Clearly I am not properly maintaining this blog…

Geez, my last post was after a month of employment at Bruker. That ended in March of 2015 after starting in July of 2014.

I was out of work again from March to October 2015, when I landed a temp-to-perm gig at Rigaku Analytical Devices, where we make these very cool devices for materials analysis. So called LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) uses a laser to vaporize a bit of the material being sampled (no, no giant laser beams melting through buildings and such, just a little bit of invisible light in the near-infrared spectrum (1064nm)). But the laser kind of vaporizes the material, and a spectrometer samples the generated light spectra. I don\’t understand a bit of it. But I don\’t need to – I just write the software.

Currently I\’m maintaining a stable of spinning wheels (five of them. That might be excessive), a couple of looms (one on the floor, one is a table-top), and I have four raw sheep fleeces that need to be washed. (Perhaps also a little excessive?)

I\’m taking a dyeing course on Saturday, and I have an advanced spinning course slated for March 13 in Northampton.

The spring program of Sheep & Wool festivals kicks off in April. CT on 4/30, MD (yes, I\’m going to Maryland) on 5/7, NH on 5/14, RI on 5/21, and MA on 5/28. They are great fun, especially if you are a knitter/crocheter, or a spinner or weaver, or even if you only like sheep and lambs. Or lamb. They usually have some tasty lamb dishes for sale, if you\’re into that sort of thing.

I should come back and set up pointers to these events!

Oh, and the temp-to-perm thing looks like it\’s happening at Rigaku. I\’m budgeted and on the org chart for next year. I just don\’t know how much they\’ve budgeted for me yet! Keep your fingers crossed.

 

John