# observing (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 5 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover observing. Page: Feed: --- ## [Semiquincentennial](https://blog.rickumali.com/2026/07/semiquincentennial.html) _2026-07-31 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ While listening to a Top 40 countdown of songs from 1981, the DJs introduced "America" by Neil Diamond . My ears perked up. I hadn't heard this song in a long time. "America" sent me back to the past but also brought me all the way back to the present. The song is an anthem, a chest-thumping joyous cry celebrating all the of people coming to this land of freedom: the United States. "On the boats… ## [Semiquincentennial](http://blog.rickumali.com/2026/07/semiquincentennial.html) _2026-07-31 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ While listening to a Top 40 countdown of songs from 1981, the DJs introduced "America" by Neil Diamond . My ears perked up. I hadn't heard this song in a long time. "America" sent me back to the past but also brought me all the way back to the present. The song is an anthem, a chest-thumping joyous cry celebrating all the of people coming to this land of freedom: the United States. "On the boats… ## [Hurray for the Knicks](https://blog.rickumali.com/2026/06/hurray-for-knicks.html) _2026-06-30 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA Championship this past month. I said to my youngest brother that this was my new favorite non-Boston championship. The Knicks were unstoppable in their incredible run. I was swept up in New York City's immaculate vibes , Sidetalk , and Mayor Zohran Mamdani repealing bedtimes for children . What are those other non-Boston championships… ## [Hurray for the Knicks](http://blog.rickumali.com/2026/06/hurray-for-knicks.html) _2026-06-30 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA Championship this past month. I said to my youngest brother that this was my new favorite non-Boston championship. The Knicks were unstoppable in their incredible run. I was swept up in New York City's immaculate vibes , Sidetalk , and Mayor Zohran Mamdani repealing bedtimes for children . What are those other non-Boston championships… ## [Remembering World Cup 1994](https://blog.rickumali.com/2026/05/remembering-world-cup-1994.html) _2026-05-31 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ As I write this, we're about two weeks away from the first game of the 2026 World Cup. I'm slowly getting excited. It's like the Olympics, except they're playing my favorite sport all the time. The other appeal: seeing the world's largest sporting stage in North America. It will be epic, if we can all get to the arenas! My wife Jenn and I saw a World Cup match in 1994, the last time it was held in… ## [Battling Drowsy Driving](https://blog.rickumali.com/2026/04/battling-drowsy-driving.html) _2026-04-30 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ On my long solo drives from NJ to MA, I sometimes get tired and drowsy. This can be very dangerous! Between 2011 and 2015, some 2.5% of driving fatalities are due to drowsy driving . I recognize this and plan accordingly, and mostly that involves coffee and sugar. I'll get a cup of strong coffee and a bag of M & Ms or some bite-sized candy. The drowsiness for me lasts about 20-30 minutes, and at… ## [Battling Drowsy Driving](http://blog.rickumali.com/2026/04/battling-drowsy-driving.html) _2026-04-30 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ On my long solo drives from NJ to MA, I sometimes get tired and drowsy. This can be very dangerous! Between 2011 and 2015, some 2.5% of driving fatalities are due to drowsy driving . I recognize this and plan accordingly, and mostly that involves coffee and sugar. I'll get a cup of strong coffee and a bag of M & Ms or some bite-sized candy. The drowsiness for me lasts about 20-30 minutes, and at… ## [Today is My Alive Day Anniversary](https://skipwalter.net/2026/04/07/today-is-my-alive-day-anniversary/) _2026-04-07 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ On April 7,2018, I was involved in a very serious auto accident on I-90 on Snoqualmie Pass. I am alive because of the many angels who helped at the scene of the accident, the professionals in the Level 1 Trauma center, and through seven major surgeries and many months of recovery with family, friends, and … … Continue reading → ## [Writing myself back into existence](https://skipwalter.net/2026/04/06/writing-myself-back-into-existence/) _2026-04-06 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ I seem to have this recurring problem – I lose track of my existence and why I am here on this beautiful earth. The last time I acknowledged my problem was in 2022 with “Writing myself into existence – again“. I’ve been mired in the day to day of just going through the motions of … … Continue reading → ## [Decades of Work](https://blog.rickumali.com/2026/03/decades-of-work.html) _2026-03-31 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ I started a new job recently. This is my eighth job since finishing college in 1990. And if I count my computer-related jobs from when I was still in school, that tally goes to eleven. That's probably a reasonable number given my age and the churn that is typical of the computer industry. Sometimes I feel self-conscious about all these job changes. At many points throughout my roundabout career, I… ## [Finnish Seedboxes — Up to 20Gbps (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/ZzQteiR90Ykn) _2026-03-31 · **Sponsored**_ Private Finnish seedboxes with 1–20Gbps speeds, RAID storage and 14‑day refund ## [Decades of Work](http://blog.rickumali.com/2026/03/decades-of-work.html) _2026-03-31 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ I started a new job recently. This is my eighth job since finishing college in 1990. And if I count my computer-related jobs from when I was still in school, that tally goes to eleven. That's probably a reasonable number given my age and the churn that is typical of the computer industry. Sometimes I feel self-conscious about all these job changes. At many points throughout my roundabout career, I… ## [Solar Rays: Under the Beams, Combustion & Chariot](https://www.sammyannajjaam.com/blog/solar-rays-under-the-beams-combustion-amp-chariot) _2026-03-31 · Sammy En · Blog - Sammy Annajjaam_ Technical research into the conditions of solar proximity: Under the Beams and Combustion, alongside the mitigating condition of the Chariot. Using recent geopolitical and military developments in mundane astrology, this piece examines how essential dignity acts as a strategic shield. ## [Svbony SV135 7-21mm Zoom Eyepiece Review](https://www.theopportuneastronomer.com/equipment/eyepieces/svbony-sv135-7-21mm-zoom-eyepiece-review/) _2026-03-15 · David Philips · The Opportune Astronomer_ Zoom eyepieces offer a compelling proposition to the visual observer. They provide real convenience – a single eyepiece covering a range of magnifications means a more streamlined kit and less fumbling in the dark – but they’ve historically had a reputation for optical compromises. Over time the gap between a good fixed focal length eyepiece \[…\] The post Svbony SV135 7-21mm Zoom Eyepiece Review… ## [Lunar Eclipse – March 3, 2026](https://www.theopportuneastronomer.com/observing/lunar-eclipse-march-3-2026/) _2026-03-04 · David Philips · The Opportune Astronomer_ The March 3 total lunar eclipse has been generating some buzz. Unfortunately the only totality I experienced was totally missing it. By 6am the moon had set in my location – at 05:57 per Sky Safari to be exact. I could have gotten up an hour earlier to catch a partially eclipsed view but, as \[…\] The post Lunar Eclipse – March 3, 2026 appeared first on The Opportune Astronomer . ## [Go-Around](https://blog.rickumali.com/2026/02/go-around.html) _2026-03-01 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ I consider myself an experienced airline traveler. Years of flying around the country for work back in the early 2000s made air travel routine and commonplace. On my way back from a trip last month, however, I had a new experience which greatly surprised me. The plane was approaching Boston Logan Airport. I was in the middle seat, more concerned about finishing the movie I had started a little… ## [Go-Around](http://blog.rickumali.com/2026/02/go-around.html) _2026-03-01 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ I consider myself an experienced airline traveler. Years of flying around the country for work back in the early 2000s made air travel routine and commonplace. On my way back from a trip last month, however, I had a new experience which greatly surprised me. The plane was approaching Boston Logan Airport. I was in the middle seat, more concerned about finishing the movie I had started a little… ## [Pointing the Way – A Guide to Telescope Finders](https://www.theopportuneastronomer.com/equipment/accessories/a-guide-to-telescope-finders/) _2026-02-23 · David Philips · The Opportune Astronomer_ In the excitement of selecting a first telescope many beginners overlook the importance of the finder. While finders and finderscopes may not be the most exciting pieces of observing kit they play an essential part in any telescope setup. The night sky holds countless visual treasures but in order to enjoy the enhanced views of \[…\] The post Pointing the Way – A Guide to Telescope Finders appeared… ## [T.O.A. Turns Eleven](https://www.theopportuneastronomer.com/reflections/toa-turns-eleven/) _2026-02-21 · David Philips · The Opportune Astronomer_ My, how time flies! The first post on The Opportune Astronomer went live on February 18th, 2015 – eleven years ago! It’s also hard to believe that my last post was nearly nine years ago. In some respects, the astronomy landscape has changed dramatically in the intervening time: Orion Telescopes has closed its doors and \[…\] The post T.O.A. Turns Eleven appeared first on The Opportune Astronomer . ## [My 2025 Books and Movies](https://blog.rickumali.com/2026/01/my-2025-books-and-movies.html) _2026-01-31 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ In 2025, I read 21 books (LibraryThing) and watched 83 movies (Letterboxd) (15 were rewatches). My favorite book: The Human Stain (Philip Roth) . I loved the sinister ending of this book, and the constant deception of the main character hiding his dreaded secret. The book's imagery was potent to me, its characters alluringly abhorrent. I have read Roth's "American Pastoral", so I only need to read… ## [New York City (1987)](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/12/new-york-city-1987.html) _2026-01-01 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ In the Summer of 1987, I worked in New York City, doing data entry for a printing company (Automatech Graphics Corporation). This was the Summer after my freshman year in college. I took the PATH train from Journal Square into New York City. I then got off at the 9th Street PATH station and walked to the company's office on 770 Broadway. At that PATH stop on 9th street, if you looked South down… ## [Never miss a game (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/BHiXwC4dkHht) _2026-01-01 · **Sponsored**_ Follow any team; get an hour and one-minute web and email reminders. ## [My Left Hand](https://blog.rickumali.com/2015/08/my-left-hand.html) _2025-11-30 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ I am a right-handed person. My wife is a left-handed person. Because of this, I have become a little more sensitive to the nature of being left-handed. When you're left-handed, you angle for the left side of the dinner table. There is also the need to have appropriate scissors. You also must think about how to arrange the buttons on your computer mouse. Lots of small things to consider. One of my… ## [My Left Hand](http://blog.rickumali.com/2015/08/my-left-hand.html) _2025-11-30 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ I am a right-handed person. My wife is a left-handed person. Because of this, I have become a little more sensitive to the nature of being left-handed. When you're left-handed, you angle for the left side of the dinner table. There is also the need to have appropriate scissors. You also must think about how to arrange the buttons on your computer mouse. Lots of small things to consider. One of my… ## [Thunder Road](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/10/thunder-road.html) _2025-10-31 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ The Bruce Springsteen movie is in theaters and it prompted me to listen to my favorite Bruce Springsteen song: "Thunder Road" , from his majestic 1975 "Born to Run" album. The song is a timeless beauty to me, and I can remember when I first heard it (circa 1982-1986). In high school, I attended retreats led by the priests at my all-boys Catholic school. These retreats were held in a large house in… ## [Thunder Road](http://blog.rickumali.com/2025/10/thunder-road.html) _2025-10-31 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ The Bruce Springsteen movie is in theaters and it prompted me to listen to my favorite Bruce Springsteen song: "Thunder Road" , from his majestic 1975 "Born to Run" album. The song is a timeless beauty to me, and I can remember when I first heard it (circa 1982-1986). In high school, I attended retreats led by the priests at my all-boys Catholic school. These retreats were held in a large house in… ## [My Book's Anniversary](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/09/my-books-anniversary.html) _2025-09-30 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ Earlier in the year, I experienced a remarkable moment. I was in the library, browsing computer books when to my great delight I saw the book I wrote on the shelf! It was a momentous occasion for me. Ten years ago to the month my book was published and sent out into the world. It's okay if you missed it. It is a technical book, and it's for a technical audience. Still, I'm proud of it, and back… ## [My Book's Anniversary](http://blog.rickumali.com/2025/09/my-books-anniversary.html) _2025-09-30 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ Earlier in the year, I experienced a remarkable moment. I was in the library, browsing computer books when to my great delight I saw the book I wrote on the shelf! It was a momentous occasion for me. Ten years ago to the month my book was published and sent out into the world. It's okay if you missed it. It is a technical book, and it's for a technical audience. Still, I'm proud of it, and back… ## [Solstices and The Travelling Faces: The Crucible – A New Path & New Crises](https://www.sammyannajjaam.com/blog/solstices-and-the-travelling-faces-the-crucible-a-new-path-amp-new-crises) _2025-09-11 · Sammy En · Blog - Sammy Annajjaam_ A case study observing the three-day square between the Sun and Mars. This article explores the correspondence between personal crises and the intensifying decan stories of Aries III, Cancer III, and Leo I, tracking the journey from a literal severing to the recovery of hope. ## [A Return to Golf](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/08/a-return-to-golf.html) _2025-08-31 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ I played a real round of golf last week, after a long hiatus. It was just nine holes, but it counts! The last time I played any real golf was 2009. Somehow, since then, I drifted away from this sport. People have asked over the past years if I played, and I joked that I had retired from golf. But had I? A few years ago, maybe even pre-COVID, the office landlord installed a golf simulator. This is… ## [A Return to Golf](http://blog.rickumali.com/2025/08/a-return-to-golf.html) _2025-08-31 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ I played a real round of golf last week, after a long hiatus. It was just nine holes, but it counts! The last time I played any real golf was 2009. Somehow, since then, I drifted away from this sport. People have asked over the past years if I played, and I joked that I had retired from golf. But had I? A few years ago, maybe even pre-COVID, the office landlord installed a golf simulator. This is… ## [H-Mart](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/07/h-mart.html) _2025-07-31 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ I live right next to an H-Mart, an Asian food supermarket . I could walk there, I live so close. I have ordered boba tea from this place with co-workers, but for the longest time I have not set foot inside, until this past weekend. H-Mart is wild inside. Maybe it was all the labels with Chinese, Japanese, and Korean characters. Maybe it was the distinctive odor of live seafood inside of display… ## [Real SIMs for AI Agents (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/h2NJ4d8CnKcE) _2025-07-31 · **Sponsored**_ Pass 2FA and verifications with real carrier numbers via our API. ## [H-Mart](http://blog.rickumali.com/2025/07/h-mart.html) _2025-07-31 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ I live right next to an H-Mart, an Asian food supermarket . I could walk there, I live so close. I have ordered boba tea from this place with co-workers, but for the longest time I have not set foot inside, until this past weekend. H-Mart is wild inside. Maybe it was all the labels with Chinese, Japanese, and Korean characters. Maybe it was the distinctive odor of live seafood inside of display… ## [Solstices and The Travelling Faces: The Queen of Wounded Hearts](https://www.sammyannajjaam.com/blog/solstices-and-the-travelling-faces-the-queen-of-wounded-hearts) _2025-07-31 · Sammy En · Blog - Sammy Annajjaam_ A synthesis of traditional timing and personal experience. This entry explores the symbolic descent of Venus through the bounds of Aries and Pisces, examining the correspondence between planetary retrogrades and the process of navigating past wounds and building a new foundation. ## [Solstices and The Travelling Faces: The Territorial Admiral](https://www.sammyannajjaam.com/blog/solstices-and-the-travelling-faces-the-territorial-admiral) _2025-07-24 · Sammy En · Blog - Sammy Annajjaam_ An observation of professional stagnation and the re-evaluation of success during a Mars retrograde. This piece examines the correspondence between creative burnout and the astrological signatures of Leo I and Cancer II, exploring how we might redefine our direction when forward motion is suspended. ## [Planking](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/06/planking.html) _2025-07-01 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ A year ago I started doing planks . This is a back exercise in which you position yourself face-forward on the floor, lifting your entire body by your toes and elbows. When done right your back and legs are as straight as a plank. After a minute or two your abdomen and back will feel the strain from holding this pose. Various people have talked to me about this exercise when I mention my… ## [Planking](http://blog.rickumali.com/2025/06/planking.html) _2025-07-01 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ A year ago I started doing planks . This is a back exercise in which you position yourself face-forward on the floor, lifting your entire body by your toes and elbows. When done right your back and legs are as straight as a plank. After a minute or two your abdomen and back will feel the strain from holding this pose. Various people have talked to me about this exercise when I mention my… ## [Italian Phrases I'm Memorizing](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/05/italian-phrases-im-memorizing.html) _2025-05-31 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ Ho una moglie e una figlia. Li amo molto ❤️ Sono americano ma sono nato nelle Filippine Caffè macchiato, per favore ☕️ Mi piace leggere e scrivere ✍ È un Michelangelo ‍ o un Raffaello? photo by tigerorchid ## [Italian Phrases I'm Memorizing](http://blog.rickumali.com/2025/05/italian-phrases-im-memorizing.html) _2025-05-31 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ Ho una moglie e una figlia. Li amo molto ❤️ Sono americano ma sono nato nelle Filippine 🇵🇭 Caffè macchiato, per favore ☕️ Mi piace leggere 📚 e scrivere ✍🏼 È un Michelangelo 👨🏼‍🎨 o un Raffaello? 🎨 photo by tigerorchid ## [The Presence of Photography](https://skipwalter.net/2025/05/15/the-presence-of-photography/) _2025-05-15 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ Stop the coup in the United States! Vote! Resist! Persist! As part of striving to be a traveler rather than a tourist and wanting to be awake to the wonders of life as I walk this planet, I take photographs to aid my failing memory. Sometimes they are snapshots. Sometimes I am more mindful of trying to … … Continue reading → ## [Wine Tasting and Experiencing History in Laguardia Spain](https://skipwalter.net/2025/05/06/wine-tasting-and-experiencing-history-in-laguardia-spain/) _2025-05-06 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ Stop the coup in the United States! Vote! Resist! Persist! We really enjoyed our Sommelier Wine Tour in Barbaresco and Barolo Italy in the fall of 2023. After having such wonderful wine tasting experiences in Italy, I went searching for an out of the ordinary wine tasting experience in the Rioja region of Spain. I came across … … Continue reading → ## [Walking in the Woods on Bainbridge Island](https://skipwalter.net/2025/05/05/walking-in-the-woods-on-bainbridge-island/) _2025-05-05 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ Stop the coup in the United States! Vote! Resist! Persist! I keep my sanity in this crazy world by trying to walk in the woods on Bainbridge Island every non-rainy day. I love the immersion in the deep greens on my walk no matter the time of year. My walks start by passing the small flocks of … … Continue reading → ## [May Day Protest Seattle 2025](https://skipwalter.net/2025/05/02/may-day-protest-seattle-2025/) _2025-05-02 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ Stop the coup in the United States! Vote! Resist! Persist! I joined the May Day 2025 protest march in Seattle that started at Cal Anderson park on Capital Hill. My favorite message from the day of passionate speeches and a committed mass of protestors, was the green sign above “Now you pissed off grandma.” These wonderful ladies … … Continue reading → ## [Resilience Building](https://skipwalter.net/2025/05/01/resilience-building/) _2025-05-01 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ Stop the coup in the United States! Vote! Resist! Persist! I love the following quote from Enlightened Aging: “The path to healthy aging is not centered on the consumption of health care services. The path is instead centered on developing the ability to adapt to changing circumstances—the ability to bounce back from an illness, injury, loss, or any … … Continue reading → ## [Put First Things First](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/04/put-first-things-first.html) _2025-04-30 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ I saw the Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People in a used bookstore, and it made me smile. I read this book in the mid-90s and it certainly influenced how I thought about life and work. As time progressed, I have forgotten the seven habits but the one that stuck with me: "Put first things first." In the chapter on this habit, he buckets all the things we have to do into four… ## [Alive Day – April 7](https://skipwalter.net/2025/04/30/alive-day-april-7/) _2025-04-30 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ Stop the coup in the United States! Vote! Resist! Persist! Every year on April 7th I celebrate my Alive Day. April 7th in 2018 is the day I should have died in an auto accident on I-90 east of Seattle. Thanks to the work of first responder Lt. Josh McBride of the Seattle Fire Department who was … … Continue reading → ## [The Many Colors of Sunrise on Puget Sound](https://skipwalter.net/2025/04/29/the-many-colors-of-sunrise-on-puget-sound/) _2025-04-29 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ Stop the coup in the United States! Vote! Resist! Persist! We are blessed with an eastward facing home that looks over the Puget Sound towards Seattle. As the earth turns, each morning I see the sun move on its seasonal journey venturing either north or south of Seattle. I did not realize how much I needed the … … Continue reading → ## [A History Lesson at Chateau Franc Mayne](https://skipwalter.net/2025/04/28/a-history-lesson-at-chateau-franc-mayne/) _2025-04-28 · Skip Walter · On the Way to Somewhere Else_ Stop the coup in the United States! Vote! Resist! Persist! On our visit to France in Fall 2024, we wanted to experience both the right and left bank wine Chateaus of Bordeaux. We sought recommendations from our host Valentino at Chateau Tanesse de Tourny near Bayon-sur-Gironde France. He strongly suggested Chateau Franc Mayne near St. Emilion as … … Continue reading → ## [Observing & Applying Timing Techniques](https://www.sammyannajjaam.com/blog/observing-and-applying-timing-techniques) _2025-04-15 · Sammy En · Blog - Sammy Annajjaam_ A study of timing techniques, including annual profections, solar returns, and transits. This article delineates how these methods offer a framework for observing life cycles and mundane events, with a specific focus on the movement of the lunar nodes in world astrology since 2023. ## [The Same Age We Are Now](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/03/the-same-age-we-are-now.html) _2025-03-31 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ I digitized a box of old photographs a few years ago. There is one set of photos of me attending my wife Jenn's graduation from a masters program. She was my girlfriend in those 1993 pictures. I have a shock of dark hair and we look so young. We'd be engaged a year later. I showed these digitized photos to Jenn. Her mother was in a few of the pictures, and Jenn said "She's probably the same age we… ## [Bare Handed Fall](https://blog.rickumali.com/2025/02/bare-handed-fall.html) _2025-02-28 · rickumali · Rick's Ramblings_ The cold weather and heavy snow made a slippery obstacle course in our parking lot earlier this month. On my way to the car in the morning, I saw a patch of snow that looked walkable. I stepped on it and my foot instantly slipped and I began falling backwards. It felt like slow motion. I wore a book bag, but it started moving off my shoulders as I fell backwards. "That was really ice," I remember… ## [Bare Handed Fall](http://blog.rickumali.com/2025/02/bare-handed-fall.html) _2025-02-28 · rickumali · The Rick Umali Blog_ The cold weather and heavy snow made a slippery obstacle course in our parking lot earlier this month. On my way to the car in the morning, I saw a patch of snow that looked walkable. I stepped on it and my foot instantly slipped and I began falling backwards. It felt like slow motion. I wore a book bag, but it started moving off my shoulders as I fell backwards. "That was really ice," I remember…