Planet Walt

end of the line

When I started this blog in November of 2004 I only expected to post a few entries as a demo for a class project. To my surprise, I ended up posting 620 entries over 6 years, and rising into the 20s on the list of blogs with the most entries (I'm now down to #34). Since discovering facebook in 2007, however, my blog postings have decreased, and they really declined this year. So, I think I'm at the end of the line for "Planet Walt." It's been fun, but other social media are now more engaging. Thanks for reading; follow me on Twitter, or find me on facebook!

first day of classes

As I've noted before, I usually love the first day of classes of the fall semester. Today, though, is not as exciting, as (a) it is cold and overcast, and (b) I'm not teaching this semester so I don't have my own class to look forward to. Next year will get back on track....

stadium viewing party

The first game of the University of Minnesota's 2010 football season was an away game, but there was a viewing party at TCF Bank Stadium. I watched the first half of the game on TV, then went over to "The Bank" for the second half. It was a fun experience!

Welcome Week 2010

The University of Minnesota's Welcome Week doesn't officially start until tomorrow, but there are already a number of first year students on campus for other events (such as the Multicultural Kickoff). The new academic year is almost here!

residency times

From mid-August 1979 to mid-June 1986 I lived in a house in southwest Atlanta, GA. For 2 or 3 summers, though, I stayed with my grandparents in St. Louis, MO. So real time in that house was either 6 years 1 month, or 6 years 4 months (I'm 90% sure that my brother and I spent 3 summers in St. Louis, so it's the former). I've been in my current house for 6 years and 4 months, so I've either tied the record for real time lived in one house, or have exceeded it. They'll be no question about it at this time next month! Also, at the end of the academic year (mid May 2011) I would have lived in my current Minneapolis home for 7 years 1 month, which will exceed the total time (excluding summer breaks) of 6 years 10 months in the "Belfrey Place" house (as I term it in my memoir). My current home, them, is close to being the house in which I've lived the longest. Nice!

visit to a planetarium

On August 12 I visited the Morehead Planetarium. It was the first time I'd been to a planetarium since I was a teenager. It was fun seeing two modern digital shows, but I also wanted to see an old-fashioned star show. Morehead only offers that once a week, and I had a conflict for that time, so I'll have to go back on my next trip to Chapel Hill....

the world of apps

Via: MBA Online

identifying music

When I first watched The Lake House I loved a piece of music that started 31 minutes in to the movie. Unfortunately, though, this song did not appear to be on the soundtrack. Today I loaded up the movie and went to the music credits at the end, and looked up songs on the list. Success: the song I wanted is called "When it Rains." Interestingly, immediately afterwards I remembered that I have an iPhone app that might have been of use: Shazam "listens" to songs and identifies them. So I grabbed the phone and put it to the test, and it worked! I'll have to remember this earlier next time....

New AA&AS website

The website for the Department of African American & African Sudies has been updated. Check out the new site: http://aaas.umn.edu/

Nice Ride Minnesota

The Twin Cities now have a bike sharing program: Nice Ride Minnesota. (There is a cool iPhone app for finding nearby bikes.) I just activated a one-year subscription; occassionally I'll use it to quickly get from the University of Minnesota's west bank to the east bank.

the 13th bleeds into the 14th

As I've noted in the past, strange things usually happen on the 13th day of the month. Yesterday, for example, the house ghost fiddled with my alarm clock: she turned the volume way down and changed the tuner to a spot in between stations, so that (a) I did not hear the alarm this morning, and (b) when I turned up the volume I got a blast of static. In a new twist, the 13th must have lingered today, as when I took loose change from the office to the coin changer at on on-campus bank, the total came to $4.99...but a penny was continually rejected for several minutes (!). Finally, though, the last penny was accepted so that I could leave with a $5 bill instead of a pocket full of change. I guess, then, that the 13th was only partially still in effect....

cell phone battery

Yesterday I turned on a cell phone that had been sitting in a drawer for two years. Amazingly, it (a bare-bones Nokia) still had a charge! I doubt that I'd be able to say that about my iPhone 2 even two weeks after I upgrade to the iPhone 4 later in the summer....

last year's trip to Japan

Last year at this time I was in Japan (June 4-12, 2009). Wow, it's hard to believe that this trip was one year ago! I hope to return soon...

iPad post #6

On a flight to San Francisco last week I used the iPad's iBooks app extensively for the first time, as I read most of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe before we landed (and then finished it later that night). Although an enjoyable experience, I have to say that I'd still prefer an old fashioned paperback. So, I might load a few more books in case I get stuck somewhere with lots of time on my hands, but I will go back to using the iPad mostly for movies on flights.

Lynx tickets

Last year I went to a couple of Minnesota Lynx games, inluding one where I sat courtside (that was coolio!). I agreed to buy a package deal for 10 tickets for this season after the ticket office promised that 2 of the tickets could be courtside. A few weeks ago they emailed me about selecting seats, and I responded with selections for the first 6 seats (3 games at 2 tix each), and said I'd get back to them about the last 4 seats. I requested that the courtside seats be in one of the initially selected 3 games, and then sent in selections for the last 4 seats two weeks letter. Yesterday all 10 tickets showed up, but the courtside seats were not in the first 3 games, as requested; they were for the game that will most likely have the lowest attendance (a noon game on a weekday vs. a team that does not have a following given former U of Minnesota women's bball players on the roster). I understand the business logic of this (give away seats that would probably be empty anyway vs. choosing a game for which they could sell seats at full price) and appreciate the fulfillment of the promise, but am a bit irked that they did not follow my instructions.