Jeffrey Cornish

with my laptop, .5 TB NAS drive, and a dollar guitar

2008-06-15T20:57:43Z

Hello!

1. I'm almost out of my probation period at $LocalLargeAcademicMedicalComputing. My nose is pretty clean, and my knuckles pretty bruised from learning the varied computational and network environment (not to mention electrical and political/administrative).

2. New kit. A laptop via President Bush's bribe. It's a nice HP Pavilion dv9000 series. So far Ubuntu works on it with few problems (finding the right set of instruction to get the wireless working was bit of a challenge, but it works well)

Stuff from American Science and Surplus. A laser pointer! a UV Pen and LED light for Sekrit messages! A set of Stickman in Peril warning stickers for Sky! A x20 mangnification loupe with LED illumination for Jeri Lynn! Yay!

Stuff from the internet! A Wii, A Wii fit, a fun reason to exercise. Fear my high scores at Super Hula Hoops!

From yesterday, a Buffalo 500GB NAS drive to backup our network stuff. Yay Backups!

Also from yesterday a guitar, details below.

3. So yesterday was busy, with the making of pancakes, and the sojourn down to Fry's for Wii Fiit Maat (because the surface of the Fit, although fine for standing is found wanting for exercises that require putting your hands on it) and perhaps a new USB drive for Jeri Lynn (to replace her MIA one).

We happened across a Buffalo NAS drive for only about $140. After much walking about and weighing options, we decided to get it to supplement our current backup device, a maxtor external USB drive. Having had the experience of having a prior Maxtor drive go toes up, it seemed wise to have something better.

4. Ikea. Ideas for better desk/workspace organization, check. Meatballs, check---mmmmm. Did we remember to bring down our burnt out Compact fluorescent bulbs, whoops.

5. The Can't Stop the Serenity/Sereniversery/Vixy & Tony Concert. Much much fun. We threw our last dollar into the raffle. Ended up winning a Guitar (with a slipcase, pick, tuner and some instructions) , 4 cool CDs and autographs of the wonderful Vixy and Tony on the back of the guitar.

Full of Win!

Jeffrey

A time of wonders

2008-05-27T22:58:48Z

Sorry I've been so silent. I've a lot of things to relate that might be of interest to folks.

Let me relate one of the newest, that if you aren't left with your jaw hanging... Well I don't know what.

So, on Sunday the Phoenix Mars Polar lander completed it's 8 month journey from Earth to the Red Planet.

The JPL Navigation teams guided her true and she landed with 30 Km of the expected landing point.

The JPL EDL (entry, descent and landing) team monitored the data from Phoenix as it was relayed by Mars Recon Orbiter, Mars Odyssey and Mars Express spacecraft. They had excellent data as Phoenix entered the Martian atmosphere, slowed from cruise velocity to a few hundred meters/second, deployed chutes, dropped her heat shield, dropped from her protective back shell and settled down gently on the rust red Northern plains of Mars.

But if you haven't seen it, here's something _more_ amazing:

If you are thinking, that looks like a parachute, and connected by lines to it, you are right.

This was taken by the MRO with it's awesome HiRISE camera, which happened to be boresighted on Phoenix.

Here's the better one. You see, MRO only sent back that portion of the image containing Phoenix. The full resolution image looks like this:

Wow
Wow
Wow!

Happiest of Natal Anniversaries to my Lovely geojlc

2008-04-10T19:09:02Z

I suppose I should try to sum this up in a Thankful Thursday list.

I'm thankful for:

1. geojlc herself, naturally.
2. geojlc the artist with pen, stamp, penny whistle, bones, herb, flower, fabric, food, time and space.
3. geojlc's compassion and friendship.
4. geojlc patience. I try it on a regular basis I'm not happy to say, but she still hasn't run away screaming yet.
5. geojlc's sense of humor and her playfulness.
6. My own pooka, geojlc.
7. geojlc when things are just falling apart around me, for supporting me.
8. Having geojlc to support when things are going badly for her.
9. geojlc's family. It's nice to have In-Law's that you like a lot.
10. My job at the UW Medical Center IT Helpdesk. I work with great people, doing a meaningful job that can make a difference for hundreds of people every day.

Free Evolution and Science DVDs!

2008-04-09T20:04:52Z

I snagged this off of the saganliveson community.

"The Howard Hughes Medical Institute offers free dvds which contain lectures on various topics, from AIDS, to evolution. Two of them are of interest to you guys:

* Evolution: Fossils, Genes, and Mousetraps
* Evolution: Constant Change and Common Threads

The first is a lecture by Kenneth Miller, and it is a basic introduction to evolution lecture. He also criticizes Michael Behe's irreducibly complex arguments, and even shows a few clips from the Colbert Report. He also argues for the compatability of religion and science. The second dvd has four lectures (each an hour long) going over the basics of evolution, and explaining the mechanisms of it. It also includes a 70 minute discussion on whether evolution and science is compatable with religion. The production quality is fantastic, and the sound and picture quality are perfect.

And they're completely free (no shipping charge as well). I suggest ordering x3 of these so that you can hand some out to relatives, random fundies, etc. They also have other amazing lectures on RNA, AIDS, and tons more issues.

Here's the link to the Free Howard Hughes Catalogue of dvds and videos.

Feel free to pass this around."

I've ordered a set
1 AIDS: Evolution of an Epidemic - DVD
1 Evolution: Constant Change and Common Threads - DVD
1 Evolution: Fossils, Genes, and Mousetraps - DVD
1 Potent Biology: Stem Cells, Cloning, and Regeneration - DVD
1 Scanning Life's Matrix: Genes, Proteins, and Small Molecules - DVD
1 Clockwork Genes: Discoveries in Biological Time - DVD
1 The Double Life of RNA - DVD

Free!

two short term tech job leads for anyone who could use them

2008-03-28T18:21:10Z

Tech job numero Uno: at the UW, setting up MS Outlook (of the Office variety) to connect to the Exchange server, confirming it works, and answering usage questions by the staff.
1-4 month contract, could extend for a longer period. Currently there are a few applicants, but the prime one declined.

Tech job numero Two-o: at a tech company in downtown Seattle, filling in for a staffer on Maternity leave. also a couple month contract.

Contact Nathan at Greythorn, 425-635-0300

Post Con Report with Catharsis

2008-03-25T20:16:05Z

Insert whatever appropriate Diety might be invoked here. Or be cursed. That would work too.

First off I want to thank The Norwescon Concom, the IT department, Norwescon Security and (sans un) every single volunteer we had in Registration. I also want to thank the hotel staff (Union and Management alike).

My Norwescon was a mixture of trying to keep Registration from falling over (not that it was in much risk of that, except when I got on a register. Thus I spake "They shunted me to management so I would do less damage!" after fouling up a registration transaction by clicking the OK twice. *sigh*

This year IT introduced some significant changes. Also there were outside organizations that made for some challenges too. If IT is not commanded to scrap the work that has been put into the system that has been developed, the problems will be dealt with and next year the Reg system will be more capable. If anyone should doubt that, please arrange to buy the Registrar and Reg managers from the last several years a drink and talk about what kind of stuff went wrong before. When we started, all of the systems, including the server, were running Win 98. Nuff said.

Also, at no time did we have any issues with reptiles in Registration. We have Dragons on staff and in general we like things with scales. If it were an aggressive or fearful scaly creature we would take appropriate action involving calmly trying to get the critter into a place where it would not be fearful or angry. This is to deflect an odd rumor. If you hear someone repeat this rumor, send them to me. I was there.

With the events on Sunday in Registration, I can only say that if Jeri Lynn and I had bagged out on the con because we were not feeling 100%, or if Jeri Lynn had gone home, I think things would have gone much much worse. Despite whatever differences we have in opinions, knowledge and experience about running Norwescon, and working with everyone else, Norwescon has an incredibly talented, sharp pool of individuals who can deal with emergencies. Although I was trying to control a great deal of panic, uncertainty and feeling of helplessness, my friends made sure that both I and Jeri Lynn were okay. I know that you guys are all just family to me, but I owe you a drink some time.

I can't write enough here, and if I do, my screen is going to get blurry, so I want to say Thank You.

Things to take note. The NWC daily Zine needs more contributors, and folks to help with proofreading (no, I'm not criticizing as Jeri Lynn and helped with proofreading the zine. Some extra sets of eyes would just generally help out, y'know)

I need to clone myself. I want to got to some of the space and science panels next year. I want to filk. I want to get at least 7 hours of sleep. I want to do it all, and I'm finding that my meatware isn't up to the entire task.

I also need to get better insoles. Heels. Sore. Knees. Sore. Ow.

Okay, I'll write more later. Despite the total fatigue I gained (at least a +3 DRM) and some of the rough spots, I had fun! I want to do this again!

Jeffrey

This is our cat, minus the glass door

2008-03-16T04:48:39Z

Wow and Wow again

2008-03-04T02:33:59Z

The data that the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is sending back gets better and better.

Here are two releases from today.

First, landslides caught in the act on Mars:

Second, MRO images the Earth and Moon:

This is a time of wonders!

Fare thee well oh noble steed

2008-02-12T18:47:54Z

Today marks the day that my 1998 Saturn SL2 is retired from it's 10 years and 225,000 miles of duty. Fallen from a broken engine that is just too expensive for us to repair.

I purchased it 10 years ago to the day yesterday, February 11th 1998, looking at the records I have. It was my first new car, and it served me, my family, my friends and total strangers well.

I'm hopeful that my donation of it to the company used by KUOW is two-fold. First that KUOW receives a well earned benefit. Second that if my car is repaired, that it serve another person well, and if it is recycled... well I don't know if the raw materials would make an appreciable difference in the items manufactured from it, but I can always think they would.

It took me and Jeri Lynn from BC to California, to Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Glacier National Park. It worked well, and up to the end was getting an admirable 33 miles to the gallon.

I know it's silly to get attached to an inanimate object, but I'll miss it.

BTW, Sky, do you want your 'Sega' sticker back?

Dawson's Christian

2008-01-31T18:51:47Z

So on Sunday eve (or early monday morning really) at the Smoked Salmon filk circle (kinda like a dead dog or Sasqwatch) vixyish and tfabris performed Dawson's Christian, which is a venerable filk song written by Duane Elms. http://www.ovff.org/pegasus/songs/dawsons-christian.html

I have never heard it played or sung l like this. It was fantastic. Tony's guitar playing added whole realms to the the song. cflute added a lovely haunting flute to it also.

Conflikt...

2008-01-29T05:20:38Z

The Day after Conflikt I, and I'm smiling!

Why, you ask, am I happy? I've slept little, sat behind a reg table most of the time, sung my voice a bit hoarse and doomed a friend to filk!

But then again I've slept little, sat behind a reg table most of the time, sung my voice a bit hoarse and doomed a friend to filk!

To be honest when runnerwolf asked me run Registration at Conflikt ... I was thinking that attendance wouldn't be more than 60.

I mean, I was all for a filk con. I've never attended one (some day... sigh), but it took years to get any con up to any sizable membership.

And mistakes would be made, concommittees just don't gel you know. There's always interpersonal conflicts, and just plan screwups and misestimations, etc

I'm happy to say that I was completely wrong, and geojlc, julesong and I were not bored for any extensive period of time. Of course the great thing about reg is seeing everyone, greeting folks, talking for a bit with people.

We had 119 preregistration. Our final badge number was 153. On Sunday we had sold more than 50 Conflikt II memberships.

Can you believe it?

Other than my badge design needing a tweak or two, I think register went pretty fracking smooth.

Conflikt had two rooms for programs and concerts, as well as a dealers room with more potential personal debt generation than is comfortable. Now I want CD's by the GoH. sigh. money. soon. really.

I sang some, I wished for more courage to sing, and more skill to sing along and stay on key when singing alone, and for a touch of a gaelic accent (or the ability to at least roll my Rs) and an instrument like a mountain dulcimer to go along with that. The one I had borrowed from pondside for several months left me wishing for one of my own. One of these days...

And I was evil. Evil I tell you! I corrupt... er... introduced bluesmancd to the wonders and horrors... er, creative harmonies of an open filk circle. I will only say that CD gave as good as he was given musicwise.

Stevemac (http://www.stevenmacdonald.com) was an incredibly talented, kind, driven, brilliant guest!

Also, have a listen to Tony and Vixy's mp3s at http://www.geekhackfilk.com </plug>

Here's my list of thanks for Conflikt.

Thank you to runnerwolf for roping me into this. You have me at your disposal again next year.
Thank you to cflute , technoshaman , and... I can't type out all of the LJ handles. Thank you for the adventure, for the community, for the love, for the music, for the soul that you shared.
Thank you to my wonderful, talented and beautiful geojlc for being by my side
Thank you to rest of the Conflikt concom. I didn't give as much as I could have I know, but I had your back.

And don't forget <plug>

Conflikt 2

(Even more conflikted !)

January 30 - February 1, 2009

in Seattle, WA

Guest of Honour Seanan McGuire

Pretty Pink Chainsaw Princess & Winner of the 2007 Pegasus for "Best Performer"

Toastmaster Frank Hayes

Whose heart never fusses while setting the cat on fire

Interfilk Guest Lawrence Dean

Spacefolksinging sensation from the UK

Registration is just $35

until July 6, 2008

http://www.conflikt.org

Feel out of sorts, Earth-bound, need something to give you a lift...

2007-12-11T03:14:53Z

I know what you need.

You need more rocketry awesomeness in your life:

http://spacex.com/updates.php

Specifically, you need a Falcon 9, with a 9,900kg payload capacity to Low Earth Orbit.

Taking a 170 second ride on 9 (+1 in the second stage) Merlin 2c engines, delivering 4.4 MegaNewtons of thrust.

No... not fig newtons (tm), Mega Newtons, you know, the force to move one kilogram one meter in one second?

Here's the test stand article with one Merlin 1c engine installed. Hear it roar!

http://mfile.akamai.com/22165/wmv/spacex.download.akamai.com/22165/F9_1st_Stage_Single_Engine_Test_VTS3-002.asx

Worried about riding a cluster of engines? Perhaps you remember the Soviet N-1, which had problems with some of the 30 engines in it's first stage failing, and destroying the surrounding engines. Boom.

SpaceX is developing, testing and developing. Each of the Merlin 1c engines will be jacketed in Kevlar, so if one fails, there is far less chance of loss of vehicle.

But what can you carry on that first stage? A second stage using the same model engine, but a different engine bell, optimized for the near vaccum conditions.

Atop that SpaceX is selling space. You can supply your own payload, or put your payload inside one a SpaceX Dragon capsule (seats 7, or 2500 kg of stuff in 14 cubic meters of usable volume).

Heck, SpaceX is even hiring (http://spacex.com/careers.php)

And that is what has me jazzed this evening

so what's happening in my world

2007-12-07T01:04:51Z

Quite a bit so I'll be brief

The contract at X Corp was winding down because the plans of one of there VP's to outsource their Helpdesk, Accounts group and Field Tech were being advanced (despite all of the signs that there would be no particular monetary or support level advantage to doing so).

I'd had my resume out with several contracting companies. Looking for that sweet spot of pay vs. schedule vs. workplace environment vs. possibility of being hired on by the Place of Work.

Several opportunities didn't pan out, and I'm glad.

One of the ones that I'd been waiting to hear about was through a company called Greythorn at the UW. Due to administrative machinations it took a couple months for me to interview, and then to interview a second time, and then sign papers and start.

So after a month of training I'm now working the swingshift at the University of Washington Medical Center IT Helpdesk department through Greythorn

There had been rumblings that this could lead to a permanent position, which, since it's the UW, means that it's a State job. My Dad is very happy to hear this, having worked for the State for a couple decades.

They like me, I like them. It looks like for the last year the department has been shedding some folks who haven't been very effective. The person running the department from all I have observed is a good tech support department manager. He doesn't micromanage, he deals with the administration and is working on making things better. I like this.

I'm hoping to hear about an offer sometime soon. From what I've gathered a lot of the administrative wrangling is nearly done about getting a full time position filled.

Okay, I know what you really want to know is 1) if I signed up for health insurance with my new contract company, and 2) have I stayed healthy.

Unfortunately not, as Jeri Lynn alluded to in her LJ. However I'm on the mend. I have some sort of bruise or knotted muscle on my chest, just below the ribcage on the right side.

There is nothing like not being able to breathe because of the pain. However I pickup some Flexall(tm)(r)(c) tomorrow that should help, and not knock me out.

You might ask me, "Jeffrey, have you composed a great work this November? Have you written ballads to the tune of popular songs extolling the virtues of cats, spaceships and computers? Have you finished any of your 'in progress' stories for the Tai Pan?"

And I shuffle my feet and say nooooo, but I have managed to get one of my characters in World of Warcraft to 42nd level, and buy my mount, and help get enough gold together to buy a guild bank for our guild (Tauren Feathered).

As I wrote this about a week ago, here's an update.

I got the job! Starting the 17th! With more pay! And I'm told that I can use all the exclaimation points I want!

Insane fun. but insane. Conflikt

2007-10-12T04:04:11Z

So you all know that the End of January in Washington is a drag. The holidays are over, the weather is dreary, and there seems to be no end to the dark and cold.

Fear not! There is an event in Renton on the weekend of January 25th to the 27th:

What's at Conflikt? Music music Music!

Lots of singing! Flutes! Guitars! Banjos! Stranger things!

Folk music for generations yet to be born!

The Guest of Honor is Steve MacDonald, who's work I like a lot.
The Toastmistress is Arlene 'Callie' Hills, half of Echo's Children, who has the largest flute you have ever seen.
The Interfilk guest is Stephen Joel and France.

And the convention will feature---Me! As your loyal, ever helpful and somewhat harried Registrar.

It's going to be fun with concerts every day, open filk circles and panels. There will be some merchants to, plying rare and wonderful music recordings and songbooks, as well as other goodies.

julesong, if you aren't too busy, I think you'd have fun. There are Browncoats in the organization, as you know.

Also, as the appointed head of Conflikt's Volunteer department, I would like to invite anyone interested in going to Conflikt to help out and give the convention a few of your valuable hours, either prior to the convention, or during it.

Thank you

Reasons I love my wife, Part e^Pi

2007-10-10T04:41:42Z

The Latest XKCD comic is out.

And geojlc laughed as hard as I did.

Happy Birthday Sky!

2007-10-09T03:13:46Z

Here's hoping that you get competent coworkers, continue to have reliable transportation, that you achieve a dream or two, that you and your family have continued good health, that the love that surrounds and binds you to your family and friends grows and grows.

Jeffrey

Chicken chicken chicken

2007-10-03T05:02:20Z

And then there was the happy day where the Sharks and Dolphins joined together

2007-09-20T13:42:56Z

For dolphinchatter

A Seat worthy of... something

Baaaa, I'm a meme sheep

2007-09-15T04:09:22Z

1.Your Middle Name:
2. Age:
3. Single or Taken:
4. Favorite Movie:
5. Favorite Song:
6. Favorite Band/Artist:
7. Dirty or Clean:
8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:

HERE COMES THE FUN ... ... ...

1. Do we know each other outside of Live Journal?
2. Whats your philosophy on life?
3. Would you have my back in a fight?
4. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
5. What is your favorite memory of us?
6. Would you give me a kidney?
7. Tell me one odd/intresting fact about you:
8. Would you take care of me when I'm sick?
9. Can we get together and make a cake?
10. Have you heard any rumors of me lately?
11. Do you/have you talk(ed) crap about me?
12. Do you think I'm a good person?
13. Would you drive across country with me?
14. Do you think I'm attractive?
15. If you could change anything about me, would you?
16. What do you wear to sleep?
17. Would you come over for no reason just to hang out?
18. Would you go on a date with me if i asked you?
19. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?
20. Will you post this so I can fill it out for you?

In which I express what a wonderful cook Jeri Lynn is,

2007-09-08T15:01:52Z

I'm the sort of guy who can manage to make a sandwich, rice, even waffles.

In the years prior to me getting back together with Jeri Lynn I survived on lots of packaged meals, microwaved frozen vegetables and cylindrical food.

So all I can say here is that to me Jeri Lynn is a magician.

Type your cut contents here.
"How did you do that?"

"I pounded the chicken breast until it was a quarter-inch thick"

Jeri Lynn made Italian Breaded Chicken and Capers, with a side of salad an some angel hair pasta

I thought eating at Olive Garden, Buca De Bepos or some of the other places we've gone too was good.

No, a higher bar has been set. The chicken was wonderful (if noisy in preparation)

"Do you think the neighbor is going to knock on the wall again while I'm pounding this?"

Tender, flavorful. The capers were new to both of us (We might have had them before, but neither of us could remember)

I prepared the plain pasta (well within my capabilities I assure you-- I do have the recipe for boiling water) and helped with the salads.

The meal was gone far too quickly.

Yummmm!

Greeting/holiday/Birthday card Archeology and a bit of Paleontology

2007-09-08T07:13:35Z

so, in the never ending quest to bring the amount of stuff we have into order (insert insane laugh here) Jeri Lynn had me go through my box of cards.

Now, I don't throw away cards. I keep them in a box (or two, or three... maybe four). Every card I've ever received from friends and family for any occasion.

Notable cards I came across tonight:

- congratulations on my graduation from High School... sigh, I'm such a disappointment. No PhD, no job building rockets, or observing distant molecular clouds, or writing popular software packages, or, or, or.... I kept most of them. Had to stop after going through a bunch of these.

- Christmas cards. Various years, mostly undated. Kept a good fraction of these.

- Birthday cards. Kept the funny ones, or the ones with significant amounts handwritten in them.

- cards from my Great Grandmother Paulsen (I think I have that right), my mother's mother. Kind of sad, because her hand writing got better the further down in the box I went (She had a stroke). She was funny and I didn't spend nearly enough time with her.

By the way. Open invite to all of my friends reading this, and even if you just barely know me. I am the worst at written correspondence. If you would like to just say hi, or want to ask about what I think about something, or need help with your computer

two - zero - six nine - two - zero zero - two - eight - zero -- Pacific time zone.

Give me a call, remind me who you are if it's been a while, and lets chat.

Anyway, back to the cards

- a letter from Jeri Lynn after she went to BYU!

- a valentine card from my friend Loki, all velvet and lace.

- various family newsletters

- a really good sketch that I need to do something with.

and, an emergency contact card for the job I had at Sprynet in 1995. Wow.

Now about the paleontology. Last weekend I met up with my friend Joel (Loki's husband) to go rock hounding northeast of Arlington, WA. We were checking out some roadcuts into some Eocene volcanic beds around Higgins Creek, just north of Mount Higgins. We didn't find any, but we did run across a nice fossilized streambed, tilted up about 60 degrees. We took some very nice fossilized leaves. Up on the rock face was a big fan shaped leaf, nicely preserved, with some moss growing off if it.

Jeri Lynn will be happy to know that I chose her over access to the Internet

2007-09-02T17:08:35Z

Combining a couple of hobbies that dehd has

2007-08-29T13:19:41Z

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=187574.msg1966645;topicseen#msg1966645

The felt underwood typewriter.

Burning down the house!

2007-06-27T03:11:11Z

Okay, perhaps not, but it was an entertaining time in any case.

Jeri Lynn has been away for about 10 days now. I'm surviving, with a little help from various friends.

The first week was okay. I kept a bit busy (admittedly in the evening after getting home from work, playing WoW).

I'd talked with my friend L about maybe going over to her place after work on friday, and then hanging out with her for the weekend. She offered to stay over at our place that evening, and on saturday we'd go to a birthday party for a member of her SCA household, and stay overnight there.

It'd been so long since we'd talked--we stayed up well after midnight just catching up and trading stories. L always has better stories than I, but I amused her with some of the tech support tales I'd gathered over the last while.

On Saturday morning we both slept in a bit, enjoyed some pastries she'd brought over, and I introduced her to some of the filkers I've found in the last few years--Jonathon Coulton and Blake Hodgetts

So on to the revel. It was a SCA household affair. There was singing, gaming, tall tales, news, reunions, gifts, cutting of the birthday cake (with a sword of course), and general revelling.

I amused L the next morning when she had roused up some, and I was having a bit of lucid dreaming. I had dreamt that I'd locked myself out of the system at work and It was going to be a disaster. But, as I was aware it was a dream I reset the password so I would have access. Then I mumbled out about doing this. L said that she had dreams of having to treat a virulient illness, and also of a goldfish with pirahna teeth. We both agreed that we'd like to get upgrades on our dream packages.

So Sunday morning we're all up, a few folks are taking their leave, when there is a *FLASH*, an almost immediate *BOOM* and the power goes straight out.

Well, as this is a home of SCA players, the candles, and lanterns and other light giving devices are broken out. And of course the house gets a bit chilly.

And we all had a critical miss on our 'perception' rolls.

J, the lord of the house, had set a candle atop the fireplace for light. As the house chilled he brought out some papers and kindling, and started a cozy fire, lighting the splint he had from the candle on top of the stove.

You all know exactly what's going to happen. Wax melts, spreads across the top of the woodstove and flashes. The silly thing is that although everyone in the household is well acquainted with fire tending procedures (i.e. never leave a fire unattended) we had all gathered outside in a space set for the lady of the house to smoke, around a nice warm gas fireplace.

The situation was caught when one of the other members of the group is waiting for his lady to finish conversing so they can go, and says "I'm going to check that the car is packed," opens the door, and says "J! Now!"

Luckily the stove had good clearance all around it so nothing else caught afire. Luckily the paraffin wax was burning off fast enough that the flames didn't reach the ceiling. Luckily most of this SCA household has training in various Emergency procedures (Fire, Aid, Police, Military, etc). The flames were soon doused with a fire extinguisher (Sage bit of conversation--one person said, "should we get water?", several answered back "No, wax floats on water, it will spread the fire" all at the same time, including yours truly)

L told J later "If you wanted to get rid of us, just ask, you didn't have to cut the power and try to burn us out :-)

So we all helped air out the house, got our gear into our cars, and after a lot more conversation L and I left and dropped by to visit with amoveodivus and jwyldragon. Again good conversation, stories and ideas were swapped. I think if L visits with amoveodivus's dad, it could either be a wonderful thing, over very very scary.

So we headed back south, grabbed some drive through dinner and I delivered L back home.

It was a wonderful weekend that would have been thrice as wonderful if geojlc had been there.

All through the weekend and up to now I've been having what I can only call geojlc-withdrawl.

Three more days, three more days....

What is good and what is bitter in life

2007-06-19T01:22:23Z

Good are friends. Friends who sing, and hack, and dance. Talented friends.

Good is giving friends the benefit of ones talents, skills or abilities. In this case, my back.

Good are the cool green of the northwest, and said friends new place, in the midst of trees.

Bitter is the the ache of muscles taxed and strained.

Good is the feeling of helping others.

Bitter is the absence of my other half, for the next two weeks.

Good is the anticipation of seeing my folks in two weeks.

demi-good is winning Nat Pagle's Extreme Angling boots in a World of Warcraft fishing tournament.