okay, let's try this again.

Hey, five months is less than two and a half years. And in the five months since my post about the Oscars, I've written a thesis, lost a grandfather, taken comprehensive exams, traveled from England to Boston for the ten-day World Championships of Curling, traveled from the US to Dublin for a week-long tour with the Cathedral Singers of Christ Church (Oxford), left Oxford for keeps, and spent a week with the baby you see here. Also rented an apartment and made a number of arrangements with respect to moving into it. Next week I really will move, and will also continue looking for jobs, so more arrangements need to be made.

So naturally, the blog is back on. :-) In much the same pattern as I observed in graduate school, I'm very good at intending to get things done and then spending a whole day not doing them. Today I did apply to open a checking account in NoVA, and I made the arrangements to have my phone connected next Wednesday. These will both be necessary when I want to set up DSL and cable. ... Guess it means I should think about buying a phone, though.