The fire that was threatening my local area is mostly contained. Actually it has been for two weeks or so. Evacuation orders are probably almost entirely lifted by now except for some small area. So that's mostly good. It did not come without losses for many people, though.
But it's California, and we're a box of matches when it comes down to it. Hotspot detection satellites are lighting up the state like a Christmas tree. That's why even though we (folks in my area) aren't being immediatel
Work on Wednesday was agonizing. It was really hard to get anything done while keeping the burn map open and watching it spread closer and closer to my girlfriend's place of residence. They were never under mandatory evacuation, but everyone around them was so they left anyway. It did end up jumping the highway, leaving a whole new range of people in danger and forced to evacuate. We were not one of those groups, but its still terrifying to watch a fire line inch closer and closer to your home.
I was really happy when we got some summer rain earlier this week. I can't remember the last time that ever happened in my life, and it came with thunder and lightning which is also a rarity. It was cool at first, until I got to work on Monday and heard that it started a fire. It was small at first, but two days later, like all of them, it erupted into a monster. 32,000 acres burning, and although it started really far away its now threatening the home of some family friends, and where my sister
Almost exactly a year (and two weeks) after writing a blog entry about the 2018 California fires, more are breaking out and the dry October winds we tend to get are certainly not helping . There are probably a few officially labelled fires, but the two I'm reading about are the Kincade Fire, because its closest to me, and the Tick Fire near Los Angeles. Unlike last year's fires which came too close to comfort, we are at no risk from the Kincade fire. Unfortunately many people (39-50,000 dependin
There are a lot of fires in northern California right now, but the one I’m paying attention to is being labelled the Atlas Fire (for whatever reason, I don’t know). Firefighters have been battling them all week, but the dry conditions and winds (which are expecting to pick up again) have been making it difficult. The winds are making it especially dangerous. I continue to hope for the best, but it’s a really big fire. Every hour it’s getting closer and closer to my girlfriend’s family’s home, an
In between work, travel (for work), reading mountains of books and watching whatever movie I happen to be able to get my eyes on (the last was Hannah Montana- don't judge), I decided that I wanted a selection of video games for entertainment, because I'm not always in the mood for reading or watching movies, especially when I can't sleep at night and I end up staying up till 1 am or later. My computer does come with a solitaire collection and Candy Crush for free, but there are only so many card
A long time ago in a blog entry far far away, I mentioned how I was accepted into graduate school. Well, a couple of months later here I am, sitting in my apartment and waiting for orientation stuff to start tomorrow. I have to confess that leaving home was kind of difficult. I love my family, and while we tend to appreciate each other from a distance, I still would rather be closer to them. I’m kind of far away. Like, over half way across the country kind of far. And, on top of that, on a campu
So the Unofficial Family Reunion week came and went, all to soon in my opinion. Both sisters are back at school, and while I'll be seeing them both infrequently, I should be able to talk to my first sister more often, which is nice. Sister Appreciation Day Gift 1: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies were a mild success. I may not be the best chef in the house, but I can follow a simple cookie recipe. And they came out pretty good: they were moist, and soft (the way cookies should be- none of
three and a half months ago I nervously submitted applications for graduate school (and then after that waited for my letters of recommendation to be written). Yesterday, after a month and a half of waiting (and one rejection) I recieved word that I was accepted into my first choice school. Normally I prefer to write more detailed entries, and perhaps later on I will, but for now all I care to say is that I am simultaneously excited and incredibly nervous. I'm stepping very much out of my comfor
Since the nature of my work means I have way too much free time, I decided to participate in some random blog's 2017 book challenge, because why not? The way the challenge works is that there are 50 or so categories, and during the year you have to read books that fit in each of the categories. The rules don't say that reading one book can satisfy multiple categories, but it doesn't really say it can't either. So I did the challenge that way. So how did I do? Got everything except three. The n
