December 2004

Thursday, December 23, 2004

I’m a Naturalist

In case you forgot, I’ve been taking a class on Tuesday nights at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium down in San Pedro since October. It’s a class to be certified as a docent and be an on-board naturalist for whale watching tours.

Well, the test was last week and they have rather high standards. You can’t just pass the test, you have to get an A (95 right out of 105). Well, I did just fine, as I found out on Tuesday at the last meeting of the year. YaY for me!

I will say that even though I went in knowing a lot about the basics of whales and other marine mammals, I did learn quite a bit. And some of it was stupid stuff that you’d think I’d have known. I thought all whales used echolocation - but it turns out it’s only the toothed whales, not the baleen whales. So those blue whales, those largest animals ever on earth - they’ve just got their eyes to depend on down there in the depths. Kind of humbling.

Starting in the new year, I’ll be going out on weekends on whale watching tours. I’m a little nervous about getting the info right. After all, it’s one thing to learn all this stuff in a classroom, but another entirely to apply it out in the field.

What’s great about it, for you gentle readers, is that I’ll have lots to post about and maybe, just maybe, a few cool photos.

If I don’t get to post again soon, please have a safe holiday and keep those you love warm and close.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 6:21 pm    

Sunday, December 19, 2004

Lots of Excuses

I’m in a blog slump. I think I was all written out after November.

But my best excuse at the moment for not blogging more is food poisoning. I think I got some bad fish at lunch on Thursday and by Thursday night my belly was not happy. I won’t go into the gory details, but lets just say that I had gone 12 and half years without throwing up - a damn good run if you ask me. Man, that’s unpleasant. Anyone who does that more often than every 12 years has my sincerest sympathies.

The fever broke on Saturday night/Sunday morning and I’m feeling much more like myself though I think I’ve lost about five pounds already.

I’m woefully behind at everything and this little respite has not helped in the slightest. I’m behind on the holiday plans, behind at work (even with the site launch pushed a week) and I am seriously lacking in enthusiasm.

I know, I’ll probably feel better with a bit more energy. A little food would probably be a good start.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 10:47 am    

Friday, December 10, 2004

Because I Can

Ooh, I’ve been playing with excel again (and maybe a little photoshop).

I mean, if I’ve been keeping copious records of my writing time and results, I may as well do something with it.

The NaNoWriMo 2001-2004 Wordcount Daily Status Chart

I don’t know what this chart tells up. Click on it for fullscreen goodness. I think it says that I consistently finish. And my novels are a different color each year. And I do less writing at the beginning of the month than at the end.

So maybe I can’t figure out how I do it, but at least I can show you how it was done.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 5:30 pm     NaNoWriMo




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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During November it's all about me writing a novel. Sometimes it's about whalewatching. You know, and then there's other stuff.