Happy Anniversary!

 

Not for Joan and me - our anniversary is in December.  Today is the 25th Anniversary for Steph and Dan.  They are a good couple - they support each other.  They do things together: they work at the same school district, they work together to raise and train the Guide Dog for the Blind puppies (although Dicha looks pretty full-grown to me); and most importantly, they make life decisions together.

Joan and I send our congrats to these two.  And wish them many more years of wedded bliss.

They just got back from Wisconsin yesterday; having gone back there for family celebration (Dan's family is from WI).  Joan and I took care of their 3 cats while they were gone - I know those 3 kitties missed their human Mom and Dad... I could see a difference in their expression and behavior.  But, now, all is good again. 

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Out for a ride this morning...

I got out on my ebike a bit later than usual; as in: around 9:00.  It wasn't terribly hot, yet.  I wanted to try the new Meta Adventurer Glasses on the bike.  First still image...

 It looks to be the same image quality as the Wayfarers and Oakley Vanguards.  It has the slight left perspective of the Wayfarers, since the camera is on the left side of the glasses; and the wider field of view of the Vanguards.

I did shoot some video, which I may do something with later.  Mostly wanting to check out the resolution and stabilization.  That said, towards the end of my ride, the glasses stopped responding... when I stopped to check it out, I found the glasses were recording video WAY beyond the 3 minute limitation.  As if the glasses had been put into a "live streaming" mode.  Which I did not do.  Which took the battery down to 15% in just a few minutes.  To the point that I manually turned them off and finished my ride.  I will look into this.

Update: I did a manual reset on the glasses - they had discharged to the point that they didn't want to do anything.  So, charge 'em up.  And while downloading the test video, they got too hot and stopped the download.  And, another reset.

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Yesterday evening, while walking in the courtyard with Murphy, he jumped up on the hot tub - and was looking rather regal.  I got out my phone to take a photo...

 Nope - he wasn't going to look at me for nuthin'.  Seems he wasn't in the mood for a photo shoot.  He laid down and I tried again...

 Nope - looking anywhere but at me.  I documented trying to get a photo with my glasses...

 Steph said, "That's a nice profile shot."

Yep; not was I was going for.

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Joan was telling us about a new BBQ place in Goodyear - it's called Mission BBQ.  It was discussed as a possible for Father's Day, but we went to Babo's instead.  Today, I suggested we try Mission as an outing...

 It reminded us of a upscale Dickey's; not a bad thing, 'cause I always liked Dickey's.  I had the pulled pork plate, Joan got a brisket sandwich - two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Since we had to drive right by it on the way home, we decided to go to the new Buc-ee's in Goodyear.  It has been open a week now, and I thought the hoopla would have died down.  I was wrong...

 The traffic detour that had been implemented was gone, and we were able to get into the lot after one rotation of the stoplight.  Finding a parking place was the issue: it was like the old days of going to the mall right before Christmas - we had to circle and wait for someone to pull out so we could get a space.  Once inside, it was lousy with people...

 

There wasn't anything particular we needed, but we walked around, threading through the crowd.  They are sold out of the only t-shirt I was interested in (the one with a guitar headstock on the front and "tour dates" on the back).  Joan did stop to check out several shelves of cat stuff...

 Nothing either of us couldn't live without.  I did suggest we check out the bakery for a possible sweet treat... no way was I going to stand in line to get a 99¢ cookie, then stand in line again at the front to pay for it.  They didn't have the raspberry scones Joan likes, so we departed empty-handed.  That said, in another month or three when the crowds ease up, we'll make another pass through there.  Probably.  We didn't even need gas today.

 

Should I Get Into The Hot Tub...

 

If you said, "Eddie Murphy, in a Saturday Night Live skit, playing James Brown, getting ready to get into the hot tub.  Season 9, 1983," you get 75 bonus points.  Partial credit will be given for a correct partial answer.

It is time: the hot tub is due to be emptied, cleaned, and refilled.  Sunday morning wasn't blistering hot, so Murphy and I went to work on it.  We have a 120 volt sump-pump that I put on the floor of the hot tub and run a hose from that to drain it...

 Ah, if only it was that easy.  The first hose I attached to the pump must have disintegrated from the inside (one of those "expandable" hoses)... water barely trickled out of it.  I attached a different hose, but it was quite long enough to drain where I wanted; I went to attach another hose to that one... a kink in the second hose stopped the flow between them, and I got sprayed.  Thoroughly.  Oh well, it is warm out and that feels moderately refreshing.  Moderately, because the water is at temp (101º).

I got the hose situation straightened out (literally) and the tub started draining...

 While that was going on, I cleaned the filters.  Got out the special "filling filter" that attaches to the hose when filling the tub.  When the tub was empty, I wiped it all down in preparation of refilling.

I had cut the power to the tub before draining it - you don't want the and pump to run while the tub is empty.  When the tub was full, I plugged it back in and...

 No air lock, jets flowing just like they are supposed to.  Program the tub for the self-cleaning/filtering, set the time and temperature, and it is good to go.  Fresh and clean.  With the summer heat, the water temp coming out of the hose was 101º... no warm up necessary.  I added sanitizer and water conditioner - good to go.

Photos for this post were taken with the new Meta Adventurer AI Glasses.

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Full Moon...

And last night...

 The actual time of the full moon is 4:56 pm today; so the moon will appear full last night and tonight.  For those keeping track, this is the Strawberry Full Moon.  Not because it will appear red, but as a harken back to Native American naming and time to harvest strawberries.

 

New Glasses Day!

 

Again?  How many sunglasses do you need?  Like guitars: just one more.

These are a brand new model (Meta Adventurer) - released less than a week ago.  They are made by the same companies that made my Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses and the Ray-Ban Wayfarers, but a completely different style.  It is a joint effort by Meta and the giant sunglasses conglomerate from Italy: EssilorLuxoticca.

And the best part about them: it was a Vine acquisition, meaning that we didn't pay for them.  We will be responsible for the value of the glasses ($379) as taxable income.  A few nights ago, Joan was looking on Vine and asked me, "Could you use another pair of Meta Glasses?"

"Tell me more," I said.  I was truly amazed that Vine had some of these (a very limited quantity).  Like being the 350th caller to the radio station to win concert tickets - this was all about timing.  I was able to get exactly what I wanted: the Adventurer model with Transition lenses.  To me, these look similar to the Wayfarer glasses by Ray-Ban - except these are less thick in the frames.  I like them better than the Wayfarer - definitely more comfortable.  These have the adjustable nose-pieces and the nice hinges.  And, with the Transition lenses, I can use them indoors (the lenses get darker in the sun, and turn clear when you come back inside).

A few photos...

 I made an unboxing and first look video...

 Like the Oakleys I have, these can take still photos and video; they have speakers built in so you can answer your phone (without pulling out the phone), listen to music, podcasts, etc; and they have the same AI engine, so you can ask it questions, tell it to remind you of an upcoming task, or have it translate if someone is speaking to you in a foreign language.

 

Let's Go To The Letters...

 

Well, e-mails.

I ordered some guitar picks of a different style: they have "a wing" on them, presumably to allow for a better grip on them.  Old hands, a bit of arthritis; looking for a solution to ease my grip.

I have discussed picks here over the years.  In my younger years, I bought guitar picks by the box or "fist-ful."  It used to be Wabash Blue.  For decades.  I needed them by the fist-ful because I dropped them or broke them.  They were cheap.

Over time, I moved up in pick thickness.  And in the last 10 years or so, I discovered "boutique" picks: made by hand, beveled, and out of "space age" materials... they don't break or wear out.  And, I don't lose them, because they are expensive.  How expensive?  Thanks for asking - $20 to $35.  Sometimes I get 'em on sale.  A few of them were given to me in exchange for marketing ideas.  I pretty much have a particular pick (shape, size, material) that I like best with each of my guitars.  I keep each one on the guitar strings...

 

What does any of this have to do with e-mails?  Good question.  The guy that owns the company that makes the picks I just ordered sent me an e-mail, asking what my preference is for size and shape.  And also asked what my grip is like and how do I hold the pick in relation to the strings?  He suggested I send him a photo or two.

I had to get a guitar down and look at my grip and the pick in relation to the strings.  Never thought about it before.  I had Joan take a couple photos...

 I guess I would describe my grip as "thumb parallel to the strings."  But, really, is there any other way?  Or maybe I've just been doing this so long that I can't imagine any other way?

So, I sent the photos to my new friend, Marc.  We'll see what he has to say about this.  Oh, and the picks... 

 

Those black bits on the edges are raised, allowing for a better grip.  Probably.  We'll see.

You said, "E-mails"... as in plural.  On any typical day, I get a couple dozen e-mails, not including spam.  Another one that caught my eye was from Shady Ray's - the company that makes sun glasses.  Did you know that today was "National Sun Glasses Day"?  Me, neither.  How did I miss that?  Seems I just barely got my Juneteenth Day cards out and now I find I missed getting Happy Sunglasses Day cards out.  ;-)

 I'm beginning to suspect that this may be a made-up holiday being promoted by "Big Sunglasses" just to sell more sunglasses to a gullible public.  (tongue firmly inserted in cheek)  For the record, I am not in dire need for more sunglasses... but, I do like the selection offered by Shady Ray's.  I'm also beginning to think that Ray isn't necessarily "shady," but that reference might be in regards for what the sunglasses do for your eyes.  Hmmmmm.

Other e-mails were from my close friends at Lectric (the ebike company), Emerald (the carbon fiber guitar makers), and various other businesses who have concerns for my interests.  I appreciate that they are thinking about me.  And taking the time to send me personal notes.  ;-)

 

 

Stats...

 

An abbreviation for "statistics."  Just the numbers.  Another milestone this morning: the number of views on this blog topped a half million for the month so far.  Last month was a record, with over 400,000 views.

"I'll take 'Sounds like bullshit to me' for 1000, Alex."  Yeah, it does.  No, I don't know why.

 Last night, Joan said to me, "Do you have any interest in another pair of Meta glasses?"

"Tell me more.  Is it on Vine?"  I had read that Meta was releasing a couple new models of glasses that aren't Ray-Ban or Oakley.  Yep - they had both the Adventurer and the Fury (sounds like motorcycle model names).  I knew that wouldn't last long, so I looked over her shoulder.  "Oh, go for that one!"

She clicked on it, and... the order came up.  Frequently, on something popular on Vine, actually getting it is a bit like being the 350th caller to a radio station for concert tickets.  In this case, 30 seconds later, they were no longer available.  So, we'll see if the delivery actually comes through.  In the past, there have been things she ordered on Vine (a program for reviewers on Amazon) that "get lost" before delivery.

We have gotten a lot of interesting things on Vine.  And a lot of "less than as advertised"... either way, Amazon (and the maker of the product) is looking for a review of the product.  At one time, there were over 120,000 items on Vine; once the tariffs were instituted, that number dwindled to less than 40,000.  Things have improved lately.

I have explained the premise of Vine before, but a short recap: as a Vine reviewer, you don't pay for the product... but, the retail value of the product becomes taxable income to you.  If the product is good and it is something that you might have otherwise bought, it is a good deal.  If the product is crap, you are still responsible for the tax impact.  We have become more selective about what Joan orders.

So, we'll see. 

More Riding...

 

Out on the Lectric e-bike this morning.  That's 3 bike outings in 4 mornings - I took yesterday off, 'cause I had music with the guys.

The bike...

 All photos today taken with the Oakley Vanguard Meta glasses.  Another hot one.  Well, to be fair, from now until October, they're all going to be hot ones here in the desert.

Getting 5 cats fed prevented me from getting out too early.  It was 95º at 7:45 when I rolled the bike out of the garage.  Through the neighborhood and towards the park.  The walking/jogging/biking path...

 There were sprinklers going in a good portion of the park...

 The sprinklers drop the temperature by a couple degrees as you ride through the mist spray.  A couple photo on the walkway around the pond...

 Very few people out, but I did have to take care riding by the ducks and geese...

 It was a good ride.  I grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge on my way out the door - 45 minutes into the ride, it was luke warm.  Not as refreshing as riding by the sprinklers.

From the park, I rode through a couple neighborhoods.  I could feel the heat wearing on me.  Joan had cautioned me, "Don't push it - it's been a while since you've ridden."  Yes, stating the obvious.  I was good tired by the time I got home.  A different kinda riding from the motorcycle or scoot.

For the record, I don't use the ebike as an "electric motorcycle."  While it has a throttle on it, I rarely use it.  Yes, on the pedal-assist.  Mesa (a suburb of Phoenix) just enacted new rules for those riding ebikes: age restrictions, no riding on the sidewalk, helmet required depending on age, and more.  The problem isn't the ebike - it is people using them in stupid ways... parents buying an ebike for a 10 year old who rides it on the street with no traffic training... and groups of kids riding them, "terrorizing" pedestrians... and dumbshits riding them at 30 miles per hour on the sidewalks.  All of those issues can happen with a non-e-bike, but local legislation gets put into place as a way of deal with the problem.

 

Hot Town, Summer In The City...

 

If you said, "The Lovin' Spoonful, 1966," you get 10 bonus points.  "Only 10?"  Oh, come on, this one was easy.

What's not so easy: living with summer in the city.  Today, the high in Phoenix is going to be 112º - the hottest day of the year, so far.  Yeah, that's hot.  If you said, "The signature line from Paris Hilton," you were probably a child of the 90s and don't get any bonus points for that.

Murphy and I went out at 6:30 this morning; it was already 93º...

 If you look close, you will Murphy sitting by the steps to the hot tub (near the center of the image).  The boy instinctively knows to stay in the shade.  It was his choice to come back inside.  But, I was right there with him.

I have music today with Mark and the guys.  I think it has been a month or so since I've been able to participate.  This is not with the Hip Replacements; it would be with the "big group," but there will only be 4 of us there today... summer travel schedules.  

We won't be traveling for the next 5 or 6 days, for sure: Steph and Dan are going back to Wisconsin for a family gathering, and Joan and I will be doing kitty care for their cats.  I do the feeding and Alfie's meds, Joan does the litter, and we work together to give Tasha her meds (it is a two-person task).  I am reminded that "that's why you moved here: so we can support each other."  And, 5 cats to take care of.

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Oh, the four of us making music today worked up "Summer In The City."  Coincidence?  I think not.  ;-)