obnkenobi

Thinking of a distant friend

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 17:53:04 GMT

This thought will bring you luck. Money back guaranty.

An Anniversary of sorts...

Tue, 16 May 2006 21:21:09 GMT

Previously, on Hankish - the network slayer:

Today is the mark of 4 years for my tenure here at Nuvo Network management.

Today, I was not congratulated, I was not reminded of years of duty with a heart-felt thank you, I was not mentioned in the weekly email from the uberboss (although others were) I wasn't even bought a coffee.

I would have forgotten had the HR lady and my manager had not brought it to my attention yesterday... Appearantly, they mentioned that I might be eligable for more training and 5 more days of vacation but they would have to get back to me...

When asked when I was last trained, I stated that Nuvo had never officially trained me even though I had asked at least once every year. I was asked if I remembered if my initial contract included a statement stating that at the four year mark, I was entitled to five more days of vacation. I said yes (as much out of reflex then anything else...) and this is being reviewed...

Perhaps the most humiliating thing that is happening is that after a year of working either days or evenings, we are going back to a rotation that includes midnights again. There was no advanced warning, there was no request for comments. Management (and I use that term loosely) decreed that this was fair for all and that this is how it's going to be.

Needless to say, I plan to leave here soon. Midnights robbed me of some of the better things in my life and I do not wish to lose more precious moments with loved ones due to bad scheduling. I was always able to cope with the stupid decisions of management in the past but now, I refuse to let them belittle me.

I only hope that this which is my life could throw me a bone and direct some luck my way.

To be continued...

Thunderbirds are GO!

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 01:16:16 GMT

It's that time of year again.

Time to terrorize the neighbours with ballistic objects that seem to attract children from blocks around...

The field is almost ready, the engins are primed, the parachutes are aired and the batteries charged.

It's Rocket season.

See you all in about 2 weeks...

-Rocketman.

The continuing adventures of OBN...

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 23:09:29 GMT

As challenged by Dearest Mamabare...

Low, did I awake one day to see a vision so lovely as to stir me from restfull sleep. Earlier, the voices of the radio did start and somehow stear my usual dreams of flight with snippets of weather reports and Metallica. I rolled over and saw a dark and obscured form of the Dapple gradually wake, become vertical and eventually make it off the bed. I had somehow closed my eyes (for just a moment) and had missed the next hour of the day. A fully awake and work-adorned honey-bunny was then at my side bidding me farewell for the day, and with trusses flowing she kissed me and floated out of the bedroom. Again, the next hour was lost to me as more dreams of flight concluded.

I awake to find my familiar staring at me from the pillow next to me. I wouldn't have noticed but the little imp meows up a fit as she tries to burrow under the covers... I grab said covers, pull them back and then engulf my little familiar in the warm and comfort of the flannel covers. A purr of contentment is my reward as she murmurs a muffled merrooww and then settles off for a nap.

YEE-CATS! It's late! I have to get up, have a quick shower and get my caboose into gear! Yonder does the morning sun wane from the half open blinds and in turn, tell me that I've overslept again! My familiar pokes a sleepy head over the flannel sheets (one ear turned over and inside out!) and gives me that grumpy, disgruntled face, eyes half open and claws stretched out. She yawns and proceeds to stretch out the rest of her chubby body in a somewhat roll/reach/collapse that eventually gets her entire form out from under the sheets. I laugh, she continues to give me 'the look'.

A shower gets me back to the present. Time resets and I feel like my normal self. My familiar has now positioned herself between me and the kitchen (in a rather round-about way) and will know doubt remind me constantly that her food bowl is empty and that this is not an acceptable situation.

She who is my familiar, is new to the job. My first familiar was a strong and powerful wizard who's ego truly filled the house. He was fast and swaggered with his own immortality and his Meow was law. All served him and only those who were worthy garnered his attention and thus, his love. She who has now filled his lofty roll is quiet and delicate in her ways and honestly tried to fill the gap. He still exists here and he is still much missed and loved but the graces and sheer cuteness of the female balance the scales. Gaia filled the void.

Food is placed into the bowl and a contented familiar head-butts the dishwasher in approval. A chirp from her and she is nothing more then a collapsed bag of fur on the livingroom carpet! I then eat a bit and prepare for the ritual of going to that place that I laughingly refer to as 'work'. In reality, I'm only spending time away from my loves to realize just how much I really do love them... My soulmate Dapple and my earnst sorceress in training who eats from a bowl.

End.

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 03:21:41 GMT

Damn. I took the DNA test and I'm a visionary.

Go figure.

http://www.personaldna.com/report.php?k=lduOfSepeqwDcPn-FP-ADADA-f022&u=28a38a27107d

Report from the underground...

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 21:32:26 GMT

OK, enough whining, I'm updating this silly thing... (sheesh)

'K, work blows floppy donkey dick. It's been like that for (literally) years now. I hate to bitch about this but on a lighter side, I laugh at the fact that they still pay me to do increasingly substandard work.

Substandard for some customers... There are actually some companies that I go out of my way to help - Midwest ISO for one. Nice people that don't micro-manage everything. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm underpaid, I would actually giggle out loud...

What doing... Saw Nickelback and Live and some other group that really wasn't entertaining... Nickelback was great and Live was truly phenominal! Greatly impressed was I with this... The Dapple was a perfect date for this event...

I miss summer. I have much more fun in the summer than winter... I'm not a skier or a skater and I relish the fact that I don't have to freeze me butt off when it's cold enough to pop the balls off a brass monkey out there...

You know what I miss in particular? Camping. Not that I'm a big outdoorsman and I'm still phobic about bugs but I miss campfires and fresh air and skinny-dipping...

Rockets. I've had two distinct dreams about rockets in the past two weeks. One was me watching a loud launch and marvelling at the smoke as it streamed up... The other was the electricity of the moment of launch... Gawds do I miss that! Mind you, it's only fun because it's a spectator sport!

BBQ's. There's just something about grilled beast. Again, best when enjoyed with like-minded individuals. Add some great German beer and we's got a happening...

Damn snow.

Long time running...

Thu, 24 Nov 2005 21:09:26 GMT

Wow.

Long time since the last report and I'm at a loss for what is and what isn't news...

I'm still missing my long-time friend. I can only hope that he's made it to his final destination and hasn't been waylaid along the way. I still see him out of the corner of my eye on those absent moments and I still expect him when I do the odd thing like go upstairs and look at the pillow he used to curl up on. Mind you, it's getting easier and easier every day... But not easy enough.

For those of you that don't understand just how much a cat can mean to someone, tough. I tried to explain it to someone here at (what I laughingly refer to as) work and just got a stunned look. I'm tired of trying to explain it.

Mind you all, the out pouring of sympathy me and the Dapple have seen from our friends is staggering...

Again, thanks.

I haven't had so many "Milo moments" lately (times when the mind wanders and a memory surfaces that causes me to water up the eyes) and I'm feeling that things are getting back to where they were... Minus the fact that the house still feels empty. Morganna is still finding herself, she is much more talkative and now eats all of her food (she used to only eat a bit and then leave the rest for Milo) but I guess she realizes now that there is no white cat to keep an eye on...

Morganna sleeps with us now. She rarely slept on the bed with us but now, it's rare for me to wake up and NOT find her stretched out on my feet. Goddess, that's a nice thing to wake up to. Strangely, she likes to sleep betwixt the Dapple and me and hog Dapple's side of the bed... Can't we all just get along?

A brighter note - Job interview tomorrow morning! Not with the place I thought but this one sounds interesting... More on that next time.

Since Dapple isn't into self promotion, I'll just have to advertise that it's her birthday on December 7th (a day that will live in infamy)so lets plan a bit and use this as an excuse to party it up! I'm not telling anyone what her age is as I have a deep sense of self-preservation.

Snow is here. I haven't driven in snow for 20-some odd years. I feel like one of the dukes of hazard.

To quote the Mamabare, WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

That is all, back your normally scheduled broadcast.

Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations...

Fri, 05 Aug 2005 15:09:02 GMT

I'm looking forward to some upcoming events.

First, tribe night. I have found that bouncing off of friends is a great way for me to relax. On some subconcious level, hanging out with everyone seems to add to the karma bank and this is a good thing. Karma = good.

Second, the Carp Airshow is still on. Anyone that knows me knows that I should be working for a museum or an airport or anything dealing with things that zoom through the air. The Carp Airshow is still a go and is on August 27th and 28th. I intend to be there and in line with the first, above entry, I hope friends can come too.

Third, Every two years or so there is a big model building contest called CapCon to be held at the Nepean Sportsplex. This event is in 6 weeks. Lately, I've been rather uninspired to build anything (as compared to my rather prolific past)but, last Wednesday, I finally popped into a local IPMS Ottawa meeting (International Plastic Modellers Society) and took home a first place. Funny that, because one of the guys who ALWAYS cleans up at these things entered one of his model airplanes that recently took a first place at the IPMS US nationals. He had to settle for second... I guess there's a first time for everything. Boy did I get a dirty look from him.

Have I mentioned rockets yet?

Glee.

Remember, tribe night is a good thing.

Wed, 03 Aug 2005 16:43:30 GMT

You Should Learn Swedish

Fantastisk! You're laid back about learning a language - and about life in general.
Peaceful, beautiful Sweden is ideal for you... And you won't even have to speak perfect Swedish to get around!

And to think that I've been pining for the fjords of Finland all this time... And I really... wanted to be... A LUMBERJACK!

("Oh, I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK, I sleep all night and I work all day...")

Stargate SG-1 blew my mind...

Tue, 26 Jul 2005 00:06:00 GMT

And I'll tell you why, but first, a moment from our sponsors...

OK, background: Stargate SG-1 has been on the air for 8 years and season 9 has just begun on the Sci-Fi channel.

I get them by download via bit torrent.

I loved the early years, and got by the fact that "McGyver" was starring in this show. The middle years were good but not exceptionally so... The last few years have been OK but hard to find on the telly.

RECAP: The show needed to be updated.

WHY I"M WRITING THIS: Someone out there in BC updated the show REAL GOOD.

How? Glad you asked.

Upset was I when shows like Andromeda, Farscape and Firefly were cancelled for no good reason. Upset was I that good actors and actoresses were cast out into a cold, heartless world without conventions to star at. I was upset and I wasn't going to take it anymore...

Ahem,

Low and behold, Downloaded did I the season nine episodes (1 and 2) and was thusly surprised and impressed with the new cast editions and storyline... All of the regular SG-1 cast members are there with the addition of Ben Browder, Cynthia Black and (get this!) Beau Bridges!

For the few heretics out there that DON'T know who these people are, Ben and Cynthia were the stars of Farscape (a fantastic show that didn't quite make it in the UPN sceme of things) and Beau Bridges is the lesser of the Bridges sons who can somewhat act. At least he's a movie star right?

The new base doctor is the woman that used to be the character "Andromeda" from the show of the same name... She plays a very good doctor and such.

Wow.

I really need to watch this show again... Stargate Atlantis is a good show but someone upped the benchmark by getting all of these high quality actors for season 9.

Thankfully, Kevin Sorbo did not make the casting call.

Oh yeah, the new Battlestar Galactica still kicks ass. Also available through Bit torrents.

Time to check in...

Tue, 19 Jul 2005 18:57:15 GMT

Alright.

Camping was fun.

I am not a camper. I am phobic about bugs... I can't stand them. So releived was I to see that there weren't any at our site at Algonquin Park!

Highlights: Being able to make fire out of nothing but kindling and my mutant optic beam powers... An my lighter. Waking up to fresh air and a naked Dapplegrey beside me! Skinny-dipping at the public beach after the sun went down, floating and watching the stars... all of them! Enhanced by some absolutly marvelous drinks mixed by the Shutterman1 and enjoyed (perhaps a tad too much) by all. Cooking over an open flame... Authentic smoked bacon!

Lowlights: Not enough people to share the experience with... Someone had a great idea of renting a cabin by a lakeside next summer so all of our crazy friends can hang out and just enjoy the scene... Nothing planned, no expectations of group activities, no real commitment except to show and have a good time!

Bugs still suck but the fun was there...

Skinny dipping is the BEST! Thankfully, it was dark and nobody could see me!

(blush)

In every revolution, there is one man with a vision...

Wed, 06 Jul 2005 16:37:00 GMT

My quest:

The understanding of all things that affect me and mine in my day to day life.

-I have a birthday coming up.
-I will soon be tested.
-I have deadlines.
-Creativity wanes while the need to wax poetic looms.
-Holdem' poker eludes me.
-A beach to walk on... No braid on my shoulder.

I am completely disgusted by the lack of quality PC video games available. So disgusted was I that I reinstalled Masters of Orion 2 the other day (copywrite 1998) and happily slogged off a few hours...

Usually, by this time of the summer, I would have seen at least ONE pair of naked titties through some random encounter SOMEWHERE in this city... This has been a constant since it became legal for women to do so some years back... This year? None!

To quote Snoopy - bletch.

Can someone please explain how to winat holdem' poker? I understand the rules but strategy eludes thyne simple self. No playing for clothing yet.

Something that might amuse th'Elf... The other day, one of my workmates called me a Goth.

Me.

Really now.

Aside from the fact that I like to wear black sport socks and black tee-shirts with my jeans, I really don't see the resemblance. True, I listen to the Cult, Iggy Pop, and other irksome bands in my cubicle, I would say that I'm not deserving of such a loft designation.

I'm new wave actually.

Unlike other people, I actually like birthdays... Mine is coming soon and I expect to be showered in presents, hugs and kisses! (shameless is the word)

Kat has something planned, so see you there.

That is all.

Petty be the theif who steals a heart...

Tue, 28 Jun 2005 01:43:27 GMT

I'm going to miss particular people when they leave soon for the other end of the great Canadian divide. I will miss them and I will hope and pray that fortune favours the bold travelers as they head West.

Reminds me of when I moved out here some 12 years ago... I gave up everything that was normal, comfortable, easy. My childhood friends all lived there (and still do) and it was possible to know someone who lived nearby no matter where you were...

And then I met Dapplegrey. We had been a cute couple for maybe 6 months or so and then she went to U of O to study fine arts. I decided to leave everything I had ever known and moved here.

Haven't looked back since.

Soon, (too soon perhaps) two and-a-half of my friends will follow through the same situation... I only hope they have the same luck I did when I came here.

Car Wars will never be the same. BBQ's will never be the same. Any-holiday-that-is-in-a-month-that-involves-a-gratuitous-house-party will never be the same. How am I supposed to enjoy science fiction without my favourite wookie? Snuggily hugs in gratuitous cleavage will not be the same... (But I'll have to do some checking to be sure)

Of course, I'm being overly dramatic.

I tend not to make close friends. I care deeply for only a handfull of people out there (you know who you are!) and I will not take this easily. I missed the EMTwench and B when they left for warmer climes, I STILL miss the Archangelis... And now my Wookie, my Mamabare and the widdle Boo are departing.

Perhaps if I keep repeating it, I'll accept it.

Then again...

Go figure...

Wed, 15 Jun 2005 22:55:15 GMT

a Pirate
You scored 4 Honor, 6 Justice, 5 Adventure, and 9 Individuality!

Arr matey. You may belive in honor, and justice, and you certainly have a sense of adventure. But mostly, you play by your own rules. Your code is your own and you are flexible in most situations.

Dress flamboyant and look into a parrot. I think you'll do fine.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 0% on Ninjinuity

You scored higher than 64% on Knightlyness

You scored higher than 20% on Cowboiosity

You scored higher than 85% on Piratical Bent

If you liked my test, send it to your friends!

The Cowboy-Ninja-Pirate-Knight Test
http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=14911521259611283941

Life has silly ways to force you to laugh once in a while...

Fri, 20 May 2005 02:30:39 GMT

Frak, enough about rockets.
Enough about lost vacation days, the neighbours yappy dog, the lack of bike rides in the sun, work or any other thing that's on my mind.

Something new.

Driving. Soon I'll have a G2 license and I will cruise.

I just saw that Dad-in-law is now a professional cruiseship gigilo and Mum-in-law just got a tattoo...

Dad-in-law just shipped a disk full of pics of him on a large boat, swinging with the biddies and living la vida loco...

Mum-in-law has a tat of a fairy on her shoulder. I don't have a tattoo...

Good for them.

Kat is a great driving teacher and I'm very glad to have her as such. Not too many nail indentations in the dashboard... I was sooo scared to drive these past 20 some-odd years.

I had a dream recently where no matter where I was, I was floating about three feet off the ground the whole time... but nobody was looking up. I was down town and there were people everywhere but nobody looked up at me... everyone just looked at the ground.

THIS is what happens when I start analyzing other people's LJ's.

An idea wasted...

Fri, 13 May 2005 18:39:22 GMT

I was asked recently just why I like to fire rockets up into the clear, blue yonder...

I've also been asked why I put soooooo much time into painting my rockets when, the possibility of them either getting lost, exploding or just combusting on the launch pad is so high...

I was also asked if this is a legal, safe hobby...

We can launch tomorrow if the wind is calm. We can launch tomorrow if the cloud ceiling is above 1000 feet. We can launch tomorrow if the rain isn't coming down in buckets. We CAN NOT launch tomorrow if there are people playing soccer or baseball in the neighbouring area...

OK, answer to the first question: I can see how air travels over a surface like an airplane wing or a rocket body much like Howard Hughes could. I can look at a surface and see just how air would react to it. Although I love aircraft and museums, I would gladly trade them all for a day at the airshow or just lying in the grass at the end of a runway watching the planes take off and land... I hope I'm not schizophrenic like Hughes...

Rockets make a grand sound as they shoot into the air. The bigger the engine, the better the sound! I also find that the anticipation of actually getting watching bystanders (usually kids) to scream out a count down raises the anticipation... There's fire and smoke and the idea that anything could happen... GLEE!

I like watching the air slip over the rocket.

I just can't field a rocket that looks like it was painted by an epileptic monkey... I have to build, sand, fill, prime, paint and then clear coat. No exceptions. I'm rather compulsive that way... I'm a Jedi, like my father before me... It matters not if they burn, crash or end up 1207209357 blocks away... At least they'll look great doing it.

Safe? I'm well prepared and ready for any contingiency... Legal? I measured out the launch site on a map and we are JUST outside of the circle defined as the Ottawa airport. We is legal.

Please, if you have any favours with those that control weather, I need a day without wind tomorrow.

"Thunderbirds are go..."

My name...

Wed, 04 May 2005 00:18:33 GMT

From the same site that La Goddess frequents...

What Does Your Name Mean?
HANK GRUBEN
H is for Handy
A is for Articulate
N is for Natural
K is for Kinky
G is for Goofy
R is for Remarkable
U is for Unreal
B is for Boisterous
E is for Extraordinary
N is for Naughty

GLEE!

Gahhh. Like I didn't know this already...

Wed, 27 Apr 2005 13:33:11 GMT

ENFP - The Champion

You scored 72% I to E, 42% N to S, 38% F to T, and 63% J to P!
Your type is known as the Champion type, which is part of the larger group called idealists. Nothing occurs that does not have some deep and ethical significance in your eyes. You see life as an exciting drama. You are very charismatic, yet tend to be too harsh on yourself for not being as genuine as you think you should be. 3% of the population shares your type.
As a romantic partner, you need to talk about what is going on in your life. You are a strong supporter for your partner's efforts to grow and change and be happy. You need to feel that same support from your partner. Expressive, optimistic, and curious, you are eager to enjoy new experiences with your partner, whom you wish to be your confidant and soul mate, as well as play mate. You are uncomfortable sharing negative emotion, though, and tend to withdraw from confrontation and process your feelings privately. You feel most loved when your partner appreciates your creativity, accepts your uniqueness, and sees you as the compassionate person you are. You need to hear your partner tell you how much you mean to them and would love if they did thoughtful spontaneous things to demonstrate it.
Your group summary: idealists (NF)
Your type summary: ENFP

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 84% on I to E

You scored higher than 60% on N to S

You scored higher than 26% on F to T

You scored higher than 60% on J to P

If you liked my test, send it to your friends!
The LONG Scientific Personality Test
http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=16567335035599898597

Roger Houston, Aquarius is at station one, Good night...

Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:46:42 GMT

A Monkey off my back.

Last fall, I couldn't of HAD a worse launch day. Overcast, damp, late in the day... Bad wiring.

Saturday was much better, Bright sunny day! Light winds out of the South West. Late afternoon... We fixed the wiring.

OK, First off the pad was a little "sounding" rocket that was painted bright pink and purple. This thing couldn't have been more than 6 inches top to bottom. The idea was to see it go up and then track it as it fell so that you can judge wind speed and direction. At least that was the plan! It launched, went up, blew its smoke charge and then disappeared off the face of the earth... No debris, no splinters, no NOTHING! I'm quite confident that it's still orbiting... F*** you NASA

The next little job was the Hobby Centre flier. Streamlined, lightweight and with the biggest freakin' engine I could cram into it. This one lit and proceeded to punch a hole in the clouds...

A note. With the wind being at between 7-10 km, we had the long side of the field to play with... We had at LEAST 2000 feet downrange to shoot rockets and then have them land. The HC flier went SO high, it floated (on a half open parachute) the entire 2000 feet and THEN four blocks down wind.
Lessons learned #1 - Use smaller rocket engines.

Alright, rocket # three was the boost glider that I thought wasn't going to fly (the engineering and math didn't seem right) This two-ship rocket powered into the sky straight and level. So much for math. The separation was good and the glider (attached to the back of the booster) detached and glided in little circles down to the ground... A stunning success!

Oh yeah, a little side effect of launching rockets in a big, public field is that every kid within earshot came screaming "THAT GUY'S LAUNCHING ROCKETS!!!"... Not only that but by the third lift off, we had managed to fill the bleachers at the baseball diamond that we were using as a launch site. Another side note, little kids make great recovery crews because none of us wanted to chase after them...

Rocket #4 - The Klingon battlecruiser. Built to be a display model at the <A href="http://www.hobcen.com">Hobby Centre, this thing just couldn't be expected to fly... It's heavy, it has ugly wings and protrusions and the thing just looks wrong. Sure enough, the flippin' thing flies straight and true into the sky and wows the crowd... Until the parachute failed. Little did I know but there really isn't much room for an engine and parachute... The problem was discovered when all the little parts were eventually recovered (Oh yeah, this thing hit the ground hard...) and the force of the ejection burned the cord that had the chute. Ouch.

Rocket #5 - The big, bad Mercury Redstone. OK, this one was the finale. For those of you that paid attention in history class, this was the rocket that first sent an American into space. For me, the appeal was a beautifully done nose cone that accurately represented the Mercury capsule that hurled Alan Shepard into space... Again, I crammed that biggest engine I could into the wah-zoo of this missile and lit it off - Instead of it shooting off like a bolt of lightning, it gradually lifted off (relatively speaking) and then powered into the afternoon sky... From my vantage point, I was about ten feet away and when I looked up, all I could see was this beautiful black and white finned tube belching fire until it disappeared... All pieces were recovered and it actually flew about the best of all of them.

THE NEXT TIME.

I was a little driven last Saturday. I desperately needed to test-fly these birds. Next time, EVERYONE gets to help load and then push the shiny red button! Much thanks to Captain Oblivious for finally tracking down the errant missiles. Much thanks to Mamabare and the Wookie for providing support and crowd control. Much thanks to Foxrobin for gently handling the birds and for getting us great weather for the day... Much Kudos to Dapplegrey for putting up with my single-mindedness that day! Oh yes, Li'l Bare was a great launch director.

P.S, The Hobby Centre gave me a BUNCH of rockets from past "rocket days"... mostly broken but with many usable parts. The fleet will grow.

NEWS FLASH : NEW LAUNCH DATE

Mon, 04 Apr 2005 23:55:30 GMT

OK, much talk.

Tribe weekend. We launch on that weekend. Pray to whatever god listens to you and get some warm, sunny and not too breezy weather for that day.

For those that do not know the id, I present the following link:

http://www.michaelborthwick.com.au.nyud.net:8090/rocketvideos/serpentine5_nrml_long.wmv

Have I mentioned that I have seen these things slam into the ground at 300+ mph?

THAT's entertainment...

See you all on tribe weekend.

Dreams of flight... Beware the rocket's red glare.

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 19:46:15 GMT

Oh boy, Spring is in the air...

The fields are clear. The grass is wet but not too wet. The batteries are charged, the cables checked, the moters inserted, the tower is cleared for flight...

Ecom - Go flight
CAPcom - Go flight
Telemetry - Go flight
Range - Go flight
Recovery - Go flight
Medical - Go flight

Hank's rocket season launch window is go.

I looked outside yeasterday and saw puddles and snow banks. Today, I walked to the bus stop and saw small, little humps of dirt-covered snow and soon-to-be-evaporated puddles. I bent down and touched the earth and felt a dry patch. Thoughts of launching rockets (and actually LAUNCHING them this time!) entered my head with an accompanying smile forming on my mischievious face...

I am thinking of BBQ's at the moment. I'm thinking that burnt flesh, grilled veggies and the ocational sub-orbital jaunt will be a good thing. I can't wait for the days when friends will watch as well crafted hunks of balsa and cardboard hurtle skyward... Watching the designated ground crew run like silly bunnies trying to catch the rocket parts as they decend (hopefully) gracefully. Watching them call their signifigant others as the parts get stuck in trees, roof tops, pools, etc.

The launch vehicles are varied... I built a wind tester that I'll launch first in order to test (you guessed it,) wind direction. This is a wee little thing that's meant to go up and then disintegrate... you then watch the parts flitter down and judge the wind direction, strength, et al. It's pink. It's pretty. It's slated to self-destruct.

The cruise missle. Larger, brighter, more robust. This will be the first to launch after the wind tester. This is just a standard design with stub wings, black and white markings and a decent parachute for recovery. Good "wow" factor.

The boost glider. Two rockets in one! Just as the name says, this one has two parts - a "booster" stage that has a parachute and a "glider" that releases from the booster at altitude. It's balanced, weighted, lightly painted, decaled and aerodynamically trimmed... I really have no idea if this one is going to fly. REALLY good "wow" factor - good "heads up" factor too.

The grand finally... The launch of the Mercury/Redstone rocket. Big engine, realistic Mercury capsule, dual parachutes, color and mega wow factor.

I can't wait.

"And the sea will bring men new hope..."

Tue, 22 Mar 2005 01:26:56 GMT

Actually, I think Spring is kicking in.

I like the fact that the days are longer. I like the fact that when I have to shlog my sorry ass into work at an ungodly hour of the morning, the sun is now up.

This Spring brings new hope for me and mine. I want to awaken the speed-racer in me this spring/summer/fall and get out on my bike... The roads up in Kanata are great for this. Back in the days before I met the most wonderful dapplegrey , I spent many hours plying the roads of my former city on my Trek 2500 Carbon fibre/aluminum composite. (prototype!, only 12 or so made in 1986) going for rides of 50-100 km was a regular event... I would ride in the rain, sun, whatever. I loved the rush.

When I first got my bike, it could go faster that I could push it. It didn't matter if I was streamlined and racing down a 5 km hill or drafting a semi on a long straight-away... I still have this wonderful bike. It's got to be 20 years old now and it's not showing any signs of serious damage. I've never crashed it and when last I removed the seat post (exposing the inside tubing) there was no "tell-tale" white powder that would indicate aluminum rot. The tires, tubes, seat, tape, cabling and bearings have been replaced during the years but overall, the bike is still solid...

... reminds me of a classic, vintage Ferrari.

Dapple rides too. I don't think I'll be riding too much with her because in the past, her training regime and mine don't see eye to eye.

On work days, I would get home, jump into shorts, fill the water bottle and then ride until sunset. Perhaps eat when I caught my wind. On weekends, I would sleep in and then ride until it got too hot. I remember once when I was doing some serious riding (about the only thing that I was serious about) and someone of the female persuasion said I had better legs than she did... And I shaved them better as well.

(editors note, Cyclists shave their legs for two reasons... 1) better aerodynamics and 2) MUCH LESS chance of infection when you crash and burn and get "road rash" over 90% of your body... Did that, still finding sand imbedded in my skin)

I will ride my bike and get fit. I will lose the 30 pounds I've gained since 1986 and I will have better legs than any of the girls I know. I will show up my lil' Dapple when it comes to shaving the tricky areas around the knees. In more ways than one, I relate to Robert Parr (Mr. Incredible from "The Incredibles).

See you on the roads.

ANUTHA QUIZ

Tue, 15 Mar 2005 18:16:16 GMT

What fun!

Take MY quiz...

http://www.quizyourfriends.com/yourquiz.php?quizname=050315131333-385572

Speaking of excellent TV...

Wed, 09 Mar 2005 00:35:48 GMT

I am a child of the 70's...

Saw Star Wars on opening day with my brother because I wasn't old enough to go alone.

I marvelled at Highlander and to this day, still quote from the movie.

As I have since I was a wee youngin', I still say the word "Frak" as opposed to other colorful metaphors.

Frak comes from BattleStar Galactica. For people old enough to remember the original BG, the show was a typical 1970's production with NO CGI, wooden acting and rushed-to-screen production values... A great idea (with some great actors I'll add)but hampered by the fact that they used the same special effects every week...

Now there's the new BattleStar Galactica. This is truely a wonderous show... It has seamless CG, magnificent actors (including Edward James Olmos)and the best scripts I've ever seen! I rate a show by the rerun value - whether or not a show is worth watching two or more times. There have been 7 episodes on and I would hasten to say that at least 5 are worth watching over and over just for the brilliant lines, the attention to detail and more intriging, the plot shifts.

Perhaps the best thing about the show is that they've explained the nature of the Cylons... Not just walking toasters (Although the new Starbuck keeps refering to them as such) but the "children of man and the likeness of God". Commander Adama has a past. Starbuck is more that just an insobordinate, card playing, cigar smoking comic relief. The president is a GIRL! Cylons can control ANY networked device. Colonel Tye has a drinking problem. Boomer is a GIRL! (And a cylon). Things are edgy, dirty and smart from a military point of view.

It's like I'm watching the BG that I wanted to see when I was a young dreamer.

To quote Skull:

GLEE!

Lost ambition....

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 03:15:09 GMT

Ever feel like your path had narrowed and the way isn't *quite* as visible as before?

I have decisions to make. I need to retrain myself. I need to update my certification in technomancy. I need to be more considerate to my back and neck. I need to lose weight and get fitter. I need to be more supportive of my lil' honey bunny (Dapplegrey)and believe her when she says that she's worked out all the bumps in my plan. I need to leave my current job because it is a poison that has slowly killed my enthusiasm for my techno profession and has distanced me from my lovely wife. Although I produce the wings that lift my imagination, I can not feel the wings nor the air that lifts them... The plastic is formless and where once the imagination could put me in the cockpit, I can now not see the ground.

Everest is a mountain that people climb. Egypt is a land to explore. The moon is a lofty goal. My next steps in life are (to me) the same in nature.

Next time, I'm coming back as a cat.