Today:

Back to reality after a week of Spring Break. Spent most of it catching up on reading and taming the backyard. All the while Oklahoma has apparently decided to simply skip spring and head right into summer. Now that we’re past the true beginning of spring we might as well have high temperatures in the upper 90s. None of this should be normal, but it is seemingly going to become our new normal without much protest.

Status:

Sore, a week of weeding, cutting down bushes, and moving mulch and top soil makes you sore.

Reading:

I rebooted the BOOX Palma I bought to try and avoid screen time and then quickly discarded. A phone sized e-ink reader gave me so much joy at the thought of it and then using it was less than ideal. It was kind of slow, the text would skip, so it just sat unused and dead on my bed side table. Charged it this week and have used it for reading prior to bed. It runs Android 11, which hasn’t been supported since 2024, so I assume it’s EOL is pretty soon. I doubt I’ll be buying another given the fact that the Palma 2 runs Android 13 which ended support at the start of the month. The Palma 2 Pro with color e-ink runs Android 15 and BOOX doesn’t seem to push new versions out.

Listening:

I got all caught up on the podcasts and then lost that by the end of last week. I should recharge my old beats that stay on the ear for yard work because too often the airpods just fall out so I just don’t use them.

Last Watched:

Spring Break was spent getting through the first season of The Pitt, which is the newest show I’ve watched in quite a while. It’s fast-paced, entertaining use of time, although one I’m sure isn’t particularly, uh, real. That being said, the show does cram so much in it makes it overwhelming at times. In the first season it was how many current events can we smash into one 15 hour day. The answer was a lot, and most of them were treated with a heavy hand. I won’t spoil anything, but there was a point in every episode seemingly made for people to scream at the TV.

Today: We want everyone to help us open the Strait of Hormuz but please forget the last year where we said bad things. Also Newt Gingrich thinks with can use a few thermonuclear explosions and bing bang boom, new canal.

Status: Eye doctor at 8:45AM, meaning even though it’s Spring Break, I was basically up and out at the usual time. Eyes are fine, new prescription ordered.

Reading: The Economist’s Espresso app is really lovely. Short and simple stories that provide a quick overview of the significant issues of the day.

Listening: Train Dreams was one of my favorite movies of the year, and while he was never going to win, Nick Cave’s song for the movie is like all of his music, a lovely song.

Last Watched: The Oscars, which as always are too long and have the presenters try to do bits that just don’t add anything. Just have people present the awards and let the winners say what they want. Except Javier Bardem, he can say whatever he wants before presenting. Bravo to Amy Madigan, the best part of Weapons, a delightful movie, but one that really didn’t hit in the way I was hoping. But not only do we get to see horror recognized at the Oscars but we get to be reminded that Madigan, Ed Harris, Nick Nolte, and others were rightfully annoyed at Elia Kazan’s honorary Oscar.

Lacked the ability to focus yesterday while waiting on some news. Luckily the news was positive, so time to catch up today.

Today:

Corpus Christi could run out of water - Mad Max level stuff in the article if you buy in to the worst case scenarios.

Facebook buys Moltbook - So now Facebook can be filled with even more AI slop. Dead internet is probably no longer a theory I guess.

Status: Late spring temperatures have arrived far earlier than they should and the house has been annoyingly humid/hot for this time of the year. So naturally sleep last night wasn’t great.

Reading: I subscribed to The Economist to be that person while paring down my magazine subscriptions on Libby. Also, if you’re not actively using libby through your local public library you’re missing out. Yes, reading a hard copy would be better but I can use my tax dollars to read far more magazines than I can actually read.

Listening: So many podcasts.

Last Played: I finished Spiderman 2 on the PS5 yesterday when I realized personal issues were not going to let me actually work during the day.

It’s the Monday after Daylight Savings Time, so naturally everyone is complaining. As a reminder we tried year-long DST in the 1970s, that time of terrible economies and fashion, and it went as well as Jimmy Carter’s presidency.

So anyway, my choice being in Oklahoma would be yearlong standard time. In the summer it’d be bright before 5 but so be it. But if we need DST, at least bump it back to April and end it at the start of October.

Today: Karoline Leavitt wouldn’t rule out a draft - I’d live to re-animate Nixon and LBJ and have then discuss this one.

Status: I feel fine, this morning I was no groggier than usual.

Last Watched: Big 12 wrestling championships, I am who I am.

I teach three days a week, the other days days of the week we I have off from commuting. But, in theory, I should still be working. I’ve never managed to find a system that truly allows me to feel productive at home, even when I do get stuff done.

Today: Storms? Probably? It’s the start of March and the weather this week has given the vibes of April and May, we’ve already had small hail and now they’re predicting the likelihood of severe weather at some point this afternoon and evening.

Also Markwayne is going to be DHS secretary, so now Misspoke will be everyone’s problem.

Status: Less than ideal. I had a health issue last May and yesterday kind of felt like the beginnings of what happened then. Feel more confident it’s not happening again but I guess we’ll see.

Reading: Black Moses, Caleb Gayle. The story of Edward McCabe, the major proponent of Black settlement in Indian/Oklahoma Territories prior to statehood.

Listening: Smooth jazz, need to calm the nerves here.

Last Watched: House of the Dragon, first episode. Not nearly as sold on it as Game of Thrones at its best, but I’m committed to finishing this television universe.