May 1, 2019 |
…because I can’t think of anything earth shattering to write. To tell the truth every full length blog post has turned into a rant and who needs that?
The dentist/prosthodontist appointment was wild. You know you’re in trouble when the dentist disappears after examining you and the finance person is suddenly beside the chair. The dentist is spared the nasty business of discussing how much it’s going to cost and the financial person whips out the tissue and pats you on the back. They couldn’t scare me. I’ve been to this haunted house before. Bottom line, I gave them my credit card and told myself that I need to write another book. 🙂
Speaking of which, I’m currently writing a new book and it’s kinda/sorta different. I’m enjoying it thoroughly. Plus, I like mixing things up a bit.
Stanley has been acting funny ever since the dentist appointment on Monday. He hasn’t been his usual bouncy self at night. He hasn’t wanted to play. He only wants to stick close to me – as if he’s afraid I’m going to leave him again. Poor guy, I have to go to the dentist for the next six weeks – once a week for them to remove a screw, insert a screw, test the screw, do the cosmetic work, etc. He is going to day care first, though. I hope it’s not going to be traumatic for him. Joni – the manager of the doggy day care – takes him outside with one or two other dogs so he can sniff doggy butt. At least he gets to socialize a little.
I removed Stanley’s FitBark from his collar. It was bugging me. I worried about him not doing as many “steps” as other dogs his breed. Okay, I was getting a little anal. Good heavens, we all have too many things to worry about as it is.
Today is put out the garbage day and we’ve already done that. Stanley stays inside while I schlep the container to the curb. At least it wasn’t raining which makes it even more delightful. 🙂
I’m on a new eating plan that requires I consume at least three cups of greens per day. Y’all, I am not a greens kind of person. However, I do like arugula so I eat three cups of arugula or spinach or red leaf lettuce. Stanley LOVES kale chips so I make them for him, but Lord love a duck I have issues with kale. Do any of you eat it raw? It has sharp leaves. It’s like eating a Venus Fly Trap. Do you like kale?
Okay, heading off to do the greens thing and then a little cleaning. Have a lovely afternoon/evening middle of the week!
Apr 12, 2019 |
Have you read this article, or one like it? Basically, it mentions the team at Amazon that listens to recordings made by Alexa. We all knew it was going on. After all, “Alexa” is the wake word. How is Alexa going to respond, unless it’s listening for the wake word? It can’t. Consequently, it listens all the time.
A few months ago I got rid of Alexa and then resurrected the units in my bedroom and kitchen. Yesterday I de-selected them, tossed them in the trash, and took the trash to the curb where the big yellow truck trundled them off to the landfill.
Sorry, Amazon, you’re not listening to me anymore.
I am invested in the Amazon “system,” just like I’m invested in the Apple ecosytem. I have Apple everything, but Apple doesn’t spy on me. (I don’t have their in-home speaker similar to Alexa, though.) I thought about getting rid of Amazon Prime, but I decided to keep it since it’s convenient for me. I am reducing my participation in other Amazon products, however. My website is no longer backed up to Amazon’s web system. I’ve duplicated all my music from Amazon Music. In other words, I’m chopping off Amazon’s tentacles little by little.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Apr 8, 2019 |
My internet has been wonky for the past two weeks. That wouldn’t be a big thing except that everything I do relates either to the cloud or to cloud based systems.
I can access files just fine, because they’re stored on a local backup, but if I change anything, that change isn’t recorded. So when I’m writing I can save a manuscript to a local drive, but if I go to any other computer I can’t access it.
Trust me, all of that sucks.
My cellular and data plan saved me. At least I could get to my email on my phone. I have to say, however, that the experience of watching TV not on a 60″ screen but a 6″ screen was a trip. 🙂
Friday I was down more than I was up. Saturday I was down all day. Sunday morning same thing. It finally decided to come back up on Sunday afternoon. I got a call from my internet provider and they promised me it was all fixed. By that time I had a healthy appreciation for how much my life depends on the internet.
How about you? Would you be dead in the water without the internet?
Apr 5, 2019 |
This is the Somnox. It’s billed as the world’s first sleep robot. Since sleep is a big deal for me and a pain to sometimes achieve, you can bet your bippy that I’m interested.
Here’s the blurb about it:
The Sleep Robot simulates breathing rhythms. Because your breathing naturally adjusts to another breathing pattern, the Sleep Robot is able to slow down your breathing. This makes you relax, making it easier to sleep. Additionally, the Sleep Robot can function as an external point to focus your thoughts on, clearing your head of unwanted thoughts and stress. Also, sounds (such as a guided meditation or a heartbeat) are used to help you fall asleep and will turn off as soon as you are asleep.
Doesn’t that sound lovely?
Uh, no.
Y’all, the Somnox can be had for the low, low price of $599.00.
Yep, $599.00.
How can you get to sleep after paying that much for a lima bean?
Here’s the link to the website – and if you get one, please let me know how it works for you.
Mar 15, 2019 |
I ran across an article the other day that made me curious. The title of the article was GPS Flaw: Security Expert Says He Won’t Fly April 6. Consequently, I went looking for anything definitive on the web in the way of information. What I found was interesting. The same article had been reproduced hundreds, maybe thousands, of times. There wasn’t anything new, however. Nor was there any kind of verification of the article’s premise.
Trust me, it’s not the first time the internet has gone wonky over a subject.
From the original article (https://www.tomsguide.com/us/gps-mini-y2k-rsa2019,news-29583.html) about April 6, 2019:
That’s the day millions of GPS receivers will literally run out of time, rolling over their time counters back to zero, thanks to limitations in timekeeping for older GPS devices. Many navigation systems may be affected, such as on ships or older aircraft, although your smartphone will be fine.Â
But because GPS satellites are also crucial to digital timekeeping used by websites, electrical grids, financial markets, data centers and computer networks, the effect of April 6 may be even more wide-ranging.
The problem seems to affect older GPS systems, especially those that have been in operation for 10-15 years.
Segue here: I know diddly about GPS systems. My only brush with GPS was on my phone when I was hopelessly lost trying to get Flash to the emergency vet at 2:00 AM. Thank God my phone could tell me not only where the clinic was, but where I was in relation to the clinic. In other words, I was so lost I was halfway to Dallas without a clue.
Here’s another site that spells the situation out a little better: https://www.gps-repeaters.com/blog/gps-week-number-rollover-april-6th-2019/
Bottom line, some GPS systems might start to behave a little oddly by jumping backward in time. If you have an older piece of hardware that hasn’t been upgraded, don’t be surprised if it starts to act weird after April 6th. I wonder if it will affect shipping – or commercial aircraft.
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