escargonaut

Thanksgiving

escargonaut@mit.edu — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:59:57 GMT

We'll be hosting a large-ish Thanksgiving dinner at Graham St. this year. If you're in Pittsburgh and would like to join us, please consider yourself invited (and let me know if you'll be coming).

escargonaut@mit.edu — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:56:33 GMT

The plenary talk about to start is titled "Insect-Machine Hybrid System".

Wug

escargonaut@mit.edu — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:56:04 GMT

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/science/11naming.html?em

escargonaut@mit.edu — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:09:38 GMT

Played hooky this morning to go to a big farm stand/garden shop. It felt like Idlewild and other places I grew up around. Sadly, the strawberry crop was small this year, so the advertised pick-your-own wasn't happening, but there were strawberries and ice cream on waffles, a petting zoo, and friends to convince me that it was the right opportunity to start a windowsill herb garden.

Hey San Francisco People

escargonaut@mit.edu — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:51:33 GMT

On my departure from Seattle, I'll be in your wonderful city from the afternoon of Saturday, July 4 through the afternoon of Wednesday, July 8. I don't have anything solid on my dance card yet, and so am actively seeking suggestions (and a sense of who'll be around so I can make sure to see everyone :-) )

Hey Seattle People

escargonaut@mit.edu — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:39:16 GMT

I will be attending a conference in your fine city from June 28 to July 1, and then staying through the morning of July 4. I know I'll be seeing some of you at the VNV concert, but there should be more adventures (or oven-chars, as is your preference). lakmiseiru and I are getting tickets for the Friday, July 3 8pm Underground/Underworld tour (the uncensored version of the tour, http://www.undergroundtour.com/underworld/index.html). You should join us.

Other adventuring suggestions are highly encouraged.

Roommate Search

escargonaut@mit.edu — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:48:21 GMT

With my housemates leaving the country or getting married, I've got two rooms open in my house:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/roo/1100645172.html

Research

escargonaut@mit.edu — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:06:23 GMT

I'm giving a seminar talk (with cookies!) on Wednesday at 4:30 in NSH 1507. It's on my thesis research, which offers a new perspective on how locomotion works and points out that coordinate choice really does matter. I'm shooting for the main flow of the talk to be understandable at a basic (engineering) vector calculus level, with bonus insights if you've seen some differential geometry.

Gilbert and Sullivan trip

escargonaut@mit.edu — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:19:17 GMT

I'm planning to go see the Pittsburgh Savoyards production of Iolanthe next month. Anyone interested in coming along?

My work loves me

escargonaut@mit.edu — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:13:14 GMT

Thanksgiving

escargonaut@mit.edu — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:14:07 GMT

My housemate Greg and I hosted a Thanksgiving dinner, for work-friends from the lab and hospital.

From right to left, onion cornbread, sweet potato (contributed by a guest), turkey, rosemary-chive red potatoes, crisped green beans, stuffing, and onions in cheddar-cream sauce.

Thanksgiving in Pittsburgh

escargonaut@mit.edu — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:30:31 GMT

I'm figuring out food for Thanksgiving. If you'd care to join us (or are still deciding), please let me know so I can update my estimates of necessary foodage.

In DC

escargonaut@mit.edu — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:29:46 GMT

Got to DC last night, having left Pittsburgh by bike Friday at noon. Pictures and stories to follow.

Accepted for publication

escargonaut@mit.edu — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:29:49 GMT

Just got the acceptance letter for my conference paper. I'll be in Arizona in October.

Housing

escargonaut@mit.edu — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:08:35 GMT

Keeping the word out that I'm in the market for a new place to live. Key features are onsite laundry, bike storage, and grocery store proximity. I'm very happy in Friendship, but would consider Bloomfield, Squirrel Hill, or Point Breeze as well.

If we found a big place, one of my current housemates is looking partly in conjunction with me.

Housing

escargonaut@mit.edu — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:36:52 GMT

I just learned that my landlords are starting a family, and are planning to renovate the house into a one-family. This means that I'm looking for new housing in July. Anyone else looking?

Key features I'm interested in are laundry in the building, and either some kind of garage space or a basement at or close to ground level. I'm fairly partial to the Friendship/Bloomfield region, but that's negotiable.

What'd be really awesome is if I could round up a few people to try the warehouse/loft thing, with lots of project/common space...

Snake Robots

escargonaut@mit.edu — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:00:21 GMT

My lab's snake robots have a YouTube video:
http://digg.com/gadgets/Modular_Snake_Robot_Compilation_Video

Anyone around Cambridge on the 21st?

escargonaut@mit.edu — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:25:33 GMT

I'll be getting into Logan on Friday morning, and I'm strongly considering hanging out in Cambridge or the surrounds for the day before heading out to family in the suburbs. Anyone going to be around then, and free?

Bike ride

escargonaut@mit.edu — Mon, 14 May 2007 02:57:48 GMT

First (loaded) century of the season complete. 100.something miles, centered on the Montour trail.

Stickers

escargonaut@mit.edu — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:42:23 GMT

I'm looking to sticker up my winter/lockup bike to make it look less new than it is. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any bumper stickers up to the caliber of those at Pandemonium. Anyone in BosCamberVille want to send me a selection? I'll pay for one or two for you, or buy you lunch next time I'm in town.

escargonaut@mit.edu — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 21:05:52 GMT

As I started leading recitation today, I got asked "Do you really have a Jaguar, and if so, does it run anymore?" Apparently, my advisor has been horribly misinforming the students as to the provenance of the mechanical parts he shows them during lecture.

Quals

escargonaut@mit.edu — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 14:39:51 GMT

I passed :-)

Quals are finished

escargonaut@mit.edu — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 15:09:35 GMT

Now back to the grind.

Bicycle Camping Trip

escargonaut@mit.edu — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 19:47:38 GMT

I'm organizing a bicycle camping trip to Moraine State Park and McConnell's Mill, to happen at the CMU midsemester break (October 20-22). We'll bike up on Friday morning, stay two nights at the park and ride back down on Sunday. On Saturday, there are a number of interesting sites around the parks, all within short bike rides of each other.

If you're interested in joining the trip, drop me a line, and let me know what kind of bicycle and camping equipment you have and whether you'd be more interested in tent camping (we should be able to secure tents for those that need them) or renting a cabin at the park.

The Friday and Sunday rides will be about 40-50 miles at an easy pace (this should be manageable for most people who ride a bike with some regularity; If you're concerned about this, let me know).

I have two bikes suitable for making the trip, so I can lend one out if needed.

Musical Happiness

escargonaut@mit.edu — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 02:18:22 GMT

I got the Where's Neil? CD and the new Cruxshadows single this week. So much shininess.

I don't really know enough of Gaimen's work to get all the connections, but the songs are solid in their own right. Rasputina's offering is a nice mix of their signature style and newer stuff. TSN is good fun, as always. I love the hook on Tapping the Vein's song based on "The Day I Traded My Dad for Two Goldfish" and the whole feel of Joachim Witt's "Vandemar".

The Cruxshadows single isn't anything especially new, but eminently listenable/danceable (hooray for big rooms :-) )