November 8, 2004 - Monday | 4:46 PM, CST

Two very important things happened to me yesterday that may both be the single most important events in my life. The first one was a lifelong wish to see the Northern Lights. Believe it or not, I have never seen this atmospheric phenomenon before in person. It was really an accident that I noticed them at all. I looked up in the sky and noticed what I thought were a line of irregular-looking clouds that seemed to glow with a strange irridescence.

Wait a minute... I thought. I stopped and stared for a moment longer. I noticed how the clouds were actually thin ribbons of light, slowly changing shape and luminosity as I stood there - realizing I was seeing something I'd wished to view for years. I bolted back in the house and pulled Kelly outside to watch with me. In fact, I've even considered visiting Zach in Bemidji for the sole purpose of a chance to view the Lights.

Before leaving for work, Kelly and I drove out in the country on a darkened road and shut off the lights. Although it was nearly ten, I decided to call Nathan on my cell phone and inform him of the news. After a few minutes, as we sat and watched, another car approached. It was Nathan and family with the same thought for a dark viewing place as we had. You might say it was a congrenathan... We sat with them and watched until I had to take Kelly home.

Wow.

I'm not sure if I've seen these before and dismissed them as clouds, or if they were just exceptionally bright tonight. I hadn't heard in the papers of any extensive solar flares that might account for this (The Northern Lights function as a part of the Van Allen radiation belts: two donut shaped magnetic fields which trap charged particles from the sun and funnel them towards the poles. During periods of heightened solar activity, the radiation belts are overloaded with these charged particles and send them cascading down into the poles, which energizes the air and creates the Northern Lights).

Now that I know what to look for, I'm definately going to keep my eyes open for future sightings. In my opinion, watching the Northern Lights is probably better than any fireworks show I've ever seen.

The second important event that occurred yesterday was my viewing of The Secretary. Again - wow. I have a question... Why can't I have a secretary? That would be the coolest thing in the world, right up there with the Northern Lights.

Blamshit!

Kristy, please let me know through a comment, e-mail, or CB radio communication, what you will be requesting for Christmas. I've had some suggestions from helpful individuals, but I prefer going to the source for things like these. Andy, if you would be so kind as to do the same, I'd be much obliged, suh.

In case any of you have noticed my lung wrenching coughing over the past week, you will be glad to know that I have finally scheduled a doctor's appointment. Although my illness is pretty much over by now, it probably wouldn't hurt to down some antibiotics. And maybe I'll even have some left over, in case there is a recurrance of a similiar sickness later down the road. I just find it very hard to schedule an appointment for say... six o'clock, not actually enter the doctor's office until eight o'clock, and see the doctor, finally, for three minutes nearly a half an hour later. Seemes like an incredible waste of time.

I dunno, I suppose that if I was really sick, other than just the sniffles or a case of strep, I'd want the doctor for probably a lot longer than I usually do. Plus, these past few days I've been experiencing a dull aching pain in my lower right leg. Normally I'd dismiss this, because I have pains like that infrequently, but with the persistance, I figure why not have a look at it. I'm already there.

Sometimes I think I'm a hypochondriac (sp?).

Look up at the sky tonight, hopefully you won't be disappointed.

grokkings

The population of Uranium City, Canada, is 212.

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Ghost hunting    7/23/02

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