elainegrey (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
elainegrey) wrote2010-05-23 07:03 am
elainegrey) wrote2010-05-23 07:03 am
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This article http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/20may_loststripe/ points out another area where an amateur scientist can make contributions. I love knowing the value of community observation in the same way i love knowing that there's poetry readings down town on Mondays. It's a possibility there if i ever carve the time and passion out for it.
VIsiting Heavens Above, to see if i have a chance to see the IIS tonight (rain later in the week), i find out about the new "spy plane" http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/05/secret-space-plane-likely-an-orbiting-spy-not-a-bomber-report/ It passes over head on the 28th, magnitude 2.8. Another cheer for amateur observers, as the " plane has been found by the world-wide network of amateur satellite observers."
I am completely spoiled by the drought of past years: the rain on the forecast seems strange and unusual. We've had half an inch (at Moffett Field) this month. In 1997 there was 0.57" -- was that the El Nino year? No! in 1998, 8.57 inches:d May 4 1998 4 inches and May 3 1998 3.17 inches. Yow. (The hills get much more rain than Moffett during storms, so the high watershed gets filled quickly and then drains out to the bay.) Half an inch of rain for May seems completely normal over the longer term, but it is true that for the past four years we've not had more than a tenth of an inch. So, confirmed: i have been spoiled by the drought, this is normal weather.
--==∞==--
Yesterday was bright and beautiful, although the high was 62°. Not warm. Christine was recovering from a night of insomnia and i was living in my head. We ran a few errands: picked up See's candies for my grandfather's 93rd birthday and picked up Edward from the Mountain View vet we're using. My guestimate of the bill, from years of gold plated treatment in Los Altos, overshot by 50%. I nudged Christine that perhaps we should move all cat care to this slightly closer and much more affordable vet. She now trusts the vet and is ready to do so: YAY. We almost made five months without a vet bill.
So, Edward was bitten near the base of his tail, and has a drain for the abscessed wound. He's shaved there, which slightly overlaps the spot where the ringworm shaved area had mostly but not quite grown back. We're trying to keep him in the next four days. Fortunately he can't quite reach that part on his back, so we took the cone off. Staying in, i think, means eating kibble for diabetic cats instead of running off and commandeering Ms Merry's feeding station each morning. She's feeding the Gang of Orange Cats, which includes the semi-abandoned Marty, the adopted strays Edward and Luigi, and the prodigal longhair Franklin. Frankie, Marty, Luigi, and Eddie seem like the tough guy names they must use when making plans to whack lizards and mice, and when getting into fights that lead to abscesses.
Greycie Lou has renewed her indications that Edward is Not Welcome. However, she didn't seem to warm up to me for years, and i feed her. Bossy biscuits.
In the evening we took a walk to the post office and then to the grocery store. It was good to move and be out, if a tiny bit tiring. The days have gotten quite long, so the sun had not yet set when we got home.
--==∞==--
I'm not yet sure how i should spend today. I don't think i'm going to worship, but will join Friends for our continued discussion of the State of the Meeting. I don't want to be away from home for four hours or more. I need to do some care and feeding of some different responsibilities in preparation for yet another hectic week. I think i'll box up some more things from the bedroom in anticipation of the carpet cleaning. One thing that has caught my attention is a birthday gift for Christine that she picked out in September. I'd wrapped it subtly and put it in "my" corner.
I just reread the journal entries from around Christine's birthday: another week of visitors doing planning at work -- but we also saw a movie and a concert. So we did have a low key celebration. I'm reminded of my colleague retiring, and recognize that i had a lot of issues around that.
Ok, let me get some planning going:
Goal: to not be burnt out at the end of the week.
First, some boundaries:
* No indulging in sugar or bread, extreme moderation with wine. Presumably we will go out to eat with colleagues on M or T night. Tea ok for the desert course, one glass of wine. I think, in fact, i will allow myself to have as much caffeine as i want -- indeed, making a pot of tea first thing in the morning may be a Good Idea.
* No reading anything but DW/LJ in the morning. No twitter, FB, or news.
* Journal every morning, possibly privately.
* Send regrets emails in evening.
Care:
* Regular asthma meds, nostril meds, steroids on hands, antihistamine, and supplements. (I usually do the first three "as needed;" prophylactic use this week is wise as i feel run down from the previous week.)
Today:
* Laundry
* State of Meeting discussion
* LGBTQ website care
* work: review pain points 20 min, review to be discussed memo 10 min, finish merge into matrix 45 min
* Possibly print and bind more deck bills.
* box up some stuff
√ post on elections
√ some bills and email actions
VIsiting Heavens Above, to see if i have a chance to see the IIS tonight (rain later in the week), i find out about the new "spy plane" http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/05/secret-space-plane-likely-an-orbiting-spy-not-a-bomber-report/ It passes over head on the 28th, magnitude 2.8. Another cheer for amateur observers, as the " plane has been found by the world-wide network of amateur satellite observers."
I am completely spoiled by the drought of past years: the rain on the forecast seems strange and unusual. We've had half an inch (at Moffett Field) this month. In 1997 there was 0.57" -- was that the El Nino year? No! in 1998, 8.57 inches:d May 4 1998 4 inches and May 3 1998 3.17 inches. Yow. (The hills get much more rain than Moffett during storms, so the high watershed gets filled quickly and then drains out to the bay.) Half an inch of rain for May seems completely normal over the longer term, but it is true that for the past four years we've not had more than a tenth of an inch. So, confirmed: i have been spoiled by the drought, this is normal weather.
--==∞==--
Yesterday was bright and beautiful, although the high was 62°. Not warm. Christine was recovering from a night of insomnia and i was living in my head. We ran a few errands: picked up See's candies for my grandfather's 93rd birthday and picked up Edward from the Mountain View vet we're using. My guestimate of the bill, from years of gold plated treatment in Los Altos, overshot by 50%. I nudged Christine that perhaps we should move all cat care to this slightly closer and much more affordable vet. She now trusts the vet and is ready to do so: YAY. We almost made five months without a vet bill.
So, Edward was bitten near the base of his tail, and has a drain for the abscessed wound. He's shaved there, which slightly overlaps the spot where the ringworm shaved area had mostly but not quite grown back. We're trying to keep him in the next four days. Fortunately he can't quite reach that part on his back, so we took the cone off. Staying in, i think, means eating kibble for diabetic cats instead of running off and commandeering Ms Merry's feeding station each morning. She's feeding the Gang of Orange Cats, which includes the semi-abandoned Marty, the adopted strays Edward and Luigi, and the prodigal longhair Franklin. Frankie, Marty, Luigi, and Eddie seem like the tough guy names they must use when making plans to whack lizards and mice, and when getting into fights that lead to abscesses.
Greycie Lou has renewed her indications that Edward is Not Welcome. However, she didn't seem to warm up to me for years, and i feed her. Bossy biscuits.
In the evening we took a walk to the post office and then to the grocery store. It was good to move and be out, if a tiny bit tiring. The days have gotten quite long, so the sun had not yet set when we got home.
--==∞==--
I'm not yet sure how i should spend today. I don't think i'm going to worship, but will join Friends for our continued discussion of the State of the Meeting. I don't want to be away from home for four hours or more. I need to do some care and feeding of some different responsibilities in preparation for yet another hectic week. I think i'll box up some more things from the bedroom in anticipation of the carpet cleaning. One thing that has caught my attention is a birthday gift for Christine that she picked out in September. I'd wrapped it subtly and put it in "my" corner.
I just reread the journal entries from around Christine's birthday: another week of visitors doing planning at work -- but we also saw a movie and a concert. So we did have a low key celebration. I'm reminded of my colleague retiring, and recognize that i had a lot of issues around that.
Ok, let me get some planning going:
Goal: to not be burnt out at the end of the week.
First, some boundaries:
* No indulging in sugar or bread, extreme moderation with wine. Presumably we will go out to eat with colleagues on M or T night. Tea ok for the desert course, one glass of wine. I think, in fact, i will allow myself to have as much caffeine as i want -- indeed, making a pot of tea first thing in the morning may be a Good Idea.
* No reading anything but DW/LJ in the morning. No twitter, FB, or news.
* Journal every morning, possibly privately.
* Send regrets emails in evening.
Care:
* Regular asthma meds, nostril meds, steroids on hands, antihistamine, and supplements. (I usually do the first three "as needed;" prophylactic use this week is wise as i feel run down from the previous week.)
Today:
* Laundry
* State of Meeting discussion
* LGBTQ website care
* work: review pain points 20 min, review to be discussed memo 10 min, finish merge into matrix 45 min
* Possibly print and bind more deck bills.
* box up some stuff
√ post on elections
√ some bills and email actions