A Lot Going On

Posted by Martin R on April 1, 2011
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I’ve got a lot of fun stuff going on right now. Yesterday I drove to Uppsala, talked to the County Archaeologist about a site for almost two hours on an empty stomach, was fed cake by my friend and colleague Åsa of Ting & Tankar, spoke about Bronze Age sacrificial sites to her staff at the SAU excavation unit, was treated to dinner by Åsa and my old buddy Jonas, drove to Norrtälje, ran into the local history society’s meeting a quarter late and gave the Bronze Age talk one more time. Then drove home and spent half an hour before bedtime getting paperwork into shape as per the County Archaeologist’s wishes.

Today will be a bit more quiet: library visit before noon, then a seminar at the Vasa museum about Djurhamn where I did fieldwork a few years back and found that sword, you know. More specifically it’s about the underwater archaeology there – I was on dry land with my team. Tonight I need to pack my fieldwork gear.

Tomorrow’s the spring meet and annual business meeting of the Swedish Skeptics, which I will emcee. Chances are the board election may produce some drama – there has been growing criticism lately against the current board of which I’m a member, viz that we’re lazy ivory-tower academics who don’t engage enough with the media. So we’ll see if I’m still a board member at the skeptics-in-the-pub event on Saturday night. Also there’s likely to be some sort of manifestation of people who are unhappy with the society’s siding with mainstream science on the climate issue.

Sunday is the start of the fieldwork season: metal detecting and field walking with a team of ~10 volunteers near Nyköping. Monday more fieldwork at sites near Gnesta and Enköping. Tuesday will be quiet. And then, Wednesday, it’s off to Minneapolis for talks, skeptical events, some gaming, a museum tour and more.

As we say, rather earthily, in Swedish: I’ve got my ass full right now.

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Comments

  1. #1 Birger Johansson
    April 1, 2011

    “Ting & Tankar” -Norse “thing” became English “thing” but Scandinavians (except in Iceland) dropped the “th” sound.

    Try to catch Zzzz on Tuesday. Have fun in Minneapolis!
    Busy…here is a less hectic job. And you can do optic searches for archaeological finds while resting on the beach sand. “Hundreds apply for Swedish ‘beach bum’ job” http://www.thelocal.se/32940/20110331/

  2. #2 Johan
    April 1, 2011

    Vad är det som ska undersökas “nära Nyköping”? Om du vill ha en till frivillig lertraskare så finns det ev. en intresserad arkeologistudent där :)

  3. #3 Pierre
    April 1, 2011

    That´s a lot to do… Oh and good luck with the metal detecting! Too bad I coudn´t come.

  4. #4 Birger Johansson
    April 1, 2011

    “Tomorrow’s the spring meet and annual business meeting of the Swedish Skeptics, which I will emcee” and “… people who are unhappy with the society’s siding with mainstream science on the climate issue.”

    Just remember this: -Of a quarter million temperature data sets, the majority supports climate change and a warming trend. No conspiracy could fake that amount of data, not even if Opus Dei, the Freemasons and the Jewish-Communist world conspiracies pulled together!

  5. #5 ArchAsa
    April 2, 2011

    It was great having you over to our place – sorry we kept you so long you turned up late at your next appointment! (though to be fair I believe it’s the County Board that should bear the brunt of the blame… ;)

    It’s a fascinating project you have initiated and we are all looking forward to hear more about it. Perhaps a re-visit in the Autumn in our new office?

  6. #6 Martin R
    April 2, 2011

    Thank you for receiving me! It was great reconnectin live with you guys. And I did get the permit I talked to the County Archaeologist about.

  7. #7 ArchAsa
    April 3, 2011

    Fantastic!