Training Log Archive: barbIn the 31 days ending Mar 31, 2010:
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Wednesday Mar 31, 2010 #
Note
I have had trouble getting going with living a healthy lifestyle and training and what not. It's really really time now. I have a new scheme - let's see if it can work.
Here's the deal, and I expect you will think it is all ass-backwards in terms of who is motivated to do what, but I feel like it could work: I get sponsors for particular days. The sponsor is betting that I won't do my training. I'm betting that I will. If I'm right, the sponsor gives $5 to the junior team,which has lost its USOF support this year. If I do not do the training, then I give $25 to the junior team. Either way, the junior team wins.
Here's what training involves:
1. 30 minutes of strength and/or stretching (e.g., yoga or weights)
2. 45 minutes of aerobic (biking, running, orienteering)
3. Nutritional goals (no junk food at work; no more than one dose of caffeine; no alcohol; no meat; no refined sugar)
4. Get to bed by 10 pm
Of course the sponsor could add specific requirements of their own.
Any takers? There are a couple months' worth of days between now and the Big Muddy rogaine...
[Update: Cristina says junior team has not lost its funding. The team does still need to raise a bunch of money, however.]
Here's the deal, and I expect you will think it is all ass-backwards in terms of who is motivated to do what, but I feel like it could work: I get sponsors for particular days. The sponsor is betting that I won't do my training. I'm betting that I will. If I'm right, the sponsor gives $5 to the junior team,
Here's what training involves:
1. 30 minutes of strength and/or stretching (e.g., yoga or weights)
2. 45 minutes of aerobic (biking, running, orienteering)
3. Nutritional goals (no junk food at work; no more than one dose of caffeine; no alcohol; no meat; no refined sugar)
4. Get to bed by 10 pm
Of course the sponsor could add specific requirements of their own.
Any takers? There are a couple months' worth of days between now and the Big Muddy rogaine...
[Update: Cristina says junior team has not lost its funding. The team does still need to raise a bunch of money, however.]
C • Yeah 8
Sunday Mar 28, 2010 #
Orienteering 20:00 [1]
To a control to take photos, and back.
Note
Kemps left early but here's most of the people at the junior training camp:
I was surprised that David agreed to go to the training camp. He usually refuses to go orienteering.
Before each training exercise at the camp, David was unhappy and dreading it. He felt everyone else was a much better orienteer, and he was not in shape. He was by far the slowest on the 3k run. But he did it.
Saturday afternoon they did a training called "Danish O" -- preparing for the kind of terrain expected in Denmark this coming summer for the junior world orienteering championships. The vegetation is expected to be quite thick, so optimal routes will probably be along trails to an attack point close to the control and then navigate in from there. David did not finish the course. Isabel did fine.
Sunday morning was another Danish O. Isabel did well on the shorter course. David really really did not want to go out and do it. He wanted to go home. When are we leaving, he asked. can we go now? I hate orienteering. I hate this camp. I was thinking, what am I, some kind of horrible parent who pushes their kid to do stuff? Like Michael Jackson's dad? Or [name any of several major athletes with overbearing parents]? I knew I was going to get in trouble from my ex for yet again pushing David to do something he didn't want to do. But David had agreed to go, I feebly argued back, in my imagination. I swore to myself I would never ever ever take David orienteering again, not even if he *wanted* to go. This was no fun. This was bad.
He did go out though, on the course. I was stationed at a control on the far side of the course with a camera. David showed up surprisingly early at that control. Then I saw him when he came back to the lodge. He looked flushed from the exercise, and seemed to be doing OK. I didn't approach him to talk about it.
Throughout the training camp David would disappear into the boys' dorm where I was not allowed to go, with his computer. He did it again after the Danish O Sunday morning, and did not come out for the last training exercise, which was a sprint. I decided to let it go and not send someone in to get him, as I had done several times.
After the sprint we were cleaning up the lodge. David was helping me put the benches on the tables, and he said, Mom, I like orienteering. What? I said. He went on: "I was out on the course this morning, and in the middle of it, I suddenly realized that I like orienteering! I want to do more orienteering. I was sad that I missed the sprints. When can we go orienteering again? Can we go to West Point?"
Later I tried to get David to repeat his statements on camera but he refused.
Luke:
I was surprised that David agreed to go to the training camp. He usually refuses to go orienteering.
Before each training exercise at the camp, David was unhappy and dreading it. He felt everyone else was a much better orienteer, and he was not in shape. He was by far the slowest on the 3k run. But he did it.
Saturday afternoon they did a training called "Danish O" -- preparing for the kind of terrain expected in Denmark this coming summer for the junior world orienteering championships. The vegetation is expected to be quite thick, so optimal routes will probably be along trails to an attack point close to the control and then navigate in from there. David did not finish the course. Isabel did fine.
Sunday morning was another Danish O. Isabel did well on the shorter course. David really really did not want to go out and do it. He wanted to go home. When are we leaving, he asked. can we go now? I hate orienteering. I hate this camp. I was thinking, what am I, some kind of horrible parent who pushes their kid to do stuff? Like Michael Jackson's dad? Or [name any of several major athletes with overbearing parents]? I knew I was going to get in trouble from my ex for yet again pushing David to do something he didn't want to do. But David had agreed to go, I feebly argued back, in my imagination. I swore to myself I would never ever ever take David orienteering again, not even if he *wanted* to go. This was no fun. This was bad.
He did go out though, on the course. I was stationed at a control on the far side of the course with a camera. David showed up surprisingly early at that control. Then I saw him when he came back to the lodge. He looked flushed from the exercise, and seemed to be doing OK. I didn't approach him to talk about it.
Throughout the training camp David would disappear into the boys' dorm where I was not allowed to go, with his computer. He did it again after the Danish O Sunday morning, and did not come out for the last training exercise, which was a sprint. I decided to let it go and not send someone in to get him, as I had done several times.
After the sprint we were cleaning up the lodge. David was helping me put the benches on the tables, and he said, Mom, I like orienteering. What? I said. He went on: "I was out on the course this morning, and in the middle of it, I suddenly realized that I like orienteering! I want to do more orienteering. I was sad that I missed the sprints. When can we go orienteering again? Can we go to West Point?"
Later I tried to get David to repeat his statements on camera but he refused.
Luke:
Friday Mar 26, 2010 #
Note
OK, I need help.
I signed up to do the mobile phone thing with WIOL. I have a partner. But the maps don't show up until 1pm today, and I will be on the road, or close to it, and no internet / printer...
Would anyone like to sub for me? If so call me at 617-335-4847!
the event is 10am-12pm Pacific time tomorrow. ie, 1pm-3pm east coast time.
My partner is Kathy F in Seattle.
I signed up to do the mobile phone thing with WIOL. I have a partner. But the maps don't show up until 1pm today, and I will be on the road, or close to it, and no internet / printer...
Would anyone like to sub for me? If so call me at 617-335-4847!
the event is 10am-12pm Pacific time tomorrow. ie, 1pm-3pm east coast time.
My partner is Kathy F in Seattle.
Note
My family's hobby seems to be getting our picture taken next to some of the best orienteers on the planet.
A thing I love about the Kemp story is the apparent motivation being pure enjoyment.
Thursday Mar 25, 2010 #
Bicycling 2:00:00 [3]
Work, coffee shop, home, Agway, work, home.
I brought the bike trailer and bought a bale of hay, which costs $10.08.
I brought the bike trailer and bought a bale of hay, which costs $10.08.
C • hay 9
Wednesday Mar 24, 2010 #
Note
One of our favorite acts at the Edinburgh Festival was Baba Brinkman doing evolution rap; here is his latest - a rationalist anthem. Video/graphics by Tommy Nagle. The graphics are more inflammatory than the song... It's pretty intense/rude, but interesting because it's rare to hear this kind of language in support of science and geekdom....
Bicycling 15:00 [1]
work. groceries.
Note
Bagby Springs camping:
Walk from camping to springs:
Approaching the springs:
Spring:
The hot water is channeled (click):
Tub, of many:
Spinach:
If you look at it long enough, the spinach looks like little people waving their arms in celebration of spring and bursting out of the ground.
Bok choi:
The hens are excited that Dave is coming to visit:
Pictures of Geoff:
Walk from camping to springs:
Approaching the springs:
Spring:
The hot water is channeled (click):
Tub, of many:
Spinach:
If you look at it long enough, the spinach looks like little people waving their arms in celebration of spring and bursting out of the ground.
Bok choi:
The hens are excited that Dave is coming to visit:
Pictures of Geoff:
Note
Can't resistTuesday Mar 23, 2010 #
Bicycling 40:00 [2]
To Home Depot to order a screen door and get some spray insulation filler. Let the air in; don't let it in.
Monday Mar 22, 2010 #
Note
OK, I *think* John just definitely bailed on me for Big Muddy, and I also think he's not doing Dakota, and possibly not NZ...
Bicycling 4:00 [2]
Sunday Mar 21, 2010 #
Note
Yet another reason to have backyard chickens.
Yesterday Dave spent a bunch of time doing his Doctor Dirt thing. He prepared two finished ready-to-use barrels of compost for me. He buried the manure we'd collected over the winter in sandwich layers with dirt and leaves. After it stays there for a while it will get added to our kitchen compost.
Yesterday Dave spent a bunch of time doing his Doctor Dirt thing. He prepared two finished ready-to-use barrels of compost for me. He buried the manure we'd collected over the winter in sandwich layers with dirt and leaves. After it stays there for a while it will get added to our kitchen compost.
Note
Go Dems! Go!
Orienteering 1:08:00 [1]
Brown course at Hammond Pond. First orienteering in a very long time. Good to be out. Nice day!
I somehow coerced the kids to come, and they did an orange course together. Apparently Isabel did all the navigating and David just slowed her down and provided a running random commentary.
David finished the Billygoat T-shirt design and we sent it off to Phil.
I somehow coerced the kids to come, and they did an orange course together. Apparently Isabel did all the navigating and David just slowed her down and provided a running random commentary.
David finished the Billygoat T-shirt design and we sent it off to Phil.
Bicycling 8:00 [1]
To Cambridge Community Center garden design charette, and back. I presented my shade maps.
Note
Yay!
Saturday Mar 20, 2010 #
Note
sometimes i am afraid to read a personal note.
Before the chicken hearing (BZA), I posted my letter to the board on the fence outside the house, and a note to the neighbors. Last week I saw someone had stuck a folded piece of paper with writing on it into the space between my posting and the fence. I carried it in my pocket for a while and then made Dave read it. It turned out to say, "Are your chickens still citizens of Cambridge? from a chicken supporter" or something like that. It was written on a torn-off paper from a jury duty notice.
Before the chicken hearing (BZA), I posted my letter to the board on the fence outside the house, and a note to the neighbors. Last week I saw someone had stuck a folded piece of paper with writing on it into the space between my posting and the fence. I carried it in my pocket for a while and then made Dave read it. It turned out to say, "Are your chickens still citizens of Cambridge? from a chicken supporter" or something like that. It was written on a torn-off paper from a jury duty notice.
Bicycling 12:00 [1]
To work for the seed box, and to Eva's to pick up Izzy. Missed two other opportunities for biking, which I now regret.
Running 8:00 [1]
Up hill, with David.
Friday Mar 19, 2010 #
Bicycling 1:20:00 [2]
Isabel picked up a new bike yesterday after several years of not really having one to speak of. We biked to her school this morning.
Then I biked to pick her up; we stopped by Tosci's on the way home.
History:
Then I biked to pick her up; we stopped by Tosci's on the way home.
History:
Thursday Mar 18, 2010 #
Bicycling 4:00 [1]
Note
So yesterday I actually filed my taxes. Or, my tax preparer did. But it's the first time in many years that they went in this early. Usually I file late.
Got a pretty hefty tax break on the solar hot water, and even some money back for the insulation. Sweet.
And water in the solar storage tank got to 134.7F yesterday.
I think the time axis labeling is off -- no one was showering at 4am this morning. Looks like west coast time to me.
Got a pretty hefty tax break on the solar hot water, and even some money back for the insulation. Sweet.
And water in the solar storage tank got to 134.7F yesterday.
I think the time axis labeling is off -- no one was showering at 4am this morning. Looks like west coast time to me.
Tuesday Mar 16, 2010 #
Bicycling 45:00 [1]
Work & back. To David's school for parent/teacher meetings, & back. To Dave's work with David to go out for dinner & movie, & back.
Monday Mar 15, 2010 #
Bicycling 4:00 [1]
Third day of the nor'easter and it is not abating.
Last night Dave and I stayed up really late watching "Daniel Deroda", a BBC/WGBH production. It's in 4 parts, and we could not bear to not watch the next part as each one ended. Very bad of me. But so enjoyable.
Last night Dave and I stayed up really late watching "Daniel Deroda", a BBC/WGBH production. It's in 4 parts, and we could not bear to not watch the next part as each one ended. Very bad of me. But so enjoyable.
Saturday Mar 13, 2010 #
Note
NY Times op-ed arguing against routine PSA screening to look for prostate cancer. I'm confused.
Bicycling 50:00 [4]
In a Nor-easter, to Park school to watch Izzy's futsol game.
Friday Mar 12, 2010 #
Bicycling 50:00 [1]
To a cafe to meet some guy named Gilberte who I think didn't show, although I found out there were many men there not named Gilberte. Fortunately, I ran into three other people I knew and had a very nice time catching up with them. I found out some shocking information about an incident between a couple of kids in the junior high recently...
Then biked to auto parts store for a light bulb.
Then biked to auto parts store for a light bulb.
Thursday Mar 11, 2010 #
Bicycling 10:00 [1]
Big presentation in the evening to the Board of Directors, 45 minutes just on what I do. Sample: "Our approach is based on being a very small group in a resource-limited but scientifically ambitious start-up company." Small group = me, basically. Then out for a beer with coworkers, in which part of the conversation centered on the best brands of champagne. I had nothing to say.
Afterward I was still all pumped, adrenaline & booze I suppose, and made Dave get up and watch a movie. He picked it out; he'd had it in mind for a while apparently: "Lost in Austen". It was a total hoot. Has Seabass seen it? Kind of not surprisingly, it has a slapped-together feel, plotwise, but plenty of laugh-riot moments and they did a really fine job with the language. In case anyone's interested, you must both read the book (possibly multiple times) and watch the Colin Firth version of "Pride and Prejudice" before seeing this movie.
Afterward I was still all pumped, adrenaline & booze I suppose, and made Dave get up and watch a movie. He picked it out; he'd had it in mind for a while apparently: "Lost in Austen". It was a total hoot. Has Seabass seen it? Kind of not surprisingly, it has a slapped-together feel, plotwise, but plenty of laugh-riot moments and they did a really fine job with the language. In case anyone's interested, you must both read the book (possibly multiple times) and watch the Colin Firth version of "Pride and Prejudice" before seeing this movie.
Wednesday Mar 10, 2010 #
Bicycling 45:00 [2]
To Fresh Pond to return the Solar Pathfinder, & to work a couple times. Also biked early to Morse school to meet with teacher Julia and plan out the rest of the year for orienteering activities. I found out, since the last time I met her, that Steven, my ex-husband's ex-wife's son by her new husband, is in the class. Kind of embarrassing that I didn't know. But I don't know Steven. Yet. Anyway, I did talk to his mom, my ex-ex-wife-in-law, Sue, recently, about the whole orienteering thing with Steven's class. Maybe I mentioned that already. Julia said that she still lives in the same house as her ex, just different floors, and could relate to the complexity of it all.
Last week our hot water heater broke. I guess you're supposed to drain your water heater from time to time and replace the anode rod. Perhaps the stress of changing to the solar system was too much for it? Anyway, now we have an on-demand gas heater, quite small, to boost the temperature of the water when it comes out of the solar holding tank. So that's pretty cool.
This week, with all the sun and the mild weather, water temp at the solar collector got up above 120F.
Last week our hot water heater broke. I guess you're supposed to drain your water heater from time to time and replace the anode rod. Perhaps the stress of changing to the solar system was too much for it? Anyway, now we have an on-demand gas heater, quite small, to boost the temperature of the water when it comes out of the solar holding tank. So that's pretty cool.
This week, with all the sun and the mild weather, water temp at the solar collector got up above 120F.
Note
Biking directions added to Google maps. Here is the route it says I could have taken on my errand; I did something like that but diverged about 2/3 of the way through, getting onto Concord Ave instead.
Note
From a news article on the value of chickens as model organisms:
The humble chicken has provided humanity with meat, eggs, and wake-up calls for centuries, and new research probing the bird's DNA may point to an expansion of another role for the flightless fowl: biomedical model organism.
Uppsala University functional genomicist Leif Andersson and colleagues used cutting-edge sequencing technology to comb the chicken genome and identified some genetic signatures of domestication, according to a study published today (10th March) on Nature's website. These genetic signatures code for traits that make domestic chickens useful as egg or meat producers, but in humans, changes to homologous genes can lead to complex "lifestyle diseases" -- such as obesity and diabetes. This suggests that biomedical researchers may be able to use the domesticated chicken to research these conditions.
Here is the paper.
And, wow, there is a story about half-male, half-female chickens.
The humble chicken has provided humanity with meat, eggs, and wake-up calls for centuries, and new research probing the bird's DNA may point to an expansion of another role for the flightless fowl: biomedical model organism.
Uppsala University functional genomicist Leif Andersson and colleagues used cutting-edge sequencing technology to comb the chicken genome and identified some genetic signatures of domestication, according to a study published today (10th March) on Nature's website. These genetic signatures code for traits that make domestic chickens useful as egg or meat producers, but in humans, changes to homologous genes can lead to complex "lifestyle diseases" -- such as obesity and diabetes. This suggests that biomedical researchers may be able to use the domesticated chicken to research these conditions.
Here is the paper.
And, wow, there is a story about half-male, half-female chickens.
Tuesday Mar 9, 2010 #
Bicycling 8:00 [1]
work
Monday Mar 8, 2010 #
Note
Yesterday Isabel and I worked on a shade map of the Cambridge Community Center. We gathered data for three times of year: June, May (=late July) and August. For each time period and location, we recorded the times of day that the sun would hit it, using Jamie's cool Solar Pathfinder tool.
This is in preparation for putting in vegetable gardens.
The news was actually not so good - most of the area is shaded by a couple large trees and some smaller ones.
You can calculate the percent of total daily solar radiation based on numbers provided on the tool. In the picture, the red numbers are those percentages.
Here is June; click on it to see a version big enough to read the numbers:
There are just two "sweet spots": one in the northwest corner, just beyond the reach of the shadows from the tree and the building, and another between the two large trees along the western fence. Trees across the street on the south side, not shown on the map, get in the way of the sun in front of the building, on the south.
I also took the opportunity to measure the amount of sun at our house; we are very lucky to have ~80% sun in the pots out back, and probably near full sun in the roof containers. The porch pots get decent sun. The pots I put near the neighbors' roof water barrels get ~70%. Along the driveway gets only 25%-30%, and yet the cherry tomatoes did nicely there last year; maybe it would be a good place for lettuce and herbs in the summer when those plants don't mind some shade.
This is in preparation for putting in vegetable gardens.
The news was actually not so good - most of the area is shaded by a couple large trees and some smaller ones.
You can calculate the percent of total daily solar radiation based on numbers provided on the tool. In the picture, the red numbers are those percentages.
Here is June; click on it to see a version big enough to read the numbers:
There are just two "sweet spots": one in the northwest corner, just beyond the reach of the shadows from the tree and the building, and another between the two large trees along the western fence. Trees across the street on the south side, not shown on the map, get in the way of the sun in front of the building, on the south.
I also took the opportunity to measure the amount of sun at our house; we are very lucky to have ~80% sun in the pots out back, and probably near full sun in the roof containers. The porch pots get decent sun. The pots I put near the neighbors' roof water barrels get ~70%. Along the driveway gets only 25%-30%, and yet the cherry tomatoes did nicely there last year; maybe it would be a good place for lettuce and herbs in the summer when those plants don't mind some shade.
Bicycling 15:00 [1]
work; grocery store
Sunday Mar 7, 2010 #
Running 20:00 [1]
Morning run. Hard. Back was hurting.
Note
If I were to find a voice, a writing voice, I think a good one would be a cross between Carl Sagan and William S. Burroughs. You know, salacious [that was edited] renditions of mind-blowing [yes, deliberate] scientific truths, all aimed at how we can be more friendly human beings. Siblings: rude pundit and Olivia Judson.
Note
David has come up with his first two Billygoat shirt sketches. Not sure where it goes from here.
I gotta say I fell in love with the fey, umbrella-toting mincer-goat.
The macho, control-munchin' Palin (Todd, or Levi) of a goat was pretty funny too, though.
I gotta say I fell in love with the fey, umbrella-toting mincer-goat.
The macho, control-munchin' Palin (Todd, or Levi) of a goat was pretty funny too, though.
Bicycling 16:00 [3]
To Plough and back. Met up with Susan and Jess.
Saturday Mar 6, 2010 #
Running 30:00 [1]
with David in Brookline
Friday Mar 5, 2010 #
Note
Thursday Mar 4, 2010 #
Bicycling 50:00 [3]
Biking: to Fresh Pond to pick up the solar measuring device, then school for parent/teacher meeting, then home. Then work, then high school for meeting with the Arabic teacher, then work, then the community center to make a shade map.
Last night we went to a lecture at the Museum of Science by Susan Orlean, author of books including "The Orchid Thief" and staff writer for the New Yorker. She wrote an excellent piece on backyard chickens that was downright eerie in how precisely it described my own experience. The lecture was about chickens, and there were live chickens onstage with a camera on them projected on an overhead screen. It was a really good talk. She said she was interested in the sociology -- how suddenly many people wanted chickens after decades of people getting rid of them. How people's associations change from chickens being a connection to a rural past and maybe to poverty and dirt, and now the desire to eat locally-grown and healthful and you-know-where-it-came-from food. And the connection between women and chickens... I must say I find it almost disturbing how similar her story is to mine. The sudden passion, brought on by a friend with chickens, to get them ourselves; the late-night googling "cool modern chicken houses"; the hesitation about getting chickens until finding the Eglu; the taking of birds to the vet...
During the Q&A I got up and said how I liked her article and talk and had similar experiences and was looking for people to join me in the fight to change the Cambridge ordinances, and asked if she had thoughts about chickens in dense urban areas. I knew this might mortify Isabel so I didn't look at her once while I was talking, and I had sat in front of her which I thought would be good to avoid her feeling associated with me if I spoke up.
Afterward we went out for drinks & dessert. Izzy's friend Eva was along. At one point we were talking about me talking at the Q&A. Isabel did an impersonation of me, standing up with the microphone, in a breathy voice: "... And, um, I am going to tell you all about myself even though this lecture isn't about me, and I am going to take over this event to get EVERYONE to help me with my problem" or something like that. She was much funnier of course; I just can't remember things. I had been worried about coming off exactly this way, so I just put my face in my hands and moaned at this point. Isabel turned on a dime: "No, Mom, I was actually very proud: Yeah, that's my mom, isn't she great!" Yeah, right.
Later Isabel was explaining to Dave how to pronounce her other friend's last name (Galyean). Dave, she said patiently, say "Horse". "Horse," said Dave. "Now say 'foal'." "Foal." OK, "Galyean". "Galyean?" said Dave. We managed to figure out that she thought "galyean" was the name for a horse -- but she was thinking of stallion. At this point we started to lose it, and she explained she had been telling people for a year how to pronounce Galyean: "just like a horse!" Anyway, we had a lot of fun.
Last night we went to a lecture at the Museum of Science by Susan Orlean, author of books including "The Orchid Thief" and staff writer for the New Yorker. She wrote an excellent piece on backyard chickens that was downright eerie in how precisely it described my own experience. The lecture was about chickens, and there were live chickens onstage with a camera on them projected on an overhead screen. It was a really good talk. She said she was interested in the sociology -- how suddenly many people wanted chickens after decades of people getting rid of them. How people's associations change from chickens being a connection to a rural past and maybe to poverty and dirt, and now the desire to eat locally-grown and healthful and you-know-where-it-came-from food. And the connection between women and chickens... I must say I find it almost disturbing how similar her story is to mine. The sudden passion, brought on by a friend with chickens, to get them ourselves; the late-night googling "cool modern chicken houses"; the hesitation about getting chickens until finding the Eglu; the taking of birds to the vet...
During the Q&A I got up and said how I liked her article and talk and had similar experiences and was looking for people to join me in the fight to change the Cambridge ordinances, and asked if she had thoughts about chickens in dense urban areas. I knew this might mortify Isabel so I didn't look at her once while I was talking, and I had sat in front of her which I thought would be good to avoid her feeling associated with me if I spoke up.
Afterward we went out for drinks & dessert. Izzy's friend Eva was along. At one point we were talking about me talking at the Q&A. Isabel did an impersonation of me, standing up with the microphone, in a breathy voice: "... And, um, I am going to tell you all about myself even though this lecture isn't about me, and I am going to take over this event to get EVERYONE to help me with my problem" or something like that. She was much funnier of course; I just can't remember things. I had been worried about coming off exactly this way, so I just put my face in my hands and moaned at this point. Isabel turned on a dime: "No, Mom, I was actually very proud: Yeah, that's my mom, isn't she great!" Yeah, right.
Later Isabel was explaining to Dave how to pronounce her other friend's last name (Galyean). Dave, she said patiently, say "Horse". "Horse," said Dave. "Now say 'foal'." "Foal." OK, "Galyean". "Galyean?" said Dave. We managed to figure out that she thought "galyean" was the name for a horse -- but she was thinking of stallion. At this point we started to lose it, and she explained she had been telling people for a year how to pronounce Galyean: "just like a horse!" Anyway, we had a lot of fun.
Wednesday Mar 3, 2010 #
Bicycling 4:00 [1]
Note
From Garrison Keillor, noticed on DailyKos:
We have a good guy in the White House, a smart man of judicious temperament and profound ideals, a man with a sweet private life, a man of dignity and good humor, whose enemies, waving their hairy arms and legs, woofing, yelling absurdities, only make him look taller. Washington, being a company town, feasts on gossip, but I think the Democratic Party, skittish as it is, full of happy blather, somehow has brought forth a champion. This should please anyone who loves this country, and as for the others, let them chew on carpets and get what nourishment they can.
We have a good guy in the White House, a smart man of judicious temperament and profound ideals, a man with a sweet private life, a man of dignity and good humor, whose enemies, waving their hairy arms and legs, woofing, yelling absurdities, only make him look taller. Washington, being a company town, feasts on gossip, but I think the Democratic Party, skittish as it is, full of happy blather, somehow has brought forth a champion. This should please anyone who loves this country, and as for the others, let them chew on carpets and get what nourishment they can.
Tuesday Mar 2, 2010 #
Bicycling 4:00 [1]
Monday Mar 1, 2010 #
Note
Winter quarters:
Bicycling 18:00 [2]
To the Plough and Stars to talk with Sebastian about alternative messenger RNA splicing in cancer, over a couple of beers. I miss the way the Plough used to be, with the 100s of framed drawings on the walls.
Today started off with getting David to school late; work work work; headed home to make dinner for the neighbors who are dealing with an unhappy and likely permanently debilitating medical incident; this meeting with S; rogaine-related call.
Today started off with getting David to school late; work work work; headed home to make dinner for the neighbors who are dealing with an unhappy and likely permanently debilitating medical incident; this meeting with S; rogaine-related call.