Glacier Point Cross Country Ski Trip

To contrast the pollution of China, let's now enjoy the pristine beauty of Yosemite! Mai invited me on a cross-country ski trip with some of her climbing friends, and so I joined. Here we are, Day 1:

We skied to this cabin in the woods, where they had bunk beds and a wood stove, and a cook who make us lasagna for dinner! Camping in style! Here's Mai by the fire:

And it was also just after I had word that my thesis was submitted, so I brought along champagne, chilled it in the snow, and we celebrated that night! Yes, you may now call me Dr. Mars!

Thanks, Sarah, for the champagne!

We skied out the next day. Again, achingly beautiful! A parting photo for the blog:

Factory Work in China

Probably the most interesting trip I've had in a long time.

John came to visit (more on that trip later). On the 2nd last day of our travels together, my boss called.

Scott: Hey Martha
Me: Oh, hey Scott
Scott: So, just wanted to bring you up to date on some stuff that's been going on in the office. Good results, other stuff, also, you'll be going to China, sooner rather than later. Like, Saturday.
Me: Oh, it's Tuesday. I need a visa.
Scott: Yeah, Sam has the paperwork ready for you. Can you come in today and fill it out?
Me: Um, ok. After Muir Woods.

So yeah, John was my minion in Australia, and in typical fashion for us, I dragged him into the lab late at night. He did get a lab tour out of it though, and was able to print off his boarding pass for his flight the next day. And since I had to go to the Chinese consulate in the morning, we got to hang out in Japantown all morning as well :)

I didn't have a very clear idea of what I was going to China for. Learn the line and improve their wet processing. Which I did - efficiency went up about half a percent after my 2nd day there, everyone was super happy, and I didn't make any more significant contributions for the rest of the 3 weeks I was there because I was worried I'd get left over there.

So interesting things: The air quality is shockingly terrible! Check out the coal power plant in the middle of Wuxi when I went to visit Adeline over at SunTech:

Can you even see if for all the smog?

Despite the air and acid rain, I actually had a really good time in China. It was lead-up to Chinese New Year, so lots of dinners out and parties. Check out karaoke in China with the process engineering team!

The guy singing in the grey sweater is one of the directors, I think. So awesome.

On the weekends, I went to Shanghai, and Wuxi. Here's a clear, pretty picture of People's Square in Shanghai:

The Shanghai museum was incredible, actually! Particularly the pottery section. I did it in reverse-time order, starting with the new stuff and going back in time. At first it's not very impressive. Stuff from the 1920's, pretty cool, but you know, nothing too impressive. Then it's stuff from the 1700's, and it looks pretty much the same, which is more impressive. Then you're in 1300's, and again, looks the same, like something you could get from IKEA. Then eventually you get to 3000-5000 B.C. and it ALL STILL LOOKS THE SAME! Pristine, intact pottery, beautifully formed and fired, over 5000 years old! Pretty amazing.

And here's a pretty photo of Wuxi. You can't see the pollution when it's dark out.

The best bit of the Wuxi trip was when Adeline & Rob gave me a tour of SunTech. Interesting due to it's size, and it's emptiness, and it was still manufacturing on the weekend, and we got to walk around the fab. Thanks for being so welcoming SunTech!

So I had a great time. I learned a lot, met new friends and visited old ones, but was pretty glad to get back to clean air and clean water at the end of 3 weeks.

Waterloo Wedding

Flew home for 6 days at Christmas - 3 days before Sue & Brock's wedding, then 3 days of ridiculously sick over Christmas + recovery.

The wedding was amazing. Brutally cold and windy, but a beautiful wedding all the same. The ceremony took place at the Abraham Erb Grist Mill, with reception next door at the Clay & Glass Art Gallery. Excellent DJ. Excellent food. Excellent speeches. Excellent ceremony. A very good night was had by all.

A couple of the sis's with the bride:

Visitors!

Man, this is super old. Craig and Sarah came to visit in NOVEMBER. Or December. A long time ago now. And so begins mega blog catch-up times.

Craig and Sarah stayed a week on their post-thesis North America trip! Yay for finishing theses and visiting me! We went hiking in Yosemite, had many good dinners and good times together, and just had a lovely week. Hmmm, can't find any Yosemite photos, so here's Craig, Sarah and I at Mary's Bond-themed Christmas party, "Piefall".