< Notes...

I have been getting worried and depressed for things I can’t control, and it’s not fun. I have got to exile those thoughts somehow. Maybe exercise will do it.

When I say “Don’t worry about the dishes, I will do them later!” I don’t only say it out of love, or out of duty (doing the dishes is my chore). I say it becase I do them better. You know, like really clean, not a sloppy job. 😂

A thought came to me this morning about how would secular people from past history communicated with each other. By secular I mean the common people, not the decent-to-filthy rich kind. Did they scribbled notes? Did they even know how to scribble? Would they keep journals and, if so, what ever happened to them? Were they simply discarded, thrown into the bin? I know I kept journals at various stages of childhood. None of them survived. Nor did the many notes, and letters I wrote, and received.

Come to think, after all, all things in life truly are ephemeral.

The six (the foundation, at least, as there could be more) components of an apology. The bottom line? Very few people know how to genuinely apologise.

1. An expression of regret — this, usually, is the actual “I’m sorry.”
2. An explanation (but, importantly, not a justification).
3. An acknowledgement of responsibility.
4. A declaration of repentance.
5. An offer of repair.
6. A request for forgiveness.

The original article is well worth reading. I found it to be excellent.

➝ Via Kottke.

My first web browser was Mosaic, then Netscape, then Mozilla which became Firefox. Firefox became my default go-to web browser for many years. If Microsoft Windows was my OS platform of choice it would probably still be. Ever since I completely, and absolutely, moved to macOS/iOS/iPadOS, the choice has been Safari. I had had no reason to look elsewhere.

Wow, Autumn has given us a nice surprise on its first day! This morning we woke up with 19°C, which is a drastic change from previous days. I know that later today is going to be hot, but it was great biking this morning, and not breaking a sweat.

The amount of people in this city driving while using their phones is simply staggering. Went out to grab some food to bring home, and almost got hit three times. Driving defensively these days isn’t a fad, it is a must.

Poor Veronique had an accident, and she will have to go for surgery. Though having to go through this is something no one wants, I am glad it wasn’t something worse.

Hang in there, Vero! Things will go well, and you will overcome ❤️! Really sorry for this temporary unpleasantness.

“What’s going on with the WiFi? I can’t connect the iPad to it.” — “Nothing that I know off. Do you think the boy would be so happy playing a video game with friends, if there was a problem?” — “It isn’t working!” A minute later, “never mind”.

If at first you don’t succeed, you mustn’t quit! LOL.

Daylight “Savings” Time sucks, and it should be abolished. For the last five days I have noticed my mornings getting darker, to the point of having to turn on the light to start the working day. It hasn’t been an easy in at all but, I would say, rather dramatic. Then early November, bam! Back one hour. Ugh!

Just LEAVE THE CLOCK ALONE!

Kim loves to buy plants, or she will gladly take them from people giving them away for various reasons. That’s the extent of her “green thumb”. Plants commonly perish under her “care”. She tries, though, but often is not to be. It’s rather sad.

Then she makes me feel guilty when she asks, “Have you watered my plants?” Like, really?! 😅

I have a strong dislike for Crocs—the plastic shoes, that is. I believe it is based solely on their shape/form. Do that makes me a bad person?

This weekend I mowed the backyard twice, yesterday and today. Between biking, and mowing, I surpased 10,000 steps each day. That equates to over 8 kilometres per day. I am tired, but feel good. Kind of weird, but true.

With so many disasters around the globe, so many conflicts, every little bit helps to bring sustainment to those in need. Anyone can do that, through Red Cross, for as little as $10.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission.

Please, considering donating to the Red Cross, and/or the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Last week I spent 11h 21m screen time on all my devices (a Mac, and an iPhone). The tally goes: 6h 57m on iPhone, 6h 38m on Mac. That’s just macOS and iOS “vanilla” apps almost exclusively. Most macOS apps do not get recorded—perhaps because my Mac runs macOS Monterey. For example, I spend a lot of time on Teams, Chrome, and iTerm2 under macOS during work days, but none of it gets recorded.

A gas station offering a receipt after pumping, and then never providing it and showing a “Please see attendant” message drives me nuts. JUST STOP OFFERING RECEIPTS!

This specific one I use, because it is closer to home, does the same in all pumps—yes, I tried them all to see, on different occasions, of course. Ugh!

Came back from riding the bike with dad. Told Kim we rode around 5 kilometres. “Riding on the road is dangerous!”—she says. “We rode on sidewalks.” “It is dangerous”—she repeats, “Please, don’t do it again.”

Yet, if I don’t do it, she will say “You are too sedentary, need to move more.” Damned if I do, damned if I don’t. 😂

Haven’t played Diablo IV the whole week. Way too busy at work, and I have gone biking each day afterwards, and ended up too tired for anything else. Maybe I’ll play a bit tonight, after the TV is left alone. Right now some Chinese drama plays, I can hear it from the office room.

I just got my chores handed to me, so I must hurry up to beat the rain and bike, and then rush home, shower, and get to chop, chop, chop!

If only I was a Horse, and not a Monkey! Damn you, opposable thumbs! 😂

Today was a bad day. Not horrible, as I am alive, but bad. Other than being pretty busy at work, juggling a couple of things that aren’t going the right way, I am having a pain on my neck, extending to my upper back—probably just neck pain, that’s been felt further from it—that’s driving nuts.

Will bike before it rains, and then take a very hot back to see if that makes me feel better.

I can’t believe that it has already been 22 years since the 11 September terrorist attacks. I remember seeing the one on the Twin Towers as it was happening on TV; we all stopped working, and watched in disbelief. I will never forget.

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!

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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 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. 😩

This dilemma came to mind. Should I enjoy an uninterrupted weekend (well, I still must fold clothes, but that’s unavoidable, unless I find a wish granting genie), or should I use tomorrow to mow the lawn, and forget about it for the entire next week?

If I were to find a wish granting genie, then I will ask more than having the clothes folded, but also to mow the lawn. If you are reading this, genie, don’t cross my path! You already know what awaits…

My weekend starts in around 45 minutes from now. Work closing for game day, taking tomorrow off, and then Saturday, Sunday, and Labour Day Monday! Ohhhh yeaaaah!

Sooo sleepy! Alarm set to 12:55, will power nap during lunch because I don’t know if I will, otherwise, be able to make it. Mental note, do not take allergies medicines after 18:00, but at noon instead.

Looks like Idalia will not pass close enough to merit a university close down. Local colleges are doing so, though. Experience tell us that is a best to err on the safe side.

Update: 20 Feb 2026 @ 18:22:26

And UCF is following the rest; it’s closing! Woot!

We survived the weekend, alone, without the boy. Now onto the working week. Got to mow the wilderness that is our backyard, this week. Soon after I will have to do the same for the front. It never ends!

Boy is leaving for a week to the Keys before classes start again. Here comes a week of worries.

Feeling rather meh. One of those things that happen after taking a long break, or after taking a short one. Or just simply meh.