Like, really?

So a new number was discovered - a prime number, or one that is divisible only by itself and 1. The "new" number has 13-million digits, which seems a bit extreme to me. It appears mathematicians have been at it for a long time, and the winning UCLA team will get a 100K prize (that's only a 6 digit number - 8 if you count what comes after the decimal point).

To get to the shiny new number, it took 75 networked computers running for god knows how long. The results were verified by a different bunch of computers running a different algorithm.

Did we really need a new number? I think we're OK with the ones we have. Big numbers just give people ideas. Perhaps we can utilize all this calculating power to compute our national debt?

Moratorium

Last weekend I did the unthinkable. I went out of my way to go to the Bullseye Bodega (Target opened four little "boutiques" in Manhattan peddling their designer stuff during Fashion Week. The stores were open for four days only). Naturally, I had to go (although it wasn't all that and even though it wasn't all that I did walk away with two cute mod dresses for less than $50). I then went to H&M and purchased yet another mod-ish dress - I think I'm going 1960s for the fall. Perhaps because I'm in love with Mad Men. Perhaps because the dresses look great with my eve expanding collection of Doc Martens. Perhaps because I'm going insane. All valid options.

Anyway, the point is that I buy too much stuff. So many pretty shiny things - does it make it OK if I bring my own bags? Yeah, like, no.

So I'm putting myself on probation. No buying anything new (other than food. Used food = gross) for one month. My "parole" is on October 15h. That's 4 weekends without shopping!

My hood

For two nights in a row now, the goings on outside our window were more interesting than those on the TV.

Free Guacamole for all!

It just occurred to me that the promise of Free Guacamole might be just as plausible as much of what is said on the campaign trail.

Tuesday

It just occurred to me that Tuesday might just be the absolute worst day of the week. It gets no respect and really, is there any redeeming quality about the day sandwiched between the first day of the week and hump day? Prolly not.

And yes, the fish do bite

Saturday was an exhausting 20 mile hike through rough terrain. Scott said I was hiking like a 6-year old.

(insert Scott flailing his trekking poles and making whiny face here)

My feet hurt. Like a lot. And when my feet hurt, anin't nobody happy.


Not the type of signeage you want to see when your dogs are barkin'


Somewhere behind that backpack is a husband.


Hiking out at 8 pm.

Monday was a day of recovery. So we went here:



Crater lake was formed after a meteor crashy-crashed there sometime in the 1800s. Surrounded by the Appalachian Trail and a fair amount of bear poo, the lake is super clear, populated with lots of very curious fish. They were very interested in our floaty air mats in fashionable hot pink and neon yellow, following us around and nibbling the mats and the mats' passengers - meaning us. being nibbled by a fish is weird. But at least it wasn't a snake.

Laboring Day

Appalachian Trail 1 - Fe & Scott 1

Walking 20 miles in one day while carrying a full backpack hurts. A lot.

Seven years after our first backpacking trip ever (we didn't know any better, so we tackled the Appalachian Trail through Jersey - also known as the Boot Killer). we came back to finish the New Jersey chunk of the AT, in our mission to walk the trail in its entirety in our lifetime.

While in 2001 we had naiveté at our side, conquering a lot of terrain because we didn't know any better, this time around experience, better gear and geographical proximity didn't really help. At all.

Pictures and details to follow. But now I'm tired. And my feet hurt.

And I could use a beer.