Flash Bang
Well, today I had a really good run. To be really good, I like to have some exogenous meteorological elements to overcome. I got some.
When I was a kid, I am pretty certain my house was hit by lightning. We had a TV antenna the size of a hand glider on the roof above my room. My dad was pretty certain that rabbit ears were ok for the masses, but for the home of a Bell Labs EE, you had to have something that would also look appropriate on a lunar lander. (Two side notes: 1. Years later, we re-installed the same antenna in the attic, once it was no longer visible, it was quickly retired for satellite TV, hmm. 2. Bell Labs was famous for inventing the what?)
Back to the lightning strike, I remember a big late night electrical storm. At some point, all of the hair on my head filled with static. A huge flash and bang came. I think the lightning probably followed the cable that all such apparatus have installed, so no harm done to the house. The only real damage was my clock radio. It made odd playing-a-record-backwards type of sounds for the next couple hours, while unplugged even. Also, some integrated circuit gave way and the poor thing never could tell time again. According to it, I am now 8465 years old. The 8-track player is still ready for that medium's ultimate comeback.
So today, as I ran, I was almost as close to another lightning strike. I started this run knowing that there was a storm brewing, the sky was pretty easy to read. It started of well enough, but the last half was good and wet and windy. It was the type of run that makes you say "yes, there are a lot of reasons to sit on the couch; yes, being cold and wet is not that comfortable; and yet, man do I FEEL ALIVE."
===> 8.4 miles running, on the hill loop.
posted by Jack @ 3:44 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I just finished balancing my check book (voila! another successful month with my entries). Thought I would check your blog.
Glad to hear you had a good 8+ mile run, ending in safety. Had to check the dictionary for EXOGENOUS. I guessed its meaning correctly, and now know how to pronounce it should it ever pop up in a conversation!
I seem to recall that very same eerie lightning strike! It literally was a "hair raising" experience, never to be forgotten. I forgot about the clock radio's problem. I thought it was the 8-tract player that was hit - nice to know it's still ready for the comeback!!
Re Bell Labs - Transistor, transistor, transistor!
Have a good week.
My best,
L
And the best part of a cold, wet, windy run...is the hot shower afterwards. ~ Great job keeping up the miles over the holiday weekend. Happy 4th of July!
Wow, I am surprised someone got the transistor question on the first try, (not).
The only real reason to lament the death of the clock radio is because it had the 8-track BUILT in. It was so advanced for the time, clock-8-track-radio.
Post a Comment
<< Home