Wednesday 30 June 2010

Back to work - a somewhat odd feeling

I had thought that the disappointment of not getting the place at Oxford to do my PhD would pass quickly but as I worked today, I have felt really sad about it. This has been mainly caused by some Kepler reading I have been doing. First up, an article by Patrick Boner which shows serious study of Kepler's de stella nova, my proposed PhD subject. Secondly, a piece on Kepler and Galileo's methods of persuasion in the dissemination of Copernicanism, this one by a current PhD student. Both show active, current work in precisely the area I wanted to be working in.

More work on reviewing back issues of journals available online - today was Isis and BJHS. I have until October to pick up any articles I want before my LSE closes. A handful of interesting stuff appearing from this process

Only a small amount of dissertation work being done however. At one time I had hoped to have a good draft to take away to Italy. That isn't going to happen now, so I will have to get writing when I get back. I should also check when it is due in - it would be a shame to miss the deadline!

Latest trading has been rather mixed. A poor day Monday - my worst yet with a 300 pt loss, i.e. 60pts per system - is followed by a really good Tuesday to leave me up a small bit for the week so far. Loads of statistical testing continues to be done with a view to increasing position sizes from when we get back from Italy. By then I'll have five more weeks data and a few more practice sessions - exciting to be able to already think about this.

Emma is now home for a few weeks and is already bored. Today she had a 5 hour ER watching session. She has been seeing a few friends as well so hopefully it will not be too bad here. But she hasn't mentioned the possibility of a Lake District trip again, so I am assuming this is not on. Another disappointment.

I am still slowly reading the Spinoza biography and also one of Lord Rochester - critiquing both from a technical biographical perspective. Neither are particularly good it seem to me so far.

Mainly listening to Current 93's Sleep has his house cd and Bardo Pond

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