Off to the Big Apple

Tomorrow (Wednesday) we head off to NYC, where we'll meet up with our friends Uli, Karin, and Anja. A real...I think the word is..."vacation"...for us. (Shrug.) Stay tuned!

Home Again

I got home last night late--the flight from Chicago was an hour late in departing. But I am home. Was pretty tired, but slept well and had a hike in Mission Gorge Trails this morning so feeling a bit recharged.

This is pretty much it until we go to NYC in late August...

Boston, then Michigan

From New London, NH, I returned on the conference bus to Boston, where I spent a weekend catching up with my friends Athena and Peter. We had a lovely time, visiting the Gardner Museum and partaking of the excellent restaurants in Boston. In particular we had a fabulous brunch at the fabled Blue Room, pictured below. Although rain had been forecast, it was mostly sunny (though a bit muggy), which is why they are squinting.




From Boston I flew to Lansing, Michigan via Chicago, for a workshop at a conference site sponsored by Michigan State University. Here I have met up with many old friends, colleagues, and even two former students (Ionel and Hai Ah). We'll be working hard all week, and then I return home on Friday.

Choose your crustacean!

The food here has been, I must say, outstanding for a conference, and even better for being served in a college cafeteria. Perhaps this is to make up for the spartan rooms, which have been either too cold or too hot. Foodwise, it has been a challenge to not pig out, but I have taken a large salad with every meal.

But last night they outdid themselves: Maine lobster!



Apparently this arthopodic feast is a tradition at the Gordon Research Conferences, at least the ones held at Colby-Sawyer College. (There are at least half a dozen being held simultaneous any given week during the summer.) I have no complaints. The lobster was sweet and succulent and prepared perfectly.

There was also sides of smoke salmon, caprese salad, roasted asparagus, baked brie, sweet potato tortellini, and I forget what else.

Of course there was dessert:



That was last night. This morning we take a bus back down to Boston. Next week I have the UNEDF collaboration meeting in East Lansing, Michigan, near Michigan State University, and so I'm spending the weekend with friends rather than on an airplane going to San Diego, stepping off, and getting right back on again.

Gordon Research Conference

So I'm at a Gordon Research Conference, which is quite famous if you are in the sciences, and if not you probably haven't heard of them. They are held at various locations in New England, a week of intense presentations. While I have a photo of the conference room, we are not allowed to post pictures or discussion of the actual presentations, in order to inculcate a free spirit of discussion and debate.

The past few days were overcast and cool. Today was warmer and mostly sunny, but with the occasional shower. Even had a bit of thunder a few moments ago.

New Hampshire

I am now at Colby-Sawyer College, in the quiet town of New London, New Hampshire. It is a cool, misty day. Very green, very bucolic.









The accomodations are a bit spartan. But that's fine; I'm going to be busy so I don't need luxury.

Rainy Boston

I'm on my way to one of the famed Gordon Research Conferences, scattered throughout New England every summer. This one is "nuclear chemistry" (really: low-energy nuclear physics), at Colby-Sawyer College near New London, New Hampshire. I've never been to one before, though I have heard of them for years. Donna went to at least one years ago.

En route, I took a red-eye via LAX to Boston. I never can sleep on planes. So I drank 3 cups of coffee and now I feel all buzzy, and not in a good way. Boston is rainy; the temperature is tepid.

I'll keep you all updated. Next week I go on to East Lansing, Michigan, for another conference; in between I'll be visiting my friends Athena and Peter in Boston.