The people in my lab now continue to keep me amused :-) Bo has now decided that I should learn how to speak Chinese to aid communications within the lab - mainly 'cause she doens't like talking English. An interesting concept.
Some of you may remember how humoured I was to explain the concept of how to cook a sweet and sour. Well on our walk home, on Friday I think it was, I had to try and explain what a stirfry was. It's fair enough I suppose, I mean I don't know the Chinese for fish and chips. It still amuses me though :-)
Anyways... spelling. When we've been talking and we've stumbled across a word that Bo can't pronounce correctly she's started spelling it for me - which works quite well! Well today I was sat in the corner of the lab blinding myself with super bright LEDs.
Digression... I've been trying to control the brightness of the LED using a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor - just incase you don't know how to use Google ;-P) I'd been having loads of issues, with what should have been a simple circuit just not working correctly. After spending ages with a technician in the workshop he finially realised I'd got the pins mixed up on the MOSFET... doh! So it works now...
Anyways... back to the main plot... basically Bo asked me what I was making the bright lights she could see flashing...
Bo: What's that?
Ed: It's an LED
Bo: A what?
Ed: A bright LED
Bo: What's an 'ellydee'?
Ed: You know, a light emitting diode.
(thinking fair does I don't know what pin is what on a MOSFET... but I know what an LED is.
Bo (grinning): Spell it.
Ed: Ah. (giggles) L...E...D...
Bo: Oh! (giggles)
Loads of fun :-)