It’s not doing very well at it, but it’s dropping granular stuff that I’m unsure whether to call hail or sleet, and it’s white coming down, but liquid when it hits dirt.
I have the feeling there’s a layer of cold air sent to us off the heights at Snoqualmie, and that in the Cascades and the Selkirks it is indeed snowing.
Last night we were surprised by a burst of thunder—it almost never thunders in Spokane—and a burst of sideways torrential Oklahoma-style rain. Then it stopped.
Spring in Spokane. I recall on Bloomsday, the first of May, first time we did the race, it was sunny starting; then it rained, and as the cross-city race hit the heights it first hailed, then snowed on us, then as we came down it rained again and I think we finished in sun.
It was Bloomsday, third running, that gave me the notion that running is far more hazardous than ice-skating—got some very unhappy injuries…then of course I went back onto the ice the next day and in sheer fatigue, thought I’d lifted my foot properly in a crossover, but didn’t set it down clear—blades locked together on a fast curve and I took the worst ice fall I’ve ever taken. Usually you can mitigate a fall. Not when your blades lock. Owie. I still feel that one on certain mornings.
On which topic, I happened on a curious fix for general pain. I watched this commercial for a product called Quell, which seems to be a patellar band with a TENS (electrical shock) unit attached that claims to relieve pain, including neuromuscular pain, that burning-all-over-body pain, sort of like plugging a generator into one socket to enliven all the sockets on that circuit. I thought—wonder if its the shock—or the band.
So I hauled out the one of mine I could find, put it on, and lo, the pain markedly diminished, really markedly. I kind of live with the kind of pain often identified as fibromyalgia, but I don’t have some of the other symptoms, so I think what I’ve got is just a highly insulted nervous system that is constantly on the alert for pain; and also what I’ve got is ankles that want to knock in (the Vionic shoes help that) and knees that try to do the same. And that may be the source of much of the pain—sort of like that generator plugin that enlivens the whole circuit—you get to hurting in a particular major nerve and kind of hurt all over as the pain-chemical production just kind of goes over-enthusiastic. I don’t know if it’s the same as the Quell people, but I’m suspecting that for me, at least, sloppy patellar tracking (ie my knee doesn’t flex accurately: the patella is supposed to aim between big toe and second toe, and mine is inward of the big toe if not corrected.) And if I have to stand for any length of time, I hurt all over. At any rate, I’m scrounging up the other of the two patellar bands I have, just to see if it helps. It would be so very nice if it did. The shoes thing ‘cured’ the sciatica. if a band just below the knee could cure that all-over burning muscle pain, I would be so happy. We will see.
Getting older is a pain 😀
it’s certainly not for the faint at heart!
Arthritis in my hands, my feet, my knees, my shoulders, my elbows, my hips…..two artificial knees, two artificial thumb joints, two artificial lenses in eyes, several crowns in my mouth…..
I’m getting closer to being the “Six Million Dollar Man”, but I’m not gaining any “special powers” like the ability to make those funny “nananananana” sounds when I focus on something far away…..or run as fast as a jet fighter taking off……(yes, it was only one leg, so how did the other leg move so fast?)
Bionic roller skates. Or bionic underwear? 😀 — I thought it was both legs, and that’s how they got around it. But if it was just one leg, then yeah….
—–
I’m proceeding, off and on, with the couple of story ideas I had earlier this month. I’ve decided that they’re original enough to give them a go, and on the other hand, they’re rough drafts anyway, and it’s been a very long time since I finished a story idea. So if I get either one finished, it’s a plus, and then I can refine them.
One story needs some techie terms I hadn’t thought of needing before. — And I really need to settle on what basic computer / communications equipment would be like, looks and names.
One of these might make a good Halloween story, if I can get it done by then. — Another is trying to combine with an idea I’d set aside. It might makeit. — The character I had in mind for a new story — Is likely to continue to grow. I think I’ve got something thee.
I’m hoping one or all three will make it to finished drafts, complete stories. That’s been my major blockage. I get scenes, characters, chapters, sometimes as much as a few chapters, and then somewhere in there, I hit a block and can’t seem to get past it. On the other hand, I keep adding to the world-building for one story-universe, and pieces of others. So I suppose it’s still progress.
Font production has been somewhat on hiatus, but I have to get to it too.
But blast it, I still have the urge to write stories So I still need to reach the goal of getting a short story or novella / novel length story draft done.
When I’m “in the zone,” I can get out 6 to 8, sometimes 10 pages, letter size, single-spaced, proportional type, one-inch margins. It may not all be great, but I’ve looked back at things I’ve set aside, and I think some is good. So if I could just get past my blocks to get complete plots going, I think I could handle it. I still feel I haven’t mastered making characters distinctly different enough from each other. But I think I’m making progress there.
Good for you on the writing. I’m a computer scientist by profession, and what’s really impressive about Jane’s writing is that it seems both credible and not capable of becoming anachronistic. The problem with putting detailed tech in is the probability that today’s bleeding edge will be tomorrow’s antique. The novel Aurora has its ship computer have 20 qubits (quantum bits). Qubits are all very well, but 20 bits is ridiculously small.
For some perspective, the dimensions of optical disks (CD, DVD, BluRay) were chosen partly to conform to standard 5 1/4″ bays and partly so the face of the package would be big enough for a good album cover. Yet, DVDs are commonly put in a somewhat larger package so they can have a better cover and are less able to be stolen.
Have you seen a micro SD card? It’s about the size of your little fingernail. It’s too small to put a label on, so my camera uses a mini SD carrier for the micro SD; that gives about 23 x 25mm for a label. So, I would just say “card” and assume it has enough room for anything short of the state of the Universe. I think Amazon’s cloud is in exabytes now (giga-, tera-, peta-, exa-, zetta-, yotta-).
The flexible “tablets” in 2001: aSO are still looking like a good form for viewing. If they can fold, or at least bend, then they can possibly go into a cargo or kangaroo pouch. (The issue I see here is practicality: I would like to carry my wallet, keys, camera, and smart phone without any of them scratching the other, having something crushed or insecure in a back pocket, and without needing belt holsters or a bag. A backpack or fanny pack is comfortable, but not very secure; wearing it forward is a bit awkward. We need a fashion revolution.) If you’re in a building or ship, then any random wall should probably be available for a display, eventually. Or unfold a “silk” handkerchief/scarf, make it go rigid, there’s your display.
For real data entry, we’ve tried a lot of things other than keyboards, but keyboards are still it for fast data entry. I know I’d get a sore throat fast trying to enter write by voice. Maybe that handkerchief forms into an L with bumps for keyboard feel.
Cell communications is very efficient. I expect peer cell communications to be the next thing. If you don’t have a good path to the cell tower, your cell will talk to another cell, it will talk to another, and so on until you either get to your destination or a strong transceiver.
So, my tuppence.
@Walt – Me too. Amen, brudda!
I worked at UCLA’s Campus Computing Network in the 70’s on their 360-91KK, when it was one of perhaps the 4 dozen biggest-baddest computers in the known world. Memory modules were swappable. 32K in a “brick” 4′ tall, 4′ wide and 18″ thick, water-cooled so it could run at 600ns cycle time. We had two hot spares on testers at all times–I mean warm–they had to be up to temperature to work. It had 4MB of core memory, just like my first 486DX33.
I remember rumors the IRS and SABRE airlines reservation system had 1TB of storage, but they cheated with automounted tape drives.
A 10″ tape reel held about 24MB.
Oops, sorry. The /91 was core memory, my 486 wasn’t.
For Paul: I was a software Systems Engineer on SABRE from the late 60’s through the 90’s. We were, and still are, cutting edge as far as IBM is concerned. The biggest & the baddest big iron with banks of shared disks that communicated with the multiple mainframes through their controllers. The controllers were customised with microcode performing the update functions. You needed to save a record you told the controller to hold it & you were queued behind someone else that needed it. You had to re-retrieve for update to get the latest copy. Additionally each mainframe was running multiple processors with shared data internally which also had to be “held” for update. Fun times for me.
Bette Davis said, “Old age ain’t for sissies.” Mick Jagger said, “What a drag it is getting old.” Both on target.
I fell on my outstretched arm/hand over a month ago, on the side that already has a spinal nerve problem in the neck, rotator cuff surgery on that shoulder and apparently sitting in my recliner (Queen Anne style wingback) aggravates that elbow. My muscles cut out in certain positions (giveway weakness) which interferes lifting and manipulating objects with my left arm, and I’m still having pain when I turn my hand over (pronate my forearm). Not to put too fine a point on things, both thumbs are acting up — one arm out of commission and a pinch grip on either hand hurts like the dickens. Tricky pulling on clothes like pants and socks. You don’t realize how much of what you do takes two working arms until one doesn’t work very well.
Still wish you’d offer a “Patanadi Air” (or “Patanandi Air” — spelling inconsistency between earlier and later books) Tee shirts, and/or Jane would come up with a baji-naji character design that could be tee-shirted as well.
WOL, the pinch grip problem is what I had last year. The procedure to correct it is called LRTI – Ligament Reconstruction Tendon Interpositioning (or something like that). That was done on my left thumb – my dominant hand. I had a similar surgery on my right hand in April 2007, but instead of the LRTI, which was an older form of treatment, they tried a replacement implant on the metacarpal bone where it meets the trapezoid in the wrist. Of the two, I still like the implant version better, but the surgeon said that success with that procedure isn’t as great as with the LRTI. I guess I was one of the lucky ones, and besides, he’s a pretty good hand surgeon.
I’ve had 2 replacements on my left knee, one on my right knee, both feet have had bunionectomies, I’ve gotten cataract surgery in both eyes.
I hope you’re able to get some relief. The results of my left thumb LRTI were very good, and my grip strength was remarkably better.
Instead of the Wavy Navy we should be the Bionic Navy at this rate.
I went to visit my sister for a few days, going up on Tuesday and coming back today, and nearly got snowed on Tuesday morning going over the top of the Grapevine. It was wet, windy, and cold (37F by my car’s gauge). Today it was sunny and warm, and I got good views of the wildflowers – there’s a section of ridge right at Fort Tejon that’s covered with poppies, from close to highway level to, AFAICT, the top of the ridge. Rear-view-mirror view was ‘Oh my goodness!’ level. Poppies and lupine on the south-facing slope at Gorman. (I know it’s poppies from the glorious deep-orange color that nothing else around here has.)
For our associates who celebrate this holiday: May peace be found in abundance during this season of promises fulfilled.
For the rest of you/us: Carry on!
16:51 28 March, 2016 in Australia Capitol Territory; a grandson. My daughter, her wife, and their son are alluding well!
ahem! meant to say all doing, though they may allude as well…
Many felicitations!
Congratulations, Tommie and family!
That is very good news. I hope you can stay in Australia a while and enjoy your grandson, and see your daughter fully recovered, and see her family settling in to the new pattern of parents with a baby instead of the happy couple. That’s a big adjustment, and having a happy grandma near who’s willing to help and hold the baby when he’s been keeping his parents up all night could be really helpful in those first weeks, I’d guess.
I’m always relieved and happy when I hear that mum and baby are doing well, it’s still one of the more dangerous things ordinary people go through in life, I think.
My best friend’s daughter had her baby last week, and they’re doing fine too. Like my sister, she nearly died of blood loss with the first, but this time the hospital was prepared for that to happen and could get it stopped before it got too bad. It’s such a relief when things go well!
Welcome to the World, young child! May you be loved and nourished and encouraged to explore the wonders about you.
Felicitations all ’round!
Pulled off Good Friday yard sale, which only confirms why I don’t like to have them more than every 2-3 years. It’s a yard sale, people — very little is unused or brand new, and most of it is cheap, cheap, cheap. People come by an hour and a half before the official starting time. They offer half price even before I’m set up. They complain about the condition. They want minute details of things I haven’t looked at in years (no, I don’t know the manufacturer of that blanket). I know it’s all part of the ‘yard sale’ deal, but seriously? I have a bow saw in reasonable condition, asking $5, will take $3, you offer $1 and make faces about it?!? I did sell one big-ticket item, our much loved old Meade telescope whose time had come, but a lot of stuff is going to Goodwill or up on Craigslist. Best part of the day was everyone going for pizza after on our ill-got gains.
Did you actually have a yard for sale? Hmmmm? How many yards of yard?
CJ: I take aspirin for pain, but I find some Earl Grey has just about as much effect. The caffeine, I presume. And I’ve had a doc suggest icing something, but heat worked better; and vice versa.
Whenever I’ve asked my orthopedists and physical therapists about which I should use, ice or heat, they tell me whichever works. If both work, then alternate for 20 minutes each. If only one works, then use it for 20 minutes, then rest……aspirin doesn’t work for me, neither does ibuprofen. currently, I’m using diclofenac gel (also known as Voltaren) on my hands. It seems to work, whenever I use it, but it’s a messy preparation, and you have to let it absorb for at least 10 minutes before putting any clothing over it. On the hands, this is a problem, as I can’t just sit and do nothing for 10 minutes.
Have you ever tried capsaicin cream or gel? Just don’t touch any, um, sensitive parts of you after you apply it. (eyes, people, eyes!)