September 8 2000

Weblogs

Susan pointed to Weblogs – a history and perspective by Rebecca Blood.

Even later flip today…

There’s only about an hour left of the day. Oh well. I don’t really know why the day went by so fast.

This morning, I went to the library again and laid hands on the book I was looking for yesterday. They actually had it! In fact, they had two copies of it. One was in the reading room and available for everyone, but you’re not allowed to borrow it and take it home. The other copy, which you are allowed to take home, was in the Raritätenraum (“room of rarities”). But it seems the room is not called “room of rarities” because the books inside are so rare, but rather because access to the room is rare. It was locked and none of the staff (three PhD students) had a key. And the secretary, who has one, had a few weeks off. And the teachers who might have a key were not available either.

So I sat down in the reading room and read the book there. I wanted the book mostly because of one formula that is in it, so I copied it and went home. I guess I’ll have to go again and find someone with a key so I can take the book home for a while because a formula without context is not very useful.

In the afternoon I went to “downtown” Bonn for a math lesson and in search of Silly Putty. Because I had a train to catch, I had only time to check two stores, but they didn’t have it. I’ll try again next week. (Remember, shops in Germany are open from 9 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays. You can’t expect me to get up that early tomorrow! )