Prince of thieves

Today we came to Nottingham, UK, for the annual e-Science All Hands Meeting. All my recollections of this city are as a pre-teenager, when we'd often come up during holidays to visit my parents' friends, Fizza and Inayat Emadi.

During these visits (from what I can remember of them) we'd drive out on lazy Sunday afternoons to Nottingham Castle and Sherwood Forest, or we'd spend the days indoors (especially during the Christmas break when it'd be too cold to go out) and play Monopoly until 4am in the morning. It felt so carefree and relaxing and fun.

Yet, I don't really feel as if I've seen Nottingham. I feel indifferent to her. It's not a city that I could honestly add to my collection (some people collect stamps, I collect cities).

And this current visit, for the AHM2004, doesn't count. We're couped up in the East Midlands Conference Centre for 8-hours a day, for 4-days. We'll hardly get time to sight-see. :(

I think once Tasneem and I are married (Inshallah, next year) we'll try to travel around the UK more, and we'll come up and explore Nottingham in all it's glory.

In the meantime though, it's back to preparation for the next couple of days. I'm presenting my paper on Thursday and yet Powerpoint keeps crashing on me -- Argh!

Oh, current Windows wallpaper: Paul Klee's Insula Dulcamara. It has a strangely soothing yet vibrant appeal to it. Beg, borrow or steal a copy now! Preferably from the rich, to give to the poor! ;)