Well, it ain't because I'm an early riser—I didn't go to sleep last night

[sovay]

Okay, I feel like hell, so here are three things that have improved my evening.

1. A rare photograph of J. Robert Oppenheimer (plus other people) in color. Oppie's the one on the left with the good eyebrows:



2. Odetta singing "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." I've heard eight or nine versions of this song over the years—I grew up on Joan Baez's—and while most of them at least play with the idea that the narrator is trying to convince themselves as much as their ex-object of desire, Odetta's is sauntering, breezy, and genuinely could not care less. We never did too much talking anyway, so don't think twice—it's all right.

3. The way this post (courtesy of moon_custafer) provides a great deal of scientific information about the toxins and mechanics of the cone snail while also devolving/ascending into a paean to its apocalyptic glories.

In conclusion, Autolycus thinks it is time for bed and I should probably agree with him.

Comments

[umadoshi]

Autolycus thinks it is time for bed

Wise kitty is wise and has a persuasive face.

I hope tomorrow is far better than today was. :(

[asakiyume]

With his eyes that dilated, Autolycus looks ready to pounce. Those eyes on Jiji indicate he's about to attack something.

My first exposure to "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" was Peter, Paul and Mary, whose version was so gentle that you couldn't even get any sarcasm or bitterness. Later I heard Bob Dylan's and thought "Oh... now the song makes more sense." I really like this Odetta version.

while also devolving/ascending... --I laughed. By the end I was envious. Why am I not the triumphant hegemon of the molecular arms race, true born heir to the scythe of death itself?

[asakiyume]

(also, continued wishes for your eventual sleep)

[asakiyume]

Oh, and in honor of interesting mollusks, this article on in today's Boston Globe: "Scientists find giant, elusive clam known as 'the unicorn of mollusks.'"

It's the giant shipworm:

In a thoroughly modern twist on the age-old hunt for rare creatures, the first break in the search for the giant shipworm came from a student at the University of the Philippines who was looking on YouTube, Distel said. The student, Distel said, happened upon a video of a Philippine news program that showed giant shipworms growing like carrots in a shallow lagoon.

The shells are as long as baseball bats: here you can see them taking the worm out of the shell (.... I wonder if this kills the creature... I hope not)

[gwynnega]

And now I have learned that Odetta did a whole album of Dylan songs, which I didn't know before! I am partial to her cover of the Stones' "No Expectations".

[sovay]

And now I have learned that Odetta did a whole album of Dylan songs, which I didn't know before!

The whole album is great! "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" is the one that leapt out at me, but other highlights so far include "Tomorow Is a Long Time," "Masters of War," "Walkin' Down the Line," "With God on Our Side," and an astonishing ten-minute "Mr. Tambourine Man." She does really interesting things with the arrangements as well as the vocals; it's like she sneaks entire other songs in around the edges of some of them. I grew up with several albums of hers with in the house, but somehow apparently not this one. I'm really enjoying it.

I am partial to her cover of the Stones' "No Expectations".

That is good.

[sovay]

Oh, and in honor of interesting mollusks, this article on in today's Boston Globe: "Scientists find giant, elusive clam known as 'the unicorn of mollusks.'"

I saw the news in the Guardian, but nobody called it "the unicorn of mollusks"! That's excellent.

(.... I wonder if this kills the creature... I hope not)

Especially if it's rare, I would hope not!

[sovay]

(also, continued wishes for your eventual sleep)

Thank you. I actually slept about ten hours last night. Now I just have to keep it up!

[sovay]

With his eyes that dilated, Autolycus looks ready to pounce. Those eyes on Jiji indicate he's about to attack something.

Hee. In this case I think they just indicate that the light in the room was low. He had quite solid lime-green eyes a moment ago when he was sitting in full-on afternoon light. (Now they are closed because he leaped on my lap for napping.)

I really like this Odetta version.

It is edging its way toward being my favorite. I don't think I've ever heard Peter, Paul, and Mary's, actually.

Why am I not the triumphant hegemon of the molecular arms race, true born heir to the scythe of death itself?

A question we should all be asking ourselves!

[sovay]

I hope tomorrow is far better than today was.

Thank you. So far it's kind of nonexistent, but I slept a lot and Autolycus has dedicated himself to spending time on my lap, both of which are good things.

[dhampyresa]

I don't think I've ever seen Oppenheimer in colour before.

[sovay]

I don't think I've ever seen Oppenheimer in colour before.

I'd seen one other photograph, taken almost twenty years later—Wellerstein links it in the post I got this one from. I had never seen him in color and candid and young.

(I wish I had known about this blog when I was writing "The Trinitite Golem." Just its Oppenheimer tag is a glorious time sink. Oh, well.)

[alexxkay]

Have you read Rosemary Kirstein's _Steerswoman_ books? One of them features some impressively dangerous snails, though not due to poison.

[alexxkay]

Thank you for the link about the poisonous critters. It made me laugh :)

[sovay]

Thank you for the link about the poisonous critters. It made me laugh

You're welcome! I'm glad.

[sovay]

One of them features some impressively dangerous snails, though not due to poison.

I have not read these books. Are they very large snails or what?

[alexxkay]

It's a spoiler :-)

These books are among my very favorites. Which is not a guarantee that *you* will like them, but our tastes seem more than slightly similar. Here's a review that I think was beyterbwritten than my own: http://siderea.dreamwidth.org/598703.html