a very UNpleasant surprise, which eventually led to a happy ending, if only briefly

 

          SATURDAY 10/31/2020 A couple of days ago some unknown entity took $90 out of my checking account… I’ve just come back from the bank to straighten that out...I was given a phone number to call, but I can’t call before October 4 – it’s a long story and I don’t know how to explain the situation… We cut up my debit card so that it won’t be used again by anybody end including me… So I’ll have to wait for a new one…
             10:41PM--between my doodling and listening to Phish for most of the day, I sorta forgot my financial situation...I think my hands are tied until Wednesday (or is it Tuesday?) so I'll try to NOT think about it until then...
TUESDAY 11/3/2020 well my financial dilemma has been taken care of as far as I can tell… The bank put back the $94 that somebody took – I just don’t know who took it... and when I wake up later this morning, hopefully not before 8 o’clock, I will be $800 richer…my plan is to pay off the Best Buy credit card and reduce the balance on my Capital One credit card by about 50%, more or less…
10:43AM--I had more than a little trouble paying off the Best Buy Visa card, but it's done...and I paid Capital One $200 bucks leaving a balance of $244 dollars...I actually feel pretty good...staying away from the TV as much as possible--social media as well...
4:40PM--well, my Pnk Floyd pullover wasn't at the Kentlands Giant or CVS...so I can say I dunno where it is and mean it...
10:03PM--I've had the earbuds in my ear almost continuously since about 8PM...listening to anything BUT Phish...both the first Producers' album and Ben Folds' first album are really REALLY good IMO..
11PM--just listening to a variety of stuff, came across DOWN BELOW THE BORDERLINE...I love the keyboard solo...so I looped it, damn near perfectly IMO...it lasts a minute and four seconds...
WEDNESDAY 11/4/2020 5:41PM--just hanging around the house, except for the grocery store visit this morning...and there's a Doctor's appointment tomorrow morning at 9AM...I might be home by 11AM...

technology generally doesn't like me

 

         WEDNESDAY 10/28/2020 11AM--it took awhile, but I added the IMDB to the list of apps we have on the smart TV...No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get Twitter on to it...the remote is too small and/or my fingers are too fat...
3:30PM--called the Doctor's office to get more Atenolol...hopefuly I'll have it by tomorrow morning... It was a bit of a struggle to get the Atenolol, but eventually the doctor authorized the filling up the prescription...
           I have a box of books ready to go to get donated somewhere... I have a couple of choices when it comes to where I can take them... I could go to Unique thrift store or I could go to the Friends of the Libray... If I take the books to the friends of the library I will have to wait till afternoon because they don't open until noon... I could go down to Unique and make it back home before noon, if I get an early enough start...Dianne can't go during the day because she's at work; I suppose I could wait until the weekend, I've waited this long, there's no rush...
          4:34PM--I forgot I've got Spotify, on the laptop AND the phone...listening to a Phish playlist; I dunno who created it, and I don't care all that much...it doesn't sound all that bad--probably not as good as iTunes, but I'm OK with that...
10:27PM--still on Spotify...it's free and easy...who wouldn't like THAT?

FRIDAY 10/30/2020 10:50 AM-So I’m still wrestling with technology, trying to find some blank CDs in my possession that really are blank – sometimes they’ve got stuff on them already and I didn’t put that stuff on there…I can’t even guess how that’s possible...

more technology

 

            SUNDAY10/25 2:05PM-it turns out that our Google Assistant can also function as a Bluetooth speaker… naturally, the sound quality is far from optimal – but I don’t care, it was just the idea that it’s supposed to work as a speaker if you want it to…I think I paired it with my iPhone, so it will play whatever iTunes songs I have ON my phone… there are a few things that I can only do when Dianne  is at work in the office; using the Google Assistant to play music is one of them...I can also play Music from the youTube phone app...I subscribe to the Phish channel and I can also listen to my playlists (SLR for example, or Favorites). I think I'm gonna get more headphone adapters--I think I have TWO, but I can only find one--so far...
        And of course, I can "share" everything that's on my iPhone to the TV...I keep coming back to the idea that I'm living with technology that would freak my Mother out if she could suddenly come back to Life...
     Using CORNFLAKE GIRL (from Soundstage) as a test case, on the iPhone, thru youTube, it sounds OK...thru my iTune Library it sounds better than OK...after all that ruminating over streaming systems, I'm just gonna stay with iTunes and youTube...and I still have Spotify (free with ads) on the laptop and iPhone...
       It would seem I've gone tech crazy, almost...
        MONDAY 10/26/2020 12:40AM-I just got done watching some videos on the TV that were coming from my phone… That was interesting; mostly what I watched was me playing guitar with people… A past life you might say...
9:13AM--gonna take a shower shortly, then go see the Doctor...I DON'T expect to be home before Noon, so it may be a fairly late lunch...oh well...
7:21PM--whatever I wrote after coming home from the Doctor' office is gone--I dunno why...I made it home by 12:30 and was napping by about two thirty...it took awhile for me to find out how much I owe on my BB Visa and when it's due...sheesh...
7:48PM--naturally I forgot that info and can't fucking retrieve it...
I'm hoping the TWO pills I took will mellow me out more than a little... 
9:37PM--I think they have, and that's a good thing...

TUESDAY 10/26/2020 10:30AM-well, I contacted Citi Bank about my Best Buy credit card Account…I got it all straightened out – I think... I have a new user ID, which was part of the problem I was having I guess… I’m going to celebrate my technological victory by going to Safeway and buying real cheese… It’s not much of a celebration but that’s the way it is...
    11:23AM--Dianne might not think so, but *I* think I'm getting more and more senile or the Alzheimer's is getting worse...They may be two different things for all *I* know...I sctually got a bit confused in Safeway... I was looking for pre-packaged cheese, but I was in the Seafood section...very embarrasing...I guess I had the Giant layout in my head...
      And I'm still battling the TV and/or my iPhone for control with regard to mirroring...whatever...*I* think the Samsung remote is too small..I can't change its' size or the size of my hands...oh well...But it's a pretty good day otherwise...
9:23PM--Phish school is out for now...I suspect it will start up again tomorrow...there's so much Official Phish...The unofficial stuff (youTube videos) is gonna have to wait...
           I don't think I can stay up past Midnight and I don't want to...I might not make it to Midnight...perhaps watching THE WEST WING is one of the reasons...I might be able to manage more than an hour of TV watching now, but I think I'll switch to Star Trek TOS...

joining the 21st Century

 

           THURSDAY 10/22/2020 12:19PM--the Geek Squad guy just left...We now have a "smart" TV...we can (and did) watch youTube on it...and the recommendation is that we use the phone app to operate it...we can watch Amazon Prime vids--the recommendation is that we only use ONE Amazon Prime account...I guess MINE is the one that will be deleted, which (hopefully) doesn't matter...and as a bonus, the DVD player is back!!! THAT is a big deal to me...
8:06PM--just watched some youTube videos on THE TV...wow...
9:14PM--and although I can (possibly) listen to iTunes on the TV, I don't wanna pay $10 a month...and it wouldn't sound like what I'm used to--earbuds connected to the laptop...youTube Music also would cost $10 bucks a month...
11:28PM--I also checked out Gooogle Music and (for the tablet) Amazon Music...I'm satisfied/happy with iTunes...I re-equalized the sound coming from the Smart TV although I won't know if it sounds "better" until I hear Music and/or crank it up a bit...I believe I tweaked the picture a bit--or not, I just have to get used to it...
FRIDAY 10/23/2020 9:35AM--the new TV is sooo cool, especially when coupled with my phone...I really like watching/listening to youTube w/o earbuds--my ears are ringing more than enough, thank you very much...
6PM--we went to Unique Thrift Shop this morning...I bought a pair of jeans...Dianne bought (because I told her about it) all TEN DVD box sets of FRIENDS...for about $40 bucks total...they go for $135 on Amazon...
11:25PM--I'm trying to find a reason to buy an iPad, but I can't...but I DO wanna go get new/different/better earbuds...
SATURDAY 10/24/2020 7:46AM--I briefly had ZEN COLORING on my phone, but that was impractical, so I deleted it...I think we're going to PETSMART later...I suppose I could run into Giant and get the small pizzas I forgot yesterday...or I'll go to Safeway--it's closer/quicker...
8:33AM--had a phone problem--the ringer was off and I didn't know it...but ultimately I realized what was wrong and fixed it (whew)...
            Well it looks like I finally got speech to text on my laptop... I don't think I'm going to leave the house anytime soon... I can't type an ellipsis without disconnecting the speech to type function;... OK, I'll just have to get used to this-- obviously I can't talk out loud if Dianne is sitting next to me watching television, but otherwise--YAHOO... I'll just have to get used to how it works, what it does and what it can't do... For instance I think all I have to do is click on the microphone icon at the top of the screen and I'm ready to go... And of course, I have to keep the cursor at the end of a sentence--I think...
NOON-got the new earbuds!!! listening now--THIS is the sound I wanna hear...
12:41PM-- Dianne went out by herself to an Orchard...
4:54PM--I think I might be able to do my blog on my tablet after all... I just did that sentence in "speech to text" mode...
6:53PM--AND I found out I can use the iTunes EQ on every song quickly--all I gotta do is MINIMIZE it; the minimization goes to the task bar at the top of the screen...that really comes in handy when listening to any "unofficial"recordings, be they GD or Phish...
8:11PM--Now I'm up in the office dictating to my Tablet…It seems to be working fine; The system is not perfect, which really means I don't know everything I think I need to know in order to get my thoughts down onto my blog properly...but I still have the laptop...
9:33PM--back down in the living room, watching ST-TOS on Netflix...then I'm gonna watch it on ME TV, channel 489...then I might watch ONE episode of the West Wing before going to bed...

the first step(s)

 

       THURSDAY 10/15/2020 6:20PM--I took a walk for the purpose of getting exercize...I got up from my nap, which never lasts as long as I sometimes would like, and took the walk...I went .56 a miles altogether...after a few days of doing that, I hope to increase my distance a little...
FRIDAY 10/16/2020 4:26PM--today I walked .57 miles...I went to the Bank, then to the bus stop then back home...and in spite of all that walking, my BP is 113/65...because I just had some flavored water, it's pointless to check my blood sugar...
8PM--I THINK I just sent away for medicine that seems to be endorsed by Bruce  Springsteen (via Rolling Stone magazine) but there's a possibility that the whole thing is fake...I used my CHECKING account Bank card...I'll be a nervous wreck long before Tuesday--that's when the stuff is supposed to get here...pretty sure it's too late to cancel...If I have to, I'll contact the Bank and/or get a new Bank card...
9:36PM--just got confirmation of my two orders...that makes me feel a little better...
SATURDAY 10/17/2020--it was a good day today...other than thinking it was Sunday...went to Poolesville to visit an orchard...got some good photos...
SUNDAY 10/18/2020 8:09AM--maybe the day will get better...I can only hope...I'll never understand why Dianne has to watch the News, when the lead stories are all about Chump...
5:53PM--it's possible that my phone has miscalculated how far my walks have been...that sucks...but so far it's been a good day...we went to Target and I got some underwear...
11:46PM--I've been into Photography more than a little lately...I remembered I have a wide angle/macro lens made for my phone...I wish I knew where it was...I'll probably find it when I STOP looking for it...nonetheless, I'll try looking in my bedroom tomorrow...
MONDAY 10/19/2020 10:38AM--well, some of my laundry is done, not folded and/or put away yet, but still...according to my phone, I've already (casually) walked about a half a mile..
5:37PM--just spent the last HOUR AND A HALF wrestling with technology, maybe I still am....I need a break...BTW, I found my wide angle/macro lens...I did a test photo, it came out fine...I'll go out tomorrow to get the "keeper", probably a leaf or something...
WEDNESDAY10/21/2020--I took the lens out Tuesday morning and got a couple of "keepers"...later this morning I'm going to the doctor's and they're gonna draw blood for some kinda test...

it makes me crazy...

 

        TUESDAY 10/13/2020 9:04AM--I can't stand it when I can't find stuff when I want it, but find it after I've given it up and forgotten about it...it happened again this morning...I was looking for some important paperwork (and tidying up in the process) when I found the portable CD player I was looking for a week or two ago...To me that's EXTREMELY frustrating...and of course I haven't found that paperwork yet--SUPER DUPER frustrating...
     1:30PM--getting ready to attempt to take a nap...I'm so bored...
6:15PM--got the earbuds...they're not exactly the same--that's my fault...they don't come with Bass Boost...I'll get used to it...it's better than nothing...I'm glad to have ANY...but I MIGHT save up and get EXACTLY what I had before...
10:15PM--Dianne has bought a new TV for the living room, I'm not sure why...it arrives sometime on Thursday...I believe I will have access to HBOMax which will be showing (among other shows) The West Wing once it leaves Netflix...
WEDNESDAY 10/14/2020 11:18PM--turns out the new TV WON'T be here tomorrow, which may be OK because we can't build it until Saturday...
THURSDAY 10/15/2020 10:30AM--there's a guy working on the deck, finishing the paint job they started months ago...he might be done by Lunchtime...
12:18PM--he's pretty much finished, not that it matters all that much...(sigh) it's happened again...I found the paperwork I was looking for this past Tuesday--when I WASN'T looking for it...AAARRRGGGH!!!! I might take a look at the stuff later today and (maybe) make the phone call tomorrow...Thanks to the Universe for helping me find the stuff... 

and we're done with THAT

 

           MONDAY 10/5/2020 11:11PM--I woke up this morning feeling very "oogy"...twelve hours later, I still feel a teeny bit oogy...I did some research; I may be the victim of a Melatonin overdose...so I won't be using it tonight...I'm hoping (and thinking) I'll be OK...
           The plan for tomorrow is to take my completed ballot (and Dianne's) to the Board of Elections office...That's where I trained to be an election judge...I have no idea what's gonna happen; Hopefully I'll be prepared for almost anything...
         WEDNESDAY 10/7/2020 9:45AM--it turns out that my blood pressure was LOW and maybe THAT was why I felt so bad yesterday...but I am gonna try to leave the melatonin alone for a few days...
    I rediscovered my Amazon tablet...there have been some inprovements to it during that period of time where I'd sorta forgotten about it...I THINK it can do almost everything my phone (and/or my laptop?) can do...except make phone calls...it seems to have a speech-to-text function that it didn't have before...I like THAT...I don't think I can PRINT from it (yet) but maybe I'll work on that...
FRIDAY 10/9/2020 1:12PM--the Amazon Tablet now has a LOT more storage than it had yesterday...I bought an SD card at Best Buy and in the process got myself a VISA/BEST BUY charge card...at least I THINK I've got one...
SATURDAY 10/10/2020 11:28AM--I dunno what I'm gonna use it for but Amazon's Alexa is (and maybe always has been) a feature of my Fire Tablet...I TRIED to integrate it with my phone, but I couldn't make that happen...
11:39AM--just tried to print something from the Tablet...it worked, in a way...tried again, dunno if it worked yet, I'm tired of climbing the stairs (to the basement as well as upstairs) and I'll be going up sometime after Lunch...
6:52PM--If I go upstairs to watch TV, it might be THE WEST WING on Netflix...although it could be STAR TREK on Netflix...

an innaresting day, so far

 

       FRIDAY 10/2/2020 9:15AM--I woke up this morning to the News that Chump and his "wife" have been diagnosed with the virus that he has called a "hoax"...how is that possible?
        Something made me check my Bank account, a day early...the SSA check is already in the Bank...Maybe the "roomie" will let me pay off my credit card, which means NOT paying her the $300 that I usually give her every Month...we'll see what happens...There's $900 in the Bank and I would need $432.73 to pay off the credit card, leaving me with about $500 to live on for a Month...minus the GEICO bill, which leaves me with $400 to live on...which is about $12 per day...considering I don't go anywhere, I don't have to buy gas...I don't need to buy any Musical stuff--strings, etc.Twelve dollars a day MIGHT be do-able...the only time I go out is to buy groceries...my first choice of stores is maybe two miles away total...
           Somebody needs to work on the basement--even *I* think it's a big mess...that's mostly my fault, but knowing that doesn't help much...
 6:35PM--there's a problem with my med situation, but I'm taking care of it...there's only so much *I* can do then it's outta my hands...
Dianne and I are supposed to go to Poolesville tomorrow morning and Annapolis on Sunday...we'll see...