pondering a thought...

summer rain

2010-06-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

Rumbling reverberates in the distance, calling me to look outside. A dark spot on the horizon promises to quench the hot day. Gradually the birds stop singing while the trees turn into silhouettes.

Cool winds gush down from the expanse overhead. A torrent of river rapid clouds loom omnimous overhead- ebbing, flowing, rushing.

Backlit clouds swirl together in knots twisting and moving as a great living thing. With each breath it swoops in lower to engulf the area. Lighting flashes down with urgency leaving resinous thunder to rake the sky.

Pattering little raindrops start to sing, making way for a resounding encore.

simple places

2010-05-04T19:46:00.000-07:00

Blacksmithing

2010-04-02T09:34:00.001-07:00

Season's Greetings!

2009-12-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

outside my window

2009-12-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

I found this little guy perched on the bush outside my office window. It makes me happy to get to see him every day at his post while I am at mine.

a visitor

2009-11-19T13:35:00.000-08:00

while photographing muffins at work, this little guy walked up and sat on my lighting equipment.

T4 Bacteriophage Plush Toy!

2009-11-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

The perfect way to accent your couch or add extra pizzaz to any room, microbiology plush toys! I found this and had to share it. Everyone needs one! This website also has plush toys for most of the well known microbes. its awesome!

"I want to do for microbes what Walt Disney did for rodents." ~Drew Oliver

Check the whole collection!

http://shop.neatorama.com/store.php?giant-microbes-plush-toys-pg1-cid85.html

Cuteness

2009-11-04T09:04:00.001-08:00

Leather Work

2009-09-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

Recently, I have been just working a lot- not very exciting. But this summer I did a cool leather project. For those who were not at camp, I figured I could post a couple pics since I don't have anything to post about recently.

2009-08-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

The proven hope God gives is found in the fact that He changes us when we ask Him too. Hope that He does indeed gift us with unquestioning confidence despite pain; and a deep running river of calm trust in the face whatever tempests might come. He transforms us- lifting our minds above limited perspective to gasp the limitless possibilities of the heavens.

Far beyond the physical pain, one of the hardest things is ongoing internal agony. But what joy that we are never left alone with this. God is our shield and constant deliverer. He does not save us from the fire, but in it the midst of it. No matter the circumstances or the outlook, He does provide what is truly best for us.

He empowers us with His strength to meet every hardship. Just like the Pentecost for the apostles and the latter rain will be before the time of trouble- we can trust Him. Even stronger then our own instincts for self-preservation is His fathomless care for us.

As He helps to grow, we can surrender those self-persevering instincts and desires for a pain-free life. With His grace, we can let Him carry the knowledge of our horrific experiences and trust that all His promises are still true.

We are called to lay down our ambitions for the singular purpose of following in His steps. If He leads us towards what we are most afraid, we must simply let go and let Him carry us through it and we will be alright.

Camping

2009-06-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Caitlin, Shaila, and I got to camp in the awesome Catskill wilderness in NY state. It is a few hours north of NYC, but mostly forgotten and beautifully primitive.
God blessed and helped us find the perfect campsite. and it rained before and after we camped, but we had great weather while we where there. yay for God taking care of everything. it was so refreshing to be out of the office and enjoying the awesome outdoors. :)

home sweet tent

Here is the view looking out of the tent. yayness

caitlin contemplating the cold water at the swimming hole

shaila (really she is a pro surfer, she just hasn't realized it yet)

filtering water tasty water

enchanting water

fire! :D

The Rain-Color Song

2009-05-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

Sunset is almost here and I’m off work. With glee, I hoist Bird to his post on my shoulder, snatch my guitar bag, and make a quick exit to my car for our ritual. A short drive finds me parking by the hill at CA and trying to coax Bird to go outside with me for the third time today. I’m demanding on little indoor-loving birds ;)

I find our favorite patch of grass and pull out my guitar while Rabbit settles into his preening. The clouds shroud the sun and obscure the sunset colors that I often look to for music inspiration. This evening the air is tingling fresh as it sweeps over summer grass, heralding the promise of rain. Mmm. It more than makes up for any sunset splashed across the sky canvas. A gentle thunder rolls from one horizon to the other. My fingers pluck the strings while dark blue clouds tumble and dance towards me. I lean my head back and breathe deep the scent-colors of coming rain and evergreen. Intuitively, my fingers find chord-colors to match. Another gentle thunder softly calls across the expanse. I echo it with my lowest string while I play the waltz of scent-colors on the higher strings.

Looking up and to my left, I see a beautiful streak of rain like a blue bride’s veil shimmering. I accompany it as it flows in the wind. The breeze, now steady, carries only the scent of almost here rain. Bird notices and stops preening. My fingers tease the strings in a quickening syncopated style as little raindrop feet patter towards me. Bird starts to worry about getting wet as I hurry to conclude the rain-color song. Now big drops of sky collide against the Earth. I stash my guitar in its bag and rush for the car. Bird leans forward with all his might as if to say “Faster Mom. Faster! I’m melting!!”

Just as we duck inside the car, the veil of rain is upon us. It encompasses the little valley in a cleansing deluge deserving of its own unique song. It is all one long symphony with numerous movements in the ongoing and changing theater of nature.

chicken identity(s)

2009-05-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

I found this pic and had share it. That is totally something i can see my own green chicken doing- very confused and lots of identity complexes, but altogether really a sweet rabbit. ;)

by the way, i took him for an hour hike on the biology trial. i had a circus going on ontop of my head and both shoulders and bunny danced, begged, pleaded, anything to get me to him back to him house and away from the humid and buggy woods. poor him. what is he to do with such an odd human that exposes him to the grand outdoors away from the conditioned house.

also, have been eating two types of food for 4 weeks to save on budgeting. (well, free bulk food leftovers from photoshoots at work, bagel anyone?) anways, so now bird is now so angry with me that he doesn't even beg for food more as soon as he sees that im still eating the same that I have been making for the last few weeks.
"mom, you're eating that? again?! what am i going to do? your supposed to be my cook. why do you keep making the same thing?" and of course he doesnt like his bird food because it comes from a bag, its not fresh made, and its not gourmet. yeah, he is close to revolt and taking over the world. if no one hears from me for a few weeks, you know bird finally took over. i just hope he wont try to drive my car!

Live video from the Space shuttle

2009-05-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

i found something interesting. :)
you can watch live video from the space shuttle if you go here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30700789

then just click on the link "live video"
i just got to watch a live tour of the inside of the shuttle and the crew. it was pretty cool. i love thinking about all the math, physics, programming and everything that goes into pulling off a mission like that. ooo. happy. i want to learn lots more about everything and then i can appreciate it even more. on Wed. they will start doing spacewalks to work on the hubble telescope. yay.

There is another section: "the hubble story, slide show" and there are matching audio clips of a 6 time astronaut explaining what it is like to space walk and to ride the shuttle during a launch. ...some of the people got into the program by starting out in engineering. hmm. i need to win that lottery for lifelong free tuition. hehe.

when i used to live in FL, i would sometimes go to cape canaveral to watch the shuttle launch. awesome stuff. just watching that and filling awe that science and math can really take you places. far away, exciting-type places. the power of those rockets, and if there was even a small miscalculation the shuttle wouldnt work successfully.

mmm. happy thoughts. and ode to get a free pass to all kinds of super happy engineering programs. just think, many of the things that you imagine when you sit in bed, bored at night. with lots of math and physics, you could stop being so bored and work on bringing those ideas to tangible life. ooo. and then when you run your simulations in your mind to see if they work, you could just run that on Fluent program and get a print out of all the happy math to go with it. and a list of things to improve and stuff like that. the possiblities.

alright. well i stop rambeling and get ready to put in another full day at both of my jobs tomorrow. but one day, yes one day when i have money, back to school for engineering i go! (i love art and the other stuff to have only done engineering while in college, hence the need to go back and collect more) ok. im done. but everyone really needs to go watch the live video feeds. it will inspire you!!!

Finger Painting in Hickman

2009-04-16T23:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I only finger paint a 1/3 of the time. Tis fun. (and helps blend the colors a bit better then brushes). Here is the picture the mural just before I started working on it.

...and after I worked about 14 hrs.

I am looking forward to getting to work on the next section. :D

Blacksmithing

2009-04-14T10:04:00.001-07:00

Sunday i got to go the Choo Choo Forge in downtown chatt. with the blacksmith club. (perks of being a sponser). it was great. I highly recommend it.

here is their smaller forge. they have 2 inside and 2 outside. and lots of anvils. its amazing!

and a view of the wonderful shop. it is packed with tools. oooo. aahhh. :D and the walls that are not covered with tools, have lots of neat metal art on display. i will show pics of those in a different post.

tools everywhere. *huge grin* it was such a TREAT to get to play with so many tools. i had forgotten how refreshing it is to have access to a good workshop. very happy!

making the notches to start drawing out the lip of the tongs.

hammering the flat part for riveting and drawing out the lip of the tongs.

tongs before they are riveted together.

I even got to use the famous and super excited power hammer. *grin* i SO want to make one of the these. it really speeds up the work, the hammer on this is 25lbs. i am drawing out the reigns (handles) of my long set of tongs. and then i used a treadle hammer to hammer the square stock round. so many nice toys. yayness.

the top pair of tongs is the first set that i made. the bottom pair were made by someone else. the handles are short because the whole pair was made from a single, short piece of square stock.

my second pair of tongs. the extra long handles will let me get metal out of a campfire. i am hoping to teach simple blacksmithing over the campfire this year at summer camp. (i can use some granite for our anvil for an old fashioned and cheap approach to smithing. yayness for sharing the joys of metalwork with my kids.

Quote from the Potter's Shop

2009-04-06T22:15:00.001-07:00

Sunday, i got to see an artists guild down in GA. it was very inspiring! the view from their studios was impressive.

There was a blacksmiths shop, fiber art (the lady raises sheep for wool for her art), silk artist (moved here from France), and a pottery shop (both her and the blacksmith lady teach are master artists and teach at an international trade school over in NC during the summer).

I found a cool quote on the wall in the potter's shop (double click pic to see full size)

Chatt Rail Yard

2009-04-04T19:07:00.001-07:00

After Christy asked about names, I had to update this post ;) Names are as follows:

Oswald the first

Fredrick- well fed and even nostalgic

Reginald- an accountant at heart

The three sets of wheels are the base of the train. so they are named after binary:
0- base 10
1- base 10
Hexi- for base 16

Carl- a creative and constructive individual

From the Archives: Tree Fun

2009-03-31T23:13:00.000-07:00

I was sorting through some old photos on my laptop from June of last year. And I came across pics from my tree top picnic/ almost camp out. (something about nearby lightning from a sudden storm)

Joe testing out my device: a mini-cross bow that I rigged with fishing line for setting up rope. Once we shoot the arrow and attached fishing line over a high branch, we pull up a thin rope. then we use that pull up a climbing rope. Then simply use ascenders and go on up to the top :D

I love very tall trees, especially in the dark. yay for rope and verticalness.

Sir Zack heading up to the kitchen/ camping area. Note the plastic bin above his head. that's the kitchen counter. Inside that you can see a white plastic thing, that serves as the kitchen sink, literally. I hauled up a container of water, like a big Camelback, so we have 'running water'. to the left you can see something under a blue tarp. That is the bathroom. (i was trying to design and test gear for future week-long stays in the trees without having to come back down) my goal is to one day set up a camp in the top of a giant tree in a rain forest. and then stay up there for a few weeks researching all the plants and wildlife in the canopy. hehe. talk about a fun trip!

Enjoying my food at the tree top. I used stuff sacks to stow our gear so we would have some 'closet space' for the extra rope, hammocks, and stuff like that.

Jes and Joe perched on a tree limb 60 feet up at my "tree top cafe" eating pasta and bread. Note, the safety line, we were anchored at all times because my motto is "All about safety" ;) hehe. Also, the lantern over her shoulder is hanging from a lightweight chain used to hang hot stuff including the stove.

Here is my stove design. (I forget to get a pic of it up in the tree). Basically, i use chain to hang it up to diffuse the heat, since rope would melt. The chain clips to the metal grate and creates a little area to hold the cooking pot, which is also wired on for good luck. Since most of the weight is on the grate, the stove simply hangs underneath in its little holster. the holes let in air for the flame. and you an easy adjust and light it while everything is set up.

Home sweet tree. You can see two hammocks on the left, and all the safety lines for ascending/ rappelling and hoisting gear. For future plans, i have been tinkering with ideas to get a dry cell battery that is lightweight. but that would be me enough power to run my laptop and some Christmas lights at nite. Theoretically, I can eventually get some solar panels to recharge that battery. Then I could be able to run my electronics in the tree top. and to extend my goal, get satellite internet so if i ever do get to take that dream trip to study wildlife in the canopy, i can keep up with my research and communication while i am perched out in the field. :D

Flying devices, big and small

2009-03-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

Yay for jumbo flying device at the TN Aquarium. I love macaws, but i am glad Rabbit isn't this big! Hehe this is not the size bird to take on errand runs ;)

Small flying device:

Not quite flying devices: ...can you spot the turtle smushed under the two gators? it was cool to see the gators. reminded me of snorkeling with them back in FL.

In front of GreenLife I found a swarm of tiny flying devices- bees. yayness!

hopefully one day i will have a yard and can keep bees.
happyness in a bucket ;)

cloudland canyon

2009-03-26T21:19:00.001-07:00

Climbing

2009-03-06T20:18:00.000-08:00

Bird supervises the ground crew.

I tried to get Joe to give me physics lecture on climb up. it worked until i started asking for diagrams about halfway up ;)

my sibling. and we are even related!

Joe- my partner in building a helicopter/ motorcycle. i just have to finish convincing him to let me "slightly" modify his bike ;)

I tried to give Bird a ride to the top. But after 15 ' he was too afraid of heights and started to panic. Poor little rabbit. So I dropped him off at the bottom and climbed the wall a couple more times. yay for rocks :D (if i only i could fit it in my car to set up my very own real rock climbing wall at home hehe)

Searching for Bob Norton's Plane

2009-02-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

So a few weeks ago, Bob Norton’s missionary plane went down in the jungle of Venezuela and no one has found the wreckage. (or Bob and group, if they are still alive). The country doesn’t have search and rescue operations set up. So there are some ideas on how to get around that. Google Earth is being commissioned to take high resolution photos of the jungle area where he went down. That should will us details of objects a few feet across and bigger. So using the photos, we can try to locate the wreckage, calculate the GPS coordinates, then have a plane fly over for a closer look. However, sorting through hundreds of photos manually would take too long (especially if there is hope he might have survived the crash) to speed up the process, one of my friends is writing a program to search the photos and I get to help him with a small part of it.

Just like when you are setting up a query with constraints to search a database, this can be done to search the photos. Ideas for constraints are: search for anything not green, isolate edges, and check for small clearings were the trees have been obstructed/ or taken down by a plane. So while we wait for the satellite photos to come in, we can work on some stuff. My part is to download sample satellite photos of plane wrecks in trees. Then I will work in photoshop to make the wreckage more visible. While I am working, I will record what filters and settings I use to enhance the photo. Then I send my work off to zach, who will write my data into his program code. After we test the program, he will apply it to all the photos from Google. I am hoping to talk to Southern’s computing department and see if I can work it out to use their cluster (super computer) for a day and run all the data on that. (zachs computer would take maybe a week to process all the data). After that, we will have a smaller batch of pics to sort through. These will have a much higher probability of Norton’s location.

Then we can have pple sign up to take a small set of photos and look at them manually. By roughly the third time we eliminate photos, we should have it isolated to just a few places where the plane wreck could be. Then they could have a plane fly over those spots for a closer look. That way, the limit funds to send out searches will be saved for the most likely spots instead of spending it all up on random guesses. Anyways, zach put together a website with information about the search at: http://flowerbed.dyndns.org/findbobnorton/index.html

Fossil Digging and Ninja Driving

2009-02-20T18:45:00.000-08:00

Today I went with my sister and brother in law to dig fossils in GA. We went off roading to wehre there is an abandoned coal mine from the turn of the century and the tailings (left over rock) have some fossils in them. I found some 'wild' coal. I wanted to collect a whole bag for blacksmithing fuel. but once I have my forge set up again, I will go back and dig up some coal to use (its the good kind where I can get enough heat to weild over my forge :D ). We dug around for a while and found a wide assortment of fossilized plants and bark. And then I got the find of the day when I split open a rock and found this cool little fern. Apparently, it was still living when the flood came because the imprint is in such good condition. It was exciting to find it!

We also found a very pretty little waterfall and a nice spot for camping once it warms up. Also, my dear sweet brother in law let me drive his 'new' 2000 kawaski ninja motorcycle today. mmm. FUN!!! In time I want to get my motorcycle endorsment and a sporty bike.

Recipes

2009-02-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

Here are some recipes that people have been asking about and I thought I would share. Enjoy!

Mango bread:
3 cups of flour
1 Can of mango juice
1 ts of salt
1tb of wheat gluten
2 tb of yeast
1 cup of chopped, dried mango, (rehydrate it before putting in dough)

Mushroom soup:
1 package of fresh, sliced mushrooms (sauté them, then blenderize them)
½ of a sweet onion (sauté them, then blenderize them)
Soymilk or silk creamer instead of water
Some celery
Season with McKays chicken and thyme, and garlic
2 cups of cooked barley
2 cans of condensed mushroom soup
A diced potato
Can of chopped fri chick

Vegan eggplant Lasagna:
Eggplant cut into coins, then cut in half. (Bread them and then Oven fry them, or if short on time steam them)
Summer squash, zucchini, Onion, bell pepper, mushroom; all chopped
Tofu crumbled,
Add salt and season with mckays chicken, oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, and garlic
Layer everything with cooked lasagna noodles and generous portions of tomato sauce to keep it moist.

Potato Soup:
Use half water and half soymilk for the base
Dice 5 large baking potatoes, leave the skins on if desired
Add frozen corn and a ¼ cup of minced cashews
1 cup of shredded carrots
2 big stalks of fresh broccoli, mince up the florets (I don’t use the stems)
Mince a clove of garlic and ½ an onion
Mince 3 stalks of celery
Can of chopped fri chick, drained
½ cup of raw, minced cashews, creamed/ blenderized to thicken the soup
Season with rosemary, lots of dill, thyme, salt, mckays chicken,

ode to have a microscope...

2009-02-02T10:10:00.000-08:00

For lack of fun microscope toys, I decided to play around with my scanner instead. (By chance, does anyone know where I can get cheap parts to build my own high-powered microscope for home and garden purposes?) Anyways, so I took a closer look at my lucky fingerprints. The one below is mostly normal. The other two underwent an accidental alteration a few years back, so they are not exactly traditional prints. But I thought it was neat to see the details. It would be super awesome cool to experiment with a scanning electron microscope...

Home

2009-01-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

(from Great Controversy, pg 675-8)

Human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it. No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God.

In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called "a country." Hebrews 11:14-16. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations. There are ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the Lord. There the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty, and the mountains of God rear their lofty summits. On those peaceful plains, beside those living streams, God's people, so long pilgrims and wanderers, shall find a home.

We shall ever feel the freshness of the morning and shall ever be far from its close. The light of the sun will be superseded by a radiance which is not painfully dazzling, yet which immeasurably surpasses the brightness of our noontide. The glory of God and the Lamb floods the Holy City with unfading light. The redeemed walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day.

There, immortal minds will contemplate with never-failing delight the wonders of creative power, the mysteries of redeeming love. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body.

All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God's redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar--worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of God's handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation--suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling the throne of Deity. Upon all things, from the least to the greatest, the Creator's name is written, and in all are the riches of His power displayed.

snow has come to collegedale :D

2009-01-20T19:56:00.000-08:00

Winter

2009-01-17T15:25:00.002-08:00

operating systems and cell phones...

2008-10-17T00:49:00.000-07:00

well... The other day my laptop Internet connection died. After over 12 hours of intense work to the far reaches of computing, I still haven't found the problem. However, it was fun setting up a little network in my house. I connected my Windows XP laptop to my old Linux laptop. Then I connected the two to a FreeBSD computer somewhere in TN. Then one of my tech friends in a different town connected his computer to the FreeBSD computer to connect to my Linux laptop to get to my Windows XP laptop. Then he could see my screen and we could try to troubleshoot together. It was fun and frustrating at the same time. But it is cool that I am getting better at command line and manually setting TCP/IP and stuff like that. Long story short, we are still not sure what is wrong with it, so I ordered a USB wireless adapter. I hope that works! If not, i will have to completely reinstall the whole operating system, programs, and restore my documents.

and then, to make things interesting, my phone died completely. So I lost about 150 numbers. I went to the Sprint store and had to get a new phone. So now I am working on trying to rebuild my phonebook....

anyways. after all of this, i was realizing that much of my life and communication is wrapped up in technology. At times it can seem like a big deal to me is that stuff doesn't work. But what really matters is communication with the one true Source. I often get caught up in the day to day grind. But lurches in the routine give an opportunity to readjust my focus. A little thought that comes to mind on occasion came up again today. Life is meant to be more than this. And when and where God calls me, I want to serve with mission work or something. I need to make it a daily goal to listen to Him and He will lead the way.

Yay for painting on ceilings...

2008-09-20T21:07:00.000-07:00

I love my job. Yayness. I get to work on the mural for the Biology Dept pic of the cell. So I am very happy. Also, for the some of the ceiling tiles that dont come down, I get to paint on the ceiling. To do this, I hung my hammock from the floor joists, then got to enjoy painting in comfort.

Party time with Fay, the tropical storm.

2008-08-21T22:23:00.000-07:00

Yay for adventure! It has been several years since the last time I got to ride ‘big’ (relative to my limited experience) waves.

And now time for a commercial break. [Insert commercial break about contest to win FREE titanium dentures here___. Clearly everyone should have a pair, even in addition to natural teeth. After all, two sets are better than one!} And now back to the not-so-regularly scheduled program, or lack thereof.

Currently I am in FL to visit my mom, and yes, we are related. Also visiting is Fay, our local tropical storm. Anyways, so today I went to the beach. For some strange, unknown reason, there were very few cars out on the roads. We saw some cool stuff on the joyous journey to yonder location where water and sand collide. I spied lots of debris about included several tumbleweed that catapulted across the road. However, it turned out to be just a lowly herd of palm fronds out for a frolic in the excessively blustery conditions. We also saw downed power lines, and several traffic lights that were out.

When we got to the beach, a flock of surfers was packing up and leaving, but there a couple of them that stayed in the water. Other then that, there was no one else around. Anywhere. I looked out the window of the car, and in the distance I saw some gorgeous waves. So I snapped a picture of George the wave, framed by the wooden railing.

Next, I gleefully hopped out of the car and was almost blown over by a gust that needled sand and rain into everything exposed. The sound of rushing wind, hammering rain, and roaring waves drummed against my tympanic membranes (and yes, I will try to keep those too). Gripping my fins and boogie board against the wind, I excitedly anticipated the great rides on the weather.com-predicted-ten-foot-waves.

Finally, I was ready to get in. Upon closer inspection, the waves looked to be about 7 feet tall out at the sandbar. Still big enough for little me. With grand ideas in head and board and tow, I launched into the tumultuous, muddy brown sea. Whenever salt water jumped into my eyes, the pouring rain quickly rinsed it out. How convenient.

I spied the bigger waves were playing out at the sandbar. Tada. Desired location determined. Swimming as fast I could, I only made slow progress. It went something like this: SWIM, get pummeled by a wave, breath, dive under next wave, breath, SWIM, breath, dive under wave, ect. Well, after a good bit of that the local friendly current washed me into a mild rip current. Presto! A way to get out to the happy waves. Problem solved. Upon quick arrival, a wave came and the shore was distant no longer.

It was awesome catching that wave. The water started growing taller around me until I was fairly high up. Then there was a split second of freefall as I dropped into it into it. I felt like I was flying as I sashayed across its face. We were hurtling towards the beach together, lurching and overtaking smaller waves. It tried to ride it well, for it was a living thing to be respected. Its thunderous roar blotted out the sound of pounding rain as the tube of the wave started to close around me. I tried to race out of it, but in an instant, I was caught in its grip. I was plunged down and then around and around. I thought it would be fun to graph it. Then I thought I should find the surface and promptly put graphing out of mind. (don’t worry Graphing, if you are reading this, you are still important to me and you are welcome to come back to mind anytime you wish!)

Just as my search for the surface ended, the wave got greedy and slurped off one my lucky fins. I immediately felt the difference and couldn’t swim as fast. I reached toward my estranged fin, but before I could grasp it, another wave came crashing over to visit with such exuberance that I was fully preoccupied with surface finding activities once again. After that detour, I found my fin to be a little further out. I swam for it with all my might. But alas, the current was strong and I was smack in the middle of the crash zone for the breakers. After getting dunked by another two successive big waves, I resigned myself to continue my commitment to “All About Safety”. So with a reluctant and fastly beating exercised heart, I turned my back on my dear fin and swam for shore.

Moral of the story: going to the beach during a tropical storm is absolutely awesome fun! However, one must make little leashes to ensure that fins don’t swim off on their own without your approval and shorten your time in the water. And in the mean time everyone, don’t forget to register for your chance to win a FREE pair titanium dentures today.

to play the colors of sunset

2008-06-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

Sabbath evening, Rabbit and I went out to the hill behind CA to play guitar and to watch the sunset together. Sitting low, the tall grass around me perpetually pointed upward at the radiant display. Massive rays of light burst from behind dark storm clouds and shot across the sky to gild distant clouds in dazzling gold. (I was so enthralled with awesome display that I didn’t think to take a picture until after the rays were not prominent.)

It was fun to take music inspiration from the gorgeous sunset. I need to develop more skill at guitar, but I enjoyed trying to play harmonies that match the style of how the sunset colors went together. The clouds symbolized overall patterns of crescendo or a solo of bass notes, ect. The amount of light in different areas translated into vibrance of the music style I would play. It was great fun. Rabbit even tried to come up with lyrics to the song by singing “step up” and by making his water drop sounds to crescendo to the guitar. We had a splendid evening :)

A short story about a certain Longhaired Girl and a certain Bright Green "Rabbit”

2008-06-08T23:56:00.000-07:00

Well, as far as entertainment goes, I have been enjoying watching lectures at semi-random from MIT. (super happy yayness for FREE movies about aeronautics and other happy topics :) They are posted here: http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/courses/av/index.htm

And for the other part of entertainment… the ever-in-the-same-location Biology Trail! :D So now I am pleased to announce a short story…

…Once upon a time, as in the other day, in a land hot and humid, there was a multitude of greenery in a select location. A certain Longhaired Girl and a certain Bright Green "Rabbit" went for a hike. [This is a good time to mention that Rabbit’s current occupation is resident parrot at said girl’s home.] The Longhaired Girl was thoroughly enjoying the hike while taking in the fresh air and listening to the birds singing in the trees. Meanwhile, the Bright Green Rabbit clung to her shoulder feeling annoyed and bewildered at said wild and singing birds. He was upset to experience the great outdoors beyond the comfort of their house.

As the hike progressed, the Longhaired Girl soaked up the enriching experience that only the woods can give. However, she noticed that the longer she trolicked down the path, the more flustered the Rabbit was becoming. The poor Rabbit was forced to endure the sounds of mosquitoes and the lack of air conditioning. Furthermore, to his great disgruntlement, his "perch" wouldn't keep still, but insisted on continuing farther into the woods! All this made for a disconcerted Rabbit who leaned forward just as much as possible to show his anticipation to return to the little white car that would transport him to their little white house where he would be free of the ‘discomforts’ of the wild outside world.

Well, despite what Rabbit was thinking, the Longhaired Girl was enjoying the hike. So much so, in fact, that she decided to run along the beautiful trail. To care for her dear Rabbit, she promptly transferred him off of her shoulder and onto her hand so he would have a smoother ride. Once the Rabbit was properly installed, she joyfully took off at a sprint.

Things were going great for the Longhaired Girl who loved to exercise. However, the Bright Green Rabbit was not sure what to make of the situation. At first, he thought that they might be trying to escape from some unknown something. Nevertheless, there was a lack of something chasing them and the girl kept on running. So, he ruled that explanation out. Next, he decided that the Longhaired Girl finally got the hint that Rabbits were not made to experience the great outdoors. With hope, he thought that perhaps she was rushing to escort him back to the safety of A/C and an enclosed environment void of mosquitoes and feathered flying things that sing from trees.

With determination, he clung tightly to her hand, leaning as they dashed around curves and hopped over logs. Then the Longhaired Girl had a brilliant idea- she could hold Rabbit out so he could flap his wings while they ran. It had worked on short sprints before, so surely a run would be just as good! Promptly, she encouraged him to flap his wings so he could enjoy the momentum in a more bird-like fashion. He hated it. Him? Fly? Like a bird? What in the world was she thinking?!?

Needless to say, it wasn’t long before she gave up on that idea and went back to just holding him as she ran along. Sooner than the Longhaired Girl wanted and much later then the Rabbit demanded, and they were back at the little white car where their hike had begun.

As soon as they were in the car with the A/C on and driving back to the little white house, Rabbit was happy once more. And the longhaired girl anticipated the next day when she would go for a much longer run, while the Rabbit would wait for her return in their little white air conditioned house.

The End

Running the Biology Trail- A Colorful Symphony

2008-06-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

Baseline brown path bordered by lush green.
Rhythmically running on rain-soft path.
Thud. Squish. Thud. Squish. Thud. Squish. Thud. Squish.
Tempo of turquoise; my feet keep time.

Singing sienna trees stretch upward.
Grandiose gold clouds guide sunset blaze.
Droning dusk comes drawing long shadows.

A chorus copper, the insects chant.
Melodic, maroon birdsong moves me.

A cantata composed by our Creator.