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Saturday, January 28, 2017

Dawn's Early Light

0700 Friday, 27 January 2017
A very long week has ended. Nothing bad or earth shattering going on, I'm just having my usual post-holiday-blue-funk-January.

Yeah, that's a thing with me.

I hear it's a thing with a lot of people. I get that, we all have our reasons for it. With me it's the idea that my favorite season has ended and it's back to whatever one's definition of normal is. Or "normal" as Skip would annotate it. If it's in quotes (and it ain't what ya call a quote) it's suspect. "Suspect" if you will.

Okay, enough of that.

At the beginning of the year I had a task at work which I'd started back in December, upon everyone's return from holiday the "powers that be" expressed a certain dismay at the direction I was taking. Seems it wasn't what "they" had talked about. As "they" hadn't really clued me in as to what "they" really wanted and as there was very little in the way of actual specifications to guide me, you may well imagine my surprise.

Or not.

I mumbled (somewhat loudly) at my disinterest in playing with their (ahem) "high school science project" and could I perhaps just give them something that worked. We could tweak it to the heavens later.

"Oh no! We need it in two weeks."

Sigh, not gonna happen. Not in this life time.

So they went in another direction, as did I. But for a few weeks there was naught on my plate as the better projects were in a bit of a funding lull. Which is the way of things in my business, it's all feast or famine.

So I've been brushing up my training and waiting for real work. Which makes the days extremely long and, truth be told, awfully damned dull.

That all ended Friday when two parts of the same project (related but different) decided that they could use my services. So things are looking up. I'm back to working on things which are haze gray in color and tend to get underway at times. So, once again, it's all good.

Maybe I can sleep at night again. When I have too much time on my hands at work my brain tends to go into overdrive looking for things to do, and then refuses to throttle back at night.

Among other things, I'm reading this at the moment -

(Source)
L.B. is a friend of mine and, oh my word, can that lady write! Now this is not the sort of thing I normally read (so far nothing has exploded) but her writing is such a sheer joy to read. You don't really read it so much as immerse yourself in it. It's like painting, and poetry, and music, and memory, and oh so much more. Real good stuff actually.

It's a nice break from The Saxon Tales, so Uhtred will have to drive the Danes out of England later. At least he'll have to wait until I have the chance to finish Small Town Roads. L.B.'s writing is not something you rush through like a cheap pizza and a box o' wine . This is writing that you have to sit down and savor like a meal in a fine restaurant.

A good read, I highly recommend it!

And just because I haven't listened to these guys lately...



Good stuff.




at

38 comments:

  1. rkinionJanuary 28, 2017 at 5:35 AM

    "And just because I haven't listened to these guys lately...", I only got a black screen so I'm going
    to assume "These guys" are the Stones playing "Paint it black" :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 8:21 AM

      Hhmm, certain cell phones have trouble displaying videos, I know on mine sometimes it takes a few seconds to come up.

      What platform are you using Russ? (Just curious, there might be a remedy.) But no, it's not the Stones playing "Paint It Black." Hahaha!

      Delete
    2. a bearJanuary 28, 2017 at 8:31 AM

      Videos don't load for me, I see a blank space when using iOS 9 Safari. (I won't upgrade to 10 because they changed the pistol emoji to a water gun. Petty, but there it is.)

      If I switch to Chrome, articles with videos don't load at all, it sticks on a blank page.

      Delete
    3. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 9:05 AM

      What machine are you using a bear?

      Delete
    4. rkinionJanuary 28, 2017 at 10:44 AM

      I didn't really think it was the Stones, just being facetious. We were having internet issues this
      morning and were running extremely slow. I finally went out and tweaked the radio out by the road as we
      were leaving for Wally World. Video comes in great now and it's a good one. I've seen these guys before
      (I think on here) and really like them!!

      Delete
    5. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 10:51 AM

      I thought that might have been from your corny side. Don't ever change.

      😊

      Delete
    6. a bearJanuary 28, 2017 at 5:50 PM

      Trouble when using my iphone. Desktop machine doesn't have any issues.

      Delete
    7. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 6:54 PM

      Ah yes, the iPhone doesn't seem to like me. I shall investigate!

      Delete
  2. juvatJanuary 28, 2017 at 7:08 AM

    Loved the music. Two questions and a comment.
    1) Do you know where it was filmed? Want to add to my "Must Visit" list.
    2) How many cello bow strings do they go through in a given song?
    and
    1) They define "overacting". After admiring the scenery, had to minimize the video and just listen to the music. Just my opinion, YMMV, as a great American might say.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. juvatJanuary 28, 2017 at 7:10 AM

      Dubrovnik

      Delete
    2. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 8:23 AM

      They do tend to "ham it up," it's part of their shtick. Well, that and being really good cello players.

      They do go through a lot of bows don't they?

      Delete
    3. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 8:26 AM

      Dubrovnik rang a few bells. I've had friends travel that coastal area, gorgeous. The pictures confirm that.

      Odd that Dubrovnik's coastal area is detached from the rest of Croatia. No doubt so that Bosnia and Herzegovina could have a port. (Hhmm, shades of Danzig and the Polish Corridor of 1939!)

      Delete
  3. (not necessarily your) Uncle SkipJanuary 28, 2017 at 7:50 AM

    "Yup!"
    That kind of normal.

    ReplyDelete
  4. joehJanuary 28, 2017 at 8:18 AM

    I get the blah's this time of the year also. It's that vast gap between playoffs and the Superbowl, and then that horrible time where it is either basketball or figure skating...yuuck. Things pick up for march Madness and Masters golf, but I do need a football fix.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 8:28 AM

      Not a big fan of pro basketball and figure skating. Hockey doesn't hold my interest like it did when I was a kid. And the Bruins aren't doing all that well anyway.

      So yeah, there's that. (No doubt Skip could tell you how many days to pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training. Though I don't watch many games, I do follow the sport.)

      Delete
    2. juvatJanuary 28, 2017 at 9:20 AM

      Watching Baseball on TV is pretty boring. Watching it at the Park, on the other hand. Little Juvat and I, the year we were batching it at CGSC, made it to quite a few Royals games. They were always a lot of fun to watch.

      Delete
    3. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 9:39 AM

      At the park you get to interact with the crowd, there's the smell of the place, there's so much missing when it's on TV.

      Live is good.

      Delete
    4. joehJanuary 28, 2017 at 10:31 AM

      At the park is great. When I visit my brother in Atlanta we get to the game in 30 minutes, buy tickets at the gate for less than $20 a pop, and home after in 30-40 minutes. Getting to Yankee Stadium takes me over 1 1/2 hours, even longer to get home and cost around a million dollars without a dog and a beer.

      Delete
    5. (not necessarily your) Uncle SkipJanuary 28, 2017 at 10:33 AM

      Two weeks, two days

      Delete
    6. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 10:52 AM

      @Joe, I think the smaller cities do many things better. But I'm not really a city guy so I am kinda guessing.

      Delete
    7. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 10:53 AM

      Thanks Skip.
      😆

      Delete
  5. John in PhillyJanuary 28, 2017 at 9:15 AM

    I stumbled onto the 2CELLOS by listening to Whole Lotta Love vs. Beethoven Fifth Symphony. I check YouTube once in a while to see what is new with them. I might have to break my rule of not going to concerts if they show up locally.
    On the subject of L. B.'s writing, yes, yes, and yes. I try to read her books slowly, and I start off well, but then I begin reading faster and faster. I do read slowly on the second or third read through.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 9:40 AM

      We read L.B. the same way. Her writing is indescribably good.

      Delete
  6. PrairieAdventureJanuary 28, 2017 at 9:21 AM

    Good stuff indeed.

    It's howling a flippin' gale here but warming; temp should touch 40 today and the hot (?) wind will melt some snow and ice and build huge and unsightly puddles in low areas across the still-frozen ground.

    Pitchers and catchers report next week, and that is the flimsy reed I cling to at this time of year.

    I know you can't say, but every story I see about those gray things shooting those science fiction things I wonder whether you're not the man behind the curtain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 9:48 AM

      Only someone who has dwelled in the northern latitudes would get that when it's 40° outside, it feels warm. And the snow will indeed melt faster in that "hot" wind. Yup, it's all relative.

      Man behind the curtain? Nah, I'm more like one of these guys.

      Delete
    2. juvatJanuary 28, 2017 at 11:31 AM

      Green is a good color for you, Sarge!

      Delete
    3. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 11:47 AM

      And I'm short, don't forget that...

      Delete
    4. PrairieAdventureJanuary 28, 2017 at 12:25 PM

      Surely for the best; too much potential to be called out...

      https://youtu.be/YWyCCJ6B2WE

      Delete
    5. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 12:45 PM

      Hahaha!

      Delete
  7. AnonymousJanuary 28, 2017 at 11:30 AM

    Your post and your commenters, always so much fun.

    Paul L. Quandt

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mike aka ProofJanuary 28, 2017 at 11:42 AM

    It's like they say, "There's always room for cello!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 11:48 AM

      And 3... 2... 1...

      Commence monitor spray.

      Heh, good one Proof.

      Delete
  9. SCOTTtheBADGERJanuary 28, 2017 at 5:15 PM

    The nail in the wood on the cover makes me think of something I read in one of Eric Sloane's books on building in the 1700/1800's. The square cut nail of that era is a much better nail than the rod cut nails that we use today. The square cut nail cuts it's way into the wood, with each edge acting as a blade. The flat sides compress the wood and as each action has an opposite and equal reaction, the wood pushes back, wanting to go back to it's original shape. The nail is locked into place, and will not willingly back out. The round rod cut nail has no edges to cut it's way into the wood, so the nail forces it's way in by splitting the grain of the wood, eventually creating the possibility of failure. A moot point for me, as when I am putting wood together, I use a Ryobi 18V drill, a bit sized to the screw, and screws. And either Gorilla Glue, or Elmer's Carpenter's glue. But I found the information fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
  10. SCOTTtheBADGERJanuary 28, 2017 at 5:17 PM

    Is that marvelous Dr. Seuss tree yours or your neighbors? I really, really like it, no matter who owns it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OldAFSargeJanuary 28, 2017 at 5:42 PM

      It's ours and wow, first time I've heard it called a "Dr Seuss tree."

      Love it. Thanks Scott!

      Delete

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