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Showing posts with label u3ac. Show all posts
Showing posts with label u3ac. Show all posts

Tuesday 28 February 2017

Spitsbergen

Every 2nd Tuesday, I go to the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge for a U3AC talk on the Arctic and Antarctic. Today, the talk was about Spitsbergen high up in the Arctic. Very interesting too.

We are very lucky in Cambridge having such good speakers/lecturers and a wide choice of subjects. Last term I studied the Anglo-Saxons!  This was very far removed from electronics. It was enjoyable nonetheless.

It is so good to learn with no exams, no notes (unless you want to) - in fact learning about things that interests you for pure pleasure.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spitsbergen

Tuesday 25 October 2016

Smart Phones

Tuesday is one of my days in Cambridge doing Polar Studies at the Scott Polar Research Institute. The course is run by the University of the Third Age. We are very lucky to have a huge range of courses in Cambridge. We are lucky to have many ex-university lecturers.

See http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/ .

In a not very scientific study into smart phone use, these were my findings, just looking:

  • Younger people are the main users
  • About 1 in 10 (at least) seemed to be using these
  • More women than men seemed to use these (keep away, don't speak to me, acknowledge my private space?)
OK, I hear you say, so what, but this is a social thing:  in days gone by there was eye contact, people chatted to each other. At the very least people acknowledged each other. It seems most young people have lost the skill of face-to-face contact; the phone seems more important! If this is OK, OK. Sadly, as a boring old git, I think this will come back to bite us.

Wednesday 27 January 2016

Cambridge

Bikes outside Sydney-Sussex College
Most Mondays this term,  I go into Cambridge for my U3AC course, "Living with less". The course is very good.  I travel into Cambridge and home on the bus and enjoy the bus ride. It involves a walk through the centre of Cambridge, which is quiet at this time of year.  In the summer it can get busy with language students and visitors. I am fortunate to have a wide choice of U3AC courses and Cambridge on my doorstep. Many people travel the world to see sights I just take for granted.

Monday 5 October 2015

U3A courses

One of the better things about getting older is being able to learn just for fun. My wife started her U3A course in Cambridge today and mine is on Wednesday. We are very lucky in Cambridge as we have a huge range of courses to choose from. Some are academic, some sports etc. There is something for everyone. I think the U3A (University of the Third Age) branch in Cambridge is somehow separate from U3A. In Cambridge it is known as U3AC (University of the Third Age in Cambridge).

Tuesday 10 March 2015

U3AC

Today was the last session of my University of the 3rd Age in Cambridge course entitled "Maps in the Digital Age". It was a very good course and taught me a great deal. It is amazing how far map data has come. Apparently, resolutions down to 30cm are now available on civilian satellite maps. One can only imagine the resolution available to the military.

Tuesday 10 February 2015

Cambridge on a winter Tuesday

Bridge Street, Cambridge
Every Tuesday I travel into Cambridge for my weekly U3AC course called "Digital Maps in the Computer Age".  I am enjoying the course very much.

Cambridge Punts
Usually I drive to the "Park and Ride" car park at Newmarket Road and get the bus into town. The U3AC course is at the U3AC headquarters in Bridge Street, which is about 30m from where the punts are on the River Cam. From here you can punt right up via St John's, Trinity, Clare and Kings College. The secret is not to leave your punt pole behind. It is easily done. Luckily the Cam is not too deep.

Tuesday 27 January 2015

Park and Ride

Every Tuesday I drive into Cambridge (Newmarket Road Park and Ride) where I pick up the Park and Ride bus into Cambridge, where I attend my U3AC course called "Maps in the Computer Age". It is an excellent course with good supporting notes and links. Apart from the £1 to park, travel into the city is free as I have an OAP bus pass.

Friday 16 January 2015

Ascent of Man U3AC course

Mid afternoon, I start my second U3AC course (University of the Third Age in Cambridge) in Cambridge this academic year. It is called "Ascent of Man" following the work of Jacob Bronowski  who did a TV series some years ago. I recently got a second hand copy of the hardback book which accompanied the series. It was much cheaper than a new paperback copy.

The University of the Third Age has a huge range of courses in Cambridge. We are very lucky.

UPDATE 1745z:  The course was very disappointing. Also we almost immediately divided into 4 groups of 3 to discuss questions and formulate answers.  This is a format I just detest and with my poor voice I find discussing topics very hard. The lecturer was not very good as well.  I may change courses. Already I have contacted the U3AC office to check availability on another course.

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Driving again

After a ban on car driving of around 14 months because of my brain bleed,  I am now allowed to drive again.

In the car I do not get giddy and feel safe, although I drive slower than before, at least for now. In the last year,things seem to have got faster, although I am sure this is me!  My wife thinks I should be wearing a hat!

Up to now, I have driven fairly locally and my wife is usually in the car with me. The exception for the last few weeks has been a solo drive to the Newmarket Road, Cambridge,  Park and Ride site, where I catch the bus into the city for my U3AC course on Human Evolution, a course I am really enjoying. For several years I was too busy for U3AC, but this year is different.

Although I am usually suffering from at least 2 of the following, it is good to be doing "normal" things again and mixing with healthy people.  My remaining issues are (1) giddiness when walking. (2) poor liquid swallow, (3) tiredness following physical work of ANY kind.  Today, I don't feel tired whereas for several days previously I had been totally exhausted.

Tuesday 7 October 2014

Cambridge University of the 3rd Age (U3AC)

As you might expect, the U3AC choices in Cambridge are huge and varied.

For the first time in several years I decided to join some courses this year. This term I am doing 2 and next term one course. The first, "Human Evolution, is it a Darwinian process?" started today. For me, it means a bus ride and a fairly (for me) long walk, but it is a chance to be "normal" again and get out of "illness mode". The lecturer is a chap called Ken Edwards who took me when I was on a different course a few years ago. It was good.

Thursday 2 October 2014

Last gym session (for now)

Outside the Newmarket gym
Today was my last day at the gym in Newmarket as part of their "Active For Life" programme.  I have been going twice a week, most weeks, since May. Although my stamina is better, I don't think my balance has improved much. From next week I am attending a weekly U3AC course in Cambridge so will do a fair bit of walking to and from the bus stops. I am hoping to drive to the "Park and Ride" site when again allowed to drive the car.