Thanksgiving and the end of the semester have been busy times, and I have not kept up on my gratitude lists. To make up for the gap, here is a triple-length edition!
- My new 128 GB USB drive arrived
- The drive works with both my Linux laptop and my phone
- Successfully downloading new open source video editing software
- Using that software to trim the recordings I have made from VHS tapes.
- Reformatting my new USB drive so that it can be read by Windows, Linux, Android, and hold large video files.
- Getting many chores done on Sunday (Nov. 19)
- Watching the children of two friends in a production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
- Helping my wife with her work
- Deciding on which antenna to keep
- Deciding how and where to mount the new antenna
- Good and surprisingly emotional discussion of Christmas memories and music at church
- I was able to find and by White Out (liquid paper) when my wife needed some
- Our fall band concert went very well, and several of our friends and colleagues attended
- The concert was live streamed and is available to watch again (our band begins at about the 50 minute mark)
- Physics Department Thanksgiving Feast
- My wife providing our contribution to the feast
- Good conversations and fun at the feast
- Leftovers from the feast
- One of my students made some good looking plots for a presentation I gave
- Making plans for the Thanksgiving break at home and for work
- Bringing treats to the final band class of the semester
- One of our band members demonstrating a kayagum, a Korean musical instrument
- Interesting Inclusion Committee meeting
- Learning more about myself and how much childhood experiences affect my current attitude towards money
- Teaching my last class of the semester
- Getting my final and exam and solutions written on time
- Taking snacks to the Physics Department Gift Exchange
- Getting a gift I actually liked at the exchange
- Hanging up our inside Christmas decorations
- I also discovered another part of fractal human culture: pens!
- Physics Lunch Club at Mackenzie River
- Finishing the editing of all of our VHS to digital transfers
- Good discussions about selecting our next book for the Wobbly Table
- Successfully installing the new antenna on our deck
- So far the antenna is working, and we are receiving 21 channels over the air with clear reception, including the one I was most concerned about.
- Final garden harvest of the year!
- Making kale and carrots with the harvest from our garden
- My wife was excited that she was finally able to make progress painting our kitchen
- The kitchen looks beautiful
Before:
After:
- She was also to hang up the new baskets at the left in the picture above
- Moving the fridge out of the way for painting was fairly easy
- Being invited to a friend’s house for Thanksgiving Dinner
- Bringing dessert and snacks to the dinner
- Wonderful food for Thanksgiving
- Catching up with friends
- Meeting new people
- Taking home leftovers
- Saving the leftover turkey bones for making broth
- Interesting colloquium on the recently discovered neutron star merger GW170817
- Having lunch with the colloquium speaker
- Helping a colleague by proctoring a classes evaluation
- Watching Clarinet Madness perform at the mall
- Lunch at the mall food court
- Skype conversation with a good friend (Dec. 2)
- A beautiful Christmas concert at the Cathedral
- Seeing two tuba players playing their tubas while walking
- Hilarious performance by Σ Improv (Sum Improv), which is our student drama club’s monthly improv event
- Σ Improv accept several of my suggestions for “Scenes from a Hat.”
- Helping a friend move
- The friend fed us pizza and bread sticks for helping move
