Category: Astronomy

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The Major’s Walk-A-Thon

Time: 6:45 AM – 7:34 AM
Sky: Clear
Temperature: 60°F
Dewpoint: 55°F
Relative Humidity: 85%
Winds: Calm
Barometric Pressure: 30.18 Rising

On this cool and crisp 60°F Saturday morning in the middle of March of 2011 I embarked in the dark and I emerged in the light. I went on my first organized morning walk around my neighbourhood since the second day of January (11 weeks ago). It ultimately became my longest walk ever recorded over the past 39 months of these seasonal walks – 49.1 minutes / 2.6 miles.

It was a very peaceful and quiet walk at the dawn of a new day. Along the way of this twilight journey there was the dude that was walking his two cute little dogs, the stray dark brown feline that was minding his own bid-niz, the duck family (momma, poppa, sista, brotha), the stray large canine wandering around alone, and the mysterious drunk or drugged driver in the old beat-up white car that nearly ran me over – twice. Other than that it was just God and I have a relevant conversation with each other as I prayed to Him about everything that was on my mind at the time. He listened to me. I listened to Him. I trust. I believe.

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The Major’s Walk-A-Thon

Time: 6:07 AM – 6:51 AM
Sky: Mostly Clear
Temperature: 61°F / 16°C
Dewpoint: 61°F / 16°C
Relative Humidity: 100%
Winds: E 6 MPH
Barometric Pressure: 30.15 Rising

Sunrise occurred at 7:08 AM, so this 1ST walk of 2011 began a full hour and a minute beforehand. It began between what is known as astronomical twilight and nautical twilight. It ended during civil twilight. It was the twilight of a brand new day in this very young year of 2011.

As is usually the case my neighbourhood of the past 15½-years was peaceful and quiet at twilight. The serenity was overwhelming on this Sunday morning. As Switchfoot‘s lyrics suggest – This is home. Now I’m finally where I belong – where I belong. Yeah this is home. I’ve been searching for a place of my own.
Now I’ve found it. Maybe this is home. Yeah this is home.

This was a 43½-minute / 2.3-mile walk, so that brings me to a little over 13 miles – or just about halfway to my goal of a marathon (26.2-miles) of walking during this winter season.

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Astronomy Blogging Health Home Travel Weather

The Major’s Walk-A-Thon

Time: 4:52 PM – 5:37 PM
Sky: Mostly Clear
Temperature: 76°F
Dewpoint: 63°F
Relative Humidity: 64%
Winds: S 12 MPH
Barometric Pressure: 29.85 Rising

Here are my walking thoughts in 15 words or less:

– Late yesterday afternoon I went on a vigorous 45-minute / 2.4-mile walk.
– It’s my longest walk of this young winter season thus far.
– I’ve now walked 10.7 miles towards my goal of a 26.2-mile marathon.
– I’ve enjoyed walking all around my brother’s MASSIVE neighbourhood.
– It’s continuous sidewalks all throughout it, and that makes walking safer.
– Before crossing the streets look both ways or else you could get run over.
– My brother’s neighbours are speed demons, so get out of their way !
– They’ve got to rush home to cook Dinner for the kids.
– Local sunset occurred at 5:21 PM, but dusk arrived before that.
– The sun disappeared behind the surrounding landscape earlier.
– This unusual North Texas heatwave continued, as the mercury hit 80°F.
– This unusual North Texas heatwave comes to a grinding halt soon.
– Temperatures will plummet for Thanksgiving Day (and night).
– When I depart from DFW on Friday night temps. will be in the low-40s.
– When I arrive at MIA late on Friday night it will be in the mid-70s.
– I’m looking forward to the consistent heat and humidity of South Florida.
– I’m especially looking forward to the reunification of me and my bed.
– I thought that this 2.4-mile walk would help me sleep better last night.
– It didn’t, so the only cure to a good night’s sleep is my bed back home.
– My next blog post will be on Saturday night for an all-new ‘Retro’.
– Maybe I’ll walk around my own neighbourhood on Sunday morning.
– These walks are dedicated to the memory of my Dad – William Lesley Day.

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Saturday Night Retro

Saturday November 20TH 2010
Volume 3 / Number 11 / Edition 108

31 years ago in November of 1979 66 Americans were taken hostage in Tehran Iran when the U.S. Embassy was invaded and seized by student radicals. This would begin an International crisis that would continue on for 444 days until January 20TH 1981 when President Ronald Reagan took the oath of office. President Jimmy Carter found opposition within his own Democratic Party, as Senator Ted Kennedy announced that he would seek the nomination for President in 1980.

I was 12½-years-old at the time and living with my Dad, Mom, and 4½-year-old brother on Red Wing Lane in Lanham Maryland. I was a 7TH grader at Robert H. Goddard Junior High School in Greenbelt Maryland – home of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Robert H. Goddard invented the liquid-fueled rocket back during the 1910s and 1920s. Many of my classmates were offspring of NASA employees. That would explain why many of them appeared to be ‘spaced-out’ most of the time.

In FM Stereo one of the hottest pop-country-crossover acts of the late-1970s was Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show out of New Jersey – although they certainly had a distinct ‘Southern Rock’ feel and style to them. As the Disco beat raged on in 1979 country music was quietly entering the pop music scene as an alternative to the club beat. One of Dr. Hook’s greatest hits was this cool track that kind of took on a subtle Disco beat to blend in with its pop chart neighbours. It even crossed the Atlantic Ocean to become a # 1 pop smash on the U.K. chart exactly 31 years ago this weekend. It tells the simple story of what happens “When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman”.