New blog, new start, but some things never change

In light of the fact that starting September 1st I will be on my first sabbatical, I decided to start a new blog. Particularly because for 2.5 months this year, I will be in SE Asia! I will be spending 6 weeks at the National Science Museum in Bangkok (Rangsit), 1 week house building in Pursat province, Cambodia, and then an additional 3 weeks on holiday in Northern Thailand and Laos. I can't wait!!

Let the adventure begin!

I feel as if my sabbatical has already started. I spent the last week at Laurentian working with Andy, doing laser ablation ICP-MS on zircons from the Larvik Complex in Norway.


Being away from the office, installed in a quiet office at LU, left to my own devices with huge quantities of trace element data is actually quite relaxing and peaceful.

I also feel at home. It's going back to my roots. To the place where I initially got interested in mineralogy and started my career. Working with the person who was intrumental in helping me find my way along the winding path during my undergrad, grad school, thru the hell that was my post-doc, and now in my adult life. It's a different building, a different department (many of the profs and people who were there when I did my undergrad are no longer around), but some things never change. People grow, get older, get more experienced, but at their core, they never change. And for that, I am glad. It means I can go home again when I need to. Sudbury itself isn't home. Even being with relatives isn't truly home. But A and LU is home, for better or worse.

So a new blog for a new start. It's going to be a busy year. Right now, my focus is on getting ready for my sabbatical, training for a half-marathon, and making sure I'm in shape before I leave for Thailand so I can train at Baan Muay Thai without crashing half-way through the week!