Happy Anniversary, ПС-1!

Простейшый Спутник-1 (aka 1957-001B, or "Sputnik" for all us plebes) was launched 50 years ago today, into a low earth orbit, from Tyuratam.

That's the good news.

The bad news: With only very few exceptions, low earth orbit is where we remain today.

Had the same thing happened in aviation, we'd still be doing patterns over Kitty Hawk with experimental aircraft and arguing whether it's really worth attempting transcontinental flights.

Don't mind me. My mood is sour, and not because of why I'm in New York.

Cheers...

Things that go "bump" in my work...

You would think that a company that pays invoices, on the average, nearly 100 days after invoicing would not "suddenly" discover, when the time comes to pay and after having received monthly statements in the interim, that they need some critical information from you - information that they already have, by the way - and phrase their email in such a way as to imply that you are the party that's holding up payment, owing to the lack of said information.

But that's the way it is. I was not able to fish this information out of my laptop and send a response yesterday, while on the road, but it's done as of a few minutes ago.

An email I sent asking about a payment for a job I did in May (4+ months ago) elicited a response to the effect that no timesheets had been received for the interpretation work done two weeks ago, in a message that - probably mistakenly - listed basically every job assigned by said client to its staff over the past couple of months. I've since sent a reply with the requisite paperwork, along with copies of their emails confirming receipt the first time I sent the documents.

A pair of emails sent to a third agency simply haven't been answered. At all. I called them a few minutes ago, and was asked to call back in a few. I will not hold my breath.

* * *Natalie and my road trip went well, and we were able to drive through the night with relatively few problems (a few yawns and a head-shake or two on my part). We even managed to cut through Manhattan (taking the Holland Tunnel from Jersey) so that Natalie might make a quick stop at a clothing store to pick up something a bit more formal than a running suit. Afterward, we miraculously found a parking spot in Little Italy, where we wandered for a bit and each had a slice of pizza and a Peroni.

I am at the house, with a call in to the funeral home. I will call the agency again (they're located in downtown Manhattan, so visiting them to pick up a check will be somewhat inconvenient, but doable), and then call my parents' friends to get some advice on what to organize. Although I recognize that ultimately, the choice rests with me, I feel an obligation to consider their wishes, as I have no other referents to work with.

Cheers...