Going out to conferences and pubs to meet colleagues with related interests is almost always a productive use of a time. Many things can be obtained by networking: friendships, talk invitations, jobs...

Yesterday's mail brought me to a new high of networking success. It contained nothing so obvious as a talk or job invitation. (Not that I would object to those in any way!) Instead, it contained a bar of exotic Israeli chocolate which, oddly enough, is meant to feel all fizzy in one's mouth, like a fizzy sour lemon sucking candy.

My time at the BSHS conference was well spent.