It's been a while

I have been watching the world go by, and deliberately holding my fingers (which seems to be a metaphor for tongue) in order not to become strident, shrill, or outright nasty.

This may turn into a rant, I'm not sure yet.  Then again I may save the rant for late at night when nobody is listening.

It is now part way into February.  February is usually a BFD month for us - Already we've lost a couple of days to snow (although that was never a part of the plan.)  In not too many days I will turn 72 (or 28 by Grandpop Rudolph's reckoning....) and I am not liking it.  I don't feel like I'm 72 (most days) and I try very hard not to behave like someone that old - but some days I just can't escape it.  On the day after my birthday I will have been married to my first wife for 46 years - something many people (including ourselves from time to time) would never have believed possible - and I find that it is all good.

And of course I still go to work every day.  Some days I'm actually worth more than I cost - other days they should make me pay to let me in.  I've been having a good deal of fun with code lately, finding new ways to do things with fewer instructions, less messy code - it keeps my head either on straight or shaking.

I discovered Google Hangouts, and resolved to set up an area for my brothers and I to get together in a video chat, since apparently that's the only was some of us will see the rest of us.  Looks like a nifty tool - be interesting to see if it works as I impute that it does, and if it doesn't it will be interesting to see how long it takes me actually to figure out precisely how it does work.  Either way, I won't get bored.

My Kindle library is growing - I may not live long enough to read everything that's in it - I get emails every day from a couple of places that keep track of what's available, and Amazon puts out a fair amount that is free, and I try to get as much of that that looks interesting as I can.

I think in a separate piece I'll talk about the new stuff I have discovered that works so well.

Google amazes me - I have switched to Chrome as the browser of choice, and have discovered various apps and extensions for it that make it more useful - nearly an entire working environment is available from the browser itself including rudimentary office applications (and, truth be told, it is all I really need - Word has over the years grown into everything for everyone, and has so many buttons, widgets, fladgets and such that I can't use it whout looking for stuff that I used to know where it was....  With Google Docs, there's a lot that I can't do - but over the last several months I have not found most of what it won't let me do to be all that useful.

There are things that work with Chrome and Android devices that work so well that I finally have a place to stick important stuff that I can reach from my office, from any PC, and from my android devices (Phone and tablets.) Now, whenever I start up Chrome, whether it be on my phone, a tablet, a laptop or a desktop, it knows who I am and presents me with whatever environment I left last.

Listening to Ray Bryant playing  Slow Freight and enjoying it.  I keep music here at work, and happily the folks around me like it (or they just don't want to tell me I have no taste....)  Music makes life better, don't you know.

Last night I met a group of German speakers that meets each week somewhere nearby, and I have been enjoying the social evenings with them, although to my chagrin I find I don't speak as well as I once did (or as I think I once did) and most of the folks there are not from the area where I lived, so my accent and dialect cause interesting misunderstandings - but it sure is fun!

Well, I just talked to a nephew I have not seen in at least 20 years - and got a video chat on my tablet by dumbing into how it works. Now I have to get a desktop working with that.  Looks like Google Hangouts is more useful than I would have imagined.

I gotta go home.  I may pick this up later, or I may decide it's rant time later.  You'll be able to figure out which has happened.

Monday Morning at zero dark 30

I should be asleep, but here's what's not happening - sleep.

The week has been productive, mostly - couple of good motorcycle days, and progress on a messy bug. I'm pretty well satisfied with results, and am headed into a week with neither medical nor other sorts of interruptions.  Possible schedule alterations, but not much else.

Today I took off this afternoon to take the a ride.  It was brisk, but not really cold, and I cracked off about 80 miles without stopping except for lights and such.  Great ride, albeit different - I took a route I haven't take on the new bike yet, and it was really a fun run.  I ended up in Pennsylvania (no I did not take my helmet off!) and rode by to salute Susan's blue heron on the way home.  Altogether pleasant except for the fact that the sun was in my eyes.  It might be time to fashion some kind of a visor for this helmet.

This entire weekend was peaceful.  Jessica and both Ronnies were over, and Big Ronnie cleaned out Jessica's car, during which process he found stuff that the previous owner had  lost, and gave Jessica a fit for not having ever cleaned it out.  Doubtless he'd've been giving me a fit had he been cleaning my car, but so far my car retains it's very own personality, unmarred by neat freaks.

Ronnie seems really good - fate is throwing crap at him, and not making his return to the fold easy or pleasant but he is weathering the storm(s) and rolling with it.  I do not envy him some of what must be learned and experienced, but I know he'll be OK eventually.  Jessica is over the moon - the family is finally complete, and Little Ronnie is loving life - his deportment at school is improving as well as his attention to his work.  Looks to me like a win-win for all of us.

Last weekend in Las Vegas I met someone with whom I have been in touch for several years but had never met.  Through various online groups I meet people this way, and it was very good to meet the actual person and family - I had a great time, wish I had had more time, but they were headed into a really busy time in a different state. It is really good to be able to put faces and places together with the names (or 'nyms) with whom I have been in contact over the years.  At least this person stayed alive - another died before we ever had a chance to meet, and it really bothered me at the time.

Someone in Las Vegas asked me when I would retire, and I thought about ti, and decided maybe sometime before I reach 80, which isn't as far a way as I might wish.  Naturally, I am interested in pensions (not that mine will amount to all that much unless I can last more than 10-15 years) but I also really enjoy what I do, and as long as someone is willing to pay me to do things I like, why should I stop doing them?

Seeing all my family members last weekend was really good - while my parents were Pittsburgh kids, many of my relatives have moved to places like Los Angeles, Texas, South Carolina and Florida - and getting together is no longer as frequent or as easy as it once was, and I find that I miss all these folks. We are all getting older, and one day they'll not be there to miss any more (along with myself, who also one day will be gone) so I rather cherish any opportunity to be with them.

One thing about Las Vegas, though - everything is to big and too far apart for old fat guys with sore knees and legs!  I actually lost weight in Las Vegas!

Well, I am hoping for motorcycle weather when I ariise - right now, it's late and if I don't soon get to bed it will be time to arise!

Be well, y'all....

Hallowe'en day

This morning was a little foggy, but otherwise nice enough to uncover the Guzzi and ride it to work.

Our weather seems to be confused - by now, in normal times (which all occurred before I was half the age I am now) we would have had snow by now.  Instead, it was over 60 when I left for work and a bit foggy but not really all that damn - it felt good to start the Guzzi and get on it to head for work.

I didn't take a back way - just down 795, around 695 and down 83 and it took less than 40 minutes, which is pretty good time for heading in in the morning - I never get it that quick in the old Volvo.

There's something about riding a really good motorcycle that energizes me - the Guzzi likes to have its gearbox stirred, and doesn't produce all that much power below about 2500 RPM - and really likes t be run above 3000.  Since 4000 in fifth is about 75, that gives plenty of gears for maneuvering around traffic, and backing down for entering a curve.  Stirring them can be a lot of fun....

Everything was just right this morning - cool enough to make me alert and make the mixture to the engine great, traffic never stopped (unusual in the morning) and it was just a joy to be out there in the air chasing things.

Everyone should at least one good motorcycle for a time in their lives.

Otherwise not a whole lot to relate - choir rehearsal was good last night and I think I might have finally caught up on time zone changes and lost sleep in aircraft.

So on that positive note, have a wonderful Hallowe'en!

Snow

I've had enough snow.  Where's Global Warming when you need it?

The last time I saw snow up to my knees or above was when I was maybe four years old, and lived off Wilson Point Road near the Martin's plant.

I haven't ever seen such a slow response to streets needing plowed, and have been a bit annoyed by some folks who would have us put the snow only in special places.  I'm old, folks, and if I'm gonna have to throw snow around, I'm not gonna carry it any farther than I have to.  I hear I shouldn't put snow on the street - I don't think the plows ought to negate 5 hours of work on my part by plowing my driveway shut worse than it was before I started clearing it. 

I'll quit throwing it in the street when the plows stop blocking my driveway. 

Last I heard we might get another foot (of snow) tomorrow.  Baltimore City is on liberal leave but essential folks have to report. Yesterday I could not get a car out to the street - this morning I could have, but everything was iced and I could not predict which way it would go after I got it into the street, so it was a no-go for getting in to the office for me.  I took the day off, and was glad that I did.

But when I thought about it, it occurred to me that, had I been essential personnel, I might have got into trouble for failing to report.  Without an all-wheel-drive vehicle, there's no way I could have reported, and I don't own one of those.  Guess I'll have to go and get one if I am deemed essential.

Meanwhile, I guess I'll enjoy the time off - and curse the snow.

Tomorrow, alas, I'll go in to the office, at least until the snow comes again.

Global Warming - gotta love it!