Science Writers disappointment (by sarah)

I thought things might be getting abit tight to enter the Young Science Writer of the Year compertion and as this year is the first year since I found out about it that I am actually in a position to enter.

No floods, being healthy enough to actually get stuff done and being back in the science world even though its part time. With my ambition/long term goal being bringing science to the masses I was actually really looking forward to stretching the writing skills I have been learning over the last few years - to me this was a fussion project and looked like fun.

This year is also the last year I am young enough to enter - so I went to the website and... its not running this year - not explanation or anything just no running 🙁 Looks like I'm not even going to get my chance at it - I mean I boubt I would have done very well at it but at least I would have tried but the oppurtunity has been plucked from me.

Never mind - tomorrow I get to put my moon rock in a machine for blasting!!!! Mwahahahahahh!

Artistic Frustration (by sarah)

Last night I saw once again the most fantstic moon, it was a pastal tangerine colour and it was in a twilight sky, just above the horizon and it was huge. It hung there like the proverbial eye and the trees below were bathed in golden light from the setting sun.

But would Alaric turn the van round to go get the camera? Would he even stop to look at it - no!

This is the bane of my life when it comes to photos - I know I'm not exactly brilliant and I would probably have blurred it anyway but hey the moon was hanging over our valley!

I had a similar problem when the snow was on the ground - Dad didn't understand that I wanted to stop the car to get out and take photos of the whole of the bowl shaped bit with like all the built up bit in it - covered in snow. I had asked Alaric to come out and walk up to the main road to take pics as with my pelvis and back I can't afford to be out in the snow falling over on my own but he wouldn't.

Its not their fualts they either just dont see it or do and are genuingly busy but I find it so frustrating along with people talking constantly at me when I'm trying to write, paint, make websites and other things.

And as for having my projects moved or my pooter used when I'm not there - that really makes my blood boil - only becuase people don't know where the fragile bits are or the fact the laptop is on its last legs and has a tendency to crash if you do certian things and it takes me so long to have everything set up to work its a right pain if I have to restart.

I am feeling alittle bit frustrated and am trying to claim back my work space in the office but its slow going.

On the plus side I saw a shooting star last night with a green tinge to it and a cloud that looked like a rabbit or hare running under the moon.

I have a piece of the Moon! (by sarah)

Erm I think that I forgot to mention that even though I have not yet paid my top up fee and therefore do not have libary access etc... I have been given a small sliver of moon rock to blast with lasers 🙂

I have been staring at the moon lots since they gave it to me two weeks ago and am also petrofied I'll screw something up!

I got to take the carbon coat off of it and so have a quick peek under a reflected light microscope. It does seem to be an interesting sample - its from a lunar meteorite that fell to earth which is interesting in itself.

After my disappointment over the mini projects I was so startled to get this sample I have been sort of shell shock reading - I know very little about lunar geology so I am having to do some heavy reading. Fortunatly I seem to be able to apply stuff I learnt whilst doing the Carbonado essay and the moon formation essay last term.

I really feel I need to get to grips with this as it is such a blindingly fantastic sample (they have the meteorite as well) that I have jumped ship and will be doing this meteorite as my main project as well - this masters has just dragged on too long now and I don't want anything logistically complicated.

However I do still want to do the astrobiology - impact lithology stuff but when I was looking at it before I found huge issues in talking to microbiologist and isotope chemists who didn't understand one and other and having to translate stuff to each of them that I barely understood myself.

I was recommended to get my hands on some undergraduate texts for the micro-organism thing and the chem I'm picking up from the papers I'm reading and hopefully from the machines I'm going to be using. My origonal project was drawn up with the idea of it being a PhD anyway so this I think is the best course of action.

Business and Art (by sarah)

To a certain extent I feel that my business stuff with the website building etc... is not going to well - I came up with the plan pre-flood and was working on then and back then it was a needed service and would have probalby taken off but now isn't then and things have changed.

Basically I missed the boat but am still vaguelly paddling in a lifeboat, there is a chance still that things could take off and I hope they do. So far this year I've earn't a grand total of £350 and $300 for the company - this is just not enough and I am sad.

Also £100 of that is not yet paid and the $300 we are having issues getting it from google.

On the plus through sending out business stuff to do with making websites and the cross over of science and art etc... I have had people ask about computer case modes - this is making your own case for the computer.

Now I am not going to flit from one project to another so the webstuff is still on but I do alot of creative crafty stuff anyway so I thought I might have ago at making a nice case for one of our computers. Then I will have something I can show people on the off chance of getting some custom for it - randomly there is more interest being shown in this potential project than in what I'm actually trying to establish as a business.

I am feeling a bit low that my blogs are earning more money through adds than my ability to make nice websites is. So then I start to think maybe I should use my art for business more but then I reign myself in fearing stretching myself even further than I already am.

I also have a business questonaire I shall post soon - if people could possibly fill it in and send it back that would be great.

Also what do people think about having personalised computer cases and the such like? I'm currently looking at it as a fun project but Al seems to think there is some proper potential there.

Wiggly Pets are Back (by sarah)

As some of you may know I make Wiggly Pets which are friendly little creatures and who have been woefully neglected by me since the flood in 2007. There blog has lain forlorn and un-updated since the end of that fatefull summer.

This was mainly as I had helped them get a few weeks ahead in their stories and then the chaos broke and I just had no time, no internet and no house but we got back into the house halve way through last year and I still somehow failed to help them start blogging again though the stories where there! They have been blogging off-line waiting for me to get my act together.

So I am back dating their posts and will be putting them up at a rate of one or two stories a week (hopefully).

So at long last the second part to Mystery is there and waiting to be read!