Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Amateur astronomer's heaven

Well my wife is victorious with her battle against h1n1, and I went back to work last week, I have been working in Chicago at Fermi Lab



it’s a huge facility operated by the Dept of energy., the campus is almost 7000 acres, it was acquired by the U.S. government in the 50s. They had to buy out about 50 farms and a little (at the time rural town) to create the complex. It’s now an oasis of forest and prairie land in the middle of Chicago’s suburban sprawl. It has a four mile long circular particle accelerator/collider and is where some of the top physicist in the world works. It also has bike trails running through out it. I was able to meet an Author of a book I’ve been reading “Dark Cosmos” and had him autograph my book (cool) and was able to talk with him about his work for 20 minutes (very cool). Anyway the building I’ve been working in closes at 5 pm so I’ve been able to get some runs in around the campus, specifically around the four mile long tevetron. When ever I run this loop I’m always thinking these guys are sending particles around the loop in nano seconds, almost at the speed of light and it’s taking me an hour just to do it twice.

I was able to get a cool picture of Jupiter over the Wilson Building

And I took some pictures of the accelerator loop while on my run.




Oh I almost forgot when you order your next new car don't forget to check off the box under choice of color or you might get the default paint job


I spotted this car at a rest stop in the middle of Wisconsin, Interesting form of self expression.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

I was suppose to have been working I Chicago this week but my wife came down with Flu symptoms, 102 temp, achy, and sore throat she’s completely wiped out. Sickness drives me nuts, I don’t always do things meticulously but I do like to be in control, and when sickness strikes it really throws me off. After calling in to the flu hot line I’m told every case of flu is being lumped into H1N1 sense the seasonal flu is far from peaking, and my company just released last week a H1N1 protocol of if you are exposed to H1N1 you can not go to work until 48 hours after the person you are exposed from symptoms are completely gone. GREAT there goes my PTO for the rest of the year. I spent the day wiping down with alcohol pretty much the entire house. I am thankful that the weather this week is actually very nice, I’m trying to take full advantage of it before winter sets in.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed I don't start feeling a sore throat.

Today I was able to get in a 8 miler after dropping off William and Wes at their Grandparents I ran from their house (up on top of the hill in country club manor) down to the new trail around cascade lake that goes in toward town, I went down just past Kutzy and back, Kept them under 7:25s, felt good, it was a great afternoon to run.

Halloween was fun we took my cousin’s son Alex with us this year. William, Wes, Alex, and I made the rounds around my In-laws neighborhood. My in-laws were suprised how few trick or treaters there was this year. Last year they have over 150 (they keep track) this year 23 ??? Very strange. It has always bothered me how much candy the kids are able to hall in within 1 hour, but Trevor gave me a good Idea of trading the candy in for a present. It worked great (hook line and sinker) probably saved me $100 in dentist bills.




I also was able to finish my leaf raking finally. I have a pile at least 8 feet high, the kids have a lot of fun jumping in it.




I Was able to snap a picture of a deer in the back yard this week, eating the left over apples in our tree.



I missed the first off-season striders due to being out of power from the snowstorm. OK it is a poor excuse but after fretting all night if my little electric generator would keep up running my furnace, refrigerator, and freezer. I sleep right through my watch alarm. Better luck next time, I was able to build a snowman with the kids and get a 10 Miler in later (after the snow melted).