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WEEK 28 2007

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Saturday 14 July 2007

Saturday - Updates will probably be sparse for a while, while I'm on the road, settling into the new job and tasks. I'll take the laptop, but time will probably be in short supply.

I'm keeping busy today, trying to get ready for the new job on Monday. I'll head down tomorrow, so I'm trying to mow the lawn, clean the house, arrange for a house-sitter, do laundry, read up on some new stuff for work, and all the rest.

I'm tired, mentally and physically. But looking forward to new stuff!

And it's hot and humid, yuck. About 100F with 30% humidity. If I wanted Florida weather I'd move there.

Friday 13 July 2007

Friday - it was my last day at Dryden (again) and we all went out for lunch. It was free for me, but I paid for it by having my picture taken wearing a really stupid sombrero with whipped cream smeared across my face.

I've custody of that picture, and no, it's not going to be posted here...

I stayed until 8:00 pm (I was there until 10:00 pm on Thursday), trying to tie up loose ends, and the place was empty when I lost. A strange and lonely feeling, walking across the darkening parking lot with a box of my personal books and papers, dropping the badge and key in a box on my way out (and hoping the USAF doesn't stop me and ask for base ID).

It's for the best I think. I've been feeling stale and unproductive - time for a change.

Thursday 12 July  2007

Thursday - there was a "CODE RED" message on my answering machine when I got home, from the City of Lancaster. And why?

You are probably thinking, heat, 100F or above? But you'd be wrong. It was 113F last week and there were no notices.. We've five or six prisons in the area, perhaps a murderer escaped? Nope. And it wasn't wildfires, an earthquake or terrorists.

No, they are changing the garbage pickup day.


One more day left at NASA. It appears I will be fighting with IS until the last syllable of recorded time day. They turned off my computer access today, early:

"Oops, guess we jumped the gun!".

I guess so. I didn't get access back for hours. I told a younger engineer that I remember when "Information Services wasn't the enemy, an daily impediment to productivity, but rather a helper". She just laughed.

I can hardly wait to be gone.


x
I dunno.

Wednesday 11 July 2007

Wednesday - Book #48 was Outerbridge Reach*, by Robert Stone. Not very good. I have the feeling that it was abused during abridgment to tape, but I also feel that it wasn't particularly good to start with. Am I giving away too much if I saw there is a Donald Crowhurst spin to it? It's a little to arty for me, and there were errors in some of the sailing bits, and in some of the military bits, which was annoying.


Annnd, I have lost connectivity again.. Second time in two days. Stupid Verizon DSL. Cable is the way to go, I suppose.


I have things that I need to be cleaning up, at work, but I keep doing actual work. Bah.

Late this afternoon I was sidetracked again. I was in the library, returning books, and overheard the librarian and someone I vaguely recognized, discussing mode shapes of square plates. This happens to be something that I've a bit of knowledge in, so I broke into the conversation and 'helped' out. It turns out that the someone is an intern in my own RS branch and is trying to train a neural net to recognize flutter. Pretty cool stuff.

So, he followed me back to my office and he, another engineer and myself spent a couple of hours discussing his problem.

I've only myself to blame.

Tuesday 10 July 2007

Tuesday - I've a letter from my brother. He had a fun trip in Heavy Weather, our boat up on the Sacramento River. He and a friend sailed during the day, then anchored off Martinez and watched the fireworks from the water. Then they motored back towards Glen Cove, but eventually ended up sailing into the marina and their slip because of engine problems. Kudo's to him for turning lemons into lemonade!! I wish I'd been there...


I found the books I was looking for.


Grand total: $515.45

 Monday 9 July 2007

Monday - I bought some pet food on the way home. I'd run out Sunday, so the kitties had tuna for dinner. They didn't complain, naturally, but I don't think it's a good diet for them.

Sunday 8 July 2007

Sunday - another hot day. I wish I could say I used it wisely, but...  

The peaches, from the tree in the back yard, are delicious. No tomato's to speak of, yet.

I'm starting a new job in a week, so I've been wandering the house, collecting up the books from the NASA library. I've found all but four so far. I usually have a pretty good idea of where a book is: "...in the second bedroom, in the third stack on the floor, next to the lamp, about half way down..." but these seem to be eluding me.

Picture of the Week
All American Dog


Photo Notes: All American Dog, 2007.

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