An Offering for Christmas Eve

This time of year is significant for many people. Some recognize the birth of Christ, others the miracle of the lamp oil, still others the solstice and the return of light.
Light is a common theme - the light of the guiding star, light of hope, light of God, light of the sun. So too, the restful darkness that lets us appreciate the light and renew it within ourselves.    
It is also a time to appreciate the light of knowledge. A time to celebrate our ability to light the dark and keep warm in the cold. A time to marvel at our ancestors observing the skies and knowing the changing seasons.
The finest reminder of the light for me is the Christmas Eve broadcast from Apollo 8 in 1968. The crew and their craft represented a coalescing of light - the light of knowledge and ingenuity, the light of bravery and exploration, the light of faith - in God or scientists and engineers.
The account of creation in Genesis, of the creation from darkness was apt-regardless of personal belief - as a major part of the Western canon it influences art even today. And the theme of naming having power and causing things to come into being is a common one in mythology and can be seen in a way in the voyage of Apollo 8 itself.     President Kennedy called for the US to send a man to the surface of the moon and bring him back by the end of the decade. He spoke, millions listened, thousands worked and created and transformed words into actions and things.

So, on Christmas Eve, I wish you all well in the restful dark and the returning light and offer you the reading given by Frank Borman and Jim Lovell and Bill Anders from the depths of space between Earth and Moon on December 24, 1968. 

Ozymandias Improved

Last month, I decided that improving Shelley's poem Ozymandias needed to be on my time-travel to-do list.

Today, I saw something about the site xtranormal, which lets you create little animated movies with whatever script you'd like.  It's fairly easy to use, even if you have practically no video or animation experience.  Inspiration, or possibly migraine aura, struck and so I decided to make a short movie with the improved version of the line in question.




I can't quite get him to say "bitches" the way I'd like, but hey, for 15 minutes of effort, not bad.

Archaeological Geekery

Okay, so it's about "Vile Asiatics" but still kinda cool.

Very Cool Ancient Writing Demonstrations Video

Facebook | Videos Posted by Oriental Institute- University of Chicago: Visible Language

As I've mentioned before, the next temporary exhibit at the Oriental Institute is "Visible Language" focusing on the development, spread, and use of writing in ancient Egypt and the Near East.

Even people who are not a part of Facebook should be able to view the video at the link above. If you can't, please let me know in the comments or via email and I will be sure to make other arrangements.

It's a great demonstration of how Egyptian hieroglyphs were written with reed pen and ink on papyrus and how cuneiform was impressed in soft substances like clay with a wedge-shaped stylus.

There isn't any commentary, but it's still a fabulous visual demonstration. The Egyptian is written by Ray Johnson, who is the director of the Epigraphic Survey in Egypt and the cuneiform is written by Theo van den Hout, who is a professor of Hittitology and currently the head of the department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago. They're both two of my favorite people around the OI (well, Ray is in Egypt 6 months of every year), so I'm especially happy to share the video.

3D printed Replica of King Tut 's mummy

Eeeeenteresting...

Why the world is really going to end in 2012

Because the capuchins (the monkeys, not the friars) are coming for us.  For serious.
The following video was posted on Cute Overload today:


Watching the whole thing is awesome.   Much of it is squee-worthy, or at least was to me and I have to give the videographer mad props for not frightening off the monkeys by squeeing is paroxysms of delight when watching the monkeys.  However, if you don't watch the whole thing, at least watch from about 3:30 onward.

Yeah.  Little buggers are all about some dropping big heavy things from heights.  On purpose.  At enemies.

"Yeah, fine, whatever, the live in South America, in the jungle, so what?" you say.

Well, then, watch this:


Oh yeah, we're screwed.  It's only a matter of time before the ones in the wild learn to drive and fly planes.  Then they'll meet up with all the "domesticated" helper monkeys.  And then...well, my friends, then those of us with a plan will be safe and sound and the rest of the world will devolve into utter, capuchin-controlled chaos.

Unfit

So, in an effort to reduce anxiety and get in some stretching and light exercise, I decided to check out what Netflix instant play and/or video podcasts had to offer in the realms of yoga and Tai Chi    I need very low-impact things.  I was trying to avoid yoga just because it can be so challenging for me to get on and off the floor, but I think I may not have a choice.  I'm also tending to prefer videos to classes because a)  I'm cheap; b)  I want something to do even when I don't feel up to leaving the apartment.

So, I found a cool-looking video podcast (Tai Chi for Well-Being) of the 24 basic Tai Chi poses.  Unfortunately, it was waaaaay too complicated for my fragile brain and crippled body to follow.  Even with Tom trying to help me that was a big "hell, no, not happening."  I either need a real, live, very patient good-humored instructor or a video that breaks things down into very small, very slow steps.

So, I instead tried  Healing Yoga:  For Common Conditions  which is aimed toward people who have issues with weight, diabetes, and/or high cholesterol.  Not really me, but whatever.  It's broken into three sections.  You can do just one or add on.  I got through the first 12 minute session only barely.  Srsly.  I'm still super wobbly/shaky all over.  And I'm having more involuntary movements, but at this point I've almost given up trying to control them.

It's just basic breathing and some stretches but was still super hard and seemed really fast and hard to follow to me.  Tom was watching, though, and said I did pretty well, so maybe it was just me.  It's sort of hard to tell if it's partially my cognitive junk or if it's that I can't move quickly, or what.  Anyway, I'm tired out.  If I don't find anything better, I'll probably try to stay with the first session on a semi-regular basis until it gets easier and then move up.  I have to be careful not to over-do it or it will be counterproductive and wind up with me in bed for a day or more recovering, which sort of defeats the whole purpose.

Oreo is also tired out.  He "helped" by occupying the very center of my yoga mat, barking at the TV when the woman first went into a downward kneeling pose, and refusing to get off my mat when I needed to put my hands where his butt was.  So, we both got a workout.  He's sleeping it off curled up on my lap right now.

So, I have a few other things in my Instant Play queue to try (I love my Roku).  It will play video podcasts now via Mediafly, too, which is also awesome.  If anyone has any workout recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

I've given some thought to a Wii Fit set-up, but I'm a little worried about the balance board - mostly I'm worried about falling off the balance board.  My balance is dreadful.  If you give me a field sobriety test I fail.  So, I'd hate to spend $100 only to have a bunch of stuff I can't use for fear of breaking myself.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ordinarily I would post a clip of WKRP in Cincinnati, ("As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!") but I thought I'd mix it up a bit this year.


Best line:  "That's not necessarily a deal breaker."

Happy Halloween!

Look at her go!

Beautiful launch today of the Ares I-X rocket.  She's supposed to be the launch vehicle for the new Orion capsule.  The two together are planned to be replacements for the Space Shuttle.

Seeing a launch in person is on my list of things I want to do someday.

Yet more evidence that I am a ferret: this is totally how I play guitar

Video: Ferret Vs. Guitar @ Lolcats ‘n’ Funny Pictures of Cats – I Can Has Cheezburger?

Be afraid, be very afraid (again)

My friend Chip was kind enough to remind me of this advertisement today. Even though I hate Mountain Dew, I lurrrve the commercial:

Happy Independence Day!

In honor of the holiday, I give you the following video, found courtesy of an old friend of mine. (Thanks, Sara!)

American or not, may your day be happy and fun and possibly filled with Muppets!