What Are We Up To?

[Chook]

Hey guys and gals ...
This will be a useful space for personal news (instead of numerous individual posts).

Damo has just got back from the South, Kachi was in Japan, The Weasel is over her head in work etc. etc. - so we can all have one Topic to pick up who's doing what.

At the moment Rosa and I are over in Perth, Western Australia, visiting our son who is in the SAS and recovering from an injury - never been here before to visit and it's the only city we've seen where the soil is pure sand (modified, of course, over the years by mulch and proper soil-cartage).

So - who's doing what?

[Algenon the mouse]

What am I up to? No good..jk

I just got my degree a few weeks ago, I am teaching summer school and I am trying to stay out of trouble.

[Fraser]

I'm moving.

[galaxygirl]

Right now, I havnt been doing much, just working on homework for September (when school starts up here). Fun fun fun... <_<

But, around the 20th I'll be going up to my friends summer home in Maine. Dunno how long I'll be up there though. And, I'll probably be going up to Canada in the end of August. :)

Chook, hope your son gets better soon. Algenon, congradulations on the degree and have fun teaching summer school. Good luck with the moving Fraser!

[StarLab]

Frasers moving. And I'll be moving back on Friday. For on Friday, I'll leave this hellhound, and be back home half an hour's drive away, where I belong.

[Chook]

I really feel sorry for you blokes who are moving - it's amazing how much stuff you accummulate over the years - then you have to decide what to take and what to garage-sale/get rid of.

[Chook]

As already posted - we are staying in our son's house in an unfamiliar city.

You get up in the middle of the night for a pee and finish up bumping into the kitchen table - then spend what seems to be an eternity going into every room of the house (in your "underpants") before finally finding the damned bathroom - nearly bursting.

Then getting up in the dark to dress before going for our daily walk - whatever you put on, you can guarantee it will be back-the-front - singlet (after a quick underarm wash), pants, shoes - the lot. Never fails!

Going into the city emporium, and coming out the wrong direction from where the car is parked. "Where the hell are we?" "Ask someone!" recommends Rosa. Then it's either an already-lost visitor, or somebody that gives you indeciferable instructions.

The joys of touring. :(

[DippyHippy]

Well, I'm in the process of selling my house so as soon as the legal paperwork goes through I'll be leaving the UK for good - sometime in the next 6 weeks or so. I'm getting married on August 28th in Miami... for both these reasons, don't expect to see me around much in August LOL

[Chook]

Hey Dips - get a portable so you can use it in bed! :P
:D :lol:

Anyway - all the very best in your new adventure. Going to the States?

[kashi]

Originally posted by Chook@Jul 14 2004, 02:39 PM
I really feel sorry for you blokes who are moving - it's amazing how much stuff you accummulate over the years - then you have to decide what to take and what to garage-sale/get rid of.
I totally agree. I moved 7 times in 7 years! Awful! You eventually learn not to accumulate crap.

[damienpaul]

At the moment, lots are a happening!

I'll be scarce for a little while (so do not think that I am leaving, sorry to disappoint some of you..:P) things have picked up at work, family and such...need surgery as I found out today, could be serious, not sure :unsure: . I'll be on some evenings and all.

And has some have stated, many are moving, as it appears so may I, where to, I do not know, offers coming from everywhere at the moment...lots to think about ;)

Also I am copping an awful of a lot of abuse and being lied about online and offline :angry: (from numerous sources) so i am a little wary :ph34r: . Thankfully, these imbeciles are a minority and do not really matter, they think they matter :rolleyes: ...:lol:

But I will be back fighting fit soon enough...hopefully a lot less distracted

Email me if you like, I'll drop in when I can B)

[Chook]

We love you, REALLY, Damo! Where would we be without the salt on the salad, your ubiquitous posts, your impish sense of humour, the breadth of your interests, your seemingly inexhaustable energy and needlessness for sleep (unlike us lesser mortals).

Who else is 6'4" tall, has a bushy black beard like Ned Kelly the bushranger, RINGS UP PEOPLE at 11pm at night for a cheery gossip!

You're unique Alice! And the best of jolly luck with the relative's health.

[jimmy]

I might be on T.V. The "Life Teen" band that me and Debbie are in was filmed last Thursday night for the "reality" show Switched (something like that). That is a show where two teens switch lives for a few days. I've never seen it so I can't really explain. The teen from our area (Megi) went to a place in Pennsylvania, it was some sort of Jewish camp. She said it was great!
Anyway the girl who came to us is named Megan, and her first taste of Megi's life was the Life Teen adoration, which is mostly singing. The church was very dimly lit with candles all over the place, the poor girl must have thought it was a cult thing. :lol:
Anyway, when I find out when it airs, I'll let yall know.

[Chook]

Wish we could see it here (in Australia). Got a video, or something, Jimmy that you could download for us to see your band? :(

[Tom2Mars]

Get Well Soon Damo!!

As for me, I am completing a kitchen addition to the low-cost, energy-efficient prototype. Today I finished up a major wiring job and powered up the section, everything works perfectly...as usual (I am slow and methodical and verify everything as I go).

I am spending my evening hours finishing a screenplay for a science-fiction feature film. The main reference source for screenwriting is Vicki King's book 'How to Write a Movie in 21 Days'. I am very proud that I am almost finished after only 912 days, with about 12 days to go. Make that 15 days to go, just to be safe. The film will include actual working space hardware and habitats.

Other interesting space-related stuff is happening on the side, but I am so busy that I'm getting only 4+ hours sleep a night, and the dream/reality thing is such a blur, that I can't even comment on what might actually be happening.

On the plus side of that experience, I am finally able to understand what the goldfish in the pond are saying. Really! :blink:

[devilmech]

Well, I don't have anything major as far as personal news goes. I just picked up the DVD version of The Elegant Universe, and I'm watching that, as well as reading a book on physics I picked up.

I just realized I've got less than a year left before I'm out of the military, so I'm looking at colleges now. Hopefully I'll have my bachelor's in 2 years or so.

Probably the biggest news is that I just finished sketching, shading, and inking the intro artwork I plan to use in a short trailer for a 3D/animation film I hope to get the go ahead to produce. The screenplay is about 70% complete, and from the reviews I've gotten, I "have the potential to become to 3D what David Lynch is to traditional filmmaking." So hopefully that'll pan out.

[kashi]

3D film sounds great! Do you have a website?

[damienpaul]

I am interested in seeing this film also!

Today, I earned my fire safety certificate for the laboratory (warden)

[kashi]

With a beard like yours Damien, I would have given you a fire hazard sign to carry around on your back.

[damienpaul]

I have shaved and things like beards, long hair etc are taken into account.

Next step, is a Level 3 First Aid Certificate...owing to the chemicals that I come into contact with

[kashi]

I remember in year 11 physics, the teacher approved a student designed prac titled "heating oil" (to try and measure its specific heat capacity or something). Stupid, stupid man. I was in the next room but I heard the screaming. Fortunately nobody was injured, although one boy's notebook computer got covered in oil (that's right, I was at school after the invention of computers)! Very funny stuff. :P

[Josh]

Heh,

When I was in year 8 our science teacher decided to show us the effect of mixing some element with water or oxygen or something - maybe Sodium or Potassium? Anyway ... she put it - too much of it as it turns out - into a big glass bowl full of water. And BOOM. The glass bowl exploded, water went everywhere, glass was stuck in her chest and arms and she went running out of the lab and down the hall screaming. One of the funniest things I've ever seen. The only thing she did right was wear protective goggles, I think. Poor woman.

As for the present part of my life, I'm sudying hard and seeing a faint light at the end of the tunnel, keeping happy, being calm and relaxed, and getting fitter. It's all good. It's amazing what a bit of reading and a movie or two can do for your world and personal outlook.

I love reading people's posts in here and you pin them as a science this or that and then they come out with things like movie maker or musician. We're all so much more than these words huh?

[damienpaul]

Both your tales sound very similar to what we were shown in teacher training, like one of those shows "When Science classes go bad". :lol:

It's good that the light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer Josh :) , with my own studies, we have finally made a focus for the colloquium. Its even better that you are keeping fit and all that.

But yes, it shows that we are more thn these words, all of us (what a very nice thing to say, Josh :) ), I'd like to hear more of what folks are up to. Another event is that I have almost completed my course in Travel Photo Journalism, this is turning into more than a hobby now. B)

[Chook]

Geez Damo - you never cease to amaze me about the things you do.

One of these days I'm going to take a year's Sabbatical, comb back through your 10,000 posts and extract all the things you are suffering, studying for, and working at. I bet it would fill up two large pages. It's a wonder you have ANY sleep, or have time to cut off that luxurious black beard that was your celebrated image.

I bet you are an CIA Agent, hiding under a guise, surreptuously finding out what we all know about the frontiers of science to take back to your shadowy Masters in the USA.

(You REALLY aren't olive-skinned, are you? :unsure: )

[damienpaul]

back in the USA? naaaah they are based underneath Alice Springs...ooops said too much...:lol:

I am sure many are doing far more things than I, so come on, tell us what is happening with you all!

[Weaselbunny]

I'm getting ready to move to a new job, looking for somewhere nearer to the new place to rent (hate commuting, it's poo. Imagine, if you spend two hours a day in traffic five days a week or more... how many days of wasted life does that come out to?!)

I've just done the photography for a mates wedding and it's come out really well (Used to study photography).

Just made my first international sale on E-bay... those Flemish lot are willing to pay a fortune for radio promo singles!

This weekend I'm going to see the MotoGP bike racing, provided that is that my bike is roadworthy again by the weekend. I slid it and myself down the road last Sunday... bashed myself up a bit but you don't kill The Weasel that easy! ;) (worst of it is that I sepnt a whole nine hour cleaning and polishing it on Saturday, just to trash it on Sunday... woe... woe :( )

[Chook]

Well - it's the last day at Perth, Western Australia, before flying back home to Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.

Rosa and I have had a wonderful time catching up with son Oliver, and wife Belinda, and they have taken us everywhere, but walking for hours each day - they are very physical.

Well - back to the grind Tuesday (and regular posting on UT).

Hope DP is managing the universe, Weasel is writing her stuff and fixing up her pranged bike (bikes and grog don't mix) and Dips is on tgrack to the USA.

Regards to everybody.

[jimmy]

Originally posted by Chook@Jul 15 2004, 09:26 PM
Wish we could see it here (in Australia). Got a video, or something, Jimmy that you could download for us to see your band? :(
No Chook, they filmed the thing and didn't give us any copies or anything. We had to sigh releases.
I do have some video of another band I'm in where we're playing as Percy Sledge's band, but that's on VHS. And I'm so computer illiterate, we've been having a digital camera for a couple of years now, and I still haven't hooked it up to the computer! :huh:

[Chook]

Back home, arriving in the early hours - whew!

We spent several hours walking around Sydney - both going to and returning from Perth - and I promise you that 95% of the human beings we saw in the street, in the shops, and running the tucker, gift, rag and travel businesses, were Asians. I kid you not!

Not that we have anything against Asians - they are mostly respectable, hard working, industrious, intelligent and productive individuals - but this is bloody Australia, not Hong bloody Kong!

Even Perth was full of 'em.

Like in Brixton UK - you'd think you were in bloody India! (Not that we have anything against the Indians - they are respectable etc. etc. etc.)

Amongst the news, as you will all know, is that DP and The Weasel both have new jobs ... give us some feedback eh!

Got the bike fixed yet Weasel?

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by Chook@Jul 27 2004, 06:44 AM


Like in Brixton UK - you'd think you were in bloody India! (Not that we have anything against the Indians - they are respectable etc. etc. etc.)


Everywhere seems to be full of Asians. When I returned here after nearly 20 years away in Spain I was amazed at the sheer number of Asians living here now. There were some 20 years ago but now - where my mum lives for instance - there hardly seem to be any white people left they´re all from some Asian country.

Back in the mid sixties when I first started work, I worked four years in a factory that made almost all the rubber components found in a car - well that place had to import several coachloads of Pakistanis everyday as they couldn´t find English people that could support the heat from the presses - there were 1 or 2 on each shift but most white people couldn´t support the heat for long & left. I worked in a department where heat was no problem - in fact during the winter months we could have done with some of the heat from the presses!!!

In the last year I´ve worked in several factories & there were are many Asians there, now they are not employed because of the heat any longer! The place I´ve worked at for the last 6 months employs loads of Egyptians - most of them are young lads in their early 20´s, though some are into their 30´s. I get on very well with most of them, some of us seem to have struck up a bit of friendship - beyond just simple companionship as mere workmates! I try to help some of them with their English (I taught English in Spain for the best part of 20 years) & they are very grateful.

[Kneeknocker]

Im busy at work, im a landscape gardener and i look after 10 acres of grouns for a big company here in the uk.

Apart from work, im busy with my baby boy "just had 1st birthday ", he is great laugh, allways keeping us on our toes. :D

[philodynia]

:D :D I just got a new job! I now work for the city of Syracuse New York as a firefighter/paramedic!!! :D :D B)

[damienpaul]

I have a new job also, as of January next year, I will be the Head of Science and Technology as well as network admin at a new school!

[Chook]

Damienpaul (aka Alice) - heartiest congratulations! :)

Still five months to go (you could earn that PhD you were working for by then :rolleyes: ) but your stint in the hi-diddle-diddle will be remembered for many a year, no doubt - and many a tale will be told in the local, comforted by an ale or two.

[Spacemad]

Congratulations, Damien. :) Glad you got your new appointment at a new school. Where is the school? Is it there, where you are in Alice Springs, or is it somewhere else? Being the Head of Science and Technology will be a very responsible job & will, no doubt, absorb more of your time. Does that mean you will be making fewer posts here? ;)

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by Kneeknocker@Jul 27 2004, 01:43 PM
I'm busy at work, I'm a landscape gardener and i look after 10 acres of grouns for a big company here in the uk.


Hi, Kneeknocker, glad to meet someone else from the UK! I don´t think I know of more than about four others here on UT. Let´s see, there´s Dippy Hippy, WeaselBunny, Moosemanuk & someone else whose name I can´t remember at this moment. With you & me that makes a half dozen! (Those of you I´ve forgotten to mention I hope you will forgive me!)

I see you´re a landscape gardener - well gardening is one of my favourite hobbies - though I don´t have 10 acres - not even ten sq. metres!!!! I only have a balcony 3m x 1m - but you should see the plants I cram into such a small space!!!! I have hanging baskets, growing bags that hang on the walls at either end of the balcony - crammed full of salmon pink Busy Lizzies - standard fuchsias, four different varieties of sunflower (I´m growing as a part of the BBC Gardening Sunflower Trail), lots of Geraniums growing in pots as well as Carnations, more Busy Lizzies, Fuchsias, 4 different variegated Geraniums, even a variegated Fuchsia plus an assortment of other plants, including some miniature roses & a Fred Loads shrub rose (not doing terribly well! :( ) If you are interested perhaps I could send you a couple of photos!

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

SpaceMad

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by philodynia@Jul 27 2004, 10:35 PM
:D :D I just got a new job! I now work for the city of Syracuse New York as a firefighter/paramedic!!! :D :D B)
Congratulations, philodynia, on your new job! :) It´s a great responsibility to be a paramedic & firefighter - but what good you can do for your community & how many lives you could potentially save!

[Kneeknocker]

Hi space mad, you sure do like your flowers then :o and all in a small area too... Iv got to admit im not into the flowers side of things, i tend to keep to erecting fencing and laying lawns + patio's, if you want to send a few pics that would be great...look forward to seeing them. :D

[Weaselbunny]

Hey chaps.

Chook, I got the bike fixed, then on my way to the GP my battery decided to dump it's charge and the regulator crapped out. Leaving me in the middle lane of the motorway in thick queues of traffic moving at around 50 mph with no engine, no brake lights, no indicators... I nearly soiled myself!

Got a new battery, fixed the regulator, now there's a bad earth in the wiring I gotta get fixed... sigh...

I'll get there in the end!

Spacemad, how d'ya fit so many flowers into such a small space!

Well done on the job DP B)

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by Weaselbunny@Aug 2 2004, 11:13 AM


Spacemad, how d'ya fit so many flowers into such a small space!


It's not so difficult! :P All you need is a couple of hundred flower pots & a couple of thousand plants ,a few tons of good potting compost - mix them all up - add a few million litres of water & - HEY PRESTO!! - you´ve got a balcony full of plants that´s the envy of the forum!! (as well as all the passers-by!) Did I mention all the many thousands of man hours all this work requires - what with watering, deadheading, feeding & pulling out the occasional weed? :P
Anyone can do it! I even find the occasional hour or two to go out & earn some more money to buy even more plants plus the time I´m wasting writing about my balcony to you guys on UT! ;) :P

I´m even able to squeeze in some hours on the Messenger to keep everyone happy & perhaps get a few minutes shuteye from time to time! :rolleyes:

As if all this weren´t enough I´m going on holiday to Spain in two weeks time, so I made not be posting with the accustomed frequency for a couple of weeks. :(

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by Kneeknocker@Jul 28 2004, 02:38 PM
Hi space mad, you sure do like your flowers then :o and all in a small area too... Iv got to admit im not into the flowers side of things, i tend to keep to erecting fencing and laying lawns + patio's, if you want to send a few pics that would be great...look forward to seeing them. :D
I'd be all to happy to send you some pics if you write to my email address & leave me a message so I can get back to you.

[Chook]

Bloody flowers/veges!! If I try to grow anything they wither up and die immediately. Dunno why - just have "brown thumbs", I guess.

I remember growing a BEAUTIFUL bed of beans, once; then, one morning, I got up to water my babies and the damn things had ALL died on the ground - pathetic. I think they got frosted or someting.

Anyway - I gave up after that - couldn't grow weeds if we tried :angry: .

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by Chook@Aug 2 2004, 11:44 PM
Bloody flowers/veges!! If I try to grow anything they wither up and die immediately. Dunno why - just have "brown thumbs", I guess.

Anyway - I gave up after that - couldn't grow weeds if we tried :angry: .
:P Never heard of anyone having "brown thumbs" before! :P You must be a unique case among the human specie!

I seem to have thumbs that are pretty "green" because, unlike you, Chook, most things grow like weeds for me! Perhaps part of my "secret" is that I grow the easiest of plants to grow - perhaps that´s why they grow "like weeds" :P I find it difficult to kill a plant - that´s not to say I don´t have any casualties because I do - occasionally! :rolleyes:

[Victoria]

Summertime...mising out on local news being busy with daily duties. Though nice to catch up with progress :) . This last month of July I turned another year with the moon. Brilliant. Nice being able to relate B) .

[Victoria]

Oh...green...my favourite color. Kisses. :rolleyes:

[StarLab]

Oh, I just think I should tell everyone: FYI, I'm here in Boston right now, I'll go ona cruise in a few days, head up to Canada and buffalo to see family and friends and to go a marriage, then on the 23rd I'll go back down to LA where I belong. Oh, and plus I got myself into an AP Bio class.
Enjoy your summers! :) ;)

[Chook]

;) Interesting ...
Galaxygirl, living near Boston, is also visiting Canada at the same time ;) :P

[Tom2Mars]

Right now, I am in the middle of a hurricane.

The batteries are topped off, things look OK.

I'm going out on the porch to watch.

:o :P

[damienpaul]

Keep us posted Tom!

[jimmy]

Yeah, Tom2 be careful a category 4 hurricane is pretty serious. I hope you're not too near the Gulf coast!

[Tom2Mars]

Hey Damien! Thanks for the concern! Well, that turned out better than I expected. The storm track earlier today was right through my property, then in the later part of the afternoon, it veered east a bit, and the bulk of it just grazed me. So, I only caught the "friendlier" western side of 'Charlie'. A day and a half of preparation, and poof, it was over before I knew it. Not a drop of water went anywhere I didn't want it to, that was nice.

And, while the branches were getting blown around, I busied myself with looking up some shareware simulators of orbital paths and gravity simulators. I found a really nice site:

A 3D Space Simulator (http://www.shatters.net/celestia/)

It's a collaborative effort, free and really neat! Check out the 'Celestia Motherload', planets, vehicles, everything!

More Later! --Tom

[StarLab]

Yeah, I just got off my cruise, back here in Boston, gonna go to the outskirts of Toronto tomorrow. I been checkin' and keepin' track of those tropical storms/hurricanes. Last night, on the cruise ship, we was a rockin' back and forth, I was getting soooo nauseus. It was hell. I'm glad to be back on land. ;) B) :lol: :D :ph34r:

[damienpaul]

awesome. say more turbulence! more turbulence!!! :lol:

at the moment, i am starting the big pack and clean up and sell off before i move 2000km away from here!

[VanderL]

at the moment, i am starting the big pack and clean up and sell off before i move 2000km away from here!

Wow, that's putting my moving into my new house last year in perspective (not even 10 km, I think). Well, small country, so no 2000 km to move anyway, on that scale I guess that would move me to Italy? South of Spain? Gee, you don't need astronomy to get into space in some countries.

Cheers.

[Tom2Mars]

Jimmy...No, I'm not near the coast. If you look at a map of Florida, there's triangle with nothing in it west of Orlando, I'm in the middle of that.

Earlier today, 2 million people were without power, and many were warned to boil their water(pump stations fail w/o power and sewage back-siphons). Gee, without power, how are they expected to boil their water? :o And, some areas won't have their power back on for nearly a week.

For those of you who are into Nuclear power plants, or coal plants, or any kind of centralized power distribution down the grid, times like this demonstrate a wittle bitty problem with everyone depending so entirely on the utility umbilical.

Fallen tree beats wire.

Sorry, another shameless plug for conservation, efficiency and energy alternatives at the expense of the folks in the rich part of the county.

Oh! And, I almost forgot, the hurricane followed I-4, the main Interstate highway right through the state. I can't tell you how many times the thunderstorms do that, but, it happens a lot here. I think the storms are feeding off of the heat from the road surface?

And Hey Starlab! re-Last night, on the cruise ship, we was a rockin' back and forth, I was getting soooo nauseus. It was hell.
I hope that won't be a problem for you if you visit my rotating, artificial-gravity space station. We'll try to keep the Coriolis force at a minimum, just to be safe.

[StarLab]

Hey, man, rocking back an' forth in zero-G is much easier than in a gravity field...

[Spacemad]

Well folks. I shall be off to Spain for a couple of weeks tomorrow morning. B) So I shan't be pestering you with my postings for a couple of weeks. :P I'm going to stay with my sons over there for the next 10 days. :)

So everyone take care, I'd like to continue our sharing on this excellent forum of Fraser's when I get back! :D

SpaceMad.

[galaxygirl]

Spacemad- Have fun in Spain!

Starlab- I hope you enjoyed visiting my 'neck of the woods.'

I'm going off to Canada sometime this weekend, so I'll be away for about a week. Right now I'm busy procrastinating when I should be getting my history assignment done! Wow, you gotta love those summer assignments... <_<

[bossman20081]

Today was my first day of high school. If it wasnt for my sister, I probably would have been completely lost. :unsure: Ive never got any homework over the summer.... Guess Im just lucky.

[StarLab]

What are your classes? Extracurricular electives? After school stuff? Clubs?

[bossman20081]

My classes for this trimester are Intro to 2d Art, French, Algebra 1 Honors, Choir, and English 9. I plan on joining the hoosier spell bowl, the hoosier academic team, quiz bowl, maybe the art club, maybe the ambassador program (Ithink it looks good on a college application), national honor society, student council, glee club, and of course the science club. Some of this stuff I have to wait until next year; I plan on starting an astronomy club somtime next year or maybe my junior year. I need to get a better telescope and become proficient at using it before I start one. Im going to have a busy high school career :)

[jimmy]

I had no idea Hooters had a spell bowl or an academic team! Oh you said hoosier, not hooters. Excuse me. :lol:

[bossman20081]

Ha ha...

[Weaselbunny]

hoosier spell bowl, the hoosier academic team
What's Hoosier?

[bossman20081]

Hoosiers are people who live in Indiana; Indiana is known has the Hoosier State. When hoosier is in a name like that, it merely means that it is for Indiana only. In case you havent guessed, I live in Indiana.

[StarLab]

Smart move, Bossman. I like your plan. That's what I was gonna suggest - advice from a veteran: load yourself up with as many varied classes and clubs as you can in your first two years of high school. THEN you have a bunch of stuff to brag about during college applications, and besides, it frees up time in junior and senior year to apply to colleges and worry about SATs and other sweatjobs. Why do I tell you this? Because I failed to do so; I'm cramming in a lot of stuff in my last two years when I shouldn't've had to. I'm glad you're not doing my mistake. By the way, NHS is a REALLY good choice. Good luck!

[bossman20081]

Thanks starlab for the encouragement, though Im just trying to get all the credits I need. Im going for the academic honors diploma- the highest degree that Indiana recognizes. I need these credits:
8 english
8 math
6 social studies
6 science
6 foreign language- i hate foreign language
2 arts
9 electives
1 pe
1health
47 in all if your keeping track. I also have to have a 3.0 GPA.

What year are you in starlab?

[bossman20081]

And Im probably not going to be here tomorrow. Im going to help my brother put a new transmission in his car.

[Chook]

I'd like to share this family experience with you ...

Our daughter, Elena (aged 22), has joined the Australian Army (eventually to train as a Medical Environmental something-or-other) and she was sent, with other new recruits, to Boot Camp a few weeks ago.

She qualified in Agriculture, earlier on, but after a year working in the Australian Outback eventually decided that this life was not for her. Since - she has been a free swinger, trying this and that.

Anyway - she wrote a letter to us, and to her grandfather, which I will reproduce below - because it shows the typical experience of new recruits - particularly female.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dear Mum and dad,
How are you!!

I just wrote a letter to grandpa, but he probably won’t be able to understand it as I don’t have much time to write.

Army life is hard. I am struggling because it is like an emotional rollercoaster. You have your good moments - but your bad moments are very bad moments; and you have unbelievably challenging moments that makes you contemplating leaving. It’s hard to believe there is life beyond training – what it tastes like to have chocolate in your mouth again, or to cuddle and kiss my dearest Alistair.

Tonight we have been in big trouble! Our whole platoon consists of immature boys with a very boyish and undisciplined attitude!! We have been practicing our sense of emergency, we have to walk everywhere in a sense of emergency, doing EVERYTHING in ridiculous amounts of time. Dear God! I pray I get through this to make everyone proud, especially myself; to see your smiling faces on March-out Day, to have the relief of never having to do this crappy, hard, mentally and physically straining course again.

My body is aching all over, and the toes on each foot have lost feeling. Every muscle feels strained and tight, and my mental state is nil. You don’t get treated like a human here - you get treated like a dog!! My arm joint is also killing from cocking my weapon for long periods during the day!!

Tomorrow we have weapons training all day. My weapon is called an F88 AuSteyr; and we will be firing an F89 Light Support Weapon tomorrow.

This week, also, we will be doing our High Wire Confidence Course, where I will be swinging up high, walking across planks with nothing but a harness to support me!! After that we get our Blue Tabs, which is half-way there. I am on Red Tabs now. When we get our blue we get more privileges and might get to have some junk food and coke! Yum! After Tuesday, when we do our Confidence Course, we get to have a couple of beers – which doesn’t faze me, but the others are excited!

I miss you guys heaps and, seriously, can’t wait to see you, especially if it on March-out.

I really need your prayers, at the moment, because I really want to get through this crap. Sometimes I get so low that I just wanna quit; but I don’t want that!! The corporal reckons I have no pride in myself, and that I need to believe in myself – which is true.

Drill is also hard, coz you have to know what they are trying to say to you, and to obey their commands. Man! My feet get so sore from standing on them all day doing drill in Combat Boots. Man - I’m physically pooped!

Today I went to the Chapel, but tried out the Catholic (there is also Anglican and non-denominational). Man - the Catholic Church depressed me more than anything - they do weird stuff; but I took communion - and the wine was REAL!!!

This letter is written on my third week – nearly half-way through. Man – I have come a long way from when I first turned up. The first time a corporal yelled at me I seriously peed myself a bit – I was nearly pooing myself. I think it is the unexpected that scares us recruits – the most not knowing what is going to happen tomorrow. The first four nights I did not sleep a wink, so I was awake for, like, six days straight; and I hadn’t slept a couple of nights before I came. Now it is better. I am sleeping better and my mental state is going up, Like everyone says – things get worse before they get better!!

I should go – my time is nearly up!! It would be nice to get a letter from you as it gets kinda lonely here if you know what I mean. Like – you have people all around you, but the outside world doesn’t feel real so, please, if you have a spare minute, chuck a bit of pen to paper, or the fingers on the keyboard!!

I have to spend my 22nd. Birthday here, which kinda sucks!. They said they are going to sing me Happy Birthday today in the Mess Hall in front of the whole recruits (there are hundreds of people here, people arrive each Tuesday).

Anyway – love you heaps, and hope to see you on March-out!! Please keep praying for me. I’ll write again if I have time. Please read this to grandpa to let him know how I’m going.

Love you heaps.

Your daughter,
Elena XX
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear grandpa,
How are you? Please excuse my messy writing as I have only 10 minutes to get as much down on paper as possible.

Well – I am in Kapooka doing my Basic Training- and let me tell you, I am struggling. Life in training is an emotional rollercoaster. One minute you are loving it, and the next you hate it and just want to live normally again.

The first couple of days were the hardest - adapting to a life of discipline, time limits, organisation, physical training, mental situations etc. I was shocked when I got here – having corporals yelling at you for not being “perfect”, or taking 5 minutes instead of 4 minutes; or having to get up within 10 seconds, and having your bottom sheet over your right shoulder; having 15 minutes to make your bed perfectly, do your hair properly and immaculately dressed in your uniform. It’s like a nightmare! Being watched every step you take, making sure your arms are straight and marching in perfect order.

Getting the ranks right is hard for me, trying to give them respect whilst walking and looking nowhere but forwards; and trying to say “Good Morning” to them is hard!

My feet are sore from these boots. I actually don’t have any feeling left in my big toes – they are numb!
I am scared they are going to fall off.

There is too much to tell you!

I find drill hard as well as they abbreviate everything and scream at the top of their lungs and expect you to know what they are talking about.

Every morning we wake up at 6.00am and work until 10.00pm every night. We have NO time for ourselves during the day and, basically, can’t even talk to one-another. This is so hard for me, but I know it is good at the same time. I feel proud to have even given this a go. As each day goes I learn so much – but there is so much pressure on us to know EVERYTHING at sucha high standard!

In our spare time we usually have to get our wardrobes and rooms in perfect condition, sandpaper and polish our “brass” and study our subjects.

I have made good friends here. We all stick together and are learning to work as a team!

Anyway I best be off. Please read this to mum and dad and let them know how I am going.

It would be nice to get a letter from you!! And from mum and dad.

My address is:
(Deleted)

My 22nd. Birthday is on Saturday the 28th.August. This time, last year, I was out bush on a station – now I’m in Boot Camp! Gee – time gets around.

Please write and give mum and dad my address.

Love you,
Your granddaughter,
Elena X"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PS - My father, myself and son Oliver (now in the SAS) have all gone through Kapooka Recruitment - and now Elena is going through; but we feel that this training and discipline will be the makings of her.

Those who have been soldiers will agree that you learn discipline and respect for authority in the armed services - qualities that the vast majority of young people in Australia lack - unfortunately. (Maybe in other countries as well).

Both myself and son Oliver won the Battalion Aggrigate Shoot - and the good news, so far, is that Elena will be following in our footsteps - she has topped marksmanship testing so far.

[Spacemad]

Hi, I'm back! :D

Chook, please send my greeting to your daughter, Elena. Even if it will arrive after her birthday is passed! Tell her I'll be thinking of her & hope she manages to get through her training physically & mentally in one piece!

It was good of you to post the letters from your daughter - it gives a real insight into how a recruit lives up to such intense stress!

[damienpaul]

Welcome back Spacemad!!! Hope the trip was refreshing and fun..!

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by damienpaul@Aug 28 2004, 10:17 PM
Welcome back Spacemad!!! Hope the trip was refreshing and fun..!
Thanks, Damien & yes, I think the trip was refreshing. I´ve come back home today feeling much better! I had a good time with my sons over there & was sorry to have to leave them & return to "Ol´Blighty"!

[jimmy]

Spacemad, welcome back and glad you had a refreshing trip to Spain.

Chook, I hope Elena can make it through these hard times, good luck to her.

I spent today installing carpet in our music room and I'm tired, good night!

[Chook]

???? :o - Jimmy - laying CARPET in the music room!!!

Won't that deaden the sound? <_<

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by jimmy@Aug 29 2004, 05:30 AM
Spacemad, welcome back and glad you had a refreshing trip to Spain.

I spent today installing carpet in our music room and I'm tired, good night!
Thanks for the welcome back, Jimmy. :) I'm glad to be back & to be able to share in the postings of UT. I did have a good time & it was good to spent a few days with my sons again - I hope to return again next year. :rolleyes:

How comes you laid CARPET in your music room? Surely, as Chook says, that will deaden the sound, won´t it? Or are you looking for a "Different" sound?!

[galaxygirl]

Ok, just got back from Canada 20 minutes ago! I had a lot of fun and took a lot of nice pictures- it's really beautiful up there. But, I am glad to be back home because I really missed my computer and ice :D (no one I knew up there had a computer or ice cubes... it was torture).

Spacemad- Welcome back! It sounds like you had a lot of fun in Spain.

Chook- Good luck to your daughter!

[StarLab]

Aww, poor GalGirl! Where I stayed (with my cousins near Guelph), I had a lot of both!

[jimmy]

Galaxygirl, welcome back, glad you had a nice time in Canada.

Chook and Spacemad, actually it helps the sound by deadening unwanted sound waves bouncing around the room. Especially since we're electrified and use amps and a P.A. We really get loud sometimes, and any insulation helps keep the sound at my house and not too much at the neighbor's house! ;)

[galaxygirl]

Originally posted by StarLab@Aug 29 2004, 07:54 PM
Aww, poor GalGirl! Where I stayed (with my cousins near Guelph), I had a lot of both!
Some of my relatives used to live near Guelph, but I've never been there- how was it?

I went a bit farther north to Gesgapegiag, Quebec (an Indian reservation out in the middle of nowhere). It's where my mom grew up and almost everyone from her side of the family lives there so we go up a lot. Unfortunately it's a 13 hour drive, but the place is so nice that it's well worth it.

[StarLab]

Yeah. I went to the Stratford Shakespear Festifal, shame they don't have plays like Noises Off in the USA, I went to SportsWorld where I got a nice big blister on my left thumb, I played a golf course with pulleys and without glasses, and got up REAL close the Niagara Falls. Actually, my relatives live in Fergus, outside of Guelph. My great-grandfather moved to Montreal from Lodz, Poland, and my grandfather moved from there to Toronto, and my dad moved down here to LA.

[Kneeknocker]

I took the plunge and ought a LX90 ~ im waiting on delivery now.... 2/3 days to go.
Then i will be able to take my astrophotography to the next level. :D

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by galaxygirl@Aug 29 2004, 11:45 PM
Ok, just got back from Canada 20 minutes ago! I had a lot of fun and took a lot of nice pictures- it's really beautiful up there. But, I am glad to be back home because I really missed my computer and ice :D (no one I knew up there had a computer or ice cubes... it was torture).

Spacemad- Welcome back! It sounds like you had a lot of fun in Spain.

Chook- Good luck to your daughter!
Glad to see you back, Galaxygirl! :) I'm pleased you had a good time in Canada, I also had a good time with my two sons in Cuenca. I also took a lot of pictures but can't download them to the computer till I get the USB ports fixed :( !

[Tom2Mars]

Yesterday I used up the extra "free day" pass I had to Sea World. I rode "Kraken", the roller coaster ride many times and laughed my head off, making sure I got to sit in front each ride. Checked my pulse afterwards each time, and it never went above 70 beats per minute, so I guess I'm OK.

As a birthday present, if anyone responds to any of the posts I just made tonight, try to be kind. :P Just till Wednesday, at least.

Thanks All! --Tom

[Fraser]

Katrina, the kids and I were walking in a park here in Courtenay earlier today which is a set of trails in a coastal estuary (where a river meets the ocean). We were standing at the edge of a little cove and saw a salmon dart into the shallow water followed closely by a seal. The salmon moved faster, but the seal kept it bottled into the cove, and stopped it from escaping back into the ocean. It took about a minute and the seal got it stuck up against the rocks where it could grab on. It was amazing to watch.

[zephyr46]

Wow !

I had a meeting about my volantary work in the internet cafe, not as interesting, but productive ;) .

[Tom2Mars]

Watching another hurricane track in, aimed right at me. This is getting annoying.

I'm starting to wonder if ASEI really works for some Secret Government Weather Modification Laboratory and is sending them my way as retaliation for my cheery solar power posts. :P :lol:

Just Kidding, ASEI!!

[damienpaul]

I am currently packing and cleaning...oh joy oh joy

I am rapt cause my team in the Aussie Rules league won the Grand Final - carn Port Adelaide!!!

[Tom2Mars]

Winning feels good!

It's veeeeeeery windeeeeeeeeeeeeeey here. But the buildings and systems are doing great! Hmmm, I forget, was it Jimmy that's in South Florida? :(

Hope he's OK.

[Tinaa]

Jimmy's in La. He had to evac last week, I think from Ivan. I'm looking at the TV now seeing more destruction. Tom ya'll are in my thoughts (and prayers if you believe that way).

[jimmy]

Yeah, our Hearts go out to you Floridians. That's a lot to take in just 4 or 5 weeks.
I have a cousin who manages a machine rental company: they have like 300+ generators that have been in Florida for some time now.

[Spacemad]

:) I've spent the best part of this last week learning a new language!


Which you ask?

HTML!!! :D :D :D

I´ve been experimenting with this new language & I think I´m beginning to get the hang of it now! ;) Of course I need a lot more practise but in a few weeks time I may dare to post my newly made site on the web! :unsure:

[ASEI]

You know, you could just type a static web page up in microsoft word and save it as an html, then post that.

[StarLab]

I'll start HTML once I'm in college. ;) B)

[antoniseb]

Originally posted by Spacemad@Sep 26 2004, 11:57 PM
in a few weeks time I may dare to post my newly made site on the web
Now that you understand the basics of HTML, I'd suggest getting a good software tool like DreamWeaver, or perhaps one of the freeware things out there. In this day and age there is no need to actually write out your own HTML. These tools are what-you-see-is-what-you-get, and are almost as easy to use as a word processor.

[Victoria]

Spur of the moment...hope to catch up in winter. :)

[Tom2Mars]

Tom ya'll are in my thoughts (and prayers if you believe that way).

Thanks Tinaa, it's OK, you can use the "P" Word. I'm fortunate, lots of wind (up to 47 Km/Hr) and rain (25 Cm) and I didn't get a drop anywhere that was inside and protected. And, the power never flickered. I think the ones who could really use some prayer right now (and maybe some good technology) are the Haitians. Thousands died and they have little or nothing in most some locations there. It's another good place to share some Earth-Appropriate Mars designs with!

And Jimmy, re-I have a cousin who manages a machine rental company: they have like 300+ generators that have been in Florida for some time now.

Uhhhh... Then I'd better prepare you before you read my response to ASEI on generators! When needed, they can help folks alot. Most of what I listed were things to know for proper operation, and how much attention to detail folks have to know to be safe with them. My ultimate goal of the post was to stress good, efficient housing design, so that generators would only be needed in emergencies, or as back-ups to well-planned systems. :)

But your cousin doesn't need to worry about job security any time soon. Even if I could make thousands of homes a day, I couldn't keep up with the birth rate, and at the rate the disasters are happening, his business will need more than a few hundreds of generators. Have they looked into fuel cells lately? Very efficient! They seem simple to operate and while they might be too pricey to own, Fuel Cell Generators may be the perfect kind of item to rent.

Spacemad! Don't wait weeks to make it perfect. Get a site up fast, then add to it/improve on it over time. I'm sure everyone will be gald to give you plenty of suggestions along the way. I envy you. I'd love to put up a site, but my Alien Overlord handlers are concerned with me "influencing" Earth culture too quickly with the reverse-engineered superior technology I won from them in a game of Thisbin. :P

[jimmy]

Tom, I'm sorry you hate generators, but I'm sure the people who needed them during the power outages were pretty thankful for them.

[Tom2Mars]

Jimmy, I don't hate generators. :o

To quote myself, When needed, they can help folks alot. Most of what I listed were things to know for proper operation, and how much attention to detail folks have to know to be safe with them. My ultimate goal of the post was to stress good, efficient housing design, so that generators would only be needed in emergencies, or as back-ups to well-planned systems. I even put in the little smiley face and everything.

In the "Fate of Earth..." topic, my only reason for going over-the-top on explaining the details about the cost and convenience of generators was to defend my suggestions that alternatives like solar and batteries can have a place in the energy mix.

[Chook]

"What are we up to ...?"

Well - I've been crapping myself in fear, for the past week, because after getting some nasty sap in my right eye, whilst clearing on my father's property, the eye's clarity of focus has steadily deteriorated over the past year to the point of having to have the lens replaces with a plastic one.

I HATE intrusive surgery to the point of psychoses.

Yesterday was the day - and I walked the kilometer to the Daytime Surgery, my mind numb by terror, supported from collapse by Rosa, and was herded inside for the appointment with the Executioner.

After an agonising wait - the male nurse shepherded me into the Death Chamber where he sat his terrified patient down into a comfortable chair and, after a series of questions, put some drops into the eye. The bloody eye-dropping procedure lasted a lifetime ... I was wishing they'd get the job over and done with!

Shortly, after a few questions from the anaethetist, I was taken into the Execution Chamber - instruments of torture overwhere. They made me comfortable and somebody asked me to close my terrified eyes. Then I felt a little prick ...

I woke up and quite comfortable - and ALIVE! I was in a waiting room somewhere. Rosa was there. "Are you OK dear?", she asked. "It was nothing!!!", I boasted.

I had a patch over the eye but, apart from that, everything was normal. I got up, went to the counter and paid the $1650 for their trouble, walked across to see the surgeon who did the job, paid him some more, and then walked the 2 kilometers home.

That was yesterday. The patch is off, I can see normally, and life is beautiful again.

(I think I could do it again!) :rolleyes:

[Spacemad]

Yesterday was the day - and I walked the kilometre to the Daytime Surgery,
and then walked the 2 kilometres home.

Chook, As you had only one good eye going to the clinic you obviously thought the signpost said 1 kilometre but when you recovered the sight in the other eye you saw that it was really 2 kilometres! B) :P :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Spacemad]

My wife & I spent the day making up a bookshelf & then putting the books on it that I sent from Spain just before returning to England this summer. The books took just over a month to get here!

I now have my Asimov books - at long last! (They actually arrived over a week ago but it is only now that we have been able to buy the bookshelf) :) Now I can read them all again - after three years without them! (I packed them in boxes to be sent over before I left Spain to return to England 3 years ago!) I´m already half way through the first!!!

Now the bookshelf is groaning under the weight of so many books!!! :D

[Chook]

:lol: :D :lol: Caught out! Damn! :unsure:

[Chook]

It's now five days after the eye operation abd the iris is back to normal - and I have never seen so clearly in my whole life!

Not allowed to play the trumpet for another week, though, because of the head-pressure. Can't wait!

Thought I'd just keep you upto date. Modern surgery is MARVELLOUS.

[damienpaul]

I am going to the shops to get some milk and bread...sorry i could not resist :P

but seriously, its good that things are healing nicely for you Chook!

I have almost completed my meteorology practical series and have started to write reports.

[Tom2Mars]

I'm glad to hear you are doing well Chook!. Your story reminds me of the FDR quote, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself".

And Damien, what ever happened to "Oasis"?

[Spacemad]

Originally posted by Chook@Oct 10 2004, 12:32 AM

Thought I'd just keep you upto date. Modern surgery is MARVELLOUS.
I totally agree with you, Chook. I had an operation for a slipped disc 4 years ago, while I was still living in Spain. I was in terrible pain the last few months before the operation - in fact I ended up in a wheelchair for 10 days before the op.! But the day after the op. I was allowed to get up & given permission to walk around the corridors of the hospital - as long as I was accompanied - a day my dear wife will never forget!!! I just about walked the legs off of her!!! :D
I was just so happy to be free of pain for the first time in over 10 years!!!

I´m not cured 100% as I still have difficulty in bending down but the constant pain in my left leg has gone forever! :) It´s all thanks to modern surgery, as Chook says! :)

[Chook]

It never rains - but it POURS!

Australia has been in drought for the past 10 years and water restrictions have been officially announced and enforced in almost every town.

But, for the past week, much of the Eastern half of Australia has been inundated with heavy rain. GREAT! But not too much - yesterday, during a downpour lasting 20 minutes, we were almost flooded inside the house.

Anyway - we count our blessings considering the experiences of Florida, poor people. :(

[suntrack2]

chook, i heard that australia is very famous for its sea shore, the decent cities the descent people like you all are very amazing. i also heard that the el-nino effect born on the australian sea shores, do you have detail idea about it, i also heard that el-nino effetcs on the mansoon activities,
in Australia my one sister is living not real sister but cousin, she was in viala, later sydney, now in melborn, Mrs.Madhuri.

well now giving your question's answer that what are we upto? well chook we are nothing in front of nature and its huge creativity, we are still very little part in the drama directed by this nature and the so-called god. we are upto with us only, now let people will decide that what are upto we, in their own terms, let them define that what are we upto and uptill,? chook.

sunil

[damienpaul]

meanwhile, it is warm and relatively clear in Central Australia (Alice Springs, approximately 2500km from Chook)

[suntrack2]

fine damien,

there were lot of articles on the el-nino, the warm property is a speciallity of el-nino? and i do not understand "relatively clear", please define,

rest is fine, [you are really looking interested in weather] damienpaul.

your's
sunil

[damienpaul]

What am i doing, getting ready for dinner....my birthday dinner.

Sunil, I love the weather!!! relatively clear, meaning not too many clouds, except for today - too many clouds!

[Aqualung]

I am a Civil Servant in Derby UK. At the moment I am looking forward to 5th November when I will be on Strike.

You may know the UK Gov. are making 100,000+ people redundant, not renewing current contract of employment, or sacking them for having more than 5 days off sick in any 12 month period.

Overheard one of the bosses yesterday. The 80+ people at our office have NOT been factored into local moves of resources. Now waiting to find out if we will all be made redundant or not. Until now we were told we will have a job at another office, even been to the welcome sessions.

I believe that we were not forgotten, but were led on deliberately. We work to targets and those targets are being ignored because everyone is so fed up with compulsory move to an 'inconvenient' location. Obviously if we had been told the truth, any target would be worthless.

The only beneficiaries of us keeping to our targets are the bosses who have to justify their jobs to keep them. Question is, how many other sites in UK is this happening in?

If the boss does not come clean by Monday I will be telling the Union rep, then the brown stuff will really hit the whirly thing.

[damienpaul]

Good luck Aqualung

[Victoria]

Happy Birthday DamienPaul, hope you get clear skies, good weather and a glimpse of the moon tonight! :)

[Chook]

Damnit! I thought I'd put your birthday in my Reminder Thing, DamienPaul, and was expecting it to pop up on the Day - 27th. October.

Anyway - a big (belated) HAPPY BIRTHDAY from us all here! I can see you eating loads of goodies and enjoying yourself immensely. Good on ya mate - keep it up!

[Tom2Mars]

Yes, Happy Belated Birthday Damien!

And Chook, glad you got some liquid sunshine for a change. Us poor folks in Florida are finally enjoying some clear skies and pretty days.

As for me, I bought the same flight simulator/virtual wind tunnel program which Burt Rutan used to design and test Spaceship One, plugged my design into it, and have been buried in the simulator for 12 days straight. I don't eat much, and seem content on less than 4 hours of sleep a night. The good news is that I have a stable design, and can regularly make it into Earth or Mars orbit using off-the-shelf engines. 10 years of wondering, and now I finally know. :P

[Spacemad]

;) Sorry for not wishing you a happy birthday earlier, Damo :( Hope you had a good day anyway.

Did you get to see the Lunar Eclipse last night? Here it wasn't visible this time around but we had lovely clear skies all night & at 2:30 a.m. there was a really magnificent full Moon! B) Shame the eclipse wasn´t visible in G.B. :(

The images sent back from Cassini´s closest encounter till now with Titan were tremendous! Looking forward to seeing many more! :P

[bossman20081]

Happy belated birthday Damien! I hope you saved me some cake...

Ah man, its going to be cloudy all night-I wont get to see the eclipse. :(

[Victoria]

Time difference...eek, 8:30 here here and cheers! 9:45-10:30 lunar B)