It's Crashing! Let me Save you!

So I'm fussing with the computer, it's slow and not doing what it should be doing as fast as I think it should and the phone rings. It is one of those Asian international calls routed through Atlanta...

"Miss? I'm with *$*$, and we have been notified by Microsoft that your computer is about to crash..."

This is serious! My computer just can't crash at this moment!

"Miss, I can help you, it won't cost you anything..."

The blue screen flashes on then settles into the desk top picture I so dearly love. Program sputters, rejects a simple edit ...

"Miss! Please! I can help! Microsoft sent me a warning about your computer. It won't cost you anything!"

The program crashes yet again. Desperate, I'm desperate... "It won't cost anything? Who pays for it?"

"Microsoft."

I think about it. "What do you want me to do?"

In a couple of quick exchanges, I hand over control of my computer to a complete stranger. And amazingly, he finds some things that do make the computer work faster and the program quits crashing. I'm feeling better, now able to breathe.

And the stranger goes in for the kill. "Miss, I find that you have an outdated version of ****, unless you pay me to update it, I will make sure you can't turn your computer on and I'll report you to the company."

What?! "I have no idea what you are talking about! I don't even use that program! I didn't install it!"

"It was installed when the computer was at the factory. Whether you use it or not makes no difference. It is out of date."

"But I don't want it! I don't use it! Delete it!"

"It is out of date, Miss. Unless you pay me to upgrade it, I will crash your computer."

Hostage, I'm being held hostage by a stranger who barely speaks English who holds my livelihood in his mouse and is a click away from destroying weeks of work! Weakly I ask, "How much?"

"Just $69.00, Miss, unless you want me to fix all of your computer so it works better and faster then it will cost more."

I have turned control of my life over to a junkie who gets his kicks out of controlling other people through their technology. I wonder if all Americans are like this – we'd trade our children to make sure our technology is working right. Okay, trading our children is a bit extreme, but the point is, when it comes to technology and our dependence on it, I think Americans would do almost anything to make sure it is running correctly, and will stay running that way.

Long story short, Asian stranger screwed up, computer down for 24 hours. I was able to finally connect with a technician who told me what to do instead of doing it himself. At all times I maintained control of my computer – well, most of the time. I got so lost and frustrated that I suggested he take control for a couple of minutes and straighten out the current problem.  Then I regained control. Was I set up? Again?  Who knows, but  the computer is now working better, faster, has more energy than it has had in several months, but it was a long scary 24 hours. It was an angry 24 hours – I was taken advantage of, I let myself be taken advantage of.

Lesson? We've signed up with a company who will take care of all of our computers and their hesitations over the next year. We've deleted, we hope, all those silly programs that we don't use... and when we get a call from a stranger who says they've been sent by Microsoft to save our computer, we can say we are already covered, the problem is already taken care of, take us off your list, if you call this number again, we will report you to the FCC.

Will that work? Who knows – but at least it is worth a try. I have had these computer strangers sent from Microsoft call me back several times to convince me they are legitimate.  I emailed Microsoft once if they were really doing this to me, but I never got a reply back. I just wanted an official note, something I could hold onto.

Transistor Radios – I wanted one so bad! I wanted to be able to listen to music out in the yard. My babysitting money went toward my college account so I was not able to "cash" anything in. But my friends had theirs and they shared! The World Series was a serious matter for us – we'd listen during lunch at school – it was the only time radios were allowed in the lunch room at school or in study hall. Now I have one – for weather.

I am very much an introvert, much to the amazement of my students and other faculty. My grandson and my better half are also – but people would never know it. All three of us are able to "work a room" and make people feel very comfortable. At the end of the day, we need the silence, the quiet, an hour to keep our own company, create our own world and live there for a bit... we like people! But after a day of them, it is nice to be alone. It is nice to know that we are alone or doomed to obscurity. 

I've discovered that as I "mature", I find that I don't tolerate some types of people as well as I use to; I don't participate in some activities because I find them mundane and/or just stupid. (Not politically correct, I know. But really! Any conversation about the latest "reality show" should not last more than 30 seconds.) Maybe that's why I've taken to hiking. I don't have to listen to the latest whine and excuse and no one can get hold me! The lengths I'll go to be have a quiet couple of hours!

So I have finally finished the content edit for a book headed to Hay House for publishing. It has been an honor to do this project! As soon as it becomes a reality and available, I'll let you all know. The art work in the book is incredible! And the story is what I call a "soft story"; an easy read with lessons and messages so well hidden that you don't know you've been taught something until you sit back and look at the pictures.

I also said that I'd clear out the Wormhole Booksfor Sale page by the first of September. It is now almost the first of October and I find that some Transports are selling very well! So, I'm keeping them up and available for $.99 for the Transports until I find time to close things out.  

I heard from Tammy N. She has a new story to share! So we are creating another series of her stories. They should be available by November! Tammy's stories have those amazing twisted endings. The two of the three that will be available in November are my all-time favorites of hers.

Well, Don. I believe Mr. Twain was right – you never know about people until you travel with them. Travel safe.

Carolyn

All images downloaded from Google Images

Fig 1 – Computer crash retrieved from The Republic Of PR MC22S5B: BACKUP YOUR ENTIRE COMPUTER

peopleof5b.blogspot.com

Fig 2 -- Windows-Explorer-Has-Stopped-Working.png retrieved from

www.thewindowsclub.com

Fig 3 -- A Few Transistor Radios retrieved from

www.northernelectric.ca

Fig 4 –Famous Introverts in History | The Happy Introvert retrieved from

courtneyhook.wordpress.com

Fig 5 -- The Introvert Ideal | Alone together

www.introvertideal.com

Take a hike and Leave me alone.

Hi Carolyn,

Gotta admit, I got slightly winded just reading about your hiking hi-jinks. Truly you and I are diametrical opposites when it comes to some aspects of enjoying the outdoors. I  appreciate the invigorating dimension of getting out and moving about, but would prefer taking in the great outdoors from the seat of a motorcycle or the cockpit of a sailboat. Clearly, your M.O. packs a healthy exercise bonus, though.


 Even though I've had someone on more than one occasion tell me to " take a hike " , I just can't muster up enough curiosity to give it a shot.

Speaking of sporty activities, your observation that I'm situated well below the 49th parallel has more than just a  weather related dimension to it. Growing up less than 2 hours from The Motor City and with a dad who was born in Motown meant that this time of the year turned a young boy's thoughts here in Southwestern Ontario to the "  Great  American Pastime " . 

 Late September and beyond meant that baseball was nearing the climax of it's lengthy season. We were in an area where major league ball games on the radio could be pulled in, especially after the sun went down, from Detroit, New York  and on a clear humid night, even from Chicago.  I tried to never be far from the airwaves when the ump intoned " Play ball "

You know how there are sometimes little events - or maybe vignettes would be a better term - that stick with you forever.  Sometimes they aren't major character defining  moments -  just a few minutes when all the cosmic consciousness tumblers are in place.  Well, one of them for me  was in early October, 1961,as a pimply-faced 11 year-old sitting on our  front veranda listening intently to the  transistor radio I had recently traded my paper route savings for. 

" Why would you buy some cheap, crappy Japanese junk?"

 " Sony... what kind of a name is that ?? "

 My schoolmates  thought I was nutso when I emptied the bank account for this one. I was unfazed, though.

 It was, for starters, so amazingly cool to be hearing the radio outside and from this little plastic box about the size of a package of Kraft  Singles  cheese slices. And most astounding of all... it didn't need to be PLUGGED IN.

My Yankees ( yes... I was a Yankees faithful until the Blue Jays and Expos appeared on this side of the border ) were in contention - of course. But some Yankee come lately named Roger Maris was trying to steal Mickey Mantle's mantle of fame ( of course the pun is intended! )

by being the one to break Babe Ruth's 60 homers in a season record.

Well he got his 61st dinger right at the end of the season - and I remember being able to hear it as it happened. Anyhow, this year, with the Toronto Blue Jays  on top of their division - with the Yankees nipping at their heels of course, I'm into baseball big time again with all of those other Canucks who have hopped onto the bandwagon. Stanley Cup playoffs and The World Series still rule as my pinnacle sports events.

Anyhow, let's get back to the present. I somehow got sidetracked recently into looking into the whole introversion/extroversion thing. It had not occurred to me before that I had fairly pronounced introvert characteristics. I always associated being an introvert with being pathologically shy or having pronounced hermit tendencies.



However, I have been finding myself in more situations recently - and by recently I mean within the last few years - where I have actually wished I was by myself rather than in the company of others. It wasn't that I disliked the people around me at the time so much as  it seemed to be more and more attractive to be  alone with my thoughts . I was kinda reminded of this after your mention, in your last blog, about certain happenings being, in part, your " reaction to age ".  Maybe this is part of me getting older. Don't people become more reclusive as they age?

My deal, however, is that I've always enjoyed my own company more than that of others most of the time. I don't seek solitude to get things done that are not doable when others are about. I simply am quite comfortable with no conversation in the room other than echoes. Plus, I am happy to just sit and think, or read, or simply " putter about " for hours on end. Sometimes taking my own sweet time tidying up the kitchen or something similarly menial can be surprisingly therapeutic.

  There have been more than a couple of occasions where I've been holding down the fort for a few days here while my LSBH has been down home with her aging parents and the time has seemingly hurtled past. Upon her return I've been asked:

"So whatcha been doing ?"

 I've been hard pressed for a definitive answer.

 "Just sittin' and thinkin' and enjoyin' doing nothing " wouldn't be the best response - truthful or not. 

Okay, on to Mr. Twain and a thought that may be introversion related or not, but is certainly true in my humble experiences:

I have found out that there ain't

 no surer way to find out whether

 you like people or hate them

 than to travel with them.

Catch ya later,

(unless I'd rather be alone...... )

Don

El Nino Bruce Lee and Aliens

Don,
I keep forgetting that you are below the 49th Parallel so you get the same weather as Chicago and Michigan. Living on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan has got to be a real challenge!

According to the Washing ton Weather Feds, this year just might be the tie breaker. So far, the current El Nino, nicknamed Bruce Lee, is the second strongest El Nino on record. Apparently the warm southern water in the Pacific Ocean has shifted north so water above the equator is warmer than usual.

This affects winter weather in the United States and can cause winters to be a bit warmer - there was no saying as to whether or not that means more or less snow. And no one is saying whether or not this will end the drought in California.The eastern seaboard usually gets heavier rains with these. The one thing that we have seen has been the decline of Atlantic hurricanes, but Pacific cyclones (hurricanes) have been more frequent. This does cause problems for Asia and the islands in between including Hawaii.

I have to admit that this summer has been milder than expected. And we had a lot of moisture in the form of rain and hail early in the summer. But we've not had our usual July/August monsoons, so for now, we're very dry and very lucky that we aren't having the forest fires that have plagued us in the past. We do get the smoke from the fires in Washington and Idaho. Some nights we can't open our windows.

There are reports that aspen are changing - last year it was October before the trees changes. A friend in Minnesota reported that geese are already migrating south. This is about a month earlier than usual... I wonder what the trees and the geese know that I don't know.

Even though my container garden is not doing as well as it did last year, the Farmer's Markets have been prolific with ripe delicious produce. Lots of tomatoes and young sweet squashes; sweat corn that puts sugar to shame; the peaches and pears could be a bit juicier, but they are still incredibly tasty. Beans are stringy and costly... but chilies have been hotter than usually and very very tasty! We went to a market yesterday where a vendor was roasting chilies - it was a spicy sweat smell. The onions we've bought have been strong enough to bring tears to my eyes at the first cut. By the time I get to cutting the root off, I'm crying!

Fall - for you it is back to school. For me it is how many more essays do I have to read? My daughter complained loudly a week or so ago that she was more than ready for the grandkids to back to school. This week, the grandkids all complained that it wasn't fair that summer was over and that they didn't get to do all the things they wanted to before they had to go back to school. I guess I was one of those strange kids - I liked school so going back in August was not soon enough for me.

Speaking of strange, I came across a weird article about the octopus. According to a recent genome sequencing of the octopus, they are different than any other animal on Earth. They have 33,000 protein-coding genes where humans only have 25,000. Not only does the octopus have a large brain, it has eight arms (and can taste through its suckers) and is a problem solving animal. The genome charters are postulating that the octopus could very well be "alien".

I always knew aliens lived here - I just thought they took over the brains and bodies of teenagers for about eight years...

Friday I had the opportunity to hike a little known county park. Amazing! The hike was 3 miles round trip - elevation change was 1000 feet in the first mile and in the last mile (going down). But, the amazing thing was the split personality of the trail. The first part was through the woods on the south side of the canyon - beautiful dense moss carpets, bearded moss hanging from the trees, small creeks that still had water in them; you could hear the birds, but we never saw them. I think we could have planted a redwood tree there and it would grown.

At the top, we crisscrossed several more streams. Then we cut into the mountain and crossed over to the north side of the canyon. Within about 15 feet, we went from Pacific Northwest forest to dry dusty cactus and yucca, lots of sage and minimal pine trees - Colorado hiking. We  came down a steep fire break road. After the "magic forest" we felt like we'd been tossed out of paradise into boring.

We decided that we'll go back and hike the upper 2.5 mile loop - and when we come down, we'll go back through the forest. Even though the down grade is intense, it will be a far more interesting climb down.

With all the hiking I've been doing in the last month, I'm discovering new muscles and tendons I didn't know I had (I think this is the weekend warrior syndrome). Last week I used a trekking pole and managed to twist my back ... I saw a massage therapist who suggested that if I don't need the poles for balance, it is best not to use them.

So for Friday's hike I did not use them. And all was well until we got about a fourth of the way down and I "blew out" my right knee. It is the IT band on the outside of the knee. I had thought of taking my pole and putting it in my pack just in case, but I didn't. It was a long long hike down ...

So, I've been using ice and exercising. Today I was actually able to walk a mile without any stresses. I will get this! And I will be an amazing hiker! Probably just in time for my neighbor (my hiking partner) to talk me into cross country skiing or snow shoeing. I think I have more muscles than I am aware of and I'm not sure there are any exercises that can be done to strengthen something I don't even know I have until I pull it.

It this my reaction to age? or is it  my excitement to finally doing something about my sense of adventure?

Carolyn

Weather imperialism, Windows woes, Lego and such

Hi Carolyn,

Far out! Another one of those end of the summer crept up unnoticed situations. Well, it's not the calendar end of the summer, of course, but a career of teaching has embedded the end-of-August = end of summer paradigm in my thought processes and internal rhythms, I guess. 


It's been outside stuff 'round here for sure since my last entry aided by superb end of the summer months weather.  In fact, it's been so engrossing with the motorcycling, the general gadding about and the being farmer wannabees that I didn't realize just how long it had been since last I checked in. All of that fresh air has made this once confirmed nighthawk actually sack out before midnight pretty well every night recently.

 Anyhow..... some Captain Catchup here.


Firstly, weatherwise, you're so right about the politics trumps geography thing - i.e. the weather that stops at the border. It happens on this side of the 49th too, and not just on the small screen. My LSBH worked, in her teen years, at a restaurant here in Ontario on the 401 highway( our equivalent of your Interstates  ) about half an hour north of Detroit. This area shares a latitude with Northern California.  She will attest to the fact that holidaying Americans she waited on, in the summer months,  would comment surprisingly on how the climate was the same . No, they did not see eager American folks arriving in July  with ski gear strapped to the roof of their vehicles, but they did encounter folks who were surprised that it wasn't different outside.


  In my constant online weather trolling, I've been using intellicast.com along with Environment Canada stuff for years , in part,  because of that discrepancy thing. Where we are, stuck down well below the 49th, the weather flows across the Great Lakes from Michigan in the west to the eastern  seaboard.   There's not nearly as much of this missing weather stuff herein because Central and Southern  Ontario actually stick down into the Northeastern States like a friendly finger.



 Weather is one of those things that absolutely brings out the geek in me. I have about six different places I  visit almost daily to get a overall picture of what's happening in the atmosphere above North America. I am old enough to remain in constant amazement at the fact that this kind of data and info is available on an almost moment to moment basis. Even with all of this digital assistance there are still times when the weather can surprise, though.


So, when I found myself recently out scatting about a bit online I ran into a couple of frivolous but totally up my alley items.


I've been a Lego fanboy of sorts for a long time and stuck various Lego images in here in the last few years.  The latest thing that caught my fancy was a Lego figure for Mr. Bean. In the process of checking that out I discovered that there are  worldwide Lego websites, fansites, blogs, etc., to an extent that is exponentially greater than I had imagined. One that caught my attention was minifigures.com. I went and had a look. It's a company that has it's own line of Lego figures plus - and this was the intriguing part - a service that will create a Lego figure to your own specs. What stuck me as intriguing about this was that such a seemingly micro-niche endeavour would become so popular and successful. They have created figures for promotional purposes for Google and Microsoft, among many others. Whodathunkit??

Speaking of Windows... I found out that the supposedly seamless transition from Windows 8 to 10 that I, and all other Windows minions were promised, has not fully come to pass. It appears that at the moment I can't go and grab images online and stick them into the blog as I have since we began. I began this entry while still using the earlier O.S. and then switched. Once I got back to finish off this entry I found the images I wanted but could not copy and paste them.  In fact, the more I get into this new- designed to stop the hordes from migrating to Apple- operating system, the more I am finding that it makes me want to do precisely that.   Hmmmmm.

Anyhow, enough geekish whining for now. I'll just have to find some time to fiddly-fart around with this between now and next time.

Gonna go now, though. I leave you with this Twainism ( and yes, there is a Mark Twain Lego figure out there to be had online... )

A good memory and a tongue tied in the middle is a combination which gives immortality to conversation.

Ya know..... I'm not sure just exactly what that means..... but it sounds wise and witty none-the-less.

Don

All figures obtained from Google Images:

Fig. 1 - twitter.com

Fig. 2 - blogs.rediff.com

DIY winter food because Weather stops at the borders

Don, 

Congrates on your 40th! And I think your family has good taste to send to you New Orleans – I know you'll have a blast! Love the picture of your pantry! Looks like you and your better half will make it through the winter with no problems even if you can't get out and about!

My grandmother was a late pioneer from the Ozark Mountains in lower Missouri. After she came to live with us here in Colorado, there was always a lot of canning going on in the fall. That fact that we lived in the mountains when I was a child made it even more necessary to can and preserve food. There were several winters when I was small that the mountain passes were closed off and the towns I lived in were isolated from the rest of the world. We had food thanks to Grandma.

Locally, foods are also ripening quickly. It's like everything is suddenly realizing fall is coming and the plants just have to give their final effort to produce. Instead of canning, I freeze. I'm hoping that we don't lose electricity. I've been able to freeze lots of squash and beets, got beans put up last week. Want to do another couple of bags of beans next week along with more beets. We're not much into fruits – I've thought about jams and preserves but haven't taken the time to learn how to do it.

A gentleman that I work with is deep into canning and preserves. He even makes cucumber jelly ... don't think I'll go that far.

I'm amazed at my students when I tell them I've been freezing for the winter – their remarks remind me of the grasshopper and the ant. I don't like being compared to an ant, but I do like being able to eat what I want to eat any time. Is that the independent hippie in me?

In case you missed it, we are NOT on a collision course with an asteroid. Through the various renditions of the story, the asteroid kept getting bigger and the title print got bigger too. But, NASA has assured the world that this collision will not happen in September. Puerto Rico is saved along with everyone else.

What did strike my attention was an article by Tia Ghose about a wormhole created in a lab using magnets. By creating a 3 layer object, with the inner most layer a spiral-cylinder covered with yttrium barium copper oxide to bend the magnetic field, the wormhole is able to deliver information energy impulses from one place to another. Right now the thought is medical applications based around the MRI machines that already exist. What do you think will happen in less than 10 years?

So my better half and I are watching the weather last night; observing the path of the cold fronts that are sweeping down from the north and colliding with the usual warm air coming up from the Gulf of Mexico and we noticed that according to the weather maps, weather stops at the north and south borders of the United States. ... I'm not sure what you get instead, but according to the maps, it isn't "weather".

Only two weeks left to buy Transports! These are delightful 2 – 3 story e-zines available through Amazon filled with short stories that Wormhole writers have penned through the last 5 years. Some of the stories are serials that take place over several Transports; others are individual stand-alone stories. Both Tammy and Jeff put together short story transports this spring which are still available. Take advantage of the low price! These quick reads should not be missed!

Have a great week!

Carolyn 

 Images downloaded from Google Images

Fig 1 – Silverton Winter retrieved from Blizzard buries Silverton - The Denver Postwww.denverpost.com

Fig. 2 – Canning; retrieved from Canning Fruit Royalty Free Stock Images - Image: 34678789www.dreamstime.com

Fig 3 – Freezing food retrieved from How to Freeze and Store Food | Epicurious.comwww.epicurious.com

Fig 4 – Ant Grasshopper retrieved from MORAL OF THE STORY: THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER | PORTABLE LIFE ...eagleman6788.wordpress.com

Fig 5 – AsteroidEarth retrieved from What happens if you try to land a Hull E fully laden? - RSI Community Forumsforums.robertsspaceindustries.com

Fig 6 – Magnetic Wormhole retrieved from Scientists builds the first magnetic wormhole - Tech Enticewww.techentice.com

Pickled, stoned and all jazzed up.

Hi Carolyn,

These are busy and interesting times 'round here lately.

First, however, I gotta congratulate you on being adoptive grandparents. I had heard from my good friend who taught with Zack, and who is presently over in Hungary still doing the same teaching abroad  thing, that they were adopting.  It's one thing to have a child from the very beginning. But it is surely a different and exponentially more generous, courageous and selfless thing to take on a child from another - wow !






Your brothers  " resume of experiences " take on  the passage of time and our perception thereof as we age is smack  on, as I see it.

 For me,  as a youngster, "wait til next year" was like saying " never" . Now "next year" might as well be next month. It's sure easy to see why so much art, literature and music has been inspired by and devoted to the simple but inexorable passage of time.






The last while has been, as noted above, quite a whirlwind. First off, there's been a good deal of self-preservation, shall we say, going on. Each year we've gotten more and more into pickling, preserving and " putting up" as the elder folk call it. This year it seems everything came to market ripe and ready at the same time. So we've been madly pickling and blanching and making jams and relishes and a whole wackload of stuff. I now have a small but highly empathetic understanding of how pioneer folk must have felt once the harvest was over and they could look into their fruit cellars and see a wall of preserved fruits and veggies that would help see them through the coming winter. That is what our fruit cellar looks like now and there have been lotsa days where the kitchen has been awash in the compelling smells of dills and bread and butter pickles and various relishes and all manner of fruit jams and pickled veggies.  









So, in the midst of all of this alchemy we find ourselves celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary and find that family members who we've not seen for awhile have decided to make this the summer that they come and spend time with us here. One of them hadn't been here to see us for close to two decades. As well as these visits we discovered that our offspring had masterminded a scheme whereby the whole extended family will be sending us to a most funky and magical city to help us celebrate this four decade event.

And where might that be, you may be asking?  Lemme give ya a hint or two - the birthplace of Louis " Satchmo" Armstrong, at one time the southern terminus of the good ship Robert E. Lee and it's ilk, and affectionately known as " The Big Easy"   Yup, we are off to New Orleans sometime in the near future. Can't think of too many better choices to see than " Nawlins". So many treats for the eyes, ears, nose and taste buds.









 

We've always had a soft spot for Quebec City and have been there about a dozen times over the decades and I'm thinking that the whole French/Acadian ambiance will make us feel  at home there, as well










Got a real kick out of an item that appeared in various places online in the last little bit having to do with a serious academic study/inquiry into whether or not Shakespeare had been using marijuana while penning his timeless works. A number of the articles had a definite " holier than thou" ambiance about them. That was the most off-putting aspect, I think. Frankly, I could care less whether Hamlet was written as a " joint effort" or not  ( pun certainly intended ) It certainly doesn't diminish it's impact one atom. Actually, considering that the Bard was, in his early years, a struggling writer with deadlines and such - who could blame him for enlisting some assistance.  

While I was nosing about in cyberspace about this topic I did come upon a huge trove of info about writers who were, as Monty Python put it, " a bugger for the bottle ". There were, of course, the names we all know Faulkner, Poe, Hemingway, Joyce, Behan, Fitzgerald, and Dylan Thomas. But there were also some names that I was surprised to see as writers who employed the bottle as their muse. Among them were James Thurber, Jack Kerouac, Jack London, Raymond Chandler and O. Henry. Hmmmmm 



Anyhow, it sure has been a busy bunch of days. I'm gonna leave you with a Twainism that, I think, helps, in a small way, to explain just why my lsbh and I have the good fortune to be celebrating a forty-year collaboration:

A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away.

 He must have time to modify his shape.

 

 

Continue having fun.........


Don




All images sourced from Google Images:

Fig. 1 - en.wikipedia.org
Fig.2 - urbanadamah.org
Fig. 3 - movieweb.com
Fig. 4 - terribleminds.com
Fig. 5 - c-mw.net
Fig. 6 - eil.com
Fig. 7 - btmagazine.n
Fig. 8 - quebecityhotels.com




 

 

Time and Whimsy

Good afternoon, Don. Sorry I've been slacking here - taking a couple of days with my son and his family before they leave for home in China. It is hard to believe that they've been here 5 weeks... not the full time with us, but here in the States for 5 weeks. And now they go away for a year, again.

I think this time it is harder because they brought with them our new adopted grandson, Thomas. Adults don't change that much from year to year, but kids do. Thomas will be a whole different person when we visit with him next year. That will be exciting, to see how he's changed and grown.

We had a family/friend summer get-together picnic last weekend. 40 some odd folks came to see the new grandson, see how the new Papa and Momma were holding up. It has to be hard to be parents for only 4 months to a 2 year old. Most other parents get to break into the instant movement, screaming, demanding, loving life of a child from the beginning. I noticed that both my son and daughter-in-law seem to be rather preoccupied and tired. We gave them a night out last night - all by themselves - they went to a movie and came home early to sleep. I remember - I wouldn't do young kids again unless there was absolutely no other choice. I have grown use to the silence of the house.

My bother was a bit whimsical last weekend at the picnic. He addressed the concept of time - how when we're younger, a year seems to drag on and on. But as we mature, time picks up and speeds by. He thought it might have to do with the resume of experiences that you build as you grown older. When you're 10, you don't have much to "look forward to" - you are living day by day. When you're older, you plan and look forward and work toward a goal or objective of some kind so day to day living doesn't drag you down as much. We notice time in relation to what we have accomplished. Interesting thought -

Are you sure the grass would grow 60% slower on Kepler 452b? Maybe it would be 60% faster - and can you imagine the lawnmower you'd have to have? If humans would evolve into a stocker body mass, can you imagine what the grasses would be like? They'd have to be stronger to stand up. I thought I read that Kepler 452b was in an egg shaped orbit around that sun - which means it is only in the "goldy locks zone" for about half of it's orbit. What would you do for the half that was out of the "zone?"

Speaking for space, I ran across a NASA site that gives the times you can see the space station. It is called Spot the Station  - Sighing Location Lookup. We have several times this coming week that will enable us to see it for 3 - 5 minutes before 10 pm. We'll have to go to an open field as the trees in our yard will keep us from seeing it on the horizon.

We tried hard to get to Mr. Holmes with Ian McKellen as Mr. Holmes. As prolific as he is, it is hard to believe that McKellen has never played Holmes. I polled friends who went to see it - most said nice but wait for the DVD. The latest Fantastic 4 is a remake of the older version and most thought it was "okay"... maybe we'll take a chance and see Mission Impossible.

I'm not sure that Benedict Cumberbatch knows how to do "average, mediocre" - I don't think it is in his vocabulary.  His voice over for Smaug was chilling! and when coupled with the animation, it became the source of nightmares! I don't think Tolkien had any idea what could or would be done to his Trilogy when he wrote it. I've found Hugo Weaving to be versatile enough that no one particular role has influenced me. I find him entertaining and solid as an actor. I also admit that I didn't like Matrix so I didn't follow the series.

Nap time is over - time for music and snacks.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Carolyn