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The East coast ping pong table is up and running again. Retirement plaque for the Public Works Officer.

The second year of a pandemic seems more kind to Halloweenish fun than the first. For Friday's school Historical Halloween she was kickass Jeanne/Jean Baret/Barret/Baré (1740–1807), botanist and first woman to circumnavigate the global (disguised as a man on Louis-Antoine de Bougainville’s 1766–1769 expedition). For today/tonight's choice she was inspired by 2013s mega-meme-Ylvis-zeitgeist-experience The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?).

Wakey-wakey

This would not make it past the legal department anymore.

Sorry Todd. Families are complex. RIP Ann and my condolences to your dad.

Finally at the point I can use the Roubo bench I’m making as a bench. Need to tweak the fit of the top a little and finishing building the vice leg and deadman.

I was at my partner’s great-uncle’s funeral this past weekend. He was the patriarch of the clan. Heather’s family is Scottish: he came over after Korea, with his wife from Jersey (a story in and of itself). He was bigger than life in some ways, and kind and decent, and everything I’ve heard says to me that I’m sad I didn’t get to meet him. It was sorrowful, and happy in remembrance, and I got to see her family again (they have absolutely welcomed me, and I appreciate them so much). I wore my Drive Extra Flat. I wore it because I thought “boy, this watch is beautiful on my dresser, but leaves me cold on the wrist, but selling a watch is such a pain in the ass so I never have done so, so I should probably wear it.” At the wake, after, the youngest adult grand-daughter of the decedent, whom I adore (vibrant, smart, fun as hell, striking out on her own at the end of her college career in secondary education and the first openly gay member of the family) kept looking at my wrist (jacket off and sleeves rolled up). I of course noticed. She finally got around to asking what the watch was, because she just was fascinated and loved it. I took it off and handed it to her and told her what it was and said “try it on.” There have been a few times where I have seen somebody’s life just shift a little by an object. I of course immediately said it was hers. Sending the box and papers off to her tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll wear it for the rest of her life, and she’ll remember me every time she puts it on, when I’m long gone. I have a form of “seller’s remorse” now, of course: it was so damned pretty on my dresser! Thought the ‘case watch people would like the little story. Watches aren’t worth anything if they aren’t worn. [Edits because I got some of the family details wrong as I thought about it.]

You're reference map of Australia is a bit off. Other than that it looks fantastic! 😛

Created, Written, Produced, and Directed by Stephen Merchant? And throw in Christopher Walken? I'll give it a shot.

Doug/Naaman, of what language are you speaking? Sounds Dothraki to me.

Time Clocks Joe Bonamassa 2021 Example:

My PC is starting to fail me, but I'm not sure that I'm even going to replace it. I do 99% of everything on my phone today.

Hey Ric @blessingx, what is Esme's costume this year?

This is exactly how I use my 16”. It lives on my desk at work during the week with an external 4K monitor and comes home with me on weekends or when I go on the road. I think the biggest thing you’ll miss with laptop + monitor vs iMac is that the iMac will likely have some amazing 27” (or bigger) ProMotion HDR display. The iMac also may get more cores/GPU but these M1 Pro/Max MBPs already fly.

Condolences to you and your family Todd.

Still clunking along on my 2014 27" iMac, which can't run any new versions of MacOS going forward. Pretty sure there will be a M1-powered iMac Pro along in the Spring next year, but I'm kinda tempted by the additional flexibility of a MacBook Pro + external monitor, even if I'd be using the laptop docked like 80+ percent of the time. And I could get that right naow, which is always better than waiting to be gratified. OTOH, I've been an iMac guy since the G4 lamp days and change is scary ...

Please accept my condolences for your loss, Todd. Godspeed, Ann… Sam

I'm sorry, Todd. Condolences. RIP Ann.

Condolences to Chris, Todd, and everyone else who has lost someone they care about recently.

More condolences Todd for you and your family. RIP Ann.

Stretch hit it on the head. More of the same.

Now this is a drum solo-

Sorry for your loss Todd. May you, your father and the combined families find peace.

Condolences, Todd.

Condolences Todd. RIP Ann.

Persian Love Cake and Marina Side Tea

That’s one fucking lucky dog.

Yes, it's Red Oak.

I Don’t Live Here Anymore The War On Drugs 2021 Example:

Best with 'shrooms?

As sad as the demise of my beloved Falling Rock Taphouse makes me, that photo lifts me up. Miss that hairstyle. Thanks, Al!

So something like a modest triple Pro Display XDR with Matching Pro Stands and flown HDMI OLED system to replace the iMac? https://9to5mac.com/2021/10/18/new-m1-pro-and-m1-max-macbook-pro-support-up-to-four-external-displays/ or take inspiration from a WFH ( or just FH ) setup

My condolences Todd. RIP Ann. EDIT: We were supposed to go to Iowa this week for Lori's small private funeral, but on Wednesday, before we were going to leave, Beth got a call from the school nurse where she works and was told that she had been exposed to COVID on Monday and Tuesday. After calling Lori's husband, he preferred that we didn't come, as he is susceptible (Polio), and Lori's mother ('90s) would be there, so we didn't. No symptoms here, and the positive COVID test was one of the the OTC ones. We haven't heard what the results of the lab test were yet.

RIP to my stepmom, Ann, 81. She had several issues in the last years, and a few weeks ago broke many ribs on one side in a fall. But she had been in and out of rehab and seemed to be doing well. A downturn due to dehydration landed her back in the hospital last night. She got fluids and was feeling better, but apparently had heart failure at night in her sleep. Feel horrible for my dad - despite some deep-at-times divorce baggage, I know she was great for him and they had ~47+ great years together. And my sister (adopted by my dad from Ann's first marriage) was SO incredibly close with her mom, as were her twin children. She and I are pretty close, having grown up together (I saw her weekends at my dad's) in our formative years. Spent the day at my dad's with a fair bit of the family. I was mixed in my original feelings (Ann kind of ignored my wife and my oldest brother's family to some extent), but seeing all the things that SHE helped make a home, made me realize I will miss her more than I thought. I always had a theory with my family: enjoy the good, ignore the bad. And there was a lot of good.

My wife's best friend (and a friend of mine as well), Lori Nelson, passed away Friday. We all went to school in music together. She was a character; droll, snarky and funny, sort of like her favorite comedian, Steven Wright. She will be missed. Fuck cancer.

A friend, Kristen suffered a cerebral aneurysm on Sunday. She was only 44 years old. I say "friend", but I really only knew she & her husband by way of us purchasing our current home from them a few years back. We stayed peripherally connected, as my wife works in the same hospital as they do, running into them every once in a while. As well-regarded local doctors & parents to two young children, they seemed to have it all. This hits particularly hard, as the anniversary of my sister-in-law Tanya's passing from an identical affliction nine years ago at only 42 y/o, approaches in the next days. When tragedy happens so swiftly, one tries to make some sense, if at all possible. Often, there is none. So, in Kristen & Tanya's memory, hug your loved one's a little tighter tonight & tell them what they mean to you.