Apropos of Nothing -3-

Mad Grad Student · 2005-01-23 23:19:18

It's (or it is?) funny the stuff that you overhear sometimes. Yesterday I was hiking at Lookout Mountain, one of the many small mountain preserves in Phoenix. Even in the middle of the city, in the mountain preserves everything becomes absolutely quiet and you can hear an ordinary conversation easily from over 2,000 feet away. While I was up there, a large group of about 20 people came through, and every once and a while I could make out a very distinct sentence amidst the din of their conversation.

Anyways, suddenly I heard out of nowhere someone say "...but even if it were possible the solar wind would just blow the atmosphere away." Kinda freaky, especially because I was just talking to my father about the life cycles of stars and the death of the universe. For some reason that stuck in my mind.

English is pretty cool. In many languages, if you want to say, for example, "we have two cats," there are about one or two ways to say that. In English there are likely many many dozen ways to say even a very simple sentence such as the above test sentence, and I for one wonder what's wrong with that? English allows far more expression than other languages can because of its wide vocabulary and the attached connotations of different word choices. IMHO, of course.

I just got my learner's permit a few weeks ago, so you may want to be careful driving around northern Phoenix right now. So far I haven't run into any brick walls/small children yet, hopefully it will stay that way. If only driving were as fun as flying... :;):

Palomar · 2005-01-25 08:25:20

*Hmmmm, looks like the issue of parenting has arisen in a different thread. Parenting skills, whether or not to spank, etc.

I'm proud to say my husband and I have little to no troubles with our kids. They're always happy to see us, never back-talk, are always appreciative of their food and beverage; there are no leftovers and they always dig into their meals with relish. They're not particular about their attire, are good at keeping themselves clean (especially our youngest child), generally stay close to home, etc. They don't mind cuddles and kisses (well...except the youngest a bit , but then he's more independent than his sibling). :;): They don't fight over what TV show to watch nor who is going to sit in the front seat of the car or truck (the youngest doesn't even like riding in vehicles...)

On an entirely different note: This past week I've dreamed about Tina Louise at least 3 times. You know, the former model, Broadway actress, and best known as "Ginger" on "Gilligan's Island." :hm: Haven't seen that show in a few years, Ms. Louise isn't a favorite TV celeb of mine, etc. ::shrugs:: Dreams, go figure.

--Cindy

Cobra Commander · 2005-01-25 08:56:18

If only driving were as fun as flying...

But have you ever had a flight instructor pull the old "cut the engine, see if you flip out before the magnetos restart it" trick? Usually followed by a din of "step on the ball, step on the ball" while you try to figure out what just happened, continuing until you're flying straight again. :laugh:

Funnier now than at the time of course.

But the English language offers so many subtle variations on the basic sentiment of "oh crap", that alone is worth something.

clark · 2005-01-26 08:09:48

I always thought the language of "Smurf's" was the most expressive.

Little blue people living in mushrooms, wearing no shirts, and a female to male ratio of 1 to a 100. Smurf.

Mad Grad Student · 2005-01-26 23:20:06

But have you ever had a flight instructor pull the old "cut the engine, see if you flip out before the magnetos restart it" trick? Usually followed by a din of "step on the ball, step on the ball" while you try to figure out what just happened, continuing until you're flying straight again. :laugh:
Funnier now than at the time of course.

Heh heh, I wish. Perhaps fortunately I don't have to worry about an engine failure in the kinds of planes I fly, because that's already occured. For about a year and a half now I have been going out to a local sailplane field so infrequently, well, let's just say I wouldn't even be current if I had a license. I've been meaning to do somethign about that...

My plan is that hopefully I can solo in a glider within a few months (if I could just get out the field every weekend, dang it!) and then move on to the powered stuff. This summer I should probably make a good $3,000, that should hopefully be enough to fund it till I solo in a powered plane.

There is something to be said, though, for the joy of soaring. I'm spoiled, I suppose, living in Arizona. During the summer the thermals out in the desert will just shoot a glider up like it's on a freight elevator. On one occasion, my instructor and I thermalled up to 11,000 feet before leveling off (we had no bottled oxygen [duh]) and started practicing minimum controllable airspeed flying. During that time the plane was flying about as inefficiently is it possibly could be made to fly without stalling and we gained 1,000 feet in a plane with no enigne! It's really cool stuff, doing that in a silent plane with no rock-concert-loud engine, but it does take some getting used to. Jeez, the next time I go out there (hopefully this weekend) I'm going to be so rusty.

As soon as I get my driver's license I'm buying one of those "I'd rather be flying" license plate frames.

Cobra Commander · 2005-01-27 08:07:44

There is something to be said, though, for the joy of soaring. I'm spoiled, I suppose, living in Arizona. During the summer the thermals out in the desert will just shoot a glider up like it's on a freight elevator.

Yes, I imagine it's quite an experience. A very different type of flying to anything I've ever done.

I'd probably have to head out West to try it myself, I don't imagine gliding over the Metro Detroit area would be quite as fun. Suburbs, freeway, field, surburbs, fires, freeway, water, suburbs.

And good luck with the driving, all those firsts ahead of you. First speeding ticket, first jacked-up insurance bill, first time wrecking a car...

Palomar · 2005-01-27 08:25:12

*Have been discussing interesting and unusual coincidences in a different forum. Here's the most unusual coincidence of my life (yet):

In 1991 my mother and aunt spent the winter in this region. I was still living in the Midwest. Mom and aunt took video clips of Las Cruces.

After moving here and a few years after being married, we watched those videos (which contained family stuff too) at my home.

Lo and behold, my husband's then-pickup truck drove past the camera! He had a distinctive 2-tone Toyota truck with chrome bars on the camper shell and he owned it then -- so there was my future husband on video. And even more coincidental: He was driving right past the small apartment complex I moved into just half a year later! (It was my only apt until getting married and moving into his home).

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-01-27 15:52:41

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s … 6193132]It closes in 100 milliseconds...

...it eats bugs...

...is like half a tennis ball that's been flipped inside-out...

mystery solved?

(Well, almost)...

Still to be explained is the phase in between -- exactly how the signal is transmitted from the hair trigger to the closure mechanism in such an astonishingly fast time.

--Cindy

clark · 2005-01-31 12:21:22

Is this thing on?

Are you?

Why is it we remember none of our very firsts? Our first breath, first smile, first wink, first sneeze, first laugh, first tear, first bruise, first cold, first face to greet us into the world before all these outher firsts and all the firsts that come afterwards? A whole spectrum of firsts go missing into a void of nothing remebered by a few idel witness's who by happenstance, circumstance, or sheer serendipity manage to catch these moments to regale others, usually loosely similar individuals of similar apperance at annual gatherings where a trading of these events take place, events which have their firsts, and are always reminded to us by vetrens with comparisons of growth or what they first called us. Firsts! Damn you.

Palomar · 2005-01-31 16:21:48

*Okay, I am starting to see all these advertisements (TV, magazines, online):

If You Are 40 and Over...

Health Concerns For People 40 and Over...

People Ages 40, 50, 60...

I'm so glad I'm still in my 30s and turning 40 will never, ever happen to me!

But geez, it's enough to give a person nightmares. So much for the recent "60 is the new 40" attitude (I'm entirely for it!) -- the way all these ads go on, you'd think it's still 1970 and 40 is still "over the hill." :-\

40: Just say "NoooooOOOooooOoo!!" :laugh:

--Cindy

Mad Grad Student · 2005-02-03 22:23:38

And good luck with the driving, all those firsts ahead of you. First speeding ticket, first jacked-up insurance bill, first time wrecking a car...

SWEET!

Dang, I need to come here more often. Yeah, like that's ever going to happen. I suppose there are worse bad habbits you could have than rarely visiting a forum. Like procrastination or insomnia or both, which I incidentally have.

Back to that first comment, that is so awesome! Speeding tickets, crashes, oh boy I can't wait! Jk of course, like I need to tell everyone. Actually I drive like an 85-year-old granny, that is as sloooooooow and cautious as humanly possible, but with fewer cataracts. A few days ago I got honked at for the first time because the light turned green and I paused a second or two before ever-so-slightly accelerating into the intersection. You can never be too careful about red-light runners, I suppose. I just can't fathom why there are so many teens who get their Permits and Licenses and go around flooring the gas as hard as possible. For me it's probably the effect of becoming proficient in flying before becoming proficient in driving. Any kind of flying demands that you be extremely cautious at all times, eventually it rubs off on you.

You could probably get some pretty good lift over a huge sprawl of parking lots and industrial areas, but the view wouldn't be quite as good as the middle of the desert. Plus, I can hardly imagine that Detroit gets many 118 degree days a year, a must for exceptional thermalling. We had something like 15 of those last year, and I can tell you that you do not want to be outside watching a pool full of happy, playful citizens of Phoenix guarding their lives soaked with sweat out in the Sun mere feet from the water on a day like that. Whoops, new topic, oh well. At least lifeguarding is good money, about $9.95 an hour.

I'm with Cindy, I am definatly never turning 40! At least not for the next 25 years!

dicktice · 2005-02-04 07:50:16

I remember thermal soaring over the blast furnace of the steel plant at Notodden, in Norway, after dusk (in June when the Sun skims along the horizon until 11 p.m.) until I couldn't stand the fumes. Glider flying has no age limit per se. I'm counting backwards now, until strangers stop commenting that I "don't look that old," when I tell them 79. So, you kids have nothing to dread growing old(er) as long as you count backwards from time to time. I expect by the time I'm 80, I'll be 90 and still soaring . . . but not over blast furnaces because smoking is not good for your health if you want an active old age.

Shaun Barrett · 2005-02-04 07:52:59

I said "No!" to 40.
[If nothing else, I suppose it was good practice for an even more ambitious and irrational psychological denial I'm planning for later this year!! ]

Palomar · 2005-02-04 08:17:08

*I like watching "All American Food Festivals" on The Food Network. A few nights ago they spotlighted a small Indiana town which has a hot dog celebration. Chili dogs, foot-long dogs, you name it. They have a hot dog recipe contest (casseroles, kabobs, etc.).

The program's host said Americans eat (I can't recall the precise number) over 400 hot dogs per minute (I thought he said per second, but I find that difficult to believe) on average. That still seems like too large a figure, but it was something along those lines.

:laugh:

They asked participants how they like their hot dogs, as the food stands at the celebration offer a vast array of condiments.

I like southwestern-style spicy mustard, ketchup, pickle relish and grated cheddar cheese on my hot dogs. :up: I could go for one right now, and it's not even 7:30 a.m. Teehee.

--Cindy

P.S.: Those programs aren't just about the food. There's a bit of history about the locale, scenery (beauty) shots, etc. It provides a nice mini-tour of towns and cities.

Palomar · 2005-02-08 07:31:21

*This past weekend my husband and I watched two unusual programs on the Discovery Channel: A Haunting in Connecticut and A Haunting in Georgia.

In the latter case, a scientist examined data (ions, magnetic field fluxations, etc.) -- twice.

I enjoy watching spooky programs like these once in a while. :;):

In the Connecticut case, the family were Roman Catholic. I'll give the priests credit; two of them actually visited the house and one performed a ritual. In the Georgia case, the fundamentalist pulpit-pounding preacher would only "annoint" the family within the church. He seemed happy to be on-camera, and freely gave advice to the family. I thought, "Yeah, and why don't you go visit the home in person, chicken?" Bwaak-bwaak-bwwwaaaakkk! :laugh:

At least the CT Catholic priests had the guts to go confront whatever it was the family believed they were experiencing. And the one was prepared to kick some demonic butt -- and supposedly did, on the very premises.

--Cindy

Cobra Commander · 2005-02-08 08:22:35

Packzi Day. The people of Detroit are gorging themselves as we speak on the damn things with all manner of fillings. Who puts prunes in a pastry I ask you?

Palomar · 2005-02-08 10:52:53

Packzi Day. The people of Detroit are gorging themselves as we speak on the damn things with all manner of fillings. Who puts prunes in a pastry I ask you?

*Well, kolaches were a pastry which my father's family (of Czech origin) enjoyed. My mother used to make them. Essentially they're a sweet and light bun with an indentation in the middle (where the filling goes), and drizzled with glaze. Prune was a favored filling, IIRC. So was poppy seed and apricot. Any filling would do. My favorites were poppy seed and apricot.

I just looked up what you're talking about on the 'net; rather different. Kolaches are not fried.

http://www.caller2.com/2001/october/17/ … l]Kolaches

We never did the crumb topping, though. I should make some; haven't had any in a long time.

Chicken and noodles...boy, does that sound familiar too. Thanks for the memories, Cobra.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-02-08 16:23:54

*Edit:: Moved to different thread. Sorry.

Palomar · 2005-02-10 08:28:53

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s … ding]April 8th is the day

*This sudden announcement...is something I wasn't sure we'd ever hear.

They must truly be in love. Best wishes to the soon-to-be newlyweds.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-02-11 07:27:45

*This doctor is an idiot. One minute he's dictating on something very precise, then suddenly he interjects an item pertaining to the patient totally out of context to the report section. He's also referred TWICE now to this MALE patient as "she." Guess he's a bit vague on gender differences. And he can't make up his mind as to the date of the visit (it must be recorded on the document and he must provide that info for the transcriber, as we cannot access that data ourselves).

He's always doing quirky stuff like this. :angry:

--Cindy

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