< Notes...

Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Sunday night the kid and I watched “Skyfall” (★★★★☆) , I figure for the fourth time? It was the first, though, that I paid closed attention to remember some of the poem that Q recited (above), “Ulysses”, by Lord Tennyson.

Watched “Predator: Badlands” (★★★★☆) today; not too bad! It is a different twist on the Predator franchise, but I will not spoil it for you. If you have seen the earlier films, this one is definitely worth watching.

Just like on this one, kid asked me last night to mention five characters’ names from the “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” series we just saw. Should I see a doctor if I could only remember the names of the two main protagonists? 😅

We saw so many movies, and series, during the holidays that I would be dropping notes for a while, should I remembered them all. I better wait until I see them the second time.

Each time I tell the kid he should upgrade his iPhone because critical security fixes were released, he jokes, and complains, and tells me all his friends are using even older iOS and nothing ever happens to them. He tells me I am too paranoid. It annoys and concerns me quite a bit. I don’t want to be the proverbial shoemaker, whose children go barefoot.

Last note of 2025. Happy new 2026, everyone! We watched quite a few movies and series during this break. I will try to remember and recollect some of them later next year. Time, as always, seems to have slipped through fingers; simply incredible.

For the first time the boy isn’t spending the new year’s evening with us. There is a time for everything, right? Still, it feels odd, and we miss him very, very much. We miss the girl too.

This week’s end was a Marvel’s weekend with “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (★★★☆☆) , and “Thunderbolts *” (★★★☆☆) on our watched list. They were quite entertaining, as I was expecting them to be. But “🎶 now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain”, and fun is over. Working week starts tomorrow. Yay! 🤭

“You were specially selected to receive a GO2bank offer because you’ve used one of our banking products in the past OR you opted in to receive marketing from one of our trusted third-party partners. No credit check was performed, no one filled out an application on your behalf and no account was opened in your name. The card sent to you is not active and has no value until you choose to activate it and deposit money into your account.”

Kid received not one, but two of these offers on the mail today. Both have a full blown plastic, RFID chip, debit card in it. When someone wonder how, or why, the bank went belly up, remember this.

I am watching “Wednesday” (★★★★☆) with the kid. It is pretty entertaining, and the actor on the main role, Jenny Ortega, totally aces it. I had started to watch it alone when the first season came out, but Horsie diverted me elsewhere. Glad it happened, so that I can have a watching pal this time around!

Last Sunday the kid and I watched “The Mask” (★★★★☆) , which I have seeing numerous times before, but it was the first time for the kid. See, he doesn’t like comedies. He has a fairly strict taste when it comes to genre while me, on the other hand, give a chance to almost anything. Anyway, back to “The Mask”, he liked it! If only he would give other movies a chance…

My kid is one who often tells me, when I worry about his less-than-perfect password, “who cares, I have nothing to hide”. If you are one of those, please think again. I had a conversation, again, with the child about this last night.

“I find it fascinating when people say that they have nothing to hide. I usually jokingly say: unlock your phone and hand it to me. Your phone is a window to your life. Where a lot of people believe that it is possible to give full access to properly vetted authorities, in the world of security, when you open a door for one person, you incidentally open it to everyone.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

When I was in the military, I remember I once saw a fellow platoon mate wearing a nicely starched pass uniform (the one used when allowed to leave the base). On my next pass home I asked my mum if she could starch mine, which she did from there on. Today I recalled with love, and sadness, how much our parents (especially our mums) do for us throughout our lives. Waiting for “Mother’s Day”, or “Father’s Day”, to make mums and dads feel special doesn’t really cut it.

The worries of a parent never end. First one worries about been able to provide. Then one worries about them (children) been able to succeed. I see both worries as equally important. It reminds me how I feel when it comes to responsibility.

If I die tomorrow, or if I am dead today, know that I loved you very, very, very much. Know that my last sentient thought will be for you. Know that sadness doesn’t compare to what I feel in my last moments, not because I care about myself, but about you.

Tonight, before the kid and I engage on a mini-binge of “Jujutsu Kaisen” season 2, I will search and learn, at least, 10 character names. I am sick and tired of having him mock me because I can’t remember names. 😡

We spent the last four days in Manhattan, NYC. Apologies in advance for the notes about it that will soon follow. I myself like quieter, cleaner, cheaper cities. That is not to say I didn’t like it—I did!—but it wouldn’t be my first choice to live in. The kid, on the other hand, said he “wouldn’t mind it at all”.

A firefly taking flight. I played with these by the hundreds when I was a kid. My child has never seeing one in real life.

➝ Via Marcio Aleksandravicius.

And… the first two are here! Took a little over 1 hour to transfer data to mine. Kid’s will have to wait until after pickleball. The 16 Pro’s soooo buttery smooth. Oh my!

Today, for no reason at all, memories of the many times the kid and I saw “Monsters, Inc.” (★★★★★) when he was growing up came to mind. It was one of our favourite movies, one on which we bonded together. Good times!

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.

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.

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

Child tried a root beer float—with vanilla ice cream—for the first time on his life last night. “It smells funny. Medicinal, even”, was his reaction to root beer. Yup, that’s root beer, for sure!

Maybe my kid is right. Maybe I am becoming a boomer. I mean, eventually everyone that isn’t one will become one. No shame on that, just a fact. 😜