The last day of my first semester.

Well, the poor Biomechanics undergrads had to stay around for the final time slot of this week to take their final. We had a review session last night and they were really hurting. I tried to help them out but I think I scared them more. So, Brian (my mentor) and I walked down to the testing room, which wasn't in our building, the final schedule is super weird around here. Anyway, we got there with plenty of time for me to sit and chat with some of my students. Then we passed out the test and the scantrons...well we were a few short and Brian ran up to get more, so I stayed there as the kids started the test. As I sat there waiting for one of them to ask a question, I looked at them and I was sad. They were a great class, good people, very fun, and I had a good relationship with them. I am sad to see them go. My first little chickens, off to fight bigger battles! Well, good luck little clucks! Thanks for such a great first semester!

MARS! WOW! and Space violence

SO I just found this picture, and many more, from the Hubble telescope. This is from the closest pass of Hubble to Mars! AMAZING!

From: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2007/37/full/

A powerful jet from a supermassive black hole is blasting a nearby galaxy, according to new data from NASA observatories. This never-before witnessed galactic violence may have a profound effect on planets in the jet's path and trigger a burst of star formation in its destructive wake.

Known as 3C 321, the system contains two galaxies in orbit around each other. Data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory show both galaxies contain supermassive black holes at their centers, but the larger galaxy has a jet emanating from the vicinity of its black hole. The smaller galaxy apparently has swung into the path of this jet.

This "death star galaxy" was discovered through the combined efforts of both space and ground-based telescopes. NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope, and Spitzer Space Telescope were part of the effort. The Very Large Array (VLA) in Socorro, N.M., and the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) telescopes in the United Kingdom also were needed for the finding.

"We've seen many jets produced by black holes, but this is the first time we've seen one punch into another galaxy like we're seeing here," said Dan Evans, a scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass. and leader of the study. "This jet could be causing all sorts of problems for the smaller galaxy it is pummeling."

I almost forgot.

Ok the lifts are NUTS at Tremblant. (see previous blog for pictures) All the ones I went on are high speed quads and I have to say, no other quad I have been on is like this. They go as fast as the gondola and you fly into the bull wheel, so fast you don't think you are going to stop. Then it throws on the breaks right before the ramp, but not before you can use all the momentum to get off super fast if you time it right. So much fun!

And the lifts close at 330pm...what? why so early? Well, because we were so far north that it got dark early enough that in order to be safe in getting people off the hill, they have to close early...how cool is that?

Bonjour!

So, the big thing I did this week was go to Canada! Yes, Canada. I went to Mont Tremblant to go skiing for a few days, during FINALS WEEK, how crazy is that? Well the whole experience was crazy from the beginning. These are some of the pictures I took of the "base" and the hill.

So, lets start off with the drive up through Vermont. Well, I missed the turn off to get to Burlington, which isn't that big of a deal because we could get into Canada another way, it would just take a bit longer. No worries. Until a VT state patrol vehicle followed me for about 10 miles, after he had already passed me. The only way I could get him off my tail was to turn off at Newport VT. That is another story. This little town was where we decided to get food and gas. There was ONE light, completely unplowed roads and no one around at 830 at night. There were very funny people who helped us though, funny in a hick, let's make fun of them kind of way. So, we went out to THE light and "banged" a left and got back out on 91.

Well then we went through a BIG border patrol. I didn't get a picture because the story of crossing was much more hectic. Let me explain. We pulled in about 9 and no one else was there. I pulled out my passport and the guy who was with me had his license. Well, we were asked several questions, and then were told to pull around and "come inside." So, we did. We then were asked several more questions, some of them repeated, probably to see if we would change our answers. We didn't, but they proceeded to check something out. We never did find out, but a half hour later we were allowed to enter Canada. Maybe it was the California drivers license of the guy, or was it the Utah plates of someone who goes to school in Massachusetts with a passport from Germany? Who knows, but that was quite the adventure.
Then we drove down dix ouest (10 west) into Montreal. There wasn't much out there, and it was strangely different from Northern Vermont. Vermont is completely rugged and wooded and right over the boarder Canada turns into flat nothingness. Interestingly the boarder is halfway to the north pole, which I though was cool.
Then we drove through Montreal which was fine because it was well signed. But then when we were driving to Tremblant, the adventure became even more interesting. I didn't know exactly where to get off, I figured that it would be easy to find. HA! There was the "Mont Tremblant" and "Mont Tremblant ski resort" and one came before the other...I'll let you guess which one came first. So, of course, that was the off ramp we took. Well, that road proceeded to drive AROUND Mont Tremblant. There was a sign that said, Tremblant 25 km...no sweat! That road ended and then there was a fork in the road (See the sign, sorry it is fuzzy, it was late and super dark). Notice that it says Tremblant in really fancy print and it was to the right only 3 km and to the left the plain sign says Mont Tremblant is 22 km. Well, after having driven 25 km already we thought for sure to the right was the right choice. It wasn't, although the next day skiing I learned that it was the "backside" or the north side. So we were close, just not where we were to stay. SO we drove 22 km to the left to the ski resort. Well, was that just a normal drive? NO! It was on a dirt road covered in about 4-6 inches of snow with many switch backs and whoopdie dues! That was awesome and at 1200 at night, it just made the story that much better, and becomes one more time I've taken the jeep off road after midnight. But to know that I did it in Canada is pretty cool.

Well, it was cold the first day (-4 F) but the snow was awesome. Then the next day it was a bit warmer (20 F) but the wind made it feel worse than the day before. But again, the snow was incredible. The mountain was big with a lot to choose from. I pretty much skied the bumps all day long for two days...my back is killing me. I know, waah! I got about 50 runs in in two days and, believe me, I'm not complaining, just telling. It was a great two days of skiing in Canada with a great adventure of travels. (Actually, the ride home was void of adventure except for traveling Canada speeds on a country road racing to the boarder in a blizzard...those canadians are crazy drivers.)

Caroling at the OSV.

The young men and women of the stake had an invite to Old Sturbridge Village to sing. OSV opens around Christmas time at night for Christmas festivities, including caroling. It was really fun, with a lot of fun things to make and do. My driver kind of got lost, ok we got really lost, so we actually missed the singing part, but we still got to take part in the fun.
This is one of two churches portrayed at the Village. This night there was a real choir singing inside all dressed up in red robes for Christmas. I'm glad we weren't part of THAT choir and were THAT late.
This is a large family home in the town square and people were making people shadows all night.
This is where we would have been had we made it in time to sing, by the campfire!

Ok the end result of the storm!

Ok so here it is, the final pictures of yesterday's storm. Jeepers got a little buried. I've seen worse, but this is pretty good. The box on top sure makes it look as if there is more snow than there is.

In most places the snow was just pushed off the road, this was one of the few places that the snow was just scraped away so we can see exactly how much fell. Just remember, before yesterday there was no snow, so everything you see came yesterday.
This is a little stream by my house. It is starting to freeze over, can't wait for that!This is a local family farm. The field was all corn when I first got here. Notice the corn in front of the barn on the left. If you look in the background you can see the library at UMass.

Another field that was completely bare yesterday morning. Kind of looks like typical New England, no?
I think I know why people only put up wreaths and maybe a few lights, because with some snow every house looks Christmasy.

Even garbage containers and mail boxes look better with snow!

Now those who rest in peace have a blanket of snow!

Finally, I noticed these tracks as I was running along a fairly busy road. They started on one side then started back over on this side. There are signs all over the place that show a snowmobiler...as in, watch for them. Now I get it. There were snowmobile tracks everywhere once I started looking. People were just outside having fun yesterday!

Like I needed another reason to get a dog!

But this is amazing and I might just have to teach any dog I get to do this. This was the best quality I could find...just watch the whole thing and you'll see enough!

The snow is falling....

I know you are all probably sick and tired of hearing about the weather, especially the snow. But today is different. We got 12 inches in 4 hours. The world went from an icy mess to a beautiful, white world. In preparation of the snow, UMass closed at 12. So, the class I TA for and my final modeling class were canceled. Well, they were off by about 45 minutes and by 1230 when I left there were about 3 inches on the ground already. This batch was pretty light too, like my first storm. But instead of showing the "snow" I took pictures of the neighborhood. Enjoy!



So I was my house working on one of my finals, making a computer model of a person jump as high as we can, and I looked outside my window and saw this...
Then I put on my really warm new jacket and went for a walk. As I started, three scrappers turned up my street. I stood and watched because I thought they were lining up to clear our road and I didn't want to get in the way. As it turns out, they just use our street to turn around.
This is my house. The front was almost all grass this morning and there was nothing on the roof. When I opened the door to go out, I had a hard time because of all the snow that was piled up outside the door.


As I walked along the road I stopped to take pictures of the decorations. I didn't get a chance to take Halloween decoration pictures, so I figured I had better do Christmas. This neighbor of mine went a bit too commercial in my opinion, but look at the santa and the snowman: they fell over due to the snow. HE HE HE!
Now, these two neighbors are a bit more representative of what people do around here. They maybe put a simple, traditional wreath on their door (which they probably purchased at a local stand, you know, the same ones that sell fruits and veggies in the summer and mounds of pumpkins in the fall) and single candle-like lights in each window.




























Finally this is the road in question...no plows went over it today, so it is about 4 -7 inches deep. No wonder I didn't go anywhere this afternoon. Here's wishing you all a wonderful winter day!

What a night!

So, I ended up staying at school until almost 730pm tonight. I just got into my work and I didn't leave. When I realized what time it was, I jumped up and ran out to catch the bus. Well, I missed the bus by about 20 sec. Had I started jogging once I left my building I would have caught it, but I didn't start until I had already walked a distance. I was so close to the bus I could smell the exhaust. I decided I would jog to the next stop, then the next, then the next, until I saw the bus coming. So, I took off, running along the snowy sidewalks. As I ran, I remembered that late at night the buses come every 30 minutes; during the day, they come every 15. I thought, it takes me 45 minutes to walk to school, so if I run, it will probably take me no more than 30 minutes. That would have meant that by the time I got home the bus would be at the stop where I missed the bus...so off I ran. At one point, I had to cross a busy street, so I stopped to make sure that I could make it across safely in the dark. As I did, I looked up. WOW, one can see so many stars. I realized that I hadn't been outside in a situation to see the sky in the dark since I had moved here. So I never noticed how many stars someone could see out here in Western Mass. We haven't seen the sun for several days now, but tonight is the final clearing before a decent storm moves in so it was gorgeous. So, I'm really glad I chose to run. (I can't wait for this one...could be pretty big!) Oh, and if you were wondering, I made it home and was almost done cooking my dinner when the bus, that I would have been on had I waited, when speeding by. :) Good choice all around!

'tis a sad sad day

T-Mobile Pulls Out Of Cycling! If any of you would like to read for yourself.
http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-3-12-16633-1,00.html?cm_mmc=Bicycling%20NL-_-2007_12_06-_-News-_-tmobile

But now with T-Mobtile and Gerolsteiner both gone as sponsors, who is this Germany fan going to root for? Oh, maybe MILKA will sponsor a team...now that would be great! Purple cow kits riding in the tour...I can see it now! I love it...now how to get it into action? HMMMMM! :)

Today was an extremely cold start to the morning...single digits. I was talking with someone at church last night and she said this is the coldest start to a winter she can remember. I believe it is a nice welcome for me...welcome to MA. :) But I find it funny because all the computer models said that this was going to be a warm winter, warmer than last winter which was a record warm, with more rain than snow. Well, we have had more snow than rain so far the whole time I have been here, and it certainly isn't warm. So, don't believe everything you read/hear.

A quote to ponder

I think we consider too much the good luck of the early bird and not enough the bad luck of the early worm.

FDR

I fixed it!

I have been told by a few of you that you were unable to leave comments. Well, my response was always, hmmm, I wonder why? I found out why. Without going into huge detail, I fixed it, so anyone who wants to leave a comment, now can. :)

OH boy!

Well, the storm that left some white stuff in Utah and CO, that drenched the four corners area and is dumping on MN, is heading this way. There isn't a big "warning", as in, get food and water and hunker down, but it may bring me my first real Nor'easter! I'm pretty excited except for the fact that today is a beautifully sunny day but with the wind chill it is in the single digits. So, I decided today would be a good day to put up my Christmas tree.
I'll be sure to give exciting weather updates if anything exciting happens! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.