmare. The super cheap supermarket is 3 separate bus rides away from us (50 to 79 minutes depending on the transfers) which is making me think I'd rather pay the extra to shop locally!! *GRIN*
We had our first day of full on snow, by which I mean it was actually snowing during waking hours on the weekend and it was stunning!! See below:
We celebrated James' birthday in a suitably ANZAC fashion.....we found a fish and chip shop! In an attempt to make sure it was special I tried baking a cake in two halves so I could put the frosting in the middle as well as on the top. Turns out if you read instructions you don't end up smooshing one layer cause you thought you had to level it with a knife (apparently you can just turn one of the cakes upside down when you get it out to cool).
James got a few goodies from Riley and I though I will let him tell you about them.
I received the best picture from Mum the other day and I really think Partners in Crime is the best caption for it!! (N.B. the container they are getting into has Riley's treats in it!!)
How cute is it!!! Its my new favourite pic and it makes me smile every time I look at it!! (I am missing home a fair bit this week).
I have found the local knitting group who are fantastic, they made me feel totally welcome and I have to say its nice to making some friends here in Calgary. We have a long weekend this week so now that James and I are settled in we are going to try and get out and see the sights!!! Will up date you again soon.
Love Chantelle
After a full week without internet at home thank goodness. Yes it seems a little sad that we should be so happy about it but when you try not to use the net at work for personal stuff it makes it difficult when you are feeling a bit home sick and out of contact with everyone.
So its been a week since we moved into our new place. Its lovely, warm and close to public transport (even so I miss my car!). You don't realise how much you rely on your own transport till you don't have it. Everything has to be relatively well planned so as to make the buses. Grocery shopping is a bit of a nightmare. The super cheap supermarket is 3 separate bus rides away from us (50 to 79 minutes depending on the transfers) which is making me think I'd rather pay the extra to shop locally!! *GRIN*
We had our first day of full on snow, by which I mean it was actually snowing during waking hours on the weekend and it was stunning!! See below:
We celebrated James' birthday in a suitably ANZAC fashion.....we found a fish and chip shop! In an attempt to make sure it was special I tried baking a cake in two halves so I could put the frosting in the middle as well as on the top. Turns out if you read instructions you don't end up smooshing one layer cause you thought you had to level it with a knife (apparently you can just turn one of the cakes upside down when you get it out to cool).
James got a few goodies from Riley and I though I will let him tell you about them.
I received the best picture from Mum the other day and I really think Partners in Crime is the best caption for it!! (N.B. the container they are getting into has Riley's treats in it!!)
I have found the local knitting group who are fantastic, they made me feel totally welcome and I have to say its nice to making some friends here in Calgary. We have a long weekend this week so now that James and I are settled in we are going to try and get out and see the sights!!! Will up date you again soon.
Love Chantelle
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Settling In
Dear Lynette,
Just a quick post to let you know we have moved into our new place and managed to get out phone sorted out (email if you want the number). We are waiting on our internet to be activated which hopefully should be tomorrow!
Love Chantelle and James
P.S. it was actually snowing this morning!!!!
Just a quick post to let you know we have moved into our new place and managed to get out phone sorted out (email if you want the number). We are waiting on our internet to be activated which hopefully should be tomorrow!
Love Chantelle and James
P.S. it was actually snowing this morning!!!!
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