A bouncing-around sort of Saturday (written yesterday)

I've been active like a ferret on speed today. I wanted to spend some time in the Real World rather than in front of the screen, so I did a bunch of chores, and shopping for office decorations; Gmaps pedometer says I walked 4.5 miles, and that's not counting my two-hour workout at the gym. Good grief. My body's really been craving cardio for some reason... maybe frustrated by the scaled-back exercise regime during the week... so today I just put it on the elliptical and let it run itself down. It made for a very shaky weight workout, but now I feel happy and sort of purified. It was fun to run into soong at the gym too.

Other reasons to be happy:

• I did the Walk of Shame with Nala early this morning: to the vet, with her wailing all the way and everyone on the street turning to look at us. They said she's healthy! She's 2 oz heavier than last year, but they say she wears the ounces well. :)
• Figured out how to recursively express an optimal solution to a problem about alien invasions (no, not a secret Zillian project; my MIT professor simply finds the problem sets to be great opportunities to express his marvellous wit).
• Now that I know what a camarilla is, I have a new life goal: having one of my own. Preferably comprised of wise little gnomes that live in my basement and secretly control the Boston subway system.

Early spring + macro mode for the win

ZOMG, look at this incredibly awesome bit of spring I found in my hedge. It's like the paw of a jeweled beast, or a fairy queen's scepter... and it's one of hundreds in my front yard alone.



I was on my way out for coffee when I noticed this. When I came back, I got the camera out. When I'd finally gotten some shots and narrowed the selection down to this one, I went back out with a ruler; it turns out you can see maybe 2 centimeters worth of twig here, probably a little less.

Such audacious greens and purples for a dull, boring hedge that still looks dry and brown!

I love early spring days like this.

Look closer.