The feeling that someone's watching you.....

My cubicle is located in a rather inconvenient place, kind of in the middle of a big room where the exits of the room are located such that people walk right behind me. Since the day I sat here I've noticed that some people and when I say some I mean only 2 or 3, tend to shot a glance towards my computer screen when walking past this point. But not everyone did that (so I thought) and since I myself often found casting a glance or two at other's screens when I'm walking past theirs, I didn't really take much notice of these 'peeks', until I changed my wallpaper.

It was a close-up of a cute little puppy looking playful, that filled my computer screen this time.

First it was my supervisor,
"I like your puppy"
"huh?.., puppy?"
"yeah the one on your desktop"
"Oh!"
hmm.........so he's keeping an eye on what I'm doing.....Caution!!!!!

Next the admin lady
"Oooh! nice one!"
"ehh..thanks"

Then later in the day comes this professor who hardly notices anything!
"Oh that's cute! Is that your puppy?"
"(me smiling) no it's not, but I wish!"
"hahaha...."
Oh god!

And of course the other students
"Awwww"

"Hey! a doggy!"

"Cuuute!"

Gheez!!!! This is pretty creepy!

Word of advice: Always keep a spreadsheet (filled with thousands of data values) or some complicated graph (for me a spectrum: which nobody can understand) always ready to be 'maximised' when needed.

The Elephant Man

Joseph Merrick was born with severe deformities in his body, which made him earn the nickname "The elephant man". After the death of his mother at an early age, he ended up in a sideshow attraction as a "freak", where he was discovered by Dr. Fredrick Treves (later knighted) as a 'priceless specimen' of human deformities.

Initially Dr. Treves made it a good opportunity for himself to have access to this anatomical marvel, and let Merrick stay in the isolated patient's room in the London hospital. However, gradually as Merrick started warming up towards Treves and the nurses, the human within started to emerge.

Merrick's life was far from 'normal'. Often people were freaked out at his sight, and not many would feel comfortable in his presence. He was often the subject of ridicule, and several opportunists made it a way of earning cash by taking people to see the 'freak'.

Inspite of all odds, Merrick went on to make a lot of friends at high places including the then Queen of England, Queen Victoria.

The film brings to life this unique character from history. Even though it was shot in 1980, the film is in black and white emphasising the rugged and colourless England in the late 1800's. John Hurt plays the main role (of course who the actor behind the heavy make-up is anyone's guess) while a young Anthony Hopkins plays the part of Dr. Treves, which I thought wasn't a remarkable performance (maybe I shouldn't compare with his later works).

But a good one to watch! Makes you wonder about the nature of humans.

A bundle of ......physics??!

I got this mail just a couple of days ago from a former researcher in our centre (Me being a newbie, have never really met this one). Apparently his wife has given birth to a baby, and he sent this mail to his former coleagues to let them know of the big news!

(I'm not displaying his name just for privacy sake!)


Hi all,
I just wanted to tell you that since 07.02.08, 4.52 am (german time) N----- and I are not alone anymore: With 4390 g distributed over 54 cm, we named our son Ruwen (pronounced: Rouven, hebrew: "behold, it is a son"). The boy is well and the mother is recuperating: with 39 cm head circumference he has a "bullhead".
I hope you join us in our happiness!

XXX

It sure looks like he could do with a break from work!!