Fast and furious Life of Pi and Bird Boxes

Hi all well two achievements today I finally finished the Life of Pi and cout out the bird box ready to a finish off and assemble with Isaac next weekend.

Now to the life of Pi and just like this mixed up book I too am mixed up about it.

I could not understand as I began it why we needed a " present day" nor why we needed a dialogue from the Author pomposity or what. The first 90 odd pages were drivel mainly although I did love the way his name Piscine became Pi that was a magic bit. In this section I could not grasp why some chapters were in italics and some in normal print. that is until page 91 when he talked in italics about "my daughter" only then did I realise the italics were in the present. 

I found the guts of the story about the emigration, the ship sinking, and the subsequent dialogue about the boat Richard Parker, the tiger really good in fact enchanting in the way of Cinderella to a child. The plot at this point ways very clever although I think the bit about the meerkats on trees made out of gelatinous glue gave me the impression he was hallucinating.

The book was spoiled for me therefore by the questioning of the salvors and the revelation that Pi could but another view of the occurrences not nearly so beguiling.

Was it about God no but I loved the thought that one could be a follower of all the religions that brings me to the Indian Pakistani folk I have met in my career that shrug their shoulders with a "maybe".

This is reinforced as we prepare for friends tonight who are about to visit Japan so I have been re-reading my notes on that lovely place where 90% of the population are Shinto's and 90% are Bhuddists in other words cover my back with both. Neither of these are about a GOD but a belief in a trait and oneself.

Finally though the questions for book clubs ended the pomposity of the beginning " how does the voyage compare with Noah and the Ark" not at all Noah loaded the ark to save TWO of each creature to maintain their existence"

What is the effect of giving such a precise structure of exactly 100 chapters. How does that contrast with Pi's name an irrational and infinite number? Why should an author not play with numbers and have 100 chapters. The divisions of the chapter did not follow logically anyway, and what is irrational about the mathematical formula pi, it is what it is an infinite number that when used can give the area, ciricumference, of circles cones etc.  Similarly why is the speed of light what it is .......well it is isn't it. 

Back to the 100 chapters. Had the printers wished by increasing font size minutely they COULD have made the book have 400 pages exactly or shortened it to 314 like a Pi number starts instead of the actual 319 pages of the book itself.

 

Progress in Forensics and juggling

I am well into the forensics having doe DNA which was highly complex and in week four 100% marks on footmarks and guns their uses in solving crimes for the forensics expert.

I have also now been contacted by the plant survey people who gave me a km square entered in the sea off the Dorset Coast. Near to Lyme Regis but this is confirmed as correct I am to survey the land bit of the square ..........phew!

I can now juggle ham fistedly two tennis balls.

An earlier version of the start of the self portrait and the garde

Here are some pics of garden through the door

Final version

Self portrait two

Then commence layering in the colour as here e

Self portrait

Hi all here are the first two images of the self portrait in a medium I have not used before namely coloured pencil.

First I had to draw the subject.

Running total...

So nearly a third of the way through and we have proof that lots of challenges have been completed.
From Oct to Dec we have yet to see any of the photos through the front door but we look forward to seeing all 12 in October.
We have yet to see you 'balancing the books' and you have to make a loom band bracelet with Ben. We are looking forward to burning our new candles though.  If I can work the pictures - I may post one!
For Jan a reminder that the great British bird watch is this weekend - if you can also forward results to me Isaac is collating them at school.
Only other outstanding task is teaching John to tweet and as an ilerate in modern ways I wish you every success!

Progress with the forensics course

Just completed week two which has been almost entirely on fingerprints and finger marks. Fingerprints being on the record finger marks being those found at a scene.

Things are developing with the case as there are now doubts about where the couple drove after their lunch and the caller to the police who said his name was Dougan does not live at the address he gave the police.

Examination of the car in which the wife's body was found has discovered a second bullet casting under the passenger seat.

I have just got 12/12 marks in the multi choice questions to week two.

So far as I can see about 80 are on the course the oldest I found so far 75.

They are from all over the world.

Yet to catch up on several challenges not yet completed but finding difficulty in doing all.

Forensic science -future learn

This course is really fantastic have just finished the first week of the free course and would you believe it got 12 out of 12 for the four questions posed at the end.

Got to try to keep up with Granson you know.

For those who might be interested part of one sector of the first week was to read a Guardian article.it was fascinating real life investigation into five bags of body parts found in a London water. Great to aid the dictat over detail and processes used.

Key elements are what? Where? When? Who? Why?how?

Suggest you read here www.the guardian.com/science/2012/apr/craig-taylor-real-csi     

January's challenges

18 Do the big garden bird watch 24 - 25th Jan

19 Make something by weaving willow

20 Make and install a new bird box

21 Learn to juggle

22 Read the Life of Pi

23 Do a self portrait in a new medium (eg oil, acrylic etc)

Have fun!