11/27/23: Daily Post

Yesterday, I spent the morning and early afternoon driving around southeastern Georgia, running counties and making amateur radio contacts. I made a few, picking up several new counties.

In the afternoon, I flew back to Houston and then to Albuquerque. Along the way, I finished up my NaNoWriMo for this year. I had not beat this challenge since 2019. This year’s story was more about playing with different aspects of characters than a really coherent novel.

I also knocked out some work against an Upwork project and finished an article for another client. I still have so much on my to do list.

Thank you for reading my post.

11/24/23: Daily Post

Yesterday was a moderately productive day. I started out the day a little late, but I did get two lessons done for the upcoming course I will be teaching in North Carolina. I also caught up on my NaNoWriMo project. I never really fell behind, but I did only put 300 words in on Thanksgiving- I was way ahead, but I wanted to make up those missing words to try and finish early.

I ran a few errands, too. I got the oil changed in the Crown Vic, picked up some meds and did a few other odds and ends. I also got packed up for my trip to Savannah.

I wish I had gone to bed a little earlier, but that’s okay. I got a little sleep on the first flight and will probably get a little more on the second one. I am sitting at the Dallas airport as I write this, waiting to board the next flight.

Thank you for reading my post.

11/15/23: Daily Post

Happy Birthday, Joey!

Yesterday, I spent the day working at NMT. I started the day with the second part of a two-day (mornings only) webinar on process safety. Once again, it was an enjoyable session and it gave me some ideas of things to put in my class that I will teach next semester.

In the afternoon, I hosted the Unit Operations lab, the last laboratory session of the semester. When we return from the holiday break, they’ll have final presentations.

I unfortunately fell asleep in my desk chair and didn’t get as much done as I needed to. I only put about 700 words into my NaNoWriMo project, but I am still a little ahead.

Thank you for reading my post.

11/12/23: Daily Post

Yesterday was a busy, yet somehow unproductive day. I started out the day early and got a few things done. I wish I could say I made major progress on any of my projects, but I didn’t.

In the afternoon, we went to a friend’s house to help her move. Even though there wasn’t much left to do, it somehow took all afternoon.

In the evening, we went to the Range Cafe. While I was there, I did my NaNoWriMo for the day and also started on an Upwork project. I think I have eight articles in my queue right now, and I finished none of them yesterday.

Thank you for reading my post.

11/10/23: Daily Post

Yesterday, I did not get done nearly what needed to be accomplished. I was able to finish up some content for a client, but I need feedback on how to proceed for the rest of that project.

There was no shuttle yesterday, so I had to drive to Socorro. They celebrated Veteran’s Day on Friday. Because there was no shuttle, my writing got cut into a little bit. I was able to finish up my NaNoWriMo for the day, however.

I taught Graduate Seminar and then Instrumentation lab. That finished out the week me. I only have one more session of each of those this semester.

I also started working on a LabVIEW course for a client. I have a long ways to go with that one.

Thank you for reading my post.

11/2/23: Daily Post

Yesterday, I spent the day at Magdalena. I tutored all day. There wasn’t anything terribly interesting, I just hung out and helped students as they needed it. I also dropped the Malibu off with the high school shop class for an oil change.

I picked up a major Upwork contract and so I had to book some travel to North Carolina in December. I also knocked out some other work against two other contracts.

I have been cruising right along on my NaNoWriMo project. Granted, today is only day 3, but I’m above my daily target so far.

In the evening, I unloaded the firewood from the back of the Ranger and called it a night.

Thank you for reading my post.

11/1/23: Daily Post

Yesterday, I spent the day working at NMT. I had a moderately productive day, though it ended unproductively, which is always frustrating. Right out of the gate, which is often true at the beginning of the month, I was knocking things off my to do list rapidly.

I started this year’s NaNoWriMo, exceeding the writing goal for the day by 200 or so words. So far, I am excited about it, and I hope I won’t lose steam over the next few weeks. I have a trip scheduled to Savannah at the end of the month (I had a use or lose vacation to take), and I am intending to use it as a writing retreat to finish up the story.

Outside of that, I worked on a few things around the department, getting things set up for next semester. I did a bunch of reading and a little writing and grading as well.

I made some progress on an Upwork project.

In the evening, I had a Varsity Tutors appointment. I fell asleep in my chair soon after, missing my steps goals and a few other odds and ends from my to do list.

Thank you for reading my post.

11/23/22: Daily Post

Yesterday, I spent the day at home. I didn’t go to the gym, or do any shopping or anything. I spent it at home.

Probably the first thing I did in the morning was work on a few of my Upwork contracts and also apply for a few more Upwork contracts. I started out by knocking out a large section of writing for one client.

A little while later, I played on 20 meters. As it turns out, 20 meters was wide open, but 40 meters was not. On the 20 meter side, I made like ten contacts in one net, and couldn’t even get checked in to the 40 meter net. I also repaired a magnet mount and made one contact on 20 meters from the Malibu.

In the evening, I played around in the shed and did a little reloading. I’m totally out of powder for the .223 Win, so I started working on .32-20 Win. I need to see if I can find load data for the bullets I have, or whether I just need to use cast bullets for that one.

In the late evening, I added over 4000 words to my NaNoWriMo project, though I still have a long ways to go.

Thank you for reading my post.

11/12/22: Daily Post

Yesterday, I started out the day by watching the Rio Rancho Seventh Day Adventist Sabbath School and church service online. I had intended to go to the service in person, but have been fighting a bit of a cough and so I figured it was better to stay home.

In the afternoon, I played on the radio. I made a contact in Namibia, which is a new one for me. As it turns out, the guy takes lightning photos so we’ve swapped a few emails as well. I also worked a few other DX stations and updated some of my logbooks. I’ll talk more about this on my amateur radio blog later this week.

I also went and worked in the garden for a bit. I planted a few carrots, rutabagas and radishes. We’ll see if they grow. I’ve had luck in the past where these things have grown all winter without me knowing about them.

In the evening, I did some work in the shed, priming lots of brass and cleaning up a few things. I’ll talk more about that tomorrow on my outdoors blog.

I also finished up an Upwork project and spent a little time getting caught up on my NaNoWriMo project, though it is woefully behind.

Thank you for reading my post.

11/7/22: Daily Post

Yesterday was a long day. I started out by walking two miles down the hill to catch the 5:45 bus to the train. That went well, and I ended up chatting with all of the folks on the bus. Then, I arrived at the train station, and chatted with another professor there, and throughout the train ride to Belen. In Belen, I got on the shuttle and did update a few of my blogs.

My plan was to drive back and forth to Magdalena several times. I intended to tutor all morning, turn around and return to NMT for a meeting, then drive back to Magdalena to do after school tutoring, then turn around and drive back to Rio Rancho. Instead, I got in the Malibu and noticed that it smelled a little like burning plastic. I figured a bag or something had blown under the car, and once I got rolling, I didn’t notice it any more. When I arrived in Magdalena and stopped moving, the smell came back, as did a bunch of white smoke from under the hood. Turns out, one of the heater hoses had failed, and needed to be replaced.

I worked for a little while at Magdalena, but then had the car towed and rode with the tow truck driver back to Socorro. Then, I walked two miles to campus, where I was on time for my meeting.

I took the shuttle and train home, knocked out an Upwork project and updated my NaNoWriMo project. I also met JoAnna and we had dinner, (and I did some more writing) at the Flying Star.

Thank you for reading my post.