Day 9

July 19th, 2012

Today I worked on reading a paper that I was told to read, and eventually give a 10 minute talk-thing on for Journal Club.  Journal Club is where astrophysicists/their paid underlings read papers and then report on them back to other people. It is pretty exciting, especially since I understand approximately 0.00000000001% of what is said in the meetings. I'll be presenting this paper next Tuesday (or at least, trying to present it...). At least Davide and Dmitry helped me with it, otherwise I would probably have died.


On the upside, tomorrow is Friday, and it's also the first annual Bring a Friend to Work Day for the interns, so I can have a friend with me! 

Day 8

July 18, 2012

Today I managed to hurt Denise's foot being a total klutz! I feel horrible about it. If you're reading this Denies, I am REALLY sorry!!! 

Here's how it happened.... 

It all started this morning, as the First Annual Intern "Derezzing" Competition began (a game of "assassin"-played with nerf guns. Everyone has a target they have to shoot). Denise and I were going to watch Bethany get derezzed (serving her right for getting me!) when I lost my balance, and knocked one of those heating vent thingies over onto her toe... which proceeded to bleed quite a lot. I then ran around to find somebody with a first aid kit, and then suddenly there were people from RIT security or something and an ambulance there. 

In other, not nearly as exciting news, I had yet MORE fun with IDL today. Basically, I was trying to make a picture of the center of galaxy NGC1386, which my group has been studying. Then I had to find the average systemic velocity of that region. 

Day 7

July 17, 2012

Today I finally perfected a program that I had been working on since yesterday. Approximately 20 seconds after I finished it, I was told that it turned out we didn't need that program after all... In addition, I also get to keep a researcher's diary, which will contain all of my day's progress.... or lack thereof, as it may turn out to be!

Day 6

July 16th, 2012

Today I tried to make a 10 line program work. For 4 hours. Eventually, after many, many, MANY attempts to fix the problem and making it worse, I just started over. Meanwhile, everyone in the office had an unofficial sighing competition. It was good to know that I wasn't alone as I sat there trying to do something that probably wasn't going to happen.

Day 5

July 13th, 2012

So today, much like the rest of this week, I had a tiny success, and thought I had figured something out, followed by the realization that I hadn't actually fixed anything... because the line I had "fixed" was commented out of the code... But at least I did SOMETHING. I think I'm really starting to understand what I'm doing more.  Or at least, what I think I'm supposed to be trying to do. Oh and today I was introduced to the wonders of IDL- a programming language I got to learn in under 2 hours.... well, more work and confusion next week!