I woke up this morning to learn that several people were shot in Dayton. The epidemic of random violence is like a huge bit of Spanish influenza, except that no steps are being taken to develop a vaccine.
Thursday I got something out on time. Friday I got the next generation out on time. I like being ahead of the game.
I've listened to some interesting podcast episodes lately:
1. I listened to the Planetary Society episodes about the space craft LightSail 2. LightSail 2 is a crowd-funded satellite that is in orbit proving the concept of solar sails as a propulsion device for space travel. I like this kind of citizen science on the move (I almost put "on steroids" or "on dope", the latter a la the camp underground 70s band The Tubes, but both seemed so tacky). I like the idea of satellites running on solar energy.
2. I listened to a podcast about two widowed people who met and became involved and take walks in the Shropshire Hills. I listened to a podcast in which a woman explained she gave up the law to work with narrowboats on the Shropshire Union Canal.
3. I listened to a history show which the story of the death of Texas cattle driver Oliver Loving. I found it very interesting, though some of the myopia of the presentation was curious--Mescalero Apaches became simply "the Indians", for example. I generally oppose naming towns and counties after people. In my part of the world, so many things are named after either ex-Confederate slavers or railroad promoters. I like the way that the City of Carrollton names its hiking trails, Red Trail, Blue Trail, and Orange Trail. I prefer the town name Little Rock to the town name Jonesboro. But if one is to name places after people, then I like that Oliver Loving gave his name to one of Texas' least populous counties and to a small town in New Mexico. Those are remote places fit for a trailblazer.
Friday night I stayed up late making music on the computer using the IXI audio devices Lauki, Noiser, Slicer and Viruses. I looked up and it was 4 a.m. I had a good time. I slept in on Saturday until nearly 10 a.m., though I did get up for breakfast. I woke to find rainy weather--always an August blessing in north Texas, where things can be hot. Our Summer has been a bit mild this year, but rain is still a good thing.
I walked in Glendover Park with Beatrice. In the late morning, I walked in Allen Station Park, where I saw lots of birds. I took pictures of the pedestrian bridge. Its newness made a nice contrast with the old bridge I saw in Llanfoist in Wales.
in the afternoon, I walked at Towne Lake Park in McKinney. As I came to a tiny pedestrian bridge there, I saw a family were gathered there. A little boy was having his picture taken. He was holding large letters that were a O, an N and an E. I hope he had a good first birthday. His family, cameras and cell phones in hand, had a great one. I walked around the bridge.
We ate outside at Firewater Grill. I had a small steak and vegetables. I made a Weight Watchers mug cake for dessert.
Last night we re-watched the movie "2010". I like movies that are firmly on the popcorn side of the popcorn/profundity Maginot Line. We were intrigued to realize that the Deschanel acting sisters' mom and dad were also in the industry.
We talked about taking a four-day weekend in Cheyenne in October.
from Dreamwidth, because two posts of the same text are twice as nice
