25 to 50 Large Birds

It's been about a month since my previous post about this unguided process . A month later, things still feel strangely liminal for me. Time still seems somewhat amorphous, as it has throughout the pandemic.  I previously tried to come up with some sort of framework for activities to return to and gradually ease myself into post-pandemic life. One of the first things in terms of branching out socially was to attend some sort of outdoor gathering that included people I know (as opposed to strangers). I thought that would be the easiest starting point. Last weekend, I had an opportunity for that. It was overall enjoyable yet it also felt vaguely disorienting and afterward, I felt like I needed a week to recover from that sudden flood of socialization.  socialized with friends, in person (outside, vaccinated), I will now use these next 2 days off to recover from so much being around people ohgod please let me just lie down in my dark silent house — Heather Wms Gaona🐨 (@heather...

There isn't really a blueprint for how to reimmerse yourself into a semblance of normalcy that has taken over a year to arrive. Although the prospect of returning to a new sort of normal seemed so tantalizing in the past, now that it's actually at hand, it elicits some trepidation and reticence for me, perhaps counterintuitively.  After so many months of a muted, isolated existence where I mainly stayed at home, the vast majority of my social interactions were mediated through the veil of technology and I intentionally avoided strangers as much as possible, I find I'm left with a newly tender psyche that just simply doesn't feel ready to emerge from the pandemic cocoon. Yet I know that I must emerge eventually, instead of withdrawing ever more inwards and becoming a permanent recluse.  I don't know of a blueprint for that process. I was in the last group of adults to be eligible for a vaccine and it was only a week ago that I passed the two-week threshold for being ...

Along with the general reopening taking place has come speculation about the future of office-based work. While remote work is obviously not an option for those in retail or restaurant jobs, other industries and workplaces will have to decide what role remote work should have going forward. Nuance on this issue seems to have gotten a bit lost, based on  some of what I've read recently .  This shouldn't be an all-or-nothing matter. Different workplaces and teams may be suited for different working arrangements, depending on the particular nature of the work and employees involved. Recognizing that personal preference can influence whether a given employee would prefer to work remotely, in an ideal scenario, decisions about remote work arrangements would be made collaboratively between managers and employees based on the needs and preferences at hand.  Maybe the conclusion at a given workplace is that some (or even all?) employees will work completely from home, or perhaps ...

It took me a few days to arrange and coherently articulate my thoughts about this . I find it decidedly unsettling and a reminder that racism and misogyny (in this case, enabled by the availability of guns) are very much alive in our country.  When attacks on Asian Americans in Oakland made the news earlier this year, I thought to myself that those kinds of things wouldn't happen here because I see myself as living in a diverse and tolerant community. But it's not like Oakland isn't diverse; in fact the demographics are actually rather similar to Montgomery County and I suppose diversity does not necessarily/inherently = tolerance. While I would say that diversity is conducive to tolerance, it does not necessarily equal tolerance in and of itself. Regardless, I am glad that I live here instead of somewhere that's, say, 90% white, because I figure racism would be more prevalent in places like that.   While I (thankfully) haven't personally faced anything I'd con...

Want me to (ghost)write your holiday cards? Or do you know someone else who might appreciate this service? (Let them know!)  I have nice and legible handwriting (nicer than yours, perhaps?). You can choose from different ink colors (black, blue, red, pink, mint green). A sample of my handwriting is available here . Inquire within if you'd like to make use of this service I'm offering or if you have any questions. You can contact me via email or Twitter . Everything will be written by hand, by a human (me), NOT a robot or computer.  More details: Specify the holiday you want the cards to reference (Christmas or otherwise? A generic happy holidays?) You can be involved in the card design selection process if you'd like or you can leave it completely up to me.  Provide the names and addresses of the recipients and your return address. Tell me what you want to be written in the cards. Otherwise, the default will be a short generic message such as "[recipient's name],...

Here is some discussion of my analysis of face mask fit and design . I've compiled it here in a blog post so that it'll be (somewhat?) easier to follow compared to a bunch of disjointed tweets  and replies.* Please read the aforementioned post so that this discussion will make more sense.  DW Rowlands:  Thanks for sharing!  I am struck by how common "ear loops too loose" is as a problem for you, too.  I really don't get why ear loops seem to be an almost-universal standard when it seems like tie-on masks fit a lot better. It does make sense that more-deeply pleated masks would fit better.  And I really should buy more masks instead of wearing the same ones multiple days in a row (though I rarely go places near other people when I'm outside). I just continue to be stressed out about spending money on things that turn out to not fit.  Rachel Taylor:  Ear loop masks are definitely easier to put on or remove, but I think the fit benefits of ...

Since the last time I posted about face masks , I've had the opportunity to try some additional designs. None of the newer designs have turned out to be great -- I'm still happiest with the design and fit of two masks I already had. But I've done some analysis and made some new insights on face mask fit and design.  I assessed the masks on the following factors: Comfort : self-explanatory, although perhaps somewhat subjective. Is the fabric comfortable against the face? Are the ear loops or ties comfortable? Fit : How well does the mask fit my face? Does it provide enough coverage over my nose and chin? How does it work with my glasses?   Measurements/size : dimensions of the front of the mask and how long the ear loops are Stability : How well does the mask stay in place while breathing and talking? I tested this by talking a bit while wearing each mask, as well as moving/scrunching my face in various ways, and yawning. Features : adjustable or not, nose wire, filter po...