Spring Bash: Weekend Mini Reunion at Fermilab

[Mary]

Our dinner thoughts: First, whatever you guys decide is fine. Second, the Thai place sounds good. Third, any other place where you can get a salad with your meal would be helpful. However, as we said, whatever you choose is fine with us.

Wise

Burair,
I see the surgeon in St. Louis Friday, and I will ask about traveling to our Fermi Lab shindig.
Unless he absolutely says no, we will be there--hopefully Friday night.
I am taking doctor's advice more seriously than I use to. . .

I was due to have Mark, our son, on a Monday. We had planned a trip to New Orleans the week before my due date to attend a medical convention. I asked my OB/GYN if I could travel "out of town". I didn't tell him where or how far.
He said, "Absolutely not!" I considered his response, but went anyway.
Mark ended up being born by emergency c- section 10 days later, but I got my trip to New Orleans in!

 

[Karlynn]

Burair,
I see the surgeon in St. Louis Friday, and I will ask about traveling to our Fermi Lab shindig.
Unless he absolutely says no, we will be there--hopefully Friday night.
I am taking doctor's advice more seriously than I use to. . .

I was due to have Mark, our son, on a Monday. We had planned a trip to New Orleans the week before my due date to attend a medical convention. I asked my OB/GYN if I could travel "out of town". I didn't tell him where or how far.
He said, "Absolutely not!" I considered his response, but went anyway.
Mark ended up being born by emergency c- section 10 days later, but I got my trip to New Orleans in!

For a minute, I thought you were going to say you delivered him in the middle of Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras!!!

 

[Sophie]

Burair,

Thank you for the invitation to your Fermi/VR.com get together. I?ve had it penciled in on my calendar waiting for my husband?s schedule to be clear as well. I toured Fermi lab with my daughter on an eighth grade science fieldtrip in 1996 and had an incredible time!

Unfortunately, my father-in-law has just had unscheduled gallbladder surgery and we will be in the north Georgia Mountains caring for him at that time. RATS! Fermi lab is so very close to where we live too!

I look forward to meeting you, and other VR.com-ers at another gathering in the future.

Sophie

 

[PapaHappyStar]

Burair,

...
I look forward to meeting you, and other VR.com-ers at another gathering in the future.

Sophie

Sophie,

Sorry we wont be seeing you, all the best to your father-in-law -- if you ever want a tour of the lab, I will be glad to show you around anytime.

Burair

 

[Sherry]

Hi, Burair,
Do I need to send you our full names in order to get in the gate?

 

[PapaHappyStar]

Hi, Burair,
Do I need to send you our full names in order to get in the gate?

They've relaxed the rules so I dont need to sign you in -- if you want to be signed in anyway, I can fill out a web form with names of everyone coming with you as on a government id that you need to show at the gate.

Even if you are not signed in you can tell the security people you want to visit the public areas in the lab and they should let you in, although its probably a good idea to be signed in...

Here is the blurb of the DOE approval to relax security measures at the lab:
http://www.fnal.gov/pub/about/public_affairs/currentstatus.html

Current Status of Access to Fermilab - Effective January 24, 2005

The Department of Energy has recently approved changes to the Fermilab Security Plan. These changes, which go into effect on January 24, 2005, ease some of the site access restrictions that have been in place since 9/11.

A central corridor of public areas enables the public to visit much of the Fermilab site without the need for visitors' passes. The public areas include most of the recreational features of the site. A map showing the public areas is available online.

Visitors are now able to enter the Fermilab site by car through the Batavia Road and Pine Street entrances. After presenting identification, most visitors will simply pass through the security checkpoint after telling the security officer the purpose for their visits. Roadways that are off limits to visiting members of the public are posted with signs, and motorists will be given site maps to guide them to the public areas.

The public areas extend into the Lederman Education Center and to the ground floor and atrium of Wilson Hall, and Ramsey Auditorium. Signs tell visitors which areas of Wilson Hall are open to the public.

The Fermilab Security Plan identifies certain workspaces as "Property Protection Areas." (see map) Fermilab ID badges are required for entry into these areas. If a visitor needs to enter a Property Protection Area in order to conduct business at the lab or to meet with someone who works at the lab, he or she must obtain a temporary visitor's pass and wear it while inside the Property Protection Area.

For more information, call the Fermilab Office of Public Affairs at (630) 840-3351.

For guided tours, call (630) 840-5588.

Well... reading that...
Its not clear whether I should sign in my guests or not if they are coming to visit me, not for lab business but to tour the public areas. I think I should sign everyone in...

 

[PapaHappyStar]

For a minute, I thought you were going to say you delivered him in the middle of Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras!!!

I can picture clearly the crowds of drunk college students who would've gathered to cheer this on ... or so I hope ... never went to mardi gras -- was poor and on scholarship as an undergrad in southern GA ... but I heard a lot of tall stories from friends who ( claim they ) did ... like I said I was a poor, foreign student and very gullible -- too few girls took advantage of this (un)fortunately ... anyway its been a long solitary night at the office coding and I am rambling (but then what else is new...)

 

[PapaHappyStar]

Bird Book

Bird Book

I am going through a field guide to "Birds of Eastern and Central North America" -- its pretty impressive how many species there are -- so much variety in life... completely fascinating.

In physics one is taught to look for simplicity amid complexity -- I think it is much harder to do this in biology where you have so much diversity without the benefit of a gradual understanding of the principles unifying the complexity -- I thought they discovered DNA and some understanding of the code governing it a bit late in scientific history for e.g.. Maybe the allure of physics as being more amenable to economic/commercial/national gain was what pushed discovery in the field, biology was more esoteric and less 'practical' ( which btw. brings me to another foray into fauna I plan to inflict on you -- butterflies at Fermilab and elsewhere -- there is a cryogenics engineer who has been cataloging butterflies at the lab for years http://www.fnal.gov/pub/about/campus/ecology/wildlife/butterflies.html ), now physics especially particle physics is becoming the esoteric field with theory on the cosmic scale far outstripping (mostly) earthbound experiments, while applications of science and mathematics to biology are becoming more abundant.

The point of course was to keep you tuned to the plan of a field trip to explore the biological diversity of the lab site ( ... or was it )

 

[geebee]

I am going through a field guide to "Birds of Eastern and Central North America" -- its pretty impressive how many species there are -- so much variety in life... completely fascinating.

In physics one is taught to look for simplicity amid complexity -- I think it is much harder to do this in biology where you have so much diversity without the benefit of a gradual understanding of the principles unifying the complexity -- I thought they discovered DNA and some understanding of the code governing it a bit late in scientific history for e.g.. Maybe the allure of physics as being more amenable to economic/commercial/national gain was what pushed discovery in the field, biology was more esoteric and less 'practical' ( which btw. brings me to another foray into fauna I plan to inflict on you -- butterflies at Fermilab and elsewhere -- there is a cryogenics engineer who has been cataloging butterflies at the lab for years http://www.fnal.gov/pub/about/campus/ecology/wildlife/butterflies.html ), now physics especially particle physics is becoming the esoteric field with theory on the cosmic scale far outstripping (mostly) earthbound experiments, while applications of science and mathematics to biology are becoming more abundant.

The point of course was to keep you tuned to the plan of a field trip to explore the biological diversity of the lab site ( ... or was it )

OK - well, I love butterflies. Not sure where that fits in but..........

 

[Mary]

I am going through a field guide to "Birds of Eastern and Central North America" -- its pretty impressive how many species there are -- so much variety in life... completely fascinating.

In physics one is taught to look for simplicity amid complexity -- I think it is much harder to do this in biology where you have so much diversity without the benefit of a gradual understanding of the principles unifying the complexity -- I thought they discovered DNA and some understanding of the code governing it a bit late in scientific history for e.g.. Maybe the allure of physics as being more amenable to economic/commercial/national gain was what pushed discovery in the field, biology was more esoteric and less 'practical' ( which btw. brings me to another foray into fauna I plan to inflict on you -- butterflies at Fermilab and elsewhere -- there is a cryogenics engineer who has been cataloging butterflies at the lab for years http://www.fnal.gov/pub/about/campus/ecology/wildlife/butterflies.html ), now physics especially particle physics is becoming the esoteric field with theory on the cosmic scale far outstripping (mostly) earthbound experiments, while applications of science and mathematics to biology are becoming more abundant.

The point of course was to keep you tuned to the plan of a field trip to explore the biological diversity of the lab site ( ... or was it )

Burair,
It just so happens I started observing butterflies a year or so ago. I got just enough involved for Bob to buy me National Audubon Society Field Guide to N. American Butterflies for my birthday. I decided that since I enjoyed bird watching so much, I would probably enjoy butterflies. I will bring my book, and also some bird watching field guides to leave with you. I have one on identifying bird nests that is really neat!

 

[PapaHappyStar]

Burair,
It just so happens I started observing butterflies a year or so ago. I got just enough involved for Bob to buy me National Audubon Society Field Guide to N. American Butterflies for my birthday. I decided that since I enjoyed bird watching so much, I would probably enjoy butterflies. I will bring my book, and also some bird watching field guides to leave with you. I have one on identifying bird nests that is really neat!

Thanks Mary -- I will try to find out if there is anywhere special we can go to encounter varied species of butterflies. How did it go with the surgeon in St. Louis last friday ... or is it the coming friday?

 

[PapaHappyStar]

OK - well, I love butterflies. Not sure where that fits in but..........

I wasnt too sure where to fit it in either once I'd started my ramble -- I do think I managed to do it fairly appropriately ...

I remember you posted a poem involving butterflies some time ago...

 

[geebee]

Thanks for remembering. I wrote a few poems after my mom passed away. For some reason butterflies were in the poems. I always think of her when I see butterflies; I like to think of her flying around me.

 

[Mary]

Thanks Mary -- I will try to find out if there is anywhere special we can go to encounter varied species of butterflies. How did it go with the surgeon in St. Louis last friday ... or is it the coming friday?

Burair,
My appointment with the surgeon is this Friday. We will see him at noon, then continue on to Fayette for our son's graduation on Saturday. I won't post anything until we get back Saturday night.

The plan, right now, is for us to bring back as much of Mark's stuff as we can this week-end. He has to stay and get all the students loaded up (he's an RA), and once that is accomplished, he can leave. We expect that to happen by the following Thursday, so we will go back up to Fayette, pick him up, and then head north towards Batavia on Friday.
That's what the plan is--right now!
Mary

 

[Guest]

That's what the plan is--right now!

*grins*

Ahhhh....but plans are made to be broken .

LOL! Just kidding, of course, Mary...but, sometimes the best laid plans can go a different way ... for the best, of course!

*pauses*

Sssoooo....who all is getting excited about this day?

I'll be in the last of the 3-day workshop (given by the outplacement company) that Friday (May 13)...and will be attending Dad's team's softball game that night, so I won't be able to get to Batavia until Saturday morning (unless I come down late, late Friday night) and then leave about 6pm or so Saturday evening....


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
'72,6,9/'81,7.hobbies.chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
MC Guide = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html
"I ain't up to being strong now" ... Wynonna ... 'Is It Over Yet'

 

[PapaHappyStar]

Call me Ishmael.

Call me Ishmael.

Things are getting set for the big

[highlight]Spring Bash[/highlight]

Canoes have been procured -- complete with 4 adult and 2 child life jackets -- trails have been mapped, birds and butterflies earmarked for study and the grill has been fired up multiple times ( in my mind... ) already. Now for the roll call -- calling all VR.com and ACHA hearties ... in the spirit of Ahab, lets get together and get that Moby **** ...

"aye, my hearties all round; it was Moby **** that dismasted me; Moby **** that brought me to this dead stump I stand on now. Aye, aye," he shouted with a terrific, loud, animal sob, like that of a heart-stricken moose. "Aye, aye! it was that accursed white whale that razeed me; made a poor pegging lubber of me for ever and a day!" Then tossing both arms, with measureless imprecations he shouted out: "Aye, aye! and I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give him up. And this is what ye have shipped for, men! to chase that white whale on both sides of land, and over all sides of earth, till he spouts black blood and rolls fin out. What say ye, men, will ye splice hands on it, now? I think ye do look brave."

​

Those who are coming:

• Burair (3)
  [*] Cort
  [*] Gina M (3)
  [*] Wise (2)
  [*] Sherry (2)
  [*] Danielle
  [*] Karlynn (?) -- all the best to Glenn for his surgery -- hope he feels well enough to come..
  [*] geebee (2)
  [*] Marcia (?)
  [*] Steve(?)
  [*] Lorraine(?)

Have I missed anyone? Anyone else interested -- the grill is roomy and the canoes can fit upto 4 each, the Users Center is big enough for a hundred people ( two pool tables, a ping pong table, darts... ), I've posted an agenda here.

Please e-mail ( burair.kothari at gmail.com ) me your plans and I will add you to the list of poeple for security. See you soon....

 

[geebee]

Call me Ishmael (sp?). I love Gregory Peck in that movie.

Anyway - a couple of other people who said they were coming:

Mary
Carista

I am getting sooooo excited to see/meet everyone. I am still working on food to bring. I was thinking of making chocolate chip cookies and sesame noodles - both items that travel well.

I have pool balls and chalk packed and ready but only for 1 table so, if anyone else out there has a set...........

See you very soon.

 

[PapaHappyStar]

Call me Ishmael (sp?). I love Gregory Peck in that movie.

Anyway - a couple of other people who said they were coming:

Mary
Carista

I am getting sooooo excited to see/meet everyone. I am still working on food to bring. I was thinking of making chocolate chip cookies and sesame noodles - both items that travel well.

I have pool balls and chalk packed and ready but only for 1 table so, if anyone else out there has a set...........

See you very soon.

Mary asked me to extend her regrets -- she wont be able to come.

I will add Carista to the list --

The chocolate chip cookies sound yummy and the noodles too -- We'll make basmati rice, some curry and cheese cake -- and have something to grill too.

I visited the Prairie and Forest preserve -- we can take a short walk in the morning and visit the Lederman Science center and the high rise -- then we'll probably come back to the village and sit near the grill, relax and talk while I fire it up -- I'll leave the trail near the village to the more adventurous, and there will be a choice between canoeing and games in the Users Center after 3:00 p.m.

For everyone:
its pretty much ok to show up but it'd be nice to get everyone signed it with security to avoid undue hassles at the gates, you do need a government photo id to get in whether you're signed in or not -- I can also e-mail you my phone number at home if you e-mail me...

Again, theres plenty of space -- please dont hesitate to come, Fermilab may be the last of the big round accelerator labs, built for pure physics, on American soil -- soon enough may be as bygone as the whaler ( call me Ishmael ).

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Please please....put us on the list! Would not want to miss!

Burair....just sent you an email

 

[Mary]

Burair,
The surgeon nixed the trip. I'm to stay close at home until the surgery. He's afraid I'm going to throw another clot, and in that event, the surgery will happen right away.
Batavia is too far away for an ambulance ride!
You all enjoy yourselves!