By sheer coincidence, I found a book on cylinder seals that had been misplaced deep in the library stacks. (I was showing my sister around and came across it by accident.) And it has some very nice illustrations of how these seals were used!
Egyptian hieroglyph S20 was a drawing of a cylinder seal, used to write the title “Treasurer”; in a particular treasurer’s tomb, the hieroglyph was written in an especially elaborate way, letting us see the details of how the seal was held!
It wasn’t originally for sealing documents, but sealing containers. A cylinder can be rolled over any extent of irregular surface without a problem, while a stamp would only protect a small segment!
Anybody sports-aware enough to have heard that Alex Ovechkin just broke Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals scored record a few minutes ago? Pretty historic!
To be clear, Gretzky still owns a bewildering number of records that are not likely to ever be broken. Up till a day or so ago, Gretzky had more career goals than any other player in history, but goals weren’t even the thing he was really noted for!
Gretzky has almost a 1,000 point lead on the number two player of all time in combined scoring points! The other places are separated by 30-odd, 50-odd points… I don’t know where else you can find such dominance over the competition.
Only reason I recognize the name Gretsky is because his name was on a hockey game for the N64 that showed up quite a bit in the pages of Nintendo power back when I was just starting to really get into video games as a preteen if not the focus of a Nintendo Power Cover… I turned 10 in October of 1996, got a SNES with Super Mario All-Stars Plus Super Mario World as my first console for Christmas that year, got the march 97 issue of Nintendo Power from a free issue offer that came with the SNES, and it was aroun June of 97 I got my first issue after asking for a subscription… Don’t know enough about Hockey to have any idea what that record he holds by a margin of 1000 is supposed to mean though… Granted, all I really know about the sport is it’s played on skates(usually on ice for pros, though there’s also street hockey) and involves using sticks with curved blades at one end to smack a hard rubber squat sylinder into the same kind of goal used for Association Football.
Anyways, today’s positive: After several days over the last week that broke 80F, it’s down to the mid-50s today. Much nicer and this is the kind of weather I wish I could get year round.
> I WENT THROUGH THE WINDOW.
I did not go through the window of the gatehouse. The window was too high up.
> I PUT DOWN THE LADDER.
I put down the ladder. I was at the corner of the wall. I saw a window and a ladder there. Verbs: look, go, take, put down.
> I WENT THROUGH THE WINDOW.
I went through the window of the gatehouse. I was in the gatehouse. I saw a gate and a window there. Verbs: look, go, take, put down, put.
Got my first sub-340 pound reading on the scale since I began my current efforts to lose weight circa December of 2023. Was in the 390s back then, so I’ve lost 50 pounds in the last 16 months or so. Feel like that’s decent progress, especially considering how carb heavy my diet is out of financial necessity and being limited in what exercises I can do* and considering I was about 350 at the beginning of this year, I’m feeling good about my 320 goal by the end of the year.
*My main form of exercise is walking laps within the trailer I live in, but joint pain in my ankles, knees, and hips as well as in my lumbar limit how much walking I can do on a good day, and on a bad day, being on my feet for the time required to prepare meals can be a challenge. The excess weight is almost certainly part of the problem, but faster weight loss isn’t worth straining my joints to the point they hurt constantly instead of only when I’ve been standing or walking for too long. I’ve also tried walking up and down the front steps on days with weather that is in my Goldilocks range, but of course, that brings my joints to their “that’s enough for today” point much quicker. I’d like to get a stationary bike, but have neither the budget nor space for that or any other large exercise equipment. Last I tried, doing 10 push ups or sit ups was my limit and left me completely exhausted after 1 set.
I too struggle with my weight. I have been on a quest to lose as much as I can snice last July. I have lost some. At 74, I have age related issues. (Lower back and shoulders) Carbs are something I have difficulty controlling. I LOVE chocolate. Eating out is another issue. My wife and son both tend toward eating out. Think cheap abundant calories!
I have been able to pick up my exercise substantially since the back surgery last year. I have a recumbent bike and a real bike and use both several times a week. I also have access to fitness center with a pool. I swim for an hour 2 or 3 times a week. Last Thursday I made it to 43 laps! All of the exercise is helping with my fitness but not much for weight.
But, I’m still vertical and mentally active! Can’t ask for more than that!
Today, I learnt that sometimes, white water rafting isn’t actually much paddling, and mostly jumping on different parts of the raft to avoid capsizing in scarily dangerous rapids. It’s actually pretty fun anyway
