The last year

This is the last year, as in the final year. The year it is going to happen.

I just had my annual review. The LAST annual review before the defense (that, according to my current timeline, will take place April 10 next year. Hm. I think I might have to change that since that is a Saturday... April 9th is the new date!)

A good friend of mine has been reviewing her thesis writing progress on her blog, and it's been very inspiring to read. So, I think I am going to do that myself! After all, the thesis is what I spend about 90% of my time on. The first deadlines I have are:
May 23: A poster (second author) for a conference (that I will not attend, but I'm really just happy about that..).
May 30: Draft of chapter 1: the Introduction, including background and motivation. Also chapter 4, describing pretty much what will be on the poster - galaxy modelling with an awesome new software (not mine, I'm the user), and testing of said program with artificial galaxies. 

I will keep you posted... 

Live long and prosper

Premiere night. And the new star trek movie is a w e s o m e!!! Although the silly black holes made me giggle somewhat... And what is it with J.J. Abrams' (the director) fascination with hovering liquid red orbs? Just a cheap way to explain the ease with which to... no. That's all the spoilers you'll get out of me. Excellent cast/special effects, and of course it doesn't hurt that Simon Pegg plays Scotty, even though all that is resembling between the two would be the accent. There was even a moment in the first few scenes, where space did not have sound. But alas, that was all that could be given. I don't mind though, this movie experience was one of the better ones I'll see this year, I'm sure. 

Less impressive was the audience. Only one person was dressed up (not me, although I did bring spock ears), there was no lineup, the theatre was far from full, and where a swedish audience on the premiere day (which undoubtedly would have consisted of real trekkies) would have cheered and applauded (mainly Spock related events), nothing of the kind occurred here. Bizarre. 

Another bizarre thing was that as we were leaving the theatre, 2 guys muttered "trekkies" as we walked by in the parking lot. I didn't even wear my ears! I'm quite happy to be a trekkie, so I'm not bothered, just wondering how they would have known (for the record, we were wearing winter coats, since the temperature plummeted from 22 yesterday to 1 today. Ugh.)