Olde Informatics

Happy April Fools’ Day!  I started my day at the “Jokes On You” Water Polo Classic in Adair Hall on W&M’s campus.  Jean and I ran the clock and kept score for the first match.  My friend Ed is the captain of the home team and organized the event.  Teams from the Hampton Roads area and University of Richmond participated.  W&M is still building up their young team…they were psyched to tie and get their first “non-loss” of the season.

                                                       The Tribe

                                 Check out those attentive lifeguards.

                                                           Jean!  Ed!

There used to be a lot more women involved in Computer and Information Sciences - say, in the 1980’s.  For whatever reason, our numbers have been dwindling in recent years.  It may be because of a gender stigma about C.S., or about being a “geek,” or it may just be that there aren’t enough women already involved to tell other women that it’s a great area to study.  In any event, the above-named conference was created to foster a bond among women in C.S. reminding us that we may be few, we may be far between, but we’re not extinct.

William & Mary’s C.S. department has noticed the large male-to-female ratio in our department.  There are even fewer Caucasian females than Asian females in our department.  Dr. Torczon, our chair, decided to take four undergraduate females - two declared majors and two considering the major, and two graduate students - me and Jennifer, to GHC 2011 in Portland, OR.  Jennifer and I were  there mainly to talk up our school and to network, and the others were there to network and learn more about what one does with a C.S. degree. 

I wasn’t completely sold on the trip.  I easily get annoyed at pro-women-we’re-the-underdog kinds of gatherings.  If we want to feel more assimilated into a male-dominated area, why are we extracting ourselves?  But anyway, I couldn’t deny how the vibe was so much different than a typical C.S. conference.  Of course, there’s the difference that it wasn’t geared towards any particular specialization, but the fact that there was probably a 90/10 female-to-male ratio must have added the sense of comfort that I felt to this strange place.  There was an upbeat atmosphere as opposed to a serious sterility about the venue.

Our W&M contingent, I can safely say, had a great time.  I think a few of us got job/internship opportunities out of the corporate presence there, we went to talks that were interesting to each of us, and all of us got out to see as much of Portland as we could.  Not only did I meet men and women from all over the country in both academia and industry, but I got to know these women from my own school that I otherwise would not have had the chance to talk to in depth!  I would definitely go again.  It’s just pure fun for a bunch of geeks like us, and it has the power to turn a skeptic like me into a believer.

                               On the “EXECUTIVE” shuttle to PHF!

      View out of the Hilton onto Downtown Portland and the great beyond.

                                     Great public transit system.

                    Carolyn, Sarah, Jennifer, Dr. Torczon, waiting for tram.

Spent a lot of time at the back of this session - volunteered here for a few hours.

            Keynote:  Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.  (I got front row!)

                               A girl and her voodoo doughnut!

                                                Food. Carts.

                                                    My gyro.

                                   Roommates —-> New friends

                                         Emerson Hall a-rowin’!

                                                    Take 1.

                                                    Take 2.

              Ahhh, that’s better.  Jean, Remy, Harry, Ryan, Ed, and Nic.

                                            Nature walk!

            Night before.  There goes the “red sky at night” rule for sure.

         Evacuees!  Kicked out of the gradplex for the storm.  (Dan, Nic, Ed)

                         Dan, the pan… the grilled cheese sandwich.

                                 I mean, really, life was terrible.

                                         Campus destruction.

                    Target - open while on generators.  Creepytown…

They’ve come a long, long way, baby.  It’s not easy to keep up the facade of a normal, muggle lifestyle, and the strain is difficult to beat back at times.  For the last *official* time, however, the sister-witches broke free of the real world’s chains and gathered to prepare for and witness the epic battle between Harry and Voldy.  

                                                “Potter Puffs”

                                                    HP7 Part I

Is it really over?  Maybe they didn’t party the hardest every time or memorize key dialogues from the canon, but they have done it to the best of their ability.  There is a horcrux for each of them imbued into all of the DVDs, ticket stubs, and chopstick wands used over the years.  We’ll have to wait and see if that ends up being a problem or not.

Revealed February 12, 2011, this most-expenses-paid vacation came in as, most likely, the second best surprise of the day.  (The first being an anniversary party.)   Mum and Dad had a romantic, European vacation to look forward to - complete with Anglophillic daughters.  I don’t know what better explicitly spells out ” guaranteed good time.”

This was one of those trips that you’ve got booked, written on your calendar, in the back of your mind, but when it’s time to go… oh #$^@ - time to go!

Having overcome various states of travel confusion, we made it from Hanson to Boston and Boston to London.  I spent most of my trip fighting with a sudoku puzzle that I would occasionally throw Mum’s way for a “hint.”  Jen read; Mum watched an in-flight movie, did puzzles, and read.  Not sure what Dad did, as he was seated in the row behind us, but I would shoot him smiles from between the openings in the seats.

Once we got to our hotel, the Radisson Edwardian Grafton, all we wanted was food.  Any kind of food.  Then we slithered upstairs to sleep.  Night 1.

                                                     *        *        *

TOURISTS

On Day 1, we satisfied an interest to 3 of our party, perhaps even to 4 - the Sherlock Holmes Museum.  I have been reading his fabulous tales as of late, so I was keen on it.  So what if it required waiting in a long line - sorry, queue - and braving the rain?  We were there!

While exciting for those of us who indulge in fantasies made real, it was difficult to forget that the museum was a series of rooms filled with what people thought this character would have kept.  The scary wax mannequins propelled me into this reality.

What to do…what to do…how about the Churchill War Rooms!  We had our first experience with the “tube” in getting there from the Sherlock Holmes Museum, which was the beginning of a love-hate-love relationship with the transportation system.  The War Rooms were fantastic because, unlike the Sherlock Holmes Museum, you knew that you weren’t too far from reality in your mental reconstructions of the scenes in the rooms in front of you.  It was where WWII planning went down in GB, and the chill remains in the air.

Here, I must mention how bloody exhausting a single day in London was.  I consider myself to be reasonably in shape, and I was spent - spent - every afternoon.  Dinner was sometime later at the Northumberland Arms pub.  Jen ate bread!  It was awesome!  Night 2.

                                                     *        *        *

“SEE YOU AT WATERLOO.”

For the rest of the vacation, Mum hung out with bad luck.  A tension-release migraine racked her all of Day 2, so her birdies and husband ventured out into the concrete wilderness without her. 

At the time, we were sad not to have Mum with us for more adventuring.  In retrospect, I like to think that a message from the Divine told her to sit back and let the following bout of lampooning take place.

I think I set the pace a lot.  I’m aware that I’m a swift walker, even though I can’t sense this while I’m walking.  Companions probably curse me behind my back.  That said, I take responsibility for the following issue: 

Jen, Dad and I make our way to the tube stop to take a train to Waterloo Station, where the London Eye is.  We glide down the escalator to the bowels of the station where the platforms are.  As we’re barreling along at my pace, Dad’s remarking at how clean the station is; Jen and I are simply excited to get back on the tube. (Perhaps Christian Bale or Laurence Fox is riding it today.)  Just think of the possibility before us!

We near our platform - perfect timing!  The train has just pulled up!  Doors open, Jen hops on, I hop on, Dad probably hops on, doors close.  Nervous giggles spout from Jen and I until we realize that Dad’s on the other side of the glass.  Dad has described what he saw as looks of utter shock and a mouthed “OH MY GOD” from me, hand tugging at the lower portion of my face. Jen and I exchange looks of “we’re orphans!”

“SEE YOU AT WATERLOO” is the parting message exaggeratedly mouthed from Dad’s serious, resigned face with maybe a twinkle in his eye.  Dad disappears from view.

Speaking of twinkles in eyes, neither Jen nor I know whether to laugh or cry, but the guy standing over my shoulder sure does.  He’s really enjoying the dram-com that he’s watching unfold in front of him.  

Did I mention that our destination stop is only 2 away?  Something miniscule like that.  In that time, Jen and I finally process our next move and stumble out of the train at Waterloo.  Then we have to ask ourselves: if I’m Dad Moore, what do I do when I get off the train in a foreign country to find my children?

I convince Jen that we should sit right there on the bench on the platform.  I know better than to let Dad find us.  We gotta pounce.  See for yourself.

All was well after we got our act together and walked over to the London Eye.  The London Eye is a ferris wheel-type ride that moves slowly and almost continuously, offering people the chance to have a panoramic view of London.  It was built for the new millennium.  It’s about $20 per person, but I think it’s worth it for the sights and experience.  Reconsider if you’re limping though.  You have to get yourself onto the ride while it’s still moving.

After that, we walked across Westminster Bridge to Westminster Abbey.  I’m glad we did it, despite how congested the pedestrian traffic was in getting there.  Westminster Abbey was probably my favorite sight of the trip.  I think that Eileen said it was her favorite place that she visited too.  It’s so complex a structure, inside and out.  It was too touristy for me to feel particularly spiritual in there, but there was something interesting to look at no matter which way you turned.  Plus, we did get to sit roughly where the queen did for Wills and Kate’s wedding!  Especially interesting were the grottos in which royalty were entombed.  It got me and Jen thinking about the poses in which we would like our effigies to be…”strike a tomb-pose!”

(No pictures allowed in there, but here are a few after-shots.)

                                       (Wills and Kate emerge)

Then we dragged ourselves home!  After what I can only imagine was a period of intense napping, Jen and I decided to have a traditional tea in our hotel restaurant.  All I can say is: holy scones.  And the tea wasn’t bad either.

With little room left in our stomachs, we nonetheless joined Dad for dinner at Chettinad Indian restaurant.  You can read my review of it here: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g186338-d737343-r116522270-Chettinad_Restaurant-London_England.html#REVIEWS 

On a side note, Jen and I found an awesome show there called Don’t Tell the Bride, in which the groom gets the entire budget and planning capabilities for the wedding… down to the bride’s dress.  Hilarious and touching.  Hence, after Chettinad, Jen and I got into our beds and tried to find that show again.  Night 3.

                                                     *        *        *

On our last full day in London, we woke up bright and early so that we could have our complimentary breakfast, walk to the British Museum, and get in line to see the Rosetta Stone.  Had we known we would be strong-armed out of the way at game time by a group of Greek middle-schoolers, we would’ve ambled over. 

Hmm…Where’s that picture I took of the stone…oh - that’s right!  It was all I could do to catch a glimpse of it, let alone take a blurry photo of it.

Anyway, all four of us split up and went to whatever we found most interesting.  I made my way to Easter Island-place, Native American collections (I know), Asian art (my fave!), the Middle Ages rooms, and then Ancient Greek/Roman area.  Here are some favorite things, the photos of which I actually took this time:

                                           Easter Island statue

                                             Chinese pottery

                                           Samurai armor

                                 Diamond tiara (oak branches!)

                                       Various precious gems

It killed Jen and I to admit that we were too tired to do any of the other many things that we wanted to do while we were in London, but we had to.  That was our last, big excursion.  We had an awesome pub dinner later though…

Night 4.

Last stop before home - a little duty-free but not guilt-free browsing…

Thank you, Mum and Dad, for the opportunity to go on this trip.  I think you understood how enthusiastic we were about…everything.