It's that time of year again

There's a special point in time, somewhere between official summer and official fall, where something in me shifts.

Some years I notice this shift when I step out the door on my way to the office and somehow the world looks just the same yet entirely different. Maybe it's a couple of degrees cooler (although in Texas, a cold-front this summer means it's 99 F outside). Maybe the wind is from a different direction. Maybe the earth shifted in its axis or interrupted its orbit because of solar mascons.

This year, I started buying books. And looking up scholastic career paths on the web. I observed this behavior, so different from my usual relentless playing of World of Warcraft, with an air of curiosity and tried to wait it out. I tend to be good at starting things of new interest, but not continuing on with them unless they take on some significance.

So this year, something is stepping up. I found myself looking at the SMU (Dallas campus of course) school of Engineering. I wandered into Borders and wandered over to the math and statistic aisle. I purchased a great design book, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, by Edward Tufte. (I also purchased two science fiction books, naturally). I discovered, almost by accident, that I was reading an "Algebra for Dummies" book in the store and considering it might not be so tough.

Am I thinking of an engineering degree? Why did I purchase a solar power educational kit recently? Am I going to start mucking around with electricity and rocket fuels next? Mythbusters the other night was about using meat as a fuel source in a rocket. Fascinating!!

To steal the best phrase from my friend Patricia... "here we grow again." It's that time of year. I am so the opposite of everyone else. Most people get excited by Spring; I get excited by Fall. I look forward to the cooling air, the different light as Earth's orbit swings away from the sun, the rush toward winter and crisp clarity.

It's the fall where I pick up hobbies and interests and new things. What's on my plate for hobbies this fall?
-- Piano lessons, self taught
-- Finally really hunkering down with genealogy
-- Learning at least one level of a new language: French or Spanish
-- Um, engineering degree start???
-- More space madness - hopefully to see another shuttle launch if I can wing it
-- Learning about solar power and building solar-powered mobile things/gadgets/toys
-- Tapering off WoW? Although, the expansion comes out sometime this year. hmmm

In addition to this is the usual work related stuff and travel. At the moment I know of:
-- Minnesota, late August
-- Boston, early September
-- Pennsylvania, mid-September

So that's it for now. Gotta go build some process diagrams. And live in the new universe I've created for myself recently. Have fun!