Morning at the observatory
Facebook is hard. I don’t want to annoy people by posting personal things that nobody cares about, but I also want to connect with my friends. How long should a status or a comment be? How much of a political/cultural stand should I put out? Is a mellow status a sign of weakness, or even worse, boring-ness? Somehow Facebook has become a campaigning platform, where we are judged by what we say and what we don’t say and how many “Likes” and comments we get. I don’t know what to write on Facebook anymore, and I usually delete my status right before I hit “Enter”, but then I get these feelings that I want to write about. Like this week, I want to write about this surreal feeling I get sitting in the control room of a radio astronomy observatory.
The observatory is southwest of the White Mountains. Outside is the desert, and the telescopes, which are moving slowly in sync to track several objects in space. The telescopes look like little big robot kids innocently gazing at the sky. Occasionally the birds catch the moths that flutter right next to the glass windows, making a small “thump” sound and fly off. (The chipmunks are smaller than a cheap hotdog sausage, so tiny!) There’s another observer on duty, but we both stare at our computers when we’re awake. Everything is silence except for the clock ticking.
If you’ve watched “Contact”, chances are you remember the scene of Dr. Arroway (Judy Foster) sitting alone (in open air) at a radio observatory, the antenna in the background, listening to the transmission with her headphones. We actually do no such romanticism. We sit in a room with four computer screens, schedule and monitor projects (with our eyes, not ears), and hope that everything does what it’s supposed to so that we don’t have to physically touch the antennas or any of the other machines.
CARMA observatory. One morning in late June, 2012
At night, you can go outside and look up to a star-filled sky, but you have to remember to take the flashlight or you wouldn’t see your way back in. Sometimes, when something goes astray with the machinery, the alarm wakes you up and by luck you see sunrise. In those moments, you feel both annoyed and at peace. You want to share such beautiful sky with someone, but you also feel so intimate with the sky that it’s best to enjoy it alone.
I think the desert is where one can really appreciate nature. It doesn’t just happen the first time I was staying at an observatory. It happens every time. It happens when I see the rabbits hopping around at night, the chipmunks and lizards scurrying on the dusty ground, the motionless trees, half light brown like the color of the dust, and hillsides dotted with tufts of grass, also dust brown, like a magnified stubbly chin. It’s amazing how everything manages to stay half green. I appreciate the livelihood. Then I appreciate the food. Simple green salad, grilled chicken and boysenberry crumble, which the chef made for us at lunch the day before, stuff that I don’t know how much energy it costs to produce and transport to this side of the mountain range. Ah, and ice cream, too. I don’t know if I should appreciate them and eat them, or appreciate them and not eat them.
I choose the first option, and go fry some bacon and egg for breakfast.
Picture taken using computer camera because I forgot my camera in Berkeley 🙁
Thank goodness I have my blog!
Great blog here! Also your website loads up very fast! What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my web site loaded up as fast as yours lol
1It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I desire to suggest you few interesting things or advice. Maybe you can write next articles referring to this article. I desire to read even more things about it!
2Some really interesting points you have written.Assisted me a lot, just what I was searching for :D.
3It is really a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
4Thanks for this post, I am a big fan of this internet site would like to proceed updated.
5I am extremely impressed along with your writing skills and also with the structure for your weblog. Is this a paid topic or did you modify it your self? Anyway stay up the excellent high quality writing, it is uncommon to peer a nice blog like this one today..
6Good post. I learn something more difficult on completely different blogs everyday. It would at all times be stimulating to read content material from different writers and observe a little something from their store. I’d desire to use some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll offer you a link in your internet blog. Thanks for sharing.
7I really like your writing style, fantastic info , appreciate it for putting up :D.
8You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!
9Hello would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re working with? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most. Can you suggest a good hosting provider at a reasonable price? Kudos, I appreciate it!
10Thank you for sharing superb informations. Your site is so cool. I’m impressed by the details that you’ve on this blog. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found simply the information I already searched all over the place and just couldn’t come across. What a perfect web-site.
11Hey there would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m looking to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design and style seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique. P.S My apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
12I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this increase.
13You are my inhalation, I possess few web logs and occasionally run out from brand :). “Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.” by W. Somerset Maugham.
14Yeah bookmaking this wasn’t a bad decision great post! .
15hello there and thanks on your information – I have definitely picked up something new from right here. I did on the other hand experience several technical points the usage of this web site, as I skilled to reload the site lots of occasions prior to I may get it to load correctly. I have been puzzling over if your web hosting is OK? Now not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances instances will often affect your placement in google and could harm your high-quality ranking if ads and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Anyway I’m including this RSS to my e-mail and can glance out for a lot more of your respective intriguing content. Make sure you replace this once more soon..
16I have recently started a website, the info you offer on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
17Utterly composed subject material, Really enjoyed studying.
18Mengagumi dedikasi yang Anda curahkan ke website Anda dan informasi terperinci yang Anda sajikan. Sangat hebat menemukan blog sesekali yang tidak berisi materi lama yang diulang-ulang. Artikel yang hebat! Saya sudah menandai situs Anda dan menambahkan feed RSS Anda ke akun Google saya.
19Aw, this wass ann incredibly nnice post. Taking a few minutes annd actual effort to produce a superb article… bbut what ccan I
say… I hesitatee a hole lot and nevr managve tto geet anhything done.
xnxx
20Artikel yang hebat! Saya sangat menghargai gaya Anda menguraikan semuanya dengan mudah dipahami. Teruskan kerja yang hebat!
21Good day! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a outstanding job!
22You made several nice points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found most persons will consent with your blog.
23I truly appreciate this post. I’ve been looking all over for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my day! Thx again
24Only wanna say that this is very beneficial, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
25Hello. Great job. I did not imagine this. This is a impressive story. Thanks!
26Its wonderful as your other posts : D, appreciate it for putting up. “A single day is enough to make us a little larger.” by Paul Klee.
27I got what you mean , thankyou for posting.Woh I am pleased to find this website through google. “Food is the most primitive form of comfort.” by Sheila Graham.
28Thanks for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our local library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such fantastic information being shared freely out there.
29Thanx for the effort, keep up the good work Great work, I am going to start a small Blog Engine course work using your site I hope you enjoy blogging with the popular BlogEngine.net.Thethoughts you express are really awesome. Hope you will right some more posts.
30I’ve been surfing online greater than three hours nowadays, but I never discovered any interesting article like yours. It’s lovely worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all site owners and bloggers made good content material as you did, the net might be a lot more useful than ever before.
31Regards for helping out, fantastic info .
32After study just a few of the weblog posts in your web site now, and I really like your means of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website checklist and will probably be checking back soon. Pls check out my website online as well and let me know what you think.
33Valuable info. Lucky me I found your site by accident, and I am shocked why this accident didn’t happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
34I very delighted to find this website on bing, just what I was searching for : D likewise saved to fav.
35Hello, you used to write wonderful, but the last several posts have been kinda boring?K I miss your great writings. Past several posts are just a little out of track! come on!
36I am glad to be one of many visitants on this outstanding web site (:, regards for posting.
37I have been surfing on-line more than 3 hours today, but I never discovered any interesting article like yours. It is beautiful worth enough for me. In my view, if all webmasters and bloggers made just right content material as you probably did, the net will likely be a lot more helpful than ever before.
38Some really excellent posts on this internet site, regards for contribution. “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” by Cicero.
39F*ckin’ tremendous things here. I’m very glad to see your post. Thanks a lot and i’m looking forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
40I am continuously searching online for ideas that can benefit me. Thank you!
41I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
42I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was wondering what all is required to get setup? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet smart so I’m not 100 sure. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks
43Thanks for some other fantastic article. Where else may anybody get that type of info in such an ideal means of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I’m on the look for such information.
44This is very attention-grabbing, You’re an overly skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look ahead to in the hunt for extra of your magnificent post. Additionally, I have shared your website in my social networks!
45It’s in point of fact a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m happy that you simply shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
46Hello my friend! I wish to say that this post is awesome, nice written and include approximately all important infos. I would like to see more posts like this.
47I’ve learn some just right stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how a lot effort you put to create this kind of magnificent informative website.
48hello!,I really like your writing very so much! share we keep up a correspondence more approximately your article on AOL? I require a specialist on this area to solve my problem. May be that is you! Looking forward to peer you.
49I’m no longer positive the place you’re getting your information, however good topic. I must spend some time finding out much more or figuring out more. Thank you for wonderful info I used to be in search of this information for my mission.
50