Alternatives to Lost

"Lost" was a network TV show from a few years ago. I watched some of the early seasons and apparently it was critically acclaimed for its entire run, but I was not impressed. It really seemed that the writers had no clue where they were going, and it was just one mystery after another with nothing ever explained. There is no way I could go back and re-watch the entire series just to see whether I hadn't given it a fair chance.

If you like that genre, there are a couple of things you could check out. I should say I haven't finished them (and one is not yet complete) so these are only preliminary recommendations.

• Area X: the Southern Reach Trilogy, by Jeff VanderMeer. I read the first book, "Area X", which is like a precis "Lost" in novella form. Well written and clearly Jeff had a plan the whole way. Satisfying but ambiguous ending. My daughter gave me this for Christmas. 
• The Lost Village: is an anime, currently being shown. It is available dubbed on Crunchyroll (a monthly subscription Japanese and Korean media site). So far, it is pretty interesting with the same basic concept of Lost. I should probably not recommend it, since Lost was pretty interesting at the beginning and just lost it's way. Still, anime series are often short and wrap up in a satisfying way. 

I am the Loverboy of research math professors

This post will be less interesting than the title suggests.

I am applying for a job at UCLA, as the director of the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM). I am happy at UBC but have been here 25 years and a chance to change up my career a bit would be welcome. I tell my friends that it is a long shot and they are surprised. I guess they believed me when I said I was an "international expert" and that "being a research mathematician is as unusual as being a successful rock musician". Well, rock stars come in different kinds. I am the Loverboy of research mathematicians. It puts it into perspective that I probably have to explain to you who Loverboy is. They were (still are) a local band that had some success in the eighties. I have one of their songs, "turn me loose" on a playlist. It is pretty catchy. I have written some research papers that people liked. But UCLA is a top place, a notch above UBC, and IPAM is a serious outfit. They are looking for a David Bowie class mathematician. I have made multiple playlists of only Bowie tunes. Of course, I still have a chance at the job since no mathematician of that class may want it. Or, maybe they really want someone in tight red leather pants (you have to watch a Loverboy video to understand this comment). For me the equivalent to the pants is my track record of collaboration outside of mathematics with Engineering and Industry. 

Google Dozen Playlist: Canadiana

Hi all,

For those of you that subscribe to Google Music, here is my latest, totally awesome playlist, featuring Canadian bands.

https://play.google.com/music/playlist/AMaBXym8R9pBbWdffM17WQBAHHlYqeVrcwSPSr6EygP1G1C5AQT9pMxg4JR1BZX_jK2h-TtvyVjjR_T8E_xnaRb0HOih82piww==

There is a point of view that such national playlists should have songs about Canada as well as by Canadians, but I just don't subscribe to that restriction. We are a nation that generates great music beyond wilderness, maple syrup, hockey and mockery of Americans. Limiting to a dozen songs in my google format was tricky. Some things I thought of including before they got cut:

• Stan Rogers, Northwest Passage
• Corey Hart, Sunglasses at Night (*) 
• No Means No, Rag 'n Bones (*) 
• Sweeny Todd, Roxy Roller
• Doug and the Slugs, Too Bad
• Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi 
• Trooper, Boys in the Bright White Sports Car 
• Purity Ring, Body Ache 

The (*)'d entries are ones not available on Google Music. This was the first time I had identified major holes in their collection. Hopefully they will be added at some point, although I don't know how successful Google Music has been and whether they plan to expand.