Peripatetic Persistent Pirate Puffins' Pacific Peregrination: SF to Tokyo (1708 hours) 🐧
posted October 15, 2020 8:42 AM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Wed January 1 at 11:11 PM
Formerly the Remote Non-synchronous Relay Walk. You say it takes 1708 hours of peregrination* to get from SF to Tokyo. We're 200+ hours along! The more you (dear reader) log your hours, the sooner we'll have gone the distance. Join any time. Track our progress. Wondering what's out there with us? lemonade made an app for that. Now! With Official Puffin Mascot S.F. Tokyo, Pirate (they/them)!
*Inclusive definition of peregrination. Includes (but is not limited to) archery, biking, bouldering, canoeing, cleaning, dancing with babies, dancing/jump roping/hula hooping your way down the sidewalk, geocaching, going very slowly and stopping to smell the snails, hiking, hopping, ice skating, jogging, jumping with and/or without ropes, kayaking, paddle boarding, parkour, rock climbing, roller blading, roller skating, running, skate boarding, skipping, snowshoeing, swimming, strength training, surfing, treadmilling while watching TV, triking, unicycling, vacuuming, wheelchairing, X-country skiing, yard work, etc.


UPDATE
I was thinking, it's going to take a lot of hours to cross the Pacific! So I threw together a Google Form to track the hours. I will also add hours for anyone who doesn't want anything to do with Google (I'm not quite there yet).

Log your hours here (short link) or here (long link).

Track our progress here - Note the "Are we there yet?" link at the bottom (I haven't figured out how to direct link to it.)

NOTE: I am handing edit power out like candy. If you want to update the "are we there yet?" tab with clever notes about what's in our path along the way, get in touch!
posted by aniola to Online (183 comments total) 13 users marked this as a favorite

Help me out here: am I obligated to walk some part of the distance from San Francisco to New York City, or can I simply track my hours of walking wherever I might be? I like your idea, it’s just unclear to me if I can participate.
posted by Bella Donna at 12:17 PM on October 15, 2020


Track your hours of walking wherever you are!
posted by aniola at 4:18 PM on October 15, 2020 [1 favorite]


aniola, please consider posting about this on MetaTalk if you want others to join in. I checked IRL as a lark; otherwise, I would have totally missed this. Just a thought, and thanks for the idea!
posted by Bella Donna at 1:04 AM on October 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


After this, can we walk over the Pacific to Japan to see Ghidora and others?
posted by Bella Donna at 1:07 AM on October 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


Absolutely. We're still in San Francisco, so we could turn around and go there first if you'd rather! How long do you think it takes?

You can post to metatalk if you want! I was figuring it can start slow and a crowd can join over time. I will update the date as needed til we get where we're going.
posted by aniola at 7:58 AM on October 16, 2020


Nah, I'm good on the MetaTalk front but thanks. Today I put in more than an hour of walking, skipping, and dawdling. So 1 hour down here in Sweden. Alas, Google will not let me calculate the amount of hours required to walk to Japan from San Francisco and swimming was not listed as an option. :-) I will post a question about this.
posted by Bella Donna at 12:28 PM on October 16, 2020


I’m not able to open the first link
posted by gt2 at 3:30 PM on October 16, 2020


gt2 the form link works fine on my computer even when I'm logged out, so I'm not sure what's going on. It's a short link, so I added a long link, see if that works?
posted by aniola at 5:03 PM on October 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


Thanks! That long link works.
posted by gt2 at 5:34 PM on October 16, 2020


So I was not paying that much attention and did not log my hour of walking yesterday but now I have. aniola, thank you so much for the great Google Sheet tracking our progress! I also appreciate the switch to walking to Japan from SF, as I suggested. So kind. Also, fun! Like, I did not expect this to be motivating, I just thought it would be fun. But now I'm all, hmmm, when and where will I be walking toward Japan today? Good work, my Internet friend.
posted by Bella Donna at 3:34 AM on October 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


I'm a little slow here (really tired). Is the idea that we each put in our time and work to get to 1708 hours total?
posted by medusa at 4:50 AM on October 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


You've got it, medusa!
posted by aniola at 7:55 AM on October 17, 2020


This is fun! Thanks, aniola, for putting it together.
posted by gt2 at 12:50 PM on October 17, 2020


Got it! I added time in the short link. Looks like mine was added to the end of the google sheet, is that ok? The other entries from today are up top.
posted by medusa at 8:57 PM on October 17, 2020


Next question: based on the inclusive definition of walking I think rock climbing counts. Do you agree?
posted by medusa at 8:58 PM on October 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


New entries automatically go to the bottom of the spreadsheet. I will be re-sorting manually because I think new entries should be at the top. Unless someone knows how to tell the spreadsheet to do that automatically?

Rock climbing is added!
posted by aniola at 7:08 AM on October 18, 2020


Also medusa - short link and long link go to the same place. Not sure why Google gives two options.
posted by aniola at 7:18 AM on October 18, 2020


We have walked* ~12 hours in the first week.

SPLOOSH we have left the continent.
posted by aniola at 10:46 AM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]


I spend a lot of time doing archery, which involves walking up and down the range. I think it should count, even though it's all there-and-back, there-and-back, 18 meters at a time. I'll have to figure out the hourly rate of walking... hmmmm.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:19 AM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]


Sounds fun, I'm in. I asked for edit access on the Google Sheet without realising that it would update automatically from the form, so please ignore that request :)
posted by Pink Frost at 12:03 PM on October 22, 2020


Ok! But if you (or anyone) wants edit access, just let me know.
posted by aniola at 12:35 PM on October 22, 2020


Archery added. Walking* activities now listed in alphabetical order. More related activities needed to round out the alphabet.
posted by aniola at 12:40 PM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]


If I shoot arrows for an hour, should I put down an hour of "walking," or just the five minutes or so that I actually spent walking? I'd hate for us to miscalculate our location.
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:46 PM on October 22, 2020


The corpse in the library, I'm going to put you in charge of archery metrics. ;D
posted by aniola at 12:56 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]


It might be nice to have the Sheet auto-convert the hours to distance and perhaps distance-yet-to-do, in a couple of new columns.
posted by anadem at 1:44 PM on October 22, 2020


Sent you a spreadsheet invite by memail.
posted by aniola at 2:12 PM on October 22, 2020


For all the archers who are walking from San Francisco to Japan: for every hour you spend shooting, give yourself 10 minutes of walking time. You're allowed to add more time if you're doing field (give yourself the full hour) or shooting distances greater than 18 M / 20 yards (archer's discretion).
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:25 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]


I found a huge data set of seabird records from USGS (with occasional mammals), and after much inexpert database manipulation managed to extract this list!!!

Within ~7 miles of the team's current location of 38.77N, 124.32W, the scientific excursions in the database sighted the following:
Black-footed Albatross
Cassin's Auklet
Dall's Porpoise
Fork-Tailed Storm-Petrel
Horned Puffin
Humpback Whale
Northern Fulmar
Northern Fur Seal
Pelagic Cormorant
Pink-Footed Shearwater
Pomarine Jaeger
Red Phalarope
Rhinoceros Auklet
Sabine's Gull
Sooty Shearwater
Unidentified Bird
Western Gull

I'm working on a little tool to extract the data, but for now enjoy the Porpoise and Puffin sightings!
posted by lemonade at 8:07 AM on October 23, 2020 [6 favorites]




Hey, links, awesome! LOL re link to 'Unidentified Bird'
posted by lemonade at 9:03 AM on October 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


Hi everyone. I'd love to join you on your momentous walk, if I may. I hope it's ok if my two best walking buddies come along?
posted by WalkerWestridge at 9:10 PM on October 25, 2020 [3 favorites]


WalkerWestridge, it is an honor to have you and your walking buddies join us. We are a little over 33 hours at this moment. It would be higher if I had remembered to, you know, track my walking, skipping, and skedaddling earlier but in this case the journey is the reward.

I would like to suggest a mini celebration and/or acknowledgement every time we hit a milestone of 100 miles. How's that sound? Details to be determined and possibly limited to a quite, "Good job!"
posted by Bella Donna at 7:18 AM on October 26, 2020 [2 favorites]


We're at 99.89 miles. One by one, we all turn around to discover WalkerWestridge, one dog and one floofdog floating out to join us on a raft of freshly-dumpstered bubble wrap. Which looks like fun, but walking across the ocean is funner. It's a good thing bubble wrap isn't heavy to carry! WalkerWestridge & co. eponymously join us.

Keep an eye out for west ridges at the bottom of the sea, everyone!
posted by aniola at 8:43 AM on October 26, 2020 [3 favorites]


oh, EVERY hundred miles? Bella Donna, you can be officially in charge of that. I can give you access to the spreadsheet and you can add them to the "are we there yet?" page. how does that sound? memail me for access to the spreadsheet :D
posted by aniola at 8:48 AM on October 26, 2020


I'm enjoying everything about this! :)
posted by katecholamine at 11:26 PM on October 26, 2020 [2 favorites]


This sounds like fun. Thanks for making it happen!

There's a tradition among people spending the winter at the south pole to compete in a "race to McMurdo," which is a research station 840 miles away on the coast and the first stop on the way home. Only aerobic gym machines count and one uses the distance read off of the machine, with a factor of 3 handicap for bicycles compared to everything else. A lot of people made it back and forth two or three times in 9 months, which is getting close to this. (I made it once, but not quite back. Mostly because I'm lazy. Though, I also claim the stair machine is significantly under-weighted compared to the treadmill.) When I was there, the three people in the lead stopped short of the goal and then made a spectator event when competing for the last mile, followed by a party.

Using time rather than distance sounds like a very good idea that makes it possible for nearly everyone to participate.
posted by eotvos at 1:47 AM on October 27, 2020 [3 favorites]


Hm. Ok, I'll play. Although I fear it's a slippery slope, since I speculate we'll just want to continue walking* on to Moscow, London, New York, and back to SF.
"What did you do during the great pandemic of 2020?" "I theoretically relay-walked around the globe with internet strangers"
posted by Dotty at 7:45 AM on October 27, 2020 [7 favorites]


I certainly hope it's a slippery slope, cause I'm hoping we can eventually walk to Stockholm, where I used to live, and to various other cities with MeFites. There's a Berlin, contingent, for example. But, you know, Japan first and then we'll see what happens after that. I have always wanted to go around the world. Finally, here is my chance. Maybe.
posted by Bella Donna at 12:09 PM on October 27, 2020 [2 favorites]


Out of curiosity, does strength training count? I'm happy to be told no. But, one could imagine powering some sort of steam-punk (sweat-punk?) walking/swimming machine. (I suspect it shouldn't count at full time, given all the resting between sets.)
posted by eotvos at 8:19 AM on October 28, 2020 [1 favorite]


It's not up to me but if archery can find a fit, why not?
posted by Bella Donna at 8:32 AM on October 28, 2020


There was a freak snowstorm! It kept me from getting outside the last two days. This morning I'm back on track, and making tracks (in the ocean?) to Japan with all these lovely mefites!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 9:41 AM on October 28, 2020 [1 favorite]


Oh dear, I need to go back and re-read how to log hours. Was I supposed to log it as mins? I tried to log 1 and a half hours. Let me go back and re-read this thread...
posted by WalkerWestridge at 9:45 AM on October 28, 2020


I like how aniola titles every entry like its a chapter from Winnie The Pooh. Adorable!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 9:59 AM on October 28, 2020


eotvos, I'm going to put you in charge of strength training metrics. ;D
posted by aniola at 10:19 AM on October 28, 2020


For everyone wondering how to count their particular activity, here's what I do (not that it's what you have to do) :

I count, for example, 60 minutes out walking the dog as one full hour, and we totally do things like stop at intersections and Very Interesting Puddles (VIPs). It's not technically 60 minutes of walking but I count it anyway.
posted by aniola at 10:22 AM on October 28, 2020 [1 favorite]


I've put together the beginnings of a little web app that shows some of what we might be seeing at our current walking location (because everyone needs an overly challenging project to carry them through lockdown and elections)!

Current capability includes possible animal sightings. Today's weather will be back this afternoon since I exceeded the max daily queries during testing. :D

Next updates:
1) Migrate coordinate calcs from google sheet, get time walked from sheet automatically
2) Add daily boat sightings per aniola's previous AskMe
3) Embed map showing realtime position

Let me know if you run into problems, any and all other ideas for other things to include, upgrades and fixes welcome!
posted by lemonade at 10:33 AM on October 28, 2020 [2 favorites]


WalkerWestridge, time gets logged in increments of hour. So for instance, 20 minutes would be .33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 . I should have asked for minutes, not sure what I was thinking. Oh well, at least decimals are fun!
posted by aniola at 10:41 AM on October 28, 2020 [1 favorite]


lemonade your app is SO COOL
posted by aniola at 10:42 AM on October 28, 2020 [1 favorite]


Love the app lemonade. This makes it so much fun.
posted by kathrynm at 11:08 AM on October 28, 2020


eotvos, I'm going to put you in charge of strength training metrics. ;D
Damn. I was afraid of that. I think I'll take archery's lead and say 1/6 time, or 10 mins for each continuous hour including resting time. But, I'm very happy to be convinced otherwise.

Also, very cool, lemonade!
posted by eotvos at 11:13 AM on October 28, 2020


Is anyone else secretly hoping we'll see some pirates? Or puffins. I'd be excited for either one. Of course a PUFFIN PIRATE would be ideal!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 2:20 PM on October 28, 2020 [2 favorites]


Pirates are in the Atlantic Ocean.
posted by aniola at 2:24 PM on October 28, 2020




At least that's where they're endemic. I am hoping we see some, too.
posted by aniola at 3:29 PM on October 28, 2020


Aniola, I've got ships for you!! And the weather's back.

I haven't figured out how to add a pin for our location, but the shipping vessel map is centered on the entered lat/long.
posted by lemonade at 10:57 PM on October 28, 2020 [1 favorite]


Did someone say pirate puffin?
posted by lemonade at 11:45 PM on October 28, 2020 [2 favorites]


Oh! Oh yeeeeessss! We saw pirate puffins! Already! This walk is gonna be SO much fun!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 12:54 PM on October 30, 2020 [2 favorites]


WalkerWestridge, you may want to sit down first...
posted by lemonade at 11:25 PM on October 30, 2020 [4 favorites]


In case anyone still needs pumpkin carving ideas: sea turtle, octopus, angler fish, crab, oh what the hell let's do the entire ocean!
posted by lemonade at 11:26 PM on October 30, 2020 [1 favorite]


lemonade you are so good to us <3
posted by aniola at 7:04 AM on October 31, 2020 [1 favorite]


WalkerWestridge, you may want to sit down first...

(Large "THUMP" noise, sounding distinctly like someone who was overwhelmed by the extreme adorableness, falling off the bed)

Lemonade you made my MONTH!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 7:28 AM on October 31, 2020 [2 favorites]


OMG, the Pirate Puffins have Parrots (and tiny little Johnny Dep dreadlocks!)!!!!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 7:35 AM on October 31, 2020 [1 favorite]


Did you find that pic, or make that pic lemonade?
posted by WalkerWestridge at 7:40 AM on October 31, 2020


I keep going back and seeing new things, the tiny little sword... OK I'll try to stop now, but that was awesome!!!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 7:49 AM on October 31, 2020


I'm glad you guys like it, the news has really been sucking me down so I've needed a project! I made the picture, I found a CC-licensed puffin pic and just added every piratey thing I could think of! :D
posted by lemonade at 8:04 AM on October 31, 2020 [4 favorites]


the news has really been sucking me down so I've needed a project!

Hey lemonade, the news has really been sucking me down so I am benefitting from your project. So much! A thousand thanks, I got a bit teary this evening scrolling through your handiwork. Rock on and Happy Halloween, all!
posted by Bella Donna at 11:17 AM on October 31, 2020 [2 favorites]


I think the pirate puffins might be following us....
posted by aniola at 5:58 PM on November 1, 2020 [4 favorites]


Wow there's a lot more activity since the last time I logged! Thanks lemonade for the app.

I propose that we adopt a team name, uniform, logo, and flag for when we meet others walking across the Pacific. Let's be the Pirate Puffins.
posted by medusa at 6:26 AM on November 3, 2020 [4 favorites]


Favoriting medusa's comment so hard.
posted by kathrynm at 6:53 AM on November 3, 2020 [1 favorite]


Yessssss!!!!! I would buy that t-shirt!!
posted by lemonade at 8:48 AM on November 3, 2020 [2 favorites]


I'm 100% on team tee-shirt if it would be up for sale. I've turned into a tee -shirt junky.
posted by kathrynm at 10:57 AM on November 3, 2020 [1 favorite]


I'm not into t-shirts. I don't want to have to wade through their micro-remnants in the Pacific garbage patch later.

BUT! !!!

If people really want to put their pennies toward pirate puffins, how about adopting a puffin together? We can name it Pirate!
posted by aniola at 12:15 PM on November 3, 2020 [5 favorites]


Favoriting medusa's comment so hard.

Awwwww, I don't think I've ever been favorited so hard before! Thanks kathrynm.

This project is so what I need right now, thank you all.

Also sometimes I enter multiple things a day to catch up on the last few days. I'm not actually doing multiple workouts a day. In case any of you think I'm weird. Well I am weird. But not in that particular way.
posted by medusa at 12:30 PM on November 3, 2020 [2 favorites]


how about adopting a puffin together?

That's a fantastic idea! Team mascot!
posted by lemonade at 3:12 PM on November 3, 2020


I'm in on the adopting a puffin. I can afford $15 or so.
posted by kathrynm at 4:22 PM on November 3, 2020 [1 favorite]


I will both adopt a puffin and buy a t-shirt if we make some. With Lemonade's permission I might even try designing a Pirate Puffin logo based on the banner artwork Lemonade did.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 10:19 PM on November 3, 2020 [1 favorite]


Adopting a puffin is pricey, but I'm in for $25 if we do it.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 10:30 PM on November 3, 2020


With Lemonade's permission I might even try designing a Pirate Puffin logo...

Absolutely please go for it! Let me know if you want the original file.
posted by lemonade at 10:35 PM on November 3, 2020 [1 favorite]


I was struggling with figuring out the logistics of disparately donating, so I just emailed the adopt-a-puffin email address to see if they had any good ideas.
posted by aniola at 6:01 PM on November 6, 2020 [3 favorites]


Forgot to log the last couple days. Off to remedy that.
posted by kathrynm at 10:59 AM on November 8, 2020


lemonade! I love how the map marks where we are with a star.
posted by aniola at 7:38 AM on November 9, 2020


I'm glad you like it! Kind of key for a trip, being able to see where you are, I just couldn't figure a way to do it at the beginning. :) Next up, deep sea fishes!
posted by lemonade at 6:28 PM on November 10, 2020 [1 favorite]


I just noticed the updated title of this activity πŸ˜„
posted by lemonade at 7:36 PM on November 10, 2020 [1 favorite]


Yesss! I am excited about the deep-sea fishes!!!
posted by aniola at 9:12 PM on November 10, 2020 [1 favorite]


I forget to log my activity so I am also not walking multiple times per day but when I remember, like today, I log back on and am thrilled to read about our progress and new developments. I am good for 10 bucks toward adopting a puffin. No more and no less, that's my final offer! (Such a great idea, yay!)
posted by Bella Donna at 5:49 AM on November 11, 2020


I also enjoy reading about our progress and new developments!

If I don't hear back from the adopt-a-puffin people some time this week, I propose that donation makers make a donation to either the adopt-a-puffin project or to some other philanthropic org that you presume is paramount for making this a planet pirate puffins can prefer.

When we get to $100 donated, I will make a stuffed puffin, my partner will give it something piratey to wear, and I will mail it to one of the Pirate Puffins Who Pace*. No donation required, your name just has to be on the log. Bonus: we will also be supporting the USPS.

Puffin boulder berm cam
posted by aniola at 7:37 AM on November 11, 2020 [3 favorites]


I love the map. I think we're now at the "too late to turn back if you forgot something" stage of the trip. Onwards!
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:34 PM on November 11, 2020 [1 favorite]


I made you all a present to celebrate making it to the "too late to turn back if you forgot something" stage.
https://www.metafilter.com/189357/Puffins
posted by aniola at 7:20 PM on November 11, 2020 [5 favorites]


Thanks for the FFP, aniola! I wonder if a glowing beak would also improve my sex life. ...
posted by Bella Donna at 6:17 AM on November 12, 2020 [1 favorite]


Bella Donna I'm pretty sure there's a fairy tale type for that, but I can't think of which one it would be....

Here's a special puffin exclusive for the Pirate Puffins of IRL.
posted by aniola at 7:44 AM on November 12, 2020 [1 favorite]


Hey Everyone! We are Proud (adoptive) Puffin Parents!!!!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 12:06 PM on November 12, 2020 [7 favorites]


They wouldn't let me name our puffin, but if they had, I was going to suggest "S. F. Tokyo" in honor of our mighty walk. Also I feel that Puffins with initials in their names are likely taken more seriously in the pirating world.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 12:12 PM on November 12, 2020 [3 favorites]


Also, thank you for the Puffin post aniola!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 12:14 PM on November 12, 2020


🐧 Thanks WalkerWestridge ! 🐧

also I memailed you.
posted by aniola at 12:59 PM on November 12, 2020


Hey you guys, just to clarify. The puffin adoption is on me. I am very happy to do it. Thank you so much to everyone who offered to chip in, but I got the first round of pirate puffins. : ) If anyone wants to send their puffin bucks to a charity of their choice instead, I think that's lovely. Its a better world with MetaFilter in it!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 1:35 PM on November 12, 2020 [4 favorites]


WalkerWestridge, guess I'll have to update our puffin photo now!

Walking with you guys is a bright spot in 2020, this is so fun!!!
posted by lemonade at 4:11 PM on November 12, 2020 [2 favorites]


That's so sweet of you to do the puffin adoption. We could still call our puffin S. F. Tokyo.

Like lemonade, this walk is one of the bright spots of my life.

I won't be walking for a few days (weeks?). I'm getting a spinal injection tomorrow for sciatica and dealing with a fibro flare and a migraine. It's not even 8pm and I'm ready for bed.
posted by kathrynm at 4:50 PM on November 12, 2020 [4 favorites]


- Apparently mascots are lucky. I read that on the internet today, so it must be true. And we have a mascot now!! In case anyone is wanting any good luck around here.

- Me too, me too! I am glad to have y'all in my life.

- Ok! I may use my log commentary to send get well soon notes unless I hear an objection. So if you continue checking the commentary in the interim you may find those. I hope you are dancing with babies again soon.
posted by aniola at 5:31 PM on November 12, 2020 [5 favorites]


The puffin is officially S.F. Tokyo per WalkerWestridge and has the honorific Pirate per me. S.F. Tokyo, PIRATE.

Speak now if you want the puffin to have more names! Or a more clever honorific. Also I propose they pronouns since we can't ask the adopted puffin about their gender.
posted by aniola at 9:16 PM on November 12, 2020 [3 favorites]


I agree that they is an excellent default. Now if only S.F. Tokyo wore a little vest upon which we might affix a MetaFilter "There is no cabal" pin and/or other swag.

kathrynm, so sorry to hear about your health challenges. Hope the migraine has disappeared by now and/or leaves soon, along with your other pain. That sucks. Your teammates are rooting for you.
posted by Bella Donna at 5:41 AM on November 13, 2020 [3 favorites]


Ah crap! I had forgotten you had already suggested Pirate as a name for the puffin, aniola.
I'm sorry. But I'm so glad the puffin now has Pirate as an honorific. That was very clever of you. Now there is no absolutely no doubt, that this is a puffin to be taken seriously in the pirate world.

Awwwwwwwww!!! Lemonade, I didn't think the banner pic could get any cuter, but it did! I think I will print screen it and make it my desktop display.

Hey Kathrynm, feel better! I hope your spinal injection went well. That sounds really, kinda miserable, and I'm so sorry you're dealing with that. I think I'm beginning to get sciatica myself, so I guess things like that may be in my future too. Bleh! I just hope you feel good soon, Kathrynm!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 10:26 AM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


OH and I agree with Bella Donna I think our puffin needs some mefi swag.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 10:27 AM on November 13, 2020 [2 favorites]


MeFi swag for the Pirate??! Yes please.

The injection went fine. I'm glad I decided to do it with the sedation because I wasn't. I do remember it hurt like a bitch and saying "please stop" over and over just as she finished. A heating pad, Tramadol and Flexeril are helping the fibro pain. And the Tramadol plus whatever triptan I'm on plus an ice pack helped the migraine.

I'm going to skip tonight jog. But I'll probably do some gentle walking to get back into the swing of thing tomorrow.

Baby dancing should recommence Monday afternoon.
posted by kathrynm at 4:21 PM on November 13, 2020 [3 favorites]


Hey you guys? The app/bird database says we are legit seeing horned puffins in the region on our walk today!!! NOBODY MOVE!!!!! (Looks like coasts of Oregon/California are the far reaches of their range but realistic) This is so exciting!
posted by lemonade at 1:05 PM on November 14, 2020 [3 favorites]


Additionally: Ocean depth at our current location is ~3200m
The bathypelagic zone is from 1,000-4,000m, and sunlight does not penetrate the darkness. The only light available at these depths is generated by bioluminescent organisms.The giant squid is a resident of the bathypelagic zone and serve as a food source for deep-diving sperm whales.
posted by lemonade at 2:23 PM on November 14, 2020


Puffins have officially taken over penguins in the race for my favorite bird. My college mascots were two penguins, Pete and Penny.
posted by kathrynm at 4:55 PM on November 14, 2020 [2 favorites]


OCEAN DEPTH!!! YESSsssss! Today I learned that plants don't grow in the bathypelagic depths. Which makes sense, I guess I assumed there would be some specialized sort of plant life down there. But what good is chlorophyll without sunshine?!
posted by aniola at 10:04 PM on November 14, 2020 [1 favorite]


lemonade, maybe it's just me, but there are broken links on the web app. The pirate puffin picture doesn't show up and the image of the great circle map doesn't show up, but it is a clickable link. (Chrome)

Hmmmmm... the map shows up on IE and Edge. The pirate puffin picture doesn't though.

Just updated Chrome and still can't see that map.

Let me know if you want me to check anything else.
posted by kathrynm at 11:13 AM on November 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


The pirate puffin picture is part of the past in firefox, too.

All three maps work, though. WHAT! There are FIVE boats in our vicinity! Five and a HALF!

Pirate puffin plunder & pilfer party! Maybe they have some peas!
posted by aniola at 12:34 PM on November 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


Whoops, errant slash in the file name, how could I not notice the missing puffins??!!???!!!! kathrynm, please check puffins now?

I'll have to look into the Chrome map thing, this is the first web site I've done in like 10 years, so there's probably a trick to make Chrome happy.
posted by lemonade at 5:43 PM on November 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


What's a pirate's favorite element?
posted by aniola at 6:55 PM on November 17, 2020


What's a pirate's favorite letter?
posted by aniola at 6:55 PM on November 17, 2020


What's a pirate's favorite programming language?
posted by aniola at 6:56 PM on November 17, 2020


Wait... what? The pirate puffin picture is gone? Alas! I morn!

But a pirate's favorite letter has got be "Aaaaaahhhhrrrrrr!" (R) Right?

And favorite element is Au.

Programming language... ???
posted by WalkerWestridge at 7:23 AM on November 18, 2020


Awwwwww! The pirate puffins are still there, and they have get well signs! I think those puffins are the best thing I've found to cheer me up this winter! They are SO cute!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 7:31 AM on November 18, 2020 [1 favorite]


WalkerWestridge, you'd think it would be R but actually it's C (sea)!
posted by aniola at 1:26 PM on November 18, 2020


The programming language is also C (or R if it's a statistician).
posted by aniola at 1:27 PM on November 18, 2020


And yes to the Au.

:D
posted by aniola at 1:27 PM on November 18, 2020


I joined up. You folks are great.
posted by lauranesson at 3:58 PM on November 18, 2020 [2 favorites]


Huh, I was sure the element was Aaaaaaarrgon. But gold makes sense.
posted by lemonade at 4:20 PM on November 18, 2020 [1 favorite]


SQUEEEEE!

The pirate puffins are back. And they have a get well message. HUGS to all of y'all .

ARRRRRRRRRRRR

Gotta log my baby dancing time today.
posted by kathrynm at 5:39 PM on November 18, 2020 [1 favorite]


I am loving the ocean depth indicator. Thanks, lemonade!
posted by Bella Donna at 1:43 PM on November 20, 2020


I was just thinking that today! Thanks, lemonade!
posted by aniola at 3:59 PM on November 20, 2020


Hey what are we doing for the Gala?!
posted by aniola at 8:57 PM on November 20, 2020 [3 favorites]


Unfortunately I don't have any videos of me dancing with the babies......
posted by kathrynm at 12:24 PM on November 21, 2020


I wish there was a way to do virtual parade floats. πŸ§πŸŽ‰πŸŽˆ
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 9:29 AM on November 22, 2020 [2 favorites]


Maybe a group photo, with individuals in boxes but sharing one photo to show it’s a group activity? We could be doing our activity or representing it in some way. Or all just stepping resolutely to the west.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:32 AM on November 23, 2020


I love it.
posted by aniola at 12:14 PM on November 23, 2020


I can contribute a grainy photo of my dog stopping to smell the ivy.
posted by aniola at 12:14 PM on November 23, 2020


Or maybe my dog in the back of the trike.
posted by aniola at 12:14 PM on November 23, 2020


I just ordered a puffin mask off of Etsy. I searched on a whim, and there was a relatively inexpensive one with free shipping. Maybe I'll walk outside this weekend (Cleveland weather permitting) and wear it. I can take a selfie.
posted by kathrynm at 5:17 PM on November 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


Just looked at the Puffin cam and saw a puffin sitting with its egg! Squeeeeee
posted by kathrynm at 5:23 PM on November 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


I have gathered the fabric. I realized I already have reflective tape and will be using that on the beak instead of glow in the dark embroidery. Make do or do without. Glow in the day!

Once the puffin is made, I'll be asking everyone who has contributed to the promenade* thus far whether they want to be entered to win, and how much they want to win on a numeric scale. Then I'll put your names (to scale) in a hat or figurative hat, and then one of you will get a stuffed puffin in the mail!
posted by aniola at 10:13 AM on November 25, 2020 [4 favorites]


If I’d known you were coming, I would have made up the guest room!
posted by Ghidorah at 6:16 PM on November 27, 2020 [3 favorites]


Re gala, I had an idea a while back about doing a Flat Stanley kind of thing with a puffin, we could print and take photos of it on our walks/vacuuming routes/archery courses? If people don't have printers I will happily send out Flat SF Tokyo PIRATE out to everyone! Or add all kinds of puffins later via photoshop. Originally I was thinking it would be fun to have a photo album to see what people are up to, but that might work for the gala too.

P.S. WalkerWestridge, did our SF Tokyo adoption come with any photos? and/or any specification about what kind of puffin they might be?
posted by lemonade at 2:23 PM on December 1, 2020 [1 favorite]


That sounds like a great idea lemonade! I'd totally be into it.
posted by kathrynm at 5:07 PM on December 2, 2020


those pirate puffins and their signs :D
posted by aniola at 7:59 PM on December 2, 2020


Good news, Ghidorah! There’s still plenty of time to tidy the guest room.
posted by Bella Donna at 3:54 PM on December 3, 2020


Once the puffin is made, I'll be asking everyone who has contributed to the promenade* thus far whether they want to be entered to win, and how much they want to win on a numeric scale.
May we non-publicly nominate others that we might like to win and how much we want to them to win on a numeric scale?
posted by Bella Donna at 3:57 PM on December 3, 2020


Sure, I'll take the average.
posted by aniola at 7:31 AM on December 4, 2020


puffin of the day
posted by aniola at 7:34 AM on December 4, 2020 [1 favorite]


Just a heads-up, the stuffed puffin is probably going to be a tufted puffin.
posted by aniola at 9:03 AM on December 4, 2020 [1 favorite]


pirate puffin phraseology
posted by aniola at 7:50 PM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]


HOW have we not talked about pufflings?!?!?!!!
posted by lemonade at 8:33 PM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]


Team Puffin's Puffling Patrol
posted by aniola at 9:27 AM on December 7, 2020


Pufflings?! Pufflings?!!! PUFFLINGS?!!!!. It's too much terminal cuteness in one place! It should be illegal to be that cute!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 1:01 PM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


Although, to be clear, as far as terminally cute puffins go, the ones Lemonade made win hands down. I love their little signs cheering us on. Definitely has made my day on several occasions, seeing those adorable pirate puffins.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 1:08 PM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


Pufflings! YES!!!!!!! The cute. It's too much.

(And I'm back to baby dancing after hurting myself cleaning a foot of snow off my dad's truck so he could go get a prescription that he neglected to refill even though he knew a winter storm was coming).
posted by kathrynm at 6:45 PM on December 7, 2020


help i have a pile of praiseworthy panoply of p words for pirate puffins and I don't know what to do with them!
posted by aniola at 8:51 PM on December 7, 2020 [3 favorites]


I just realized the deadline for gala pics is a week and a half away...so I present Flat SF Tokyo, Pirate! Now available for photo ops and photoshop ops, for gala photos or not, to hang on your fridge or not, to pose with your cat/dog/fish or not, as you like. (Let me know if the link is not working!)
posted by lemonade at 11:07 AM on December 8, 2020 [3 favorites]


Also I forgot, if you haven't got access to a printer message me!
posted by lemonade at 11:15 AM on December 8, 2020


Is there anyway to get a black and white version? Would that print better on a B&W laser?
posted by kathrynm at 4:30 PM on December 8, 2020


Oh man...printing images on various printers is my nemesis...I'm going to assume you have the same problem I did when I accidentally printed them B&W on a laserjet this afternoon, and the blacks were super dark. Here's a B&W version where I lightened the shadows, but I can't try it out on a laserjet until I get to work tomorrow so hopefully it's better. If that wasn't the problem, can you be more specific about what the problem is?
posted by lemonade at 6:02 PM on December 8, 2020 [1 favorite]


Actually, I didn't even try because I've not had good results printing color things on that printer. I did print one of the B&W versions and it came out fine. I took it to work hoping to take some pictures there, but well, new kids screaming was sort of a distraction. Maybe tomorrow.
posted by kathrynm at 6:06 PM on December 9, 2020


Oh. Forgot to mention I got my puffin mask. I'll have to wear it tomorrow.
posted by kathrynm at 6:07 PM on December 9, 2020 [1 favorite]


What is this "gala" thing of which you speak...? Also I WILL be using a Pirate Puffin image somehow, they are too cute!!! Thank you Lemonade!
Is that S.F.Tokyo, Pirate? I think it should be, since we don't have any other pictures of them.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 8:17 PM on December 10, 2020


Oh wait, sorry, I see that indeed, it is S.F. Tokyo, Pirate. That is perfect! I love it!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 8:18 PM on December 10, 2020



posted by kathrynm at 11:31 AM on December 11, 2020


Argh, I keep forgetting to bring the puffin to the range. I also haven't figured out a good placement yet -- NOT THE TARGET obvs.
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:02 PM on December 11, 2020


lemonade brought up a good question recently. When is puffin day? My question: when is PIRATE puffin day?
posted by aniola at 12:45 PM on December 11, 2020


The corpse in the library I have an idea. WHAT IF you shoot the flat SF Tokyo, PIRATE's hat? Just the hat. Not the puffin.
posted by aniola at 6:12 PM on December 11, 2020 [1 favorite]


WalkerWestridge a gala is something you wouldn't typically catch me at in a million years, based on a quick image search for "gala". But I thought it might be a nice excuse to hang out with my favorite pirate puffins.

https://metatalk.metafilter.com/25693/Metafilter-New-Years-Gala
posted by aniola at 6:15 PM on December 11, 2020


OK: For some reason that link didn't post.

Here's me in my Puffin mask
posted by kathrynm at 8:11 PM on December 11, 2020 [2 favorites]


I brought our friendly Pirate Puffin to work to take pictures with (unfortunately without babies) but things have been so crazy around there, I haven't gotten a chance. I know you want to see him in a crib or in the rocking chair.
posted by kathrynm at 8:13 PM on December 11, 2020 [1 favorite]


I want to see you dancing with them!
posted by aniola at 9:56 AM on December 12, 2020


puffin of the day
posted by aniola at 2:54 PM on December 12, 2020 [1 favorite]


aniola, that is one of the cutest puffin pictures ever.
posted by kathrynm at 6:59 PM on December 12, 2020


Better later than never I guess (there is a global pandemic on so, arguably, some slack can be cut). I got our puffin adoption info in the mail today.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 3:50 PM on December 15, 2020 [1 favorite]


We can work with this! S.F. Tokyo, PIRATE is their pirate name. CZ18 is the name they had before they were a pirate.
posted by aniola at 6:42 PM on December 15, 2020 [2 favorites]


Yaayyyy!!! So cute! I'm addicted to puffins these days, I see them everywhere. πŸ˜„ CZ18 sounds like a secret code of some kind, what do you suppose it stands for?
posted by lemonade at 7:46 PM on December 15, 2020 [1 favorite]


Chick Zephyr #18
posted by aniola at 9:07 AM on December 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


Sighting of SF Tokyo and first mate out on a perambulation today!
posted by lemonade at 4:35 PM on December 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


:)
posted by kathrynm at 4:36 PM on December 17, 2020


How spectacular! This is where the puffins hang out in beachless Santa Rosa when they're not out for a perambulation or a trike ride:
https://ibb.co/z2pWKtX
https://ibb.co/jMdQ6G7
https://ibb.co/pXJh2jp
https://ibb.co/W0B9Ppj

I hear they're planning to hitch a ride on the trike tomorrow. We shall see.
posted by aniola at 6:46 PM on December 17, 2020 [2 favorites]


REACHED 1000 MILES RUNNING THIS YEAR!!!!!

Whaaat! Congratulations, lemonade!
posted by aniola at 6:23 PM on December 18, 2020 [3 favorites]




NOOOOOoooooo!!! It's so cute how it took the puffin using the stick about 70 hundred steps to turn around in a half circle! Aaaaccckk! So cute!

PS I have a chunk of hours built up that I have to log today.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 2:16 PM on December 19, 2020 [3 favorites]


not a puffin
posted by aniola at 4:59 PM on December 19, 2020 [1 favorite]


That little shimmy as it settles on the eggs!!!
posted by lemonade at 7:00 PM on December 19, 2020 [2 favorites]


I am joining the expedition! Avast!
posted by JuliaIglesias at 5:37 PM on December 23, 2020 [4 favorites]


I know pirates like treasures, so celebrate new pirate puffins, I got y'all some gifs (via chat.metafilter.com).

BANANA
πŸ™ƒ
happy christmas adam
SNOW
posted by aniola at 7:50 PM on December 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


The dog in the snow was priceless.
posted by kathrynm at 3:05 PM on December 24, 2020


Me and my partner really enjoyed the banana!, but I guess you probably have more moments like that in your world!
posted by aniola at 8:34 PM on December 24, 2020 [1 favorite]



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