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shadowkatDW was not working - took forever to post comments, or get a page to load. Finally realized it was the internet connection - so fiddled with that, no connection at all. So rebooted, and finally got it to work. I have a feeling I owe Optimum a call to request a rooter upgrade, and at no additional cost - since they already raised costs with no benefit to me. If they say no, I may have to consider switching to Verizon. (And I hate Verizon.)
Still not as bad as what rural areas deal with - my brother's internet access goes out daily. And he gets almost no help restoring it. Same with various family members across all fifty states. Rural Michigan is so horrible that my Aunt and Uncle get up really early in the morning to check text messages and emails.
**
The weekend got away from me - so did not get around to seeing Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings on Disney Plus. I may try tonight, we'll see. I did manage to watch two episodes of Get Back - the Peter Jackson documentary, which is exhaustive. Apparently there was a previous documentary, Let it Be from the same footage, which I've not seen, and painted Yoko, John and Paul in a more negative light? I don't know, I've not seen it. And it doesn't matter anyhow, since this one is the more informative and valid of the two in that it was edited and reviewed by everyone involved, not just Michael Lindsey-Hoog, includes everyone involved, and is more exhaustive with the footage. My biggest take-aways from it are: 1) if you aren't a professional musician and into riffs, you will get bored after a bit and need a break. 2) it's hard to hear the dialogue (I had to put it on close captioning), everyone mumbles and is clearly aware of the camera at all times. They actually speak up more when they didn't know there were microphones present. And in some cases go out of their way not to be heard. Also the Beatles who were kind of used to doing this - figured out how to work around cameras and microphones a long time ago. Ringo pointedly says very little. John kind of follows suit. Paul carefully words things. And George mumbles or says little. They will often exchange a look - and meander off and whisper. Linda Eastmen and Yoko have a spirited conversation but audio isn't captured at all, and they manage to wave the cameras off. 3) I totally understand why they split - they just weren't a unit any longer and had grown tired of recording together, and Paul doing all the arrangements, but to be honest Paul had the best ear - and knew how to kill the babies, which is why Ringo and George sounded better playing with Paul and John. But I get why they needed to move on. They had started the band as teens, by the time they ended they were spent. 4) Yoko had nothing to do with it. Nor did anyone else, it had nothing to do with who managed them, or with Paul's arranging, it just was time to move on.
Got on Twitter, and apparently not everyone got the same takeaways. A lot of folks still think Yoko broke them up. LOL!
Also watched a few episodes of School of Chocolate on NETFLIX. It's not very good. I keep wanting to smack the judge/teacher/chef. Also they do things on it to contrive drama and friction with these professional chefs that I found to be annoying and cringe-inducing, and not playing out as they wanted. The two young chefs who keep winning everything don't look that good on camera, their confections may taste great, but I'm not that impressed by them. Which is the problem with a lot of cooking shows that base a high value on taste - the viewing audience doesn't care - we can't taste it. Plus taste in of itself is a highly subjective thing anyhow and impossible to objectively judge. Unless the chef has screwed up royally..like burnt something.
I felt sorry for the women contestants, who are unfairly abused and humiliated. The young French chef who is training them is clearly out of his depth and not likable. He creates amazing concoctions, but he's not a good teacher and he isn't warm and cuddly. Most chef's aren't.
Plus there's too many people to keep track of, and no elimination rounds. They really need to kick folks off the show and crunch it down more. I get why they aren't - to show improvement, but that works better with a smaller group.
So it doesn't work. Shame, since its a cool concept.
***
Talked to Wales today. Who managed to horrify me with stories about her family.
Me: How was it?
Wales: Disturbing.
Me: Okay do I want to know this -
Wales: Well first off, my sister was nostalgic and missing the wallpaper in our sitting room when we were kids..(pause) it was Southern Wallpaper.
(It took a minute to figure this out. It's the people of the old south...) She liked to imagine what it was like to live like that - in those times. Then well, she's teaching history now.
Me: Does she have a history degree?
Wales: No. But that's not the disturbing bit -
Me: What grade is this?
Wales: Middle School. She's developed a game to teach slavery - it's called "hide and seek the slave" kind of based on capture the flag, and tag, I think. Isn't that disturbing.
Me: I'm suddenly thankful there are Tornadoes in Kansas. This is in Kansas right?
Wales: Yes.
Me: Well it's probably not that many kids ...and with any luck a tornado will come along and wipe everyone out. By by bigoted racists.
Wales: Uhm..
Me: Sorry, my gallows humor. I don't know how you handled that. (I've met her sister, I'd rather have Bride of Frankenstein teaching my kids. She's nice enough, but...Archie Bunker.)
Wales: I just said something along the lines of that doesn't work or make sense, and clocked out.
I'm grateful that I don't have to personally be around crazy racist MAGA folks, one of us would most likely be dead by now.
I keep restraining myself from posting this on twitter. It's too dangerous to post on twitter, and I don't have enough room to tell it right. [Eh, I figured out a way to share it. Also on FB. Because honestly, folks need to know this is happening right now and how bad it is.]
But the discussion in all seriousness made me realize how desperately we need qualified instructors with Masters Degrees in History to teach history and critical race theory to children. Also no one should be allowed to teach history without getting at least a Masters in the subject. They should know more history than I do. I was appalled by my friend's story.
Also once again I'm worried about this country.
**
Apartment complex decorated only for Hanukkah right now - since it starts tomorrow, I think (yay, less crowded trains). Apt complex is about sixty percent Jewish, although that could be changing.
I'm waiting until next weekend, although in now hurry, since I'm flying to South Carolina for Xmas. I'm not sure we're going to have presents this year - none of us want anything.
**
Random Photo inspired by atpo_omn's flower peeking through the pavement.
Also off to make dinner and deal with the Sunday Scaries..
Still not as bad as what rural areas deal with - my brother's internet access goes out daily. And he gets almost no help restoring it. Same with various family members across all fifty states. Rural Michigan is so horrible that my Aunt and Uncle get up really early in the morning to check text messages and emails.
**
The weekend got away from me - so did not get around to seeing Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings on Disney Plus. I may try tonight, we'll see. I did manage to watch two episodes of Get Back - the Peter Jackson documentary, which is exhaustive. Apparently there was a previous documentary, Let it Be from the same footage, which I've not seen, and painted Yoko, John and Paul in a more negative light? I don't know, I've not seen it. And it doesn't matter anyhow, since this one is the more informative and valid of the two in that it was edited and reviewed by everyone involved, not just Michael Lindsey-Hoog, includes everyone involved, and is more exhaustive with the footage. My biggest take-aways from it are: 1) if you aren't a professional musician and into riffs, you will get bored after a bit and need a break. 2) it's hard to hear the dialogue (I had to put it on close captioning), everyone mumbles and is clearly aware of the camera at all times. They actually speak up more when they didn't know there were microphones present. And in some cases go out of their way not to be heard. Also the Beatles who were kind of used to doing this - figured out how to work around cameras and microphones a long time ago. Ringo pointedly says very little. John kind of follows suit. Paul carefully words things. And George mumbles or says little. They will often exchange a look - and meander off and whisper. Linda Eastmen and Yoko have a spirited conversation but audio isn't captured at all, and they manage to wave the cameras off. 3) I totally understand why they split - they just weren't a unit any longer and had grown tired of recording together, and Paul doing all the arrangements, but to be honest Paul had the best ear - and knew how to kill the babies, which is why Ringo and George sounded better playing with Paul and John. But I get why they needed to move on. They had started the band as teens, by the time they ended they were spent. 4) Yoko had nothing to do with it. Nor did anyone else, it had nothing to do with who managed them, or with Paul's arranging, it just was time to move on.
Got on Twitter, and apparently not everyone got the same takeaways. A lot of folks still think Yoko broke them up. LOL!
Also watched a few episodes of School of Chocolate on NETFLIX. It's not very good. I keep wanting to smack the judge/teacher/chef. Also they do things on it to contrive drama and friction with these professional chefs that I found to be annoying and cringe-inducing, and not playing out as they wanted. The two young chefs who keep winning everything don't look that good on camera, their confections may taste great, but I'm not that impressed by them. Which is the problem with a lot of cooking shows that base a high value on taste - the viewing audience doesn't care - we can't taste it. Plus taste in of itself is a highly subjective thing anyhow and impossible to objectively judge. Unless the chef has screwed up royally..like burnt something.
I felt sorry for the women contestants, who are unfairly abused and humiliated. The young French chef who is training them is clearly out of his depth and not likable. He creates amazing concoctions, but he's not a good teacher and he isn't warm and cuddly. Most chef's aren't.
Plus there's too many people to keep track of, and no elimination rounds. They really need to kick folks off the show and crunch it down more. I get why they aren't - to show improvement, but that works better with a smaller group.
So it doesn't work. Shame, since its a cool concept.
***
Talked to Wales today. Who managed to horrify me with stories about her family.
Me: How was it?
Wales: Disturbing.
Me: Okay do I want to know this -
Wales: Well first off, my sister was nostalgic and missing the wallpaper in our sitting room when we were kids..(pause) it was Southern Wallpaper.
(It took a minute to figure this out. It's the people of the old south...) She liked to imagine what it was like to live like that - in those times. Then well, she's teaching history now.
Me: Does she have a history degree?
Wales: No. But that's not the disturbing bit -
Me: What grade is this?
Wales: Middle School. She's developed a game to teach slavery - it's called "hide and seek the slave" kind of based on capture the flag, and tag, I think. Isn't that disturbing.
Me: I'm suddenly thankful there are Tornadoes in Kansas. This is in Kansas right?
Wales: Yes.
Me: Well it's probably not that many kids ...and with any luck a tornado will come along and wipe everyone out. By by bigoted racists.
Wales: Uhm..
Me: Sorry, my gallows humor. I don't know how you handled that. (I've met her sister, I'd rather have Bride of Frankenstein teaching my kids. She's nice enough, but...Archie Bunker.)
Wales: I just said something along the lines of that doesn't work or make sense, and clocked out.
I'm grateful that I don't have to personally be around crazy racist MAGA folks, one of us would most likely be dead by now.
I keep restraining myself from posting this on twitter. It's too dangerous to post on twitter, and I don't have enough room to tell it right. [Eh, I figured out a way to share it. Also on FB. Because honestly, folks need to know this is happening right now and how bad it is.]
But the discussion in all seriousness made me realize how desperately we need qualified instructors with Masters Degrees in History to teach history and critical race theory to children. Also no one should be allowed to teach history without getting at least a Masters in the subject. They should know more history than I do. I was appalled by my friend's story.
Also once again I'm worried about this country.
**
Apartment complex decorated only for Hanukkah right now - since it starts tomorrow, I think (yay, less crowded trains). Apt complex is about sixty percent Jewish, although that could be changing.
I'm waiting until next weekend, although in now hurry, since I'm flying to South Carolina for Xmas. I'm not sure we're going to have presents this year - none of us want anything.
**
Random Photo inspired by atpo_omn's flower peeking through the pavement.
Also off to make dinner and deal with the Sunday Scaries..
no subject
Date: 2021-11-29 01:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-11-29 01:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-11-29 03:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-11-29 05:46 am (UTC)With good reason, as I've posted in the past on several occasions. Currently the bastards are charging me roughly $50.00 per month for a DSL internet service I haven't used for nearly a year now. Why? Because (according to them) I have a "bundle" with my land line phone service, and if they turn my DSL off, they also (have to, they say*) turn off my phone!
( * Technically speaking, total BS AFAIK. The bundle I accepted 6 years ago was supposedly a price-saving deal just because I was buying two services from them.)
I would have told them to shove it, but the phone number is, unfortunately, also the same one I use for the business, so-- I'd have to inform hundreds of customers as to any new number.
BTW, the cell service I have as a backup? $20.00 per month with Consumer Cellular.
I've been using Comcast for my internet for almost a year now, and they are vastly superior to the DSL I had, for the same price. Those troubles I was chronically reporting about uploading to Dreamwidth? Vanished. Here I was blaming DW, when it was Verizon's crappy upload speed on the DSL. (I now have the cheapest internet service Comcast has, and it's still way better.)
I was never a big fan of Comcast, but in this aspect at least, I have no real complaints.
*******
Glad you liked my pic, I remember when you posted the one above some time back. Liked it muchly then, still do! :-)
no subject
Date: 2021-11-29 08:33 pm (UTC)Our internet service has not been great these past two years. Granted, we're using it more than ever, but I also am paying more for a higher tier of service. Yet every weekend my friends tell me my voice keeps cutting in and out on our voice chats. And we've had two complete outages and several more times it has gone out for 10 minutes or more. We recently changed our router in case that made a difference but it hasn't.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-30 02:25 am (UTC)No, you aren't missing anything and I don't foresee a second season. It's trying to do a rip off of Great British Bake Off, but it fails miserably. American baking/competition reality shows all make the same mistakes: 1) they offer a huge money award to the winner. 2) they encourage cut-throat competition (see #1), 3) they contrive conflict by doing "team competitions" - so people are picking folks and voting for folks. This kind of causes the opposite of the warm cuddly environment of the British Bake Off. And 4) they cast young thin smug versions of Paul Hollywood as the judge, sometimes they are women, often men - and I always want to smack them. Paul works only because he's surrounded by nice people. And he's older.
Yeah, Verizon came by today - apparently they heard there were complaints of Optimum outtages and thought to take advantage. But I've had Verizon and I hate them. Optimum for the most part has been responsive and helpful. I do not hate Optimum. It is pricy, but I know Verizon will be too eventually.
Also, I'm working in the office now - so it's not as big an issue. Don't know how long that will last, depends on what happens with Omicron, I guess. Frigging hell, universe, let me visit my Mom and Dad first.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-30 09:05 am (UTC)