Skywatch Friday – Waning Crescent Moon

Last week I noticed one evening that the moon was setting down our street so I went and grabbed the “good” camera and a tripod and set it up for some delayed shutter action and took some shots. I think they are okay for what they are given the world’s brightest street light was lined up with the moon.

When I zoomed in my superzoom things got a little better but still kind of grainy. I think you call this a waning crescent moon because at the time the crescent was getting smaller every night. Then of course we get the new moon and then the crescent starts growing until we get a half moon and then when over half the moon is illuminated it is the gibbous moon. I have gone my whole life and not noticed the word “gibbous” until recently and now I see it everywhere. Stuff like that happens all the time to me. I see a word that I swear I have never seen before and after I look it up I see it everywhere. I guess it means that I’m either really slow or I’m still learning, or maybe both.

MoonConnection.com has some excellent material on the moon and moon phases. Check them out.

Skywatch Friday

Not Being a Good Role Model – Breaking Bad

True Confessions of somebody who called in sick.

No, I’m not out playing golf or going to movies or such. Yesterday I read all day. I’m reading “Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety” by Eric Schlosser,a book about the safety of the United States nuclear weapons program. Let me tell you, it is flat scaring me to death. Turns out that we had a huge number of accidents involving atomic and thermonuclear weapons and were just plain lucky that we didn’t have a accidental nuclear detonation. He talks about such matters in general and focuses on nuclear missile explosion in Damascus, Arkansas where the Air Force was unprepared to respond the situation and gave no thought to protecting the public. More to come when I finish the book.

Today I watch several episodes of Breaking Bad on Netflix. It is about a high school teacher in Albuquerque who for several reasons decides to cross over to the dark side of the drug world and his life immediately turns to crap. The series started in 2008 and ended in September 2013 and was widely acclaimed. And I barely heard about it. I’m loving it though. It is so outrageous plus it is filmed in Albuquerque and I’m enjoying seeing familiar landmarks and neighborhoods on the show.

I’m halfway through episode four. I’m looking forward to this.

So, lets have a vote. Do I continue reading about the antics of our Government covering up nuclear accidents and losing atomic weapons or continue watching Breaking Bad?

Being sick is getting boring. I don’t want to go coughing and sneezing all over my coworkers though. We’ll see how I feel in the morning.

Remember, Oprah is on at Four

The last few days I’ve not felt very good. I don’t know what I have but I expect it is the flu that is going around like wildfire at the office. Or maybe it was the Denver Broncos performance in the Super Bowl. I showed up Monday and got a few things done that needed to be done but I woke up Tuesday and no way I was going to work feeling like I did.

I had a boss years ago who’d tell me, “Hey Alan, don’t forget Oprah is on at 4” and then laugh. I loved Oprah, what a show. I miss her. I have a new favorite though: “Live with Kelly and Michael.” It is like wow, what an unlikely pair but the chemistry between them wonderful to watch. I remember Michael Strahan as an almost unbelievably intense football player and it is otherwordly watching his repartee with Kelly Ripa. It is almost like the finish each other’s sentences. What a way to start the day if you are feeling like crap.

I’ve learned that staying hydrated is a big thing when I’m not feeling well. I’m drinking lots of tea and water.

Something that has got a lot of air time the past couple days is the big debate between Bill Nye, the Science Guy, and a creationist. What a scoop for the creationist. Nobody had ever heard of him beforehand nor his so called museum. He may be ignorant but he is pretty smart. It really peeves me when creationists say that their theories are the “Christian” viewpoint. This Christian sees no contradiction at all between the Bible and science, yes even including evolution. In my view creationists are trying to dictate to God what he can and cannot do.

Well, I’m getting a little cranky so it is time to sign off.

Ruby Tuesday 2 (On Sunday) – Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow…..

Today is the day that the weathermen of the world should be glad we live in America. In Russia they would be marched out and never heard from again. Abigail our snow dog, who is also Director of Backyard Security and Monitoring, came in this morning with a report of Snow.

Snow!!! Where did that come from. How am I supposed to do a Ruby Tuesday II post with snow. Well hide and watch.

We’ll start with the front door. How do you like them apples, or roses, or you know, the heart, and the trim paint? Not bad huh? Don’t worry I have more.

Now lets go to the back yard. Red Berries is what I see. I wouldn’t eat them if I were you. Except you weather men. Go for it. (I’m just kidding folks… or maybe I am not.)

Well lets go back to the front yard. I shoveled the driveway with my Crocs. Yep, Crocs with fleece lining. They are warmer than my hiking boots by far. How do you like my Cub Scout socks by the way?

How do you like my shoveling? We are the only one on the block with a shoveled driveway. Oh, yes, this has nothing do with Ruby Tuesday. I’m just bragging. But you already figured that out.

Lets go back inside and get back on the meme. This is my new tea cup that Nana, the world’s greatest MIL gave me for Christmas. I’m a coffee drinker not a tea sipper but I love Yorkshire Gold tea. It is as robust as any coffee.

Lets head back outside. We had our house repainted recently. Heather picked out the colors. I really love that reddish trim. She done good as we say here in Oklahoma.

Well, I’m going to leave you out here in the cold and go back inside. That’s kind of rude isn’t it. Sorry. I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan. We have become old, bitter, dried up and cynical. It doesn’t look like they will play in the Super Bowl for a long time. Actually, what the heck come on in, unless you are a weatherman. I may make you watch some Cowboys highlights. Of course they are on VHS tapes because the last time they were competitive was way before DVD’s were even invented. No wisecracks about that or back out in the snow you go, with the weathermen. I won’t make you eat the berries they will be eating.

Anyway Adios My Friends

Ruby Tuesday II (on Sunday)

Scavenger Hunt Sunday – Behind the Lens Beverages

Beverage

Let me see, Lemon Drop Martini for Heather, Tanqueray and Tonic for me! Got it?

Snuggle

This is Chrissy our big ole Maine Coon. She was the alpha critter in the house. We had to put her to sleep Friday night on an all the sudden basis. I miss her considerably. I wrote hundreds of blog posts with her help, but the other critters are trying already to become the replacement snuggle critter. I’m holding auditions. None of them measure up so far.

Thick

We used to have a restaurant downtown that made the best beef stew, french bread, carrot cake. This was my standard pre blood giving meal.

Behind the Lens

Gotcha! or Gotme! the event photographer at the Oklahoma Oil Show.

Where Were You?

There I am, what are you looking at?

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Chrissy R.I.P.

We had to have Chrissy, our big Maine Coon kitty put to sleep late last night. We noticed that we hadn’t seen her in a while so we searched the house and when we found her she was in really bad respiratory distress so we loaded her up and I took her to an emergency vet place. They put her on oxygen and got her settled back down. They took an X-ray and what they found was not good. Her lungs and abdomen where full of fluid and it looked like she had a huge growth on her liver. So as the vet recommended we had her put to sleep.

Chrissy was a rescue cat that we got as a kitten in 2001 or so. She was tiny for about a week and then she was twenty pounds. Or so it seemed to us. She kind of ruled the roost over the other animals. She didn’t hesitate whacking one of the other pets if they irritated her or just because. Any large flat surface in the house was tried out at least once as a napping spot

For some reason, my big stomach perhaps, she kind of became my cat. I wrote many blog posts, read newspapers, and watched television with her draped all over me complaining loudly if I had to move her. She took purring to a whole new level. It almost vibrated the whole house.

She put up with our hi-jinks in trying to be more fun but she didn’t like it.

And she was definitely an inside cat. Especially when there was snow outside.

Anyway she is now at that big fireplace hearth in the sky and we miss her.

A big shout out to Animal Emergency Center, Inc. here in Tulsa. They are really a class organization and their vets and employees really have a heart for animals and their owners.

Logan and I Check Out the 2014 Tulsa Boat Show

Son and I went to the Tulsa Boat Show. I’ll show you what we saw. It costs ten bucks each to go in. Check out my pics and save yourself 10 dollars. Or check out my pics and go check it out for yourself. Bring $10 if you do. Personally I think it is well worth it.

We saw big boats and little boats and everything in between.

Logan found a boat that fit just right. A tri hull pontoon boat.

We saw a Tulsa Fire Department Boat

And some gigantic outboard boat motors. Son is over 6′ tall.

We also ran into a pirate. They have drone pirates now. Why not we have a drone air force, why not drone pirates.

I told son that I would sure like this for my birthday. He said that he hoped I got it. Kid cannot take a hint is what I say. Or maybe I’m the one who can’t take a hint. What do you say?

They had some really snazzy Indian motorcycles.

Son and I like the big fifth wheel trailers. They have digital televisions and fireplaces.

And bunk rooms.

And decks off the back.

And outdoor kitchens with grills, televisions, and refrigerators. Some of them had two bathrooms!

We always enjoy the boat show. Or at least I do.

Have you been to a boat show lately? Do you even want to?

Skywatch Friday – Art Deco Sky Edition – Boston Avenue Church

This is Boston Avenue Church just south of downtown Tulsa. It is a national art deco landmark, built in the late 1920’s and designed by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Goff and Adah Robinson. At noon on Sunday they give tours to anybody that wants to take one. The interior is spectacular.

I have posted many photographs of this church. I never get tired of it.

Skywatch Friday

ABC Wednesday – C is for Cactus!!!

ABC Wednesday this week features the letter C. I had a time, let me see,

Construction Equipment!! – no I didn’t see anything I liked.

Cabins! No

Cats, no

Cactus!! Yes. These are from a trip to Arizona that I made with my Dad, sister Ellen, and brother Bob a couple years ago.

A Tour of Downtown Tulsa, Cold Freezing Weather Edition

This is the old Cities Service Company headquarters here in Tulsa. Remember Cities Service? At one time they were one of the largest oil companies in the world. Well, an outmoded cost structure and Boone Pickens took care of that so they ended up being part of Occidental Petroleum. Oxy as they are called is completely out of Tulsa now.

I went for a walk today, taking pics. On real cold days like this not too many office workers are out and about. It’s construction guys and homeless guys and gals. I don’t know about you but I get really tired getting asked for spare change. I got hit up just before I took this pic. Tulsa has the most polite panhandlers I’ve ever encountered. My heart goes out to them but not my cash. Sorry if you think less of me. I mean I don’t go out at noon because I have a lot of cash and don’t know what to do about it.

I used to walk to the downtown library every day when I didn’t have anything else going on. They closed the main library under the guise of renovating the building. Of course they don’t have the money to renovate yet so I guess that… well I don’t have any idea what the plan is. So they have opened a temporary satellite library on the edge of downtown in an old Safeway grocery store. It is all flash and dash with nice tables and chairs and a technology center and a few books. The books are displayed like they would be in a book store. A small bookstore at that, with not much of a selection. Still they have free wi-fi so I can play Words with Friends and check out Instagram and all that other stuff that the gas company doesn’t pay me to do on their time and bandwidth.

It is kind of a rough crowd at the Librarium. At the Central Library the security was relatively non obstrusive and you had actual families in the building. Not very many families at the Librarium but you get one or two security guards. I’m supportive on the library system but I am not happy with the Librarium. I wouldn’t take my family there.

What do you do at lunch? Do you feel comfortable in your local library?

YogisDen.us

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