My World and Welcome to It

I can smell the autumn

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:53:23 -0500

The leaves, in drifts on the ground, are all brown and dry.
The days are shorter and the nights are chill.
The Great Square of Pegasus is overhead.
And I can smell the autumn.

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Astronomy Month

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:22:24 -0500

Telescope Display

This is "astronomy month" for me. I didn't mean for it to turn out that way. Sometimes these things just happen. Today I completed setup of a display inside a glass case in the lobby of Westlake's library. The display features modern telescopes loaned to me by Astrozap --a local company-- and antique instruments from an astronomy club friend who is a collector and restorer. I created all of the signs and labels in the case and all of those books on the floor are mine! My only regret is that I couldn't get a banner or big sign to "title" the display. I think people will get the idea anyway. Oh yeah, "astronomy month"... so, there's the display case, then next week I do a public sidewalk astronomy event at that same library. On the 18th, I help commemorate the 70th anniversary of the college observatory, unveil a mural-sized astro-image granted to the observatory by NASA as part of the IYA finale, and offer early evening views of Jupiter -- there's prep involved in those things, as well. Next, on the 21st, I'll be doing a presentation on The Pleiades at a metropark nature center with a brief star party to follow. Finally, on the 28th, it's back to the observatory where we'll be featuring views of the Moon through the grand old telescope -- stunning viewing, actually! Whew. All that AND going to work every day. Yup, for me it's Astronomy Month!

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What's that!

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:00:18 -0500

Pumpkin Lagoon

Last night was Halloween. Today was All Saints Day. She and I set off for the Carlisle Reservation of Lorain Metro Parks for a hike in the woods. What should we encounter but the quiet settings for the System's Halloween Fair which draws thousands of family visitors each year. Among all of the oddities seen along the trail oddest, to my eye, was a swampy area, called Pumpkin Lagoon, populated by dozens of Jack-O-Lanterns all hovering above the still waters! It would have been spooky by night; by day it was simply surreal. The only photos I shot this day were of the carved pumpkin heads in that swamp. Do not take lightly the sight recorded, however... I don't remember seeing that black shape in the background and I don't think it's in any of my other photos! What's that!!

Pumpkin Lagoon - 2

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Fall is hard-set here

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:44:34 -0400

Autumn Sets In

Finally, a good night's sleep! Between struggling with a cold, work worries, and noisy neighbors I've been severely sleep deprived for the better part of a week. Eight hours still wasn't enough to fully recover, but at least I woke rested. It had been a rainy and windy night and, as is natural this time of year, the world went from one robed in colorful leaves to gray gloomful skies stabbed by the dark, bare branches of trees. What a difference from one week ago! It looked like mid-November. There was the weekly shopping to be done so we headed out and completed that, then took a little trip west and paid an afternoon visit to the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks. Walking in the woods and along the waters was invigorating and lovely. Some small gaps had opened in the overcast, allowing a few reassuring rays of sun through. Slow down and enjoy the season: fall is hard-set here.

Reflection of Autumn

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Windows 7 convert(ed)

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:50:12 -0400

This week I received my first of two Windows 7 installation discs. I decided to experiment first on my notebook computer because its use is not nearly so important to me as my desktop machine's. It looked like it would be an easier upgrade, as well, having run Vista during its entire stay with me. Please note: I've never had any particular problem running Vista on this or any PC so my move to the new OS is based upon the desire to have an experience that is even better than what I'd had and to keep current on computer technology.

Satellite A215

I'd decided upon the "Custom" installation which means all vestiges of Vista are swept from the system (packed up in an "old" folder) and Windows 7 installed on newly-cleared disc space. After a bit of reading and thought, I inserted the disc (with Vista running), started the installation program, answered a couple of prompts, and went away to watch TV. After a half an hour or so, the installation declared itself complete. A bit more in the way of post-production Microsoft Updates to download and install and I had myself a new-ish computer! All told it took about an hour. The thing ran flawlessly as I reestablished encrypted connection with our Wi-Fi router and I installed a fresh copy of Firefox. Along with Vista, all installed programs were wiped, as expected, so I'll need to reinstall those I want over the next days and weeks.

Somewhat surprising is how similar Win7 is to Vista in look and feel. In a way that's good... easier to switch over! There are some pretty new desktop backgrounds and an assortment of fun little Windows sounds from which to choose.

The great thing, however, is how fast my notebook now runs! It's quicker than when new. I don't have technical benchmarks but the machine is noticeably faster starting, running programs, and accessing content on the Web! I'm very happy with the entire upgrade experience and expect Win7 will be very popular.

Next, and for various reasons, soon will be the upgrade of the desktop machine from "Windows Vista Capable" running XP to Windows 7. A Custom Installation ("clean install") is required and best practice anyway. There's a lot more software installed on that machine so a lot more work is in store for me. I am, however, almost looking forward to it. Disc #2 (pre-ordered at substantial discount) arrives later this week.

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Best fall colors

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:20:58 -0400

Leaf Confetti

The weekend of October 24 & 25 brought the peak of fall color to Northeastern Ohio. Saturday was mostly gray and windy sending many colorful leaves whirling and to the ground. Some trees now appear naked of the leafy covers they have carried since spring. It was a good day for errands and household checklists. Overnight the skies cleared and today dawned chilly and clear -- a fine day for a fall color drive. Piling into the Insight we headed south.

Slightly past peak were the colors in North Central Ohio at Malabar Farm State Park. The entire area was gorgeous, nonetheless, decorating even the forest floor with a confetti-throw of leaves. We decided to follow a one-mile trail that headed uphill, through dense neighboring woods, for a loop back to the Farm. The trail had many wonderful sights to see and was fairly well marked until somewhat short of the half-way point. Seeing no trail blazes we continued on what appeared to be trampled leaves, began our turn back, and paralleled a road though still walking in damp leaf litter within the woods. In no danger of becoming lost we easily found our way back to the Farm's homestead. Then it was off on a cross-country trip over state roads (not freeways) towards home. The scenery was absolutely beautiful with groves of trees on low hills rising like islands out of a sea of brown soybean and corn fields. It was a fine rolling journey back under sunny skies.

It was a most excellent Sunday's sojourn experiencing the best fall colors.

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It was a cold, I tells ya!

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:22:02 -0400

Returning to work today at least one coworker was certain I had the flu >>the Swine Flu, no less<< and not a severe cold as I've been saying. So I Googled --symptoms cold vs. flu-- and got very helpful results. I wanted to reinforce my knowledge, not refute the coworker who no doubt by now has burned the chair I was sitting on in her office. I'll list only two of those excellent, succinct sources:

FluFacts.com -- a simple table of symptoms. For me, I wound up picking one from column "A" and one from column "B" for a mixture of symptoms. The important pointers, in my opinion, aimed at "Cold."

About.com -- they offer an interactive quiz that will tally the likelihood of your having one or the other disease based upon your symptoms. Takes less than a minute to complete.

Work, itself? I've been chasing down weird computer issues all morning. Could they have the same thing I had? At least they all have been inoculated with a strong anti-virus!

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It's good to feel well again...

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:22:45 -0400

Frostville Village Church

As the day progressed today (Thursday) I've begun to feel more like my healthier self. I'm still taking a cough suppressant/decongestant to relieve some cold symptoms: except for a little sniffle and the occasional clear cough, my outward symptoms are gone. No fever, no chills, and energy levels are coming back up. I'm feeling stronger and have more stamina. I'll be going in to work tomorrow.

After watching a 2005 Biography Channel program about the Dalai Lama today, I've also been reminded I've been increasingly off-center in my life recently, mainly thanks to work. Sometimes we lose track of how we should live even when we think we're trying to do the right thing. Enough said, here.

I received word this evening that my first of two ordered copies of the Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade has been shipped to me via Amazon. I was actually hoping to have received it today --release day-- so that I could mess with upgrading my notebook computer over the weekend. I doubt I'll get it before Monday and I'll be too busy next week to install. Oh well, sometimes the anticipation is more enjoyable than the activity... er, yes, in more things than this!

Oh yes, it's good to feel well again... or to be headed in that direction!

Above: Another photo from my Tuesday evening shoot along the West Branch of Rocky River... the Frostville Village Church.

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Another dose of aspirin

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:31:18 -0400

Yesterday (Wednesday) I stayed home from work. My cold had interrupted my sleep and drained my energy to the point where I couldn't do anything at all constructive even around the house. I just sat and napped all day. Sounds nice and restful but, well, it was a cold and I was fairly miserable. Oh, and it was one of those gorgeous fall days, too, wasted on me.

Stayed home today, too. Though much improved over yesterday, I still felt a little weak in the knees and had occasional coughs. If I feel up to it I may work on some photos later today or tonight but I can't count on that.

Today's a cloudy but golden autumn day. The wind is kicking up and swirling the leaves around. From the couch I can hear the weather changing.

I feel like such a wuss being decked by a little thing like a cold but there you are. Now, for lunch and another dose of aspirin!

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Beautiful day not entirely wasted

nobody@vox.com(JamesG) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:31:27 -0400

Rocky River Afternoon

It's a shame when you're not feeling well and the day is absolutely beautiful; such days are often wasted on the sufferer. A head cold tightened its grip on me last night robbing me of long, quality rest and making the workday difficult to endure. The day wasn't a total waste, however. For several weeks I've been watching the light and the leaf colors changing along a stretch of the West Branch of the Rocky River I cross on my daily commute. Daily the view has become increasingly beautiful both by morning and evening light. Tonight was my first real opportunity to stop and shoot a few photos. I got several good ones but, if the weather holds, the views should only improve. I hope to stop a few more times before winter stomps its heavy foot down and the trees drop the last of their leaves. Above: The broad, shallow Rocky River flows along its shale banks and cliffs as it winds its way towards Lake Erie. The late day October sun falls upon the treetops while the waters lie in shade.

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