I Always Depended on the Kindness of Strangers...

Well, yesterday I had an interesting experience. I was invited to a party at a professor's house and decided (mostly because I didn't find out he lived as far as possible from campus while still living in Laramie -- I'd say at least 2-3 miles, given my walking speed -- until it would be too late to call for a ride) to walk it. And, like an idiot, I decided to memorize the MapQuest map insteaqd of printing it out. So, I'm wandering around a residential neighborhood, already 15 minutes late and getting ready to cry. I decide to flag down some passing cyclists. Not only do they live in the area and are willing to help me find the house, but the woman even rides abck to her house for the map in her phonebook when they don't know were the street is, beyond that it's around here somewhere.
The world needs more people like that.

OS, I went up to thr Wyoming Infrared Observatory (WIRO) last night. It was very cool -- that's the first time I've used a telescope wiht a mirror that large since Astronomy Camp in high school -- and it might have even been the biggest telescope I've used, ever -- the thing is about as big as the Hubble Space telescope (but ground-based, so the pictures aren't as spiffy... on the other hand, you don't have to fight tooth and nail to get time on it) -- with a mirror bigger than I am. It was also the first time I ever had to use liquid nitrogen in a professional manner -- we use it too keep the camera at a nice -120 C so that we can take pictures of the infrared radiation (which is produced in spades by anything at room temperature) of stars ans stuff. And oen of the few times I have seen a cloud lower than my feet while not being on an airplane.

The observatory also has effectly a house -- a kitchen, a TV room (with a lot of tapes and DVS, since we have no reception) three bedrooms (with bunkbeds... but the fitted sheets have vanished into the abyss), and a bathroom with shower. And a cat for the mice problem -- her name is Mu Bootes (Pronouced Moo Boots), and no one quite knows why she's the observatory cat, since she predates most of the faculty. Tiny thing... but very cute.

The weather was clear, but too humid to use the camera, save for a period from 2-4 AM. We spend much time watching Star Trek (original series...oooh...) instead. There was also dust on the camera, making weird donut designs on the images. In other words, normal Becky Observation Luck. And it wans't even my data -- I was just along to see the shiny toys.

Tomorrow I get my internet back... yay!

Nabbed from yuuo

Some of you have been here since the beginning. Some of you have only joined in recently. But you've all been here long enough to read something on this LJ.

Tell me something about my writing. Anything. Be as short or as long, as nice or as cruel as you like. Post anonymously or not. One rule: be honest and specific. Then repost this in your journal to see what people have to say about your style.

Note: I'm not fishing for compliments here. If you think I suck, or should remember to spell check because I have more typos than a blind dyslexic monkey, feel free to say. Hell, since I loathe the Culture of Nice mentality in fandom (read: we all have to be simperingly nice and polite to one another, to the point of excluding any real criticism or any hiont our fellow fans are less than perfect, or we're those Bitchy Girls From High School... unless we don't sign our names, in which case it's okay to be an insulting asshole) feel free to sign your names. I'm a Big Girl and can tell the difference between people telling me my work needs work and people insulting me. Otherwise, I pity the tantrum I'd throw when I get my first peer-reviewed journal article rejected.

Well...

I don't know why, and I don't know how, but the internet in my room has come back to me.