gemini://gemini.mingmengtou.org/2022-07-19-catching-up.gmi

time is the fire in which we burn: still trying to find strategies to be better organised:-) todoist is the front runner for now: runs on all my devices and os. as indeed does simplenote; i use nvalt in MacOS and this syncs with simplenote.

managing and working on family project to split house to finance care for an elderly relative, and build me a home. building material costs apparently starting to stabilize but getting things done still taking longer that it did. two sets of new services: i've done a lot of trenching lol.

forty-two: name of what was the garage and guest bedroom of family house now being developed as my home.

may and june manic but family project calming down a little so i'm making space for exercise and music again.

finished an exploratory no expectations non-relationship with an ex-partner. same shit still the same shit and me held guilty of holding the view that the same shit continues and is an issue WTF! of course i cannot be blameless myself and i have exhibited insanity by thinking anything might be better than it was before.

lost access to sewing machines due family guests long stay in the room these were in; but now re-connected:-) much hemming for older relative who needs shorter trouser legs, and clothes tagged for care-home residence (i make cotton bias tape, use alphabet sewing mode to put on name, sew to clothes). patched some merino tops where worn-through by rucksack friction. velcro added to pockets of walking, hiking trousers to stop stuff falling out of them. other small mending tasks.

6 weeks of an aviation ground support: now stopped. it was too intense and distracted me from what has to me my main task: family project.

found out that labouring on building work needs brains, experience, and muscle: i short on all lol.

still dabbling in awk, rust, and now raku (possibly i may be able to write and read it:-)).

using Logitech MX Ergo trackballs: work well. multi-machine useful.

got an RPi4-2Gb and metal case: overclocking to 1.8 and 650 for the GPU. runs at 45 deg.

revisited web-scraping aviation weather reports and reformatting these for better mobile view.

set up home office around refurbished Dell i7, dual monitor, dual booting Xubuntu, Windows 10 (only because W10 came with the machine not because i needed, wanted, intend to use). absolutely great value machine.

MacBookProM1 damaged by me spilling wine over it (note to self to stop putting on the table during meal!). right-side ports trashed along with fingerprint pad. in for repair so i should get it back in a few weeks fully working again:-)

running again 2-3 times a week: short runs, some intervals.

VO2Max not as low as i expected after about 6 weeks of not running. was 46 in april, slipped to 42, back to 43 after a week of runs.

short bass practices possible again: arpeggios over Dm7 G7 (II V) and of course autumn leaves progressions for now.

using Harrison Mixbus 32C on Linux: Ubuntu Media distribution over Xubuntu on i7. latency is at least as good as on my last i9 iMac if not better. ssl 2+ interface instead of retired focusrite claret because focusrite just could not get their shit together to have their kit work on MacOS!

work, James Suzman: yet again! i cannot recommend this book highly enough! thought provoking and rigorous.

Power, Sex, Suicide, Nick Lane. a bit long in places but overall useful and interesting. i do not however agree with Lane's comments about eukaryote evolution being as special as he says: look at James Webb images, work out the number of niches for any life, we cannot be that special! i very much doubt that we are the only multi-cellular lifeforms in the universe, this galaxy, or even for that matter this solar system.

neil in gemini space

catching up - 2022-07-19

life

employment

computing

health and fitness

music

reading