Reasonably recent update...

 I got my second dose a few days ago.

 

My arm is sore. 

I didn't have to run a password cracker on my Windows 10 box because Windows 10 is stupid for how they present the change password menu.  Also, it is randomly beeping and that will have to go - I don't know what it's trying to notify me of but it's going to get annoying soon.

There is a plan.

Procrastination ramblings of a Sunday (as posted on my Facebook page)

 

It's been quite the year - things were good, things were bad. It's been an interesting walking journey of discovery: again, things were good, things were bad. I guess with every day feels exactly the same, everything blurs.

Yesterday was an interesting day of driving somewhere. I do things for people that I call Angel Work. It's this strange compulsion to help someone who needs help even if most people would say that the recipients don't deserve it. I drove out into what felt like pre-pandemic driving. Instead of taking 12 minutes door to door, it was 18 and punctuated with what seemed like unending red lights, people in the way. A part of me just wanted them to go away. I guess what I'm thinking is that I enjoyed the convenience of driving with everybody staying put. Perhaps my arrogance and this compulsion to break the rules to do good made me feel privileged. And yet the feeling was more of frustration and anger with all of those people in my way. Things will open up and as much as I want (need/crave/ache for) the human contact at the office, I honestly want it both ways with everybody else staying put.

Perhaps I fear the return to normal as much as I want it. Don't get me wrong here - I really despise working from home. Work should be work and home should be home. The only time that work should appear at home is when I find inspiration at a strange hour, log in and tinker with something to make things better.

And then something really unusual happened when the recipient of help yesterday asked a question:

"So what makes you happy, Paul?"

And I really couldn't answer. I hadn't really thought about my own happiness. I've recently learned to relearn what makes me angry. That's an easy one. Frustration is another one - it's easy to express without containing it all.

There's another one lurking there - perhaps joyous sadness. That last one is easily triggered with music. The brilliance of Leonard Cohen's live performance in London of Hallelujah will have me at the edge of tears with that first verse: 'It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor falls, the major lifts..." Additionally the genius of Trent Reznor will trigger a similar reaction. Bear McCreary 's works can also do it but only if I wear the right headphones. And yet it is not happiness.

I remember the acquisition of things that I had dreamed of would bring me moments of happiness. The thought of saving up for something after lengthy research and dreaming for the 6-8 week shipping for this most anticipated item would keep me teasingly happy. Did it bring me happiness? Perhaps just satisfaction: the checking off of a response checkbox in a list of things that should make me happy. In this day of instant gratification, even the anticipation of delay of shipping isn't sufficient to bring about that spark of happiness. There's no anticipation. And the speedy nature of delivery certainly seems to bring less reward at the end. An unsatisfying orgasm that just bureaucratically is checked off with all the celebration of getting a free scoop of ice cream just because it's your birthday.

My answer was: "I don't know any more."

And then there was silence.

Then I heard, "That's okay - perhaps it will be something new."

The question actually threw me. And I'll ponder this more today and going forward with all things in this world. I hope that you all have a good day and not to worry - "I feel fine." All will be good.

For the Star Trek fans, it kind of hit me like this:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiUn4nj5JTxAhUJHM0KHVFZCMwQFjABegQIBhAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSECu1fR0dWE&usg=AOvVaw0X6EKKcVpWHVhskGywBr2n

Thursday mornings hurt

 I think that Thursday mornings hurt the most.

Today I feel the immense pain of reality that I'm not enjoying what I'm doing as much as I had hoped to.

From recent work, I've learned to express my anger and frustration through the firewall that I erected around my being 31 years ago this Autumn.  Unfortunately, deeper examination still doesn't bring about the other emotions that I hope to find lurking in the depths.  These  should be easy:

• genuinely laugh;
• feel sadness - although there are glimpses of that one;
• truly feel that moment of goodness;
• calm (came recently in a dream but was as fleeting as that world can be);
• feel joy;
• feel love - not the idea of love or the faux love of protection but true openness;
• ...

Again, those should be easy but these days I've only managed letting my anger and frustration out.  Somewhat of dread.

Leonard Cohen Live in London - Playing Hallelujah - the first verse made me cry the other day.  Not sadness.  Not joy?  Elation?  I don't know.  But it can trigger me.

Today is a long day - I'm past a deadline by a day and a bit with 3 tasks before me today.  They need to succeed so this evening I can explore other things and make tomorrow an excellent end to the week.

Friday morning - this time it's personal.

It is past 9:30 and I'm aiming to get 5 things off of my plate today.  I am barely getting the first one going.  I know it's not a linear thing but this could take a while.

I do feel mentally blocked and I hope that is some divine inspiration (send nudes - not really as nobody seems to read this blog) to come my way it may inspire me.

In the meanwhile, the weekend is booking up fast and I'll need to schedule things around everything else.

A sip of tea, and all will be good.

And more music of course.

Stages of VPN connection failure to work:

1. My network must be down - nope still streaming music;
2. I just have to re-enter my password (that happens) - nope - problem connecting;
3. Okay this isn't funny - is this a new passive-aggressive way of terminating an employee?
4. Oh!  There's a DM notice of the service out - whew I could have the morning off to do a bit of cleanup;
5. D'oh!  The IT team is awesome and before I could finish boiling water for a cup of tea, there's a DM from 3 different people asking me questions. 
   

Okay - Friday

Friday has been okay - limited contact from people at work which has proven to be a good thing to help me focus.  I will be working on the weekend and that's my choice and a good one!

I am going for a walk with my bubble buddy after dinner tonight - not sure where I'm going to go to top Saturday's walk but  it should be good.  I really just need 1.8km to walk and close off 10km for today!  If I walk more, that's better.

I am currently closing in on 1000km!

This year's approach is simple: slow and steady wins the race.  Keep a consistent walking behaviour of 10km per day with extras to bring that curve up.  Last year was a minor blip at July 1st where I seemingly slowed followed by the end of August when I really slacked off.

Will I hit 2500km this year?  

We shall see. 

There are 33 remaining weeks this year and I'm walking 80+km per week.

*removes shoes and socks...

That's around 2640km plus my near 1000 means that I should hit 3600ish by the end of the year.

Factors that could change this possibility:

• I stop giving a toss;
• I get hit by another car;
• I get injured in some other fashion (please say it's for jumping to chapter 34 of the edited Kama Sutra where you have to involve circus personnel and swings!)  And yes, I know that there's more the Kama Sutra than just sex manual or sex positions but a guide to the art of living well, love, etc;
  
• Adverse weather in November/December - that can slow me a tad down.
• Murder hornets;
• Canadian Geese  (https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/04/15/canade-geese-safety-tips-ohio-department-natural-resources/3471009002/)

 

Angry

Woke up angry today.

Too many people wanting too many things from me right now and I just need everything to stop for a few months.

Meditated later - some smoothed out but remnants are bothering me.

 

 Distracted - not like yesterday but a  different distraction.

3d print log and review - Missile Switch Cover

Today I am reviewing the missile switch for light switches. I love the idea and the 8 year old in me thinks that it's cooler than cool. My office lightswitch will have it - I don't use it *that* often so when I do, it should be because I need to do it.


https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4240442/files

I will print, assemble, possibly paint and then give it a go.

Then I will review it.

Review:

It printed well at 5% infill, using my dodgy Silver Silk PLA (I need more spools coming for Christmas).



It works well. My favourite part of the design is the embedded nut holder on both sides of the base piece. I was able to fit in the proper sized nut and use a bolt to reach through and it screwed in nicely.

Good stuff indeed.

I give this 4 out of 5 stars for ease of print, assembly, no supports needed, and is fully functional.  I only rate it 4 stars because it did not come with modifiable source code.

It's been a while...

 Yup - not sure what to say - it had been a while.

Shimmering crescent of doom...

 It happened again.

It was small - as if I had stared into some intense LED and the afterimage of the light wouldn't go away.  It grew from a small point to an ever increasing crescent and moved across my view from right to left on the left eye.  It was disconcerting.

And once it faded, the effects lingered and I'm left with this strange feeling of dread despite making good progress in things.

I did beat myself up a bit for somehow forgetting to submit something to git yesterday.  Strange - I thought I had something but apparently not and it skipped my mind.  I know - it was that chance meeting with Bob that helped me get a happier spirit.

I'm going through the suggested book page by page and relating it to myself in a series of notes.  I will share with my co-conspirator later.