I worked very late last night, at least very late for me (11:30P). Being a trusty and industrious WSU employee insures that that type of thing happens on a somewhat seldom basis. Not to say we don't work, we just don't work long hours (or weekends, or official holidays, or qwanza (sp?), or personal holidays (and yes we're given one of those every year), or during the equinox, or when we don't feel quite right, or flag day (hey, at least one person has made it a celebration day), or any other perceived day that a reasonable person would think that he/she shouldn't work, and etc...). However on that night I was determined to finish my experiment and put myself a day ahead. I didn't do either, but what I did have a chance to do was to follow some links to the Blogs of other people that I know, while the chemicals were churning on the stove. I do get to work with cool chemicals. Nitric Acid, Hydrochloric Acid, Sulfuric Acid...is anyone seeing a pattern here? At least the acids have cool stuff in them: Plutonium, Uranium, Americium, and Thorium to name four.
It is really very interesting to read what people write on these sites. I had worked with some of the people that I read last night, like the Booth. In the Booths case he pretty much talked about the things he writes about. So, here's outside validation that the Booth is the real article (sorry about your name not being linked, and the poor pun). I also visited the sites of Rich G, Joffre (no last name needed, he's famous), Remy, Christin, and many other sites that I wasn't sure if I knew their authors or not. Many of whom, I also worked with, but time and duties would not allow for the type of discussions that would have given the knowledge of them that their sites did. I also visited the NSABlog...consistent with what I know of those folks.
Overall, I've decided that at least one really cool convention comes through this medium, and that is people tend to write their thoughts, but they think about them again before publishing. So basically we get polished thoughts and ideas. It's true; I have an incredible knack for the painfully obvious. Another really cool thing that I've discovered, is that many of my friends can write. I would put the Booths sports commentary up with any sportswriter, in fact, Aaron probably does better and more interesting research. The rest of the people I named are just very interesting. The thoughts that come out are truly of value to a short-sighted individual like me.
I've always said the one of the best things that happened to me, was to be stuck working with Matthew Greydanus for three harvests. I only thought of it as stuck for the first few days, and then he won me over with his charm. You'd have know him to understand that. My friendship with guys like Matt, and many of you are like Matt, have been sustained opportunities to loosen the ties that bind my shoes so tightly. Many of you who know me, know that's necessary. Well, I didn't have much to say except thanks, and keep writing. At least I'll be reading them, well, not everyday, but at least sometimes (is that wrong of me?).
I've often wondered what inspires a person to take up an occupation like bullfighting. I know that for some of the more adventurous within our population, the normal risk of just living isn't enough. So they do things like bungy jump, motocross, cliff jump, and so on. But bullfighting? I mean, what gives? I snow ski, but that really isn't comparable to being in front of a 2000lb, ill-tempered, wild beast whos only goal is to skewer you on his horns. Not only did the bullfighter find himself there ( in front of the bull), he put himself there. I've wanted to talk to one of these guys (sexist, but is this an integrated sport? I suspect not, women are usually smarter than this.) for as long as I've had the thought...even though I've only had the thought for a couple of years.
So imagine my delight when I found out that I have a cousin who is, in fact, a bullfighter. He even wears the suspenders and makeup. I haven't gotten in touch with him yet, but I'm looking forward to it with enthusiasm. His name is Chris "hodgie" Aman, and he works in the Worlds Toughest Rodeo (WTR) Association. No information is available on the "hodgie" part of that name as yet, but I'll find out about that.
I think that this WTR is the Rodeo association where they allow people who have only one leg to compete. Otherwise it couldn't be called the WTR. It's either that, or you have to have one arm tied behind your back before you can get on a bull. Or maybe, if you don't complete your ride, they whack you in the shins with a broom stick or something. Or maybe they hang you by your toes overnight. I jest, rodeos are brutal without handicapping anyone involved. But you must admit that any group calling themselves the World's Toughest Rodeo is making quite a claim.
There is part of me that kind of likes the idea of excelling at something like this. By pure testosterone, it is hard to find something that tops bullfighting.
I was just thinking back to the old times of the summer of 2003. I had the opportunity to attend a class titled "Radiochemistry." Initially I was kind of dreading the experience. No Chemistry class has ever seemed "fun" to me. However, this was a different experience, the class was taught by someone who loved the subject. Because of this, he was able to show us how cool this stuff really is. Not only did I learn radiation chemistry, but alchemy as well. We learned how to change one substance into another. I can't imagine, anything that can beat that, scientifically anyway. I don't know why I thought of that, perhaps it's because I have to go and do some actual work, and the work has something to do with this stuff. A thought that does come to me often, is that a person can find something pretty cool about nearly anything they do. Have a good day.
Oh, and if you want to know what the title is referring to, drop me a line.
Well with the new year comes new resolve to improve ones self. In that effort I have stopped eating all of the food that I enjoy in favor of boneless skinless chicken, fruit, and vegetables. Now I always thought that the skin was the most interesting part of chicken. I mean without the skin KFC is nothing special. But, I'm told, repeatedly (and sometimes at knife point), that this is something that has to be done in order to look like the statues of David that you see running around. Well, they aren't exactly running around are they? But, and this is an important but, I get to wear clothes. That way I can avoid the obvious weather related deterioration that the statues have to go through.
No really, after a week of eating very uninteresting food, I can honestly say that I feel better. Now any one who sees me should ignore that carnivorous gleam in my eyes. It is really only that my mind is that much sharper...and attuned to the reality that I'm really hungry, and yes your book bag looks kind of tasty. Not to mention your hat. No really, I jest, my mind really is sharper and I am feeling a whole lot better. But I do have to confess that I miss eating beef, but this way I'm more protected against the "mad-cow" scare. And yes they found a cow with it less that 200 miles from here.
So in reality I could die a horribly confusing and wobbly death from pre-digested beef. So what's the point, I might as well not even try to be healthy. I guess this does parallel in a way Pauls discussion of sin and grace in Romans. Paraphrase, "so shall we sin so that grace may abound?" The answer to which is "certainly not." I suppose that the place I've come to, and I think a person must, is recognizing that plans are mine to make, but I do need to look God and trust him in the strides.
This doesn't mean I don't think wistfully about what I had and lost. And how much I took for granted what it was that I had but lost. And how easy it is to take for granted what you were taking for granted that was lost, but was once there, or was it? Truly I have made myself dizzy. Hopefully you aren't still reading this, after all, I was done making my deep point way earlier on.
I just voluntarily ended my seven year unofficial hiatus from viewing movies in the theater last night. Oddly enough it was ended on "Cheaper by the Dozen." I wouldn't disagree with anyone who termed this action as anti-climactic. However the movie did have a few positive notes that are worth mentioning to any fence-sitters. One of those was a scene that is bound to become legend, where Aston Kutcher (Sp?) gets semi-violated by a crotch-sniffing dog on steriods. That scene alone was worth ticket cost ($7.50, ouch). There is one idea the movie brings out, albeit not as well as some families in my area, and that is the idea of the joy of large families. Now the bunch in this movie was not normal, and likely wouldn't be found as they are anywhere. But they did sell the idea of a house full of children being joyful. That is something. Honestly the movie had very little else to offer. See it at your own discretion.