I Wish May Wasn't So Needy.

Seriously.

Parts of the state are experiencing rather heavy flooding already. We had a wet winter, and a wet fall before that. I'm rather tired of the rain. April should come up with a better way to bring May flowers.

I want to try not to post about meteorological phenomena more that once a week, but it's really getting to me. I mentioned how positively sunshine affects my moods. Rain just pisses me off. I don't think I believe in a nice, refreshing rain. Showers are refreshing--I control the temperature. Rain is a discomfort. I don't choose to get wet, it just happens to me.

And, most likely, the sun isn't shining if it's raining. Especially if it's been raining for two days.

The farmers can't claim we need the moisture. I'm sure that some crops are starting to get into trouble with flooding.

And, as previously mentioned, my method of transportation is riding my bike. So I have to cross streets with grumpy motorists. I think we have a way of forgetting that other drivers are real people--this goes double for pedestrians and cyclists that may slow things down on the road. So, I get wet and grumpy, and I get to deal with grumpy motorists--who aren't even wet, and will get to their destinations way before I get to mine.

I think rain is designed to set up murders.

~j

Tick Tock

This is random, and I'd apologize, but you could just click out.

I was thinking about translations today.

A huge part of the world measures distance with a decimal system. The English system still strives on, mostly due to tradition. We use it, we're used to it, it works for us. We're proud, so we don't give it. I'm fairly certain that the only way the English system of measurement will die is if all nations that use it were to be conquered by other people who use the metric system. Conquer seems to have lost popularity in the modern world, so...long live the English system.

Languages seem to have been the least successful in this manner. I suppose language evolves a bit faster than, say, distance, but there are still a crazy amount of languages out there. While we have standard systems of measurement that everyone (besides us whackos) are expected to use, we insist on translating our thoughts and words into all of these systems of communication. We have different languages, different alphabets, and different systems of writing altogether.

But when it comes to time, everyone seems to use the standard. We may argue about which day want to celebrate the near year, but the world seems to use one calendar. Sun dials from Babylon made their way to modern atomic clocks keeping their perfect time...twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. There have been corrections and modifications (not to mention language changes), but the overall idea and way of doing it is still around.

So...when we want to tell the people we work with our plans, we don't have to translate our calendar. We might need to put the rest into Spanish, though. Interesting, the lines we draw.

Four seasons--it's an obvious cycle, and not a simple construct of man. Barring remainders, we have about 12 full moons during that cycle. Twelve is unfortunate, it's really hard to turn that into decimal, but fine--it's still not a man-made phenomenon. Decimalizing the day would be easier. We could have 10 hour days with 100 centihours each to replace minutes, and further subdivide to milihours and so on. This is all man-made, simply a continuance of the babylonian belief that 12 was a special number--something strengthened by the 12 full moons a year, sure.

As a Nobilis player and GM, I have to admit that Time has got to be one of the strongest concepts we have as humans. We all think of time in the same terms. With the exception of people we consider mentally inferior, we mostly experience time in the same way. Sometimes it goes faster to our perceptions, and sometimes it drags on, but it mostly goes at the same rate, and always goes forward.

Except in dreams.

Except in Deja vu.

Except in...

~j

Sunshine, Lollipops.

Overall, and without any relation to any other season, I prefer the summer, but holy crap springtime is a breath of fresh air--and one that doesn't give you pnumonia from taking in repeatedly.

Let me relate this to a tabletop role-playing game I play. Exalted, published by White Wolf, is mostly about a bunch of heroic characters empowered by the Sun-god to make the world a better place. My girlfriend and I have had semi-serious conversations as to what sort of Exalted characters we might be. There seems to be no argument that I'd be one of those Solar Exalted, and specifically called to the Zenith aspect of the Sun. Bright sunshine, straight down on all of us.

My mind is salivating at the thought. I'm looking out the window at the sunshine, and it is glorious. And not simple because it's bright and pretty. Now it's actually warm enough to enjoy it's warm, healing touch.

Yes, I have strong feelings about sunlight.

It makes people feel better. I'm not aware of specific studies, but I'm positive that there are some, and that they confirm this. People are in better moods. This could be because others are wearing less clothing in general as the weather gets warmer, but it happens when it's cold, too. And even the nastiest, stickiest summer day in the swamps of Illinois are made better when the overcast sky breaks, and sunbeams dapple the landscape.

I can ride my bike comfortably. I don't mind walking around. Even without the glorious, blessed sun--even at night, the sheer relief of not constantly being cold makes me smile.

It will be rainy, soon--it always does that this season, and while that does suck, at least I'm not shivering, too. I'm going to try to remember that this spring. I generally object to getting water poured on me without my planning or at least consent, but perhaps I should cut the rain a bit of slack.

Watch, though--in a month, I'll yet again be ready to take away the job of being in charge of the weather from God, and give it to Ra.

~j

Prologue

Yeah. I have a blog now, too.

This is just for an idea I have. Writing takes practice, from what I've heard. I'd like to write more, write better, write and be read--hence, this site.

I'll be here with...some frequency to go off on rants, random thoughts, and rhetorical questions, just because...well...this sort of thing is available. For FREE. So, I think my investment is safe, at least.

Maybe I'll have readers, maybe I won't. I don't know how much I really want to advertise this site's presence. I probably will at least eventually, so that I have feedback. Or royalties.

Anyway, it's bus-time. That magical time where I am transported...magically...to another place slightly in the future.

~j