tmo

Snapped on the way to Schnucks

Small one on the verge of blooming in the background, if you notice

Got good ish at Schnucks, incl Cavendar's Greek Seasoning (finally in stock)

Other spices/herbs bought, too

Gotta change laundry loads

morning

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3:15 AM. Friday. June 24.

I slept OK, but couldn't get to sleep last night. Too much indigestion/heartburn. At 9:00 AM on the dot, I am going to call to have my stomach meds delivered. #1 Priority for me to do that this morning.

I managed to scarf down coffee + breakfast already this morning, because I need to get those things in my system before heartburn kicks back in.

I also cleaned up the kitchen, started dishes.

Decided to give LibreWolf a spin, too which I installed yesterday, and it seems to be working fine.

Around 6:00 AM I will go to Schnucks, get some essentials for the day. The staff there have re-implemented the mask policy, which I found interesting. I was never “anti-mask” (of course not), but I didn't see why the staff have it required of them, again. Omicron seems to be faded off? It seems we're (humans) are basically out of the woods with COVID and it's variants – either due to it being just a flat out endemic, but with all of us having (mostly) immunity to/from it (with vaccinations or/and simple overexposure TO it (e.g. the person had it already)). But, if Schnucks keeps the mask mandate in place (for them), that's fine. It's whatever. Customers aren't required to wear them.

Laundry will happen today, too. I am down to hiking shorts and a tank top for clothing. Everything else needs to be washed.

I considered (briefly) getting an external Apple Keyboard (without TouchID), and a small stand for this laptop, but I figure I will just wait until I can afford a decent monitor, and get the keyboard around (before) that time. And it likely wouldn't be an Apple Keyboard, either, because I want to easily change out the MacBook for a Linux machine at some point in the future, for sure.

But, I am not doing either of these things (monitor or keyboard) in July, because I will likely buy a Wool & Prince t-shirt. Those suckers run $70, but I need to replace my current black v-neck, because the armpits have holes ripped through them, and it (the current shirt I have now) has always been a “long” in terms of length. I think FotL calls it the “always tucked” series (longer in length, hence won't come untucked as easily), but as a t-shirt on it's own, it looks stupid. Haha. I still wore the thing for 2.5 years, so...

That's the only “thing” I am getting in July. Other stuff will be mandatory, must-have goods. I will try to knock out some things from the “Taking Stock” checklist, too.

This reminds me, I need to sign-in to LibreWolf (if I can) and import my Bookmarks + Web history, because not having a Web history here will drive me nuts. LOL! I am a “let the Web history pile up indefinitely” type of people. Never clearing cookies, none of that. I always regret clearing out old data from my local browser. Screws up the “flow” of how I use the Internet.

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Well, not oblivion. I texted some people and will likely hear back in a few minutes. One, I texted my sister, “C”, just to let her know that therapy went well. Just because. Two, I texted my best bud, “B”, to ask how his family (8-day) excursion went, because a bunch of his family members went to Yellowstone, while he stayed back in STL, cause he had “shit he needs to do”, as he put it. Haha.

I also texted my therapist and confirmed her e-mail, so I could send the “billionaire haiku series” her way, because I mentioned them in the session, and she wanted to read them. I mentioned that part in the last blog post, but now they have been sent :)

I also checked the MyChart (medical) app a moment ago, and read the full doctor's (NP) notes on the last visit, and I seem to be in good shape. The only possible thing she thinks that could be going on with the abdominal pain is some weird “condition” that begins with “D”. It is basically pockets of air that get trapped in the intestines, and sometimes become inflamed or/and infection. No idea what the game plan will be for IF that is what it is, but I have a CT scan scheduled for next Friday, so, I will find out.

All other numbers look good, though. My liver enzymes/triglycerides have gone back to normal levels (a very good thing – I once was on the verge of having Fatter Liver Disease (which is kinda slang, but it is formally called Non-Alcoholic “Sjsndfini”, whatever the hell it is called/spelled)). It was (is) weight loss that got that condition to go away, because it was the news OF that condition (as well as elevated A1C, and starting to become insulin-resistant, AKA borderline Diabetic), that I knew I HAD to start exercising and improving my diet. And I did. And continue to do. And things are going well (A1C is back down to a “normal” level now, too) :)

I took my psych med a bit ago, and I have to be honest, I have NOT been so consistent in taking this medication – either with the 40mg I was prescribed OR the 60mg I am prescribed now. I can't actually take it every day (within reason) because it causes such invasive indigestion, and a dreadful feeling of empty/hollowness in the pit of my stomach. The worst side effect of any med I have ever had (besides Sapphris, which was like having black cherry flavored vodka every time I look a dissolving lozenge – no idea what flavor had to do with the effects of the med, but every form of Sapphris was like that, and I fxxxing hated it, and I dreaded taking that pill every single day I was prescribed it (for 1.5 years)).

So there's some stuff I felt like sharing.

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I had an appt with my therapist a bit ago (over Google Duo). Was a nice chat, and she encouraged me to meditate 20 mins a day (which I will (try to do)). It is to address that fact that I am “keyed up” all the time – can't read books, can't watch movies, etc. I DO have concentration, and I never did have ADD/ADHD (we explored that possibility extensively when I was a teenager, it panned out to not be what was going on at that time). I just want to “move along” and not do ONE thing for prolonged periods. So, meditation might help.

I am also sending her the “billionaire haiku series', because I find them funny, and it is rare that I ever write any type of poetry, or haiku, or anything besides a journal entry.

Then, I went to Schnucks. Bought food because I didn't buy any when I was there earlier (just a couple soda). I figured: “I have food at home, no need for any this trip”, but then I got home and realized I was out of a lot, so I went back and got some after therapy was over.

My throat actually got strained when I was talking. Like, it began to “give out” at times, which shows how little I ramble IRL, with my actual vocal chords. I talk to people in “little spurts” here and there throughout the day (usually), but not in a non-stop fashion. Therapy, I do MOST of the talking (which is a good thing).

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Does anyone use Gemini? I know basically nothing about it, but I USE it, apparently, because I am a patron of Midnight.pub. It's a thing started by m15o (who is on W.a, too) and it uses the Gemini protocol.

Nice people there. It's empty some days, but as the day goes on, people always turn up and leave a message (blog post) here and there. It's less of a “blog + comments section” ordeal, and more of an “blog entry + socialize a bit” ordeal.

Kind of self-governed, because the patrons and community there is so small in numbers. I check in often, comment often, read nearly every post that gets written.

I'd call it an “oasis” on the Web, but everyone has that notion about this service or that, and sometimes it turns out to be true, other times it either “dries up” or gets flooded with negativity (to keep with the water terminology).

I'm glad it's there. Smol.pub (another m15o production) is good, too. But that is more formal blog posts, and no comments are available.

Stay well, all

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I use Firefox for nearly everything. On macOS, on Android (10, lol!), and it is the only browser I have used for 2+ years now. I don't use Chrome on Android, because Chrome doesn't really work that well on the Android phones I have had (continual crashing on the Pixel 3a (now sold off on Craigslist)). In fact, I always used DuckDuckGo browser on Android phones, because it “just works”. But now I use Firefox.

ANYWAY

I was looking around some bloggos, came across this post from lazybear.io, which is a blog I haven't seen in a while (wtg old browser history! :)), and I read his thing about LibreWolf, and decided to check out LibreWolf, itself, and wound up on the LibreWolf install page for macOS, and decided to give it a whirl.

It is successfully installed, but there were hiccups, indeed.

First, I went ahead and just tried running the command:

brew install --cask librewolf

...and I got several PAGES (it seems) in errors. I didn't know what I was doing wrong, so I copied the last error and pasted it into the DDG search bar, thinking: “come on, StackOverflow! Show me the nerd words and make all my problems go away!” Sure enough, they came through and said it was a network issue, and then I realized what I did wrong – I was trying to use Homebrew without having PDAnet activated on the MacBook. That's a long story, but I activated it, and then ran the above command again.

This time, a “tap” error. Another Copy > Paste job showed me (on StackOverflow, again) that I simply needed to run brew update and then brew upgrade, and then revisit my cask tapping duties, and everything should work fine.

And it did!

A screenshot:

(nice, clean, minimal)

I'll see what I can do with this browser (everything Firefox can do, apparently – it's just a privacy-centric fork). Moz://a IS a privacy-centric company, but they do a lot of ish that annoys me (such as the Google “Pinned” search feature in the browser drop-down bar (which cannot be UNpinned, the “pin” silhouette is simply there for cosmetic reasons)), as well as partnering with Miscrosoft for cookie tracking/data exchange...things – I don't know what the hell that is all about. I hope that isn't an issue with LibreWolf.

We'll see how this browser goes

back later

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...from here on this corner of the Web, to wherever you (reading this) may be – hello. Enjoy your evening, morning, afternoon, whenever it may be.

I'm off to have coffee and sky watch

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(the moon from a couple nights ago)

That's all. A picture.

The moon.

Bright in the sky.

Snapped a few nights ago.

Lovely nature.

Pleasant to see.

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Not in an appearance sense, I have body confidence or what have you, I mean I feel “ugly” in the mental way. Just sort of “dirty” in the sense that my mind feels sort of polluted from all kinds of junkie (both in a junk food sense, and a “smackhead” sense) stuff going around.

Be it blogs with embeds that do not work (the solution to which is to NOT embed shit in the first place – not troubleshoot until embeds do work), or everyone running their mouth about the divinity of TikTok (besides me, a handful of other people “set in their ways” online, or/and former social media junkies (I've met a gaggle of them online over the past couple years)), or people just generally trying to “reinvent the wheel” of just...communicating. It's dumb. I mean, people either CAN or CAN'T communicate, they either DO or DON'T “interact” with whomever they choose to (or NOT to) interact with.

But, it's fine (on the specific, nuanced, minutiae of whatever the hell is going on – it's whatever. New way to “XYZ” – awesome. Sell off the house for that shit). But I, personally, have to hear about it. Like, I am not YOU, so, be original and put something “good” into the world, instead?

I don't know. It's “ugly rambling” for me for now. I'll stop whining, I suppose.

back soon, and I'll try to be more positive next time

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So I'm cruising along the WWW, typing keyboard shortcuts into my browser, or prompts, I suppose – just a few letters here and there of what could suit my fancy for that moment. That exact second actually (like some neurologically charged, Internet fiend). And I think of Dlisted.com (an old gossip blog from back when, that is strangely still in operation), and I cruise a few pages, landing on this post about a “fancy McDonald's in Maine”.

Perfect. Weird, and stupid, and out-of-character, and (probably) fairly amusing to read about.

I click the story, I scroll down a bit, and (like a story I had read on Dlisted a moment before that), it is full of embeds. This time, to TikTok. Before that it was Instagram. True fact; embeds do NOT WORK AT ALL if one does not have an account on those services! I have no Instagram, so the embeds were some “photo” icon, instead. I'm better off, but why include an embed for anything that the person has to have an active (and logged in!) account with in order to see?

Here's a screenshot of the McDonald's post (without embeds):

(looks ridiculous and unprofessional)

Like, is that what “pro” blogging as devolved into? Just embedding dumb stuff people share on social media? Isn't social media sort of “anti-blog” in many ways?

I sort of see it (the “media scenario” the Internet is in right now) as this:

• WWW comes alive. People start to get online. Media pubs/orgs are not “really there”, yet.

• people do their thing, have blogs, communicate, become “a thing”

• media pubs/orgs get “established” online, need some (or all!) of that blog traffic

• more people turn up to news pubs/orgs sites instead of blogs

• social media wills itself into existence

• social media rakes in all of “the people” online

• news pubs/orgs rely on social media platforms to have traffic

• everyone loses in the end (except those who absolve themselves of trends)

So, it is kind of like the guy taking aim at the back of the head, of the guy taking aim at the back of the head of the guy in front of him.

But that's as I see it.

Nevertheless, life goes on

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