Poking around

I've been looking at the blogs I have linked in my "friends" list. Some of them have been untouched for 7 years. I suppose that all of those people are on facebook, but here it's okay to have discussions with people you've never met. On facebook, it would be weird. I like this community of strangers. (Actually, a lot of people here know each other personally, but it doesn't matter... strangers are welcome.)

I left my "Kilroy was here" mark on a few blogs, but it may never been seen. In fact, there are a few blogs where Kilroy is the last comment, from over a year ago.
  • ceoltoir
    Population here is less dense but of premium quality.
    by ceoltoir at 09/18/12 1:28PM
  • tgatzajr
    I've never liked crowds! ^ But I always prefer quality friends!
    by tgatzajr at 09/18/12 6:32PM
  • ceoltoir
    Thank you for reading and commenting on my mother's eulogy.
    by ceoltoir at 10/26/12 12:40PM
  • kiss_the_rain
    I saw it!!! :) are you on fb?
    by kiss_the_rain at 10/27/12 12:29AM
  • starshine
    I'm still half-here. I can't see me ever leaving completely. This is home... if a blog site can feel homey.
    by starshine at 12/10/12 5:27PM
  • tryphena
    I've seen you a few places, among some of my stranger-friends. Not meaning "more strange" but that I don't know them personally :-)
    by tryphena at 12/12/12 8:39AM
  • ceoltoir
    Happiness and merriness to you!
    by ceoltoir at 12/25/12 10:29AM

First Image from Curiosity on Mars

The Mars rover "Curiosity" successfully touched down this morning. Here's the first image it sent back.

Mars Curiosity Kilroy Was Here
  • ceoltoir
    Oh, isn't that just absolutely exciting?!!!! I could hardly take my eyes off it when the footage first came out.

    Soooo... did Kilroy stowaway on the voyage?
    by ceoltoir at 08/06/12 1:30PM
  • tgatzajr
    LOL! That was funny!
    by tgatzajr at 08/06/12 3:47PM
  • sarahpet
    ha good one.
    by sarahpet at 08/11/12 9:36PM

And... another season is upon us

What's this about "meteorological summer"? It's a term I've never heard before, but the way I'm seeing it online it's as if it's a commonly used term and idea.

It makes sense, to some extent. I've always thought it would be more logical to have the equinoxes (equinii?) and solstices make the middle of the seasons, not the beginning/ends. After all, if June 21st is the day in the Northern Hemisphere with the most daylight, shouldn't it mark the center of the summer season? Moving the start of summer back to June 1 at least gets us part way there, though May 7th is more reasonable based on my theory.

In case you haven't read about it, the "meteorological" seasons are really just the "common" season markings. They could call them "calendar" seasons, but it turns out that calendar seasons are the "official" ones. (Does it seem backward to you, too? Or am I just confusing the whole issue?) Meteorological seasons are bounded at even months, so June, July, and August comprise "summer", even though there's more " official summer" in September than there is in June.

And since it's supposedly based on the way it feels outside, I would suggest that "meteorological summer" in this part of the country runs from May through September. This time of year, I rarely venture outdoors except to go to and from the car, and to water the poor plants, which are doomed to suffer until the temperature becomes bearable again in late September, near the official end of calendar summer.

I hope you all have a good air conditioning season!


A few posts back...

... it was August, and the temperature was 103°. Now, it's February, and the temperature is 77°. While I would love to have that kind of high temperature in August, I must say it's supremely pleasant in February, as well.

Here's to more pleasantness (and its accompanying low electric and natural gas bills)!
  • starshine
    Hey! You're still here! I wondered...
    by starshine at 02/22/12 1:58PM
  • ceoltoir
    77° is practically perfect any time. How you been?
    by ceoltoir at 02/22/12 2:19PM
  • starshine
    I'm glad you missed me. I missed my wit, too, haha. We are married now. You'd think that would provide material, but mostly I consider my life too boring to make anyone suffer through it. I have thought about writing again, though, so I may try it. I'm happy to see I still have a friend here.
    by starshine at 02/22/12 4:12PM
  • ceoltoir
    Tortilla chips did make a mysterious appearance in the process.
    by ceoltoir at 02/22/12 11:59PM
  • starshine
    You made my day by commenting! My mom LOVES Magnum (or more accurately, Tom Selleck), so I've watched a lot.

    Breaking appliances are very frustrating! I guess I'll just enjoy mine while they pretend to work for now.
    by starshine at 02/23/12 2:18PM
  • markolinux
    I have a Buick LeSabre right now, and it gets around 30 on the highway, plus I'm getting to the age where comfort is important, especially over long distances. But I went from a 10 to a 1 on the fun scale - before the Buick was a Jeep Wrangler! :^)

    Glad to see you still on here!
    by markolinux at 02/23/12 7:40PM
  • ceoltoir
    Belize might as well be on another planet, given my budget and lack of "self" time. But it's fun to look at pictures and wish.
    by ceoltoir at 03/12/12 9:06PM

You say ta-mae-toe, I say ta-mah-toe.

My dad says "ta-mater". And speaking of Tow Mater (okay, I wasn't speaking of Tow Mater, but I plan to), I saw this plush toy in Walgreen's the other day:


(From the Gund website.)

I couldn't figure out why a tow truck would have a nose.

I figured I'd verify what I remembered seeing and post about it, so I went looking online for it and before I found the one I had seen in Walgreen's, I saw this one:


(From the Disney Store.)

Oh! It's a spare tire! I don't remember Mater having a spare tire on the hood, though. Well, wait, what does Mater actually look like. Here:

(From Wikipedia.)

I see... that's his air cleaner. Mater doesn't even have a hood! I guess some shapes just can't be modeled as pillows. If they could have fashioned an engine between the fenders, I might have understood, but the little kid who bites that nose off isn't going to care.
  • sarahpet
    I don't know this little guy but I bet my nephew does!
    by sarahpet at 11/20/11 8:49PM
  • ceoltoir
    Funny title to this blog. My sons like Mater best of all the Cars characters. I think it's nice that he's not perfect and he's still beloved.
    by ceoltoir at 11/21/11 12:36PM
  • sarahpet
    Cars seems like a guy movie. I am on facebook more than pleonast though I should update on here. once in awhile. Thanks for asking. College owns my time! :-)
    by sarahpet at 11/26/11 6:31PM