Done Since 2025-10-12

[mdlbear]

Rough week. Mostly my fault. Stuff that should have been done weeks or months ago, having to be done at the last minute and not very well. Have I mentioned that I suck at getting things done?

Okay, I did finish my US income taxes a three days before the deadline. But not having looked at them for months I appear to have lost track of some paperwork. Or I never had it. I'll probably get my refund, then get a bill -- probably in a couple of years. If they ever notice. I'm not going to worry about it.

Should have started on N's author website months ago, along with the updates to hyperspace-express.com, which is actually the publisher's website. Should really have had the author site and the mailing-list automation done before the book went to the printer. Months before. Oops. It'll work, but it'll be awkward and not as good as it should be. We're still learning how to do this, of course, and I'm learning that I'm not nearly as competent as other people think I am.

And then there's the "personal alarm" fiasco. You see, N and G are out of the country for the next two weeks (family visit, then OVFF). N thinks (and I kind of agree) that I should have some kind of alarm pendant to wear, to easily call for help with. The first one we found -- a couple of weeks ago -- would have been perfect, except that the company is in Ireland and despite saying that they serve all of the EU I'd have to make my own arrangements with local emergency services.

So -- after I put off deciding for way too long -- I wound up with something that on the surface looked okay, and could ship quickly. But when it arrived, I found out that there was no two-way voice communication in the pendant -- you have to be where you can talk through the base station. Non-starter, in this house. I tried to tell the installer to take the damned thing back, but he kept repeating the same line about pressing the button if I fell over (pantomiming a heart attack). I'll keep it as backup until N and G get back, then we'll bring it back and get our key back.

Meanwhile, suspecting that something like that might be the case, I had already ordered a smartwatch (Samsung GW-7) which will probably do what I need it to -- it has fall detection and emergency calling. It would work better if I had a Samsung phone, but Google's watches are twice as expensive. So some of its myriad of features won't work.

And of course that's assuming I can actually wear the thing without it hurting. There are reasons why I stopped wearing a wristwatch 50 years ago.

Something good came out of that fiasco, however. N and I were over at StudiOjo, for one last coaching session before N and G's trip, to discuss our changing plans for recording (which I'll talk about later in the week). N mentioned that, in order to get the personal alarm, they were going to want a local friend or neighbor who could go over and check on me. So now we have a local friend, just a short walk away.

Linkie! Go watch The Nine Billion Names Of God - short film - YouTube. Very well-done adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's story.

Notes & links:
1012Su  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 5ish
  * up 7ish; ; kegels, 
  * drugs:  am1 07:05; 2*coffee; am2 0810ish; pm 21ish
  @ Seattle’s police chief ‘will not be quiet’ if National Guard deployed | Sea. Times
  @ Denmark Just Triggered Putin’s Worst Nightmare | by Bogdan Ilyin | Oct, 2025
    " The Danish government announced new, sweeping controls on oil tankers passing
      through its territorial waters — a direct strike at Russia’s murky maritime network
      that has long helped fund its war machine. "
  @ The plastic inside us: how microplastics may be reshaping our bodies and minds
    " Microplastics have been detected in the brains of dementia patients, and in arterial
      plaques from people with heart disease. Those with plastic-laden plaques were almost
      five times more likely to suffer a stroke, heart attack or die within three years. "
  * cat fud -- bring up bowls, wet fud, kibble, litter  * staged
  * 11-14 or whenever work session
    * federal taxes!! Due WEDNESDAY! 20:30 finished

1013Mo  * sift litter boxen  Indigenous Peoples’ Day
  @ Indigenous Peoples’ Day 
  & awake 4:30ish
  * up 7:30ish; 
  * drugs:  am1 7:35; am2 08:39; 2*coffee; pm 20:30ish
  @ The Nine Billion Names Of God - short film - YouTube 
  @ UBL: https://books2read.com/u/4NBa98
  * 11-14 or whenever kf work session
    -* universal book link
    -> mailing list  -> Mailcoach looks good.
  @ Prize in Economic Sciences 2025 - Press release - NobelPrize.org
    Popular science background: From stagnation to sustained growth (pdf)
  @ Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport
  : from email with wijkz.nl: -> hwwzorg.nl (which I'd found last week [facepalm]
    HWW zorg  070 379 50 00 or info@hwwzorg.nl
    Alarmknop (alarm button)
  @ FBI Releases ‘Most Wanted’ From Portland, OR! | Mock Paper Scissors funny

1014Tu  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 5ish
  * up 8ish; ; dutch
  * drugs:  am1 8:15ish; am2 09:25; pm 21:55
  * walk:  Erasmusweg 09:16: 1.2km; 10hp, 28mm, 31min, 2375st
  @ PeerTube DPG Profile
  @ Digital Public Goods Standard - Digital Public Goods Alliance
  @ Satellites Are Leaking the World’s Secrets: Calls, Texts, Military&Corporate Data
    " “If [the NSA et. al] aren't already doing this,” jokes UCSD cryptography professor
      Nadia Heninger, who co-led the study, “then where are my tax dollars going?” "
  & looked on mijnHaga, found gastroscopy report.  Didn't look like anything to worry about
  . 11-14 or whenever kf work session
    * med list on phone 
    * MaIling list newsletter setup --> https://www.mailcoach.app/
      -> author newsletter for N, rather than a HSX newsletter.  So that can be bloggish
      -> I think I have it mostly set up now.  Have to test the automation and the landing
         page, and mailing from hsx.com.
  * load drugs

1015We  * sift litter boxen
  & awake 2ish, 5ish
  * up 7ish; ;
  * drugs:  am1 7:38; am2 08:28; pm 19:53
  * FEDERAL INCOME TAX DUE -> filed 1012Su 20:30
  @ The last major coal-fired power plant serving California is closing - LA Times
  @ Backlash as new EU political ad rules kick in – POLITICO
  * 12:00-13:00 recording - me and N at StudiOjo
    -> agrees that the current plan is a good one:
       Winds of Time pushed off to later;  Amethyst Rose has priority; m's album second
  * alarm button --> form submitted; not clear when we'll get called for install
    -> put down Mario as emergency contact person.
    -> Alarmknop - HWW zorg
    -> meanwhile/instead ordered a Galaxy Watch 7 (40mm, green) to arrive tomorrow evening
  @ Nothing Personal, a
    new editorial platform by Mozilla Foundation Welcome to the Post-Naive Internet Era - Mozilla Foundation

1016Th
  * sift litter boxen  * cricket  * brooklyn
  * did Cricket and Brooklyn's litter boxen 9:15ish -> back pain -> ibuprofen
  & awake 5ish
  * up 6ish;; ;
  * drugs:  am1 5:50ish; am2 07:00; 2*coffee; 09:31 ibuprofen; pm 8:30ish?
  * 6am - G and N go to US
  * print med list 1015We
  * 10:15 leave for 11am psych intake Leggelostraat 85 -- 1.6km, so scooting distance.
    took uber; scooter would have been faster.  Walking, if I was in better shape.
    -> very nice pair of women (nurse and head psychologist) did intake; TBH I don't think
       I need therapy.  Group maybe, but they don't have groups in English.  the team will
       discuss the case end of month; follow-up 11-11 to discuss conclusions.
    -> I gave them quite an infodump.  One of them said it sounded adventurous.  Did not
       mention Bilbo, but thought about it.
    -> should probably get back to writing memoirs.
  % 12:52 headache R temple area.
  @ Why Pinterest Works for Me as an Author, and Tips for You
  @ Rice weevil on a grain of rice wins 2025 Nikon Small World contest - Ars Technica
  * 16:00-18:00 expect AH delivery
  * The fake rock that N ordered arrived, but the key doesn't fit.  Ordered a bigger one;
    it will arrive Saturday.  It has a turtle.
  * 19:03 the Galaxy Watch 7 just showed up.  Of course, since I'm probably getting the
    alarm installed tomorrow morning, it remains to be seen how useful it will be.
    -> Galaxy Watch7 (Bluetooth, 40mm) | Samsung Service NL
  ~ 18:00 Eurofilk

1017Fr  * sift litter boxen  * cricket  * brooklyn
  & awake 5ish
  * up 6:15?;
  * drugs:  am1 6:40; 2*coffee; am2 07:55; pm 18:19
  * fed Broklyn:  * breakfast  * lunch  * early dinner  * bedtime
  * 9:30 Tunstall alarm install
    -> Can't talk through pendant.  Base station in LR.  EUR80 per call-out.
    07 0397 5000 - can call to cancel after a bogus call, or to request service
    -> it may be possible to set up my watch/phone to do this.
    -> got weird response when I asked about maybe moving the base station
  * HX work:  trying to get newsletter working.  It's broken right now.
  * 11:20 summon Uber for 12:00 Haga
    -> there is a red patch that is probably leaking blood, and is probably caused by my
       daily aspirin.  The pantoprazol is supposed to help with that.  Appointment in two
       months for bloodwork (for anemia); phone appointment the next week.
  * 14:00ish mailer approved; appears to be working
    14:25 subscribe form added back.
  * send request for opth. referral via the portal (after trying the phone and running
    into a wall because I couldn't understand the Dutch menu)
  * pick up cash -- need €80 for D" tomorrow; probably ought to get more. -> 180.
  * When I got back from Haga I found a note from the window washers.
    -> set another 10 aside for next month.
  % 17:40 I appear to be in bad shape psychologically, and I don't know why.  Overload?
  & a glass (40ml) of gin with a twist.  First time in ages.
  % still somewhat weirded out by our mailing list provider being Mailcoach -- my parents
    used to live at 3 Mail Coach Court.  I don't think it's a trigger, but it's weird.

1018Sa  * sift litter boxen  * cricket  * brooklyn (needs full clean, wash)
  & awake 4:50?
  * up 7ish; ; shower (2d floor), teeth, ... Dutch
  * drugs:  am1 07ish; am2 08:00; 2*coffee; pm 19:15ish
  * feed Brooklyn   * breakfast  * (14:36) lunch  * early dinner  * bedtime
  @ Félicette - Wikipedia 1963
  @ Bath professor explains why evolution creates imposter crabs
  * 10am D" 4h €80
  @ How to Actually Change Someone’s Mind: Ask Them This 1 Question | Jessica Stillman
    " I was interested in what you’re saying. Can you tell me more about how come you
      think that? "
  * watch started, software installed.
    -> entire morning -- maybe more -- wasted on reading docs and tweaking
  * order:  Bol: ptowels, pantsu, microfiber towel,
  * order:  $A: Fruit of the Loom CoolZone Boxer Briefs XL
  * j coming sometime  -> ~13:30
    -> had Bronx and Brooklyn out for a while.  Ticia stayed under the bed.
  @ crowdagger/crowbook: Converts books written in Markdown to HTML, LaTeX/PDF & EPUB
  @ Live Coverage: No Kings National Day of Action | American Civil Liberties Union
  @ Science and the Modern World, by Alfred North Whitehead via review in Science Mag

Comments

[cellio]

Oh, nice adaptation of Clarke's story!

[madfilkentist]

I've never thought of getting a smartwatch, but that's a use case worth considering.

[mdlbear]

I'd thought about it, but didn't think it was worth it until that use case came along.