Gotta Love a Good Concert

Holler, Wild Rose! played B-Sides tonight. I was shocked to see them on the list for a concert this semester and they did not disappoint. Somehow the Vox managed not to break up despite his numerous ridiculously high points. I thank them for reminding me what a concert is supposed to feel like and anxiously await their next album (for which they debuted some new fabulous songs).

They are even more amazing live than they are in the studio. Simply great stuff.

Also, my Haiti photovoltaic system project is entering another obnoxiously stressful portion... which actually happens most of the time. As excited as I am for this project, I will be thrilled when it is completed and I can have that weight off of my shoulders.

On the good side, the baseball is probably just a few hours away from finishing when the Yankees win the World Series again. Surprise. I'll just be glad to have the sport gone for a few sweet months.

This made my day

http://xkcd.com/657/

You have to click it to get the fullsize so you can see all the detail.

I love all of these movies except for Jurassic Park (Not that I don't like it, it just doesn't compare)

And if you haven't seen Primer, do so immediately; but prepare to have your mind explode into confused bits of chaos.

Business

Back at school after a sweet but all too short fall break. I can not believe how quickly this year is leaving us. Here we are, nearly the end of October -- yet seemingly with just as much of the semester before us as behind us. It is simply unbelievable. Before we know it, Spring and Graduation and the real world and its challenges are about us. It is the last Autumn of the first stage of my life. All I've known is the cycle of school and summer. Yet this seemingly endless cycle is at an end, and all that awaits is a floundering job market and a world growing ever more paranoid.

Well, at least its Autumn (for now). Thank God for Autumn.

Beautiful weather

The last two days we have been blessed with more beautiful weather than you could ask for. I can only describe them as perfect summer days. The other night we received that dependable and sure sign of summer, the apple balloon. It seems always to float by when we are eating our dinner, on the back patio, listening to prairie home companion. The perfect addition to the perfect summer evening.

In other positive news, I may have fixed the leak in our pool (we shall see tomorrow when we check the water level) which means it could be open for enjoyment in just a week or so. All things considered, it was a pleasant and relaxing weekend. On to Monday and another week of 12 hour days.

Why do people worry about this?

Is it just me, or is swine flu really not a big deal? It's killed 0.012% of what the normal flu does annually.

Just like Costanza

Today a bird flew into my leg. I mean that in the most literal sense possible -- a bird flew into my leg. I wasn't even moving, I was just sitting there.

It seems to be part of a recent trend in which wild animals completely ignore me. Last week, for the first time ever, I killed an animal with my car. It was a squirrel. It was unavoidable. Yesterday, another squirrel decided to dash in front of my car; running to its unfortunate and gruesome death beneath a spinning wheel of rubbery death. I offer no explanation of this sad turn of events, but would like to take the opportunity to request a renewal of the truce which I once enjoyed with nature:

Don't run in front of my car, and I will not run over you with 2500 lbs of steel.

That's the deal. You broke it first and I am willing to forgive your transgressions if you simply agree to honor the terms once more. I eagerly await your response. You know where to reach me.

A Light Through Darkness

I've always found something quite surreal and engrossing about the sight of light pouring through cracks or vents. I think somehow it is calming to know that even though you are embraced by darkness, there is light close by, pouring out of and over its source.

As much as I love the darkness and the solace that it provides, the sight of artificial light somehow calms me -- knowing that the vast infrastructure supporting humanity's "needs" is still operational.

That's all for tonight.

Summer Returns

So it's finally Summer again. It seems that this must be my summer blog as I only update it during this lovely season. The last year was a good one. Things couldn't be better. A great girlfriend, great roommates, and a great solar energy project to keep me busy. I just found out today that our Haiti solar energy project has been approved pending checks on our client and some budgetary details. So that's exciting.

Also I start work next week at my internship at Stine Consulting. So that's exciting.

I'm going to visit Hallie on Sunday. That too, is very exciting.

Oh yeah, and the boat was finished and rocked, but unfortunately, this winter a storm snapped the mast. So the boat is out of service until that gets repaired, but Bill is on top of it, and that should happen soon.

The picture I chose is just one of a few that I took this last year. It's at pole steeple, a short climb somewhere west of Harrisburg I believe.

Well that's enough stream of consciousness blogging for the night. Bedtime approaches.