Day 3423

I've been trying to think of an interesting way to occupy my time. Maybe astronomy vacations are a thing. Well yes, actually they are. I was surprised at how many options are available. In December of 2020 you can take a three week cruise around the tip of South America to view a total eclipse of the sun off the coast of Patagonia. This one's a little pricy, but you do get to go to Antartica. More reasonable are a wide variety of dark sky photo workshops. These workshops seem to take place in spectacular remote locations like Joshua Tree National Park or Badlands National park. It doesn't seem to be easy to fly into places like these, but I guess that's what cars are for. Prices vary considerably but the workshops are quite small and all seem to led by well known astrophotographers.

One of the most interesting options are the Special Viewing Nights at McDonald Observatory. Several times a year a select group of people get a chance to look at the heavens through one of the three large research telescopes at the observatory. How cool would it be to spend an evening looking through the 82" Otto Struve Telescope. Professional astronomers often wait months for an opportunity to use this famous telescope because skies at the observatory are still among the darkest in the world. You can take Amtrack to Alpine, Texas too. I'm sure there are other interesting things out there. I've just started looking.

The bad thing about astronomy vacations is that you really have to plan ahead to take advantage of these very limited opportunities. Only a few people at a time are able to get observatory access or attend a dark sky workshop. So what happens if you arrive for an event you planned months earlier and it's cloudy or raining? You lose. There is just no way to guarantee a clear day months in advance.

Weather is really unpredictable. I can't even guarantee a clear day tomorrow. It rained a little bit today, but I was able to take my walk. You see some strange things in the park. For the past week I've noticed a guy with a huge pair of calipers measuring tree trunks. He seems to be measuring every tree in the park. He writes down the diameter of the tree in a little book and then moves on the the next tree. Why? I guess I could ask him some day. I've started noticing the same runners and cyclists day after day. Often our paths cross at almost exactly the same spot. I guess I'm not the only one who keeps a rigid schedule.

I saw a film crew setting up to shoot a commercial in the park as I started my walk this morning. They were still setting up when I returned. I wouldn't be surprised if the crew spent all day to film something that lasted fifteen seconds. I used to do this. For once I felt glad that I was retired.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3314

If you have trouble sleeping, it's just a matter of time before you eventually end up buying one of those My Pillows. The commercials are relentless. I can't turn on the TV anymore without seeing the My Pillow guy. Sooner or later you think "What have I got to lose," and you buy one. I wasn't looking for a pillow today, but ended up getting one when I saw it on sale. We'll see if it makes any difference. If I get even a single additional hour of sleep a night, it would be well worth the price. I'll have to say I'm a bit skeptical though. Shredded foam pillows aren't exactly rocket science. I think my parents used these type of pillows when I was a kid.

What I was really looking for today was a better way to waterproof the bed than the shower curtain we're currently using. I think I found that too. I ended up getting a tent footprint, which is a piece of waterproof fabric that campers put under their tent to protect the floor from damage. These footprints tended to be smaller than your typical tarp and fit nicely under Dash's blankets on the bed. Like my new pillow, we'll see how it works tonight.

Today was even colder than yesterday. There was no wind though, so it was reasonably pleasant to go outside. Yesterday's thirty mile per hour winds were pretty brutal. We still dressed very warmly today, but compared to yesterday, our morning walk was a piece of cake. Dash still does well on these walks, even though he's having increasing trouble walking around in the house. We keep bringing home more rugs, but I don't know if they're doing a lot of good. It's so easy for Dash to lose his balance and fall.

Sunday has turned into the busiest day of the week. Our walks tend to be longer on Sunday. I almost always go to the gym and then come home and vacuum the house. Sometimes I do other chores as well. My Fitbit loves days like these, but I find them tiring. I could clean the house or go to the gym any day, but old habits die hard. I still do things almost exactly the same as I did while I was working.

I was hoping to see the Saints and the Chiefs in the Superbowl but it wasn't meant to be. The Saints lost after officials clearly missed calling pass interference late in the game. The Chiefs basically lost when they didn't win the overtime coin toss. What does this prove? I guess it proves that life isn't fair.  These were both exciting, well played games, but I'm tired of seeing the Patriots in the Superbowl.

The lunar eclipse has started. It's a little cloudy, but the moon is clearly visible. The moon is so high in the sky that I don't see any dramatic photo opportunities. I'll take a few shots anyway. I'm sure I'll be asleep before the eclipse is over. The days when I'd sit in a lawn chair and watch things like this for hours at a time are long gone. It's way too cold outside and I've seen the moon before. It's always worth another look though. Just before I went to bed I went outside again and the sky had completely cleared. There it was in all its glory: the Super Blood Wolf Moon. Now I think I'll go try out my new pillow.

April is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day