Category: FWIW

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Olde Pharte Memories. . .

Darned near everything I see nowadays reminds me of vignettes of the past, oftentimes many different memories of things related to the current scene. Just a couple of minutes ago, someone mentioned Punnett Squares and reminded me that, though we covered their use in 7th Grade Science class, they were missing from my sophomore high school biology class. . . in a different state and district (as was a LOT of the human anatomy covered in an 8th Grade Science class in that other district).

Yeh, when we moved (9th Grade), the schools placed me in “average kids'” classes, in order to make absolutely sure I was bored out of my gourd.

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Neighborhood Watch

[N.B. Sorta-kinda-halfway tongue in cheek?]

Home Made Mortars?

No neighborhood watch should be without one. Or five.

(For when the Felonious Barony of Iniquity parks 1/4 mile away before launching yet ANOTHER illegitimate assault on a citizen’s inalienable rights? Maaaaaybe. . . 😉 )

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Get ‘er Done

Finally got around to cashing in a gift card (Thx, MF-n-Will!). A book (naturally), and pantry organization things – coupla my favorite things). My Wonder Woman had been carrying it around for more than half a year, but never could settle on something she wanted to spend it on for herself, so. . . Took me all of five minutes. Mr Efficiency.

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Needed More Fiber

This is the largest fossilized human turd ever found

“The hefty deposit, measuring 8? x 2? (20 cm by 5 cm), was found beneath the site of the famous bank [Lloyds]in 1972. . .”

Hefty? *meh* Maybe by weight, since it’s fossilized. (warning: may be TMI) 8”x2” isn’t much at all. Mine are regularly 12” (or longer) “floaters” of a diameter easily 50% larger than 2”. Maybe I should “fossilize” a personal “floater” and put it up for auction. . .

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Not Sure If I Should “Yelp” This Weekend or Not. . .

Weekend and on into tomorrow, stayed (am still staying) at a once well-known resort in the Ozarks. Future stays here? A tossup, at best. *sigh*

Advertises stables and horseback riding o web site. Horses “on vacation.” (Markdown)
Confirmed reservation. Complied with check-in times. More than five hour wait for room. (Markdown)
Room: OK, special rate for conference (Markup) So-so accommodations and substandard details, REALLY noisy. Remote from all resort amenities, with one Post Polio person (they knew this) and LOTS of hills. (Markdown x 3)
Workers: pleasant and helpful (for the most part) (Markup) but institutionally hamstrung at times (Markdown)
Said the room was noisy? REALLY noisy “music” imposed on everyone in public areas making communication difficult and speech LOUD. (Markdown)
Super hokey décor mandated by new owners. (Markdown) Seems designed to appeal to low-brow, nekulturny rednecks (not the good kind of redneck; trust me on that. Markdown)

Still, it’s a conference for my Wonder Woman’s librarian association. Lots of fun folks, but the especially good thing is that I’ve gotten to spend more time with her than usual, even with her meetings and different lecture sessions.

Weekend as a whole: Mark WAY up even with the accommodation negatives. Would do it again (even at the overcharged, IMO – given the accommodation flaws – special rate), even if it were here. But NEXT time, there had better be horses!

Oh, I should add that while the bed was made by a prankster, the sheets themselves were almost as nice as on our bed at home. The pillows sucked, though.

Workers were uniformly as helpful as circumstances and resources allowed.

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Like Donuts?

Never go to the donut shop with the BEST donuts. You’ll be waiting for HOURS while the cops are on *cough* “coffee breaks” *cough*. (But when you are late to work, get behind a cop if you can, ‘cos he’s probably speeding to his donut break. NOTE: For several years, I followed a speeding HiPo supervisor to his morning kaffe klatch, so this tip really does work.)

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Ancient Memories

It’s been over half a century since I tacked up and rode a horse – yeh, I know: a crime – but the memories linger. Watched a video demonstrating how to tack up (western tack) a horse. Nothing new at all to me, apart from new saddle pad tech, until the bridle was added. The person tacking up the horse rides bitless, which I’ve done with a hackamore, but not using one of the bitless bridles that have become more recently popular. Nope, just a thin rawhide “string” on top, which looks like it’d act sort of like a hackamore.

Intriguing. It’d be interesting to train a horse to respond well to that. I do like the looks of the cross-reined bitless bridles I’ve seen, though I’ve not used one, of course.

Hmmm. . . I probably need to get with a local stable that rents out for riding (well-known) trails through one of the conservation areas. Every step along the video, I could almost feel following along, but the aromas and textures, and other kinesthetic feedback were (naturally) missing, and I realized that I do miss that.

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Not User Friendly

Not User Friendl

Users can just hit the door (and better do so running). All others welcome. . . until they exhibit User tendencies.

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Fairness?

Bicycles that are used on public thoroughfares should be licensed and taxed just like other vehicles are.

(And unlicensed walkers who use sidewalks OR streets/roads should be ticketed and fined.)

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ADC

Hmmm, wondering whether I need to expand or cut back on my “ADC” (All Day – “pocket/belt” – Carry). It’s now at a little over six pounds. (Of course, I’ve cut my weight pack – almost all day “exercise” to increase my load-bearing capacity – back to thirty-five pounds, so. . . ). If I can locate the right multitool, one that replicates the tools in both a mini-multitool and my Swiss Army Knife, I might be able to at least cut the bulk a little. Looser-fitting pants have meant easier access to pockets and room for an ITWB bellyband, but the *cough* items *cough* carried there add only a little over a pound, more or less.

It’s a work in progress, and part of that progress is having different belt-carried “keychains” with configurations for different days’ expected needs, along with just general EPrep. As soon as a new pouch comes in, I’ll have a small of the back carried (using Velcro™ attachments) IFAK, slanted toward a Stop the Bleed IFAK (CAT, blood clotting agents, bandages, etc.). My mini-trauma kits are here in the house and with my EDC Car Kit. (Already used the FAK in the car kit for a person who fell in a parking lot.)

Well, lefthand front pocket “ADC keyfob/chain” hanging from belt hook now has

  • micro flashlight
  • Swiss Army Knife
  • Mini-multitool
  • Lansky Pocket Medic (blade sharpening tool)

Added 16-pocket vest. Is handy when I get hungry, too. Was out and about around Noon the other day and appreciated having a loaded “Sandwich Pocket.” Yum. (The Backup Sandwich Pocket wasn’t loaded, but that was OK, since the loaded Sandwich Pocket was sufficient.) Also, small IFAK loads nicely in inside upper righthand pocket, so waistband carry is unnecessary.

Lansky Pocket Medic moved to its own “keyring/fob” flipped to D-ring on vest and zipped into pocket. Taking its place in left pants pocket is Zippo lighter fluid canister (neat lil thingy). Other vest contents:

Cell phone (inside upper left pocket)
Kershaw assisted opening pocket knife, “tanto” blade (lower inside left pocket)
3×5 notebook and 2 pens (outside upper left pocket)
Snack food (3rd pocket down, outside left)
Lansky Pocket Medic (4th pocket down, outside left)
Cash/ID, etc. (bottom pocket, outside left)

Pocket NT and pack of gum (upper right pocket)
“Keychain,” Mini-flashlight (second pocket down, outside right)
Small IFAK (in repurposed “backup sandwich” pocket)
Small “tactical” LED flashlight (4th pocket down, outside right)
Day’s purchase receipts (bottom right outside pocket)