Before I post pictures from my beach vacation I wanted to post our “Walk Through the Solar System” that we did out in front of the place we stayed. If anyone is interested in astronomy (and everyone should be), this is one thing you and your family should do. We did the 1000 yard model (similar to this one I am sure). In this model. This setup is designed to gain a sense of scale in the solar system, both in the size of the planets and in the distance between them. The sizes range from 8 inches for to Sun down to a small pinhead (1/100th of an inch) or bead for Pluto. The total distance is, shockingly, 1000 yards, or a bit over half a mile. Try it out! UPDATE: I have written two posts relating to relative sizes of the objects in our Solar System: Walk the Solar System and A Sense of Scale: The Bodies of the Solar System. Check them out!
Katie preparing the model with Rachel and Nathan looking on.
The group getting ready to pace the planets!
Come on, the Sun and the Sun, that is cool. 
Mecury and the Sun
Off to walk the Solar System!
By the end we couldn’t even see the sun!
We had a lot of fun and everyone should do this sometime! (You can also see this as a Flickr set.)
Resources:
Build A Solar System: Pick the scale you want! This website allows you to imput different sizes/distances and it will let you know what all the others should be.
The 1000-Yard Model: or, the Earth as a Peppercorn: Similar to the model we used.
Wikipedia: Solar System Model: Various Solar System models.
I am back from my lovely vacation with the fam. I will, of course, get up some pics later. As I have been relaxing back at home I looked at my DVD collection. Around 30 titles are missing (give or take). Theft was the farthest thing from my mind because my laptop was sitting right next to them (as well as my desktop, tv, books, etc…). Who would steal dvds but not a laptop? Also, there was no indication that anyone had come into my apartment. This would lead me to believe that I did something with them. But, for the life of me, I cannot remember doing any such thing. I thought that maybe I took a bunch down for the vacation, but Crash is the only one I remember taking (and would I have brought Beverly Hill’s Cop on vacation? Doubtful). Then I thought that I put them somewhere while rearranging. But why would I have randomly selected some of my movies to move? Where are my movies? Did I happen to loan you some movies? Did you break into my apartment and steal my movies? Am I going MAD?
UPDATE: I am 99% sure that I was, indeed, robbed. It was just one of the more bizarre robberies ever. I think it must have been some kids. The only thing I can figure is that they were able to get my bedroom window open as that is the only one that didn’t have a pole in it to keep it shut. So lame. The reason I am pretty sure now is that I went to get some quarters for laundry and ALL my change was gone. Even the penny jar! So it seems they stole about $20 in change and a bunch of DVD (which really sucks!). I hope it wasn’t much else. What is really bizarre is what they didn’t steal: my laptop (which was plainly visible), all of my CDs (which were also somewhat visible), my SLR camera (visible), none of my books (apparently they are not readers), my desktop, MOST of my DVDs, my (granted it is old) Nintendo 64, and a wide variety of other idems. So now I am pissed. The two things that I am most pissed about are the Aliens DVD collection AND Band of Brothers! Argh. This sucks. Could have been worse I guess. I think I need to get to the hardware store to get something for my window. Lame.
… so to speak. I am headed out to vacation! “Vacation from what?” you might ask. Well, I really don’t know. But what ever it is, I am taking a vacation from it. First I will be headed to Wild Waves to chaperone seniors from Meridian High School on their senior skip day. Basically that means I get free entrance in and then I get to play and go on rides. Fun times. Then I will be headed down south to hang with family until we drive out to the beach for a week! I hope the weather is good! So until I get back, enjoy some great music or check out my MattJonesBlog.com Archive for all of my amazingly intelligent posts. As I still have not fully tested this new design, feedback is still greatly appreciated!
I leave you with this (also stolen from Pursuing Holiness), it is good times:
Have a great week and a half!
A few weeks back I went to Woodland Park Zoo to celebrate Memorial Day and Stacey’s birthday with the Dameron clan (their home is kinda my home away from homes as it were). It was good times had by all. Any day you have a chance to see monkeys / gorillas / orangutans of any sort, it is a good day.
Please stop over to flickr for my picture set from the day: Woodland Park Zoo.
And happy birthday to Stacey… a few weeks ago…
I ended up staying a day longer in Seattle so I was able to catch The Lonely Forest‘s performance at Chop Suey. Boy was I glad I went because, once again, the show was amazing. Not only that, but they played a bunch of new stuff that I hadn’t heard and sounded great. I find myself getting pissed that they play a lot of new stuff because I want to hear it again! They need to get their new project out! Yes, I am selfish. Thankfully I can tide myself over with their two available EPs.
I have created a Lonely Forest page so you can easily find other pictures, video, music, and lyrics from The Lonely Forest.
So on with the pictures (sorry, no video this time, my battery was about to die, and they are, of course, clickable for larger versions):
Read more…
Last night Late Tuesday released their new CD Drowning out Love at Western Washington University’s Viking Union. Sadly the two pictures above are the only ones worthy of posting (and even those didn’t turn out very well, but still clickable for larger versions). I wasn’t really in a picture taking mode and I wasn’t in the best position to take pictures either, so there ya have it. I have taken many pictures from their previous shows that can be found by doing a checking out my Late Tuesday page (with links to pictures, video clips, music, and lyrics).
The show was awesome. It was great to see the lovely ladies together once again. Their new stuff sounds really good and I look forward to getting into the CD. I am heading to Seattle for the extended weekend but I will probably be posting a review of Drowning out Love early next week.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
I was just over reading a photo essay by Isaac Marion called Nuclear Summer that has some awesome shots inside a cooling tower. I think from the Satsop Nuclear Power Plant (but I could be wrong). You should go check it out. But that is not what I am suggesting you go read in my post title. What I am suggesting you go read is Issue #77 at BurningBuilding.com titled “Money Miracles!” It is stinking hilarious. Really, go read it now, you will laugh. I promise. Or your money back.
Ready for a segue?
Isaac’s brother is Nathan. Nathan runs BlueTree.org (an organization that helps bands help kids in need) and BlueTree Records a cool recording label. A past BlueTree Artist is Late Tuesday. Late Tuesday has a new CD out called Drowning Out Love. This coming Thursday, they will be having a CD release show at Western Washington University’s Viking Union at 7:00pm (doors at 6:30pm, $7/$5 for students). It should be a great show as it has been a while since Late Tuesday has performed. If you have heard their stuff, you know you want to come. If you haven’t heard their stuff, check out their website for some tunes or do a Late Tuesday search on my blog (I have lots of pictures and music to share). Once you do that, then you will want to come. Basically what I am saying is, it is inevitable that you will come to the show. See you there!
I am finally moved in to the new place here in B-Ham. Everything is set up (except I need to get a small desk for the bedroom) and looks decent… I think. Next big step is to get a job! Anyone in the Bellingham area want to hire me? I also went to church for the first time since moving in. I really liked it and I even met up with a friend from Regent there that I hadn’t seen in a long time. That was nice as it is always cool to see a knowing face at a new church. (PS. Dana Little was part of the worship team there, thought that was very cool! Not sure if she saw me or not, I just hope she doesn’t think I am a stalker or anything! 
)
Here are a few pic of the place (clickable of course):
The living room
My Books
My bedroom (imagine a desk on the wall)
So there ya have it folks. Stop by and say hi!
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