my name is mwd

Hey there, sorry for not writing anything for so long! I’ve been uber busy at work this last few weeks, which has taken up most my energy. We’ve really been making a big push to try and get the optical network demonstrator up and running (this is the project I’m working on in conjunction with Intel Research Cambridge). It’s getting there, and it’s in much better shape now, even though we didn’t make the paper deadline that we wanted on the 15th. Still, we have other possible paper deadlines for next month that we’re working towards.

But for now, I’m glad to be going on holiday. Unusually for me, I’ve been counting the days off, as I got so tired. Indeed, we were meant to drive to Glasgow yesterday for christmas/new year, but didn’t partly because I was just too tired. Actually, this appears to have been a fortunate move for us, as the main link between England and Scotland was shut most of yesterday due to an accident, leaving people stuck on that section of road for up to 24 hours. Unfortunately it looks like the northbound side is still shut. Today well have to play it by ear and see what Sally Traffic[1] has to say when we get to Scotch Corner, where we have to deicde to take cut across the country to go up the fast direct route on which this accident occurred, or whether we should take the slower, longer route via Edinburgh.

Still, it’ll be good to get there. I still haven’t finished sorting out christmas prezzies - a combination of being overworked and just not very good at that sort of thing. A less than ideal situation to be on on the 23rd :) I’m just jealous as Tristan (my wee brother) is getting a mini motorbike - not that I particularly want one, just that when I were lad I were lucky to get a bit of coal ;) Anyway, if you’re reading this an like up north - I’ll see you soon I hope. I’m up until the 4th, so I should have plenty of time to meet up with folks to see how they’ve been getting on. Regardless, best wishes over the holidays to you all!

[1] Although not her real name, the DJs refer to Sally Traffic as such, and it just reminds me to the characters in the Richard Scarry books I used to read as a kid, where everyone’s surname seemed to be their job description - Mr Busdriver for example. Clearly this seemed to be career limiting from birth :)