I have been active on my Facebook profile lately. I will try to update this post as I add more photos on Facebook.
Tag: national weather service
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NWS Launching a Weather Balloon
The National Weather Service launches two weather balloons each day, separated by 12 hours. I took these photos at 6 a.m. this morning. The next launch is presumably at 6 p.m. (these times are probably different if the time is CST rather than CDT).
If you ever come across a weather balloon on the ground when you’re walking around, follow the instructions to send it back to the National Weather Service, since they reuse some of the equipment. As this “kidscorner” article on the National Weather Service’s website states, “The balloon flights last for around 2 hours, can drift as far as 125 miles away, and rise up to over 100,000 ft. (about 20 miles) in the atmosphere!”
These photos were taken at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in the Twin Cities/Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Who makes sunsets? My sources tell me it’s not the government.
But, tonight, I did get to experience my first nice sunset in a long time. Even though yesterday I posted about why smartphones are not replacements for professional cameras, I went on a walk this evening with only my smartphone for a camera.
I took these photos of the National Weather Service Forecast Office in the Twin Cities/Chanhassen, Minnesota. For the uninitiated, I have been photographing this entity since at least high school. It’s located right next to my neighborhood, and it’s been pretty neat getting to grow up next to it.
I seem to have run into some bad luck this holiday season. First, on December 1, I start showing symptoms of COVID-19; then, on Christmas Eve, I get pain in my gums that lasts several days; and, finally, on New Year’s Day, I get what I think are most likely hemorrhoids. What did I do to deserve all this bad fortune? I thought I had been a good person.
OK, maybe I’m to blame. I did lose 35 pounds in a little over four months. Maybe now my body is fighting back.
I had been looking forward to being slim not just for the last four months but for at least the last four years. Now I’m at my goal weight (I will write a post about my weight-loss journey soon), but it came at a price.
Still, I didn’t let these afflictions keep me from getting some nice winter photos today. After all, that is why you clicked the link, isn’t it? No, I shouldn’t have said that; my hemorrhoids are probably why you’re here. Well, I will be video conferencing with a doctor in an hour, so I will fill you in on all the salacious details. No, they won’t be examining my derrière over video. At least I don’t think that’s how it works. (Note: I will post the update after the photos.)
I’m starting to ramble. Here are the photos.
Update, 1/2/2021: I had my appointment with a physician assistant (not a medical doctor). We talked over the phone, rather than over video. Interestingly, I forgot to spend undue time making sure I had the right diagnosis, but I’m about 99 percent sure I have hemorrhoids. I’ve only had them one other time in my life—almost exactly 10 years ago—and the symptoms were the same as what I have now. I believe they went away within a week of using Preparation H, witch hazel, or a prescription (I don’t remember which).
The PA prescribed a medication, recommended fiber-rich foods, dispensed other home remedies and things to look out for, and generally answered my questions. I’m optimistic my pain will subside once I start implementing these treatments.
I’ll probably write at least one more update to this post once my body gets back to normal.
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Everyone Needs a Weather Radio
I bought my first Midland NOAA weather alert radio in 2016. It has informed me of weather hazards numerous times since then. Had I not owned the weather radio, I wouldn’t have bothered checking the weather report manually and wouldn’t have known that inclement weather was approaching. The weather radios provide me with alerts in every season, alerting me for everything from tornadoes to blizzards.
I’ve only used Midland weather radios, which are apparently the most popular brand. I have three different models: the weather-only WR120EZ, the WR400 (new model), and the WR300 (old model). The latter two include AM/FM, and they are therefore my picks.
I wanted to make this post to inform everyone how important it is to own a NOAA weather radio. I also wanted a way to save the user manuals, which I often worry I won’t be able to find (in my house or online). Here are pictures of the aforementioned weather radios in addition to their user manuals (linked at the end of this post as PDFs).
