I can't fucking believe we still have something named the Eskimo Nebula

seriously how fuckin racist is that?

why, my fellow astronomers asked me, why is that racist? it's just that it looks like, you know, the fluffy hood of a jacket or a parka, and the Eskimo live in cold areas and wear clothes like that. And Eskimo itself isn't a bad word, and might be the only proper way to discuss some of the northern Native tribes. So why is this racist?

Well, I went spelunking on the internets, knowing that someone in NotAstronomy had already looked into this as an expert in one fashion or another, and I found (among plenty of other things) this: http://posterromance.com/2013/12/30/ice-cream-air-conditioners-and-anti-freeze/

which features a collection of stereotypical images used in marketing and advertising

At the very least, you can recognize how the use of a furred hood and a simple face is done as a stereotype. It has as much or as little to do with the actual Eskimo people as, for example, Mrs. Butterworth has to do with African Americans. The stereotype is used (in both cases) to sell a product; it reinforces simplistic ideas that white people have about "others" and then profits off of that. In this Eskimo case, the stereotypical image sells the idea of cold and hardiness--the implication that this ice cream is the best and this antigel is the best comes from the simplistic idea that all Eskimos do is survive in cold climates. In the case of Mrs. Buttersworth, the product reinforces the idea of "simple" or "down-home" country cooking, selling deliciousness and ease--implied from the stereotypical image of the comforting, food-serving mammy.

Anyway, the Eskimo nebula was probably named in the 1920s or 30s and I'm hoping we can maybe update it so we don't have to reinforce the same tired stupid stereotypes.

plots within plots

I need more time to commit to knitting because progress is slow, and therefore boring for you guys.

Of course the real-life thing is getting in the way.

0) prep public night talk!!
1) finish edits to Reber
2) finish edits to LIRG
3) edit K2.0
4) make bgq plots
5) make list of things to fix for more accurate bgq
6) make list of things to fix for more accurate agq
7) email about my office hours on friday
8) read up on steve's lectures pre office hours (um friday is TOMORROW)
9) figure out if I can help CVGS at all
10) spend weekend fixing/filling out TPT stuff
11) update calendar with new slew of deadlines/fellowships etc
12) read Mark's emails about SERVs
13) prep public night talk eeeek that's tomorrow!

knitting to do:

1) green socks
2) bright sport socks
3) witchy mitts
4) skyp socks
5) hot water bottle cover
6) figure out gift for Louise and start
7) figure out gift for Patrick and start
8) after 3 or 4 of the former things have been crossed off, start van gogh cowl

just ... keep.. knitting

deadline knitting for November is coming up. I have calculated that I need 10 rows a day to finish on time, but gosh do I want to start something else. Or at least work on something like my sweater or socks.

I sneakily picked up some old spinning. It's a bunch of green pencil roving of mysterious fiber source that I was gifted by an LSG friend some time ago. I've been spinning it pretty thin and I think this might end up as my first true laceweight, even if it fluctuates between light and heavy laceweight.

The spindle I am using is really too heavy for it which is part of why it is taking me so long--with how thin I'm drafting it, the staple length of the mystery fiber, the partially felted status of the fiber, and the medium/heavy spindle (I think it's 1-1.5 oz?), I draft only about an inch or two of fiber at a time. I put lots of twist in it, drafting carefully (I think... I'm doing a short backwards draw? long draw works as well but doesn't seem to hold the twist and I'm not as consistent in thickness with long draw), until I've got a foot or so and then I usually put it down (on the bed), prop my foot on it gently, and finish drafting until I've got the amount of twist I want in it. So, park-and-draft, essentially. It's been a while since I've done that but it works well with this stuff. I also didn't do much prep at all with it. Normally I divide the fiber, then open it up a bit, then usually I open it up again before I spin it. This time I divided the fiber and I may have done just a wee bit of adjusting. Mostly I am drafting from the dense, partially felted fiber. Which is useful because the short staple means that the felting helps keep it from breaking.

every once and a while I get distracted, don't put in enough twist, try to make it too thin (especially now as the spindle is getting heavier), and the whole thing snaps and rolls off under the bed, shaking off twist as it goes. and the cats get interested.

holiday gifts planned: 7
holiday gifts finished: 1
holiday gifts started: 3
holiday gifts unplanned: 2

um. eep.

and life goes on

I've wrestled down some work stuff and some other stuff. Still on top, and it doesn't *quite* feel like I'm riding a wave that'll kill me as soon as I fall. I still have a lot of work to do on various topics.

and some secret knitting: 25/60. woot.

everything sucks forever

Too busy. forget having goals, I want to have a normal sleep schedule and a pain-free throat.

doc wants to do diabetes screening. fuck that noise. What good is it going to do me to hear "you're pre-diabetic" or diabetic or whatever? Every doctor I've ever met has told me to lose weight and it's still the hardest fucking thing in the world to do.

I wonder if someday I might get a handle on my life. chores, food, health, money, work, friends, sleep. all spiraling around me out of my control.