Thursday, December 20, 2007

Merry Christmas and junk

Hi everybody,

Since there is only one post so far for december, I thought I shear up the numbers a bit. Although I'm far from religious in any way (perhaps only when worshiping divine female curves), I do love the whole christmas atmosphere. It is supposed to be the birthday celebration of Jesus Christus, but that was just a smart move of the Catholic Church to absorb the pagan celebrations around that time of year. I like to think of Christmas more as a fertility celebration. The tree is obviously a phallussymbol, and the presents underneath, well I don't think I need to explain what they represent. It's the celebration of the winter solstice, which is actually on the 22nd, and means the beginning of the lengthening of the days. In short, I wish you all a Merry Solstice and a very Happy New Year.

And don't let my obscene thoughts ruine your fun when opening those balls... I mean presents.

Best wishes,

Koen

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Stuff and nonsense

Ugh. I had to look at Braddy's smug face on the local news blathering on about his bloody giant eurypterid. That news story was even a question on Have I Got News For You that week. Braddy's practically famous! Though his name wasn't actually mentioned!

Anyway, that wasn't the purpose of this post. Just thought I should say hello, I haven't been here for a while. So hello! Hope you're all doing well with your PhD's or whatever. I'm still working part-time, and volunteering at Bristol museum. Which is fun! Kinda. More excitingly, I'm going to Australia in January! I'm joining a university-run dig near Melbourne for a couple of weeks, and I'm gonna dig up dinosaurs! Hopefully. I went digging in Westbury one day last week with a collector, looking for a plesiosaur skull in the clay pit, and found bugger all! Well, we found a fish, and some fossilised wood, but that's it. The chap had already found the plesiosaur's mandible, a paddle and all of the cervical vertebrae, and all quite well articulated, so he was hopeful that the skull was still there...but no such luck.

So, yeah...digging is the plan at the moment. I'm just trying to get some field experience, really. It was Remmert who recommended the Australia trip to me, 'cause I asked him how one gets into doing what he does for a living, and the advice was basically to get out in the field. So into the field I shall go! Even if that field happens to be an Australian beach, at the height of their summer and the depths of the glorious British winter! It's a hard life!

Hope everyone's OK, enjoy Palass those of you who are going, and see you sometime!


Rach