soapbox

SInce most everybody’s probably following this story (as the news knows of little else these last few days), I wont’ bother posting a bunch of links to some of the gut-wrenching stories coming out of the New Orleans and coastal Mississippi areas.

I’ll just point those inclined towards a sure-fire place to send your donation so you know it’s put to good use: American Red Cross.

Looks like they set up this page through Amazon to accomodate all the traffic their donation site was getting; I had lots of trouble getting the Red Cross’s regular page to make my donation earlier in the week.

Since Holly’s most recent post featured the one mood face that trips me out every time it’s used, I figured I’d waste some blog space to address that.

So, is it just me, or does the “hungry” face look like a crack fiend, dashin’ ’round the corner, knife in hand, ready to cut you for some money so he can get that next fix he’s really jonesin’ for?

Okay, I just had to get that off my chest. See y’all after the day where we celebrate our daily grind by not doing any Labor; I’m going to spend the next two days at home in Lyme, away from the evil distractions of the Internet, and with my nose properly stuck in a book, studying for all the nickel that I’m worth.

This whole observing thing actually seems to be getting less painful every time. Of course, that might be because I’m only here this time for 5 nights. Anyway, I’ve settled into my usual room and managed to not spaz when I found a spider in there when I went to make the bed the first night. I’m still having issues driving the obs van, because there’s just way too much vehicle around me.

MDM’s welcoming party sent me a toad and a lizard last evening. They were quite cute. They also sent me a mouse that rather took me by surprise, running out from behind the telescope controls in the dome while I was out there moving to the first object. No scorpions, because it’s still thankfully too warm for them to be coming inside yet.

Once again, the first dinner at the top that I got was fish. But this time they at least had a spaghetti (not with tomato sauce though) option that was pretty good. But I’m still eating fruit, fruit, and more fruit. The honeydew was really good last night. I’m looking forward to more.

I had a lot of fun last night, singing at the top of my lungs since I’m alone in the control room. I had to walk up to the 2.4m at one point, because I needed finding charts, so I tried to keep my sanity by singing “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miz as loud as I could. I don’t think my voice is quite as bad as my sister always told me. Especially if I really let loose and sing without being self conscious.

I have two free genral admission tickets (for free rides all day) for the Hopkinton State Fair. They are good Sept. 1-5, so I can’t go cause I’m studying for quals. Does anyone want them or know someone who would? I know it’s late notice, but I thought I would try to give them away before they expired.