Dude! You got a telescope?

When I was a kid, I tried to look at the moon with my telescope, but I could never get it in view. Needless to say, I never found Jupiter or Saturn either.

I think I had a similar problem growing up.

Nice thing about this telescope? Thanks to its design, it's easy to sight the moon (unscrew a cap at the base of the cylinder and aim right down the barrel), plus it's got a groovy motorized, computerized base to help you find planets and stars. Once you've set azimuth, of course, which I haven't tried yet.

what time? I wanna watch!

Dude! You got a telescope?

Yep. I'm a bit leary of bringing it into work at Uni, but there's some nice dark areas working on the back side of the hill, and I'm damned tempted to bring it in just one night, and break it out at the end of the shift.

If, you know, that's cool with you....

I might be able to be convinced.

Hey, can you pop on IM for a sec Sean?

what time? I wanna watch!

The moon enters the umbral shadow at about 1:51 am Tuesday morning. Totality begins at 2:52, and lasts until 4:23.

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gorrum it. I won't be able to watch the whole show :( stupid morning meetings

I'm excited about the lunar eclipse!

A milestone morning. At 5:30 a.m., I heard a small "THUMP", jumped out of bed and found Olivia had escaped her crib and was trying to climb into bed with Owen.

I'm part AWWWW and part GRONK this morning.

And I think anyone who accepts a proposal is engaged. Women (and I'm sorry but it does tend to be women) who are so caught up in the symbolism of THE ROCK meaning they're engaged are socially brainwashed or silly.

Why isn't the coffee brewing itself?

My ideal dog comes in a poppy seed bun with pickle relish, tomatoes, onions, mustard, sport peppers and a pickle spear. Superdawg is allowed to substitute pickled tomatoes for the tomato and the pickle.

My ideal hotdog comes with fried onions, every kind of sauce it can cope with, and no sausage. Unless it's a really bloody nice sausage like unto no frankfurter I have encountered thus far (and I'm open to the possibility that such things are out there).

...

...I'm quite glad Super Porny Pants seems not to be to hand, because that looks a LOT dirtier written down than it did in my head. Er.

Meanwhile, wrt the engagement ring - God, yes, I don't get it. At my last school, the Perfect AllAmerican Blonde Christian Former-Cheerleader Music Teacher person who got engaged to the NotEvenSlightlyGay,NoSireeBob,NotMe,NoReally,ThatWouldUpsetJesus BradPitalike had this whole big engagement ring thing which clearly she loved, but I just didn't get it. Because he'd already asked her to marry him, and she'd already said yes (and although part of me will be rolling my eyes forever over that, another part of me thinks - well, gorgeous closeted gay boy who loves you and will be a great Dad - a gal could do worse) - but then he had to go and order the ring, and get the ring, and then take her off for a super romantic minibreak with a whole big candlelit beach picnic thing with romantic 'surprise' ring presentation ...and I was kind of "But - but you already said yes. Weeks ago. So how does this make you MORE engaged?"

::shrugs::

Whatever makes you happy, I guess. (But, for the record, I would TOTALLY go for an Engagement Laptop. Or an Engagement iPod. Or a Necklace/Earrings/whatever.) I'm not at all opposed to the idea of a ring, but I'd be quite happy with something I liked which cost 20 quid, rather than something with an expensive bit of stone that I'd lose - I mean, it's just a symbol.

And, Hil, although I've never owned or expected to own a diamond, you make an excellent point about the whole diamond mine thing - I've heard some real horror stories. Good on you for asking those questions, even if your mum felt embarrassed.

So, teachers - how was the first day back? Mine was nice - my class seem like a nice little bunch, and I'm trying Very Hard not to compare them to my last lot.

Oh, God - and Paul, whose romance with Barney The Toy Dog I must have mentioned, brought in a photo journal that he'd written, as per my instructions, recording his adventures with Barney over the summer - after he'd successfully talked me into letting him take Barney home. So now he gets to keep Barney forever, and I get The Cutest Book In The World. God. Pictures of him taking Barney to summer school, to the temple to visit the Buddha, to the beach, to visit his grandfather in hospital, and cuddled up with him asleep. It's like - God, it's THE CUTEST THING IN THE WORLD, is what it is. A little lovenote to a now-somewhat-bedraggled little white toy dog, written in painfully wobbly, careful handwriting (for writing is Not Paul's Best Thing).

Needless to say, Barney is now Paul's forever.

Anyway, gotta dash - somewhow it's almost 6pm already. Hope the rest of you had a nice day, wherever you may be.

Engagement iPods, I like that idea. I think I'll ask for an anniversary iPod. What year is cool, entertainment electronics?

I forgot to weigh in on hot dogs. Ball Park (as in at the baseball game, NOT the brand) are only fit with mustard, relish and onions. But I will admit, in my younger days to committing the crime of catsup. Then there is the Skyliner (with cheese and Skyline chilli--no onions). Or the generic chilli dog with cheese, also good.