The Sundial Project

Sun 1/16/11


1:37:58 PM CST

Prototype 1:
Click here to see the template we used. It's not the greatest, but it actually does work. Right now we're attempting to actually figure out how to make a real one. More updates in a minute!

1:47:53 PM CST

Found out that the correct pronunciation of gnomon is NO-MEN.


1:58:22 PM CST

Found out the REAL meaning of sundials. Note the sarcasm.

• Sundials are fascinating scientific instruments


• Sundials are a link with histroy


• Sundials are a surprisingly intimate way to personalize


• Sundials are a connection to the universe


• Sundials are a means to live life slower (I'm not quite sure about that)

2:06:23 PM CST
Found North American Sundial Society. We should join. Or, you know, finish the sundial. :)

2:15:15 PM CST
Remembered that it was overcast- no sun. :(
Still making sundial. :)


2:25:02 PM CST










Found awesome picture of sundial with a nighttime side. Very cool.


2:38:18 PM CST
Starting to make sundial. It's been an hour since we've been logging our well spent time (more sarcasm). Pictures to be added later.


3:10: 27 PM CST
Making sundials in bathroom. Were going to use clay, but didn't work out. Now using carboard from leftover science fair board. Yay!


3:27:56 PM CST
Making the gnomons now. Having a hard time cuttign out shapes from the carboard, but it's not too bac. Now time for color and decoration! :)


4:00:12 PM CST
Lost track of time while coloring. Time to glue on gnomons.


4:13:45 PM CST
super glue didn't work trying to find another way to glue on gnomons. i feel like we're failing kindergarten.


4:17: 18 PM CST
SUCCESS!! We are done with our sundials and pictures will be added soon. They are pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. Plus, I can actually speak in full sentences now. :)

Beautiful

click it to see the full image, because I need to figure out a way to get pictures like this to fit :)
Also, go to the website if you want to see the song lyrics posted as alternate text.
awesome.
Rian

Quick question for any who care:

I was watching this commercial, and they listed "unusual dreams" as one of the symptoms. My question is: How do you classify a dream as "unusual"?

Because I'm fairly certain that I must have some kind of illness/deficiency/disease or something, because all of my dreams are what people would call "unusual". And aren't dreams supposed to be unusual? I've always imagined them to be merely excess imagination power that gets released while you sleep, too keep you from getting bored while your body & brain recharge from everything you've done during the day.

This calls for some research!
I'll be back with answers later (hopefully).
Rian

psst: if you have any answers, please do comment. It'll make me happy. :)

Sundial Project Update #1

So, Rianna and I have guessed the time pretty accurately by looking at the position of the sun. It's actually not too hard. Still, sundials are pretty awesome. I found an interesting set of instructions here, though it seems like it involves quite a bit of math.

Wouldn't it be awesome if we could create a portable sundial, like this one:

So, the guy has a really hairy arm... but that's not the point. The sundial-watch is pretty awesome.

I guess that's all for the update. There's not really that much to be said about the Project right now.

Kris.

Stuff That Happened Today

Lame title, I know. Ignore it. I'm tired, hungry, and uncreative right now :)

So, apparently, the Fn key on phones does stand for "function", which still doesn't make any more sense to me than it did this morning. "Function 's'= %" because that makes sense or something.

Also, today, Kristin & I had a hilarious conversation with... an anonymous person who doesn't read this blog, anyway, but I'd like to keep this person anonymous. Because it's fun to type/say "anonymous".

A: LOL. I was driving down my street, and this lady with hot hair was walking her dog, and my widows* were rolled down and k** was blaring Remnants of a paradise lost*** as I drove by xD
Me: Hot hair? Haha that's really funny :)****
A: it was like pink and black xD
Kris: That is pretty hot.
A: LOL. xD I wouldn't expect you to understand
Me: Oh, no. I COMPLETELY understand.***** that's why I said that.
A: Your sarcasm is noted..jeez
K: Sarcasm? I was being serious.
A: ....okaaaay. I couldn't****** sworn you said you weren't a lesbian...
Me: I'm not. I was being sarcastic about not being sarcastic. Jeez. Get with the program.
A: uhhhh..
K: That was sarcasm too... Except the lesbian part. Sorry if you got confused.
A: whaaa?
Me: How are you still confused? I just cleared everything up for you :)
A: you like girls?*******
Me: NO.

okay, time for all of the notes (because no, the asterisks were not actually in the conversation)
*- i'm pretty sure anonymous meant wiNdows, not widows.
**- k= I. Anonymous has problems with spelling. and typing. :)
***- Remnants of a Paradise Lost is an album by Monomate (known at the time as Impatient Outpatient)
****- I did not understand how the song pertained to the situation, nor did I understand how the situation was funny. The hot hair comment made me giggle, though, because it sounds hilarious.
*****- once again, sarcasm. thus anonymous' comment.
******- and again, anonymous has problems with typing. I'm pretty sure this person meant could've, not couldn't. Because "couldn't" doesn't make any sense in that comment.
*******- this is just anonymous being stupid. We had already cleared this up. At least 3 times before this conversation... I dunno why anonymous is so obsessed with this topic. -__-

yeah. If it wasn't funny to you... sorry, I guess. It was pretty funny when it happened :)
And now I'm hungry. And I have homework. So I should start working. Mnleh.
Have a wonderful rest of your Thursday/ Friday!
Rian

Gnomon

Apparently, a gnomon is the pointer on the sundial. I learned this from my extensive (not really) research on the easiest way to create a sundial. Uh... if you don't know what a sundial is, here's a nice picture. It's basically a device used to tell time based on the position of the sun in the sky.

Rianna and I planned to make sundials on the next day we have don't have school, which is January 17th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. More updates on the "Sundial Project" then.

Also, if you want to know how to tell time by the sun without a sundial, here's a nice picture guide thing.

It's pretty helpful. Also, this is assuming that the sun rises and sets at 6 a.m. and p.m. respectively. It doesn't seem to hard to understand, but I guess I'll have to try it before I say anything definite.

Once I figure out what method we're using for the "Sundial Project", I'll post it so you can build one with us! As long as you carry it around in your pocket, you'll always know the time! Unless, of course, if it's dark... I wonder if they work by the light of the moon. I'll have to look that up too.

So, stay tuned for "Sundial Project" updates! I'll post soon. :)

Kris.

Me, too.

Today, Kristin and I decided that we are definitely going to learn how to tell time by the sun's position in the sky, because somehow, track practice was two hours today. Horrible. We're also going to make sun dials. :)
Rian

Don't Talk About His Head/Neck- I Already Told You I Can't Draw.

My brother has been dropping stuff a lot lately, so I started thinking about the term "Butterfingers". It's kind of an odd term, really- so I drew a picture. And started thinking about the pros & cons of having fingers made out of butter.
Pros:

• The common torture of cutting off fingers would do you no harm other than making some fingers shorter than the others.
• If you ran out of butter, you could just cook with your fingers.
• If you get stuck between two walls or something, you can always rub the walls and make them slick so you can get out.
• If you get hungry, you can eat your fingers.
  

Cons:

• You couldn't touch anything without getting it buttery.
• You could not live in places with warm temperatures ever.
• Bugs/Rodents would eat your fingers.
• You would never be able to wash your hands.
• You could easily lose a finger & not notice.
• Apparently your neck will be like that of a giraffe.
• You would be stuck with the nickname "Butterfingers" for the rest of your life.
• You'd have a hard time holding on to things.
• You couldn't do any work that requires precision.
• You would probably always be buttery.

Obviously, there are more cons than pros, which is probably why none of us actually HAVE butter for fingers. If you do, I'm so sorry.
If you can think of any other pros or cons, feel free to comment! :)
Rian

First Day of 2011

I did nothing.

Actually, that's not true. I did put together a bookshelf cd rack thing. It wasn't fun, and it took like three hours.

Other than that, though, I did nothing.

I hope your New Year's Day was more productive than mine.

Anyway, here's a comic:

Kris.

Happy New Year, Guys

Maybe this will help us all remember.
Also, sorry if you can't read my handwriting. I pretty much just woke up, so it kind of sucks, and it probably doesn't help that I don't dot my i's. Don't get mad- years of taking notes have shown me that not dotting your i's saves a good second or so, in which you could be writing other things. If you get really intricate & like, dot your i's with hearts or stars or something, I'm sorry. It's your own fault if you miss important notes :)
Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful 2011, and may it be filled with many good things! :D
Rian
psst: If you can't tell, last night I watched Fantastic Mr. Fox, one of the most hilarious movies I've ever seen (now I just have to read the book again, because I don't remember Kristofferson or Ash at all), so that's where the "what the cuss" comes from. :)