World Cup Time

So, USA as a host nation qualified for this year’s T20 World Cup. And after beating Pakistan (kind of like a high school JV team beating the Harlem Globetrotters), they qualified for the second round. Which also automatically qualifies them for the next T20 World Cup. Right now, as of the writing of this post, we’re getting our asses handed to us by South Africa. But I can’t be disappointed as a couple of the South African stars are also Seattle Orcas. It is what it is. But we’re the only Associate nation to make it to the second round, and we knocked off one the traditional powerhouses of cricket.

Willie Mays died yesterday. May he spend all of eternity frolicking in the Beer Volcano and Stripper Factory.

And one step back…

When we left our hero in October of last year, I  had to replace my computer chair. I initially replaced it with a no-frills office chair, but that meant no day off nap attacks. If I had the urge to take a nap, I actually had to go to bed and lie down. So, last week, I was looking through Newegg, and I found a gaming chair that I could afford. So, I pulled the trigger and the Fedex man delivered on Monday.Nice high-back chair that I can lean back in. It reclines. And it has a footrest. In a pinch it could work in the living room. Yes, I don’t have as much space in my room as before, but it’s a fair trade considering how most of the activities in my room are either sitting, dressing, or sleeping….

An attempted step up…

So, an important part of my computer setup has been my virtual machines. I’ve had two (one Windows ME and Windows XP) since 2013. Mainly for my really old programs (mainly games) that wouldn’t run even on Windows 7. Early on , I discovered VMWare Player. It supports 3D graphics, USB and drag-and-drop, even for Windows ME. So it was perfecto for installing games that I couldn’t really let go of, but never really played.

Fast forward through the years, and I decided to ‘refresh’ my virtual machines. A lot of the games that were on my VM’s I discovered how to get them to run on Windows 10/11 (mainly downloaded them from GOG and/or Steam. So, I tried Oracle Virtualbox. Got both OS’s to install, and I even got WinME fully setup. But the straw that broke the camel’s back was the lack of 3D acceleration in WinXP. So, deleted the new VM’s and went back to VMWare Workstation Pro, now free for personal use.

Of course the real bright side to all this was that I was too busy to fuck up my entire system while I was trying this….

So, what all happened last week….

This happened last week, but it was during my work week, and quite frankly I was too busy trying to mimic productive behavior to write about it….

So, Cheetos-Face has found guilty in New York. All 34 charges (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, then use your Google-Fu. my friend). And if he’s (God forbid) elected this fall, this is a conviction that he won’t be able to pardon himself over as it’s a state conviction. It’s on his record. And now, there are cases against his still for the classified documents a Mar A Lago. And then there’s also the Georgia case (another state case).

But for now, he’s had his due process, and a jury found him guilty.

He did it….

All Good Things Must End….

So, may vacation now draws to a close. But in a couple months’ time, it’ll be time for another one (employer allows us to use it as we accrue it, and I take it as soon as I accrue 24 hours’ worth).

But as frequent as I may try to make them, all vacations must come to an end. Now to go to bed and go to work….

This is why I don’t throw out hard drives….

So, back in 2007 (if I did blog it then, I’ve deleted the entry), I bought a 160gb hard drive. Pulled out one of the 30gb drives I was using (and gave it away, IIRC). Served on my Gateway tower for almost 2 years before the Tower gave up the ghost. Bought a new tower, which came with a SATA hard drive, but still had a IDE ribbon cable slot, so I used as an archive/backup for a couple of years. Then my economic situation progressed, and I was able to go completely SATA. The hard drive got set aside. And forgotten. A few years later, and this ‘new’ tower gives up the ghost, and I replace it with an HP Pavilion. No IDE slots whatsoever. By this time, I had forgotten about the drive completely. Built my tower in 2019 (and completely rebuilt it in 2021). Again no IDE slots. During my misadventures on the internet I saw an ad (from Wally World even for an IDE/usb interface), and I remembered that I sill had the drive. So I pulled the trigger. And there have so far been at least 2 occasions where I’ve had to pull files off of that drive that none of my other hard drives had.

BTW, I also have a USB external hard drive mount, so I can still access all of my old SATA drives…

Sometimes being a digital pack rat does pay off…

The Last Day….

So today is the last day of my vacation. Woke up at the time I usually wake up for going to work (I actually left my alarm on). Thought about ordering pizza tonight, but Phil got into the kitchen, and his pasta was pretty good.

So, tonight’s agenda is to do as little as possible. A nap will definitely be in order later on tonight. Oh and to finish downloading my Steam library….

Vacation Day 4: Report

Stayed home, as I should’ve. Payday is today, so yes I had to Adult and pay a couple of bills. Computer rebuild is almost complete (just have to finish downloading my Steam library).

I suppose I should try to reset my circadian clock back to my normal ‘work’ schedule….

Vacation Day 3: Report….

Did as little as possible last night. Slept in. Ate some onion rings and realized we were dangerously low on ketchup. Took a nap. Got back up to watch some Cricket and saw enough of the match to know that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have choked it, though they did have a good run.

Then to address the previously noted ketchup shortage, I took a trip to Wally World.

Also while on vacation, I decided to give in to the inevitable, and put Windows 11 back on my system with a clean install. Most of it has been just redownloading all of my games from their respective online stores. That’s good thing so I can honestly say that I’m working on my computer. When I’m actually sleeping….

OK, I”m done adulting today…

Finally got my laundry done. Apartment complex has two laundry rooms, but one was down for repairs. And everyone had to do their laundry this morning. Finally at about noon they fixed the other laundry room, and I was able to get my clothes washed. That and my Target delivery this morning concludes all of my adulting today. And thus Day 2 of my vacation concludes very late….

So I’m a Coke drinker…..

So I’m normally a Coke drinker. When the MD said the ‘D’ word, I switched from regular to diet coke. Yes, there is a taste difference, but I got used to it. And a few years later, Coke Zero came out, which tastes just like the regular stuff. I drink both (diet and zero) now. Initially, I couldn’t get used to the taste of diet pepsi. Every once in a while, I’d have one just for the difference.

And today, when I did my Target run delivered, they had a deal on 12 packs of soda. And I got one of diet pepsi.

Note on Dr. Pepper: Diet Dr. Pepper tastes exactly like the regular stuff. But still, it is mislabeled, and the FTC should pull it from shelves until it is labeled what it truly is: The Nectar Of The Gods….

Vacation Day 2: Report

Did as little as possible today. I am doing a little but of ‘adulting’ today (my laundry won’t do itself). And I’m making a Target run (actually having it delivered).

Slurm: It’s highly addictive….

Vacation, Day 1 Report....

 Did absolutely nothing last night. Right as my vacation started, I had to do my one important session of adulting (had to get insulin). Somewhere along the way, I have to laundry as well, but I'm going to practice procrastination on that. After all, I have until Friday night to do it....

Vacation: Commence! Again!

Yes, I had a vacation a couple of months ago. But $day-job’s policy is you can use your vacation as you accrue it, and I had another three days accrued. So, why not? Well, that now means is that I’m off until Friday night….

Let the ass-sitting begin!

A Discovery Tonight….

So I was playing Flight Simulator X just now. Once upon a time (back when I was still using the DVD-Rom version), I tried the DirectX 10 version, and most of the scenery didn’t render at all. So I never checked the box again. Fast-forward through subsequent computers (I think at least three) and an migration to the Steam version, and I’m still running without it. Numerous video cards, processor upgrades, and at least 3 OS upgrades (from Windows 7 to Windows 11). Vrey recently with my current hardware, I was able to crank the display settings to the max, but my in game framerate was still in the low to mid 20s (didn’t bother me since a typical cinema is only 24 fps).

Fast forward to Monday afternoon (this is being written very early on a Wednesday morning), when I was setting up FSX after a system wipe again (Lets just say that I’m not too big on AI and mandatory ads in the start menu so I went back to Windows 10). While setting up the display settings, I hit the DirectX 10 switch, just to see what happened. It’s almost as if I got a brand new Flight Sim. Everything renders as before, but the framerate is almost double as is was before. I did have to turn off the lens flare. It’s great that it renders, but I just don’t like it….

What Part Of Hell Has Frozen Over?

Watching the Mariners game tonight (normally a hallmark that they’ll lose). And they won the game. Not only did they win, but they have a winning record for now. And they’re leading the division. Granted it’s only April, but still what part of hell has frozen over today?

More Adventures On A Day Off…

So I set up my air conditioner last week (something to do with my room being about 10 degrees warmer than outside  and I have issues trying to sleep when it hits the ‘70s). And since I’ve set it up, I’ve hear the compressor kick in about three times…. Now that I’ve set it up, I don’t need it.

Watched a little bit of the Mariners game tonight. And they won. Normally when I watch the game, they lose….

So, it’s the middle of my weekend now…

I paid two bills and made my bed last night. I think that’s all the adulting I need to do. Period.

Starting to Heat Up Here…

Global Warming is real. But this isn’t going to be a commentary on it. It’s an average spring here. But it’s still spring. And the daytime temps are starting to get up there. It’s still comfortable, shirt-sleeve weather. But the issue is I have to sleep during the day, and I have a western-facing window. And right outside my window is the maintenance yard for Bunce Rental. And my window opens to Pacific Avenue. So when it’s shirt-sleeve weather, I can’t just open my window because while I can sleep through many things, I can’t sleep through the sounds of traffic or unmuffled two stroke engines.

Global Warming is real. And I just set up my air conditioner for the season today. Though I think I can get away with just the fan setting for now….

OJ did it…

Actually they only found one glove at the scene. And who do we know who wore one glove? OJ didn’t do it. Michael did it. But whatever. OJ is now no more….