I love the snow. In Oklahoma we didn’t get it every year—more like 1 year in 4. When we did get it, it was often sleet. And then, rarely, you’d get a snow several feet deep. I recall hiking about when I was about, oh, 13, and forgetting about the steepsided drainage ditch (in Oklahoma all unwalled ditches and creeks cut very deep into the earth, which lacks rocks: just plain dirt and sand moves along, leaving banks that are pretty straight-sided, well over your head.
Well, plunk! down I went. I looked up to a circle of blue sky: the snow was about 3′ above my head, but being typical ‘wet’ snow, it stayed put and didn’t cave in on me. So I began working at getting out. I did it finally by packing the snow into steps and climbing up that way—and just being real glad nobody saw it. OTOH, if that had been powder snow, and if it had caved in, I’d have been wishing for witnesses with a rope and shovel.
I didn’t build snowmen much: I hated to disturb the pristine coat of snow. Only once the place had become trampled, then I’d do it, but I hated the mess it made.
To this day I hate shoveling not for the job itself, but because I have to disturb the prettiness of it—in the practicality of being able to get to the garage.
We’re going to get rain on Tuesday, then right back in the freezer with more snow afterward. Wednesday morning I have an early appointment (endodontist job 2) and have to get out, so I’m really hoping the re-freeze doesn’t give me a coat of ice to contend with.
The good news is the antibiotic is working, and I’m feeling better. The decorations are up, prezzies are wrapped, and Monday we make the trek to the post office, weather permitting, to mail what needs mailing.
Yay! for the antibiotic working. Be careful when you go out, and stay safe.
It’s colder than a wedge here. We’re shooting for a high of 27F. So far we’ve only made it to 25F at almost 3 pm. It snowed some north of us in Amarillo and the OK panhandle, but we didn’t get any. Just as swell, actually. The people here drive like maniacs to begin with, and when it snows it’s like an automatic Demolition Derby Day.
Your comment about the snow reminded me of a book I got recently called “The Quiet Music of Gently Falling Snow,” by Jackie Morris, the illustrations in particular, which are hers, and are wonderful.
BJD doll/figure interest: Lammily has a Kickstarter to create the first wheelchair for Lammily, Barbie and Ken, and other popular fashion dolls, since the Barbie wheelchair as last produced in 1997. Search for ( Lammily Wheelchair ) on Kickstarter.com. There are about 11 more days in the campaign, which is now 73% funded with over 500 backers.
They show video of a prototype in colors suitable for girls and boys, with a Lammily doll, at an exercise class for girls using wheelchairs. The girls immediately start make-believe, playing with the dolls, and are excited to have a doll who is like them.
Lammily last year produced the first realistically proportioned fashion doll (Traveler), and then an African-American doll (Photographer), and just launched a realistically proportioned boy doll (Animal Rescuer, Boy Lammily). People who pre-ordered the Boy Lammily are supposed to receive them this week, before Christmas and Hannukah.
They have shown a commitment to both the typical, realistic girls, young women, and boys, young men, and a commitment to those of us who are not so typical, or to special needs and talents, including body image for girls and boys, the need for education for young girls’ health (a booklet on periods), and are continuing to innovate, to compete with the hyper-feminine and hyper-masculine dolls.
Proceeds from the wheelchair sales will also contribute towards two organizations that help wheelchair and handicapped users, one in the US and one in Russia.
The company founder is Nickolay Lamm, a graphic designer who started with an idea for a realistic alternative to Barbie.
Videos showing the dolls and kids’ reactions, for the Traveler and Photographer girl dolls and the new boy doll, and for the wheelchair campaign are at Lammily.com.
Also of note for science fiction fans, there are outfits (some sold out at present, more due in) for a Mars and Apollo mission jumpsuit and an Amelia Earhart styled pilot’s outfit. There are also tylish retro amd modern dresses for the girls and upcoming outfits for the boys.
I had given to the Boy Lammily campaign and strained a point to give to the wheelchair campaign. So I’m due to receive a Boy Lammily this week, and the wheelchair is due before June of next year, once funded. Both the lighter skinned Traveler girl and the darker skinned Photographer girl look great. I intend to get the Photographer sometime next year, if and when my budget calms down.
It’s my hope that fans here, and CJ and Jane and Lynn, will not mind the plug for a worthy cause. Go see what the wheelchair and the dolls look like, and be impressed by the commitment behind them.
Wow. I’m flabbergasted. I had backed and ordered the Boy Lammily doll some months ago. Supporters got an update that it would be shipped and would arrive before Christmas or Hannukah. When I didn’t receive shipment tracking info by Monday as they’d expected, I waited, then today asked about it. I expected only an oops, we goofed, well, it’ll be there as soon as we correct our slip-up.
Instead, I got a personal apology and an explanation that they had understocked the warehouse, and I and some 30+ other supporters would receive our orders as soon asfter Christmas / Hannukah as possible, likely the week after.
Which, I thought, was quite nice of the creator / company president.
But that wasn’t all. To make it up to those supporters, because he felt he hadn’t been good on his promise, he promised a few perks to those supporters, such as myself.
I was floored. I haven’t seen that kind of customer service and owner commitment to customer loyalty in ages. And just because he felt it reflected badly on himself, his promise or word, his company ethic. What, honor too?
Wow! I’m stunned. The man has principles and sticks by them.
I sent back a rather humbled thank you, even though I hadn’t been fussy in my inquiry.
Lord, I hope he and his loved ones hae a great holiday, and prosper besides.
Be it noted, he’s also shown a commitment to a couple of worthy charities helping girls/women and helping handicapped and special needs and orphanedkids., here in the US and in Russia.
They don’t make ’em like that anymore. Or very rarely. I thought it deserved a little praise.
? Carols for Christmas ?
The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge was founded in 1441 by King Henry VI, to sing at services in the Chapel of King’s College. They are still singing at services in the chapel to this day.
Every Christmas Eve the choir gives a carol service, broadcast on BBC TV and radio to an audience of about 30 million.
I’m not even Christian, but I find this exceptionally beautiful, and a refreshing antidote to a commercialized Christmas.
So I’ve put together a quick website with YouTube clips of selected carols from the Choir of King’s College.
http://sites.google.com/site/selectedcarols
There’s no doubt that this choir is one of the very best in the world. As well as their magnificent singing, there’s also a certain quality of unpretentiousness, or quiet professionalism, or call it what you will, which is very special and sets them apart.
Enjoy! Wishing you all a happy Christmas!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FWNcgcosMY
The first half dozen YouTube hits didn’t even have a local artist as the featured performer, so we’re making do. Mele Kalikimaka!
Happy Solstice to all the members of the Wavy Navy and Shejidanis. No matter your religion, creed, or belief system we wish you a happy and prosperous orbit around the system primary and many more to come.
May the Holidays bring all of us peace and love.
A Winter Solstice Prayer by Edward Hays, from ‘Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim’
The dark shadow of space leans over us. . . . .
We are mindful that the darkness of greed, exploitation, and hatred
also lengthens its shadow over our small planet Earth.
As our ancestors feared death and evil and all the dark powers of winter,
we fear that the darkness of war, discrimination, and selfishness
may doom us and our planet to an eternal winter.
May we find hope in the lights we have kindled on this sacred night,
hope in one another and in all who form the web-work of peace and justice
that spans the world.
In the heart of every person on this Earth
burns the spark of luminous goodness;
in no heart is there total darkness.
May we who have celebrated this winter solstice,
by our lives and service, by our prayers and love,
call forth from one another the light and the love
that is hidden in every heart.
Amen.
Frustrating day, even with progress. I’ve had to miss an appt. toward voc. rehab., help regarding my eyes, and I’m waiting to hear back from the counselor for rescheduling. Discovered the phone a cabbie gave me was not good anymore. Gee, thanks. But found one I’d thought I’d lost, just not in time to make the appt.
The eye doctor’s affidavit has still not reached, or never did, the county appraisal district’s office, necessary to prove my disability and complete the examption form. Exemption is a misnomer; it’s actually only a reduction. As usual, reaching that eye doctor or her assistant is overdue. This will be the second time I’ve had to call about it, and the second time I’ve had to update the county’s attorney’s office, to hold off on filing suit for *this* year’s taxes. I finally reached the attorney in charge and her paralegal, and they have been remarkably patient. The eye doctor’s practice is primarily volunteer, but is overloaded. This means I’m still at risk, though I’m doing what I can.
Grocery trip is also bumped to tomorrow, likely, becuase I need to hear back on two calls.
While awaiting callbacks, I just got a spam call, answered it by mistake. “You’ve stayed at one of our resorts in the past and….” No, I sure haven’t, goodbye! Hahaha.
Still, anticipating groceries tomorrow, so all is about as well as it can be for now.
“You’ve stayed at one of our resorts in the past and….” No, I sure haven’t, goodbye! Hahaha.
That one, yeah – and the ones about home remodeling where they say “we talked with you a while back” – no, you didn’t. And the one about the “back brace that you called about” Nope, didn’t call you, whoever you are. And the “energy efficiency group” that uses random numbers for the monthly bill. My power company bills me every two months, and I’m at about the minimum amount that can be used. 9That one also comes with background noises that tell me it’s a boiler-room operation.)
The phone spammers here have a technique to try to get you into conversation:
Caller: Hello, is that (your first name)?
You: Yes
Caller: (very friendly) How are you?
You: (it’s now difficult not to say) I’m fine, and you?
Caller: I’m very well, thanks.
(Now they’ve got you into conversation, and you’re wondering if this some acquaintance whose voice you don’t recognize.)
You: Who is that?
Caller: This is so-and-so from ABC [some company you’ve never heard of]. I’m calling to tell you that you qualify for a special 50% discount, this week only…
China elected not to keep our underwater drone it siezed in an “unpresidented” [sic] action a few days ago. No word if they presidented the President-elect a president of a new spell-checker for his not-so smartphone.
“They elected not to keep it.” — Oh, if only we could elect to return some elected officials! Reason for return: New official did not suit the office. New suit for official did not help. New paint for office also did not help much. Heheh.
One is pleased that China returned the drone. One is pleased if their drones and our drones get along better than the two political ideologies. One favors mutual trade and good relations. It lets both sides sleep well at night, and make a profit doing so, and better, perhaps have some good company, good food, and thoughtful new ideas on both sides.
One has heard that war is good for business, but one believes peace is better for buiness long-term. Also, it is generally badbusiness to kill off one’s customers, and killing off one’s competition is bound to make others less than pleased to do business with so final an anser.
“War is good for business.”
“Peace is good for business.”
It sounds more like the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition than anything diplomatic.
Hurray; I finally got calls back on both matters. Appt. is reset for next week. I was astonished; I’d expected it to be in January. Nooutdoor test assessment as of yet. It sounds like this will be just keyboarding and office skills. Unfortunately, they don’t have a handy office tech who could replace the keyboard on an aged laptop. (I figured it as worth a shot.) But I may have another local option before resorting to paid service and being ithout the laptop a day or so.
The eye doctor’s assistant called to promise they would take care of the problem with the affidavit that never reached its destination, and promised they’d take care of it tomorrow. I sure hope so.
@Ben: Good news! Toes crossed that all the appointments go well!
As for marketers I simply let my phone go to voice mail. Those who know me know that they need to start leaving a message. I will pick up if I am home.
The solstice was a good one. It was cold enough to put the ice lantern out.
For some peculiar reason we are still getting political polling calls. As soon as I can identify the caller as trying to take some type of phone survey, I tell them “We had plenty of that during the election, and we are fed up with them. Please take us off your list, because we won’t answer them.” Click. It might be because we are an increasingly rare anomaly in this day and age; we still have a land line.
I never answer “surveys about issues”! It’s clearly so politicians can lie to us more effectively, “We’d like to ask your opinion about…” “No (it’s none of your business), goodbye,” Always! It just encourages them.
Or, they’re trying to shift your opinion or get the numbers they want for some point. “Push polls”.
I’ve flat out stopped being the least polite to telemarketers. I’m on the Do Not Call list. Even if it doesn’t prohibit political calls, they should respect my wishes. This political season, I flat out turned off the last ringer I had on; the machine will take messages.
The problem is, since polling to cell phones is forbidden, pollsters have a very difficult time reaching a lot of segments of the population, as we’ve seen. The Los Angeles Times/USC poll was one of the more accurate: it uses the intensive Nielsen-like method of having a fixed panel of people they poll, matched to the general population. But it was criticized because one person can represent millions.
Quite a distance from Asimov’s Multivac story of needing input from one person to calibrate what real people thought of an election.
This morning started off with a bang. Really. Before dawn, I woke up, and a few minutes after, heard a loud bang or pop. I took this for a tree branch. But when I got up to see what was the matter, there were no tiny reindeer, nor a jolly fat man with presents, nor any helpful, cute elves. (Drat!) (Although, to be honest, I prefer a slim guy and have no sure idea of my taste in elves.) Ahem.
I discovered my lights were off. Uh-oh. So that loud bang was the transformer. Shortly after, I discovered my old iPhone 3gs did not want to establish a connection or even stay awake long enough to do so. Thus, no call to report it or request help from other friends. Oh, bother. I can’t go to the phone store to get it replaced with a newer model until January or maybe February, depending on how I can stretch my budget. Phooey.
I grumbled a lot, wondered how long it’d be, then showered, (yay, hot water) ate from the fridge, and dressed. Thus ready to face my day, after brushing my teeth (all in the dark), hmm, what else could I determine?
Neighbors across from me had lights, but if it was the transformer that serves my house, then they are not affected anyway. The one neighbor has had Christmas lights on in their yard all night. Gee, rub it in, why don’tcha? The other neighbor’s sprinkler system came on. While it’s sprinkling rain. Excess, yes? Two or three neighbors adjoining me were not showing usual lights, and in the meantime, I missed one neighbor who had gone to work. Drat. And…I think one problem neighbor may no longer be in her house. She had had ongoing health problems and we did not usually get along (never have known what her deal was) but I have not seen or heard her in quite some time.
I then looked in the garage to see if anything was obvious in the fuse box. Hmm, nope, looks fine, but I would not, lately, be able to tell at a glance if a fuse was blown, if the breaker had not also tripped. But no smell, no blackened fuse, no obvious signs, and the box is in good order.
Upon exiting the garage (detached), still in pre-dawn half-light, (quarter-light?) hey, there’s a workman in my back yard, khaki coveralls, hard hat, the works. He says hello, I say hello, and ask if he’s here about the lights. Yes. Oh, good. We look up at the light pole, surrounded by trees from the two neighbors’ yards, and I guess it’s tree branches or squirrles. He agrees it’s likely some combination and says he’ll trim a bit and call in about tree trimming. Very good. I thank him and tell him I’ll let him get back to work, as I’m sure he doesn’t meed me standing around while he has work and thinking to do. He appreciates this and I say thanks and goodbye and go in.
He also asid the smart meteres talk to each other and had reported the problem to the company. That’s handy. I didn’t know they’d report it, or that the company would take action so quickly. That’s great. In less than 15 minutes, the power was back on and I went back out and thanked someoen. Er, but apparently, I thanked a neighbor, as when I looked out my front door, there was the utility truck. Um, oops. Still dark out. Disconcerting to know I misidentified someone and didn’t know who that neighbor was. (A relative or caregiver for the neibhbor, I think. Possibly a son?) I waved to the utility truck and smiled and hope they saw me. I went back in.
Yesterday, I didn’t do my grocery run. Woke late, was strangely not motivated to do much, did things at home anyway, did not go out for groceries. My own dang fault. But playing hookie felt good. I guess it will be worth it.
So, it is as yet a bit early to go to the store. Still light rain, it’s warmer than I expected, only chilly. Still not very light out. Just a grey day, not bad.
Ah, my heater has restarted, the last item to come back on. Good, so I don’t have a service call on it today too.
Don’t want to strain the budget for a haircut or a cash wihdrawaal until next week, when I must do the latter.
But shortly, I’ll call a cabbie (yay, found a missing number of a local cabbie who seemed like a good prospect) and will schedule what I hopee will be a round trip. — Waiting on a random cab, with froen foods (meat, veggies, ever-important ice cream) melting, for the 15, 20, or 30 minute wait between dispatch and any cabbie arriving…is not fun, loitering around. So I’m hopeful for a better outcome today.
I envision, however, the need for armor in the style of the crew in the movie, Hatari, in the monkey-catching scene, as I brave the last-minute shoppers getting groceries. It should be bracing! Just as long as I don’t wind up needing a brace, please.
Budget this time means I’m likely buying only necessities and will come back in a week or two for the rest of groceries for a month. Still getting used to this. I think juggling geese would be much preferable to juggling small budgets.
Apple has sent word my iMac is due to arrive Dec. 29th, time enough to get it set up by New Year’s Day, maybe.
Black eyed peas are on the grocery list for New Year’s, naturally. It’s a thing around here, an old Southern tradition “for luck.”
I don’t plan to get a turkey, just a rotisserie chicken. My freezer space is limited and I’m not sure I could fit it in, with other needed items. Aside from milk and dairy, and meat, I am mostly not in urgent need of supplies.
All in all? I have central heat, hot water, gas, electricity, phone, internet. I have a decent (if messy) home. There will be food in the fridge and my pantry and fridge are not empty anyway. I have a working washer and dryer and clean clothes. OK, I could use a haircut, but it’s fine. Budget is dang near non-existent. Paying off the computer will be a big strain. I’m still looking toward a move to an apartment and sale of my home to be able to do so.
But — It could be a lot worse. I am really grateful electrical power was not some bigger problem, so I have lights and power again. I was not happy wondering if the trip to the store would have to wait due to no electricity.
So, things are good here. Now to see if that cabbie is up and around, and schedule the trip.
Happy holidays, y’all. I expect I’ll be checking in over the weekend, besides. Plan to curl up with a book or two and a couple of movies, and enjoy some down time with the two cats.
I am not expecting cute elves or the guy of my dreams to show up. I would likely be flummoxed if he did. Or an elf or elves. I seem to recall dating and marriage with elves is a risky thing. Though perhaps things have improved since the Faerie Queene or the Green Knight were last in town? One knows not.
OK, my brain is wandering far afield again. Prospective suitors are unlikely, darn it. Groceries should be attainable, owever. (Still haven’t seen Mr. Helpful show up at the store aain. Ah, well, he probably has someone anyway; girlfrined, likely.)
Happy Holidays, scrambled or otherwise. — Yay, electricity is a good thing when you’ve got it.
Nuts. NO call back, two hours later. I really, really don’t want to fight last-minute grocery shoppers tomorrow. I’ll go during the week next week. I’m thawing the leftover ham from Thanksgiving and using that. Phooey. There is, however, cranberry sauce. Christmas dinner won’t be what I’d planned/intended, but will be OK. Wish I had milk or sour cream.
Looks like my cab tride on Tuesday for an appt. will be luck of the draw. Would like to find a reliable regular cabbie; still looking.
The electricity is still on, for which, I’m very glad.
Don’t you have Uber in your area? They are usually cheaper than regular cabs.
Uber has grown here, but has been in a grudge match with the city, threatening to pull out if the city doesn’t give them what they want in perks towards cab medallions, fees, etc.
I’d hoped to use that particular cabbie and avoid long dispatch waits, but that was not a good idea. When I didn’t hear back, by then, it was after 11:00 am, and I just didn’t want the weekend plus right-before-holiday crowd hassle. I still remember the last time I tried grocery shopping the day before. Hahahah. Wow. Shopping as a contact sport.
—–
That extra screen space means either bigger textg and icons or more scren real estate, which are really key for me. My iPhone 3gs is about average screen size, and I want the larger screen. However,I will look about new phone models before I take the plunge. I’ll check that one. These days, even a grocery list on a phone is small to me. Hoping that will improve if/when I get cataract surgery and if that returns me to previous 20/200 vision. I’ve considered taking a small Kindle Fire tablet, but juggling it and groceries, ehhhh, not so sure. Hmm, that phone sounds like one to look at further and see what I thinik. Before this old iPhone, I’d had two others; one was Samsung, I think; can’t recall the first one. Both were before touch screen smart phones or Android. I think I wouldn’t mind Android phones, but haven’t used one.
The thing about Uber is, if one driver doesn’t come for you, another is waiting. There’s no be-fair-to-the-cabbies (I think) or favor-the-owner; nearest free Uber driver gets the notification, all by smartphone. You rate the drivers, and BTW, they rate the passengers.
__
The only thing I’d criticize about the standard Android apps is that you have to slide the phone icon right to accept or left to reject a call–difficult to one-hand. I’d prefer “buttons”. Maybe there’s an app. The phone only has three actual buttons: power, volume up, volume down. Everything else is the multi-touch screen. It took me a while to calibrate where I thought I was touching vs. where the Nexus thought I was touching, but I don’t think about it any more.
Android has accessibility options to zoom the screen. Text is about 0.4 inches high on my 5X, fully zoomed; IIRC, that’s about 30 points. A Nexus 6P is slightly bigger than a Pixel XL with a 5.7-inch AMOLED; the 5X is 5.2-inch. The Pixels are 5 and 5.5 inch. So, the difference is less than 10%.
But, an Android is an Android, except for the amount of trashware each seller adds. Project Fi is not the usual TelCo offering. But it requires a Nexus or a Pixel because they’re the only phones with the multi-carrier SIM that Project Fi requires.
Uber seems better than cabs to me, but I expect it depends on where you live.
BCS, if you need to get a new phone anyway, let me suggest getting Project Fi from Google. A 32GB Nexus 5X is $249 with activation or $10.38/month for 24 months–no interest. (The 16GB version is on their list, but I never found it available and a lot of people say it’s a bad experience with almost no room to store anything, add apps, etc.)
The only negative is that it uses the USB-C connector, which while the new standard, is different from Firewire, mini- or micro-USB or anything else–you may want to spend a few bucks on a USB adapter–or not: it has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communications, and it can act as a computer hotspot, though that would cost data. Of course, it’s Android not Apple, but Android has nearly 90% of the market, lots of free apps for everything (I have yet to pay for an app–I’m reading A Christmas Carol now on a free reader), and with Project Fi, you get Android updates from Google, much as an iPhone gets them from Apple–no phone or telco is between you and Google.
Aside from the inexpensive phone (which I’ve found fine–I don’t understand people paying more for half an inch more screen, when the 5X fits nicely in pockets, even in a folio-type case) Project Fi has three great features:
First, it switches among Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Wi-Fi Voice over IP (VoIP) seamlessly to get the best signal. (That’s why it can only work with Nexus and Pixel phones.)
Second, you prepay data at $10/GB, but you get a refund for unused data. A refund: there’s no carry it to next month only business. Even the first month when I was trying stuff out (like Uber), I only used 25 cents of data, so I got a $19.75 refund the next month, having paid $20 for 20 GB because…
Third, Project Fi is only $20/month plus fees, unlimited talk in the US; unlimited text worldwide. First month I paid $42.44, prepaying $20 for data. My following months were $22.50 and $22.43, and I expect this month to be less. Your fees may vary.
I have a referral code I can give you which should refund an additional $20.00 30 days after activation (or maybe your following billing cycle).
(For anyone who would want multiple phones, it’s $15/month but I’m not positive you can get the bargain price on a second 5X. A group is on one bill.)
Merry Christmas! I’ve been dreaming of a wet Christmas and may get one.
Everyone have a good holiday season.
From up in New Hampshire where we expect rain on Saturday.
Rain? Yuck. We’ll be heading up from Boston to family on the seacoast of NH (Little Bay in Durham) on Sunday and I was starting to dream of a white Christmas there as my Mom emailed this morning that she was going out to shovel snow. Mind you, she is slightly inland from my Aunt and Uncle’s in Durham, but rain is not going to respect place that delicately.
I played hooky today from whatever I would have been doing, and stopped and went back to where I’d last left off in Finity’s End.
One, the cats both highly approve of this reading thing, this departure from computer use or digging through boxes and packing. This reading habit means they get plenty of attention and cuddling up to my legs, lap, or arm. They highly approve, as they view this as much preferable to when I’m on the computer and consequently am too “busy” to pay them full attention, as befits cat staffers. heheh. And, er, this seemed so unusual to them that I can see I really have not been taking time to read, either novels or manuals, like I’d thought. (I was going to say it seemed so *novel* to them, then realized how very bad a pun that wasw.)
Two: I had forgotten one of the reasons I like Finity’s End. Instead of the eager young teen hero space cadet, so excited about space and ships, we get Fletcher the anti-hero, who is digging in his heels and resisting ships and spacing, because of some very good persoal history reasons and his love for the hisa and their world. We get great foils for him with minds and motives of their own in JR and Jeremy. Jeremy had stuck with me as a favorite in his own right, besides Fletcher, probably for the dichotomy between mental and physical age, the strangeness of the astronaut twin paradox demonstrated between Fletcher and Jeremy. But on re-(re)-reading, I see I’d forgotten JR’s perspective, himself as a major character. Thiw time around, I’m enjoying the depth of all the players and the plot, the characters’ interiors, motives, and, heck, the fun of a good story, seeing the yarn spin out. Loving the book all over again.
And at the current point in my life, seeing the current and past several years, I can better appreciate Fletcher, as well as Sandor from Merchanter’s Luck, which I intend to reread after.
I remember my reaction to my tiny dorm room, shared with another guy, was both dismay at the total lack of privacy, since I was not used to being around any guys my age 24/7 for any extended period, and yet because I was outgrowing home and parents, just beginning to see them outside myself, my dorm room felt, often, oddly to me at the time, almost more like “my own place” than my own room at home. This was also because we’d moved from the home I’d grown up in, just before the start of my senior year of high school, so it felt a little odd in my new room and new home. I’d liked the home we were in temporarily while the new one was being finished. — Later in life, I can see more of why I felt that way, knowing myself more and knowing more of what my parents and home life was really like. It’s surprising what a little distance can do to show you what was really going on in your life. — But that’s tangential to the book, and yet several books remind me of where I was in life when I first read them, or later rereadings. Why that is, I’m not sure. It doesn’t detract from any books I’ve read; it’s just a tangential thing; experiential, or existential, I suppose.
At any rate, even though the reread has been off-and-on, interrupted by real life, I am sure enjoying the chance to reread it.
Side Note: I found myself wondering again what Dublin Again’s juniors would make of Lucy’s computer talking to them, and what they’d get up to while helping with cleanup and make-ready, at the end of Merchanter’s Luck, before she ships out again.
I’m in the mood to read more, so will get back to Fletcher and cousins.
I’ve finally decided I’ve got to go get a lumbar epidural injection of cortico-steroid. And, of course it’s the Friday night before Christmas weekend! It’s always like that. I’m getting needles and pins inside my right big and second toe whenever I’m erect. Dermatomes map that to L5. NSAIDS aren’t “doing it” any longer. I had been waiting for the return of different symptoms–a muscle cramp in my left calf on the outside. That’s S1.
Then in two weeks MOHS surgery for the removal of a basal-cell carcinoma on my right ear. Sheesh! Falling apart. 🙁
Smileys aren’t working. 😉 🙂 🙁
Android phones will always be cheaper, and, I would say, better. Many Android phones have 3 physical buttons below the screen.
A cheap prepaid phone plan is probably all you need if you have a wi-fi connection available. You don’t actually need much phone time or data, especially if you are at home most of the time. You can call and send messages anywhere in the world 100% free using WhatsApp.
Most people have WhatsApp these days. If they don’t, they can install it in a minute. I read an article saying that senior diplomats all over the world now use WhatsApp all the time. It’s become standard in the world of international diplomacy – strong encryption, and you can easily send messages of any length, with images and files attached, to groups of people.
Everyone in your phone contact list automatically shows up in your WhatsApp contact list if they have WhatsApp. I can chat with relatives in the US just as easily as calling someone next door – at no cost, over my internet connection.
Google Voice allows free calls to landlines anywhere in the US and Canada over your internet connection, and will allocate you a US or Canadian phone number.
You don’t really need a fancy computer unless you are playing games or doing serious video editing. A cheap laptop and a good external monitor and keyboard makes more sense. My laptop sits on a small table to one side of my desk (with the lid closed, because it’s set to do nothing when the lid is closed), so I only have a monitor and keyboard in front of me on my desk. I bought a good quality, large monitor second-hand via an internet ad – ‘as new’, almost unused, and about a third of the price I would pay for it new.
Usually there are plenty of amazing bargains on second-hand computers, smartphones, tablets, etc. if you look for them. It’s not necessary to buy the latest and greatest thing brand new. But some people do buy the latest model as soon as it comes out, and then sell what they had previously for a low price.
The drawback to WhatsApp is that, at least for me, it has become the primary thing that shows up in my spam filter — “Someone has tried to contact you via WhatsApp!” I was on WhatsApp for about 3 months, and was getting networking invitations from people I didn’t know, and suspect were harvesting valid e-mail addresses. After flushing 20 random spam e-mails daily (the kind where you mouse over the link to reply and it comes up with something like sendyurmoneytome.com), I left WhatsApp.
This looks like it has nothing at all to do with WhatsApp.
WhatsApp does not sent out emails, or use email addresses in any way. These are just ‘ordinary’ spam emails pretending to be from WhatsApp.
This is similar to any phishing emails, or emails pretending to be from a source they are not from. If someone sent you an email pretending to be from your bank, in order to try to fool you into entering your password on a fake page, would you blame your bank, or leave them? If someone phones you and says, “I’m from Microsoft, we have detected a virus on your computer”, and tries to scam you in some way, would you blame Microsoft?
Meh. I never used it during those three months, so I decided it wasn’t terribly useful to have. The spam was just the icing on the cake.
It’s snowing in southern Arizona. What a nice way to celebrate Christmas. It will be nice to have a glaze of white that will melt by the afternoon. Everyone enjoy if you can.
#Prophetic_words
I recently recommended “Future Shock” to the Wavy Navy. The other day I picked up “Invader” (’95) for a reread.
pg 51: “Worse, aiji-ma, we’re not dealing with a slow information flow among atevi this time. Now it’s instand information, instant crisis, instant reaction as fast as television can throw it at the world. And if change comes at people so fast the electorate doesn’t understand it, aiji-ma, if people can’t plan for their own personal futures, if the businesses can’t adapt to it–fast enough–“