Month: August 2020

Ulterior

Posted on by backuphill

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Hey, wait a second…

Did you see this over the weekend?

CDC has updated, changed, fixed, (whatever!) the number related to deaths from of Covid.

As we all suspected from the beginning, co-morbidity factors (or other underlying conditions) were actually the true cause of death and not really Covid. In other words, Covid played a small part in the mortality rate but was not the sole factor in a large percentage (94%) of deaths.

So, why is it, again, that we are all in lockdown from this thing? Why is that the media is pushing the fear and doom? Why is that a large portion of our population is cowering in fear after having swallowed the story hook, line, and sinker?

Ever ask why there is so much misinformation about all this stuff?

Ever ask who benefits from all the misinformation about all this stuff?

Think, people, think!

It’s time to do your own thinking. Stop following the party line (whichever one you are in) and think for yourselves. Stop listening to the media. Go to the source whenever possible. When not possible, use media from different (all) points of view. Develop your own picture of what is going on and then think critically about it.

Ask questions. Ask hard questions.

Don’t take anything at face value. There is always more to it than what you see on the surface.

Always.

Categories and Tags

Posted on by backuphill

Blogging and all this stuff. I realize this is gonna be a first world problem, but it seems like a pretty easy fix and it’s hard to believe WordPress hasn’t already done it.

There is a process you go through to help drive traffic to your by using Categories and Tags. Then people who look for those specific topics are alerted, to some degree, that there is a blog post related to it. In the “old” version of getting ready to publish your blog out to the interwebs and make it public, you could select these things and it would tell you how many of each you were using on your blog.

As far as I can tell, this “new block editor” version of WordPress doesn’t do that. I have no quick way of telling how many Categories or Tags I’ve used unless I constantly scroll back and forth to count them.

This seems like a basic and easy fix to implement. Like seriously.

The picture above shows the Categories and Tags tabs. As of right now, I have Categories attached to this very blog I am writing, but you won’t know it until it is expanded.

So, why hasn’t it been set up that when the Categories or Tags is collapsed that it shows how many are under each tab without having to expand it? It could show up, right on the tab next to the tab title (like the image below – highlight added for emphasis).

So, when both the Categories and Tags tabs are collapsed, there is an easy way to see how many of each are being used.

Simple!

Too much to ask? Am I knit-picking? Am I easily irritated? (wait, don’t answer that…)

Or is this a function that they just didn’t think about? I find that hard to believe. I can’t believe they haven’t had feedback on this yet.

What do you all think? Did WordPress miss the boat on this feature?

Accountablity

Posted on by backuphill

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What are your thoughts about holding someone accountable?

Situation: Someone tells you that they will do something (or have something done, like a service) but it will involve several people for it to be seen through to completion. As the agreed upon service is unfolding, it is clear that its going to get screwed up because there are multiple people involved with several different parts to coordinate to make it happen.

What do you do at this point?

  1. Deal with the individual parts and let it play out, hoping it is done correctly.
  2. Go straight to the person who set the whole thing in motion and make sure they are coordinating the various pieces so the outcome is successful.
  3. Let it all go to crap and then hope it can clean it up after.

Being a planner, I think you know which way I would go here. But, I really want to know…what do you think is the best way to approach this?

Do you let the person who promised something hold on to that accountability, or do you take it on yourself?

Take out

Posted on by backuphill

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Frustrating.

Everything is take out. For lunch I want a burger. Not a big deal, I can do that fairly easily.

Frustrating part is many local places would like you to order ahead and do it online. Many of them have added this service to accommodate for the continuously stupid mandates from the state.

So, you go to order online and then the website doesn’t let you customize your order. You can only just order. If I want to add bacon? Tough. If I want to remove the tomato? SOL. But I can tell you what time I want to pick it up and you’ll have it ready for me. Helpful, but not really if I can’t order it the way I like it or want it.

As such, I am left with calling in the order – which is inconvenient for me and for them, as they are already likely busy with the lunch crowd.

I am sure there are websites out there that are better at this than some. And it really isn’t the restaurant’s fault as they probably had to scramble to get something up and running. BUT, with technology today, there is no reason you shouldn’t be able to submit an order with customized menu items the way you want it.

Just simply isn’t good.

Old sport

Posted on by backuphill

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Over the weekend I tried a sport/game (whatever you wanna classify it as) that I hadn’t really done since college. It’s a novel sport, as in it doesn’t enjoy widespread popularity but is becoming more and more popular. How do I know? Well, you are probably seeing these weird contraptions show up in public parks – a wire and chain basket on a pole.

Disc golf.

I had a friend in college who was an avid disc golf fan and he always managed to get a group of us out to go play with him. It was fun, but I wasn’t sure at the time that I really liked it.

I liked actual golf better. Let’s just say that.

Anyway, I had a friend invite me out for a round of disc golf over the weekend. I hadn’t really considered it, even though I am seeing those baskets all over the place now. So, I said yes.

We met at the park. There is a learning curve and technique to the game. But, I had fun. And it got me off the couch and outta the house. A win-win.

What I didn’t realize would happen is that I am an OLD sport, meaning that I am really sore today (two days after the fact). My arm and shoulder are not used to that motion and I am fully aware of those parts of my body today as they scream at me even while moving my arm to type.

Old.

The reality of being able to recover quickly from activity just isn’t the case any more. I miss those days. But, it’s reality today.

I am sport, just an old sport.

Tears

Posted on by backuphill

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Just gotta get through one more school year, baby girl.

So, there have been times over the many years when I have picked up my daughter from her mom and she was upset. Sometimes more obviously that others, but you can tell when something is bugging her. Never has there been a time when my daughter has gotten into the car and immediately burst into tears. Friday night was a first for that.

She’s 17 and going into her senior year.

She has endured mental and emotional abuse from her mother for YEARS and I have fought to change the custodial situation several times in court, at great expense and to no avail.

Courts hate fathers. But that’s a story for a different day.

Anyway, my daughter cried for a few minutes and then said it was “nothing.” “It happens all the time.” “It’s just the way it is.” She explained what was going on and said she didn’t wanna live there any more but knows she is stuck. She’s tough, but it still hurts her.

Breaks my heart…because there is nothing I can do at this point but point out that she’ll be 18 next year and will graduate high school and then she can make decisions for herself.

I reassured her that it isn’t normal, it shouldn’t be this way, and that it doesn’t happen all the time. That’s not how mother’s treat their children. Deep down, she knows this.

How can her mom be like this? Why is she such a manipulative, conniving, bi-polar B*tch? (Yeah, that capital letter was on purpose) What makes her think that her behavior is acceptable at any level?

She’s already alienated our daughter enough that she hates being there. Doesn’t want to go back. Can’t wait to get out. Is biding her time until she can completely abandon that relationship, at least temporarily. She likely won’t sever it completely because she still loves her mom…but she wants separation.

My heart hurts.

Hang on, baby girl, just nine more months…

Negative

Posted on by backuphill

I am on the mend. The summer cold was truly that, a summer cold. I doubt many of you out there were worried. I mean, no one really cares, right?

However, my mind was eased by a negative result on the test (you know, that one that many people think they should get the moment they cough). So, I can rest assured that my parents haven’t been exposed by me and they can travel to see their parents in the near future.

And, nothing else has changed either. I am still negative all around too. So, don’t worry. You won’t see much on the positive side here on the blog.

I am thoroughly sure that there isn’t anything good happening in the world today. Perhaps the sky really is falling.

Anyway, we’ll be back to the regularly scheduled Piss & Moan here shortly.

Have a crappy weekend.

Testing, testing…

Posted on by backuphill

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Well, I went through the surreal experience of being tested for Covid today.

As I said yesterday, I don’t think this is anything more than a summer cold.

But, out of the abundance of caution for the family members that I may have exposed since this thing hit me on Saturday, I went and got tested. For peace of mind’s sake, I do want to know if I have exposed my parents and I do want to know if I need to let my dad know since he is wanting to go visit his mom. Plus, there are other family members that we can’t be too careful with as well.

So, through the stupid maze of traffic cones I went, stopping at two different tents set up by the state of Washington and the county. First the questions tent, then the swab tent. It didn’t take long, but it does feel like its all unnecessary.

Anyway, I’ll know whether I am negative (by nature, you already know that is true if you follow this blog!! LOL) or if I am positive (highly unlikely, medically or personality wise) in about 72 hours.

Which should I hope for?

*Sniffle*

Posted on by backuphill

Not sure how it happened. Not sure how long it will last.

Some how, the summer cold found me on the roof.

It started a couple days ago. Notice a scratchy throat and a little discomfort swallowing. Today, full blown head congestion and a nose that thinks it’s time to run a marathon.

Laying low today. (Called in sick, even though I work from home)

Guess it is time to catch up on some of my own paperwork, binge watch some shows, and play some video games. Time to rest.

white tissue roll on green textile

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Roofing

Posted on by backuphill

focused man building roof of wooden construction

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The roof on the house finally got fixed about three weeks ago. It was a long wait, but I am glad I don’t have to worry about that now.

However, while all of the waiting was going on I decided it would be a good idea to build a lean-to off the side of the garage. It wasn’t at the stage where it could be roofed when the roofers where here, so…I have to do it.

Let me tell you, I am glad I don’t do that for a living. It is hard work!

I already knew this, but it reminded me while I worked on it (during one of the hottest weekends of the summer) Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

It’s not done and I am not looking forward to climbing back up there to finish it. This old, out of shape body, had to take a day off to let some of the stiffness and soreness subside a little.

Maybe that is why I am dreading it today. I know what is ahead of me…

Anyone wanna come finish this for me? It will only be about 84 this afternoon.