Friday With Museum

An early end to Friday, with me back in my hotel room around 8:30, but then I watched some YouTube stuff on history and ship model building, including a build video of a new kit of the USA’s CV-1, USS Langley, “The Covered Wagon.” I tried to read, but I just fell asleep.

I also, after I remembered this after I finished the blog, looked at my Social Security Benefits and applied for SS this month! And the amount has gone up. I learned from the check sheet to get the start and end dates for my employment at Nike (the layoff process has a complex end date, and I will get the official one from Nike, Inc.). I left work on April 20, 2024, but was paid until the end of May, I think. 

Before this, we had dinner with the Wagners (plus Deborah, Chris, and me) and some grandkids. We had elected for Mexican food, though Slo’s was across the street (we could not get one table to fit nine at Slo’s) in Birmingham, Michigan. I made my own combo and had a medium house Margritta (delivered in a beer glass).

We talked a lot about Dungeons & Dragons. Jim Wagner played in my original group of players back in the AD&D days. We discussed our favorite character classes in the 5E version. My hearing problems made some conversations hard for me to hear, and I am sure I missed much, especially from the kids. Something I have faced before, and understand that lack of hearing and depression are connected.

Before this, we met at the Cranbrook Science Institute. They had a show on Permian Monsters, the epoch that preceded the dinosaurs on the giant Pangaea landmass more than 250 million years ago (the end of the epoch is exactly known from the remains of the eruptions that brought the worst extinction event known, 252 million years ago). Milo, lead us into the displays, including some automated full-sized models of the ‘monsters.’ There were also many full-sized copies of skeletons (the staff told us that the bones require considerable protection, so copies are displayed instead). Still, many of the smaller items are originals.

It was an interesting display of various successful Permian versions of creatures, some quite strange. Large, but not massive, insects were present in the Permian. The strange shark-like animal, Helicoprion, was included in the display with its new look, though we have very little information beyond circles of teeth (cartilage does not usually fossilize).

(From the mail display, as this was not in the Permian, T. Rex)

The extinction event claimed 70%, and thus, few moved on to the next epoch, but a small furry creature made it, the ancestor to mammals. It was interesting to see the recreation and fossils (even copies) from this time. It felt like a time machine in some ways.

Before this, Deborah and I were at Original Pancake House for a giant pancake lunch. The food was excellent, and the staff were friendly. Recommended.

I rose before my 6:30 alarm. I dressed and was soon out before the sun, in the IHG lobby, having the complimentary breakfast and coffee from their machines. While I often call it industrial or corporate, it is complementary, and that is a good flavor. Yes, free (though some would argue the price is in the room cost), tastes wonderful. And I find that IHG is not more expensive than its competitors without breakfast (at the same reasonably priced hotel range).

And that completes the day! Thanks for reading!