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Generator thoughts
Oct. 13th, 2025 05:19 pmI theenks I'm on the verge of getting a generator :>
I've thought about Solar (about $6,000 for a complete DIY system, but even full sun is not guaranteed every day, especially in Winter)
Briefly looked into the Tesla Wall (about $8,000 after supposed credits, still seems to only power as long as a standard generator on a full tank of gas or propane)
Or a generator (about $450 + $16 for about 12 hours of gasoline according to online research, actual usage may vary)
Seems like the generator is the best option, at least most affordable.
Considerations: Mainly for the 150 watt Refrigerator and/or 700 watt Air Conditioning, but also to run the 90 to 150 watts of computing. Kinda boring just reading a book under candlelight sometimes). :>
I found that out last year, which was the first time the power company started getting prudish about power when there's the slightest hint of an increased breeze. This over-reactive mindset didn't exist before the recent tragedies of the Eaton Canyon fire and Pacific Palisades fire. Power was off for nearly three full weeks last year ;P
That's the most I've ever experienced. In the past, it might've been off for a few minutes or hours, but last year it was days, and DAYS at a time.
As I think I noted here, my best solution was to get an ice chest to keep from having to regularly discard refrigerator items. Still, can't save the freezer ones ;P
And ultimately the house is still dark, and can't use the computer. I did surf on the cel phone a bit, but that's kinda limited and inconvenient.
Pretty much all my neighbors have generators, so I guess it might be time to take the plunge.... considering the power has been switched off SEVERAL times already just this Fall. I even had to replace one of my surge-protector-battery-backup units (although it was probably due, but it looks like I'll rely on those even more to condition the power for use with the computer if using a generator).
Looks like I'll dive into a 3,500 watt one probably... the WEN model is rated well at about $450. I hope it's sturdy enough to last for some years outdoors, which is where a generator is supposed to be, right? :D
Better get some extension cords too...
I've thought about Solar (about $6,000 for a complete DIY system, but even full sun is not guaranteed every day, especially in Winter)
Briefly looked into the Tesla Wall (about $8,000 after supposed credits, still seems to only power as long as a standard generator on a full tank of gas or propane)
Or a generator (about $450 + $16 for about 12 hours of gasoline according to online research, actual usage may vary)
Seems like the generator is the best option, at least most affordable.
Considerations: Mainly for the 150 watt Refrigerator and/or 700 watt Air Conditioning, but also to run the 90 to 150 watts of computing. Kinda boring just reading a book under candlelight sometimes). :>
I found that out last year, which was the first time the power company started getting prudish about power when there's the slightest hint of an increased breeze. This over-reactive mindset didn't exist before the recent tragedies of the Eaton Canyon fire and Pacific Palisades fire. Power was off for nearly three full weeks last year ;P
That's the most I've ever experienced. In the past, it might've been off for a few minutes or hours, but last year it was days, and DAYS at a time.
As I think I noted here, my best solution was to get an ice chest to keep from having to regularly discard refrigerator items. Still, can't save the freezer ones ;P
And ultimately the house is still dark, and can't use the computer. I did surf on the cel phone a bit, but that's kinda limited and inconvenient.
Pretty much all my neighbors have generators, so I guess it might be time to take the plunge.... considering the power has been switched off SEVERAL times already just this Fall. I even had to replace one of my surge-protector-battery-backup units (although it was probably due, but it looks like I'll rely on those even more to condition the power for use with the computer if using a generator).
Looks like I'll dive into a 3,500 watt one probably... the WEN model is rated well at about $450. I hope it's sturdy enough to last for some years outdoors, which is where a generator is supposed to be, right? :D
Better get some extension cords too...
Another one bites the code
Oct. 1st, 2025 08:26 pmLooks like today is the day Twitter decided to code itself off of my legacy browser :D
The error is alludes to privacy add-ons, in other words it wants to snoop more Data from me apparently and is upset that the browser blocks that :D
All I can say is HA!
Not that I was using it much, but that makes it a bit less attractive to use in the big picture.
It's very likely I can still access it through a different browser, which I'll probably try some day. But for now, Twitter/X I say to you... HA!
The error is alludes to privacy add-ons, in other words it wants to snoop more Data from me apparently and is upset that the browser blocks that :D
All I can say is HA!
Not that I was using it much, but that makes it a bit less attractive to use in the big picture.
It's very likely I can still access it through a different browser, which I'll probably try some day. But for now, Twitter/X I say to you... HA!
fizzled surge
Sep. 30th, 2025 11:50 pmDrat.
Seems it's time to replace the Battery Backup / Surge Protector again... it's been acting oddly for a few days, noises and random shutdowns.
Its proprietary software isn't indicating a problem, but it's been a few years so it just very likely needs to be replaced, or at least its battery. ugh.
Local stores don't seem to have them in stock any more either.
*goes to Amazon to order*
Seems it's time to replace the Battery Backup / Surge Protector again... it's been acting oddly for a few days, noises and random shutdowns.
Its proprietary software isn't indicating a problem, but it's been a few years so it just very likely needs to be replaced, or at least its battery. ugh.
Local stores don't seem to have them in stock any more either.
*goes to Amazon to order*
affecting a mere few
Sep. 10th, 2025 02:48 amWell here's something probably a miniscule part of the population cares about...
While MSoft has sorta taken a very light-handed approach, it looks like Gewgle has been ramping up a full scale assault on my treasured O.S. Windows 7.
In the past few weeks, it has made it nearly if not completely impossible for my browser collection, newer and older, to use many of its lures, such as GMail and GoogleDrive and GoogleVoice, etc.
Of course you get invested in it, and then they pull in the reins and decide to kick ya out of the driver's seat while they take over. They are drastically limiting the Browsers that are 'compatible' with it, and nearly all gone are the ones that run on W7, except Firefox, which says it will pull the plug in Feb of next year.
I find myself actually considering Yahoo mail as a main :| (not that they are saints, either)
Or even going back to Mac as an O.S., rather than put up with the slop of W10 and W11.
ugh.
For now I had to, as of tonight, go to my W11 experimental unit, just to send an email.
...tough decisions ahead.
While MSoft has sorta taken a very light-handed approach, it looks like Gewgle has been ramping up a full scale assault on my treasured O.S. Windows 7.
In the past few weeks, it has made it nearly if not completely impossible for my browser collection, newer and older, to use many of its lures, such as GMail and GoogleDrive and GoogleVoice, etc.
Of course you get invested in it, and then they pull in the reins and decide to kick ya out of the driver's seat while they take over. They are drastically limiting the Browsers that are 'compatible' with it, and nearly all gone are the ones that run on W7, except Firefox, which says it will pull the plug in Feb of next year.
I find myself actually considering Yahoo mail as a main :| (not that they are saints, either)
Or even going back to Mac as an O.S., rather than put up with the slop of W10 and W11.
ugh.
For now I had to, as of tonight, go to my W11 experimental unit, just to send an email.
...tough decisions ahead.
Gmail Death
Aug. 29th, 2025 11:19 pmOn their mystifying path of "this browser no longer supports GMail", tonight was the death knell for it in my standard Opera browser, and it no longer seems to work in the latest backup browser I use either, Vivaldi, which does run just about everything.
It was chip chip chipping away at functionality for a while. One thing I lived with for months was not being able to change Subject lines in Replies.
And tonight, messages just plain will not open at all.
I can still see them all in the list though.
Naturally they have no intuitive postings online that I have found about this new phail.
>:|
Thus ensued an exploration of my options, revealing 3 or 4 other options so far (Pale Moon, Maxthon, Thorium, et al) and will see if they hold any hope.
I can also look into an option I have considered off-and-on, .. switching it to POP and/or IMAP.
And if the other browser(s) don't work, I can most likely check it on some newer computer. I just like my comfy-zone machine from 2012.
*solemn sighs* :\
-
Update:
I found that at least 4 alternative browsers could possibly work, Thorium, Midori, Pale Moon, and Maxthlon. Did research to check on them first of course.
So far, the protable version of Maxthlon seems ot be working well. :>
Probably will keep it to using just for GMail at least for the near future. This will allow me to continue watching the support and compatibility trends in the Opera and Vivaldi browsers.
It was chip chip chipping away at functionality for a while. One thing I lived with for months was not being able to change Subject lines in Replies.
And tonight, messages just plain will not open at all.
I can still see them all in the list though.
Naturally they have no intuitive postings online that I have found about this new phail.
>:|
Thus ensued an exploration of my options, revealing 3 or 4 other options so far (Pale Moon, Maxthon, Thorium, et al) and will see if they hold any hope.
I can also look into an option I have considered off-and-on, .. switching it to POP and/or IMAP.
And if the other browser(s) don't work, I can most likely check it on some newer computer. I just like my comfy-zone machine from 2012.
*solemn sighs* :\
-
Update:
I found that at least 4 alternative browsers could possibly work, Thorium, Midori, Pale Moon, and Maxthlon. Did research to check on them first of course.
So far, the protable version of Maxthlon seems ot be working well. :>
Probably will keep it to using just for GMail at least for the near future. This will allow me to continue watching the support and compatibility trends in the Opera and Vivaldi browsers.
Just so you know ... BPA and BPS
Aug. 16th, 2025 02:32 pmYou may have heard along the way that BPA contamination can be concerning in the environment related to our exposure with this substance.
I had heard just scatterings of information also, such as being on alert for it when buying plastic containers.
Randomly I was talking with a store clerk the other day, who mentioned how it was also a factor in Thermal Receipts (of which I previously was unaware), so that people should minimize their contact with those, as over 95% of them also can transfer BPA and BPS to our bodies.
So I looked it up today, and if you are interested, here is a TL:dr page with a government study on these chemicals ... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4206219/
I had heard just scatterings of information also, such as being on alert for it when buying plastic containers.
Randomly I was talking with a store clerk the other day, who mentioned how it was also a factor in Thermal Receipts (of which I previously was unaware), so that people should minimize their contact with those, as over 95% of them also can transfer BPA and BPS to our bodies.
So I looked it up today, and if you are interested, here is a TL:dr page with a government study on these chemicals ... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4206219/
taste n smell
Jul. 5th, 2025 10:24 pmWhen I had the covid thangy a few years ago, it was fairly regimented... 2 days of fever and fatigue, 2 days of cold-like symptoms: sniffles sneezing etc, and 2 days of losing smell and taste, cut and dry, matter of fact.
When I lost the taste and smell, it's like everything was peppery for a few hours, and when it came back, same thing... pepper for a few hours.
A couple weeks ago I had some sort of head congestion thing that kept filling up areas of my ear canals that wanted to 'pop', ya know? That thing like being in a plane, where you yawn or chew gum to pop them and equalize the pressure. But those sure-fire strategies weren't working ;P
For over a week I was not able to 'pop' them.
And then I lost the taste and smell... but not with the pepper effect, and.. worst of all, the taste and smell didn't come back all at once on the 3rd day.
Some 2 weeks into it and they are finally coming back... ever so gradually... it's really quite annoying... it's so gradual... unlike before. Little hints of flavors and scents, but mostly it was nothing for about a week. It's SO un-interesting to eat when you can't taste or smell anything. All you have is texture.
As of today, I'd say it's about 70% back.. maybe...
I feel a huge sigh of relief when I can detect some flavors... but they still aren't completely back. I hope it won't take too much longer.
When I lost the taste and smell, it's like everything was peppery for a few hours, and when it came back, same thing... pepper for a few hours.
A couple weeks ago I had some sort of head congestion thing that kept filling up areas of my ear canals that wanted to 'pop', ya know? That thing like being in a plane, where you yawn or chew gum to pop them and equalize the pressure. But those sure-fire strategies weren't working ;P
For over a week I was not able to 'pop' them.
And then I lost the taste and smell... but not with the pepper effect, and.. worst of all, the taste and smell didn't come back all at once on the 3rd day.
Some 2 weeks into it and they are finally coming back... ever so gradually... it's really quite annoying... it's so gradual... unlike before. Little hints of flavors and scents, but mostly it was nothing for about a week. It's SO un-interesting to eat when you can't taste or smell anything. All you have is texture.
As of today, I'd say it's about 70% back.. maybe...
I feel a huge sigh of relief when I can detect some flavors... but they still aren't completely back. I hope it won't take too much longer.
Tale of the Talon
Jun. 6th, 2025 10:09 pmSome years ago, over 5 at least, I was working on a fence/gate in the back yard, and somehow I got a splinter.
It was an unusual splinter, as I don't recall its entry at the time, which is also unusual.
Legend has it that torture by sticking bamboo shoots into a victim's fingernails is one of the most horrific pains, but I must've hit just the right spot to bypass the nerves there... at that time at least. In any case, nothing remained sticking out from underneath the nail to see or grab and try to remove, so there wasn't much I could do but hope it would grow out of there with the advancement of the fingernail.
But it wouldn't budge. Eventually it was causing my nail to grow oddly, like a second fingernail was trying to emerge beneath the main one, like Alien's second pair of jaws. This did cause annoying discomfort, and much more clipping necessary than with the other nails.
At one point, I went to a 'fingernail specialist', but they proved to be useless, as they only dealt with cosmetic augmentation, and I left without getting anything done.
I finally got fed up last year and considered trying to cut at least half of the main nail off myself, to dig that thing out of there, if I could just numb it enough to bear it. I bought some scalpels and over-the-counter topical Lidocaine.
It wasn't enough :|
Then a few weeks ago, it actually seemed to start looking (and feeling!) infected. Last night it was almost so painful I couldn't sleep. So I started trying in even more earnest to find a doctor or surgeon to really get this done.
Today I jotted a few possibilities down on a sheet of paper and hit the road. I had already seen a video on YouTube showing removal of an ingrown toenail, which seemed the most likely similar procedure needed, but I couldn't find many hand/finger doctors online. My hope was to see if a toenail doctor might help, or at least have some helpful references.
The first place I went to was closed. Locked up.
The second one said it was very unlikely the podiatrist would do it, but I could wait a while and ask if I wanted. I didn't want to waste too much more of the day, so I moved on.
Next I decided to try the only hand doctor I could find nearby. It was a big fancy website so it had to be legit, right?
I got there, and t'was no sign of such a doctor's office. I showed the website to the security guard, and a few other staff members there. No one had ever heard of the doctor or the practice shown on the website.
But this place was an urgent care center, so I asked if it was something the doctor/surgeon there might consider. They said Yes. (omg) ... So I filled out some forms, paid $15, and waited.
When I first saw the doctor, she wasn't quite clear on the magnitude of the situation, but she did agree that it was characterized by an "infected hematoma" beneath the nail. My entire fingertip has been starting to ache though, and I didn't want it to become septic.
Once I explained about the lodged foreign material underneath the nail and my willingness to have it swept out once and for all, she quickly realized it was necessary, and she and her assistants started setting up the tools needed to go forward.
This required 4 Lidocaine shots, each one at a corner of the base of the finger. It caused the finger to go numb, and also part of the adjacent fingers.
BUT... the sting of the 4 shots was the most I felt once she got started! I didn't watch...
Soon, she showed me the part of the nail she excised, and two pieces of the entire splinter she removed from the area. What a relief! To see that the thing had actually been under there wreaking havoc (and have it gone) was such restorative news!
It's now all bundled up in Neosporin and Betadine, and I've got some anti-infection pills to take for a few days. Also took a Tylenol per the recommendation.
And now that the painkiller has worn off, I can tell that the finger feels *unusual", and a bit owie,...but not the level of previous ache or concern of infection anymore. :}
What a day though... what a 7 year wait! ;P
It was an unusual splinter, as I don't recall its entry at the time, which is also unusual.
Legend has it that torture by sticking bamboo shoots into a victim's fingernails is one of the most horrific pains, but I must've hit just the right spot to bypass the nerves there... at that time at least. In any case, nothing remained sticking out from underneath the nail to see or grab and try to remove, so there wasn't much I could do but hope it would grow out of there with the advancement of the fingernail.
But it wouldn't budge. Eventually it was causing my nail to grow oddly, like a second fingernail was trying to emerge beneath the main one, like Alien's second pair of jaws. This did cause annoying discomfort, and much more clipping necessary than with the other nails.
At one point, I went to a 'fingernail specialist', but they proved to be useless, as they only dealt with cosmetic augmentation, and I left without getting anything done.
I finally got fed up last year and considered trying to cut at least half of the main nail off myself, to dig that thing out of there, if I could just numb it enough to bear it. I bought some scalpels and over-the-counter topical Lidocaine.
It wasn't enough :|
Then a few weeks ago, it actually seemed to start looking (and feeling!) infected. Last night it was almost so painful I couldn't sleep. So I started trying in even more earnest to find a doctor or surgeon to really get this done.
Today I jotted a few possibilities down on a sheet of paper and hit the road. I had already seen a video on YouTube showing removal of an ingrown toenail, which seemed the most likely similar procedure needed, but I couldn't find many hand/finger doctors online. My hope was to see if a toenail doctor might help, or at least have some helpful references.
The first place I went to was closed. Locked up.
The second one said it was very unlikely the podiatrist would do it, but I could wait a while and ask if I wanted. I didn't want to waste too much more of the day, so I moved on.
Next I decided to try the only hand doctor I could find nearby. It was a big fancy website so it had to be legit, right?
I got there, and t'was no sign of such a doctor's office. I showed the website to the security guard, and a few other staff members there. No one had ever heard of the doctor or the practice shown on the website.
But this place was an urgent care center, so I asked if it was something the doctor/surgeon there might consider. They said Yes. (omg) ... So I filled out some forms, paid $15, and waited.
When I first saw the doctor, she wasn't quite clear on the magnitude of the situation, but she did agree that it was characterized by an "infected hematoma" beneath the nail. My entire fingertip has been starting to ache though, and I didn't want it to become septic.
Once I explained about the lodged foreign material underneath the nail and my willingness to have it swept out once and for all, she quickly realized it was necessary, and she and her assistants started setting up the tools needed to go forward.
This required 4 Lidocaine shots, each one at a corner of the base of the finger. It caused the finger to go numb, and also part of the adjacent fingers.
BUT... the sting of the 4 shots was the most I felt once she got started! I didn't watch...
Soon, she showed me the part of the nail she excised, and two pieces of the entire splinter she removed from the area. What a relief! To see that the thing had actually been under there wreaking havoc (and have it gone) was such restorative news!
It's now all bundled up in Neosporin and Betadine, and I've got some anti-infection pills to take for a few days. Also took a Tylenol per the recommendation.
And now that the painkiller has worn off, I can tell that the finger feels *unusual", and a bit owie,...but not the level of previous ache or concern of infection anymore. :}
What a day though... what a 7 year wait! ;P
Dufus Businesspeople
May. 12th, 2025 08:42 pmIn my teens, my very first bank account was at B of A , Bank of America. I paid a monthly fee to maintain it and earn credit.
After a while they offered me free checking, so I had that for several years thereafter. Close to 20 more years go by, and they told me they were eliminating free checking, except for some cases such as high balance accounts, etc. I asked at two branches if they could find some free checking account for me. Both said no.
It was a little bit hard to take the step, but I had to cut them off and leave. Several other banks were/are still offering free checking with no strings attached. I guess they have enough suckers that they don't need my deposits.
I have still been using a B of A credit card though, since they used to partner with a charity and a percentage of payments would go there, although I think that partnership quietly faded away, since it is no longer mentioned on my card.
Today I got a notice that they will soon "reserve the right to refuse payments if it will result in a credit balance." Doesn't mean they will, but I'm not sure I want to take that chance, since they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars revising their policy and sending out notices and updating their software.
I like to send in a bit more than is usually required, because I can save a stamp and a cheque every other payment :}
So, first checking and now this. Alas, I think the B of A credit card is going into cold storage, another product they turned sour with a kookoo policy.
After a while they offered me free checking, so I had that for several years thereafter. Close to 20 more years go by, and they told me they were eliminating free checking, except for some cases such as high balance accounts, etc. I asked at two branches if they could find some free checking account for me. Both said no.
It was a little bit hard to take the step, but I had to cut them off and leave. Several other banks were/are still offering free checking with no strings attached. I guess they have enough suckers that they don't need my deposits.
I have still been using a B of A credit card though, since they used to partner with a charity and a percentage of payments would go there, although I think that partnership quietly faded away, since it is no longer mentioned on my card.
Today I got a notice that they will soon "reserve the right to refuse payments if it will result in a credit balance." Doesn't mean they will, but I'm not sure I want to take that chance, since they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars revising their policy and sending out notices and updating their software.
I like to send in a bit more than is usually required, because I can save a stamp and a cheque every other payment :}
So, first checking and now this. Alas, I think the B of A credit card is going into cold storage, another product they turned sour with a kookoo policy.
Types of drivers
May. 3rd, 2025 10:04 pmOver the years I've been in cars with many different folks driving, and most were pretty 'normal', thank goodness.
However, there have been three very unusual ones worth noting:
1 - Slams on the accelerator to get up to speed, then slams on the brake to stop. All the time.
WHEN - About 20 years ago when meeting up with a new aquaintance who drove me around town.
Frequency - Once or Twice.
RATING = Quite Annoying
2 - Cruises along tapping the accelerator On/OFF On/OFF, over and over Constantly, instead of just riding it steadly like most of the human race.
WHEN - During my childhood, an older fellow who was a friend of my Dad.
Frequency - About a half dozen times.
RATING - Nausea inducing
3 - Sharp spurts of speed and sharp steering.
WHEN - Every so often, maybe once or twice a year.
Frequency - A couple dozen times (current friend for about 30 years).
RATING - Keeps passengers on edge
However, there have been three very unusual ones worth noting:
1 - Slams on the accelerator to get up to speed, then slams on the brake to stop. All the time.
WHEN - About 20 years ago when meeting up with a new aquaintance who drove me around town.
Frequency - Once or Twice.
RATING = Quite Annoying
2 - Cruises along tapping the accelerator On/OFF On/OFF, over and over Constantly, instead of just riding it steadly like most of the human race.
WHEN - During my childhood, an older fellow who was a friend of my Dad.
Frequency - About a half dozen times.
RATING - Nausea inducing
3 - Sharp spurts of speed and sharp steering.
WHEN - Every so often, maybe once or twice a year.
Frequency - A couple dozen times (current friend for about 30 years).
RATING - Keeps passengers on edge
Dinnertime.... what to eat!?
Mar. 28th, 2025 05:32 pmUsually I cycle between Subway, DelTaco and WaBa Grill :9
Waba always has the $6 chicken bowl deal. DelTaco always has the $7 two big burritos deal. Subway has $5 and $8 deals, but ya just gotta have coupons.
All of those are nice healthy and satisfying options!
I do mix it all up for variety a few times a month, with AllUCanEatPizza (about $14) or TacoBell Cantina (about $10) or In-N-Out (about $7) and a few others. The pizza and the cantina are also balanced healthy options. In-N-Out is a burger n fries meal which is okay once in a while.
There's a few others, like Norm's 24 hour dining, if I wanna spend an hour sitting in a restaurant. Or similarly there's Old Spaghetti Factory, which has amaaaaaazing flavored steamed broccoli. The restaurant options are time consuming and expensive ($20 to $30), but ok once in a rare while.
I used to go to Fazoli's also (drive-thru salad & spaghetti, about $9), but I've moved a bit far from the nearest ones.
I guess there's a few of the standard AllUCanEatBuffets too, though those are expensive ($19 and up), and one sometimes tends to gorge a bit much there, to the point of discomfort ;P
Or I can have a TV dinner: $3.50 :D
Waba always has the $6 chicken bowl deal. DelTaco always has the $7 two big burritos deal. Subway has $5 and $8 deals, but ya just gotta have coupons.
All of those are nice healthy and satisfying options!
I do mix it all up for variety a few times a month, with AllUCanEatPizza (about $14) or TacoBell Cantina (about $10) or In-N-Out (about $7) and a few others. The pizza and the cantina are also balanced healthy options. In-N-Out is a burger n fries meal which is okay once in a while.
There's a few others, like Norm's 24 hour dining, if I wanna spend an hour sitting in a restaurant. Or similarly there's Old Spaghetti Factory, which has amaaaaaazing flavored steamed broccoli. The restaurant options are time consuming and expensive ($20 to $30), but ok once in a rare while.
I used to go to Fazoli's also (drive-thru salad & spaghetti, about $9), but I've moved a bit far from the nearest ones.
I guess there's a few of the standard AllUCanEatBuffets too, though those are expensive ($19 and up), and one sometimes tends to gorge a bit much there, to the point of discomfort ;P
Or I can have a TV dinner: $3.50 :D
This may finally be it
Mar. 5th, 2025 09:31 pmFor years I've been confidently alerting people that MSoft has been lying about not updating Windows 7. For years it has been updating my computer with updates, mostly to the Security.
It's a bit early to tell for sure, but today might be the end of the line. The auto-update system isn't working, and even the manual update doesn't work, which is usually a reliable fallback. Or else I've forgotten a step that worked before.
There's also a chance that this update is faulty.
In any case, I'll have to see how things pan out over the next few days (or weeks).
*sigh*
It's a bit early to tell for sure, but today might be the end of the line. The auto-update system isn't working, and even the manual update doesn't work, which is usually a reliable fallback. Or else I've forgotten a step that worked before.
There's also a chance that this update is faulty.
In any case, I'll have to see how things pan out over the next few days (or weeks).
*sigh*
comédie à la bicycle
Feb. 24th, 2025 09:50 pmTo try a change of pace and get a bit of exercise, I rode my old folding bike to the mechanic to pick up my car. I bought it over 15 years ago and it stows in the back seat, avoiding the need for a bike rack.
Alas, there's no escaping it's 15 years old and has gotten a bit rickety. I hardly ever use it anymore, since I bought an electric bike. Plus I've got a couple other normal bikes that are easier to use when I don't need a folding bike.
But... I went ahead and pumped up the tires, and did a 'flight check' before leaving and things seemed in okay order.
As I rode onward, it seemed like a few things on the bike were disintigrating ride under me!
Not even a full mile into it, the front brake failed. Luckily the rear brake kept working. I've got to see if I can fix that, I s'pect.
Then my water bottle flew across the street after hitting a bump. Had to secure that a lot better than the first time.
Next, my front light just came apart in pieces onto the ground suddenly. I had checked and it was working before I left! But I guess the plastic has gotten too brittle to hold together.
Next to go was my front reflector. Also a casualty of brittle plastic.
I got more than half way along the trip, and when stopped at an intersection, I discovered that 3 of the 4 screws holding the storage rack had flown off! Luckily the last screw held on all the way to my destination.
Thank goodness the chain didn't break!
Alas, there's no escaping it's 15 years old and has gotten a bit rickety. I hardly ever use it anymore, since I bought an electric bike. Plus I've got a couple other normal bikes that are easier to use when I don't need a folding bike.
But... I went ahead and pumped up the tires, and did a 'flight check' before leaving and things seemed in okay order.
As I rode onward, it seemed like a few things on the bike were disintigrating ride under me!
Not even a full mile into it, the front brake failed. Luckily the rear brake kept working. I've got to see if I can fix that, I s'pect.
Then my water bottle flew across the street after hitting a bump. Had to secure that a lot better than the first time.
Next, my front light just came apart in pieces onto the ground suddenly. I had checked and it was working before I left! But I guess the plastic has gotten too brittle to hold together.
Next to go was my front reflector. Also a casualty of brittle plastic.
I got more than half way along the trip, and when stopped at an intersection, I discovered that 3 of the 4 screws holding the storage rack had flown off! Luckily the last screw held on all the way to my destination.
Thank goodness the chain didn't break!
gummi gone
Feb. 13th, 2025 04:30 pmBlack Forest gummi bears were the Best!
High in taste and chew, low in sodium, good in price
Well... now some marketing 'genius' has convinced them to reformulate, and now they are"juicy" ... so..... they are no longer useful as gummi bears... they are just some useless candy now, and my favorite gummi bears have vanished from the planet ;_;
High in taste and chew, low in sodium, good in price
Well... now some marketing 'genius' has convinced them to reformulate, and now they are"juicy" ... so..... they are no longer useful as gummi bears... they are just some useless candy now, and my favorite gummi bears have vanished from the planet ;_;
Staycation
Jan. 27th, 2025 05:24 pmThe last couple days I would have to describe as the first "staycation" I think I've had in a long time, as long as I can remember... if ever. All I can recall is that the only times I have done essentially nothing have been when I was ill.
But it's been weeks of high winds and southland fires, and then the last few days of rain and cold... I just didn't feel like being my usual productive self outside in the wet cold, and it isn't all that much warmer in the house, so I just curled up in the nest of blankets with some reading.
Another perching pal had done a review of Anima: Bird House and the sequel, Anima: Broken Wing so those arrived from Amazon and I dug in deep and riveted to the tales.
I do get a lot of satisfaction from my usually productive days off, but's it's been really nice to just take a completely different course for a change ^v^
But it's been weeks of high winds and southland fires, and then the last few days of rain and cold... I just didn't feel like being my usual productive self outside in the wet cold, and it isn't all that much warmer in the house, so I just curled up in the nest of blankets with some reading.
Another perching pal had done a review of Anima: Bird House and the sequel, Anima: Broken Wing so those arrived from Amazon and I dug in deep and riveted to the tales.
I do get a lot of satisfaction from my usually productive days off, but's it's been really nice to just take a completely different course for a change ^v^
Here's a thought... have any of you ever participated in neighborhood (or otherwise) caroling for the holiday season?
I'll start the theme: Yes, I have... had some family friends who loved doing it and sometimes would get 15 or 20 folks together to do this :>
I'll start the theme: Yes, I have... had some family friends who loved doing it and sometimes would get 15 or 20 folks together to do this :>
I almost cried, this was so good
Oct. 5th, 2024 01:29 amIf you are a Beatles fan, and you haven't listened to Abbey Road for a while, you might enjoy this live beginning-to-end rendition by The Analogues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCG6faO1pjQ
* ^v^ *
* ^v^ *
a real cut up
Aug. 22nd, 2024 12:26 amToday, cut up a bunch more dead wood. There's so much of it around. Been doing this when it's cool enough for months.
Today I was using the chain saw. Suddenly, a peregrine falcon (or maybe a juvenile redtailed hawk) started to land on the fence about 8 feet away, but then when he/she saw I was still moving, they retreated... to another position about 30 feet away... and just, watched me.
Then I went in the house.. and saw them poking around in the dead wood pile (for bugs?) .. and then in the bushes.
I didn't know what they wanted, so I started the hose running in case they were thirsty. Did not see 'em go for a drink or a bath though. They hung around about 40 minutes. I haven't checked the photos yet (I don't think I got great ones bcuz I was trying not to scare them away).. but if any turned out okay I'll post 'em eventually.
Today I was using the chain saw. Suddenly, a peregrine falcon (or maybe a juvenile redtailed hawk) started to land on the fence about 8 feet away, but then when he/she saw I was still moving, they retreated... to another position about 30 feet away... and just, watched me.
Then I went in the house.. and saw them poking around in the dead wood pile (for bugs?) .. and then in the bushes.
I didn't know what they wanted, so I started the hose running in case they were thirsty. Did not see 'em go for a drink or a bath though. They hung around about 40 minutes. I haven't checked the photos yet (I don't think I got great ones bcuz I was trying not to scare them away).. but if any turned out okay I'll post 'em eventually.
Saw this on BlueSky...
Jul. 7th, 2024 11:36 pmSure seems sweeter than being taken down by a police canine...
Then again, suddenly I'm reminded of that scene in Monty Python's Holy Grail.
Then again, suddenly I'm reminded of that scene in Monty Python's Holy Grail.
