Life Outside Astronomy

While my work is loads of fun, I have many outside interests that keep me busy and entertained.

Music

I take music very seriously. The more challenging and complex, the better. The genres of progressive rock and jazz fusion are good starting points. Bands and artists I think are really amazing include:

Frank Zappa, Mike Keneally, Ruins (or nearly anything else Tatsuya Yoshida does -in fact I think Koenjihyakkei is the greatest thing going right now), Django Bates, Miriodor, Interference Sardines, and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.

In September 2009 I attended the Rock in Opposition festival near Carmaux, France. It was unforgettable.

Travel

Astronomers have it good when it comes to travel, as our work takes us to many great places. Since moving to England my obsession for road trips has been transformed into an addiction to travel brochures, as I try to see how much of Europe I can see while I'm living over here.
So far, through work or otherwise, since Oct 2008 I've enjoyed trips to:
Oxford, November 2008
Spain, Christmas 2008
Cardiff, January 2009
West Midlands, February 2009
Prague, March 2009
Keele/Manchester, March 2009
London/Belgium/Germany/Austria/Italy/Switzerland/France, Easter 2009
Amsterdam, May 2009
Scotland, May 2009
Groningen, June 2009
Rio de Janeiro, August 2009
Hawaii, September 2009
Southern France, September 2009
Venice, September 2009
Cornwall/Isles of Scilly, October 2009
Cambridge, November 2009
Berlin, Christmas 2009
Ireland/N.Ireland, February 2010
Stonehenge, March 2010
Greece/Turkey, Easter 2010
Paris, April/May 2010
Krakow/Poland, May 2010
Scotland, May/June 2010
Naramata/BC, June 2010
Portugal, June 2010
St. Andrews, July 2010
Wales, July 2010
New York, August 2010
Arcetri/Florence, August 2010
Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Aug/Sep 2010

Wishlist:

Isle of Man, Scandinavia, Croatia...