Today's sighting: A large painted turtle. Watched it until it got nervous enough to toboggan down the 20' bank into the pond.
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(1)
03:11:38 PM,
Saturday 19 June 2004
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Last night, as we stepped out of the house around sunset we saw a coyote. It glided out of the yard of the house at the end of the street, next to the pond, and down the road, maybe 100 feet away. Had we gone out a few minutes earlier, we would have been at the pond, and it would have gone 10 feet behind us without us knowing. It didn't move anything like a dog. It's hard to describe, but the way it held itself, the way it looked at us without acknowledging us. We were just something to be kept track of, not something to be interacted with. Completely silent. Wasn't even remotely frightening; loose dogs worry me, I'm still a paperboy somewhere, but this didn't. It wasn't running, trotting, I suppose would be the term, effortless, faster than seemed reasonable. Tail down, head up, looking at us without breaking stride. Was clearly heading somewhere. There are 8,000 people per square mile in Arlington, yet we have a coyote. The world I think in, of roads, property and traffic regulations is superimposed over another. Right down the middle of the empty street, a coyote. It didn't look lost or worried our even out of place, exactly. Lay awake half the night marvelling at it. Filled me with joy, for no reason I can quite explain.
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(5)
09:27:00 AM,
Thursday 17 June 2004
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I heard someone telling me that my boss would be wittering in a few minutes, which was true, but she said ordering. When I tried to explain this confusion and why it amused me, I simply got uncomprehending sheeplike gazes from my audience. It isn't even in my horrible dictionary. Also, my department's Grand Poobah said we should all try to become more facile, which was the sum total of the afternoon's entertainment. Facile Wittering would be a good name for this blog.
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02:42:58 PM,
Wednesday 16 June 2004
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Lest we forget: Indian dance and music festival at MIT weekend after next.
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11:12:04 PM,
Monday 14 June 2004
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6 or 7 years ago, tired of the straps and zippers wearing out on backpacks, I bought a Tom Bihn backpack, and it is still in perfect working order. Today, I came across the company again in Snopes. Glad they survived. A bit disappointed that their current bags are nothing like as ugly or sensible as mine.
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(4)
12:22:23 PM,
Monday 14 June 2004
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Was growled at by a baby skunk, in full daylight, on the bike path.
Spent a good long while watching the fish in the pond. When it is calm, the sunnies are mad for insects, and will snap at anything you toss to them. I can understand fishing; watching them like that, you want to get your hands on them. However, I know from experience that panicking fish aren't something I like having to deal with. Going to try to photograph them instead, though I suspect this will be nearly impossible.
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(4)
11:59:10 PM,
Friday 11 June 2004
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There are gray, shadowy monster-carp in Spy Pond. Well over 2 feet long. You aren't supposed to eat them, great soil-sifting beasts that they are, they collect clordane and DDT. On a still morning you can see them, lurking beneath the surface. Once they spot you, they flick their tails contempteously and glide away.
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(2)
10:18:46 AM,
Friday 11 June 2004
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Pong statistics:
Return rate
Deflection rate
Adjustment rate
Miss rate
Opportunities
Velocity Avg
Angle Avg
Offensive %
Defensive %
Own Goal Rate
Bounce Average
Points Per Game
Points Allowed Per Game
Points per Minute
Points Allowed per Minute
Puck Acceleration
100m dash time
There will also be more advanced metrics for looking at endurance and aim. All of this should create enough noise to mask the actual ability scores.
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05:27:41 PM,
Wednesday 9 June 2004
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Who first said "Mwa-ha-ha"?
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(3)
04:26:34 PM,
Wednesday 9 June 2004
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No relation.
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08:56:06 PM,
Tuesday 8 June 2004
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08:55:46 PM,
Tuesday 8 June 2004
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Got up at 5am this morning, walked around the pond before work. Found cygnets, on the previous page.
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05:37:22 PM,
Tuesday 8 June 2004
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site & script courtesy of Moss
