140302 TimC notice

On 3/2/2014 9:54 PM, Tim C wrote:

We are scheduling our workshop this week, February 4th, to continue our projects and further our endeavors in this fine craft of optics and scope building. There may be a few items to go over regarding some upcoming events. This I am going to leave open for discussion. We have an upcoming Astronomy Day, May 10th and possible "member's night" presentations we may offer up. I believe these are during the summer months of July and August. I know some have already signed up to do presentations. Maybe some of you have ideas ? I believe the time you will have to share your offering will be in the order of 15 minutes or so?

(Bill,... we really appreciate you having the Broder Building ready for us every week. I hope we leave it better than we find it. That is our wish.)
 
I am thinking of not having a workshop the following week, February 11th. Some of us have already expressed this will be fine. I have scheduled an outreach for myself and will not be present. If any of you wish to still participate, let me know. It may be best though to just break for one week. The core members of the group I believe are okay with this. [Telescope Tuesday at the Camino Real Marketplace needs help as Chuck/Pat are doing another event.]

This break does effect my plan to be polishing our donated mirror. It will set me back one week, but, I may do a little work at home. This will keep the project on time. I will be giving a time table for building our little 8" scope in the very near future. In the meantime, I know there are at least two other mirrors that will be in the polishing phase. In fact, get this- we will be polishing and figuring out 3 different mirrors at the same time very soon. No- make that 4! Two 12.5" mirrors, one 10" mirror and one 8" mirror. Come on Tom K. Make it 5! 

You know, there are some of you on the email list that have expressed interest in grinding a mirror. I can tell you, it is a worthwhile venture. It is really cool to look up and see a target in the night sky. But seeing it with something you personally handcrafted yourself- well it is dreamlike. You will step into the shoes of those who worked out the processes, painstakingly made contraptions to test them and lifted us all to see more than just the stars. People like John Dobson or Jean Texerau. Both have recently left us. They have lifted us to the eyepiece. It is for us to "look through".
See you Tuesday....I want to say also, I am honored to be amongst you.
T