2-0!

This week was a bit difficult to maintain motivation as I had a week of being away. I continued to present my code with the group, but we're having small technical difficulties, so it's a slow, monotonous procedure. I pass my time, though, by reading review papers and going over scientific aspects of what we're doing. It does not help, either, that my supervisor is out of town.

My flat is in a bit of a state of turmoil. The floors in the bathroom and the kitchen are in a pretty poor state and so our landlord is having them replaced as well as getting us new cupboards and a refrigerator. Our shower is also broken, and my disdain for taking baths has only increased. Hopefully though it will all be finished today and we can move our kitchen out of the hallway and back where it belongs. I have a pleasant little maze leading to my bedroom door created out of piles of dishes, dried foods and a cabinet. I'm pretty sure that one of my flatmates put a perishable item in this giant mass as it is beginning to smell. Ugh. Again, it should be done today. Fingers crossed. It is pretty entertaining, though, to have a flat crawling with sweaty, giant, Glaswegian builders. They're all very nice, but definitely skivvied off a bit early on Saturday due to the Scotland vs Macedonia World Cup qualifier (Scotland won, 2-0... woo hoo!).

Due to the flat being redone, my flatmate and I went out for dinner on Thursday night at O'Couture, a little student joint in the city centre. They were having a special on, so we were able to get an extremely cheap meal. It was a lot of fun, but I felt bad for the place because it seems to be bleeding customers. It has such a nice ambiance, but nothing to really set it apart from the many many similar places all down that street.

Friday night we went out to Coopers on Great Western Road. Since many of the department play football after work on Fridays it was just myself and one other guy for a bit, but it was nice to chat with him as I didn't know him that well. The rest all showed up and we got some food and hung out there for quite some time. The next day I went and did some shopping on Byres Road though the weather has been absolute shite for the last few weeks. Only now, as I write this, can I see a glimmer of sunlight coming through the trees; the first I've seen in at least a week. Over the weekend, the clouds were so heavy, it felt like perpetual dusk.

A few of us went to go see District 9 on Saturday night. It was fantastic to see a new, well-thought-out science fiction film about which I knew nothing. There was a little too much in terms of medical procedures, but that really served to prove to me that my decision at the age of 5 or so to not go into medicine was a sound one. Other than that, I would actually recommend it. Just be prepared to close your eyes a bit. It was necessary for the story, so I can appreciate that, but it was still a lot to handle. I won't say anymore, though, in case you want to see it, because it was a great film to watch without knowing anything. It stayed true to science fiction in the purest way in the sense that it used aliens and our disattachement to a foreign species to make some serious sociological commentary. Something that could not have been accomplished with a human race.

After District 9 we went to Mr India's for curry. A place quickly becoming dear to my heart. When/if any of you come visit and you like Indian food, this will be the first stop. So, leaving you hungry for curry, I will sign off until next week. Cheerio!