(a) Whenever I do a formal calculation, I wear a jacket and tie.

(b) Anybody who joins teamcvj must learn to read upside-down.

-cvj

(Alternative answers: (a) Goodness knows what it was that day. Every day I can be sitting on one of several committees at the Dean’s or Provost’s level, or going to some function or other. I have a generic dark suit jacket that lives in my office that can dress me up a few notches when I need it to. When I want 100W level, I bring in a tie…for example at the Board of Trustees meeting tomorrow. Basically, I’ve never been one for the (so non-conformist that it’s very conformist) “scruffy scientist” look. It’s a bit more fun to buck the trend too. Also, it is useful for keeping me warm when campus is chilly. (b) No, the above was the correct answer.)

a) You are dressed pretty formally. I’ve never seen Physics faculty wear dark suits during regular class times. A meeting with an influential person on the agenda that day??

b) I guess that drawing diagrams/ doing “back of the envelope” calculations are a part of talking about string theory. How do you manage that in a round table setting?

-cvj

Consider that! You sun-bather!