Jerry CGI+

Last day of July. Payday was yesterday. I’ve just finished the foundation of the audio production library. That essentially signals the end of the assembly of the laptop. The final section is installed, tools are aboard, in place, backed up one way or another. It’s ready for the finishing touches to the workflow, which will come when production begins.

But for now, I’m tired.

My guitar pads have healed. A little playing, but not much passion, mostly verifying the fitness of the pads. I need a couple of days of R&R to get wind in my sails in the summer doldrums. Been nodding a lot in the office chair. There is not much of a beat in a yawn.

No shortage of food. Nothing cooked, but no shortages. I’ll probably have a tamale for lunch.

August ahead, more of the same warm day cycle to come. Day sleep as much as possible.

I just got off the phone with AT&T support about a billing charge for the installation of the service upgrade. I was told $99 for the service charge, and on the bill, it was $149. The dispute was change of location interior, which didn’t happen. If I understood correctly, they will refund the entire charge of $149. Since my bill will be reduced by EBB, that equates to around 10 prepaid months of internet service (should EBB last that long). It will probably take me a month to find out if that’s the case.

I am currently showing 130G of transfer today (UTC, 6 pm – 6pm locally), with more on the way. That is clearly a record. Add another 44G for yesterday and another 33G the day before. 200+G for the streak. It’s a good thing that this is not going to continue indefinitely. Maybe another 50-100G of audio resources. I have a 1T monthly bandwidth allotment, and I won’t get close to that. This 75 mbps is pure trouble.

It’s summer, that much is obvious. I’ve covered that sufficiently in prior entries. Still no haircut.

Another avocado in the kitchen. That will get eaten tonight atop a buttered gold potato w/ marinated pork tenderloin and cheddar. Not a lot of appetite. Summer. Obvious.

Slept across noon. Still want to sleep a little later into the afternoon, but I manage. Plenty to keep me busy in the office, like download processing…

No excursions planned for the rest of the week.

It was stock up time, three store runs in short order after I discovered a sale. I topped off under the wire, sale ends in an hour. Fresh treats for Myka.

I topped 200G of audio processing stuff, and I’m going for more. Audio joins video and 3D as the big consumers of digital space. I found an incredible source, and 300G is not out of the question. It’s not like I’m short on space these days. And it makes me appreciate the 75 mbps feed. Yesterday, I almost broke a daily record of 49G in one day (the day after the MBP arrived in the mail) with a 44G tally. But today will likely be the day I top it. If it was CDT instead of UTC logging, I’d have easily broken it already.

Only chore for the immediate time is trash, and recycling tomorrow evening. I may do a load of laundry, if the mood hits me. It needs to cool off a bit yet before I start in. I have all night.

Payday is Friday, the internet upgrade is due this coming month, discounted by a month and two thirds of EBB. I’m not planning on paying truck insurance until September, when the first skinny internet bill arrives. I wish they’d post it so I’d know the exact amount. It won’t be that much more than a standard bill.

No bones about it, it’s summer. Not a scorcher, but summer nonetheless. I am on vampire shift now, not going down until 11 am. Staying up at night is when things get done.

Getting by. Not a whole lot besides the same ol’ same ol’ to complain about, and not much of that.

Washed, dried, and folded 26 T-shirts last night. With the jeans from the night before, it makes for a fair size chunk of the wardrobe freshening project. But there is still a fair chunk to go. But I’m not in a hurry, as I have plenty of fresh clothes to wear, and it’s a ways until winter.

Pretty much sleeping days in solid chunks. I’d like to move the slot about three hours later to cover the hottest part of the day, but I have the nights to perform chores and get out of the AC.

Chicken fajita tacos for a late lunch.

I’m not quite healed on my pads, but they’re getting there. Middle finger is the hold out. I wanna play!

Am reminded of The Atlanta Rhythm Section’s Dog Days. We are there.

I got my jeans washed, all 14 that are presentably worn in public, to whatever degree of threadbare they might be. T-shirts are next.

The pulled pork in the fridge has been exhausted. Two more bags in the freezer. The avocado spud was yummy. Turkey/dressing casserole, tamales, brats, and boudin will be the main course, plus freezer quick stock as variety. I won’t need to cook for a while, which is a good thing.

Airport got to 96°F today. House interior got to 89°F. Office stayed at 76°F. I stayed in the office unless it was necessary to be elsewhere. I slept a lot today. Fans are running this evening to cool down the house with a draw through. Summer…

Myka has opted to hang in the office atop the long table, nesting on a banker box. I think it’s a matter of AC vs fan in noise level. She hangs where it’s quieter.

There is a mountain of MIDI/VST stuff to install and cross reference. I still haven’t started the dive. I have been looking at 49 and 61 key controllers, but I’m not serious yet, not until I get the 25 working. Plenty of things ahead of one in priorities. Besides, I am a 12 string guitarist by preference. Keyboards are for doodling and fill.

Not much else happening. A lull for the heat, a survival trait, even in AC.

This week should see high 90s as a streak for the first time this year. Summer is finally getting here.

The Canary Islands are named Islas Canarias in Spanish, meaning Islands of the Dogs. Woof.

Made a second store run this morning, mostly due to stocking up on a sale. Got a piece of German chocolate cake and some boudin to add to the fridge. Spuds and avocado later today. Plenty of turkey dressing left. I am well set for the weekend, staying cool in the AC, microwave being the only extra heat in the kitchen.

Slept pretty soundly from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. I would have preferred it to have been a few hours later in the day, but I’m not going to fuss about it. I slept well and missed part of the heat.

I should be tackling the audio installations in the next few days. Not looking forward to it, but I’ll be glad to have it behind me and the MPK fully operative. And I can do a second backup.

Need to start a load or two of laundry. I’ve held off long enough to get started.

Got my primary DAWs installed on the laptop. Still a ton of VST stuff to add, but that is in its own sweet time. The important thing is that I have creative software connections for the keyboard and mixer. The audio system is complete, hardware to software, just needs expanding on the library of samples and tools.

I also got the graphics and video extras installed. So I’m on the last leg of assembly, albeit a large leg. Only question left is if I want ArtMatic and Voyager for $320. I played with the demos today.

This weekend, we should see some heat, upper 90s. The 80s and low 90s will return next week, according to NWS. It’s been a suppressed summer, heavily moderated by the Gulf moisture. It will make the transition from warm to heat for a couple of days. I should make a store run before it heats up. The battery is showing 12V, the new problem is the positive terminal connection or the alternator. Hoping it’s the former.

My guitar pads are still sore. I played a song and regretted it. It will take a while longer, repeatedly denying myself the knee jerk to grab the Egee and play. Coconut oil is still the treatment. I should work on the bones and bodhran.

Made the turkey cornbread casserole before trash went out. I’ll have no trouble making it disappear. Another serving of pulled pork left. A package of brats. Plenty of stuff in the freezer to nuke.

I need to start on laundry. I don’t want to rush it, but I don’t want to ignore it either. There is a pile to freshen.

Mainly hanging at the house. Plenty to keep me as busy as I want to be, and consequently as lazy.

I am now manager/admin/owner of a permanent chatroom, called I ❤️ Space n Stuff. The existing informal chat crashed, and I made an interim. The ownership was gladly dropped in my lap with a sigh of relief. Oh well… At least I have the machine to handle it.

I just nailed the mosquito that has been biting me for two days. Splat!

The Apple Arcade issue was resolved, an invitation dropped in my Apple Store app on the iPad. After getting the refund and having the account dropped, leaving me with nothing, my very disappointed post-support survey had its results. “I guess those days are over.” hit its mark. (That being the days that one could take Apple for its word.) After much ado, things are finally as they should be. I can play Patterened again, for the next three months.

I completed system updates and backups (MBP went to 8T drive.) I still have Graphic and Video plugs to install, and all the audio stuff. But the rest is pretty much locked down. Won’t be too long until I have navigation finalized and can start using it in earnest without the distraction of taming it.

I let up on the laundry. I have my immediate stuff freshened. I don’t want to run up the electric bill by leaps and bounds, so stretching it out is not a bad thing. It will get done in due course.

No complaints at the moment. Finished the tamales. Now I can move on to the chili and pulled pork and turkey.

I am currently copying the contents (1.17T) of the catch all (2T) to the until now empty and idle 4002 drive (4T). This will be the new DVD burn alternative for backup. About 3 to 5 hours before I can start culling the catchall or send mails. The SSD will go to the 8T soon.

Opened a chat room online as an interim for the one I usually visit. It has gone offline under mysterious circumstances. Not much to the setup. I’ll see if anyone bites. I won’t lose sleep if no one does.

Made the jam last night. Wore my fingers out. Brought home chili. Light crowd, light group.

Doing laundry. Got my daily rotation (5 sets of jeans, briefs, socks, gray pocket T) freshened. I have my basics freshened, now for the rest. Plenty more loads to go before I’m done.

Store run made, I’m ready to hunker for a while. Got plenty of projects close at hand for the rest of the summer. No need to wander.

Volt meter on the truck dash is showing on the low side. It’s either a bad connection on the positive terminal or the alternator just blew something else. I hope it’s not the battery.

Apple canceled the Arcade access. No sign of the refund yet.

BAD PR DEPTARTMENT: Apple just cheated me out of a 3 month trial for Apple Arcade.

I waited until I got the laptop squared away to apply for the AppleTV+ and Apple Arcade trials. I used the emails they sent me for the links to apply. The TV+ went through okay, but instead of a three month trial on Arcade, it gave me 30 days. I contacted tech support via Messages, and they canceled the 30 day trial, and they arranged for a call back this morning. When I got the call, I was instructed to apply again and got charged for a month subscription. I was then informed that Apple can not allow a second trial on a User ID. I requested the refund, and it should be reviewed after 48 hours and could take up to a month to refund. To add injury to insult, I was charged $2 for the phone call. (Honestly, I found Arcade to be rather unappealing.)

Add that to the APFS drive formatting issues I have been fighting for a bootable clone, and I am not pleased with Apple right now, to put it mildly. Apple has stuck its head up its posterior. This is not the way to run a business.

Trash is on the curb. I will start the dryer experiment with an Hawaiian shirt. A few forks to wash. Ice bin will be empty on the next refill, which is imminent. Otherwise, I’m free of my own accord.

I’m not having much inspiration. I mean, I got the laptop squared away with the installation marathon. I made the clone. I’ve been dealing with construction. No shortage of focus and demands on my attention lately. But being done has left a hole in my ambition, especially with the Arcade issue souring my mood.

But there is a jam this week. That should pick up my mood by tomorrow.

The hole for the dryer vent has been cut, and the vent is in, but not secured or connected. It’s not a very sturdy vent either, pretty cheap construction. But it will work. It should be finished by noon.

The roof is also on the porch. It cuts the light level in the kitchen, and the sky can’t be seen from the back door. But it won’t rain in the screen door unless the wind is really blowing from the west.

I got the installations done and a clone of the system on the USB-C stick. It’s not bootable, thanks to Apple’s new encrypted APFS drive formatting. Reminds me of Windows with segregated system and data. Many faithful Mac users are not happy, me included. I will make another attempt at making a bootable clone after I do more research. The important thing is that the laptop is finally ready for a clone. (YEAH!!!) It has become the goto device in the office for production and communication.

I’m about ready to get the AppleTV+ and Apple Arcade trials (12 and 3 months respectively). I only have a week left to apply. They will both be canceled when they run out. But for the meantime…

Once the dryer is running, I can put the kitchen back in order and cook. The fridge is getting a little bare, but not desperately so. Three days, at least, before I clean the middle shelf. Not sure what I’ll be thawing, but I’m leaning toward turkey.

I had the pleasure of singing with Alicia for a couple of hours yesterday. It was Tom’s 70th, and he was selling Hawaiian shirts at the art and music festival downtown (Ant Street). He was pleasantly surprised.

The horde left behind what is probably a opossum carcass at the corner of the house. Whew.

The work crew didn’t return on Friday, so still no dryer vent or roof.

Not a whole lot else going on. A day of R&R.

The work crew has been at it for two days, new platform and wooden steps out the back door. Porch roof goes on the completed frame today, weather willing. So does the dryer vent. Maybe a handrail.

Sweater drying rack was much too flimsy for my massive alpaca sweater when wet. So adding a couple of 1X2 slats and left over hardware cloth made a dripping rack that spans the tub. And once it stops dripping, it can be moved atop the scissored clothes drying rack where it gets better air flow. And it has the advantage of being able to bathe.

The chair cover fit perfectly on the office chair. The velvet has a nice feel, the dark blue a nice shade, easy on the eyes. Better than a beach towel in staying put.

The roof started leaking last night. Drip is in the hallway.

Rib eye tacos tonight. The spuds are gone, but the mac and risotto have reserves in the fridge. Out of bacon. Not enough else lacking to prompt a store run.

Feeling better, but not enough for truck brakes/alternator, haircut, or installations. Everything in life happens at the proper time.

Myka bit me again yesterday. I was brushing her, and she didn’t like it, probably aggravated by the loud noise of nail guns, power tools, and bludgeons. Blood was seen on the wipes, but none flowed, so she got the cold shoulder and no perks, along with an occasional “Get out of my way.” But she is back in grace again.

I decided not to make sausage gravy. Instead, I made scratch mashed potatoes and tuna mac. They didn’t use as much milk, leaving me with three cups to use up in the next couple of days. I may make another batch of cheese risotto.

I have been fighting gravity for over a week. I manage to get things done, but I’m chronically tired and achey. It might have to do with the valsartan. My blood pressure is consistently low. It might just be me getting old. At least I’m managing to get the chores done despite the impedance.

I’m off the clock on sitting. All went well, except for the nervousness from fireworks in the neighborhood. That didn’t last all that long.

I ordered a slip-on office chair cover and a sweater drying rack from Amazon. End of the week, if not sooner.

The folding tables in the office were swapped, smaller for larger, now a hospitality area, no electricity or devices. Easy to move out of the way, more room for playing music, less distraction and neck craning.

My communication is all sorted out, all configurations properly set and tested. New habits are set. Now to install and create the bootable clone.

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All finances except storage rent are completed for the month, being the second business day of the month. The dust has settled. The Amazon order, an office seat upholstery slip on cover (dark blue velvet) and a sweater drying rack has shipped. Fulfillment from San Marcos. A quickie.

Getting chores done in a paced rhythm. Bit by bit. Better than it was, an uphill battle. Washing the same pot three times in one day. Three tubs in the fridge, The milk used before expiration date. No cooking for days; pasta, rice, spud for easy options. Myka is thrilled about the tuna juice. She won’t be happy about the next serving being the last. Such ambrosia, no cat is immune.

Getting close to a major installation. Everything is sorted by folders (graphics, 3D, text, video, audio, internet, utilities…) Then I can generate the bootable clone on USB-C stick. Then it should be settled. (Audio/MIDI/VST comes later.) In the last stages of assembly. Then comes honing workflow on the structure.

Burned the roof of my mouth. Not that bad. More annoying than anything else.

It looked like rain today, most of the day forecast, but then it dissipated, More on the way, though. Big cloud mass sitting in the northern Gulf moving west. Hard to say what it will do next.

The MacBook is retired. Everything remaining of importance has been copied over to the catchall drive. The management folders are empty. It can be booted at any time and still be functional, and there is still the firewire backup. But it will be sitting in a carry case unless there is need for it. It got me out of Webberville when my widescreen lost its screen, it will be well remembered.

I got the font manager up and functional on the new laptop, with my full library of fonts, all 25 years worth of gathering. No beast is complete without quick access to its full font history.

Just put up the girls next door. Biscuits are the trick to get them all in bed without a moment’s hesitation. One of four tendings down. Chow in the morning and daily release. Fair chance of rain tomorrow, so they probably won’t appreciate it. Fair chance of rain all week.

I bagged up the contents of the big table in the office, and I need to sort it and prep for laundry for the wearables and covers. The rest needs to be boxed. Another hot day in the AC chore, once the dryer is functional. Penciled in for Monday. As it stands now, it’s an elevated kitty highway from the door to the window. Won’t be when the table gets pulled, the bridge drawn.

Got the last of the details of the email transition down, including a complete address book in text format. Fluffed out the contacts. I’m done except for the daily routine. The phone is functional too. I’ve seen all the basics in action, verified working.

One more chore tonight, the litter box. Maybe laundry if I feel up to it. Ice bin is getting low. I may just go to sleep and tackle it after I’ve nodded awhile.

I’ll have a chance to cook this week. Sausage gravy will be first. I had fish and shrimp for dinner. Made a store run after the rain let up, pharmacy, insect control, munchies.

I did not make the jam, too tired from cleaning the house, and my throat irritated from the dust. I was not up for a jam on several levels. And I have slept heavily and often since. Plenty in the fridge without chili. And it gave my neighbor a chance to perform for his family without me as a distraction.

I was here for the installation of the second pair of lines for the internet upgrade. The new arrangement (same modem) is giving me 82 mbps, a gig in 95 seconds. I have already gotten used to the pace of 10.25 M/s. It’s quite helpful in the area of VST, with all the audio samples.

I also have the new email client set up and properly configured with accounts, notification, etc. One IMAP and one POP3. A good combo for all the different accounts and integrating with browser, etc. The MacBook is no longer receiving mail. Games and QT7 are its only assets at this point. It is close to being retired and the table removed.

I am due an installation marathon, as soon as I have recovered. My body is rested, but it’s still sore and tired. Sitting the horde this weekend. Otherwise, it’s a relaxing time, building steam. Nothing slated until I feel up to it.