(no subject)

Err, i think that was a flea that just walked across my keyboard.

Pennyroyal! Activate your bug repellant properties!

There was a ruckus of birdsong outside my office window a little while ago. I can't remember the calls, so i cant use that to distinguish between Bewick's or the Marsh Wren -- my vague memory is that it was more song sparrow like than gutteral so the birds hopping about in the shrubs must have been Bewick's. (On sighting them, i thought, "Carolina Wrens! But no.")

The bird song got my attention just intime for me to watch a female Nuttal's Woodpecker make her way up the trunk of the eucalyptus.

This morning seems so glorious after days of morning marine layer and actual rain. Also, getting up at 8:30is and missing the view of the crescent waning harvest moon in the predawn sky is quite a pleasure, too. (Although that cresent moon was quite lovely yesterday, surrounded by dull purple gray clouds -- more city lit than dawn lit -- against the luminous gradient of steel blue sky. )

The scents of sun warmed trees and foliage after the rain delight me.

(no subject)

I'm treating myself as sick today. I could probably pull myself together if there was something urgent, but i'm going to bail. There *isn't* anything urgent. I should ask for some expenses to be repaid...

Anyhow, i'm skimming through the news while running some backups:

* Today's "Daily Number" from Pew Research: "Just 29% of Americans say that news organizations generally get the facts straight, while 63% say that news stories are often inaccurate." I'm curious how many think Fox gets it right & everyone else is wrong vs thinking the Daily Show (*cough* fake news *cough*) gets it right & everyone else is wrong. They conclude, "much of the increase in negative attitudes toward the news media over the last two years is driven by increasingly unfavorable evaluations by Democrats." I'm not sure if the Dems are reacting to Fox or what, there.

* Regarding Tuesday's pleasant change to rain (again: because i did not loose power or water, did not have to drive on the freeway, etc), the Mercury News reports, "Tuesday's pounding, unrelenting storm was not only the most powerful October storm in half a century, it was also the Bay Area's seventh worst since the Eisenhower era." Seventh worst. "By late Wednesday afternoon, San Jose had 2.58 inches of rain for the season — 410 percent of normal. San Francisco Airport had 2.76 inches — 500 percent of normal." The last paragraph makes me smile: "California Highway Patrol Sgt. Stephen Seibert said he expected to see bang-ups on Highway 17 Tuesday, but most occurred on Highway 1. He was still fuming a bit over drivers who sped through downpours at 80 or 90 miles per hour." Me, too!

* Cool local glass studios http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_story.php?id=2057 I do not need another hobby. I do not need another hobby. http://www.temperchi.com/ & http://www.hellbentstudios.net/