Awwww...

How cute is my Matey-bird?!

For those of you who have never met my gorgeous bird, this is Mate. We've enjoyed his company for about 16 or 17 years. I'm not sure exactly how old he is. He was originally my brother's bird. For some strange reason, he didn't feel the need to record Mate's birthday and celebrate it every year. When Tim moved to Canberra several years back, I inherited Mate. I don't know why, but Mate had always liked me. Maybe it's my hair - he used to like landing on my head!

For the first time in his life, Mate visited the vet today. He took it quite well actually. Impressive - he's apparently the equivalent of 70 years old! I can tell he's getting on in years - he's slowing down a bit and getting grumpier - but he's still going well.

I was a bit suspicious of vets since my budgie died last year the night after a visit to the vet. However, Mate had been getting quite agitated, squeaking and picking at his feathers. So, off we went to a specialist bird vet in Waterloo, Mate's cage strapped into the passenger seat in my car. I don't think he enjoyed the car ride much. The intertia from accelerating and decelerating disturbed him a bit, but he was still happy to chirp and whistle to me.

Mate coped very well with the vet - I was very impressed. He even had a blood test and an injection of antibiotics. I could tell he wasn't happy with me, because he ignored me all the way home, but after a bit of a rest he was talking to me again. It's probably nothing serious, but he does have a slight skin infection, and the vet also tested for kidney and liver disease (still waiting for those results). Apparently, feather-picking can be brought on by boredom and hormones. It seems that this wasn't the best time of the year for me (his 'girlfriend', as the vet called me) to have gone away for a whole month!

The main outcomes of this experience: I have to give Mate antibiotics twice a day for 10 days - holding him in a towel and putting two drops directly into his beak. I just tried this for the first time. He was not impressed! Also, Mate's diet is apparently not good, and while his weight is on the low side of normal, he has some fat deposits somewhere he's not supposed to. I didn't know this, but bird seed is the equivalent of fast food. Sunflower seeds are like McDonalds. So, Mate needs to eat more greens and stuff like pasta, rice and potato. It will be interesting trying to train him to eat this stuff! Such an old bird - he's quite set in his ways! And I've tried to give him more things to play with and destroy with that powerful little beak. I think he's a bit confused by all this new stuff!

A whole camp full of soldiers...

While overseas, I attended two conferences. The first was the annual conference of the British Society for the History of Science, held at the University of Leeds. This was quite interesting, and I met a few big names in my field. I enjoyed the second conference more, however. This was the Third International Pascal Centre Workshop - Interpreting Nature and Scripture: History of a Dialogue, held at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Canada. It was a smaller conference but it lasted longer, so I had more opportunity to get to know people. The topic was more specialised as well, so it was closer to my own research.

Now that I've attended a couple of conferences, and I have an idea of what happens, I feel a little more confident about presenting a paper of my own. Also, my research is getting to the point where I actually have something I can talk about, instead of just vague assertions and hunches (though there's still a bit of that!) I'm hoping to head over to New Zealand in December for the annual conference of the Australasian Association for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science, otherwise known as 'AAHPSSS'. (Man, these associations have mammoth names!)

Unfortunately, Australia is a little isolated academically. There aren't a huge number of opportunities to attend conferences locally. So, I'm also thinking (and dreaming) about going to the BSHS's annual postgraduate conference in January at the University of Brighton. That's Brighton in England. That means I could be in England in January. The middle of winter! To spend just three days there would be a waste of such an expensive flight, so if I go, I may as well spend a bit more time there. Paris is just a hop, skip and a jump across (or under) the Channel, so why don't I spend New Year's Eve in Paris?

NEW YEAR'S EVE IN PARIS!!

What an exciting possibility! Anyone want to join me??

Well, I'm not sure if this will happen, but it would be exciting if it did. In the meantime, I can dream!

I WANT TO GO TO BRIGHTON!

(By the way, 10 points for the first person who can tell me where the title of this post comes from. 50 points if you're a guy - I'd be very impressed!)

Amen, brother!

I was very happy to read this letter in yesterday's Herald:

Thank goodness for Dove moisturising cream. Over the weekend I saw the new ads on TV and posters on bus stops. It's just wonderful to see real women in advertisements - and don't they look fantastic with their real curves? So much more appealing than those stick figures that we see on the catwalks. Here's hoping it starts a fashion trend.

Roger Clark
Five Dock

I've been gone so long...

A long time has passed without even a hint of a posting on this blog. I'm sure you've all been waiting breathlessly for my return to the blogosphere, desperately wondering where I've been.

Did something terrible happen to her while she was away?
Is she still suffering from jetlag?
Has she given up on the blog all together?!

The answers are no, no and maybe, but not yet.

I had a fantastic time while I was overseas, packing as much as I possibly could into those four weeks. The highlight of my trip was definitely Cambridge, England. Cambridge, Massachusetts was also quite pleasant, but it doesn't even come close to the 'real' Cambridge. Such a beautiful place, relaxed but academic atmosphere, punts along the river, exquisite old buildings and the best part of all - a whole library devoted to the History and Philosophy of Science! I didn't want to leave. Sure, I could apply for a post-doctoral fellowship there once I finished my PhD, but maybe I could give up my PhD and move to Cambridge right away! The thought crossed my mind, and was entertained for more than a moment. After all, there seemed to be a number of jobs available... But I'm so over working in retail, so I decided to come home to finish my PhD. Cambridge will have to wait. Unless there's a conference there I could go to sometime...

Feeling kind of sleepy. Time to end this post. Perhaps there will be more later...

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

In about seven hours, I will be heading off on a a whirlwind round-the-world experience. Three countries and six cities in four weeks - I think I'm going to be exhausted by the time I get back!

I'm going to London, followed by Cambridge, Leeds, Ancaster (Canada), Boston and New York for a combination of conferencing, research reconnaissance and touristy sight-seeing.

I'll try to post here from time to time, to let you all know what I'm up to.

But now... I think I should go and pack my suitcase!!

Long time, no post

On Sunday, my cousin asked when I would update my blog yet. I thought it was lovely that someone actually looks forward to reading more of my ramblings!

So, here is a special message, just for my lovely cousin Caitlin!

I hope your knee isn't hurting too much, that you made it back to school today without any dramas, that you're enjoying To Kill a Mockingbird, and that you're keeping Andrew in line! Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday (fingers crossed!)

My Russian lexicon

These are the words and phrases that I can say in Russian:

Hello

Good morning

Goodbye

Yes

No

Please

Thank you

Good

Of course

Grandma

Aunt

Mum

Dad

Stop tormenting me!

Go away

Shut up

Hug me

I love you

Christ is risen

He is risen indeed

How do you say (insert English word) in Russian?

I can't carry on a conversation yet, but it's a start!

Another crazy quiz, but I like this result!

You are Romans.


Which book of the Bible are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Grrrr...

A woman does not want the truth; what is truth to women? From the beginning, nothing has been more alien, repugnant, and hostile to woman than the truth - her great art is the lie, her highest concern is mere appearance and beauty.

Friedrich Nietzsche
- Beyond Good and Evil

Why?

I had a discussion recently with my fellow FASSerians Nadine, Shannon and Jared about the conundrum that is Paris Hilton. Jared argued that she is a postmodern icon, presenting a critique of our society. The rest of us thought this was giving her far too much credit.

Last week I received the story below from a professional history of science email list (where it actually generated some discussion...)

SCIENTISTS SEEK EXPLANATION FOR PARIS HILTON
Hotel Heiress’ Popularity the Subject of Oslo Conference

Over two thousand of the world’s leading scientists converged on Oslo, Norway to attend a conference devoted to one of modern science’s most baffling phenomena, the continuing popularity of hotel heiress Paris Hilton.

In recent years Ms. Hilton’s worldwide fame has puzzled scientists, who have been at a loss to explain the gathering celebrity of a person who by most measures does not possess a distinctive talent, ability or personality.

But as the hotel heiress’ popularity has reached critical mass over the past twelve months, some of the most prominent voices in the scientific community called for the Oslo conference, which had been originally slated to discuss global warming, to focus on Ms. Hilton’s career instead.

The University of Tokyo’s Dr. Hiroshi Kyosuke, who wrote the definitive work on how the universe was created, is among the scientists in Oslo baffled by Paris Hilton’s surging success.

“I have a much clearer idea of how the solar system came to be than I do about Paris Hilton,” Dr. Kyosuke said.

As seemingly insoluble a mystery as Paris Hilton is, however, Dr. Kyosuke hopes that the scientists in Oslo will come away with at least a workable theory of Ms. Hilton's allure.

“The better we understand how and why Paris Hilton got here, the easier it will be to predict when she will go away,” Dr. Kyosuke said.

Elsewhere, Carl Edward Roland, the man who spent 56 hours perched on a crane above Atlanta’s Buckhead district, said today that he was only trying to beat a record set by the magician David Blaine.

Books I read in May 2005

1. Agatha Christie, Evil Under the Sun

2. Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

3. Arturo Perez-Reverte, The Dumas Club

Only 3 books in May. That's sad.

Welcome to the blogosphere!

You may have noticed two new links in my list of blogs. Firstly, Stu's "Exegetical Stu-ing". I don't know Stu in real life. I came across his blog the same way I found most of the blogs I read - he's a friend of a friend of a friend...

Also, welcome to Phil, a friend from church, who has just recently started a blog - fillet o phil (and check out his cute picture!)

Blue Skies

On days of gray
When doubt clouds my view
It’s so hard to see past my fears
My strength seems to fade
And it’s all I can do
To hold on, ’til the light reappears
Still, I believe though some rain’s bound to fall
That you’re here next to me
And you’re over it all

Lord, the sky’s still blue
For my hope is in you
You’re my joy
You’re the dream that’s still alive
Like the wind at my back
And the sun on my face
You are life
You’re grace
You are blue skies
You’re my blue skies

When nights are long
Seems the dark has no end
Still we walk on in light of the truth
For waiting beyond
Where the morning begins
Is the dawn, and your mercy anew
Oh, to believe we’re alive in your love
There is so much to see
If we keep looking up

You fill the heavens with hope and a higher love
A picture, a promise for life

- Point of Grace

Guilty

I just got back to my computer after a seminar and read the Schapelle Corby verdict. I feel so sorry for her. It's a tough issue, though. I don't really know what to think. On the one hand, we should respect the justice systems of other countries, or at least be more consistent in our outrage. On the other hand, it does seem so unjust.

I guess we just have to pray that God will give her the strength to endure whatever lies ahead, and have faith that God is in control and can work good from any situation. After all, she may not have become a Christian if not for this ordeal.

More thoughts soon...

Is your cup half-full or completely full?

I like this quote from Karen's blog. It captures how I feel lately.

“When I wake up in the morning, my ‘cup’ is about three-quarters full. I still might feel down occasionally or have a bad day but I've got room to cope with things that might upset me. But when you wake up in the morning, your cup is already full—full of all these things you've had to carry for a long time. So when things happen, your cup overflows. Of course you're going to feel overwhelmed and of course you're going to find things upsetting.”

(Women's chaplain to Moore College student last Tuesday over coffee and chai tea.)

My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness

My heart is filled with thankfulness to him who bore my pain
Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace and gave me life again
Who crushed my curse of sinfulness and clothed me in his light
And wrote his law of righteousness with power upon my heart.

My heart is filled with thankfulness to him who walks beside
Who floods my weaknesses and strengths and causes fear to fly
Whose every promise is enough for every step I take
Sustaining me with arms of love and crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness to him who reigns above
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace, whose every thought is love
For every day I have on earth is given by the King
So I will give my life, my all, to love and follow him.

- Stuart Townend and Keith Getty

Never Alone

I waited for you today
But you didn't show
No no no
I needed You today
So where did You go?
You told me to call
Said You'd be there
And though I haven't seen You
Are You still there?

I cried out with no reply
And I can't feel You by my side
So I'll hold tight to what I know
You're here and I'm never alone

And though I cannot see You
And I can't explain why
Such a deep, deep reassurance
You've placed in my life

We cannot separate
'Cause You're part of me
And though You're invisible
I'll trust the unseen

- Barlow Girl

Head Over Feet

I heard this Alanis Morisette song on the radio last night. It used to be one of my favourite songs. Somehow, it seemed to capture what it was I hoped to one day find in a relationship.

I had no choice but to hear you
You stated your case time and again
I thought about it

You treat me like I'm a princess
I'm not used to liking that
You ask how my day was

You've already won me over in spite of me
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it, it's all your fault

Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole
You're so much braver than I gave you credit for
That's not lip service

You are the bearer of unconditional things
You held your breath and the door for me
Thanks for your patience

You're the best listener that I've ever met
You're my best friend
Best friend with benefits
What took me so long

I've never felt this healthy before
I've never wanted something rational
I am aware now, I am aware now

You've already won me over in spite of me
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it, it's all your fault

Inconceivable!

I actually achieved my aim for today (in terms of my PhD work). In spite of much distraction and procrastination (that 1824 forum is addictive...) I have a draft of my first chapter. I've still got a lot of work to do on it, but it's a draft that makes some kind of sense! Hurray! And if I can achieve the rest of my daily aims this week, I'll actually be able to submit it to my supervisor on Friday! That's incredible!

Retail therapy #2

I like buying books. Books make me happy. My psychologist tells me I need to schedule more pleasant activities outside the house. Buying books is a pleasant activity. Buying books takes place outside my house. Does that mean I have official sanction from a medical professional to buy more books? Hurrah!