Metro is slow this morning; the trains are being told to go about 1/2 the speed of normal because the tracks are filled up with wet leaves, causing problems to the service.
That is understandable (although one wonders why metro does not hire people to remove the leaves at night); what is perplexing is how it [...]
Archive for November, 2007
Slow Metro Service
Posted in CUA, Metro on November 30, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Research Work at CUA
Posted in CUA, coffee on November 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
It’s been two weeks since I have been on campus because it was closed down for Thanksgiving. I am amazed at how many of the trees are still showing their blight plumage despite it being nearly December. The leaves are starting to turn brown and droop on many of the trees, so it is clear [...]
A Strong, Cold Wind
Posted in coffee on November 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
We continue to have winter- like chills today, but its effects are felt far greater by the strong gusts of air blowing past one’s skin. It would be nice to walk around if it were not for the wind; the sky is beautiful, and the moon continues to shine despite it being long past dawn.
Caribou [...]
Coffee and Laundry in the Morning
Posted in Seasons, Sleep, coffee on November 27, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Fall is almost over, and winter is trying to come in. To be sure, we have been rather lucky in the DC area: even now, at this late date, many trees are holding on to their bright, beautiful leaves; but it is very clear that as time progresses, more and more trees are giving way to [...]
Scattered Showers
Posted in Rain, coffee on November 26, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
It’s been a dark, grey morning, and we have had scattered rain in the forecast. We were told they would not arrive until late this morning or early afternoon: of course, that is not what happened.
I went to Caribou for coffee, and finished reading through The History of the Hobbit while I was there. On [...]
Bad Drinks
Posted in Church, Table Talk on November 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
As we were folding bulletins today, Marvin asked me if I had ever had rye whiskey and what I thought of it. I told him I had it once and did not like it at all: it was way too raw for it to be any good. He then said he used to drink it when [...]
Saturday Morning Rest
Posted in Books, cleaning on November 24, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Another Saturday morning, another cold morning. Two days of chills allows one to at least adjust to them. While I prefer a slightly warmer temperature, one where I do not need to wear a coat when I am outside, but cool enough so I do not need to run air conditioning in my apartment, I also prefer a constant temperature like [...]
It’s Christmas Time…
Posted in coffee, holidays on November 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Thanksgiving has come and gone, providing for us “Christmas time in the city.” Stores are now open, trying to make people want all they have to sell, so that shopowners can have a big profit this “holiday season.” But no one is fooled: it is not about Christ, it is all about the love for money, [...]
Thanksgiving Day
Posted in Seasons, coffee, holidays on November 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
I know I am going to get some heat for this, but Thanksgiving Day is a day which means little to nothing for me. I don’t know fully when I developed an aversion to it, but I have. People tell me I should take the day to contemplate myself and explain what it is that [...]
A Beautiful Morning
Posted in Seasons on November 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
What a difference a day can make: today the sun is out, shining, and warming the land. While the clouds in the sky clearly are making their presence known, the sun is winning out in the fight between the two, providing for this reprieve from the grey skies we have had the last few days.
It makes me [...]
More Grey Skies
Posted in Seasons on November 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Another morning with grey skies. It is becoming a habit. It’s the kind of sky one associates with a mid-winter morning, and not the fall. It seems that there was a little rain earlier, for I saw the ground and cars were wet, but it must not have been a heavy rain, since I did not [...]
Grey Day
Posted in Seasons, Table Talk, coffee on November 19, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Today is a grey, dreary day. The sky is overcast, the sun is blocked, making for a very cool morning.
When I walked to Caribou to get my coffee for the day I noticed some of the birds were active as normal, but it seemed as if there was half as much as is normal. Have many [...]
Sunday Morning Chat
Posted in Church, Table Talk on November 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Talking to people before liturgy at St Gregory’s, I learned 1) George was gone last week because he was giving a speech for Veteran’s Day (as one of the veterans of the Battle of the Bulge), and 2) Marvin is now sick, making him sleep in longer than normal in the mornings. He told me this [...]
Saturday Morning Cleanup
Posted in cleaning on November 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Another week has come and gone, and I have had another morning cleaning up my apartment so as to make sure no bugs take notice of it and find a new home within.
This week, I had less trash to take out than normal: there was a grand total of one and a half bags of trash, instead of the [...]
A Mighty Wind
Posted in Seasons on November 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
The rain is gone (although I saw several places where the ground is still wet), but the wind clearly remains. It’s a powerful wind, one which feels like it can lift you up in the air. Since it is now also cold outside, the wind is quick to chill, and one is required to wear [...]
Weather Guy Was Right
Posted in Rain on November 15, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Weather prediction can be difficult at best; because of this, forecasts are often wrong. Hence weathermen are woefully mistreated, with the public reacting to them as if they were astrologers predicting the future (even though either one of them could in theory claim superiority: a weather forecast is usually quite specific and with these specifics, the weatherman tends to [...]
Fog
Posted in Asanga, CUA, Church, Dissertation, Seasons, Sleep, Table Talk on November 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
A cloud of fog covers the ground. It’s warm outside, but a cold front is coming and will be here by tomorrow. With it comes predictions for powerful thunderstorms to be causing havoc in the area Thursday morning. The wildlife seems to know it: birds are out in a frenzy; they are flying around fast, gathering food as it is [...]
More Rain, More Heat
Posted in CUA, Seasons on November 13, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
This morning it is raining again. It had stopped overnight, but by the time I had to go out and make my way to CUA it started to rain again. I am at CUA all day – and I know the rain is supposed to come and go throughout the day with me. It would [...]
An End to the Chill
Posted in Seasons, Sleep on November 12, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Rain has come again, and this time, it has brought warmth with it, instead of the chill which came with the last storm we had. It’s not summer weather, but it is at least fall-like and mild. If it were not for the rain, one could probably go out without a coat, or, if one [...]
Wintery Sunday
Posted in Church, Seasons, Shopping on November 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
While we do not have snow, it is clear that the colder weather we have been having has been making the animal life uncomfortable and forcing them to take desperate measures to prepare for the winter ahead. This morning, as I was driving into the Target parking lot at Wheaton Mall, I suddenly saw in front [...]
The Shadow of Death Looms Over the Earth
Posted in CUA, Dissertation on November 9, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Walking to the library this morning, past the metro, I saw a dead, smashed squirrel lying on the road. It seemed to be a fresh kill, and I could only hope its death was quick and painless (although that is not too likely). Yet, it served as a good reminder of the way death is all [...]
Cold Wave
Posted in Seasons on November 8, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
It’s time for a real cold wave in the DC area; by the end of the week, the temperature will be in the 20s. It’s what one expects at the beginning of winter. Yet, when I look around, many of the trees still have their leaves on, many still are perfectly green and healthy looking. [...]
Early Start of Day
Posted in coffee on November 7, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
I got to an early start with my work this morning. I went to get some coffee at 6:30 (because it feels more like 7:30 for me), started my Balthasar reading for the day, and when the cup of coffee was finished, came back home and started my laundry.
I always hate doing laundry. Folding it [...]
More Of the Same
Posted in Balthasar, Doctor Who on November 6, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
I had to go to bed early last night; I was too tired to do much. That meant I was not able to sleep in today; I will have to try better for tomorrow to get my internal clock reset to fit the hour shift we went through.
Today must be Doctor Who Tuesday: the complete [...]
Ouch!
Posted in Seasons on November 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
I didn’t sleep well last night. I tried to stay up later than normal to force myself to sleep in this morning. While I was able to push myself a bit last night, I awoke at my normal time this morning. I will have to try again tonight and into tomorow.
Not only does lack of sleep [...]
Time Changes And Other Odd Things
Posted in CUA, Church, Seasons on November 4, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Clocks have been set back one hour. Everyone seems to be in a zombie-like state because of it. One might think with an extra hour of rest we would feel better than normal, but instead, too much rest makes one sluggish, making it that much more difficult to wake up properly. I wonder why we still put ourselves through such physical punishment two [...]
Goethe
Posted in Balthasar, Books, Seasons on November 3, 2007 | 1 Comment »
I tried to find some of Goethe’s scientific and artistic writings today. Reading Balthasar, who is heavily influenced by Goethe, I thought it would be right to do a bit of reading on Goethe myself. I always like to research influences on people I research and write about.
However, I found it difficult to find the books [...]
It’s Cold Outside
Posted in Seasons on November 2, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Today we probably won’t reach 60 degrees. A cold front moved in over night, causing the temperature to fall. But it’s not too bad, really. Nothing a coat can’t fix.
The Washington DC metro once again had single lined their red line track, causing a very slow ride back home. Metro has had more and more problems with [...]
And then the aftermath….
Posted in CUA, Halloween on November 1, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Walking on the CUA campus this morning, I quickly saw little pieces of pumpkin shell on the ground. At first, it was only one pumpkin; but the closer I got to the student center to get my morning coffee, the more smashed pumpkins I saw laying all over the ground.
I’ve never been able to understand [...]
