Les Fleurs du Mal - 03 February 2022 - Plague Journal Day 693

Micah 6:8
Song of Solomon 2:11-12
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is Doggy Date Night! I think Billie will be getting a good walk today. Yesterday she was neglected in that area as I spent far too much time clearing the heavy, wet snow from the driveway and sidewalk. There wasn't nearly as much as they predicted (no surprise, really), but good grief it was heavy to move.
At any rate, she didn't get a walk, so I need to make that up to her tonight.

By the way, the Soviet unmanned spacecraft, Luna 9, made the first ever soft landing on the Moon on 03 February 1966. I'm not sure what happened to Lunas 1-8, but at the very least their landings weren't soft. The Soviets/Russians have a problem with landing things other than on the Earth for some reason. Mars (the Red Planet! Ha!) sure doesn't seem to like them.
http://iheardacouplethings.blogspot.com/2011/11/russians-asteroids-and-mars.html
http://iheardacouplethings.blogspot.com/2011/12/nasas-opportunity-rover-has-found.html
http://iheardacouplethings.blogspot.com/2012/01/are-russian-space-troubles-from-beyond.html
http://iheardacouplethings.blogspot.com/2012/02/russians-cant-get-to-mars-so-theyll.html

Today's freewrite prompt word is Blossom:

I know there was a TV show called Blossom, and that one of the current Jeopardy hosts played the title character, but I don't really have any memory of it. It might have been the greatest show ever, but if it was, I must never have seen it. If I saw any of its episodes, they must have been bland enough that they made essentially no impression on me.

On a related, yet totally unrelated note, the State flower of Michigan is the Apple Blossom. You know what they say, Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice!


Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

I'm Watching - 07 October 2021 - Plague Journal Day 574

Micah 6:8
Genesis 4:9  Matthew 5:23-24
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?
 
First for a celebration. I wish I had known of this before today so I could have encouraged  others to take part in it - today is Bring Your Bible To School Day, celebrated the first Thursday of October each year. That's a great thing to do - and not only on this pseudo-official holiday, but rather every day. I have kept a Bible in my briefcase for many years, so I've always had one with me at work (and probably at school as well, thinking back to my university days).

Now, let's note a couple remarkable events that happened on this date in history.

In 1959, folks here on Earth got our first glimpse of the far side of the Moon. The Soviets sent the Luna 3 spacecraft around the Moon where it took pictures which it sent back to Earth, covering about 70% of that far side. (Please note that the far side is not always the dark side of the Moon - if it were, we would always have a full moon rather than cycling from full to new over the course of each month. I still like Pink Floyd, but I don't count on them for my astronomical information; after all, who really wants to set the controls for the heart of the Sun, eh?)


One year later, the birth of my sister, Jacki, made me a big brother - an office which I still occupy with some pride and trepidation. Thanks, and Happy Birthday, Jacki! (One wonders if the lunar coincidence has anything to do with her predilection to mooning.)

By the way, please make a contribution to WRCJ-FM to keep classical and jazz music on the air in the Detroit area.

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

23 July 2020 - Plague Journal Day 133

Micah 6:8
Matthew 15:26-28
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?


There's something special about dogs. They not only bring out the best in us, but they often serve as good examples to us of how we ought to live.
Just a few days ago we were commemorating the first men to walk on the moon. I wonder how many of us recall that the Soviets sent a dog into space on Sputnik 2 - her name was Laika (Лайка if you prefer) - less than a month after they had launched Sputnik 1 and sparked the great Space Race. She was the first living Earth creature to orbit the Earth.
Less well remembered is Otis, the first American dog on the Moon (Luna if you prefer) who was sent there just before Apollo 11 in order to determine the composition of the lunar soil. He found it to be very pleasant to dig in, and reported that finding to Houston with a merry wag of his tail.
Here's some rare archival footage from his exploration. A bit of potentially useful trivia is that the first command issued from NASA to a dog on the moon was a palindrome: "Sit, Otis." Alas, there is no evidence that Otis ever sat - he was too busy expressing the terrier aspect of his heritage.





Otis, a grateful nation sends you its thanks and appreciation. Good dog.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.