Square Dance Update

The calendar is filling up in interesting ways...

We have a planning meeting for our Harvest Festival Hoedown this coming Thursday.

I'm calling for the Zig Zaggers (Advanced) in Vienna, VA, this coming Friday and for the DC Lambda Squares (Mainstream) on Monday in downtown DC. This likely means kent4str will take next Tuesday in Baltimore while I take DCLS on Thursday in DC, but we'll arm-wrestle for that later.

The Zig Zaggers are trying to line up their callers for the 2008/9 season currently so kent4str and I were comparing calendars last night. Pending confirmation by the club, kent4str has signed up for four dances (Sept 19, Dec 5, Feb 20, June 5) while I've signed up for three (Nov 21, Jan 30, May 15).

I've been confirmed for a one hour Gay Callers Association showcase slot at the upcoming Cleveland convention! I'll be on at 9 AM on Saturday... it may not be pretty that ungodly hour of the morning, presuming anyone besides me shows up.

I'm making a presentation on behalf of the GCA to the IAGSDC delegates, no longer than 10 minutes, at approximately 4:15 PM on Thursday, July 3, at the Cleveland convention. I was planning to be there anyway in support of the 2009 convention update report (2:50 PM) so it's no big deal. Normally, the report would be made by the current GCA's rep to the IAGSDC but sadly rlegters (and tdjohnsn) won't be at this year's convention. :-( (otterpop58 is reporting on the CALLERLAB convention at the same meeting, 4:05 PM!)

Our GCA prez has asked me to run for the board at our general meeting at the Cleveland convention. While I haven't committed to that yet, I can't think of a good reason why I shouldn't; the only possible hitch is that as registrar for the 2009 convention, my schedule may be rather tight next April. Then again, there's no reason I can't delegate various tasks for the few times I'll have must-attend meetings.

And finally, it's nearly certain I'll be heading to Canada in July to attend the CALLERLAB mini-convention in London, Ontario, as well as visiting with family in the vicinity. I still have to check air fares to see if I can really afford this, but the odds are good.

Square Dance Update

The calendar is filling up in interesting ways...

We have a planning meeting for our Harvest Festival Hoedown this coming Thursday.

I'm calling for the Zig Zaggers (Advanced) in Vienna, VA, this coming Friday and for the DC Lambda Squares (Mainstream) on Monday in downtown DC. This likely means kent4str will take next Tuesday in Baltimore while I take DCLS on Thursday in DC, but we'll arm-wrestle for that later.

The Zig Zaggers are trying to line up their callers for the 2008/9 season currently so kent4str and I were comparing calendars last night. Pending confirmation by the club, kent4str has signed up for four dances (Sept 19, Dec 5, Feb 20, June 5) while I've signed up for three (Nov 21, Jan 30, May 15).

I've been confirmed for a one hour Gay Callers Association showcase slot at the upcoming Cleveland convention! I'll be on at 9 AM on Saturday... it may not be pretty that ungodly hour of the morning, presuming anyone besides me shows up.

I'm making a presentation on behalf of the GCA to the IAGSDC delegates, no longer than 10 minutes, at approximately 4:15 PM on Thursday, July 3, at the Cleveland convention. I was planning to be there anyway in support of the 2009 convention update report (2:50 PM) so it's no big deal. Normally, the report would be made by the current GCA's rep to the IAGSDC but sadly rlegters (and tdjohnsn) won't be at this year's convention. :-( (otterpop58 is reporting on the CALLERLAB convention at the same meeting, 4:05 PM!)

Our GCA prez has asked me to run for the board at our general meeting at the Cleveland convention. While I haven't committed to that yet, I can't think of a good reason why I shouldn't; the only possible hitch is that as registrar for the 2009 convention, my schedule may be rather tight next April. Then again, there's no reason I can't delegate various tasks for the few times I'll have must-attend meetings.

And finally, it's nearly certain I'll be heading to Canada in July to attend the CALLERLAB mini-convention in London, Ontario, as well as visiting with family in the vicinity. I still have to check air fares to see if I can really afford this, but the odds are good.

Changing Habits

I tend to fill up my car at the 7-11 across the street from my office: it's convenient and is usually at least $0.05/gallon cheaper than any station near home.

This particular station automatically prints receipts at the pump. Not everyone takes their receipts. Indeed, sometimes a strip of paper with 4-5 different purchases will be left flapping in the wind until I come along.

As I'm waiting for my own tank to fill, I sometimes peruse the purchases made before me. Until a few months ago, they were typically in the $30-40 range. Lately, I've noticed the values have been skewed to either end: some folks are spending huge amounts to fill their tanks ($116 I noted on one receipt) while others are buying only 1 or 2 gallons at a time, presumably all they could afford.

Changing Habits

I tend to fill up my car at the 7-11 across the street from my office: it's convenient and is usually at least $0.05/gallon cheaper than any station near home.

This particular station automatically prints receipts at the pump. Not everyone takes their receipts. Indeed, sometimes a strip of paper with 4-5 different purchases will be left flapping in the wind until I come along.

As I'm waiting for my own tank to fill, I sometimes peruse the purchases made before me. Until a few months ago, they were typically in the $30-40 range. Lately, I've noticed the values have been skewed to either end: some folks are spending huge amounts to fill their tanks ($116 I noted on one receipt) while others are buying only 1 or 2 gallons at a time, presumably all they could afford.

Happy Birthday, writerbear81!

Congrats on surviving another 365 days! :-)

Happy Birthday, writerbear81!

Congrats on surviving another 365 days! :-)

Sometimes I Love the CBC Even More Than Usual

From the Dispatches podcast of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Kim Brunhuber opens his report on urban gardening from Uganda:

As I stare for the first time into the chimpanzee's eyes, I brace myself for the experience described so poetically in the brochure: the rapture of communing with man's closest living relative. But instead, all I can think is that the cartoonists were right after all: America's 43rd president really does look like a chimpanzee.

Sometimes I Love the CBC Even More Than Usual

From the Dispatches podcast of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Kim Brunhuber opens his report on urban gardening from Uganda:

As I stare for the first time into the chimpanzee's eyes, I brace myself for the experience described so poetically in the brochure: the rapture of communing with man's closest living relative. But instead, all I can think is that the cartoonists were right after all: America's 43rd president really does look like a chimpanzee.

Potential Irony Alert

The current view from my office:


I don't know the cause of the smoke, but that is the general direction of our nearest fire station...

Potential Irony Alert

The current view from my office:


I don't know the cause of the smoke, but that is the general direction of our nearest fire station...