The barefoot physicsist.

I thought that in these modern times the idea of being environmentally aware was fairly common, and even if we don't all actively participate in trying to single handed stop climate change, most people are conscious and sympathetic of the issue. But just the other day i was laughed at and mocked for suggesting a small environmentally minded activity.
It was in the physics lab. We had just spent half an hour waiting for the x-ray diffracting machine to take the readings and we were analysing the data. I will not bore you with the details but it involved graphs and finding the peaks. We had six peaks and needed these values, and upon finding that how to display these values the conversation went a little something just like this:
Other physics student 1: "So can we print this somehow?"
Me; "Or we could just copy them down, you know, save some paper..."
Other physics student 1: "why?"
Me (with puzzled look) : "to not waist paper, save some trees..."
Other physics students 1 & 2: *laughter*
There was six values! and we had already printed the graph of the spectrum (which we had to do twice each as 'other physics student 1' and some how messed the first one up). They then printed 3 copies, one for each of them, of a table that took up about a tenth of each sheet and continued to mock me for not wanting a copy. Other physics student 3 is my friend but was no help at all.
I really did not expect to be laughed at for that.

Stealing Time.

I was pondering today as I walked out of my lab, about a conversation I had with Daryl many moons ago.
One crisp morning as we loaded papers into our crates we discussed finding money and how if you find $20 you are then always up $20. This was the flip side of the thought that if you drop (and loose) a $20 note, no matter what you do, you will never make back that $20. From that day, you will always be $20 down1.
This was revisited in my mind as I walk from my lab 30 minutes before it was to end. My day was to be 10 to 4 of straight class. So, by walking out of the class half an hour early, I had effectively found 30 minutes. I was up 30 minutes for the day. That time was free as I had nothing to do in the lab and the lab was what I was going to be spending the time on.
Just a thought I had over my unplanned lunch break.



1. The process going, that you could work to earn the $20 back, but then if you hadn't lost the $20 note, you would have $40. It's not an overly profound or intellectual realization, but then again, Daryl and I were never the sharpest or deepest tools in the box.

100 thing you can now know about me!

Ok, one hundred things about me.

1. My full name is David Thomas Coulter, the Thomas after my fathers uncle. A very smart man, that I knew a an old man in his chair.


2. I was born on the 13th day in october way back in 1987 at around one in the morning.


3. I have two siblings. I am the little brother to Katherine and an older brother to Mark.


4. My fathers name is Geoffery O. Coulter.


5. My mothers name is Beverly M. (once Prosser) now Coulter.


6. I grew up in a town called Leongatha.


7. Before moving to melbourne I only lived in one house in Leongatha.


8. It was built and designed by my parents, on a double block at the end of Trease street. (trease street is actually a court, it was originally going to go all the was through, but it never did and now there is just a park)


9. I had an operation on my eye when I was 3 years old. I was ment to stop one eye from angling in, but it failed and from then on I had glasses.


10. My first pair of glasses lasted me 7 years. When I first got then they were very big and by the end, they were way to small for me. When I finally got a new pair, they got bent on the second day.


11. I attended Leongatha Primary School.


12. In grade 4 I was able to run 4 laps of the track around the school (about 800m per lap) in 15mins (class exercise time in the mornings). Not only was this more than the rest of my class, but I did it in blunstones.
    
13. In grade 5, we had earn and learn were, for two weeks our class turned into a make believe town. I was the real estate agent. This ment collecting rent. I had to colleges that were ment to help, but I did all the work while they had fun shopping and what not1. Then I almost failed because I had not bourt a house and car and stuff.


14. I had the same grade 6 teacher as my older sister, and two years later, so did my younger brother.


15. I won the school cross country in grade 6. I was very proud ( and by was I mean am)


16. I was also bell monetor in the last term of grade 6, which ment that I got to ring the bell to end my last day of primary school.


17. When I wasnine I started taekwondo. I trained two nights a week for about 6 years. Then down to one, and then whenever I could. I have not trained for about a year, but want to get back into it.


18. I took part in little athletics from the age of 7 to 15. In this time I never once was age group champion or won anything at my club (most improved, incouragement awards and such).


19. I did however compete at regional and state levels, which ment running at olympic park stadium in Melbourne.


20. I also did Auskick, which got in a little leauge game at (the former) Waverly stadium. Half time at a Hawthorm Collingwood game. I played for Hawthorn and we got the win.2
    
21. Also at Auskick, on one cold saturday morning I took a massive specky. That's right, properly up on someones back in a game. I think i surprised everyone, as I was never that good and I spent most of the time with my hands in my jumper.


22. For one summer i took part in Aushit, the cricket verson of Auskick. My proudest moments at which was hitting the stumps on the run at 90 degrees and winning a bat signed but the bushrangers of the time.


23. I later played cricket for the imperials cricket club in Leongatha. I have played 3 seasons. In the second of which I took more wickets than any of my team mate in both B and C grade, however as I spent half my time in each grade, I was only middle of the rankings for both.


24. With the bat I am imbarassing (although I am getting better). My top score in a game is 15, against a baller that was struggling to hit the pitch.


25. I played netball for Koonwarra for two years. We averaged 1 win per year.


26. I am now playing mixed indoor netball with friends I live with. We have been in too low of a grade and have been getting very arogent. It is great fun.


27. I first heard rain falling on the roof at the age of 6.


28. I was in the primary school choir.


29. I was in the Victorian State Children' s Choir for two years. We perfomed at the Melbourne Concert hall twice. I could have continued and potentially sung at the olympics, but i was too expencive (both money and time).3


30. I once did one and a half summersults on my trampoline and landed on the ground on my head. I got concussion and spent that afternoon asking my mum 3 questions. Why can I have jelly? (she had just made jelly) Where are we going? (to the hospital) Why are we going to the hopsital? (cause i fell of the trampion). Over and over and over again.


31. I have a scar above my right eye. I was running around the kitchen, slipped and my glasses cut me.
    
32. I have a second scar that joins on the end of the scar mentioned above. This was the result of hitting myself in the head with a steel pipe. That was a fun day.


33. I have an inch long scar on the back of my right leg. That is from getting a piece of wood stuck in my leg. Long story, but it invloves me driving 15 minutes into town, to be told to come back later by the doctors, the picking my brother my from school before it was taken out.


34. I have a birth mark on my leg. It is quite boring.


35. I started playing piano in grade 6. I never really practiced. I took lessions for at least 3 or 4 years, although it ended up being more theory. I got a 93 on my grade 5 theory exam.


36. I once left my glasses on the hood of the car. My mother then drove up to the shops and back without noticing. We got then back a few day later by putting a notice in the local paper. An old lady stopped some kids from smashing them, saw the note and returned them.


37. I am very scared of spiders. I am ok with this. I feel no need to overcome this fear, I am quite happy just avoiding spiders.


38. I ran for 40 minutes straight in grade 6 for the school's lap-a-thon. I was the only one in the school to do it (non stop), but came second in the lap totals by one lap.


39. I attended Leongatha Secondary college


40. I started playing the drums in year 7. I wanted to play the trumpet, but my parents thought that would be to hard for a first instrument (other than piano!) and as i was alway tapping on stuff (according to my mother) I took up persuccion.
    
41. My favourate band is the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I have 17 albums (including a box set), at least 10 of which are not burnt copies. I saw them play live in 2007 at the sydney myer music bowl.


42. I can solve a rubiz cube.


43. 17 is my favourate number, as in my mind it is the least connected number between 1 and 20. I think that 5 is by far the most arogent number. 4 however is very humble and modest.
    
44. In the middle of last year (2007) I was in a car crash. It was my fault and my car was written off. Not fun.


45. I got three days of after school detention for pushing my friend who's elbow then went through a window.
    
46. I did a paper run for 3 years. I could deliver up to 80 papers in around 15-20 minutes. I ended up with the largest run in town. I once did three runs in one morning.


47. I have been to a total of one other countries. It was New Zealand for a band tour in year 9.


48. I have read the lord of the rings. It took me 3 years to get though the 3 book.


49. My first car was a nissan pulsar. My second car was also a nissan pulsar, in fact it had the exact same engine. It died 5 months after getting on the road. I now have a nissan pintara.


50. Half way through, are you enjoying it? I enjoy solitaire. It is just about the second most used thing on my computer, behing itunes.


51. I also enjoy minesweeper. My best times are 5 sec for beginner, 32 for Intermediate and 100 for Expert. Not amazing, but I still kind of pround.


52. I am right handed. Not amazing, but true.


53. I have had three gold fish. The first was named batman, as he was black. The second never got named, but ended up being call spastic fish as it spent a lot of time floating upside down at the top of the tank and most of the time was not able to swim all the way to the bottom of the tank. My current fish is named sebastien. He is much more normal.


54. I rod the Great Ocean Road with the Great Victorian Bike Ride. It was just over 600kms in 10 days and I did the whole thing in board shorts (thus not short with a padded bum), this amazed many of my fellow riders.


55. I worked at IGA in leongatha for about 4 years. That includes my gap year when I worked full time as storeman, which is running the store room and helping the floor staff, with was just me and the spare girls from the registers duing the day.


56. Over summer (07-08) I worked as a lifegurad at two pools. The Korumburra and Mirboo North ourdoor pools. One was fun, the other sucked. You can guess which one.
    
57. While never being on stage, I have been involved in two musical production, Kiss Me Kate and Jesus Christ Superstar. I was in the band for both. Much fun.


58. I have contributed to atleast 5 CD. Two with the Victorian State Childrens Choir, two with school bands and one with the band "Caddy and the spontaniously computing fishes".


59. I currently study at Monash Uni. I am enroled in a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of science studying Physics, Maths and Psychology.
    
60. I have traveled on two roads with the Coulter name. The Coulter Highway in our nations capital and Coulters road in the small farming town 5 minutes from Leongatha where my dad grew up.


61. I once camped out in a teepee built around a very old and rusty ladder inside my house.


62. A game of indoor baseball at school resulted in me hyperextending my knee. I was on cruchers for a week, and got absolutly no sympathy from anyone at school!


63. I did however get very good at racing around the table tennis table at home.


64. One week before I started year 12 I had all four of my wisdom teath out.


65. Every year my parents went away with friends for a weekend around my mothers birthday. We, my siblings and I, stayed at my Grandparents house and got to hire a video each to ammuse us. One year I hired "Beverly Hills Cop". It wasn't till we left the store that I noticed it was rated M. I felt really bad (as I was young) and never ended up watching it.


66. To some people, I am known as Neighbour.


67. I once left my shoes in another country.


68. I am 6 feet tall.


69. My mother bought me a nice new pair of school pants at the start of year 9, and I did not wear them once.
    
70. I was Junoir Vice Caption of red house in year 10. Impressive yes?


71. For years 9-10 I was an SES cadet. We got to wear the overalls and use the resque equipment, and the absailing wall. Good fun.


72. My hair is a colour best described as brown.


73. The eyes I currently have are blue.


74. I am finding this more difficult than I expected


75. I have only ever owned two pairs of jeans. Both of which I got in 2006 and are still in use.


76. I went the skiing for the first time last friday. Cross counrty. Much enjoyed. (That is now a while ago)


77. I resently tallied all the messages in my phone. Since October (when i got it) there was 1556 messages. The medals went to Kyla (328), Robyn (205) and Izza (117). (note, i have sence past 3000)


78. I prefer cinnomon over iced dounuts.


79. All time favourate chocolate bar is cherry ripe. Second place is a tie between kit kats and aero.


80. At the top of the drinks list is cream sode (brown, red, yellow, blue, whatever).


81. In year nine I bleched my hair for the shave (or colour) for a cure.


82. In the year 2008 I shaved my head. GREAT FUN! To any that have never done it, I suggest you try.


83. I once broke a friends nose.


84. I do not drink milk


85. I do not eat Ice Cream. But Gelati I like.
    
86. My breakfast drink of choice is apple juice.


87. One foot is slightly bigger than the other. I used to notice at the shoe store, when using the foot-measuring-shoe-sizing thing, but now I have forgotten.


88. I love post-it notes. In fact, I enjoy most stationary a little to much.


89. My Choice chocolate, is white. I know it's not actually chocolate, but I don't care.


90. The only bike I have ever bought from a store, was a Colorado BushCruiser. Fantastic bike. Nothing flash, but it lasted ages and it took a fair hugh beating.



91. I have only had two phones. This just became a lie, I just got my third. ( I have been writing this blog for a long time)


92. I once hopped for a whole song on dance dance revolution. It hurt.


93. Many people want lots of shoes, I however, want lots of backpacks. I like them too much.


94. Super power of choice would be either flying, or invisability. Flying cause it would be fun, and invisibility cause I could be an idiot all the time, and no one would see me.


95. I prefer to drive with the window down. This however results in my locking the door with my arm (out the window), and every time I forget and try to open the locked door to get out.


96. About 99% of my school lunches where honey sandwiches. That is I had them everyday in primary school eccept for one canteen day a term and two days in grade 3 when I had cheese.


97. I will often find myself holding my phone, them remember that I was sending a text message (5-10 mins ago).


98. I very much like hats. If this is news to you, then we have never met.


99. This is the penultimate fact about me. I am male, or as a friend spent a day reminding me, I am: male, a man, of the mascline gender, NOT female, NOT a woman, a person with male parts....and so on.


100. I have completed a list of one hunderd things about me. This became a fact by write this fact, how fun is that!

Done. I have no doubt there are errors. 30 points for each error found. (maximun points possible is unknown)

An annoyed blog

I have just quite the deakin hall soccer team. This sucks. I was loving playing soccer, which I haven't done properly since grade five. And playing a team sport was great. However, it was not good for me. Two people had control of the team and their use of the power was enraging. I was listed in the squad for the second game, then sat on the bench the whole time with out getting a run. Their excuse was that they had a lot of players for not many positions and the player in my position was playing well. Annoying yes, but I could take it. It is just 6 on 6 soccer played between halls, but if they want to take it ultra serious, whatever. I got a run in the next game i was picked in the squad, but only in the second half because the players on the bench sitting right behind the two in control were bitching about the lack of fair rotation. After this I was feeling better. I was not happy about how I got on the field, but I got a run and I held my own. i actually thing that for a non-soccer player I did really well. I set up one goal and I had the opposition struggling. Then tonight hit. I turned up for the game and played from the start. The game was tight, no one scored in the first half. Then, about five/ten minutes in to the second half, I was pulled. Normally I could handle that no worries. I'm not the best player ever, but they didn't pull me for someone better. They didn't even pull me for a quality player, or someone in the squad. They put on one of there friends, an over weight middle aged man who smokes a lot!
That was it. I was made enough at not getting a run in my first game but I had made my peace. This was to much. If they're going to take it that serious then don't pull me, a very competitive player that had more run than anyone else out there for a man that only covered a tenth of the small field and only got 3 kicks, just because he is your friend.

I was fuming. I have not been that angry in ages. I know it's not that big of a deal, but I was feeling quite wronged. I was talking to people about it and someone suggested that I should quite. I didn't want to, as that would just mean that I miss out on playing soccer and it wouldn't hurt the people who had wronged me as they had lots of players. Then, as I climbed down, I realized that pulling out of the team was the right thing. I had sworn about this more than I had in total in the last year or two. And as they say, if your right hand causes you trouble, cut it off. I didn't need this. I play other team sport and I get plenty of exercise. I'm better off stepping back and removing the thing that is getting me all annoyed.

I may still end up playing more games. There is other people involved in running the team that I get along with, and many others that are unhappy with the way things are, so you never know.

On a more positive note, I saw Bliss n Eso on thursday. They played on campus with True Live, The Funkoars and the Winnie Coppers. It was good and I much enjoyed it. Plus a mate from home came up to the show as it was good seeing him. However, I have a line from one the bands in my head. "I can still breathe, I am still blessed". I think it was by the Winnie Coppers, but I listened to there whole CD and nothing! If anyone can help, that would be great.