The Flying V Theater's production "Heroes & Monsters" was exceptional (see http://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2015/06/13/flying-v-fights-heroes-monsters-at-flying-v-theatre/ for a review).  Everyone who's into super heroes, monsters, graphic novels, fantasy, or innovative theater should see it.  Unfortunately it is in Bathesda, MD so most of you won't be able to.  Somebody with a large pile of money should bring them to Cleveland.

Intercon M was lots of fun.  How often do you get a chance to be murdered and then come back to life and announce it ("I've been Murdered!  I've been robbed!  I've been robbed and Murdered! ...  I'm alive!!!)?  It was fun to play in a LARP that Xavid wrote and to hang out with him after Intercon was over.

Unfortunately, Intercon was followed immediately by a bad cold and three days of teaching in West Virginia.  Teaching went OK despite a high level of Kleenex utilization and it was great to get back home.  Good thing my flight wasn't delayed, as it was I didn't get home until 1 a.m.

Since then I've been trying to recover from my cold and dig out from under a pile of work (and fit in some goofing off).  I anticipate returning to the land of the living this week.

Spent the morning converting a broken longsword into a broadsword and actually spent time doing some broadsword drills (watch out Auric), got a little work done, then spent a nice time at the Harvest Ball in Kent dancing with B and hanging out with friends from ballroom dance.  Got to bed tired but happy.

Yesterday it struck me that magnetism is really strange.  Consider a magnet that is holding a paperclip up in the air.  it is exerting enough force to overcome the pull of gravity and it will continue doing so indefinitely without anyone needing to put in new batteries, or wind it up, or anything.  How does it do that? and how does that not violate conservation of energy?

Crocuses! Little blue flowers!  Robins!

Must be Spring.

The first snowdrop of Spring is blooming in our garden!  In early February!

This is a strange Winter.

As I was taking down the outdoor decorations yesterday I realized that there I was, outdoors in shirt sleeves and sandals in January!

When we first moved to Cleveland many years ago, we went cross-country skiing almost every winter weekend. Then, when the kids were babies, we really didn't have time to ski for a few years.  When they got a little older and we were ready to resume cross-country skiing, it seemed as though it only snowed enough for skiing on weekends when we were out of town.  Now it seems as though there's hardly ever enough snow for skiing except for a day or two right after a snowstorm. 

Most of the Republican candidates manage to believe that there's no climate change happening.  I wonder what reality they live in.

As we passed out Halloween candy there were several kids texting while trick-or-treating.  They were so focused on their texting that they were tripping over things, bumping into people, and at least one kid forgot to get any candy.  These young whippersnappers.  Why, when I was a boy...

Yesterday I was driving out Chagrin Blvd. a little after 5 p.m.  I drove past the cemetery and I was driving past the golf course and there, on the golf course, a high-school-aged kid in a sweatsuit was chasing a big chicken. 

This isn't a residential neighborhood and there isn't a farm for miles.  It's just a cemetery and a golf course next to a business district and a fer churches.

Weird.

P.S.  The chicken got away.

Fossil evidence of Kraken found (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111010075530.htm). ; Showers only from now on.