Tell me something good...

[Steve]

Congratulations

Thanks, though I really can't take any of the credit. The kids are all lucky they take after their mom.

 

[Xue Sheng96]

Thanks, though I really can't take any of the credit. The kids are all lucky they take after their mom.

Same here and thank God they did.

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

Something good:
My brother, my sister and all my little nieces and nephews are coming over next week for an official week long visit. I've got each of them a present, I've sanitised my room and removed all the dangerous objects (Bowie knives, psychiatric medications, nicotine replacement therapy stuff) so that my nephew can have it and set up camp here in my studio. It's going to rock. We're going to use dad's boat as a play boat, I'm going to have a proper face-to-face catchup with my brother and his lovely wife, and we're going to eat a LOT. My taper should be over and done with by then, and we're going to have the best time ever.

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

Something good:
I learned that Tanya Rotherfield, an artist whom I have always respected and enjoyed likes my drawings
One of mine:

 

[Flying Crane]

I put in an order for a new telescope. I have a large Dobsonian telescope for viewing the night sky. It’s wonderful but my one complaint is that it is big and bulky and difficult to travel with. It is designed to be taken apart for travel and that actually works pretty well but the reality is that it is still bulky enough that Ive only done it a couple of times. So its been relegated to the back yard.

For years now Ive been thinking it would be nice to have a small, high-quality telescope that is easy to put in the car and drive off to wherever, and set up quickly to view on the go. Financial issues have mandated that I keep stalling the purchase, but we finally decided we were in the clear and I can go ahead with it. Anticipated arrival before the end of this coming week. Very excited.

The new telescope arrived on Thursday and Ive been testing it out with my various eyepieces. Last night I took some pictures of M22, a globular star cluster in Sagittarius at about 37x. So far I am very happy with the new toy.

Photos of M22 were taken with the iPhone held to the eyepiece. This is very simple and unsophisticated Astro-photography. It takes a more sophisticated and much more expensive line-up of equipment to get the stunning images that you can see online, but I am always pleased by what the iPhone can do. The first photo of M22 is the raw photo straight off the phone. The second is after doing a bit of processing with the iPhone’s built-in capabilities.

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

I have finally graduated to the brush

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

Also, the tribe will be here in a couple of hours. House cleaned, dinner sorted..... SO EXCITED

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

THE TRIBE IS HERE
See you all in a week

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

Ah, endorphins; the high you can feel smug about

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

Saw an old friend today. He's sober, he's lost half a stone and he's so much happier. This is very, very good news.

 

[Stuarto63]

Saw an old friend today. He's sober, he's lost half a stone and he's so much happier. This is very, very good news.

Very glad to hear that. It's always nice to hear when someone is able to turn their life around for the better.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf103]

Saw an old friend today. He's sober, he's lost half a stone and he's so much happier. This is very, very good news.

Might be a good guy for you to hang out with more often.

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

Might be a good guy for you to hang out with more often.

Yup, we're going to hang out next time I come to town. We're going to play warhammer 40K and stuff.

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

Sold a drawing! wooooooooo!

 

[Xue Sheng96]

Working on my Mandarin, listening to traditional Chinese music and eating the homemade pork dumplings that Mrs Xue just made.... all in all, a pretty good afternoon.... now off to train some Wing Chun and Taijiquan in my basement Kwoon or Guan, depending on what I am training at the time

After that i get to have more dumplings and I am going to watch teh Donnie Yen Movie "Monkey King, Havoc in Heaven... or in Chinese

孙悟空，大闹天宫
Sūnwùkōng, dà nào tiāngōng

Also just found out I am more than welcome in the new Aikido dojo when my shoulder and knee are ready

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

A good thing: my pre-ordered copy of the forward book of poetry 2025 arrived today. No, I am not a nerd at all

 

[Xue Sheng96]

A good thing: my pre-ordered copy of the forward book of poetry 2025 arrived today. No, I am not a nerd at all

I like poetry, use to read a lot. Now my two favorites are from vastly different authors, cultures and times

Robert Frost The Road Not Taken

And

Li Bai (Li Po) Drinking Alone under the Moon

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

I like poetry, use to read a lot. Now my two favorites are from vastly different authors, cultures and times

Robert Frost The Road Not Taken

And

Li Bai (Li Po) Drinking Alone under the Moon

I hadn't encountered Li Bai before. It's rather beautiful, and quite playful too

 

[Prince_Alarming102]

I personally have a thing for bashō. There's a certain pith to his haiku that make them immensely enjoyable. And, at the opposite end of the spectrum, Elisabeth Bishop.

 

[Xue Sheng96]

I hadn't encountered Li Bai before. It's rather beautiful, and quite playful too

Li Bai (701 - 762)​

My wife has a huge painting of that poem, in Chinese Characters, in her office