The Mandelbear's Musings

Reasonably productive at work. Somewhat productive at home. Booked air travel for Mom's birthday (which I was able to pay for with points! Go me.) and OVFF. (Membership and hotel for OVFF were already booked.)

Practiced. Some days not all that much, but every day.

Lots of puttering around the house, but there's still a lot -- mostly paperwork and coordination -- that isn't getting done. Still employed, but worried. When I stop working, whether it's now or in a couple of years, things are going to go to hell very quickly. N and I are starting to brainstorm other things I could do, but it's still not going to be enough to keep things together.

I hate this.

Links, as usual, in the notes.

0927Su
  * up 6:48; W=195.8; laundry
  @ Solar has won. Even if coal were free to burn, power stations couldn't compete |
    Giles Parkinson | The Guardian (G+)
    " The gyrations of wholesale power prices are rarely reflected in consumer power
      bills. But let’s imagine that the wholesale price of electricity fell to zero and
      stayed there, and that the benefits were passed on to consumers. In effect, that
      coal-fired energy suddenly became free. Could it then compete with rooftop solar? 
        The answer is no. Just the network charges and the retailer charges alone add up
      to more than 19c/kWh, according to estimates by the Australian energy market
      commissioner. According to industry estimates, solar ranges from 12c/kWh to 18c/kWh,
      depending on solar resources of the area, Those costs are forecast to come down even
      further, to around 10c/kWh and lower. "
  @ How many solar panels would we need to power the Earth? - Tech Insider
    "an area the size of Spain" 496,805Km^2 total.  See maps to see how small that is.
  @ Capitalization After Colons | AP vs. Chicago (when to capitalize.)
    OTOH the article goes out of its way to lobby for a single space.  To which I can only
    say: foo.
  * Practice:  Ship of Stone - singing, off book
  $ 499 Book air travel for OVFF.  Thursday - Monday; same as the rest of the family
  * submit vacation request.
  * Book air travel for Mom's birthday.  Means taking a flight that leaves 8:55 on Th.
    Was able to do that one on points, with 2000 left over.  Th - Mo, as usual.
  * Made chicken piccata for dinner
  : 7:36 still no sign of the moon -- it finally came out just after totality
  * Applied silicone caulk to the edge of the shower by the door; that had apparently been
    missed.
  % Still lots left undone that I wanted to get to this weekend.
  % 9:30ish:  slowdown.  Not just sleepy -- overwhelmed.

0928Mo
  * up 6:15; W=193.8; dishes
  ! very pleased about my weight.
  * spoke with (HR person) H about the fact that depression is a disability.  Maybe
    something can be done after all.
    @ Accommodation Ideas
    "  Among all medical illnesses, major depression is the leading cause of disability in
       the United States and many other developed countries. "
    Accommodation Ideas for Depression
    Accommodation Ideas for Employees who are Aging
  @ CDC - Workplace Health - Implementation - Depression 
  @ President Obama Acts To Stop the Unconstitutional Criminalizing of Homelessness
    f(Kirsten Wyatt)
  @ 5 Radical Ways People Do Non-Monogamy That You Need to Know About f(Allegra
    Sloman) 
  @ ConChord History Page
    Some good pictures of Colleen, me, and Tres Gique in the late teens/early 20s.
    ConChord 21 especially
  * practice.  SoS, MD, QV (uncapoed), Bad Guys.
  % Thinking about Curio's song, with tears.  It'll come together soon, I think.

0929Tu
  * Up 5:45; W=194.2; 
   @ Open Letter Regarding Official Prayer And Religious Statements At Walnut Hill
     Elementary/Middle School | American Civil Liberties Union
     The "Principal's Message" linked from the ACLU's open letter also includes "The
     Walnut Hill faculty constantly reminds our students that a belief in and reliance on
     God will ensure them success and joy."
   @ When Schools Overlook Introverts: Why Quiet Time is Important for the Learning
     Process - The Atlantic 
   @ Blank Your Monitor + Easy Reading :: Add-ons for Firefox

0930We
  * up 5:55; W=195.8;
  * Practice:  Grandfather's Clock, Ship of Stone (sung), Bad Guys, Millennium's Dawn, QV,
    assorted small noodles 
  % 9:30ish pm: sleepy.  Dozed off on the couch

1001Th
  * up 6:23; W=194.2; dishes, laundry
  % dreamed about having sex with Colleen.  First time I've remembered a dream in months.
  @ This Comic Perfectly Explains Why Anxiety & Depression Are So Difficult To Fight

1002Fr
  * up 5:00; W=104.2; dishes
  : The Best of C.L. Moore free for kindle.  Read first story, "Shambleau".
    Northwest Smith is obviously a predecessor to Indiana Jones and Han Solo, though
    probably more disreputable than either. 
  * Bills - Seattle Public Utilities

1003Sa
  * up 6ish; W=193.0; Shower, laundry, dishes
  : no visible leaking, but of course it was several minutes before I could come
    downstairs to check.
  * 9:30 - 12:30 washer delivery -> they won't plug it in to an extension cord.  So I'll
    have to reschedule.  Again.
  * Fighting with FB on Colleen's behalf, teaching her how to not send game invitations.
    It's hopeless, because you have to block each new game individually.
  * dealt with the suitcases.  Both emptied; Colleen's has a broken zipper, so declared it
    dead.  More puttering in the closet.
  * 15min: updated Makefiles in Private.
  * 15min: 2 loads of laundry brought up (all N, G)   The load of Colleen's that's down
    there will have to be double-washed.  Now 3.