The stars are countable
I'm reading Simon Singh's new book Big Bang. I'm almost half-way through now. It’s interesting to read about the history and methodologies that is behind the alchemy that is cosmology. Its very tantalizing to read about the telescopes people built themselves and the descriptions of the hordes of stars the saw with them. It takes me back: I remember there was this one night in particular that I looked up at the night sky when I was young. We were still living in the country and the very small town meant that there wasn't much light pollution. There were millions of stars. Billions. The Milky Way stretched across the sky like a waterfall and everything else were just drops that had spilled over its edge.
It was truly magnificent and awe inspiring. Cosmology (well, star gazing, at least) is one of those things that I think just about everyone wants to do, much like etymology. Just stick a telescope into someone's hands or give them a book full of rich anecdotes about their family's history and then they are happy.
However, these days things are different. The city, Bellville/Stellenbosch, has much more light pollution and you can't really see that many stars. They do seem pathetically countable now. Indeed, sometimes I wonder whether whether more than the planets are visible on some evenings. That, coupled with my degraded eyesight, make me wonder whether I'll (soon) see such a spectacle – a sandy beach in the sky - again.
This week I've been a bit sick with the flu. On Thursday I felt terrible, but since then I've been systematically getting better. I'm still not 100% well, but it’s not as bad as it was. It does, however, provide a convenient excuse for slacking off (and complaining, unfortunately) the past week and weekend.
Last week I hosted a 30 Seconds evening at the flat. It was really nice and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. On Tuesday I had a gambling evening at a friend's. The boys played dress-up and donned their leather and/or Sunday bests to try and win the pot. We played Texas Hold 'em, but I'm not as impressed by the whole ESPN World Poker Tournament thing as other people are, so I don't care and just went to enjoy myself. Needless to say, I guess, I was the first one out. Unfortunately no-one won the whole pot and it had to be split. Plus a couple of guys got really very drunk and the host was not terribly pleased about that. Ah, alcohol...
This coming Tuesday I have a bowling evening with the Mathematics class. It was really random being invited, because I'm not even in that class, but the class is very small by the third year and I guess I'm just adding variety. Again, bowling is not my greatest strength, so again there is going to be no expectations, only self-measurement. It should be fun though.
Today was a gorgeous day! I almost went for a jog again, but I didn't because I still have a bit of flu stuck in me. I starting to feel more and more compelled to start jogging again, so maybe, one of these days, when I'm better and its not too cold, I'll set out again on the road. Anything to keep the old hart beating... Anyway, like I was saying, it was a great day and I wish I could've capitalized on it and escaped somewhere with someone and just enjoy the day away from the home. Last week was just as spectacular: I don't know, it just had a feel to it! As I was driving back to the flat in the afternoon, I nearly skipped the Stellenbosch turn-off from the highway and just kept on driving into the day until night fell. But I had to go get ready for the evening, so it wasn't too bad going back to Stellenbosch. I felt very good and was singing along to the music in the car, but as I passed the prison (there is a minimum security prison a block away from the flat where I live), I saw something I didn't expect at all. It was a mother holding a small child standing by the fence of the prison, crying. Obviously it was a wife or a girlfriend and a child of one of the inmates. There was no joy to be found on that fantastic day. Instead there was mourning for the absence of a loved one. It was really one of those moments that made you stop and think, because I always use to look at the inmates working in the vegetable garden and thinking “good riddance, they are paying their debt to society!”. But even they have loved ones and are missed, despite of what they might have done. There is always more than one side of a story.
So ends another day. I have a feeling this week could be a hectic one, so good luck to you!
It was truly magnificent and awe inspiring. Cosmology (well, star gazing, at least) is one of those things that I think just about everyone wants to do, much like etymology. Just stick a telescope into someone's hands or give them a book full of rich anecdotes about their family's history and then they are happy.
However, these days things are different. The city, Bellville/Stellenbosch, has much more light pollution and you can't really see that many stars. They do seem pathetically countable now. Indeed, sometimes I wonder whether whether more than the planets are visible on some evenings. That, coupled with my degraded eyesight, make me wonder whether I'll (soon) see such a spectacle – a sandy beach in the sky - again.
This week I've been a bit sick with the flu. On Thursday I felt terrible, but since then I've been systematically getting better. I'm still not 100% well, but it’s not as bad as it was. It does, however, provide a convenient excuse for slacking off (and complaining, unfortunately) the past week and weekend.
Last week I hosted a 30 Seconds evening at the flat. It was really nice and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. On Tuesday I had a gambling evening at a friend's. The boys played dress-up and donned their leather and/or Sunday bests to try and win the pot. We played Texas Hold 'em, but I'm not as impressed by the whole ESPN World Poker Tournament thing as other people are, so I don't care and just went to enjoy myself. Needless to say, I guess, I was the first one out. Unfortunately no-one won the whole pot and it had to be split. Plus a couple of guys got really very drunk and the host was not terribly pleased about that. Ah, alcohol...
This coming Tuesday I have a bowling evening with the Mathematics class. It was really random being invited, because I'm not even in that class, but the class is very small by the third year and I guess I'm just adding variety. Again, bowling is not my greatest strength, so again there is going to be no expectations, only self-measurement. It should be fun though.
Today was a gorgeous day! I almost went for a jog again, but I didn't because I still have a bit of flu stuck in me. I starting to feel more and more compelled to start jogging again, so maybe, one of these days, when I'm better and its not too cold, I'll set out again on the road. Anything to keep the old hart beating... Anyway, like I was saying, it was a great day and I wish I could've capitalized on it and escaped somewhere with someone and just enjoy the day away from the home. Last week was just as spectacular: I don't know, it just had a feel to it! As I was driving back to the flat in the afternoon, I nearly skipped the Stellenbosch turn-off from the highway and just kept on driving into the day until night fell. But I had to go get ready for the evening, so it wasn't too bad going back to Stellenbosch. I felt very good and was singing along to the music in the car, but as I passed the prison (there is a minimum security prison a block away from the flat where I live), I saw something I didn't expect at all. It was a mother holding a small child standing by the fence of the prison, crying. Obviously it was a wife or a girlfriend and a child of one of the inmates. There was no joy to be found on that fantastic day. Instead there was mourning for the absence of a loved one. It was really one of those moments that made you stop and think, because I always use to look at the inmates working in the vegetable garden and thinking “good riddance, they are paying their debt to society!”. But even they have loved ones and are missed, despite of what they might have done. There is always more than one side of a story.
So ends another day. I have a feeling this week could be a hectic one, so good luck to you!
posted by phantom-99w at 21:12
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