So, Christmas was a week ago…

So, Christmas was a week ago. Christmas Eve was the Big Bryant Family Reunion. Much food was consumed. I had eaten Mickey Dee’s earlier in the day, and that afternoon it had come back up to haunt me, so only had one plate (which I kept down, btw). Then there was the gift exchange. As usual, it was white elephant style, dispersed by drawing. I’ve found a new tradition. I’m now wrapping my present just by putting it in my most recent McDonald’s bag. Worked last year, and it worked this year. All it means to the recipient is that there will be a good chance that there will be a packet of salsa in there as well. Fun was had by all, and I made it a point to give an extra Target gift card to one of my cousins (said cousin has been known to make a bee-line straight for my gift if it is known that brought a Target card, and I just wanted to do something special especially for this cousin). Because of my day/night schedule at work, by the time I got home, I had been up for close to 24 hours, and I went straight to bed (normally I watch Midnight Mass from St. James Cathedral on TV).

So I slept in on Christmas Day as late as I could, and then we went to my younger brothers for Christmas. We had a Taco Bar. Everything is even better with a Taco Bar. I brought a 2 liter of strawberry soda as a tribute to mother. Then gifts were exchanged. Nieces and nephews got their gift cards to Target (yes, that’s where I did most of my Christmas shopping this year), and siblings got their coffee. And I even got something for my nephew’s girlfriend (another one of my traditions is the Spare Present).

This year, I did 9/10’s of my shopping at Target. I ordered most of my shopping online from my phone on my way to Mrs Fields one day. From the items I received, the one that stands out the most was the three cans of SPAM my father gave me. I was to receive them last year, but for some reason they were forgotten. I quick check of the useby dates, and they’re still good. I also got a flashlight/worklight, some shoe gel inserts, and an Atari Flashback 8 Gold. And I’m just as thankful for the 3 cans of year old SPAM that I am for the video game console.

RIP Buzzard Face

One of the memories of my childhood was my mother’s uncle, Earl Abney. I remember being at his house, playing pool. Then as I hit my teenage years, the teasing began. And the jokes. There was the name calling. He called me Chicken Lips. And I called him Buzzard Face. Whenever he visited, or we visited him, there was going to be a laugh….

It has been almost 30 years since I last saw him. Life happened and we grew apart. But I had the memories. Last week, his battle with Alzheimer's finally ended.

Rest in peace, Buzzard Face. You will be missed, but your suffering has ended.

Ho, Ho, Ho

Just boarded the bus to go to Grandma's house for the Big Bryant Family Reunion. Happy Christmas to you and yours.

Yes, I'm saying Happy Christmas this year. I just like the sound of it better than Merry Christmas...

Finally!

Ok, so Monday night, I wiped my laptop with the system restore feature of my laptop. Which put it back to Windows 10 Home 1511. It took a day and a half to get it to Windows 10 Home 1909. And I just now got it to Windows 10 Pro 1909. It took a running of sfc /scannow get from home to pro. And way too much time on Windows Update to get to 1909.

But I’m there. Finally.

Holiday decorating is done...

I'm ready for the holiday. Come for the Airing Of Grievances, stay for the Feat Of Strength... 

So I wiped my laptop last night….

Well, I started it. Using the system restore set, because of drivers. Unfortunately, it leaves me with Windows 10 1511, and for some reason I can’t just throw the 1909 install flash drive in it (like my Tower’s last rebuild). So it’s off to Windows Update for 3 hours, and I got it to 1809. Maybe tonight, I’ll get it to Windows 10 Pro 1909 (like my tower). And yes, I have paid for the upgrade from Home to Pro…

But on the bright side, I have also backed up my documents onto my external drive, which I haven’t done since June (I have two hard drives in my tower, and one drive is my storage drive – it is never formatted. The ‘C’ drive which is my installation drive is).

But while my laptop updates itself I think it’s time for my now-weekly Target run. Probably the last of my Christmas shopping, which is easier to budget for since I paid all my bills last night.

So like I said in the last post…

I said in my last post that I was going to watch the Big Bash League - in a nutshell Australian Cricket’s equivalent of The New World Order (Mind-Control Division). Tonight’s match was the Brisbane Heat vs the Sydney Thunder. An entertaining match, though my preference is more towards the Royal Challengers Bangalore (in the Indian Premier League). Or if it’s International Cricket, I’ll root for West Indies. Mainly because my boss at Mrs. Fields is from India and saying Hooray West Indies is lot safer than saying that Virat Kohli is really Captain Underpants….

Another Weekend...

I was supposed to work last (Sunday) night. But I was feeling a bit under the weather, and I had enough sick time accrued to cover my shift. So I called out...

So my weekend actually starts tonight. And I paid my bills. And I still have enough left over top live off of, and finish my Christmas shopping...

Tonight's agenda: wipe the laptop, and watch the Big Bash League (yes, I'm now a Cricket fan).

What is wrong with us?

I've seen screw ups and frothing from one side to another. I think Cheetos-Face does deserve to be lawfully removed from office. But will it happen? Probably not. The impeachment trial will be a partisan farce.

So my hope will be in 2020. Cheetos-Face will most likely be running, but openly glorifying sexual assault is an automatic disqualifier (remember the Access Hollywood tape)? Not to mention the raging narcacissm, and the racism. And then there's the intentionally separating families and caging children. These are people, not animals. We're Americans. We're supposed to be better than this. 

My weekend is underway

Home from work. Computer is fired up. 

And as you can see, I'm busy doing the most important weekend task: Flight Simulator X. I hear there is a new version in development though. But this version is sufficient for now...