Day 3824

When I was leaving the grocery store this morning I noticed that the guy ahead of me had a package of Clorox Wipes in his buggy. How could I have missed these? I've been looking for them for months. I went back into the store and asked an employee where I could find the elusive Clorox Wipes display. "We're sold out," he told me. "You must have seen the guy who bought the last ones today." I asked when the store was getting more and was told that they were receiving a pallet of wipes several times a week. This was encouraging news. I've been convinced that when Clorox Wipes were on the shelves again the pandemic would be over.

I'm going to buy a ton of Clorox Wipes the next time I see them again. I'll buy a bunch of N-95 masks if I happen to see those too. It hard to believe now that these masks used to be a common item in the paint section at Home Depot. Even though I continue to see crowds in the park and traffic is back to pre-pandemic levels, I don't think anything is over. The virus will ebb and flow for the next year or so. People will forget about it for a while and then they will panic all over again. Civil unrest probably won't disappear until after November 3rd. Call me cynical, but I think both political parties have reasons to keep stirring the pot right up until election day.

I think the only way to restore a sense of normalcy quickly would be if there was a way to completely eliminate the media for 30 days. I"m talking about all the media, including Facebook and Twitter. The media loves a crisis. They always have. A crisis is good for ratings. Wars. Hurricanes. Civil unrest. It's their bread and butter. Have you ever noticed how quickly war correspondents rise through the ranks at news organizations? Cover a good war for a while and sooner or later you are hosting the evening news.

At any rate, without the media constantly stirring the pot to increase their ratings, we might actually be forced to talk to our neighbors to find out what is going on. Without looking at the world through the distorted lens of social media, we might actually go outside and notice that our immediate surroundings aren't so bad after all. I know a few people who are little terrors on social media that are actually fairly nice when you can sit down and have coffee with them. We need a lot more real conversations and a lot fewer emojis.

Our society has made has made it far too easy to act without thinking. The ignorance I'm seeing these days is breathtaking. When you form your opinions by looking at memes, you wind up vandalizing a statue of Matthias Baldwin without even realizing he was a leading abolitionist. When you keep saying you've got to "follow the science" without having a clue what scientists actually do, you wind up wearing a mask when you are driving alone in your own car. When you try to start the next revolution by turning a few city blocks in Seattle into a low rent copy of Burning Man, you probably just leave advocates for real social change shaking their heads in despair.

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again. Everything we have experienced in the last six months has been made worse by social media. We live in a world where everyone is glued to their phone and nobody talks to their neighbors. The traditional media isn't helping things either. They keep pouring gasoline on the flames in a mostly failing effort to stay relevant. Lord help us in the days ahead. We have become a nation of idiots.

Marcie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3823

We thought we'd give Dawn a treat this morning, so we took her out to breakfast at a dog friendly restaurant. I thought she'd like this little outing because Dot and Dash loved going out to eat. New things make Dawn nervous though and she had a hard time relaxing. Even getting to share our breakfast with us didn't help much. She was much happier when we returned home and she could hop up on our big bed again.

Dawn did enjoy her walk this morning and walks made her nervous in the beginning as well. We've already come a long way. Dawn was a breeding dog and had a hard life before she entered the rescue program. A lot of things we take for granted she has never experienced before. We'll try the restaurant again sometime. We know that she does love food.

The weather was still very pleasant in the morning. You have to get up really early to avoid the heat though. We took our walk right at sunrise and ate breakfast afterwards. A lot of other people seem to have the same idea. No matter how early we start there are always plenty of runners and cyclists on the trails.

It's been a year since the severe wind storm that blew down our Elm tree and destroyed the greenhouse in the back yard. It's amazing how quickly a year can go by. The greenhouse still hasn't been repaired and a large Oak tree that received some damage in the storm hasn't been removed either. I got bids on replacing the greenhouse months ago, but now we are just thinking of tearing it down and putting our driveway in the back. Traffic continues to get worse and worse on our street. Being able to easily get out of the driveway seems more important than a greenhouse now. Janet and I could never keep plants alive anyway.

I think the liquid nitrogen treatment I received is working. Some of the actinic keratosis spots on my face have already started to scab over and fall off. I may need one more treatment to get rid of this stuff for good, but it does seem like a fairly painless and easy remedy for something I was initially fearful of.

I'm still having trouble remember what day it is. Ever since the pandemic started all days seem more or less the same. I almost went to the grocery store this morning until Janet reminded me that it was only Friday. I did go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription this afternoon. I think it was the first time I've driven the car this week. I used to fill up my tank once a week. Now, once a month seems plenty.

It looks like it's going to be another long, hot summer. During the Spring rainy season I can't wait for the rain to stop. As soon as it gets hot and things start to dry up, I'm wishing the rain would start again. This is the perfect time to finish repairs on the roof except that the roof is so hot it will burn your skin. We'll see how much gets done tomorrow. Maybe walking Dawn in the morning is enough.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3822

It seems like you can't do anything these days without being asked to take a survey. You go to the doctor. The next day you get an e-mail asking you to take a survey. You take your car in for an oil change. You are asked to take a survey. You stay in a hotel or rent a car. Yep. More surveys. You can't even call someone on the phone without being asked to take a short survey at the end of the call. It seems like employees are being evaluated based on survey results. Sometime they will practically beg you to give them a ten because an upcoming raise or promotion depends on good results. When did this start happening? I've had plenty of performance reviews during my career, but my fate never depended on a survey. I used to fill out some of these surveys but I try to ignore them now. There are always lots of questions about how well you like the company's service. There never seems to be any questions about how irritating you found the survey.

So many things about modern life are irritating. The future didn't end up being like the Jetsons after all. I certainly didn't expect a double header of plagues and riots in 2020. I didn't expect a concerted effort to erase history either. There is something troubling about pulling down statues and condemning classic films like Gone with the Wind. It seems a little too much like Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution to me. You realize quickly that popular favorites like All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Married with Children, and even Sienfeld would never survive in a world where a children's cartoon like Paw Patrol is being castigated.

Isn't anyone familiar with history anymore? History repeats itself over and over again. The Weather Underground led directly to the Law and Order years of the Nixon administration. Do you want that again? The pendulum always swings one way and then the tide turns and it swings the other way. It's a shame that people in both political parties seem willing to let a city like Seattle self destruct because they think it will help them politically. Republicans are eager to use footage of the chaos on Capitol Hill in campaign ads to depict a world controlled by Democrats. Democrats are just as eager for Trump to bring in the tanks so they can do their own campaign ads depicting him as a ruthless dictator.

It's a shame that Americans seem to need an enemy. We were at our best during World War II. The country prospered and the middle class grew during the Cold War when most people seemed to agree that The Soviet Union must be defeated. Little wars in Vietnam and the Middle East never seemed to do the trick. Without an external enemy, we just fight with each other. I think the Chinese are laughing at us now. They probably look at what's going on over here and think "Game over. We've got this."

I just wish that things would stay peaceful for another twenty years. After I'm gone, you guys can do whatever you want. I kind of liked it when everything was locked down. The roads were quiet and people just concentrated on staying alive. I heard birds when I woke up instead of airplanes. Now that things are slowly rumbling back to life, you realize that we humans have learned nothing. We are just as determined to make a mess of things as we ever were.

Willa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3821

What a difference a day makes. The weather this morning was beautiful. A rare Summer cold front swept away yesterday's dust and cooled things down significantly. It was only 68 degrees when we woke up. Needless to say, Dawn loved her walk today. I felt pretty good myself. The sky was clear and the air even felt fresher. My seasonal allergies are finally gone. It's kind of amazing how little it takes to put me in a better mood. A nice day isn't going to change the world, but I'll take what I can get.

The day got even better when I checked my e-mail after breakfast. I finally heard from the Air Force. They said they were beginning my credentialing process this week and that they would let me know when I was good to go for 2020. I haven't actually received media clearance yet, but the upbeat tone of the letter made it seem like this was only a formality. I've also applied for NASA media accreditation, but I'm not as optimistic about this route to attending the Mars 2020 launch. NASA has already said that they are still limiting the number of journalists that can attend launch events because of the coronavirus.

I hope there isn't a huge spike in virus outbreaks in the weeks ahead. I'm OK with traveling now, but things could change quickly. The virus definitely isn't under control yet and both Florida and Texas seem to be heading in the wrong direction. I could easily change my mind about attending the launch if things start heading downhill. I'm eager to return to being a space journalist, but I'm not stupid. You've got to be careful where you go these days. I'm not planning any trips to Seattle either.

The weather was so nice today that I thought I'd better mow the grass while I had a chance. This might be the last 70 degree day we have for quite a while. The yard looks a lot better now and I managed to accumulate 23,000 steps today as a bonus. My day was so productive that I even managed to fix the carport security light. It doesn't work quite as well as it used to but if a moose or large cow walked by it would probably trigger the sensor. I probably should have just bought a new motion detector, but I still feel compelled to fix things.

My dentist called today and finally wants to reschedule my appointment. My gym said it is reopening next week as well. Everyone is starting to seem almost desperate to return to some form of normalcy, but the virus doesn't appear to care. Protesters don't appear to care either. I really hope we don't have a second wave of outbreaks in the Fall because that might be the last straw that brings everything crumbling down. We're only holding on to sanity by a thread right now. It wouldn't take that much to push civil society right over the edge. Hopefully the world can get its act together. There are still things I want to do. I definitely don't want to spend my old age living in a dystopian nightmare.

Escher is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3820

The weather was full of surprises today. I was expecting our morning walk to be hot, but there was a nice breeze. Actually it was quite windy. With the wind in our face, the walk was actually quite enjoyable. We had been thinking about shortening the walk for Dawn, but we easily completed our five miles this morning. Probably the wind and cooler temperatures were just a fluke. It's still Summer. We might have to shorten the walk tomorrow.

By mid-afternoon there was evidence that this morning's breeze might have stirred up more than I thought. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, but everything looked weird. There were hard shadows on the ground, but the sky wasn't blue. It had a strange grey tint and everything looked less bright than usual. It almost reminded me of the way the sky looks during a partial eclipse. When I got home I looked up the weather conditions and discovered that the air quality was very poor. Evidently there was a lot of particulate matter in the air. Was this a dust storm where the particles were so small that they didn't look dusty? I don't know. There were some high winds to the west of us earlier in the day.

When I was getting dressed this morning I noticed that the carport security light was on. Had it managed to fix itself overnight? The light went out after about five minutes just like it is supposed to do. Later, I went outside and waved my hands in front of the sensor trying to get the light to come on again. Nothing happened. I tried again this evening and the light was still dead. Things like this frustrate me. It this thing broken or not?

Today was really slow. I did a little correspondence in the morning, but that was about it. I need a new project that doesn't involve fixing things. There are certainly enough things that need fixing around the house. Broken things are discouraging though. I feel like the house has let me down. Couldn't the place just keep its act together for a few more years? I don't even know how to find good help anymore. All my favorite carpenters, plumbers, and craftsmen have either retired or died. No wonder traveling seems so appealing these days. You are quite literally just running away from your problems.

It still seems weird that everything is opening up while coronavirus cases still keep climbing in Texas. I read that Dallas is considered a hot spot now. It's almost like everyone collectively got tired of the whole thing and just decided to ignore it. I think masks will eventually just become fashion statements. There will be little sections in clothing stores selling them right next to the socks.

I've given up on life ever returning to normal. Actually, life probably never was normal. Weird stuff just keeps happening in endlessly repeating cycles because we never learn from our mistakes.

Liberty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3819

Another dog day afternoon. Every Monday, Janet and I spend the afternoon visiting the rescue Dalmatians at their kennel. It is one of the best parts of the week. Currently there are only three dogs in the program and we've grown to love each of them. Hank, Murphy, and Charlie all have their own unique personalities, but they all love to play. Hank is deaf and today we tried to teach him some simple commands. It took a lot of patience and a lot of treats, but I think he finally understands how to sit on command. We'll see if he remembers next week.

Dawn was happy to stay home and sleep on the bed while we visited the rescue dogs. She'd already had her five mile walk and was ready for a nap. We always get started before 7 AM but it seems impossible for us to get ready any earlier. I don't even make the bed or eat breakfast until we have finished our walk. In theory, we should be out the door around 5:45 AM but it's not going to happen. All three of us sleep pretty soundly in the morning.

I heard from my editor at Sky and Telescope today. She said that my article will be published early next year. This seems like an exceptionally long time to wait, but some magazines have always had a long lead time. Actually, six months from manuscript to publication is fairly normal for Sky and Telescope. I wish there was a way to speed the process along. The more published articles I can get under my belt, the easier it will be to get other publications interested in using me. I'd almost forgotten that I had to go through this same arduous process to establish myself as an advertising writer. It seems weird to have to pay my dues at my age, but that's how it works with anything new. I actually welcome the opportunity to reinvent myself one more time. I just need to learn to have patience.

For the first time in many years, Janet and I are talking about moving. It will probably never happen because the whole process is just too complicated. City life is definitely losing its appeal though. Where would you go these days? We enjoy excellent medical care now. So do our dogs. When we used to take Dot and Dash to the cancer center, it was common to meet people waiting in the lobby who had traveled for hours with their dog from a small town just to meet with the oncologist. Life in a little town like Fort Davis seems idyllic at first glance and then I remember all the stories people tell me about wells that go dry and living with septic tanks. Snakes in the garage doesn't sound very appealing either. Everything from getting your car repaired to buying groceries becomes more difficult in a small town. There are a lot of problems with urban life, but there are a lot of things you take for granted too. We definitely aren't interested in retirement communities or life in the suburbs. If we start taking car trips to visit picturesque small towns, you'll know we're getting serious. Actually, what I'd like is a time machine. Almost any place thirty or forty years ago sounds pretty nice to me.

The temperature is supposed to reach 100 degrees tomorrow. We'll have to get an early start on our walk. With clear skies predicted for the next two weeks, I won't have to worry about the roof for a while. Now we just have to make sure that the air conditioner keeps working.

Lacey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3818

Today was futile task day. I tried and failed to fix a security light in the driveway. I think I discovered the problem though. Wasps had built a nest inside the motion sensor. I managed to kill the wasps, but the bug spray probably didn't do what remained of the sensor any good. I thought I'd get rid of a few more wasp nests while I was outside, but they build them back so fast that I don't know why I even bothered.

My big task for the day was cleaning the atrium. I managed to pry open the broken sliding glass door just wide enough for me to squeeze inside with a broom and a bottle of Windex. I tried to lubricate the door tracks with a silicon spray designed for balky garage doors, but it didn't do much good. One, or perhaps several, of the track wheels have broken and jam when you try to move the door. The atrium does look better now. It's just impossible to use as it was intended. I probably won't try to open the door again for another six months. I'm always afraid it will become permanently jammed in an open position. Since there appears to be nobody in creation who is able to fix this oversize sliding glass door, this would be very bad.

We figured out that we would have to leave at 5 AM to beat the morning runners and cyclists on our walk with Dawn. That would get us home at 7 AM when the morning rush usually starts. We left at 6 AM this morning and the trails were quiet for a while. The tranquility didn't last though. By the time we returned home the park was packed. The good thing about these early walks is that the weather is still cool enough for Dawn. She did well today and we felt good about completing our full five miles.

I still take an afternoon walk, although I don't really know why. It is very hot and there are far to many people in the park. I still keep my distance from these people, but clearly nobody cares about social distancing anymore. There are large groups having picnics and crowds routinely gather around the ice cream truck and the kayak rental stand. After all the mass protests, I think it will be impossible to institute another lockdown if there is a second wave of virus infections. Everyone has moved on and they just don't care about the virus anymore. Very odd, since infections are still increasing in Texas.

It's time to mow the grass again but I just could bring myself to start the mower. The house feels like an old friend who has let me down. Everything is shabby and falling apart. It's hard to get excited about yard work and even harder to get excited about major renovations. We live in a neighborhood where virtually all the small houses like ours are eventually torn down to build McMansions when they are sold. It seems crazy to put a lot of money into a house that will just be torn down.

I saw the International Space Station for a final time this evening. I worked up my nerve to walk to a good viewing spot in the park with a pair of binoculars. It was a good thing that I brought the binoculars because the station was fairly dim this time. The sky was clear, but it was much further away. The first time I saw it on Thursday evening was definitely the best.

Maybe I'll try to contact Sky and Telescope and the Air Force media office tomorrow. I've been very patient. It's about time I heard something from these guys.

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3817

Another hot Summer day. The park was full of people early this morning, all trying to beat the heat. I like weekdays better. On Saturday, you realize that you really do live in a big city. It was worth the effort to take our sunrise walk though. Even though it was already eighty degrees, it was still the nicest time of the day.

I had to go to several stores to find butter today. How has a toilet paper shortage turned into a butter shortage? The whole supply chain still seems disrupted. All four stores I visited during my weekly shopping run were very busy. Dallas seems to have decided that the pandemic is over. I guess we'll see fourteen days from now whether they were right. Even though it seemed like a normal Saturday, I felt a bit uncomfortable being around so many people. It wasn't a fear of the virus that made me uneasy. Maybe I'm just tired of living in a city. I miss the wide open spaces and quiet emptiness of West Texas.

I went with Janet today when she took Dawn on her regular car training trip. We went to another nearby park and walked around for a while. This is the place where we used to take Dot and Dash for training classes. We want to get Dawn familiar with this place, so that when training classes resume sometime later this Summer we can take Dawn. I'm a little apprehensive but Janet thinks she'll enjoy the experience. On the way home from this little excursion, we stopped for ice cream cones. Dawn loves ice cream. I have a feeling that all dogs love ice cream.

I don't know why I even bother to take an afternoon walk anymore. It's way too hot now. I guess it's just a good way to kill time. If I stayed home, I'd be compelled to start some household repair project I've been trying to ignore. It's always nice to get 20,000 steps too. Such a simple life. What did you do today? Oh, I took 20,000 steps.

There was another chance to see the International Space Station this evening, but this time the path the station took was obscured by trees in the back yard. I would have had to walk about half a mile into the park to get a clear view. Never mind. I don't need to see the ISS again. Not now anyway. It's a shame that I don't feel comfortable walking alone in the park after dark. I enjoy the night. I just don't enjoy living in the city.

I applied for NASA media credentials to attend the Mars Perseverance launch in late July. I'm not terribly optimistic about my chances, especially since coronavirus cases seem to be spiking up in Florida again. I haven't heard from the Air Force yet, so maybe one of these two alternatives will work out. I know a few people are still getting launch access, but most of them seem to live in Florida. I've learned to never give up though. If you want something, you've got to keep trying.

I wonder when I'll be able to resume going to the gym on Sunday? Janet has already gone to her gym twice but mine hasn't even set an opening date. The place is definitely not open tomorrow so it looks like I'll be taking more long walks.

Wendy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3816

I've seen the International Space Station fly over the house for two nights in a row. Last night it passed directly overhead and was very bright. I thought it might pass in front of the moon, but the station ended up traveling a little to the right before it was eventually obscured by clouds. Tonight the ISS appeared a little earlier while it was still twilight. It wasn't nearly as bright as last night, but was still easy to see. It's kind of amazing that there are five people aboard this swiftly moving bright little dot in the sky who are probably looking down at me. I think there will be a few more opportunities to view the station later this week. Maybe next time I'll try to view it with a telescope.

I noticed that Christo died a few days ago. He was one of my favorite artists. I met him once and still have a photo of Running Fence that he signed for me hanging in my office. I remember telling him that if he tied a string around this picture, it might become very valuble and he just laughed. I always admired Christo because his art was temporary. He and his wife often spent years getting permission to undertake one of his elaborate projects, but they only lasted a few weeks and then they were gone. Christo's projects were totally unnecessary, but grand in scale and strangely inspiring. This art also introduced me to the Maysles Brothers, who filmed many of his projects. Watch their Running Fence documentary sometime. The almost insurmountable struggle to build this beautiful 24 mile white nylon fence will make you realize that almost anything is possible.

Not a whole lot seemed possible for me today. It was simply too hot. We got started very early on our morning walk, but Dawn was panting by the time we returned home. We may have to shorten her walks soon. She loves being outside, but Texas Summers can be brutal. Maybe three miles is plenty. We'll figure something out. I guess we could start a little earlier, but I do need some sleep. I'm still having trouble getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

This would be a good time to finish repairing the roof or plant some new grass in the back yard. It's hard to get motivated though. Most of the projects around the house don't really fix anything permanently. They just postpone the inevitable a little. Big home projects are for young people. When you are older, you realize that none of this really matters. It is the nature of things to wear out and fall apart.

It's time to go to the grocery store again tomorrow. Shopping has more or less returned to normal, except that there are still no Clorox Wipes and everybody wears masks. I wonder if wearing masks will last forever? I didn't think that taking your shoes off at the airport would last very long, but here we are. I have a feeling that some of the changes we are experiencing now will be permanent.

When I was out looking for the space station  I noticed that some of the exterior landscape lighting had burned out again. One more thing to add to a very long list of stuff to fix.

Scooby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3815

I'm more forgetful now. The other day I forgot to take my house keys with me when we walked Dawn. Luckily Janet had her keys with her, but it was a reminder that I need to be even more methodical than I already am. It's important to keep your mind sharp as you grow older. I remember watching my Dad descend into senility in his later years while thinking that I wasn't going to let this happen to me.

I don't think you can prevent the inevitable, but I do think it is possible to postpone things for a while. Eating healthy food and getting plenty of exercise can do wonders for an aging body. The mind is a little trickier though. Is it better to remember the past, or is a mind unencumbered with a ton of old baggage healthier? Is knowledge cumulative, or should you wipe the slate clean and be receptive to new things?

I wonder about all this as my memory banks slowly become scrambled. I don't know if your brain can only hold so much, or if your memories remain forever and just become lost over time. Some things only appear in dreams now. There are a few recurring dreams that I genuinely can't decide whether they really happened.

I'm always putting my brain through its paces when I walk. I'll pick out a specific rock or tree and always try to account for it when I pass. I count ducks and try to remember the names of flowers and trees. There are hundreds of objects in the park that I have committed to memory, but it is surprising how often I'll forget about them. If I'm daydreaming, an entire mile can go by and I won't notice anything. It is a very rare walk when I can remember my entire list.

There is a large sailboat anchored out in the lake and I always try to notice when it is exactly perpendicular to me. There will always be a point when I am looking exactly at the bow or stern of this boat. The position of these encounters changes from day to day and I've learned to estimate wind speed from how quickly the boat turns in the water. I used to try and keep my eyes agile by alternately focusing on something very close and then turning my vision to something very far away. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed. My distance vision is still good, but my close up vision is shot.

It's interesting watching Dawn while we walk. She has a mind of her own. Now that she knows her way around, I've noticed that she likes to choose her own route. When we come to a fork in the trail, I  like to keep her on a loose leash to see which direction she'll choose. Often I am surprised. What is going through that dog's mind? Dawn will always follow us when Janet and I are leading the way, but she will make her own decisions when left to her own devices. She is a very smart dog.

This week has gone quickly. The trash is out on the curb again and my supply of fresh fruit is almost gone. Tomorrow it's time to make my signature omelette again. I edited a bunch of pictures to send to Sky and Telescope today. Eventually the magazine will need them. I just need to remain patient.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3814

I used to like social media. Back in the dark ages when blogs were popular I was even considered an influencer. Sites like Klout gave me free stuff and I had a huge following on Google+. I never took it seriously though. The blog was just a lazy man's way of maintaining the daily journal I used to write by hand in little leather bound books that I would buy every January at a local stationary store. It never occurred to me that other people would want to read this stuff. It still baffles me why some of you are here.

For many years the Internet seemed harmless and innocent. There were no passwords or hackers. Nobody was trying to steal your identity. Occasionally you would strike up a conversation with someone who was even nerdier than you were. Then Facebook appeared.

Somehow everything has changed. From my perspective, social media has become a corrosive, destructive force. I'm not sure we should be connected. It has become far too easy to see what is trending and just drink the cool-aid. I remember people saying how wonderful it was that the Internet gave people a voice during the Arab Spring. Then look what happened. Country after country in the Middle East descended into chaos. Now the chickens have come home to roost. My own country is descending into chaos as well.

I'm not completely sure why all this is happening, but I have a feeling that it has something to do with the false sense of belonging that social media can give you. Social media and tribalism go hand in hand. It's easy to find like-minded individuals on the Internet. The platforms are set up that way. Why do you think Facebook invented the whole concept of 'friends" and "likes"? They make more money by aggregating you into groups with similar interests.

The whole friend thing has gotten out of hand though. I never wanted to know this much about you guys. I've worked with people for over twenty years and never knew much about their political beliefs or personal opinions. It was better that way. When you had to look someone you knew in the eye before you spoke, you learned to measure your words carefully. Friendships were built slowly over many years. The Internet made it far too easy to wear your heart on your sleeve with no consequences. People use their words like flamethrowers now.

I can't recall that I've ever unfriended anyone. I've usually been content to live and let live. So why do I suddenly feel the desire to unfriend people now? Probably because folks I've known for years appear to have lost their minds. How can you go from "stay inside or you'll kill grandma" to "join me on the streets or you're part of the problem" almost overnight? Some of the most strident social distance advocates are now arm-in-arm spreading the virus everywhere because something new has captured their attention. You can't really have it both ways. I wish everyone would just quit virtue signaling. It's not a good look. Nobody is as virtuous in real life as they like to appear on the Internet anyway.

Freckles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3813

Of course there are riots. Every zombie apocalypse end of the world movie I've ever seen has riots. The combination of a global plague, an economic disaster, and extreme social unrest all happening at the same time does make you wonder. Is this going to end up like The Stand? Maybe these are the end times. Hey, I'm not waiting for the Rapture or anything, but at this point I wouldn't be surprised to see that giant spaceship from District Nine hovering over the city in July.

I don't think my bank is ever going to reopen. I went to the drive thru today to make a deposit and ended up at a window that wasn't working. I had to circle around and try a different window. I still can't bring myself to use the bank's phone app to photograph checks and make deposits electronically. I'm very suspicious of my phone. I basically only use it to take photographs and check the weather.

My desktop computer is much more secure, but I'm even suspicious of that. I was paying a phone bill electronically today and noticed a suspicious phone number on my profile. I called the company to find out if I'd been hacked or my account had been compromised, but while I was sitting on hold waiting to talk to somebody, it occurred to be that the weird phone number might actually belong to my iPad. Yep. It was my own phone number I was worried about. I hung up before I embarrassed myself talking to a service representative.

We've been getting up really early to walk Dawn before the weather gets too hot. I'm always surprised at how many cyclists are out this early. There must be a lot of people who routinely exercise before they go to work. The park is pretty busy during the first hour of our walk and then the trails thin out again. By the time we returned home around 8:30 AM, the park was practically empty. Early morning exercise must signal that Dallas is returning to work. The roads certainly look that way. Morning rush hour in our part of town is just as bad as it ever was.

Janet's gym is open again, but mine is not. My gym hasn't even announced a date for reopening yet. I wonder who decides these things? I guess it's just as well that my gym hasn't reopened. I'm not sure I'm ready to go back to a gym anyway. Maybe the long walks are better anyway. Five miles in the morning and another three miles in the afternoon is probably all the exercise I need.

It takes a lot of patience not to bother the editors at Sky and Telescope and SpaceFlight Magazine and  continually ask when my articles are going to appear. I need to just start writing new articles, but my interests are limited. I used to think that writing the blog kept me in practice for more serious writing, but I'm not so sure anymore. I'm just treading water here.

Abby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3812

One of the best ways to make the world seem normal again is to visit the Dalmatian kennel. There were fewer dogs this week. Cinder has gone to her forever home. Her new owners renamed her Cinderella and from all we've heard she's enjoying her new surroundings. Murphy, Hank, and Charlie were all glad to see us. Each of these boys has their favorite toys and loves to play. They all seem remarkably well adjusted to life at the kennel, but I'm sure they look forward to finding their forever homes as well.

As usual, the day started with an early morning walk. It's always quiet and peaceful right around sunrise. We've started seeing lots of baby ducks near the lake. We also saw a young coyote running down a neighborhood street. Hopefully Mom can keep her ducklings safe until they learn to fly. The young owls I saw a few months ago have all learned to fly. I never see them any more, although I know they are nearby. I often hear them deep in the woods. This cycle of life repeats every Spring in the park. It's reassuring to see the wildflowers return right on schedule and a new generation of animals repopulate the park. If only civilization was as predictable as nature.

I continue to be amazed that nobody is talking about the virus anymore. Almost overnight we have gone from staying six feet apart to huge crowds milling about on city streets. It's almost as if the entire population has Attention Deficit Disorder. Apparently, we can only concentrate on one crisis at a time. The media certainly isn't helping. Everyone is still pushing their own narrative and suddenly all this unrest becomes about identity politics again. At any rate, it will be interesting to see if Dr. Fauci was right. If the virus is as contagious as he says it is, there are going to be a lot of sick people three weeks from now.

I think Dallas is still under a curfew. I wouldn't know. I haven't gone out at night in years. It's a shame to be nervous about going out at night when you are interested in astronomy. The park is a good place for star watching, but it also a popular place for drug deals. I'd be crazy to wander around in the park late at night. Police sirens routinely wake us up at night as they race down our busy street to deal with things that go bump in the night. All this is routine in a big city. One of the things I liked so much about Fort Davis in West Texas is that you felt completely safe walking down city streets at 11 PM. I can't say this about Dallas. Maybe I'm just a rural person at heart.

It's hard to believe it's June already. In early May, I thought that things wold be better by June. Now, I'm wondering what's next. At the rate we're going, there will be an alien invasion by August. I do wish that things would settle down. I'd like to go to the Mars 2020 launch at Kennedy Space Center in July and maybe head back to McDonald Observatory this Fall.

For now, travel is limited to visiting the Dalmatians on Monday afternoons. That's OK though. Murphy, Hank, and Charlie are all great dogs and we enjoyed spending time with them today.

Charlie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3811

I watched the astronauts arrive at the International Space Station this morning. It must have taken them two hours to open the door to their spacecraft. These guys had a checklist for everything. Even the most minute proceedure was followed to the letter. I'm a methodical person, but this blew me away. I kept thinking that we should all be a bit more like this. If we had an exhaustive checklist for our daily activities and actually followed it, we could avoid so much trouble.

My checklist would be pretty basic. Make your bed every morning. Brush your teeth. Eat a decent breakfast. If you have a dog or a child, take care of their needs before your own. Don't be in a hurry. And never skip an item on your list. You get the idea. I'm a big believer in leading a disciplined life. I've always been suspicious of people who let their emotions get the best of them. Emotions aren't to be trusted. I'm much more comfortable when someone acts like Spock on those old Star Trek shows.

I think the past three months have been defined by strong emotions. First there was the fear caused by the coronavirus followed almost immediately by the anger caused by the death of George Floyd. I guess fear and anger are pretty basic. I get scared and angry too. I don't really think these emotions solve anything though. There's got to be a better way.

I cringe whenever I hear someone say "we're all in this together." Jeez. "Don't drag me into this," I think. I prefer to solve problems by withdrawing and thinking through things on my own. Of course, this kind of attitude will never solve the problems of society. At best it will only allow you to live outside of society. Is that so bad though? I felt happy when I was the only person inside the huge dome of the 107" telescope at the top of a lonely mountain in West Texas. I could live this way. Maybe I should have been a forest ranger. Is it really that hard to learn to love the sound of silence? Is it that hard to just mind your own business while you follow your own personal checklist?

Today's checklist started with a walk with Dawn. The walk even comes before making the bed these days. The warmer the weather gets, the earlier we need to start. The weather is wonderful before the sun gets too high. I just need to figure out how to get more sleep. I've been going to bed late because I'm having trouble writing the blog. The blog is always the last thing on the checklist and I still want to get to Day 5000. It's not really enjoyable writing about a world falling apart though. I'd much rather write about visits to observatories and the joys of getting published in obscure little magazines.

I washed the car today. I'm not going anywhere, but I do like a clean car. We'll take Dawn on another long walk tomorrow morning. I like a happy dog too. Janet made pulled pork in the slow cooker, so there's tasty food for the rest of the week. Who knows. Maybe I'll even hear something from the Air Force about getting media accreditation. All in all, life is good.

Amy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3810

It was nice to see something positive today. The Crew Dragon launch was flawless. It was amazing how clean and futuristic the capsule looked. Somehow the two astronauts even managed a change of clothes a few hours after liftoff. I wonder how long before scenes like this become commonplace again. I'll have to remember to watch TV again tomorrow when the capsule arrives at the space station. Maybe I'll get to see one of these launches in person someday. The world has to return to normal eventually.

Normalcy is already returning to Dallas. There are no lines at stores anymore. The grocery store wasn't even crowded this morning. It's still impossible to find Clorox wipes, but almost everything else was on the shelves. I wonder how long we will continue wearing masks? If there isn't a huge surge in new infections two or three weeks from now, I predict they will slowly disappear. We'll probably be like Asian countries where some people will always wear them. I'll probably ditch mine later this Summer as the virus fades from the news.

Of course, maybe it doesn't fade from the news. Maybe all the large crowds we are seeing on TV will trigger a whole new wave of outbreaks. Almost anything could happen in a year like 2020. I'm just waiting for hurricane season to start.

The weather is still very pleasant. We had a nice walk with Dawn this morning. We started before 7 AM, but there were already a lot of joggers and cyclists in the park. More people must be working again, because weekends are starting to feel different than weekdays. As the day grew warmer, large groups gathered in the park for picnics and play. I'm sure people are still being diagnosed with coronavirus in area hospitals. There are probably protests in town as well. Nevertheless, it still seemed pretty much like a normal Saturday in Dallas. Normal is good. We need a lot more normal.

I wasted a lot of time watching the launch on TV today. This stuff never gets old for me. I wondered whether the black boots the astronauts wore are actually part of the spacesuit, or were more like the rubber garden boots I wear on rainy days. Maybe the white space suit was under these boots. I wonder whether toy stores are already sold out of sparkly toy dinosaurs? I was surprised to see that one of the astronauts wore glasses. I guess perfect vision isn't a requirement. It's amazing these rockets even work at all. They are so complicated. My car doesn't even work all the time. Neither does my computer.

I went out and brought home a large pizza for dinner. Pizza and beer, a friendly dog looking for table scraps, a warm Spring evening, and a rocket launch. Sounds like a good day to me.

Ollie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3809

I started looking for new walking shoes today. There are so many choices. I probably have enough shoes already, but none of them are comfortable on long distance walks. Should I wear a boot or a light weight running shoe? Maybe something in between? Do I need a custom orthotic? Maybe the shoe isn't even the problem. Do I have a hairline fracture? I went to a podiatrist once who x-rayed my foot and just said I had an unusually high arch. He prescribed an orthotic that looked just like the kind you get at the drug store except it cost ten times as much. I think it was made of carbon fiber. Shoes are irritating to me. I've tried all kinds and have occasionally listened to experts. Most shoes are comfortable for three or four miles and then all bets are off. Now that I'm walking more, I can't wait to take off my shoes when I return to the house. I guess I'll try again, but the effort seems futile. Maybe I should just try swimming.

I couldn't figure out why the park was so crowded today. I don't think it is a holiday. Maybe virtual school is over for the kids. There were a ton of children in the park this morning with there parents. I thought it was Saturday for a while, but it is just a regular Friday. Maybe everybody else is having trouble keeping track of the days too. They all seem the same. I had to check a couple of times today just to make sure it wasn't Saturday.

I'm kind of glad I didn't go to Florida now. There is so much unrest in the country and the weather isn't very cooperative either. It seems like a good time to just stay home an mind your own business. It does seem weird that just a few days ago we were all talking about staying six feet apart and now there are massive protests with thousands of people packed tightly together. Just like that, everyone forgot about the virus. It's hurricane season too. How long before a giant hurricane sweeps up the East Coast? 2020 definitely isn't shaping up to be a good year.

The liquid nitrogen treatments on my skin are finally showing results. I thought something would happen right away, but apparently that's not how it works. I can feel skin dying on my face and the splotchy appearance the doctor promised is starting to appear. I'd glad he told me not to worry about this, because it definitely feels odd. Hope the freezing treatment works. It is definitely preferable to cutting.

My train dealer sold another model train to someone in Belgium today. I think we were both surprised. Inch by inch, the collection slowly continues to sell. Sales are at a snails pace though. I don't think the entire collection will sell in my lifetime. Maybe I'll have to leave the rest of it to the Dalmatians. At least the artwork sold quickly. I think I've already lost interest in downsizing.

Dawn is slowly getting used to being in the car. Janet continues to practice with her every day. Who knows. Maybe there's a car trip in her future after all.

Emmitt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3808

I got the oil changed in my car today. I basically just wanted to get the irritating "service required" light on the dash turned off, but the oil hasn't been changed in over a year so it was probably time. The dealership said that an oil change didn't count as "service" so they couldn't turn the light off. I told them that at the prices they were charging, it damn well better count as service. I got my way. I've been a customer of this dealership for long enough to know that service representatives come and go, but in the end the customer is always right.

While I was waiting for the service to be completed, I took a look at the new Defender that had just arrived at the dealership. I've been waiting to see these ever since I sold my Defender 90 quite a few years ago. This iconic model got delayed again and again and went through many design changes along the way. I was disappointed that the new Defender has lost the boxy, hand assembled look of my former car, but I had to admit that the updated version looked a lot better than the pictures I'd seen on the Internet.

Will I get another Land Rover after being overcharged for service for over twenty years? Who knows. The car I was looking at wasn't even for sale. It was just a dealership demo and there won't be any Defenders available for sale until later in the year. The short wheelbase model like my former Defender won't make it's debut until 2021. There's certainly no hurry to get another car. I can't think of many reasons to buy another Land Rover either. If I wanted a practical car for West Texas I should just buy a Ford. That's about all I saw when I was out at the observatory. If I want to be really practical, I don't need a new car at all. It seems to work pretty well to just rent cars when I travel.

Dawn's new collar came today. We got her a hand beaded collar made by the Maasai tribe in Kenya, just like the ones Dot and Dash used to wear. When one of our dogs goes to the Rainbow Bridge, their collar is retired and placed in the cedar box with their ashes. Hey, everyone has traditions with their pets and this is one of ours. The Maasai collars are works of art and last a lifetime. Dawn seemed to know hers was special. She was excited and kept wagging her tail while we were fitting her tags to the new collar and seemed proud to wear it. Who knows what dogs really think though. She probably just liked all the attention.

I think my Spring allergies are finally coming to an end. I can take a walk without watering eyes or constant sneezing again. This was one of the longest allergy seasons on record. It's also one of the wettest Springs I can remember. Hopefully the seasonal allergies don't return until next year. They've really been a nuisance. This is definitely not a time when you want to be sneezing constantly.

I'm beginning to think that my application for media accreditation from the Air Force got lost, just like the manuscripts that I used to send to Sky and Telescope. I still haven't heard from them. For some reason mail coming from my hosting account occasionally gets classified as spam by other mail servers and never gets delivered. It's weird that a big company like Bluehost gets classified as a spammer, but it happens occasionally. I have to use an alternate e-mail account to communicate with the University of Texas and with Sky and Telescope. Maybe this has happened with the Air Force as well. I should have heard something from them by now.

Now that I've gotten my oil changed, the only thing left on my list is getting a haircut. The salons are open again so maybe I'll make an appointment. I can't live under a rock forever.

Sam is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day