Thursday, January 9, 2014

Eleven questions...

Roger at my favorite blog posted this list of eleven questions. I invite you to answer them as well! If you do, let me know so I can check them out.

1. What is your dream vaca­tion spot and why?
2. Where did you come up with the name of your blog?
3. How do you define blog­ging suc­cess?
4. What is your favorite type of “going out” enter­tain­ment?
5. How many states (name them) have you lived in?
6. What is your favorite hol­iday and why?
7. What’s your favorite number and why?
8. What would be your dream vehicle to own?
9. What is your favorite hobby?
10. How do you try and keep your blog fresh?
11. Where do you do your best thinking?


1. What is your dream vacation spot and why?

In reality, my dream vacation spot would be a tropical island or the rain forest. I love heat, humidity and tropical fruit. I'm also pretty crazy about wildlife and I would love to learn more about tropical animals. A friend of mine visited Costa Rica, and that sounded so wonderful I'm planning my own trip.

In fantasy land, one dream vacation would be to Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter. It's one of the places in our solar system that might support life. I'd also like to visit any planet outside our solar system with life. Another fantasy vacation would be to the Library of Alexandria. Ever since I saw the Cosmos episode about it as a little kid I've wanted to go there. I also imagine the food was terrific in that place and time.

2. Where did you come by the name of your blog?

An erratic is a weird rock deposited by glaciers. I was picked up and dropped in upstate New York. I'm also a little nutty, so it works on two levels.

3. How do you define blogging success?

A multitude of adoring followers.

4. What is your favorite type of "going out" entertainment?

I go out and do a lot of things. Lately I've been ice skating a lot. A neat restaurant, a play, a show, a movie, skiing, hiking... I just like to go out!

5. How many states have you lived in?

In the US only two, New York and Illinois, but I lived in Denmark and Germany as well.

6. What is your favorite holiday and why?

Used to be Christmas because I love the feel of Christmas - the decorations, the lights, the food, how everyone seems a little nicer - but I'm starting to love Thanksgiving more and more. It's like Christmas but people don't seem to be as hung up about appearing to enjoy it. It's more relaxing.

7. What's your favorite number and why?

I have a favorite expression with five of my favorite numbers. It's known as Euler's Identity:


I love it because it's like a poem that encompasses all reality.

8. What would be your dream vehicle and why?

A dinosaur because they are obviously awesome as well as being a carbon neutral form of transport.

9. What is your favorite hobby?

Yikes, I have so many. Right now singing is the most fun, but I also like writing, baking... my research in mathematical paleontology has become a hobby more than a career as well. Hiking, biking... ice skating right now. Just don't lock me alone inside and that's my favorite thing to do!

10. How do you try to keep your blog fresh?

Doesn't Summer's Eve have a product for that?

11. Where do you do your best thinking?

What type of thinking? I think I do my best emotional thinking in church or during meditation, wherever the meditation happens to be. I think I do my best analytical thinking related to teaching when hiking outside. I do my best research-type thinking in the library or alone at my desk at home.

I don't have my own list of eleven questions, but feel free to use Roger's.

- NYE

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

WTHeck, Government?

Before the shutdown, everybody said they "didn't know" if the government was going to shut down.

But look:
Photo from BBC News
They had all these nice, neat professional signs designed and printed? That doesn't take 5 minutes. They wanted this and planned this!

When did this become acceptable? I'm annoyed.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

I, Robot

You want to read this book.

This is a poster for the movie Ghost in the Shell. Like the movie I, Robot it has absolutely nothing to do with the book I, Robot other than it has robots in it. It also has a naked lady. I have noticed that naked ladies attract people to blogs. I know it works on me.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Hiatus: Some Geological Truths May Never Be Known...

A hiatus in geology is a significant interval of time where there is no rock record in an area. The boundary between the two beds is called an unconformity. Here a granite deposited 1,100 million years ago is directly touching a 500 million sandstone.  This unconformity represents a 600 million year hiatus.

Monday, September 2, 2013