> Notes...

And thus, as it came in a whisper, it leaves us the same: weekend is no more. Yet fret not, as it shall come once more just five days from now. Again, and again, and again… Time’s a show in a loop, just enjoy the ride!

TIL that there are around 12kg of gold, and 21kg of silver in 4.2 cubic kilometres of seawater. You can read more about it and, at the same time, learn why the ocean is salty.

➝ Via Hacker News.

This is a good read. The OP makes sure the preamble is set before stating very valid points.

I am a designer because I want to solve problems. I want people to be less frustrated when they use technology. I want to make their lives easier. I don’t want to make anyones life more difficult. These two sentiments sound the same, but they are not. I find both are important to consider.

While driving around the city, or parking, I encounter pretty interesting things that people place on their cars. Normally I don’t take photos of them, but today’s was too funny to pass. 🤣

From this week’s Areopagus Volume LXII, the temples atop Fanjing, their history, and the Cultural Author wrap up on chapter “IV - Architecture” was very interesting, educative, and inspiring. I quote it below, some emphasis mine.

“Architecture is not only a question of style, of whether we want to build in Gothic or Classical, Bauhaus or Constructivist. And nor is it only a question of choice, of what sort of building we want to create, whether a library or school, office block or hospital. It is, even more than any of these, a matter of faith. That which we believe to be true, and to be most important — be this religious, economic, or otherwise — is far upstream of these other questions. It was because of their beliefs that the builders of the Fanjingshan temples decided to construct them on the Red Cloud Golden Summit. For when we believe that something is both right and necessary we almost always accomplish our goal. The process that has led to urban skyscrapers, to sports stadiums, and to cathedrals, is much the same as that which led to the creation of the Fanjingshan temples — in all cases, at all times, it begins with belief.”

I really encourage you to subscribe to his newsletter. They bring joy to me, and I want—very much—to share it with you.

I am having a hard time perfectly aligning the icon at the begining of the timestamp on each note—timestamp that is also the permanent link for it—and it’s driving me nuts. To the point that I am seriously considering getting rid of it all together. Why was I made so fastidious?

I swear that Kim is playing Jenga with the recycle’s bin. Whoever loses takes it out and, boy, she is winning!

Claudine wrote, “True, not true: Vietnamese coffee makes me delirious 😅”. I’ll say true! If, and when, I drink Vietnamese coffee my heart wants to get out of my chest, like it doesn’t belong there. And sleeping? Fuhgeddaboudit!

It’s that time of the year again, and I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned Apple’s event. It’s coming! Like, day after tomorrow coming. I will watch it, like I do each year, for sure! If you like Apple, and their products, I recommend you watch it too!

For someone who was never meant for this world, I must confess I’m suddenly having a hard time leaving it. Of course, they say every atom in our bodies was once part of a star. Maybe I’m not leaving… maybe I’m going home.

Just finished watching “Gattaca” (★★★★★) for the six time, but the first time with the kid. He finally let me rent it to watch it together.

At the end of the movie I told my kid that I saw the movie in its opening year (1997), and that I associated myself with Vincent having been born when my mum was 42, and having had my fair share of issues. That’s the reason I watched it so many times, I think. It is also a good movie.

Half of the weekend is almost over, half of my chores are finished. Next true worry is what to eat and, later on, what to watch on TV. I have no idea on either, so I will read some news while I cool down a bit. It is past 19:00, and still around 30ºC.

I believe one can’t experience death. One can only experience that that one can live to talk about. A near death experience? Of course. Yet, I think I understand what Mu-An is referring to.

After finding a font I liked online today, and checking which one was it, and downloading it, and saving it to my “fonts” directory all neatly organised with the rest of them—which is something I often do—I had an existential thought. “Why am I doing this?” Will anyone “inheriting” my collection care about them like I did?

I often find myself second guessing what I do, or a direction/decision I am heading/taking by simply going over and over my thoughts on the meaning of life. Latent depression?

Not a day goes by without hearing on the radio about global warming, and how we aren’t doing anything—or very, very little—about it. Our lack of action is nothing but the reflection of who we are. We smoke, even though we know for certain it is bad for us. We indulgue with unhealthy foods; we don’t exercise. We insist in hating, and hurting each other. Our lack of care for our planet is just a continuation of our own stupidity.

Mental note: no matter how bad you might feel, try not to fall asleep during day time (avoid taking that medicine that makes you drowsy) because then it will be 02:00, and you will still be sleepless. Time to chew on some melatonin. Ugh.

Just finished watching “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” (★★★★☆) , the movie. It was pretty cool! I am thankful for having watched the series before the movie, otherwise I would have been lost.

I am liking the redesign of Google Fonts, which was announced on the Material Design Blog. I will still use the google-fonts-helper to get the fonts I choose to use, and host them locally.

I like honey, of all kinds. I always have one or two jars of it at home, and I take—at least—one teaspoon of it each day in the morning. Yet, I always feel guilty that I am enjoying the labour of bees. Double guilty because I can’t help it. I really like honey!

The first one who told me about the 10,000 steps per day was my friend Martin. He has, almost religiously, walked that amount per day ever since I met him, sometime around 1986. It seems he was right all along:

“The first company that produced pedometers came up with the 10,000-step benchmark without any data, as that was considered an auspicious number,” says Lieberman. “Since then, plenty of studies have shown that steps a day is a reasonable way of measuring physical activity. As you increase your step count, you reap increased benefits, but it tails off between about 8,000 and 10,000.”

Hutchinson agrees: “There’s nothing magic about 10,000 steps a day, but it is pretty good advice. In general, the best target is probably ‘a little more’ than what you’re currently doing.”

➝ Via Kottke.

That I am getting old, I can take. That the people I love is getting old, that hurts. Both out of our control, I know. Still.

Message to child, regarding upcoming nourishment situation, and potential remediation.

Mamá just announced to me—because she is an actress, and likes to make an entrance—that she will not be cooking, nor helping to cook, tonight. I know it might be early, but start thinking what would you like for tonight. Providing some options (non-exhaustive):

• Publix sub
• Macaroni and cheese with bacon
• Spaghetti and meatballs
• Don Julio’s chicken fajitas
• Pizza Hut

I am good with anything. Let me know.

Not long ago I wrote about leaving LinkedIn for good. Truth be told, I created yet another account (so much for that “final time”, right?), because work based relations with LinkedIn, and the training they offer through it. I was, pretty much, forced to it, being part of work. That doesn’t make me despise it less.

After just a few months, I am now starting to receive UCE through it. Am I an arse if I just simply send those to junk?

Of course, Global Warming isn’t happening, it is all a myth invented “by the left”. Let us not care about the environment, cancel our participation on all accords, and live like we don’t care. Because it seems we don’t.

“Multiple natural disasters are occurring simultaneously across different parts of the world, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of people being displaced. The World Meteorological Organization has declared this summer the hottest ever recorded, with August being the warmest month ever recorded.” — Paraphrased by AI.

Sony’s PlayStation Network is increasing the price of all their plans. The PlayStation Plus Essential (the least expensive plan, which I have because without it some online games cannot be played) will go from $60/year to $80/year. They are justifying it by saying that it “will enable us to continue bringing high-quality games and benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service.” I get absolutely nothing, just paying for the ability to use my Internet connectivity on the console. How ducked up is that?!

Suffice it to say, I will not be renewing my subscription. Duck Sony (yes, duck it)!

Here we go again. Hurricane Lee, forecasted to “rapidly intensify into a powerful Category 4 by this weekend”. Not even mid-September yet, and we are at L already. As in lovely.

“Our demand is that the world should let us live with our Sharia law.”

This is a powerful documentary and article, about how a Sharia courtroom works. It really offers an incredible insight—at least for me—on how the system process claims, and imparts justice. It is backwards, yet fascinating.

For me my child will always be my responsibility. That doesn’t mean they will not be responsible on their own, no. Yet, in my mind, it was my choice—well, a united, shared one—to have a child. It became my responsibility then, for life.

This guy, Linus, he is some sort of a genius. He truly is! No, he isn’t Torvalds—though that Linus is also a genius. I mean, look how prolific he is! And he sure does write, at length. But don’t take my word for it, just go check it out. Oh, and he composes music, and does art, I mean… is there something he doesn’t do?!

Now, what brought me here today was his “short” notes, which he describes as “brief memos on ideas, musings, inspirations”. Pfff, Linus, mate, I admire you a lot. You don’t know me, but I do. Now, let me tell you something: you can’t write “brief” anything. Well, almost.

Trying not to succumb to the temptation of buying yet more domains. Because I don’t need them. Because I will buy them, and a year later let them go. It is better tossing the coins in a fountain, right?

Maybe it is the fanatic in me, but Apple doesn’t need to run advertisements. This was prompted by this, which I found on Mastodon.

➝ Via Dan Gillmor.

First day of back to doing some cardio—biking this time, because my running shoes suck, and I don’t want to buy new ones… yet. Did 2 miles, constant pedalling, which ought to be enough for a first day. Had noodle legs when I dismounted so, yeah. Slow and steady, that’s the plan.

Our engagement with Canonical to deploy and manage Ubuntu with MAAS and Landscape is over, and now the “fun” begins. So much to customise, and tune! I have spent the entire day tunning and rebuilding images, back and forth. I am hoping to work on post-install scripting tomorrow.

My closest work mate is on vacation this week. Though it is a short week—having had the day off yesterday for Labour Day, and all—it is going feel like a long one.

I am on the day before the last free day, before having to go back to the cyclic routine. Everything tells me that I must make the most of it, yet I fail to know what that is. I will peruse technical news, for now, whilst sipping a made-with-half-and-half hot chocolate.

Let the House Hunters International marathon start… now! 📺

The feeling I get when I pull out my identification in advance at Total Wine & More, when buying beer for mum, anticipating I will be asked for it, and when getting to the cashier she says “Oh, you are fine” after trying to show it to her. 😩

Kim laughed at me, of course.

I subscribe to the Areopagus, and if you like to learn about many different things, you should too. I have been meaning to mention their “Volume LIX”, and how much I liked it for some time and, well, here I am.

There is an old story about the King of Persia or, in some versions, the Sultan of Baghdad. In all cases it runs thusly; that this great lord, who was an enlightened ruler, wanted to know if there was anything he could say which would always be true, whenever and wherever it was spoken. So he gathered the wisest men in the land, calling poets and sages and philosophers from far and wide, to help him find an answer. They formed a great congregation and conferred for weeks on end until, eventually, they had agreed upon the solution to the king’s problem – they had a found a sentence which would always be true:

This too shall pass.

The entire volume is wholly filled with interesting stories revolving around that simple, yet everlasting, truth. It truly is worth reading.

You can tell I am feeling nostalgic. Maybe it is the rain, that falls constantly, and gently. Maybe it is the feeling that time is steadily slipping through my fingers.

My very first access to the Internet was via Prodigy. Then CompuServe, eWorld, and Holonet. Finally The Microsoft Network, AOL, and broadband providers (wich I use till today).

Went to mum’s to have coffee. I do this whenever I have time, because I like spending time with her, not so much for the coffee. That’s just a bonus. Of course, soon after I arrive I get this…

It never fails! Yes, I order it with extra whipped cream. And yes, it will never be enough of it. “Did you ask for extra whipped cream?” — “Yes, I did.” — “It doesn’t look like having anything extra at all!” 🤦‍♂️

“I can’t remember the name of the first girl I had a crush on in kindergarten. Can’t remember the name of my first love!”, I tell my partner. “Good, you should only remember me!”, she replies, half-kidding. “It’s not about the girl, silly Horse. It is about my memories fading away.”

Growing old isn’t fun. 😩