Sunny Sacramento is fabulously hot...

Ok, I promised the guy at the compadre booth that I would
do this, and word is that there might be a prize involved.  
Since I am posting in my own personal blog, here is a
(slightly edited) version:
Once I got into Sacramento, I registered and checked into
the dorm.  It's taking me awhile to get used to it: it's like
another country just because the vegetation here is so
different!  The trees look so ancient.  All of the plants look
like they have been around for so much longer than any of
the ones on the east coast.  It's weirdly beautiful.  The
campus itself (California State University: Sacramento, or as
it's known by the locals: Sac State) is the polar opposite of
Chicago.  One of the people on the bus to the school said
something like, "oh, don't worry, it's a pretty small campus;
you'll be able to get around fine."  Hmmmm maybe it's small
compared to Berkeley or something, but it is BIG compared
to our humble quads.  All of the buildings are very modern.  
They kind of remind me of Woodward, for the veteran
UofCers out there.   I still can't get used to Palm trees on
college campuses.  There are so many huge trees here.  I
can't really describe it.  All of the different parts of the
Student Union are named after trees: we have the Redwood
room, the Sequoia room, and the Cypress room.  And of
course, the Oak and Walnut rooms.  It gets mildly confusing,
especially considering that each of those rooms in the Union
also has its own "Hall" named after it on the rest of campus.  
They really like trees here.

There hasn't been very much physics yet: my fist workshop
is Sunday morning, bright and early at 8 AM.  I actually think
I saw our undergrad lab manager here-- from far away, and
only his back.  I couldn't tell if it really was him, and he was
gone before I could decide.  Van?  Are you out here?  I also
met two people at dinner--everyone is so nice!  One was
another undergrad--she just graduated from the University
of Louisville and is interning with the AAPT.  Another is a
lecturer at Rutgers.  We both have the same laptops.  This
convention could be a powerbook lovers convention too.  I
also ran into this funny old woman from New Hampshire who
was so excited that I was young and interested in teaching.  

All in all, a fun first day.

Great to see so many folks in the exhibit hall!  We've had a couple students come by and sign up to play on this site - the more the merrier!  

Remember, if you post from the meeting, there may be prizes involved!  Everyone likes prizes.

Dodge this.

I really like the free pens. I have about 27 of them now.

Sacramento is beautiful!  There have been some very interesting talks so far about the transition from high school to college physics.  The most fascinating discussions have been about how first year physics students need to let go of all their preconcieved notions about the world to more fully comprehend physics.

What about all of us poor unfortunate sould stuck in D.C? How come we don't get prizes for updating. Al will stick up for me. Won't you Al?

-Matt-

Vote Matt!

Thought I'd post this here too::

I only have a few minutes, since I'm using the one computer kiosk that the student union has....darn my wireful computer.  

Sacramento is nice.  I don't know so much about how hot everyone says it is.  I've warn a jacket all weekend.  I had my poster presentation last night, which went well I suppose.

I've kinda walked around and done my own thing the last few days.  Saturday I went to Old Sacramento, which was old shops and stuff...Not too exciting.  Other than that I've been in the union or in the dorm reading Harry Potter 5.  I've met a few people that are really nice.  Gabe and, crap, i can't remember her name!! Maire??  I think.

Well I better go.  Do people involved in ComPADRE get a prize?  I better get a polo since I practically designed them :)

until later!!

-al