Sean Moran's Blog, page 9

Moran's Dictionary of Chemical Engineering

I'm well into the polishing stages of the dictionary, shouldn't have any trouble making the end of March deadline, even if one of the new expert witness enquiries comes through. It's been a long slog.

Nearly There

95%+ on writing definitions for my dictionary this morning. I'm going to try hard to get this stage complete by the end of 2021....

Much As Before

I'm still mostly grinding through my dictionary, though I did do a short expert witness report today. 93% of my terms defined, so soon I'll be onto the polishing stages. I'm not sure I'd say "I can't wait" for the next stage, but it will make a change. It's taken two years to write all of those definitions.

We have had a few new expert witness enquiries, but they may come to nothing, as they were the sort of clients who hope you are going to read in and have a conference with them free of charge as part of an expert witness shopping beauty contest. I don't do that. I'd have to double my rate to price in the wasted time. I'd rather charge a fair rate.

Some Expert Witness Work, But Mostly Still Writing

Though I have three expert witness jobs on the go, they are all pretty quiet at the moment, so another week of progress with my Dictionary of Chemical Engineering. 

Remind me not to volunteer to write any more dictionaries. Try as you might, its hard to stop collecting new terms, other than deciding that at the point where I have defined all of those that I have collected so far, I'm going to have to stop. It's arbitrary, but that's the only way the deadline is going to be met!  

Like art, a dictionary is apparently never finished, only abandoned.

Still Quiet

Though there's a couple of expert witness jobs still going on, and a couple of possibilities on the horizon, I'm mostly working on the dictionary at the moment. 

I need to get all of the definitions sorted by end of year to make the deadline, and it looks as though I'm on target. This dictionary is really taking a lot of effort, but it's shaping up well. 

A Timely Hiatus

I've been too busy to blog for a good while, but I'm having a little lull between report submissions for once, so I'm working flat out on the dictionary. It's just as well there is less real work, that book submission deadline is looming...

Single Joint Expert Water Issues

I have had a new enquiry for an expert witness engagement as a single joint expert in a case to do with sewage infrastructure shared between neighbours. It is a little reminiscent of another neighbour dispute I was engaged to assist with a few years ago, though it has not yet reacted the point where firearms and assault are involved, as the earlier one did!

The expert witness enquiries seem to keep on coming, but I also received an enquiry for a more straightforwardly technical assignment last week, and even an invitation to be considered for a simple process engineer role overseas. We'll see what happens!  

Expert Report By Water Treatment Engineer

I submitted an advisory report yesterday for an expert witness engagement to do with drinking water treatment, and associated sludge treatment. 

I have a few other jobs on the books, but as I had to cancel an engagement next week, I might have a day or two whilst I ma waiting for requested information. I'm finding I need to take my holidays where they fall at the moment.... 

Water Treatment Engineer Expert Witness

Still busy, I've just picked up another expert witness engagement, to do with anaerobic digestion of industrial effluent. Which is as much as I can say about it, due to NDAs. A pity, as it looks like an interesting one.

I'm working the weekend finishing a report on a drinking water treatment plant, then I've got one to write on a sequencing batch reactor in a sugar refinery. Then its a week on site for the new job, and another report to write. 

I've got another couple of jobs for insurers on the go as well, but they are pretty quiet at the moment. 

It should all calm down in time to get back to writing the books and articles I am contracted to produce.

Then I think I'll be ready for a holiday!

Overseas Expert Witness Effluent Treatment

I've been in Italy all week, looking at an industrial effluent treatment case. It's nice to be away again, though as Italy is on the amber list, it means 10 days of isolation when I get back, and a ton of Covid-related testing, admin, paperwork and expense. Worth it for work, but not for leisure, IMHO....

The photo is of something I've never seen before that we used in the visit: slip-on steel toecap overshoes. Not sure they are approved in the UK....