Like a ginger Jack Shephard ...

... or perhaps the missing third Mitchell brother. Anyhow, I tell myself every day how beautiful I am, so what you people think is hardly important!

So last week I was in Edinburgh for the fantastic Maxwell Colloquium. This was a one-day conference that featured some really exciting talks (and if this makes you raise a sarcastic eyebrow as if to say "exciting topology my arse!", then remember that you're the one reading a maths-themed blog) and left me feeling very enthusiastic. Of course it was also great to see the old place and the grimy, nondescript people I tend to call my friends (and whom I still need to post some of Woolworth's finest Mentos for YouTube-style experimenting).

Off to Lille in just over a week for yet more maths, this time a summer school given by Michael Weiss, which -- as if you lot would know! -- is exciting, but more exciting still is the fact that I get to go on Eurostar! I suppose this really just involves being on a train that gets gloomy for a bit, but it surely beats flying.

Compelled to mention the current reading-matter, Darkmans by Nicola Barker. The cover's a bit shit, and the whole thing's over 800 pages long, but it's fantastic so far, not least for the exceptional dialogue. I'll think about giving a more detailed description in future when I've read more. Watch this space.

Finally, with my blogging duty done and my stomach more-or-less recovered from cheeky Hobbit-chef Jamie Oliver's fantastic sticky toffee pudding (which I, who apparently am "good at puddings", made without even having to practice), I'm off to watch the Lost Season Three Finale. It's been fantastic so far, I certainly didn't watch five episodes back to back last night, and -- for any of you who got bored of all the faffing -- you really do get some answers in series three. Can't wait.