This afternoon, I give the last final exam of the semester. There are still term papers trickling in, but I expect to have all my grading done by Friday. Hurrah. So when does my vacation start?
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This weekend, I fly off to Flagstaff, Arizona. I’m recording a mysterious something-or-other with the BBC.
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The weekend after that, I fly off to Kamloops, BC, for Imagine No Religion 2.
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The weekend after that, it’s the 2012 European Atheist convention in Köln.
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Right after that, I’m in Iceland for a while. I’m hoping the elves don’t get me.
So I think I get a weekend at home sometime in June. A “vacation” is when you just get to stay home, right?
Better trim that beard. With all that flying, you wouldn’t want to look like you could conceivably be Muslim.
Keep Slugging!
for some reason, I thought of these :
http://youtu.be/h_HIRb0NMY8
http://youtu.be/2MPx27eZUYI
http://youtu.be/-2Co6_tu808
They sound so familiar. . .
I’m Minnesotan. I have the anti-tan; no one mistakes me for one of those swarthy dangerous races.
That’s just what I’d expect a dastardly crypto-Muslim to say. [Snaps latex gloves.]
Ooh, have fun in Flagstaff! Check out the visitor center at Lowell Observatory if you have time. I hear it’s pretty great. (They did exactly squat for visitors when I lived there, but that was a long time ago.)
I love Flag. It’s a great town. But if the BBC is shooting you doing the woo circuit, you’ll need to drive down Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona. Geologically, Sedona is beautiful, but from a human standpoint, it is heartbreaking. It’s like people were allowed to develop Arches and they airdropped Westport, CT there, complete with suburban homes, big black SUVs and blonde trophy wives. And if that weren’t gag worthy enough, imagine this unholy combination laid over with a heavy sprinkling of outrageous new age woo. Sedona is the flip side of a Ken Ham exhibit. Wear your patchouli.
Because if the BBC is flying PZ to that neck of the woods, it can only be for a wallow in the woo fest and the ensuing hilarity. Tell me when it is going to air, and I will start making the popcorn!
If you get a free day back in Flag, the area is choc-a-bloc with awesomeness. You have Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater and Wupatki. Your eyeballs will POP.
There is a terrific lava tube cave out in the forest on the other side of town. You could drive up to Locket Meadow and have a lovely view of the Painted Desert. If you could ranger further, Meteor Crater is well worth the drive.
Or better yet? Skip everything else if you can find a willing local who will drive you out to GRAND FALLS!!! Oh HELL YEAH!!. It’ll be running now. DO IT – DO IT – DO IT! It will blow your mind PZ!
This is off topic, so rap my knuckles if that’s the drill and I won’t do it again BUT, has anyone heard about Delta pulling ads from the Daily Show because of pressure by the Catholic League (they claim not, but, they are lousy liars)?
I was going to call Delta and tell them that I will make a point of not flying with them now because of this.
Y’all might want to do the same.
http://blogs.ajc.com/business-beat/2012/05/08/delta-air-lines-pulls-ads-from-the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart/?cp=1
Are you allowed to tell us what the filming by the BBC is in connection with ?
Have to agree with Pipenta, Grand Falls is the one place I’d recommend if you’ve only time for one side trip. So many cool places out there to see. If the job I had out there hadn’t sucked I’d still be there.The woo-meisters in Sedona aint too bad, it’s kinda fun to fuck with them a bit using shit like facts and data.
Hey PZ, is it true you’re filming an episode of Ghost Hunters?
There is a town in Devon called Totnes which sounds a bit like Sedona. Every other shop sells new-age stuff. When I lived in that part of the world I had a girlfriend who refused to go with me to Totnes because I would go into shops and starting asking questions such as just how does that bit of crystal cure you. She said it was cruel to fuck with their minds like that. I must admit I could be a bit relentless.
Oh yeah, Grand Falls FTW. I always had the Smothers Brothers song “Chocolate” in my head whenever I went out there.
@2. DLC :
I was thinking more this :
The end is in sight!
I believe that’s what Moses said.
This is the time of year when I’m jealous of people on the semester system; I don’t finish until mid-June.
(On the other hand, the quarter system means the current academic year didn’t start until late September…)
I want to go to Iceland.
The Beeb’s sense of timing sucks, PZ. You’re gonna miss a chance to see the annular eclipse over the Grand Canyon on the 20th. What a shame to miss that by only a week! Yes, there’ll be a partial eclipse visible in Kamloops, but it just won’t be the same.
It’s a shame you’ll be in Flagstaff this weekend and not next. A bunch (well, at least some) of us godless heathens will be there for the annular eclipse. Details here:
http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/website-eclipse-meet-up/
Cheers,
b&
I take all my vacations at home. I travel so much for work, during time off, I don’t even want to see a road. Good thing we have a very long driveway! The only travel vacation I took in the past 5 years was the Reason Rally. Ok, that might an annual thing. Travel safe PZ!
Lava tube caves…this reminds me; when you go to Iceland I think the major threat will be from Balrogs, as the volcanoes have opened up several deep vertical passages.
Have you more details about the Iceland journey, so I can spread the news among your Scandinavian groupies?
Randomfactor; And Harold Camping.
I showed up to my Spanish final today and the instructor told me I had a guaranteed A and not to bother taking it. :3
I live in BBC land – please be sure to let is know what it is and when it will be broadcast.
Welcome to Flagstaff, warwelf! Hope no one kicks you in the nards =P
Where I work, a vacation is any day the office is open and you don’t come in. That includes sick days.
What you’re describing is a “long weekend”.
Iceland? I’m there early July! This is many flavours of awesome and calls for a Pharyngulite gathering somewhere suitably sulphurous
I think the elves are the least of your concerns in Iceland, I’d worry about them wanting to take a specimen., wanting to poison you, their unnatural powers, and the fact that the Gateway to Hell may be opening in the relatively near future. Have fun.
Iceland, eh?
I’m just going to leave this here….
http://youtu.be/3IDL2Ynz8Ok
And recommend you grab an HD copy.
I hear that you might be in my neck of the woods this weekend. I’m not advertising where in case you are looking for some anonymity. I am the organizer of the local Freethought groups and co-organizer of the local SSA. I would love to buy you a beer, i know where the best mirobrews are… just sayin. If you are interested my email is gone.apostate@gmail.com