Today is the spring equinox. From an orbital perspective, this marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. The tilt of the rotation of the Earth, relative to the line through the middle of the sun about which we orbit, is what drives seasons on this planet. For all my friends in the southern… Continue reading Equinox
Category: Life
Moar Ice
An ice storm is descending on the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Our car was encased in a thin shell of ice that was hard to scrape off. We left SMU as soon as we could today (right after my last class) and took side roads all the way home. We passed one accident – a smashed… Continue reading Moar Ice
Racing down the Omicron Mountain
North Texas, like many other parts of the U.S. Southwest, seems to be falling fast down the far slope of Omicron Mountain. The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 exploded across the globe and quickly became the dominant strain, now accounting for 98.8% of all COVID-19 cases world-wide. It led to a rapid rise in cases through… Continue reading Racing down the Omicron Mountain
A Day of Ice and Teaching
It warmed up just a little above freezing today, and the sun came out and played its light on the ice encasing the trees. It was a day for cold and for virtual teaching, as we continued to work remotely but classes moved forward. I dusted off my old remote teaching rig and, surprisingly, everything… Continue reading A Day of Ice and Teaching
Ice Day
A day of 20F temperatures, snow, ice, and sleet. This cold snap will last another two days before things warm up again. It really is quite beautiful, and I am able to work from home (even to teach class) during this weather event.
Down the Omicron Mountain
Collin County, Texas, is heading down the mountain of Omicron. This strain burned through the population of the Dallas-Fort Worth region, causing the most significant damage to people who have not been vaccinated. We have a ways to go, but the momentum is heading us back toward a lower level of SARS-CoV-2. Where we go… Continue reading Down the Omicron Mountain
Couch time!
Sleet is falling outside. A winter storm is upon us! Only the couch can save us.
Signs of Life
The spring semester is about to begin. I thought it would be nice to share signs of new life among the various plants in my indoor garden. A new pea plant sprouts in the hydroponic garden.
Here comes winter!
My part of the U.S. has been experiencing anomalously high temperatures for December and January. All of that changes today. A cold front is sweeping into the region and the temperature is plummeting. With wind chill, we’re expected to hit single- or low-double-digit temperatures tonight and tomorrow. Winter has finally arrived! This is not expected… Continue reading Here comes winter!
What happened? 2021 edition.
What happened? I started this year with an intended focus on wellness. I resolved to use this blog not as a place to write long articles about the abuse of science and reason, but as a place for me to focus on efforts to exercise, adjust my eating habits, and reflect on the world around… Continue reading What happened? 2021 edition.