52 Weeks of Happy (7/52)

Four Things That Made Me Happy This Week:


1.  Reading.
I'm going at a snail's pace through my current book, since I generally only read while exercising, these days, and, um, I haven't been as consistent about that as I ought, but Tish is growing on me.  The book Donald and I are reading, Feet of Clay, has been amusing, too.  There's nothing like slipping into another world for half an hour or so-- especially when it's a well-ordered world with the kind of author you can trust to supply a satisfying conclusion with all the threads of the story tied into a nice, neat bow.  Yes, please, and thank you kindly!


2.  A new crochet project in new colors.
This one will be a variety of different 12" blocks.  There's no chance to get bored when you crochet each pattern only once!  It keeps you on your toes.  (I know; I mention crochet a lot in these "what made me happy" entries-- but it's one of the things that most consistently make me happy, lately...)


3.  Homemade sugar cookies. 
I don't make them very often-- once or twice a year, maybe-- and that's probably definitely a good thing, because they never last long.  I end up eating (much) more than my share of them.  So while it made me happy to have a batch of them to enjoy, this week, I'm also happy that-- as of this afternoon-- they're gone.  No more guilty craving for one more cookie.  ;o)


4.  Favorite TV shows.
(For instance, Community, which finally returned with new episodes a week or so ago.)   It sounds kind of shallow, somehow, which is silly.  Why is feeling happy about a TV show so different from feeling happy about books?  Turning on the TV and relaxing on the couch (with a crochet project in hand) at the end of the day is a real treat.  Nothin' wrong with a little escapism... (Or a whole heapin' lot of it, as the case may be, what with books and TV and so on and so forth.)


BONUS.  Not getting hit by a meteorite.
Can something that didn't happen count? (g)  Sure, why not?  I'm thankful and very happy that the world is still turning in its usual way, with no cataclysmic calamities to complain of.  Seriously, though, these "little things" have a wonderful way of making you stop and take stock of your life.  There are major problems in the world, but it could be so much worse. 


Hm.  I think at least certain elements of these "52 Weeks" entries are beginning to sound like a broken record.  (Crafts, food, weather, gardening, books.)  I guess the same small things make me happy on a regular basis... Or maybe I'm just not good at remembering the other things.  I'll keep up with 52 Weeks, though.  It can't hurt, and we're only seven weeks into the project.

The Final Frontier, Here I Come...?

Darn it.  I was really hoping I wouldn't have to become one of those space colonists.  I don't even like to fly, and the thought of leaving behind the whole planet really just doesn't appeal-- but the way things are going down here, lately... 

You space colony organizers better get a move on.

Beautiful Planet

Thanks to Grandpa L. for sending along this video-- "Time-lapse footage of Earth as seen from the International Space Station" (complete with electrically lit cities, thunderstorms, and the aurora).

Warning: May cause you to tear up at the sheer beauty of it, so possibly NSFW, unless you're fine with public displays of emotion. ;o)

(Or see it bigger on YouTube. The largest size won't fit in my current blog format.)

One-Way Ticket to Mars? Any Takers?

Have you heard about this?  "Scientists propose one-way trips to Mars" because "human travel to Mars could happen much more quickly and cheaply if the missions are made one-way".  Well, I can't really argue with the logic, but I wonder what kind of people would hear that proposal and say, "Sign me up!"

I guess my initial reaction ("No way, no how, never-ever, unh-uh!") is not a particularly useful gauge of the average person's opinion of the idea, because that is also my reaction to the idea of going into space at all (even one of those brief joyrides that are supposedly going to become so commonplace).  I'll leave that to other people.  Me, I'm staying here on home-sweet-Earth, thanks all the same.  I'll take my chances with the asteroids, etc., right here.

That-- asteroids-- is what these types of articles always seem to mention as the reason that colonization is so crucial.  They casually inform us that the Earth will probably be destroyed, sooner or later, so we don't want to leave all our eggs in one basket.  Gee, thanks for trying to ruin my mood this morning, random journalists.  I really appreciate these frequent reminders that the whole world could go ka-blooey in the blink of an eye.  It makes life so cozy and cheerful.  *grump grump grump*  Look, I'm perfectly fine not thinking about crap like that, so would you mind keeping your daydreams of cataclysm to yourselves?

One of my favorite lines from the article?  "They argue that it would be little different from early settlers to North America, who left Europe with little expectation of return."  ...Yeah, except that most of those people were going in search of a better life for themselves and their families... and there would be quite a few other people with them, including maybe their immediate family (and if not, they probably intended to have the family follow them eventually)... and they probably thought that if worse came to worst, they might possibly be able to find their way back to the Old Country... oh, and they were "only" going to a different continent, not a whole 'nother planet! 

But apart from those things, yeah, it's totally the same thing. (Good grief.)

(By the way, I'm not saying this won't or shouldn't happen... just... I'm really glad I'm not the one making the trip!)

What was I thinking?

You think you're just tuning in to the news, but really, you're setting yourself up for an ulcer.

If it's not North Korea moving a missile onto a launch pad-- oh, and by the way, it is, today-- then it's a more impersonal, distant threat of doom: Powerful Solar Storm Could Shut Down U.S. for Months.

This is suddenly "news" because a report was released this week, but scientists have known for a while that a large surge of magnetic energy from the sun could disable technologically advanced (and dependent) societies. (Funny how the news does that. Something emerges as a "big story" for a week or two, and then it disappears from discussion as abruptly as it came.)

And then there's the scenario played out in this recently published novel. (It's about an EMP that disintegrates the modern world-- yet another potentially apocalyptic event that we hear about from time to time. It's the Y2K scare all over again-- only worse.)

Sometimes, you wonder why you bother getting out of bed in the morning!

P.S. If you're interested, this article, which was published last year, has more information about the 1859 solar storm that put telegraphs out of commission (and the possible implications of future storms). Auroras were visible as far south as the Caribbean. (Wow!) "People could read the newspaper by their crimson and green light. Gold miners in the Rocky Mountains woke up and ate breakfast at 1 a.m., thinking the sun had risen on a cloudy day."

"Uh-oh. She's talking to the TV again..."

One little note before I commence grumpin' at the TV. ;o)

Earlier this week, you may have heard, the moon, Venus and Jupiter-- the three brightest objects in the night sky-- were very close to one another. Apparently this was big enough of an "event" that it was in the news, but the funny thing is that Donald saw it and called me out to look at it before we'd heard about it. (Mom, your e-mail about it went to the junk e-mail folder, so I didn't see it until today. Probably because it was empty except for a link. Guess I need to check that folder more often!) So, yes, it was pretty impressive, to just catch his attention like that. Too bad we'll have to wait until 2052 to see it again.

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

Things the TV has made me wonder about lately:

Does no one dare tell Bill O'Reilly that "plasma" is not pronounced "plahh-smahh"? Maybe it's just me, but that pronunciation of his drives me up the wall!

***

Why are "they" getting rid of Pushing Daisies-- something completely different from anything else on TV right now, that I know of-- instead of one of the numerous medical or crime shows? I mean, I like a good "procedural drama" (as "they" call 'em) as much as the next person, but there are so many of them! And the medical shows can all go away, as far as I'm concerned.

***

Don't the news people (anchors and reporters alike) get tired of doing variations on the same set of stories every year? For instance: It's now winter, so bring on the carbon monoxide poisoning stories and segments stressing the need to buy carbon monoxide alarms! I guess that if they didn't do this, they wouldn't have enough "news" to fill their ever-expanding time slots, so they probably can't complain.

***

Why in the world are we expected to want to watch award shows (and now, even the nominations for those awards!) that honor actors and musicians? Upon catching a very odd glimpse of the Grammy nominations last night, Donald and I were commenting on how there seem to be more and more of these programs.

The really weird thing is that many people do seem to actually care. It baffles me. Yes, I watch movies and TV, and I listen to music. There are even a very, very few actors and musicians whom I admire or think seem to be decent, semi-normal people-- but how does it follow that I must want to see them get all dolled up and congratulate one another on how wonderful they are at their "craft"? If we're going to watch award ceremonies, shouldn't they be honoring people who make a real difference in the world instead of those who merely entertain us in our spare time?

I suppose it was inevitable that it should happen this way. What group of people would want all this fuss, drama, and glitz for their sakes, other than the "stars"? And of course, the ones who make the decision to broadcast these lavish displays are more closely connected with those same "stars" than they are with the people who truly deserve nationwide recognition.

So, maybe inevitable, but still irritating and enough to make you weary of the world and the celebrity-obsessed.

This was nothing new to you, I'm sure, but I needed to get it out. Now that it is out, I can wash my dishes in peace. Thank you. ;o)

Galaxies, nebulae, etc.

Speaking of space. . . Wow!






If you'd like to see them bigger, I found these (and many more) at the Hubble Heritage Image Gallery. (There are plenty of other websites out there, too. I just happened to find this one first.)