Spoke Too Soon

I'm having all sorts of trouble getting a stable connection.  Not fun.  Wish me luck, I think I need it.  And I think I will be returning the computer.  We'll see after this factory image restore and what HP's Natesh says when he calls back in an hour.
-Typed with one fat finger on my wife's iPhone.

Back Online!

I'm back!

When we shut down the computer on Monday night all was well.  When we started it up again after work on Tuesday it was slower than molasses.  I tried everything - and I mean everything - that I could think of to try and fix the problem.  I worked on it Tuesday night and Wednesday night to no avail.  Absolutely nothing helped.  I even called computer-savvy StepDan and he couldn't think of anything that I hadn't tried yet.  So I went out after work yesterday and got a new one. 

Now the real work begins.  I have things set up and stable enough to use, but we will be fine tuning and learning how to use the new PC for weeks.  A major pain, but I'm sure we'll adapt.  I'm okay with the new mouse, but I think I'm going to go back to the old keyboard.  This one is too flat.

But for now, I got some catching up to do!  PTFO

Offline

I'm roughing it with a broken Internet machine. Back ASAP. Typing this on my wife's phone is a pain in the rump!

Peeps, Part Two

Last night we had our friends over for a fire pit, drinks and snacks.  Always fun to do, and it is a holiday weekend, after all.  I also had a lot of little sticks and bark I wanted to get burned up. Turned out pretty well.  While mosquito season is peaking, there was a good breeze and smoke to keep them at bay.  Also it wasn't a real hot day so sitting by the fire was more comfortable than it could have been.

It's been over two years since the original Peep incident (see the original video here), and last night Terry was ready to try and make lightning strike twice.  Well, I don't know if it matches the spontaneity of the first video, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

This And Thats

It has come time again to drop all sorts of little nuggets about this or that going on in our life recently.

• I've been overdue to update the garden site.  We've had a lot of rain recently and the plants have been growing well.  According to our rain gauge, we had about 8.5 inches in a 4 day stretch last week, and some pretty severe storms.  I got home one day and the street was blocked off just past our house due to downed branches and phone, cable and power lines.  There were similar or worse scenes all around the region.  I wanted to post about it but I don't want to show my neighbor's houses.  I can choose to post our own house, but even then I've blocked out the street numbers before.
• Speaking of the garden - well, I started to - salad greens have been ready and we got some more from a friend so we have been eating a lot of salads lately.  Kate has been eating more than I since I tend to tire of them after a couple days.  Steaks on the grill tonight!
• I'm taking a bit of time off this week and I really have nothing planned.  No projects, no nothing.  I'm starting to feel a bit guilty about being lazy, but I really need my batteries recharged.  I've been almost constantly training in one thing or another at work since last August and my brain is tired.  I have a U.D.O. concert dvd that I haven't watched yet - there, now I have plans tomorrow.
• I got a laugh from this fact about Wisconsin, via a very interesting article at Huffington Post that my wife pointed out to me:  'With a population of 5,664,893, Wisconsin has only 57 fewer drinking places (3,043) than California (3,100), a state with a population of 39,969,200.'  And 'Wisconsin had nearly three times more bars than grocery stores.'  It is an interesting article that covers a lot of things we're known for here, and not just drinking.
• We've had fun getting together with friends for fun and family for Father's Day recently.  We were going to have our spring party last weekend, but a few weeks ago, right before we started plans in earnest, we got a flier on our door for the 3rd annual street block party.  Just the same, the timing wasn't the best for us this year to throw a big shindig like we have almost every year since we moved here.  We have not gone up to the street's block party (held on the next block) yet, it seems like it is more of a families with kids thing.  Or maybe that's just an excuse.  I like to think we are friendly with most all our neighbors, but we are actually pretty private, too.

I've left this for a bit and come back after a wonderful grilled tenderloin steak dinner.  I really thought that I had more to say.  I'll probably think of a half dozen more things after I hit 'publish.'  Good thing I have a couple more days off...

Latest Listening Pleasure 16 - Sebastian Bach

I didn't really like Skid Row, but I admit to liking selected songs, mostly years later. When it comes down to it, I liked the singer, the band not so much. Sebastian Bach has had arguably the better career since the split, yet he seems to think a reunion would make them millionaires again or something. I just know what I like, I like Sebastian Bach more than the band he was in, or even much of his solo stuff... Well, there is some real good stuff on his solo albums and he is a great metal frontman and gives it his all. I do see what all the detractors see, but I have respect Sebastian Bach.  Enough that he is now one of my LLPs!  In fact, this is probably the best lyric video that I have seen to date, off his latest release 'Give 'Em Hell.'


This next video, 'Temptation,' is actually the first single of the new album. It features Duff McKagan who also played on some of the album.


*I found this in my drafts from a few weeks ago so I must have been drinking when I wrote it.  In fact, I did post the first video recently, but now it's official - Sebastian Bach is a latest listening pleasure!  Enjoy!


Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat

FYI: Fun Youtube Info

You can download a youtube video by adding ss between www. and youtube.  Example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b8It9_iV58

just add 'ss'

https://www.ssyoutube.com/watch?v=9b8It9_iV58

Just click to go on to the website, wait for it to load, then click download.  There's even different formats to choose from.  It really works and it's pretty fast, so if you have a need for your own copy of a video then have fun with it!

Power Naps

I saw this video recently and it made sense to me.  I've actually been doing this for a couple years now, I get a 35 minute lunch and I go straight to the car, set a timer for 30 minutes, turn the radio on really low and lay back with my hat over my eyes.  All year round, too, so there are some accommodations for weather.  It started when my back was aching as a chance to rest it during the day, now I needs me nap!


Not a whole lot going on right now.  There are some things I should take the time to write about so there may be a 'This and Thats' post soon.  The helicopters are done falling so I need to clean the gutters, and the squirrels have been leaving the new strawberry plants alone.  Oh, and after enjoying several weeks of temperatures moderate enough to leave the windows open we may have to start the air conditioner soon.  Maybe even tonight.  This week is to be warm and humid all week.  Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.

Cat in a Basket

Hamish, left, looking at Kate while Basil wants in on whatever's happening.