Archive of <March> <2024> [chronological]

9:44 PM Monday, March 25, 2024
Hard to believe, but actually finished packing early. Well, not like within 8 hours of leaving. Seems pretty crazy. Might have to look into Peak Design Shoe Pouch, instead of just using the small cubes. Otherwise, no notes on packing. Definitely making some packing choices, we'll see if it pans out.
10:21 PM Sunday, March 24, 2024
Managed to work out again today. Trying to keep it up before vacation. Wonder if I'll be able to keep up anything on vacation, or if I'll even have to. Maybe at least try and keep up the 7 Minute Workouts? Short enough that I should be able to sneak those in, like in the morning before anyone wakes up? Started packing, which might be a first for me, not the night before. Oh, I'd had a blister on my finger from cooking, and was slightly worried about it, but it managed to pop itself sometime either last night or this morning, and now it just feels like a callus.
10:19 PM Saturday, March 23, 2024
Took Jackson and Hudson to the robotics class that Dave took them to 3 weeks ago. Pretty cool seeing how easy it is using a Raspberry Pi. Seriously, just an IDE and Python. Anyway, that was pretty much the first half of the day, then lunch at Bonchon, then home for a bit before heading to Jackson's last i9 basketball game, and picked up McDonald's for dinner for Jackson and me. Then finally some couch time. Got all my exercise in today though, but definitely ate a lot, so that's coming out a wash.
10:10 PM Friday, March 22, 2024
Just another Friday. Did Jackson's laundry, since I didn't have to do it Wednesday since he skipped soccer practice. Last indoor soccer practice of the year. Dunkin was actually busy so I didn't sit there and work. Instead I came back and worked a little at Chicago Futsal Academy. Picked up drinks from Bambu. That's Lucy's favorite of the new boba places we've tried. I'd say it's the most interesting as well. Finished up a couple more Mission: Impossible movies and just have the latest one to watch. Those and watching Silo is a lot of Rebecca Ferguson, not to mention watching Dune Parts 1 and 2 a couple weeks ago.
10:56 PM Thursday, March 21, 2024
I've been thinking of divesting my  stock, mainly because of the DMA in the EU, but now with the DoJ anti trust lawsuit, well, I think I've missed my window. But I'm still way up so could probably do it anyway. Huh, I just checked what happened to MSFT during their antitrust lawsuit, and looking back, doesn't seem to have moved the needle that much. And considering where MSFT is now, might be worth it to hold AAPL, as long as I continue to believe in them. Anyway, Spring Break starts tomorrow after school. Jackson's back on Northwind SC 2013 P4 again. Guess he'll hopefully get to play with Hudson and Serafina with the Blaine team next year as 5th graders.
9:11 PM Wednesday, March 20, 2024
I was doing really well with diet and exercise, actually came out of last weekend not having gained any of the previous week's losses back, and then I go and gain it all back by Wednesday. And I was trying to be good before Spring Break. I ordered the wrong replacement keycap for the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, so I tried Apple Lincoln Park to see if they had any, but they didn't. So I went ahead and ordered the right ones, and hopefully they'll come in time before vacation, otherwise, it'll be pretty annoying if I have to do any work on vacation.
9:42 PM Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Did some outside walking today, instead of just treadmill rucks today. Mailed my ballot, then a Jewel run at lunchtime. Then picked up Noodles & Company for the evening walk. Just walks though, no rucks. Been tempted to get a Fujinon XF27mmF2.8 R WR pancake lens, thinking I'd be more likely to carry the Fujifilm X-E4 around more. It's been flipping availability on Amazon (from Amazon.com) repeatedly over the past week, but delivery wasn't before vacation, except recently. And now it becomes randomly available, as well as pricing fluctuating between MSRP and secondary. Maybe I'll just wait until supply stabilizes (which is weird for a lens that's 3 years old).
8:18 PM Monday, March 18, 2024
Stayed up way too late last night, so need to get back on schedule to recover from Saturday night still. Did get my exercise in today, so that helps. Got my dad another Apple Watch. Hopefully this one sticks around. I did walk home after dropping it off and the car with my parents, and stopped by Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken for a blueberry crumb donut and a coffee. Now on Mission: Impossible III on my MI journey. Wow was 2 bad. Although it does make me want to watch Face/Off.
10:15 PM Friday, March 15, 2024
Cake is mostly done. Just have to add the chocolate drip tomorrow. Made some sausage rolls too. Not quite how I remember them, but not bad. Really just pigs in a blanket. Driving the kids to tryouts in the morning, but don't have to pick them up, so I can continue prep in the morning. I was worried I wouldn't have enough time tomorrow, but I think I should be fine. Probably do my mise en place in the morning. Figure I should have the stout pie done by 3:30 before Jackson's basketball game. Getting tempted by that $750 M1 MacBook Air at Walmart. Would be nice to have an Apple Silicon Mac in the house, although getting a brand new one that's 3 years old is hard to swallow.
9:21 PM Thursday, March 14, 2024
So while I wait for my left shift key to show up for my iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, I've switched over to using the MacBook Air for my typing. I tried just using the right shift key but it felt too weird. So I'm back to using a real computer for a bit. Starting prep for the Irish whiskey tasting. Got a bunch of meats for the Irish Breakfast. Gotta make soda bread, sausage rolls, and the cake tomorrow.
10:53 PM Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Got mostly a full night's sleep last night. Hoping to get somewhat similar tonight. Gotta start prepping for the Irish whiskey tasting this weekend. Shopping tomorrow, maybe Friday too. Not sure when I'm going to start cooking. Watched Dumb Money with Tracy. Didn't realize it's adapted from the book by the same guy who did Bringing Down the House. I've added it to my wishlist, along with other books of his. Current exercise movies: G.I. Joe movies. Wondering if I should start with the cartoon for exercising. Tempting.
10:40 PM Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Stayed up way too late last night. Sleep schedule is way off. Might start to feel like a scramble now that spring break is only a couple weeks away. Weather feels like spring. I was out in a t-shirt and shorts today walking to get Popeye's for the kids' dinner tonight. Nice.
10:17 PM Monday, March 11, 2024
Went and saw Dune: Part Two at the Alamo Drafthouse. Good, but felt like it started slow and then just ran through the finish. Now I kinda feel like I need to read the books, except I have a feeling it’s going to be a slog. Also, I think I get a better viewing experience in my Apple Vision Pro than in a theater. At least I’m guaranteed the perfect seat. Although I don’t get seat shaking sound at home. Until someone figures out a way to add it. Didn’t even open up the backyard garage door today. Crazy.
10:01 PM Sunday, March 10, 2024
Ate too much. Over the course of the day, finished off the leftover Papa John’s pizza from last night. Jackson’s game got cancelled/postponed this morning. Ended up going out with my parents to Sam’s Club. I keep forgetting how cool those warehouse stores are. And how tempting all the giant boxes and quantities of things are. Didn’t even exercise at all today, so that’s not good.
9:41 PM Saturday, March 9, 2024
Lucy and Tracy were out all day for Math COUNTs and Tyr Pro Series spectating. Jackson was out most of the day with Hudson and Dave, so I spent the day watching The Americans and working out. I did get a ride to watch Jackson’s i9 basketball game. Ordered up Papa John’s for dinner, since it was just Jackson and me. Then we got Dairy Queen. And watched MLS.
10:30 PM Friday, March 8, 2024
First time writing this up in Apple Vision Pro. Since the visionOS 1.1 update, Shortcuts has access to the clipboard, so I can do my Memex updates here too. Jackson tried it out today, but didn't seem to work that well for him. Currently watching Mission Impossible, Top Gun, Big Hero 6, and Silo. All bits and pieces. Rained pretty much all day. Got soaked on the way back all from Bittersweet Pastry Shop & Cafe, where I worked wa for a bit this morning. Didn't do my normal walk during Jackson's soccer practice, so did a treadmill ruck before picking up Lucy from swim practice.
9:23 PM Thursday, March 7, 2024
Almost have all the Apple devices updated. At least the ones I can deal with. Apple Watches continue to be annoying to update. Wish they could to theirs OTA instead of through their associated iPhone. Seems like it could be faster. Watched Extraction 2. Pretty good. I could see it going the way of The Fast and the Furious series, where each sequel just raises the craziness that’s involved. Like somewhere down the line they’re extracting the president or something from an island prison that used to be a major city. For example.
9:52 PM Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Forgot to mention I started rucking for my 20 minute treadmill walks. Gets me sweating, so that’s good. Next step is probably to actually get outside and running for a little bit. Something is better than nothing. Tried out the Redbreast PX Edition and Redbreast Lustau Edition. Both good, but might need to do a side by side comparison instead of one after the other. Kind of hard to tell them apart. Oh, picked up a bunch of different fast foods for the kids today for before soccer practice. First time going to SONIC. Ice was probably the best thing I got there. Actually worth going back for. Definitely have to try some of the other different drinks and stuff. Used guest mode on the Apple Vision Pro for the first time for Serafina today. Fairly easy to use. Wonder why there isn’t a demo mode, like a first run app to practice the interface.
10:09 PM Tuesday, March 5, 2024
So I also picked up a Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey today, and turns out, I like it. So yeah, fan of The Shed Distillery. Next up want to try a Dingle or a Glendalough gin/whiskey. New iOS/iPadOS updates. Best part of the update? Ability of apps to get Apple Card and Cash and Savings details. So now Copilot is my financial tracking app of choice. Just need to get the rest of my accounts in, but that’s my Mint replacement. Currently watching Silo, Top Gun and Extraction at different times during the day. Weird to be watching so many different things at the same time. Silo’s the current TV Series. Top Gun because I want to watch Top Gun: Maverick, and it’s in 4K, so I’m watching that on the Apple Vision Pro. Extraction as my exercise show.
Low
10:04 PM Monday, March 4, 2024
Think I finally saw a notification in the car that my key fob had a low battery. I thought it was a much more visible warning light, but I only saw it through the window after I got out of the car. Lucy took a sick day, so I didn’t have to drive her in the morning. She did go to practice later though, so I stopped by Binny’s Lakeview on the way home and picked up a Redbreast Lustau Edition and a PX Edition. Never did get the Kentucky Oak Edition and I might have to get the Tawny Port Cask one. Tried the Drumsanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin the other day, and it’s pretty good. Have to try a couple other Irish gins, but I think I have a favorite country for distilling.
9:37 PM Sunday, March 3, 2024
Took Jackson to his soccer game this morning. They lost. Otherwise not much to do today. Napped. Cleaned another toilet. Took a walk outside. Found a new coffee place I’ll have to try, Loba Pastry + Coffee over at Addison and Lincoln. I think it’s a new location, and just opened, because the line was out the door this morning. Tempted to take a morning off and go watch Dune Part Two. Started watching Silo. No idea how long it’s going to take me to get through The Americans, but it’s a lot. A lot of episodes in a season, and 7 seasons, and 42 min an episode. And it is not a show I feel like binging.
10:59 PM Saturday, March 2, 2024
Went to the Chicago Fire game tonight. Yeah, watching soccer is pretty cool. I should try and go more often. Slept in because I went to bed way too late last night. Only had to take Jackson to his i9 game today. They won. It was nice to have an earlier game. Better light for taking photos.
9:43 PM Friday, March 1, 2024
Definitely just have to get all the mucus out of my head. That’s all that’s left. Turns out Lucy now probably has whatever I had. At least she doesn’t have anything coming up. Getting all my walks in again. Recharge day for work, but still did a little. Should probably have done more, and maybe I’ll get around to it this weekend.
Archive of <March> <2024> [chronological]