Done Since 2025-09-14

[mdlbear]

A very busy week. Perhaps not quite as productive as we'd hoped. But anyway, we put down a lot of scratch tracks, and put in a total of eight hours of studio time. Some of which is definitely going to have to be re-done. Not clear how much we can salvage, but we learned a lot.

Meanwhile I re-strung Plink, in part so that I could replace the battery. I broke a wire in the process of trying (unsuccessfully) to get the new 9V battery into the clip. Thereby accelerating my long-term goal of mounting the battery outside. An ill wind, and all that. I still need to buy a new battery holder, and see if I can locate my soldering iron.

As if I didn't have enough rabbit holes to fall into, I've discovered a static (web)site generator called Hakyll. Written in Haskell. See Tuesday. I am (so far) not looking in that direction.

And as if we didn't have enough problems to throw money at, we decided to call in a plumber after the kitchen sink leaked all over the floor one time too many. He confirmed my speculation that the mess (not a rat's nest -- that's wires; maybe a can of worms) under the sink was caused by a previous owner who thought they knew what they were doing. It looks much saner now, and everything empties faster after reaming out 12m of drain. The temperature control on the first-floor shower is still broken; since all the works are inside the wall it may stay that way, unless their "old guy who knows everything" can identify the brand and point the way to a fix that doesn't involve tearing into the wall from the other side.

The best links are on Saturday this week -- these include guinea pig rental services in Switzerland and an an amazing Bohemian Rhapsody Flashmob. Although last Sunday's Busy Beaver article may be worth a look if your taste runs to Turing machines and insanely large numbers.

Notes & links:
0914Su  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 (approx.)
  * up 6:30; ; kegels, 
  * drugs:  am1 7ish; am2 8ish; 2*coffee; pm 20:15ish
  * continue re-stringing Plink, now that there's enough light to see what I'm doing
  * 11-whenever kf work session  Things We Did Not Choose, Wheelin'
    Involved shifting things around so that I could use Flame at the couch, leaving m and
    N to hit the record button on Audacity.
  @ The Quest to Find the Longest-Running Simple Computer Program | WIRED

0915Mo  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 0, 2, 5 at least
  * up 7:30; ; kegels, Dutch
  * drugs:  am1 7:40; am2 08:47; coffee; pm 22:01
  * submit water meter reading
  * leave 12:15 for 1300 Berestein: Dilia Ham (psych).  Uber because high wind.
  * 11-14 or whenever kf work session -> after Dr.
  * pick up buspirone at Apotheek -> ordered
  @ Testing the 2-in-1 Framework 12 Laptop [LWN.net]

0916Tu  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 2ish?
  * up 6ish; ; Dutch, kegels
  * drugs:  am1 06:17; am2 07:15ish; 2*coffee, pm
  @ Hakyll - Home Jacob Boxerman - Switching my website to Hakyll
    (via 2025-09-15 Emacs news :: Sacha Chua)
  * order amlodipine, doxazosin (5 needed this week)
  * 11-14 or whenever kf work session
  & $G says the account based on s@t is being deleted, so run some test emails in each
    direction to make sure that m@g is getting them both.
    -> can't seem to email _from_ $G as s@t (but probably never could), DH webmail works.
  @ Banned! The 20 books they didn’t want you to read | Books | The Guardian
  $ I $7 from Bandcamp in August
  @ Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars | Nature
  * 19:00 - 20:30 (10am-11:30 PST) Healing Center Passages support grp - 1st, 3rd Tu
  * edit/copy the new scratch tracks (0916: Things-we-did-not-choose, Wheelin)
  * load drugs  amlodipine ran out with the Fr. dose
  & answered email from Ted Kaehler.

0917We  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 3ish?
    % lots of cat snuggle.  Bronx is getting to be a pretty reliable cuddler (when he's
      done kneading my side), and Ticia seems to like snuggling up to my back.
  * up  6ish; ; Dutch
  * drugs:  am1 6:45; am2 07:52; coffee; pm 19:30ish
  @ Where I Belong (original song)
    " It's a rare experience as an adult to meet a group of people who, after a short
      time, turn out to be the sort of people you feel you've known for years and wish you
      actually had "  (MillCon 2023 "trip report")
  * print set of current lead sheets
  * gather downstairs at 10am for breakfast
  * 1200:1600 StudiOjo
    -> on the whole it went spectacularly well.  Everyone stressed for different reasons.
    -> Everything had to be exported as separate tracks (ugh) in order to import properly
    -> Unsable ran out of power; fortunately Mario had an old Thinkpad lying around
    -> life-cycle-of-flowers was recorded too slow.  Re-record tonight
    -> Toolmakers descant needs an accurate descant scratch track.
       This involved moving  unsable and the Edirol interface over to the piano,
       It also involved figuring out how to overdub.  I'd forgotten.
    -> lots of fiddlinga around to get Audacity to record new tracks instead of appending
       a clip to the old one.
    -> bring good printout
  & Cricket needs an emergency vet visit -- apt at 9pm; N will take her and skip tomorrow
  @ OpenAI says models trained to make up answers • The Register 

0918Th  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 2ish; 6ish
  * up 7ish; ; Dutch
  * drugs:  am1 7ish; am2 08:15; pm 16:55
  * process new scratch tracks
  ~ schedule vet visit for Cricket  -> other bear
  * print set of current lead sheets -- Mario wants a copy.  also put on the memory stick
  * 10:30 warmups in LR
  * 1200:1600 Studio

0919Fr  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 4ish?
  * up 6:50; ; ... Dutch
  * drugs:  am1 06:50; am2 8ish; pm 22:12
  * walk:  far end of Simon Vestdijkstraat loop, 08:18, .6km
  @ FBI Readies New War on Trans People - Ken Klippenstein (solarbird)
  @ It’s Time for Americans to Start Talking About “Soft Secession” (solarbirdf)
    In the disunited states, conflict and uncertainty rule - Time to come home -
    resilience
  @ The Best Tablets,  e-readers for musicians
  @ Several Northeastern States and America’s Largest City Announce the Northeast Public
    Health Collaborative - NYC Health
  * 14-17 plumber
    -> the mess under the sink had obviously been made by someone who thought they knew
       what they were doing.  It looks much simpler and saner now.
    -> The first-floor shower, OTOH.  -> will have to consult with a local expert
    -> € 804 paid from Bunq after top-up from USB, the only reliable debit card
  * turn on autopay for R's student loan  -> set up; adjust date next month
  * call Schwab to unfreeze debit card.  Again.

0920Sa  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 3:30ish
    % last dream included trying to write a song with m called "Mixed-Up Myxolydian";
      thinking about the intervals woke me up.  Never got anything solid except the title.
  * up 7:40ish; BP=126/69, P=69 (22:01) ; Dutch
  * drugs:   am1 7:45; am2 09:06; pm 19:35ish
  * walk:  bridges w\ stop at garbage bins; 08:40
  @ Rent-A-Guinea Pig Service Takes Off in Switzerland - ABC News
    There are rent-a-guinea pig services in Switzerland that provide partners for
    lonesome guinea pigs because it is illegal to own just one at a time. 
  * 10am (interim housekeeper)D"
  @ Glass artist Sterner's house and workshop | Admirable Art Nouveau (G)
  @ Navigating procrastination - by Becca Block
    " realizing procrastination is a short-term stress-reduction response that works (!)
      helps us start to procrastinate less. "
  & fold up mic stands and coil up cables.  (as of 1400 some mics are still out, and the
    mixer is still on my desk)
  * SL:  * garbags (G),  * Toshiba filters
  * SL:  (wet)cat fud, litter, pill-popper, KCl
  @ Privacy Guides
  @ The most INSANE Bohemian Rhapsody Flashmob you will ever see!! - YouTube

Comments

[gingicat]

Oh my gosh thank you for the flashmob.

I can't even fathom how they managed to rehearse that.

[cellio]

That flashmob is amazing.

[freyjaw]

Thanks for the flashmob! Hubby loved it as well.

[andyheninger]

That's an awesome Bohemian Rhapsody Flashmob! Thanks for passing it along.

[madfilkentist]

I'm amused every time I go by the Cat rental store in my town. (As in construction equipment.)