+6¢

The details seem a bit sketchy still, but it looks like my last one or two letters to Claire are going to cost an additional six cents to send to Spain, up from the 84¢ I'm paying now. (New rates are going into effect on 14 May.)

Bravery

It's Saint Patrick's day, and downtown Syracuse has been awash with alcohol and drunks since the parade ended around 1 o'clock. I walked home for dinner at 6:00, and if I were to guess, I'd say that 3 out of 4 pedestrians and 1 out of 4 drivers was seriously toasted. To make matters worse, it's been snowing lightly for the last day or so, and the driving conditions are less than ideal.

I started to cross Clinton Street when I got the white walking-man light, and about a third of the way across I noticed that the car approaching me from the left (in the center lane of a one-way street) wasn't showing signs of slowing down. My mind was elsewhere, so after missing a half-stride to confirm that I had the right-of-way, I kept on walking, and the car slammed on its breaks, sliding through the slush to a halt a few feet past the stop line, and a few feet closer to me that I would have liked. I finished crossing and realized that I'd had an audience on the other side. One guy said to me, "You've got balls! You've got balls of steel!" and then he turned and announced to all present, "This guy's got balls of steel!"

Sitting on the dancefloor

Dad and I went to the Year Zero listening party at Varsity Theater in Dinkytown on Tuesday evening, where we got to hear the new Nine Inch Nails album a little over a month before its release.  We spotted the venue easily, since it was marked with a long cue of college-aged kids dressed predominantly in black.  Dad and I did not fit in at all, as I was wearing a tan shirt and (non-baggy) blue jeans and Dad was wearing a grey hoodie.  We found that the "theater" was more of a club, with a small stage, a bar in back, and seating around a sizable dance floor.  We sat down soon enough to snag an edge of the risers, but those after us were left with the dance floor.  The evening started with a video, and the rather subdued crowd quickly sat down on the floor to ensure those behind them a view, so the floor was soon filled with moody-looking college students sitting cross-legged for the whole event.

The album seemed good.  It definitely started fast and grew slower, almost with each song, and the slower songs were more difficult to judge since the sound system didn't deliver very good mid-range frequencies.  Songs that I've heard on the internet like "Me, I'm Not," didn't sound as good, so I can only expect that the unfamiliar songs were being given less than flattering treatment as well.  Dad and I both thought that "Vessel" and "God Given" have great potential.  We left just as "Zero-Sum" was finishing, so I didn't get a very good feeling for the general response, but I'm guessing that enthusiasm peaked before the series of consecutive quieter tracks finished the album.

Small request

My flight from Syracuse to Detroit was delayed because our plane arrived at Syracuse quite late. We didn't get airborne until an hour or so after our scheduled departure time, so I knew that my connection would be very tight, and probably impossible. I didn't let myself worry, and spent as much of the flight as possible sound asleep. Around the time the plane started to descend and we were asked to take our seats, the gentleman next to me in seat 10-E pressed the call button, and a flight attendant came to our row. He noted that the flight was getting in rather late, and he requested that the flight attendant call ahead to Detroit, to let them know that we were getting in a bit late. She assured him that the Detroit terminal was already aware of our status, but he wasn't satisfied. He suggested that she call them to make sure that they hold the planes for a few more minutes. She looked at him blankly for a couple seconds, before murmuring that those decisions would already have been made and slipping away, back towards first class. I was half tempted to tell the bloke that I didn't think anyone would hold a plane for someone who was sitting in the middle seat in coach, but I held my tongue.

Sure enough, I missed my flight and was delayed two hours. I coaxed Northwest into printing off a couple food vouchers, which I blew on a weak margarita. I can't complain, though: even with the delays, commercial flight is still fastest way across the continent in, you know, history.

Luna obscura

The earth may be obscuring the sun from the moon, but the clouds are definitely obscuring the moon from Syracuse.

Total Eclipse of the Moon
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK
W 076°08' N 43°02'
Eastern Standard Time
..........................................Moon's
......................................Azimuth Altitude
Moonrise.............2007 Mar 03 17:50 080.4° ----
Middle of eclipse....2007 Mar 03 18:20 085.6° 04.7°
Moon leaves totality.2007 Mar 03 18:58 091.8° 11.1°
Moon leaves umbra....2007 Mar 03 20:11 105.0° 23.9°
Moon leaves penumbra.2007 Mar 03 21:25 120.5° 35.8°
Moonset..............2007 Mar 04 06:52 275.4° ----

Syracuse Hancock International, New York (KSYR)
Date/Time.........WIND......VIS..WX.........SKY......CEL...TMP
3/3/2007 18:00:00 NNW 03mph 05mi Light Snow Overcast 01900 34°
3/3/2007 19:00:00 WNW 13mph 10mi ---------- Overcast 05000 34°
3/3/2007 20:00:00 WNW 13mph 09mi Light Snow Overcast 04200 33°
3/3/2007 21:00:00 WNW 15mph 10mi ---------- Overcast 07000 31°

Iceland

Walking home from studio was a harrowing experience; the evening's cool rain solidified into a all-encompassing layer of ice. Where the water pooled on the sidewalks the ice crushed forgiving underfoot. Where the water spread thinly the ice became hard, slick, and treacherous. My usual ten-minute walk turned into twenty, and all the trees creaked ominously, occasionally showering me with small shards of ice. I'm sorry that I'll be returning to the studio before the sun has a chance to clear my way for me.