h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ah, that one. Chemistry has provided so many great jokes over the years. "Johnny was a chemist, but Johnny is no more. What Johnny thought was H20 was H2SO4", for example.

Caer, musical numbers as presentations are generally fun, but they take too much preparation. I once had to learn how to play the banjo so that my group could finish our "Hamlet Hodown," for instance.

Although, I'll never forget all the events that occurred when I realized that all of Shakespeare's sonnets could easily be set to a vaudeville tune. That was an act that wrote itself (and could be heard three classrooms away, so they tell me).

I have a feeling that my presentations wouldn't go down very well if I set them to music Tempting though..

I managed to get an A for the last one I gave - which was a relief! I was in a slight panic before hand.

I really should get on with some work.. really..

Same here. I've got the final draft of an important paper due tomorrow at 8 AM, and I probably won't be getting home until 8 or 9 PM tonight, so it'd be better to start writing it now during all of my free time (an hour and forty-five minutes to go before my next class).

I think you should work on musical presentations. They're fun, always memorable, etc. The only problem is that you should probably never attempt this with serious teachers. Oh, and it helps if you know people who can play musical instruments (I learned to play the banjo for one, but that wouldn't've flown at all if one of my partners couldn't already play the guitar).

[fg, having a cloudy day]

[{Courtesy}]

{anticipating missing the FTTF mug...again...}

Things are gearing up for our regular 18-month refueling outage at the nuclear plant. This go 'round, we're doing some special renovations, along with changing out one-third of our fuel cells. The big project is to remove and replace our condensor system--high, medium, and low pressure--assemblies. The units are about 80ft long, 40ft wide and high each. The side of the Turbine Building has already been removed and covered with plastic, in anticipation. It's been a major logistics project, implemented by a contractor, and seems to be moving forward at the required pace. The new installation should give us better cooling capability for the steam generation cycle, thus boosting our effective electrical output by a little bit. (Okay, megaWatts is more than just a bit.)

I'm finally starting to get some additional responsibilities, after two years on site, and look forward to the challenge of directing some work crews again. When I signed on here, it was as an entry-level position doing groundswork and janitorial duties. That s*cked just a little, though I was paid quite handsomly for the work. After a year, I tested into a position in the Rad/Chem Helper group, and have been doing that job for a year. The duties revolve around mitigating the spread of radiological contamination. (I clean up potentially radioactive messes, plus basic laborer tasks of toting barges and lifting bales.) With Refuel Outage 13 at our doorstep, our workgroup has been given the opportunity to act as Modified Temporary Foremen, directing additional contract work inside the Reactor Building and the Auxiliary Building.

All my years of military training and the time I spent as a Project Manager for Marconi are coming into play--Finally! I've already started dialogs with the Lay-Down Coordinator (who schedules equipment into/out of the Reactor Building), as well as his assistant (who designates the 'free space' available on each floor level). I'd forgotten how many issues come up when you try to organize an event of this magnitude, and have already abandoned some initial concepts, and rethought other processes crucial to "our" group's success in the activities planned. Just finding out who the "go-to" person is in each set of tasks has been like pulling teeth, frequently causing me to run in circles before locking in the right responsible person.

When this kicks off, y'all will probably see even less of me than when I was taking classes with University of Phoenix. I'm taking about a 2-1/2-month hiatus from the college courses, as I *KNOW* I wouldn't have time to work a 12-hour shift, uphold a relationship with my family, get a few hours sleep, *AND* do classwork / research / discussions for another course of study. I'll at least try to drop a calling card and check on how y'all are getting along. Since y'all always seem to manage quite well without me, I figure the Atelier will still be here--maybe even bigger and better--when I return.

Stay sweet, treat each other pleasantly, and teach the newbies proper manners,

droppingalineB4CallawayRF13begins

[GDZ]

[spk]

[Z]

Hey B$, just keep that radiation badge firmly in place. Don't get exposed to too many rads.

Sorry, that was B4, not B$.

No, Marv, you were right to begin with. I've been taking courses towards a BS in Management...and that is *NOT* an oxymoron!

gettingaBSB4mynextBM

[mr]

Funny you should mention refuelling outages. I came home at lunchtime to find that the propane tank has run dry. The house smells terrible -- kind of like the inside of a propane tank, actually. Fortunately we're having a windy spring day and the place is already aired out, but what a nuisance. Willy will be here later to refill the tank and relight the pilot lights for the heater and the water heater... and, probably, to admonish me for my absent-mindedness.

Welcome back Caerwynn - I put some snow in a tupperware in the fridge over at the Cafe for you! (we had a light dusting on Friday last)

*Belatedly waves to Kiltedjedi

I liked your photos MR - Do you have any connections with Cornwall? My husband's cousin, also a lovely girl, looks very like you.

Lil - I meant to tell you earlier about a picture that popped into my head a few hundred posts ago when you mentioned working at ?Lincoln PO - the one near the prison. I had this picture of a parcel, containing a cake, containing a file being processed through your PO for one of the nearby residents.

Teuchter, I don't know. My grandfather's family got kicked out of the highlands in the mid-16th century (apparently, in that lawless place, they were a bit *too* lawless) and moved to somewhere in southern England, so I suppose it's quite possible.

[c]

*having a bit of a mood monsoon kind of day*

Sounds like you've got a place to work at, B4. Hope your upcoming activities go well.

Two hours until my Jazz Band class starts, and I've still made little progress on that final draft. Really horrid, considering that when I make a "final draft" it normally entails running a spell check on a rough draft and giving it a quick read-through in the event of any major calamities. All things considered, I *should* be done by now.

Lousy procrastinatorial tendencies....always messing me up....

[Affy - enjoying the surprisingly cold and cloudy weather]

[GDZ]

[T&R]