Distraction Free

 After a lot of time, effort, and planning, I'm in a fairly distraction free zone here in Chile. For the purposes of getting research done, this is pretty important for me. I've always been too easily distracted by the tasks of daily life to keep my attention fixed on the long-term project of mathematical research. There's always a student to help, a class to plan, a committee to run. There's always something to do around the house, or with the car, or on my bike. And, I've always been a bit too willing to let those things move to the top of my list of priorities at the expense of research time.

Now that's all been put at a distance (about 6,000 miles distant). Now, I live in someone else's house. I don't have a car, or a bike. I'm not teaching, or advising, or on any committees. I get up in the morning and there are a couple of things to do. Maybe wash dishes, or vacuum, or do a load of laundry, but the todo list quickly clears itself all the way down to research. So, when all the little jobs are dispatched, I curl up with my computer and work on math problems. And, when all those other distractions are at such great remove, I find that I actually like the work. It's interesting, challenging, and maybe even useful somewhere down the line. 

Part of why we're here is to experience a different country. But, the other half of why I'm here, is to put myself in a context where I can actually do research and not worry about what else I should be doing instead. A side benefit is that life here is simple and relatively stress free.

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It rained here for the first time since we arrived. It was also pretty windy and I got wet and blown around pretty good on my run this morning. Whatever tiny storm that brought us the rain and the wind today also raised the surf. The waves were noticeably bigger today and came in sets of 4 or 5. I'd always heard that waves came in sets, but today was the first time I'd actually seen that phenomenon. This video isn't a set of waves, it's just one as it rolled in and washed under the pier.

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I saw the 4 dogs that travel with the homeless person this morning enjoying the beach. I didn't see the homeless person. It's interesting how they stick together.