Although it was technically last Sunday, we all got together to celebrate Adrian’s birthday today. It also happens to be Hanna’s boyfriend’s (Mike) birthday. I didn’t realize that but it makes sense, I’ve already called it that Mike and Hanna are going to get married and his birthday falls on the same as her dad lines up astrologically. Not that it’s a real science but neither is religion and plenty of people subscribe to that…
I’m not sure why but even though I’m in between jobs, I’m always happy it’s Friday. I guess that’s fine as I still have the Sunday blues even though I have no reason to dread Monday’s at this particular point.
It looks like I’m going to be helping out my old job with some simple integrations and I’m super happy to help. I’ve also been finding great positions with the WGU placement app Handshake. Now I just have to work on being able to craft the resume to the individual posting. It won’t be long once I actually commit to going back to work. I love not working but the pay sucks.
A young lady I worked with 3 jobs ago is dying. I accepted a friend request from her maybe 9 months ago and was a bit shocked to find out she was undergoing chemotherapy. At the time I didn’t pay much attention, she was young (a couple or so years younger than I) and was undergoing treatment. Was posting about her son’s acceptance to college, and you could tell how proud she was.
Then today, she announced she entered hospice and directed all correspondence to her husband stating she couldn’t rest properly with the social media distractions, and that the drugs wouldn’t allow her to answer anyhow. As Sandy works in hospice, I know you don’t go on hospice unless your caregivers have determined that you only have 3 to 6 months to live. While I sit here contemplating the eventual demise that will come at some future indeterminant time, someone is preparing to die. I don’t know what I would do, and as horrified as I am to imagine what she must be going through, my thoughts also are with her husband and son. While death is unavoidable, this situation just feels… I want to say unfair, but nobody ever said life was fair. And no matter how you try to spin it as part of the natural order, it just feels sad.
Sandy took off for WinStar and left me to my own devices. LOL, that just means that I don’t have to be quite when I wake up at 3am and start on the computer. I did get some yard work done. I kind of got happy that I got the leaves picked up and remembered that the live oak that’s in the front yard doesn’t shed it’s leaves for another month.
Speaking of which, I ordered sixteen Emerald Green Arborvitae for the back fence line. I’m getting rid of the two peach and pear tree because after years, I’ve given up on ever getting any fruit and would prefer something evergreen. I’ve order the fertilizer too and will put in the root watering system to spur growth. I’ll try to remember to document the whole thing.
I finally think I have a system to start applying to jobs en masse. I created a share on the NAS and will have a main sheet to track applications and keep copies of the posting and what resume I sent. I really need to pay attention to what I’m sending out as I caught a mistake on my end date for Think Talent saying 09/2013, so my end date was before the start date. That’s just bad. I’m paying special attention to the WGU placement services. I’m sure something will turn up.
After I got that done, Sandy and I took the bikes out and got somewhere around 15 miles done on the Trinity Trails. It was nice, Monday during the day it was deserted for the most part and we went from Handly Ederville to Gateway. Beautiful weather to be outside today. Even had a ladybug hitch a ride with me on the way back to the truck.
I really felt like doing nothing today when it started but I talked myself into doing some tree cutting. I should have taken before pictures but I don’t know that you’d be able to tell. The hard part about doing tree cutting is that in order for the trimmings to be picked up, you have to bundle them which is actually more work than cutting the limbs in the first place. Oh well, at this time I’m not making enough to pay anyone to do it so I spent 3 or so hours cutting and bundling limbs.
I then finally got around to organizing my sockets. I know, sounds silly but I haven’t done that in a while and I stand to save literally hours if I can lay my hands on the right tool without having to spend 15 minutes looking for every little damn thing. I swear half of any project is wondering around saying ‘I know I had it here somewhere, I remember seeing it’. Well at least I managed to get something accomplished today and there’s more to do tomorrow.
So the internet is more than just news and new stuff. It’s a great archive of old stuff as illustrated by the Portal to Texas History hosted by the University of North Texas.
As I was perusing the Fort Worth Gazette newspaper of Monday, June 22, 1891, and came across this gem:
So crazy has been going on for a long time and it seems it has always been reported but I’m guessing now, with our ability to see everything, it seems a little overwhelming.
So if you want the whole story, you can find it here where I got the recipe. It’s long and drawn out but let me answer the ‘why do this?’ and then we’ll do the short version of the recipe.
Why Ghee? Well, it has a unique nutty taste and a high smoke point so it is great for covering roasted potatoes for seasoning, it is super in mashed potatoes and can be used to grease up a cast iron for whatever you need to cook.
The recipe: Super simple, take a pound of butter, melt it at a slow boil until all the solids have browned and separated out, then filter through a paper towel. Here’s what it will look like:
So now that I’ve decided that I’m running with my degree, I need to craft a version of the resume to that end. I’ve got a generic one and one geared to TCC admin but not one showcasing data science credentials. I’ll have to work on that tomorrow.
Spent part of the day working with the site and although I’m getting the hang of it, I’m running into a wall with the site icon and logo. I’m bad with graphics and I’m leery of using a free site for it. I should have it professionally done but between jobs just isn’t a place for that. I guess I’ll use a free generator for the time and change it up when I can afford professional.
Did make my active goals today, tomorrow is supposed to be nice so we’ll see if we can’t get out on the bikes, maybe go for lunch. Loving life today.
52 years old today. That number seems so large now that I see it in type. Today was the typical pseudo melancholy that attends these events. Don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly thankful for the life I live and the people in that life. I’m blessed beyond what words can express but in the back of my head, there’s a voice whispering ‘this too shall pass’. I guess it’s something that we all confront.
Sandy and I went to the gym and then we had a birthday lunch at Outback. It’s been a nice stress free day. Got the canister purge solenoid for the Xterra today, it took all of 10 minutes to put the part in. I reset the code and am hoping that was what was throwing it although the old part didn’t seem to be broke from what I saw on YouTube. Time will tell I guess. I need to also get the TPMS looked at before I get it inspected. Oh yeah, I need to fix the horn too.