Today I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 77. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger that we can read is the compound word “short-range.” This is our prompt.
This post, written by Marie Ann Bailey and me, was published on January 13, 2014. Since the holiday period was quite long this year, and today is the first day back for many of you, I hope it is useful
Top Ten Things Not to Do as You Return to Work after a Long Holiday Hiatus
10. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, do not expect your coworkers who did not take any time off to appreciate hearing how wonderful your vacation was. If you do, at best, they will smile absently as you regale them with stories of all the reading you got done. At worst, they will regale you with tales of all the work that’s piled up on your desk, waiting for you, and the fact that you would be fired if it were not for them.
9. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, do not try to incur sympathy by complaining that you had to spend most of it with your in-laws. If you do, at best, your coworkers will simply try to one-up your story of how your mother-in-law found fault with how you decorated your Christmas tree as usual. At worst, your complaints will be passed to your spouse at the next opportunity.
8. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, do not pretend to have been gone so long that you forgot your boss’s name. If you do, at best, your boss will play along and pretend to have forgotten your name and salary grade. At worst, your boss, who was called into work on Christmas Eve for an emergency in your area, will want to forget who you are and have security escort you from the building as a joke.
7. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, do not expect to find your office or cubicle in the same condition as you last saw it. If you do, at best, it might be cleaner since the cleaning crew actually had a chance to clean it while you were gone, since most surfaces were uncovered. At worst, you will find things missing (like your favorite Lord of the Rings post-it notes) because your coworkers took advantage of your absence and treated your office like a come-help-yourself supply depot.
6. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, don’t expect to be able to spend most of your first day back getting “reacquainted” with your job. If you do, at best, your boss will grudgingly give you permission to spend the day reviewing rather than doing, but in the end, it will cost you. At worst, your boss will offer you the opportunity to get “acquainted” with the new unemployment policies if you don’t step up.
5. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, do not try to make it sound like your break was more fun than it was. If you do, at best, you’ll only be competing with your cubicle-mate who, like you, basically stayed home and read all day. At worst, you’ll find yourself making up stories about scuba diving off the Florida Keys just because your coworker hung out at a nude beach in Pensacola.
4. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, be sure to leave your house at least a half-hour earlier than usual. If you do, at best, you’ll get to work earlier and have some “quiet time” before the reality of being back hits you. At worst, you’ll need that extra half-hour because you’ve forgotten the best route and you get lost along the way. (You did drop crumbs, didn’t you?)
3. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, do not bring with you all the cookies and cakes left over from your holiday parties. If you do, at best, your coworkers will just give you the evil eye since they have resolved to stop eating sweets after the holidays. At worst, the three-week-old sweets that you left out for everyone else will mysteriously wind up on your office chair, in the shape of a horse’s head.
2. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, do not be surprised if the work you thought your coworker would do on your behalf didn’t get done. At best, you’ll find a neat stack of reports that need to be reviewed by close of business the day you return and the coworker who had offered to review the reports out on sick leave. At worst, you’ll find piles of documents strewn across your desk with no clue when they are due or who left them for you, and your boss standing outside impatiently tapping a foot waiting for your report.
1. When returning to work after a long holiday hiatus, do not expect everyone, including you, to be in a cheery, ready-to-get-to-work mood. At best, you all will just be experiencing temporary post-holiday depression that will lift after a few days. At worst, the reality that there are no more holidays until May will hit you like a sledgehammer, and you’ll have a four-month-long headache to show for it.
Today’s good news story comes from CBS. It was sent by Resa McConaghy. Thanks, Resa, for sharing
Elusive, endangered wild cat seen in Thailand for the first time in 30 years
An elusive wild cat long feared extinct in Thailand has been rediscovered three decades after the last recorded sighting, conservation authorities and an NGO said Friday.
Flat-headed cats are among the world’s most threatened wild felines, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature estimating that just 2,500 adults exist in the wild. The rare animals are about the size of a domestic cat and have distinctive, round, close-set eyes.
Flat-headed cats are found only in Southeast Asia and typically live in dense wetland ecosystems like peat swamps and freshwater mangroves. Such areas are under threat: Thailand’s peat swamp forests have been heavily fragmented, mainly due to land conversion and agricultural expansion, said veterinarian and researcher Kaset Sutasha of Kasetsart University. The last confirmed sighting of a flat-headed cat in Thailand was in 1995.
Last year, the wild cat conservation organization Panthera and Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation began an ecological survey using camera traps in the country’s Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary.
A flat-headed cat. Warmlight / Getty Images
Flat-headed cats were detected 29 times during the survey, according to Panthera and Thai officials. It was not immediately clear how many individuals the detections represent, as the species lacks distinctive markings, so counting is tricky. Pattanarangsan said the survey’s findings suggest a relatively high concentration of the species.
The footage included a female flat-headed cat with her cub — a rare and encouraging sign for a species that typically produces only one offspring at a time. The species has also struggled to reproduce across isolated areas, contributing to its endangerment.
Kaset, who was not involved in the survey but has researched wild cats for years, said the “rediscovery is exciting” but is only a “starting point” for future conservation efforts.
“What comes after this is more important — how to enable them to live alongside us sustainably, without being threatened,” Kaset said.
A flat-headed cat seen hunting along the Kinabatangan river, Sabah, Malaysia. Getty Images/iStockphoto
In addition to Thailand, flat-headed cats can be found in Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo, according to the Felidae Conservation Fund. They have a diet dominated by fish, frogs, and shrimp, and are nocturnal, elusive animals.
“Much about the species remains a mystery because of their rarity and the difficulty of accessing their habitats,” Panthera conservation program manager Rattapan Pattanarangsan said.
The good news in this story is that once again Nature works to recover from human interference. Today’s JohnKu talks about recovery. I hope you have a lovely weekend.
BREAK ANNOUNCEMENT – I will be off Saturday and Sunday so there will be no shenanigans with the coffee machine or views of the neighborhood. I’ll be back Monday.
“It may not look pretty, but at least the leak is stopped.”
“I’ll give you that, but what an eyesore. The neighbors are going to have a field day at the New Year’s Eve party, talking about the mess you made.”
“So you are just worried about what the neighbors will say?”
“Darn right I’m worried.”
“You should be happy that we got the leak under control and not worry about the gossip.”
“I’m the one who has to deal with these folks. All you do is work most of the time and don’t have talk to them.”
“Still. For the most part, we keep our place neat. This was an emergency. Don’t you think they will understand that?”
“I still don’t understand why it has to look like such a fright?”
“The water pressure was just too great to take the time to make a lovely patch. I had to get the water stopped before it ruined everything.”
“Can you fix it now?”
“No the binder has to set up before I make any more adjustments.”
“How does this happen anyway? You built our place. Did you do a lousy job?”
“This is a small setback, and you are making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“You don’t have to listen to the whispers.”
“We had unprecedented rain, and the water pressure was just too much.”
“Why didn’t this happen to others?”
“Take a look.”
“What?”
“Do you see any dams left downstream?”
“OMG, where are they?”
“So much for wondering if ours was built properly. I don’t think you have to worry about what is said at the New Year’s Eve party. I think you and I will be the only ones there. The rest will be chasing their tails trying to find logs to rebuild.”
“You are my hero. Happy New Year, you eager Beaver you.”
This post was first published on December 30th, 2013, by Marie Ann Bailey and me. I think it may still be good advice.
Top Ten Things Not to Do on New Year’s Eve
10. On New Year’s Eve, do not think you need to consume everything in the city. If you do, at best, you may gain a few pounds. At worst, you will never ever feel better again.
9. On New Year’s Eve, do not think everyone is in love with you. If you do, at best, you may get a new roommate. At worst, you may wake up next to a stranger who is now your spouse.
8. On New Year’s Eve, do not think you have to scream “Happy New Year” more than once. If you do, at best, you will lose your voice. At worst, someone may in fact put a sock in it.
7. On New Year’s Eve, do not think you need to invent and issue resolutions for everyone else. If you do, at best, you will lose some friends. At worst, your host may resolve to ban you to the patio.
6. On New Year’s Eve, do not think you have to help others drink more. If you do, at best, you may be the last person standing. At worst, you may be named as a co-defendant on a DUI.
5. On New Year’s Eve, do not think you need to give everyone a kiss. If you do, at best, they will all think you are a nerd. At worst, you may pick up a nice case of bubonic plague.
4. On New Year’s Eve, you do not have to sing “Auld Lang Syne.” If you do, at best, your off-key rendition will be recorded for playback when you are sober. At worst, you’ll not know the words and remove all doubt as to your IQ.
3. On New Year’s Eve, you do not have to tell everyone exactly what you think of them. If you do, at best, a few will want to take you outside. At worst, several will.
2. On New Year’s Eve, there is no reason to remove some of your clothes to be more comfortable. If you do, at best, you may not know when to stop. At worst, there could be additional records of your lack of discretion that you will need to pay handsomely to squelch.
1. On New Year’s Eve, there is no reason to get behind the wheel of a car after you have won the shots per hour contest. If you do it, at best you will end up in jail. At worst, you might just hurt someone.
Today is an in-between kind of day. The Holidays are past, and the New Year is in front of us. It is a good time to take a look at the deciduous trees that have finally turned here in Texas. It is also a good time to check in with the volunteers who are busy restocking the seed library. We are catered by Comedor of Austin, and our entertainment is Elsie Duckworth
Caesar Salad – Romaine, epazote, masa croutons, Manchego cheese
Here’s the bus. Let’s go.
The location of the seed library. The administration offices of the Lakeway Municipal Utility District.
There are treats.
Some discussion with Stephanie Threinen, CPC Public Information Liaison. (Right)
Sorting donated seeds and labeling the packets.
The work is very necessary.
To help, some music to keep the spirits bright.
Most of the deciduous trees in Lakeway are oaks, so there is a lot of red. The color time is very short.
A lovely oak.
Another oak but golden.
Bradford pears with red leaves,
An oak just turning. In a week, these will be on the ground.
Another oak.
A final oak.
Now that we have witnessed the seed round-up and the changing color of the trees, it is time for food and music. I hope you have a great week and a Happy New Year celebration.
So here we are, between Christmas and the New Year. It’s always good to have a nice, quiet cup of coffee on a Saturday morning. Of course, there is a certain dependency on the machine to be in the right frame of mind to deliver that cup of coffee. It looks like today is a lucky day, since a push of the two-coffee button delivers the eight-ounce cup of steaming stuff that is vital to moving on with the day. The first sip is heaven and drives the demons back to their lair. The plot thickens just before the second sip. The familiar interruption of the Westminster chime signaling that another idiot can’t read the “do not ring the doorbell sign.” Tossing a bone into the soundproof room gets Twiggy and Tempeste off the ceiling chasing after it. A slam of the door brings peace back to the abode.
The security monitor shows an image of someone who looks a lot like Wile E. Coyote. A challenge through the intercom, and, long story short, he has an envelope that requires a signature. With a sigh, I start the security shutdown process.
The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the security system’s shutdown process. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and Robbie’s nanorobots are chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. The locks are thrown, and the door is opened.
The Wile look-alike hands me the envelope and a clipboard. My signature is applied and given back to him. The Wile look-alike has a huge firework in one paw. It is from the ACME Explosives Company, leading me to believe it is not a firework at all. The other paw it open in the classic tip receiver mode. Given the presence of the dynamite, the better part of valor is to hand him a tenner. He smiles and turns to go as my front door is slammed. The envelope is from Linda Hill, and the message inside reads Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “plot.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
Today’s good news story comes from Fox News and was sent to me by good friend Tom Okragly. Thanks, Tom.
Wisconsin officials recently announced the discovery of a trove of ancient canoes in an underwater “parking lot” of sorts — including one that predates the Pyramids of Giza.
The Wisconsin Historical Society is studying the unusually large cache of canoes after identifying 14 vessels preserved beneath Lake Mendota. (Tamara Thomsen, Wisconsin Historical Society; Wisconsin Historical Society)
The Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) announced this month that its experts have identified 14 canoes in Madison’s Lake Mendota so far, six of which were found this spring. The WHS worked with the First Nations of Wisconsin during the research process, a release noted.
The WHS also recovered a 1,200-year-old dugout canoe in 2021 and retrieved another 3,000-year-old one in 2022.
All in all, the oldest canoe is 5,200 years old, while the most recent one dates back to the 1300s A.D. The vessels were used to catch fish, to make travel more efficient, and to facilitate trade, the WHS said.
“The landscape around Madison lakes looked very different before European settlers arrived in the area and conducted terraforming to suit modern transportation, with large bluffs that made traveling over the land difficult in some areas,” the statement noted.
The canoes survived because they remained buried in deep water for millennia, according to a maritime archaeologist. (Wisconsin Historical Society; Dean Witter, Wisconsin Historical Society)
“Canoe travel may have been more efficient for certain routes for the communities who lived in the area spanning thousands of years before Wisconsin became a state,” the statement also said.
WHS maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen told Fox News Digital the canoes were preserved by being buried under Lake Mendota for thousands of years.
“The canoes have all been found eroding from a bank underwater, in about 25 feet of water,” said Thomsen. “They survived because they remained buried for so many millennia.”
There are no current plans to retrieve the 14 canoes that remain underwater, Thomsen added. The two that have been retrieved, however, are slated to be included in a museum display at the Wisconsin History Center in 2027.
The canoes’ construction reflects early forms of bioengineering long before the modern term existed, said experts. (Wisconsin Historical Society)
“The oldest Lake Mendota canoe identified to date was likely crafted sometime around 3000 B.C., before the Great Pyramid of Giza was built in Egypt, and around the time of the invention of writing in Sumer,” she added.
“Constructed of red oak, it is now the oldest dugout canoe recorded from the Great Lakes region and the third oldest in eastern North America.”
The cache is rare in the Midwest, as such discoveries are more common in the Southeast.
The WHS also said the canoes were made of either red or white oak — curious choices, as they tend to be water-absorbent.
Thomsen speculated that the builders may have intentionally selected trees that were damaged, or may have damaged them on purpose to impact their growth cycle.
“We think of bioengineering as a modern practice, but the samples we have suggest this may have been taking place long before the term was coined in the mid-20th century,” she said.
“Archaeology is kind of like putting together pieces of a puzzle, and the more pieces you can find, the better you can start to form a picture of what was going on and why during a period of history,” Thomsen added.
“This is the only cache of canoes that has so far been discovered in Wisconsin,” said maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen. (Tamara Thomsen, Wisconsin Historical Society)
Bill Quackenbush, a tribal historic preservation officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation, said the project “gives us a meaningful opportunity to gain a deeper perspective on our heritage and our ancestors.”
He added, “It is important that we document and share these stories, so that our youth feel that connection to our past.”
“Protecting and preserving this knowledge ensures that the next generation understands where we come from and why these stories matter. That is why we share them and continue this work.”
The good news in this story is that ancient artifacts are being preserved and studied for any new learning. Today’s JohnKu talks about history. I hope you have a lovely weekend.
