State of the state
Or something like that. What's going on online and offline...
First, welcome aboard all new followers here, though I do recommend you follow @Chuff instead as that's the main place I post if'n you really want to see what's occupying the echo chamber between my ears.
Speaking of #wafrn , anyone know of anyone providing hosted instances? Some time in the future I expect to replace this blog with a personal Wafrn. Kinda a big deal as #friendica has been my primary #Fediverse software for years, whether on someone else's instance or my own.
Life, there's not much to talk about, work, kill time, work, that's about it. Every now and then the fact that I'm growing old slaps me in the face, like last Sunday. At around 0300, I got up to use the bathroom, checked my apps and found Amazon was throwing money around. Well Ok, guess I'm working, day 6, leaving the house at 0330, few hours of work, then home, nap and errands, perfect. Grabbed second breakfast on my way home, and found I couldn't nap. That took a few days to recover from. That on top of my main gig burying me in work. Yay.
Valentine's Day came and went, me and Vik never really did much for it, so was just another day for me. Wrapping up the process of moving my investments that I inherited, the whole process will likely take to around the end of the year, only because the courts will have to be involved in some of that due to the lack of a will or TOD. Also getting my taxes done, same company, that took a while, joint return, and couldn't find Vik's 2024 so that might complicate things a touch.
Got a flea market coming up, I'm actually prepaid for tables at Sunset Hills flea market at their community center for Mar, Apr and May. Still have to sell stuff here, running into problems on that front, each time I think the comics are sold, it falls through, and books should be a fairly easy matter. Once those are gone along with giving his mom's stuff to his family, this place will be mostly cleared out, so once legal matters are done we can downsize.
Speaking of downsizing, I think I know where I'm going to wind up, prolly somewhere around IllFallon... I mean O'Fallon, IL. Not real far from here, and certainly not really closer to my family, but I have to say I like that area. That's where I was delivering for Amazon, at O'dark 30, and gotta say, despite not being able to see things and mostly running in and out of suburbs, I gotta say I like it over there. I think somewhere over there or a little bit east, between I64 and I70 will likely be where I wind up. It feels comfortable, if feels like somewhere I could easily move in and just feel right. I've actually seen a property I like in Edwardsville on Marketplace, but that one would be best if'n my family would want to join me. Its not a large property, but its kinda triangular with one corner and the address in a cul-de-sac, and one side on another street. Could buy it chop it up and have street facing for three houses. But, the property has been on Marketplace for a while, so its either a zombie ad, something is wrong with the property, or its a scam. Oh well, obviously time will tell, but we'll see.
March of the Covers is going on, just like this time last year, however this one is happening over on my Wafrn, just look for the hashtag #March-of-the-Covers or follow Chuff. Posts may get occasionally boosted over here. And as always we're building a playlist over on YouTube.
Pictures of me from the WebCam always look so far away, maybe if'n I move it to the shelf over there...
Nah, only improvement is that the camera isn't looking down at me. Oh well, at least y'all can see that I'm bald again, I did that for the new month after not cutting for 2+ months.
Any other news... Well, I'm recovering. Anyone with sense knows that eating at Jack In the Box is risky, but the food is so good... In a junky guaranteed bad for you way, which is why I grabbed breakfast for dinner last night on the way home. Considering how much of a fiasco things were at that store, my order took over 10 minutes to be made, I prolly should've expected this morning, but... Oh well, spent way too much time in the bathroom, limped off to work for a nice light day, then came home napped for an hour or so.
So, that's really everything going on in my #life , what about y'all?
Andrew Pam likes this.
Chuff² reshared this.
First step into the future
And honestly something I should've done a while ago.
Just got my Tello sim, sure, my phone can use an e-sim, but just do a search for problems with those. Yeah, I think I'll stick to my physical sims thank you very much. Any how, what comes now is that once my old phone is charged, I'm going to move my Verizon sim back to that one, and put the Tello in my current phone and port Vik's / @Vik-Thor / Lirleni Hankeshe number to it. I'll prolly have to update my phone number with all my gig apps, maybe tweak a few other things here and there, but we should be up and running by the end of the weekend (Monday), just in time for work.
Honestly I should've done this a while ago, I've had his number sitting at Verizon paying... I'm not sure how much a month, in case I want to recover his phone. Frankly I don't think I'm going to be able to recover it, I can get his iCloud through the courts, and we're going with that as we have some other matters that will require the courts for any how, so might as well save the money. Plus according to Verizon I only use around 12G of data for work, so we'll see how well a prepaid works, unlimited data only because its like $2-3 more than a 15G plan. If it doesn't work, I can just swap the SIMs around, and try again maybe with someone else down the road.
I don't think switching from Verizon will really save me that much, the package deal I have going is saving me on Internet and streaming, and I'll prolly lose both of those if'n I leave, so that'll likely eat up any savings I have, but still, I hate spending money unnecessarily. Oh, and there is a prepaid version of the 5G home internet, so that might be a cheap alternative, that just leaves the streaming service, and... Ehhh, not sure I need it. Besides, π΄ββ οΈ is always an option.
So, in a couple hours, assuming I'm not napping (tired from clearing the driveway), we'll start the process and see how many things break.
diana π³οΈβ§οΈπ¦ likes this.
So, 2026
So on my third try of selling Vik's comic collection, and this one might happen, yay. That'll make some room, and once @RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist chooses any books he wants, that'll start going, and we'll get some space.
Its a little frustrating how much stuff there is to clear, but there's a story there. We had some low points in Phoenix, I'm undoubtedly somewhat to blame for that, I've never been great at sticking to a job, and I tend to create chaos. That said, I would work more if'n I could, sell off anything I could, I mean I really have never been attached to things, people, etc, particularly things since my bankruptcy, resulting in a house where maybe 20% of the stuff here is mine. Yeah, really, and that was before his mom passed, and he pulled in a lot of her stuff. Need to get someone from the family to come get a lot of this stuff, between just photos, quilts and her birds, I'll prolly have enough to fill a minivan
With that in mind, lots to sell here, and a great desire, a very great desire, to down size. Still considering the future, both location, likely Illinois, though there's a slim chance of Maryland, and likely building a house, maybe a tiny home, I mean I already know I don't need more than 900 sq ft, and could do as little as 600. An estate sale isn't really an option, companies like that really expect volume and/or stuff people want to buy... A few collectibles, no antiques, and Ikea furniture at best isn't really their thing. So, we'll be at the first three flea markets at Sunset Hills community center, those are... March, April and May I think, I've already paid for my spaces, but I do need to touch base as I haven't received an info packet or anything like that, but it might be too soon, we'll see.
So yeah, really clearing a lot out of here, not because I didn't love him, but because I need some space. Honestly, we were two train wrecks holding each other up, I started taking care of the finances because he just basically operated on a make and spend model, I made things work while he did what he wanted, on the other hand, I couldn't be trusted to stay at a job which didn't help, so he was the breadwinner.
I will say I'm loving this day and age, I do the type of work I like, without the constraints of a typical job, which fits my instability well. These days I basically do the same job as UPS, but using my phone, my car, and a gig app, and come and go as I please, if'n I get tired of deliveries, there's plenty of remote work out there. Or I'm thinking of getting a 3D printer and making things, find an artist so I can start a series of cryptid traffic signs, lots of ways to make money out there thanks to tech.
like this
Wafrn love
Gotta say, as I expand into Wafrn... Spread like mold? I keep finding stuff I like, from being able to bite people, after all pokes are boring, or the barking and confetti when I woot, yes, woot not toot, and other cute things, then there's the little details...
Believe strongly in alt text?
Its default required in the settings, you have to go and turn it off, or your media posts won't send without having something in there.
Sharing links?
Sure, it sucks that you can't see the preview until after you post, but things like GoComics which never shows a thumbnail or synopsis here on Friendica works perfectly.
I think @gabboman the wafrn dev could prolly use some help on the project, but so far, what it does have works really nicely.
like this
reshared this
Y'all might've noticed a drop in posts
Starting today I'm using my Wafrn more, but it won't completely replace this place. At the very least, this will still be my blog, at least unless I find a better platform for that. Oh, and following pod people (Disapora users), at least until they move to something ActivityPub. And RSS feeds.
So, what does Wafrn lack that Friendica has?
Categories, useful as I can share links to just part of my blog here
Diaspora compatibility
Feed reader, this is one of the neatest features here, they show up in your timeline just like anyone else you follow
Hashtag auto complete/suggestion, kinda useful so we don't wind up with a thousand variations on the same thing
Link display in post creation window, if you paste a link into the creation box on Friendica or Mastodon, it displays the summary so you can see what the post will look like, Wafrn, you have to wait until your post is on your dashboard
No following or followers list
What's it missing that I want?
Queue function like Tumblr, something that Friendica has made clear they see no point in
An easy way to share internet links. This one isn't on Wafrn, for Friendica and Mastodon I use an extension on Firefox, I think this is a fork, of the older FediShare extension, and this one I don't think is supported as it seems to be a bit out of date on what services it supports. It'd be nice to see someone take over it and maintain it as its useful for sharing things.
Other bugs/glitches?
Relatively minor stuff, tried to upload a video that was possibly too big and got no error, just no video attached to the post.
If you search for someone then follow them, the page doesn't refresh the button status, the follow button doesn't become an unfollow, rather it stays a follow button
Seriously, that's a long list of nitpicks really, and like stuff @gabboman the wafrn dev will likely fix as time goes on since Wafrn is young, and none are a deal breaker. I'll prolly switch to hosted Wafrn instant at some point in the future, just have to figure out costs and what I want to do with this place.
like this
Chuff² reshared this.
we need to do soo many things, we have a big list.
Regarding following rss, i think bridgy had something that allowed you to follow RSS.
I could try doing something about it but ΒͺΒͺΒͺΒͺΒͺΒͺΒͺΒͺ another thing to factor in
@gabboman the wafrn dev I can imagine, not even to a full version yet, right? I figured none of that stuff has any chance of happening any time soon, but hey, a pup can wish, right? And the Fedishare extension thing is kinda unrelated, though it does annoy me that that extension isn't maintained considering how little maintenance it'd need.
Not sure if'n it'd help with either the Diaspora or the RSS feed thing, but IIRC, the original developer of Friendica created a library of modules to be used in Fediverse apps on GitHub, SocialHome and one other use some of the bits.
As to the list, I think it depends on goals, want to stand out, consider the queue function, prolly fairly easy thing to add, and useful as its main purpose is flood control.
Bring it up to Mastodon/et al features, add some manner of follower/followers management and/or fix the hashtag thing.
Want to kill Diaspora? Add compatibility.
Really this is a wish list, and if'n any of it happens, cool, if not, oh well, just impacts what will be my main Fediverse app
Eating breakfast, hashbrown, oatmeal and a breakfast sandwich as I can't be bothered to cook anything more complicated, reach for my coffee... Where is it? Oh yeah, forgot to make it, we really need the coffee this morn.
Not much on the docket #today , work of course, weather is supposed to rain, bleah, and I think I might have my hated sub-zone today based on money and package count that's waiting for me, yay.
Prolly go in early after eating and taking care of a few minor things. Will have to buy lunch as I forgot to thaw out a sandwich last night, oops. Do you get the impression that I was knackered last night and still haven't recovered? Yeah, me too.
like this
reshared this
You know, going on 30 years of delivery work, while i haven't seen everything, surprises are few and far between, but seeing an apartment complex screw up their numbering is a new one. Previous building was 1008, 1010, 1012, 1014, just like all the other buildings. This one? 1016, 1016A, 1018, 1020... Ummm, did someone miscount or something?
EDIT
Added categories, realized I took a crappy picture, guess what I get for moving so fast, 93 stops, 95 packages, 6hrs 20min.
like this
Andrew Pam likes this.
And now its 2026
And I expect it'll be a better one, I'll prolly jinx m'self if'n I claim it can't get worse, but after a year where my husband died less than a month after my birthday, and two or so months later the room mate had to put his cat down, the cat we took care of because she didn't like him..
Yeah, its been a hell of a year. Its not that there can't be other losses, there will be at some point in the future, but with older family members, its sorta expected that you'll outlive them, that's just life, but when they're only 5 or so years older? Yeah, I was starting to rough out plans for our retirement, with an expectation of at least another decade together, hopefully two.
So what's the plan this year?
As someone wisely said, do I look like I have a plan?
Ok, seriously, not much, clear this place out, fix it up (anyone know a good contractor in #stl ?) a little bit, and downsize, the latter likely resulting in me moving out of state, because Republican states suck, but not sure where I'm going, likely Illinois, but Maryland and Pennsylvania are also possibles. First step of clearing this place out was done yesterday, rented two tables at the Sunset Hills community center for the first three flea markets, March, April and May, and while I'll still be selling stuff before that, that'll be when I really get things going.
Speaking of selling, anyone need any clothing?
Any how, that's about all, other than maybe building an electric kei van, finally found an engine small enough. Yes, small enough, there's something you never here with an engine swap.
And now, onwards with #today , grocery shopping and... Pack a few more things up for shipping.
like this
reshared this
π΄ Seph π πΎ likes this.
I want to know what's up with electric charging in Missouri
Its bad enough that we have very few chargers here, but the weird part is we're not getting any new. Seriously, was just checking a site showing new chargers in the area or coming, EVGo has four coming in, all on the Illinois side, on the Missouri side, the good news is we're getting three Ionna stations... The bad news is that two of them I know as replacements for current stations, a Francis energy at Wally's, and the chargers at Schnucks in Warrenton. I'd really like to know why we're not getting chargers, even companies like Circle K who has there own charging network, and is expanding here (I know of three new stations coming in), isn't installing any chargers at the new or existing stations. Ditto for WalMart who's building their own network.
#electric car
like this
So no real blogging tonight
Didn't get to it this morn either, actually didn't surf the web at all, just wasn't feeling it, and won't be bothering tonight. Woke up a bit meh, dragged and ran errands before going to work a bit early, including hitting MickeyD's as I had a craving.
Tonight is much the same, mostly skipping the web, I'm tired, and my shoulder hurts bad. Ice and reading.
Reading is the big reason, although some of the stories I'm tracking on FiM Fiction do have updates, I'm not feeling it, so I started reading some of my Read It Later stories. Right now I'm on the 5th chapter of A Phoenix Beyond the Veil - The Philospher's Stone, and I'm rather taken with it.
Sunset Shimmer in the Harry Potter universe isn't unknown, but it isn't super common. However, those always use canon SS, a teenager who uses a portal mirror after the mirror showed her a future where she was an Alicorn, because Princes Celestia won't make her one. This one is more mature, what if anything she saw wasn't brought up, instead, she's gotten fed up with Celestia not teaching her like she used to, so she decided to go somewhere else where she can learn more. None of the desire for alicornhood, nor a plan to conquer Equestria, just a desire to learn more. Despite expecting to come out of a statue by a high school, what happened in canon, she comes out of a mirror in the Grainger household, something she blames on Philomena, her pet phoenix that came with her, because she perched on the top of the mirror where the focus is before they used it.
Any how, I'm finding the writing to be to my taste, and while SS is overpowered, the way they're handling it is quite good, she's happy to learn, experience new things, and help people. It makes it quite enjoyable to see how she interacts with the world.
What really has me engaged at the moment? I just reached the point where she tells Hermine's parents that she can give them magic, or more correctly, she can unblock their thaumic passageways. Apparently this is a known problem in Equestria, and she's been reading an advanced medical magic book, and feels capable of fixing it for them. Interesting idea, muggles, or at least muggles that have magic capable children, are capable of magic themselves but have a malady that stops them, wonder where this'll lead.
like this
So, today didn't end the way I expected
And I'm still processing.
Was sitting in traffic when a car came flying up through the grass behind and to the right, flipping and throwing a part into the road. At first the first person there didn't think the driver was still in the car, so I threw on my safety vest, and got the biggest part out of the road before it causes another accident.
After realizing the driver was still in there, under the supervision of an ER nurse who'd stopped, we started working on getting her out so CPR could be done, but it was only the two of us and I can't lift much. We did get her from wedged between the front seats to the back seat face down before the cops got there, and i supported her so she didn't fall between the front and back seats, while they got her out so CPR could be performed. She did have a pulse when they got her in the ambulance, so she might survive.
I wound up taking a shower when I got home, because I'd been kneeling in vomit and even after taking off my clothes I could still smell it.
So that was how my day ended. Not sure how I feel right now, aside from sore as my upper back was already hurting, and my shoulders are now, but I already was going to chiro tomorrow, so no big deal. Besides, as I told the nurse, a little back pain is a small price to pay for saving a life.
Still, I'm kinda processing the whole thing as you can imagine.
like this
scholar_farmer reshared this.
we had a house on a dangerous curve β there were a couple of times we had to go running up the hill to help.
That mixture of proud but horrified never changes IMHO
π΄ Seph π πΎ likes this.
That's way more dramatic than when I recently rescued an adolescent gallah that fell out of its nest. Sadly, it's wing was so damaged the wildlife rescue hospital had to put it down. I felt horrible.
If I had left the bird where it was, it would have died near the tree it knew with mama nearby, albeit after some suffering. My transporting it caused the bird plenty of trauma, but in the end it shortened its suffering. I kept thinking maybe I hadn't done it much of a service. But then I thought, if my efforts could save it, it would have enjoyed a longer life. Perhaps it was worth a hopeful effort.
Thank you for being the sort of person who stops and helps.
β€ β€ β€
Bellarome
in reply to π΄ Seph π πΎ • • •