The world’s most powerful artificial intelligence machine has decided you are a threat and is targeting you. From there, anything goes. I’d give this a 3 out of 5 stars because 3/4 through and the novel has lost it’s way diving into computer science and black majick.
A shame because I had high hopes for this book based on the premise that really never delivered. Up next, a book from a Florida native entitled “Bad Monkey.” I’ve never read Carl Haissen’s works before but figured when in Florida…
Astronomical
2024-05-14 11:58:18
Over the past month or so I have witnessed a few stellar phenomena such as the total solar eclipse in Arkansas on April 8 and a record solar flare-induced aurora light show in Florida (of all places.) Throw in a Space-X Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral and it’s been a great month. I may have access to a telescope soon that I can hook up the iPhone to and maybe view/capture something else- like an orbiting Tesla?
Unsettled
2024-05-14 19:36:28
In Florida for a few weeks after a cross-country move but feeling unsettled. I cannot relax, I cannot enjoy. I am a spectator with no interests or motivation to pursue any of my go-to hobbies.
Palm Sunday Project
2024-05-19 03:16:00
Welcome to the first newsletter sent from Cape Coral, Florida where a new latitude calls for a new and different photo project. In the past I would capture unique faces, diverse neon signs, wall art, etc. Anything that is in abundance and varies will do for me. Today is the start of “Palm Sunday”, where once a week I will share images from all the Florida frond foliage found and photographed, and probably even share a few words about them.
Palm trees are usually what comes to mind regarding beautiful, exotic islands and vacationing. But with all trees, there is so much more to learn and think about.
The Cuban Royal Palm can grow as tall as 75’. Taken on the banks of the Caloosahatchie River at sunset.
A lot of civilizations use products made from these trees such as cosmetics, cooking oils, lotions, jelly, wine, and biodiesel. However, not many know about the symbolic meaning of these large, evergreen plants.
There are over 3,000 species of palms, making them some of the most common and easily recognized plants. They thrive in tropical regions and are considered among the hardiest trees in the world as they’re resistant to most pests and diseases.
Coconuts are some of the most popular palms, with their nuts known for their nutritional benefits and distinct taste. Their hard brown shells protect the nut from damage when they fall from the tree, and the white flesh inside is used for making oil and cooking in many Asian countries. Coconut oil is considered the healthiest oil made from palms.
And because today is a Sunday, here are a few quotes: In Psalms 92:12, those who are righteous were compared to palm trees. It states that righteous people shall flourish and grow “like palms and cedar trees in Lebanon…” In Psalms 7:7-9, the palm tree is associated with victory, where getting hold of its fruit was compared to triumph.
Next week, I’ll share some palms taken from either Sanibel Island or Fort Myers beach. Oh, and as a little bonus, here is an image of a girl chasing seagulls on the shore:
-Chris in Cape Coral
Interesting
2024-05-20 03:25:53
With all of the recent life changes and the move to Florida, there are lost friends and now- found friends. Sure, I’ll miss those guys and girls in Tulsa, Houston, Birmingham, and Joplin, but for the past few weeks here in Florida, we’ve been greeted and welcomed by potential new friends.
It helps that we’ve ingratiated ourselves by winning group trivia with our correct answers for two weeks in a row. We graciously accepted an invitation to a comedy show the next evening and enjoyed cocktails and karaoke afterwards.
For the past few decades, the city of Cape Coral has a program simply called the “New Residents Club” due to the influx of people flocking to the island. With various ages and from all parts of the world, the groups are diverse and seem to keep it interesting.
And that is the point of this post- interest. In the past, I’ve noticed that I am fully engaged in another’s conversation and I always ask follow-up questions but then noticed it was seldom returned. I am happy to share my interests, but feel hesitant out of respect for them and their time, always afraid I am boasting too much, so I keep my answers concise and wonder why I am not receiving the same courtesy from them.
It wasn’t them, it was me. So I began to ask myself, “Have you tried to become more interesting?”
For me, to be “interest-ing”, is to be curious and attentive, and to practice “the continual projection of interest.”
❕
To put it more simply: If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested.
I want to be someone worthy of following and capturing interest from others. And so it is time for me to embrace some activities and hobbies of personal interest, (there’s that word again) to assist in becoming more interesting.
So, I’ve picked up the ukulele again
Kicked off the Palm Sunday photo project
Acquired a bicycle and will train with cycling this week
Fitness training and nutrition
Pickleball
Disc golf
Ultimate frisbee
Fishing in the canal behind the house (need a pole soon because the fish are jumping)
Bocce
Shuffleboard
Digital photography/hybrid sketching and painting
An armchair expert on palm trees
Finally, I will work on being an interesting person other people want to be around and are willing to open doors for. There are many roads to becoming an interesting person, but they all involve developing my curiosity and my desire to know and understand — myself, others, the world around me. I can commit to asking two people a day an open-ended question about themselves and really listening to their responses and then I can share my information and connections freely.
Interesting.
Why Photography?
2024-05-23 01:02:47
I love looking through the photo archives. Photographs, to me, are a record. They show me how things were “way back then”.
Lately I have been wondering what are the new photographs I have, as well as future images for?
This is causing a thought-shift in how I approach photography and why I should choose to pursue it.
It is a fair question to ask if what I leave behind will be appreciated by others after I am gone but I am not so sure. It’s possible my daughter can peruse the archives as a record and hopefully share in my life, my memories and of our time together. But after that? No one else will care and decades worth of images will become digital dust. Sobering thought.
We just recently acquired and discarded decades worth of photographic memories of a loved one who documented everything. But those were their memories, not ours. No one else in the family wanted them either so into the bin they went. This saddens me deeply.
I’d like to print at least 50 of the best images for each year in the past and moving forward, as physical mementos that my daughter can pick and choose to keep if desired. I hope she finds joy in looking back and sparking her own memories. Other than that, who wants to keep around all that crap? They’re just photos after all.
I suppose the answer, currently, is that they are for me and my memories. I also enjoy the photography process and the pursuit of that elusive master shot.
The battery is charged again, so off I go to make more memories.
Just Add Water
2024-05-25 17:46:07
For the past ten years, I’ve been limited on active cardio activities for various reasons. I used to enjoy trail and/or bayou running but, because I run like the wind(ed,) nowadays, it isn’t an option. Not to mention the high-impact on my knees.
Until recently, I have had limited access to a pool to perform any consistent cardiovascular exercising. Once I had my Apple Ultra Watch’s swim settings dialed in, I was able to accurately track time, distance, laps and depth for a 15 yd-long pool.
Combined with a six-day physical weight lift training and other activities, I plan to insert aerobic swimming and resistance to better increase my health.
Seven pounds lost since this was taken
Why Photography?
2024-05-22 14:31:00
I love looking through the photo archives. Photographs, to me, are a record. They show me how things were “way back then”.
Lately I have been wondering what are the new photographs I have, as well as future images for?
This is causing a thought-shift in how I approach photography and why I should choose to pursue it.
It is a fair question to ask if what I leave behind will be appreciated by others after I am gone but I am not so sure. It’s possible my daughter can peruse the archives as a record and hopefully share in my life, my memories and of our time together. But after that? No one else will care and decades worth of images will become digital dust. Sobering thought.
We just recently acquired and discarded decades worth of photographic memories of a loved one who documented everything. But those were their memories, not ours. No one else in the family wanted them either so into the bin they went. This saddens me deeply.
I’d like to print at least 50 of the best images for each year in the past and moving forward, as physical mementos that my daughter can pick and choose to keep if desired. I hope she finds joy in looking back and sparking her own memories. Other than that, who wants to keep around all that crap? They’re just photos after all.
I suppose the answer, currently, is that they are for me and my memories. I also enjoy the photography process and the pursuit of that elusive master shot.
The battery is charged again, so off I go to make more memories.
Interesting
2024-05-19 14:34:00
With all of the recent life changes and the move to Florida, there are lost friends and now- found friends. Sure, I’ll miss those guys and girls in Tulsa, Houston, Birmingham, and Joplin, but for the past few weeks here in Florida, we’ve been greeted and welcomed by potential new friends.
It helps that we’ve ingratiated ourselves by winning group trivia with our correct answers for two weeks in a row. We graciously accepted an invitation to a comedy show the next evening and enjoyed cocktails and karaoke afterwards.
For the past few decades, the city of Cape Coral has a program simply called the “New Residents Club” due to the influx of people flocking to the island. With various ages and from all parts of the world, the groups are diverse and seem to keep it interesting.
And that is the point of this post- interest. In the past, I’ve noticed that I am fully engaged in another’s conversation and I always ask follow-up questions but then noticed it was seldom returned. I am happy to share my interests, but feel hesitant out of respect for them and their time, always afraid I am boasting too much, so I keep my answers concise and wonder why I am not receiving the same courtesy from them.
It wasn’t them, it was me. So I began to ask myself, “Have you tried to become more interesting?”
For me, to be “interest-ing”, is to be curious and attentive, and to practice “the continual projection of interest.”
❕
To put it more simply: If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested.
I want to be someone worthy of following and capturing interest from others. And so it is time for me to embrace some activities and hobbies of personal interest, (there’s that word again) to assist in becoming more interesting.
So, I’ve picked up the ukulele again
Kicked off the Palm Sunday photo project
Acquired a bicycle and will train with cycling this week
Fitness training and nutrition
Pickleball
Disc golf
Ultimate frisbee
Fishing in the canal behind the house (need a pole soon because the fish are jumping)
Bocce
Shuffleboard
Digital photography/hybrid sketching and painting
An armchair expert on palm trees
Finally, I will work on being an interesting person other people want to be around and are willing to open doors for. There are many roads to becoming an interesting person, but they all involve developing my curiosity and my desire to know and understand — myself, others, the world around me. I can commit to asking two people a day an open-ended question about themselves and really listening to their responses and then I can share my information and connections freely.
Interesting.
Palm Sunday
2024-05-18 14:37:00
Welcome to the first newsletter sent from Cape Coral, Florida where a new latitude calls for a new and different photo project. In the past I would capture unique faces, diverse neon signs, wall art, etc. Anything that is in abundance and varies will do for me. Today is the start of “Palm Sunday”, where once a week I will share images from all the Florida frond foliage found and photographed, and probably even share a few words about them.
Palm trees are usually what comes to mind regarding beautiful, exotic islands and vacationing. But with all trees, there is so much more to learn and think about.
The Cuban Royal Palm can grow as tall as 75’. Taken on the banks of the Caloosahatchie River at sunset.
A lot of civilizations use products made from these trees such as cosmetics, cooking oils, lotions, jelly, wine, and biodiesel. However, not many know about the symbolic meaning of these large, evergreen plants.
There are over 3,000 species of palms, making them some of the most common and easily recognized plants. They thrive in tropical regions and are considered among the hardiest trees in the world as they’re resistant to most pests and diseases.
Coconuts are some of the most popular palms, with their nuts known for their nutritional benefits and distinct taste. Their hard brown shells protect the nut from damage when they fall from the tree, and the white flesh inside is used for making oil and cooking in many Asian countries. Coconut oil is considered the healthiest oil made from palms.
And because today is a Sunday, here are a few quotes: In Psalms 92:12, those who are righteous were compared to palm trees. It states that righteous people shall flourish and grow “like palms and cedar trees in Lebanon…” In Psalms 7:7-9, the palm tree is associated with victory, where getting hold of its fruit was compared to triumph.
Next week, I’ll share some palms taken from either Sanibel Island or Fort Myers beach. Oh, and as a little bonus, here is an image of a girl chasing seagulls on the shore:
-Chris in Cape Coral
Unsettled
2024-05-14 14:39:00
In Florida for a few weeks after a cross-country move but feeling unsettled. I cannot relax, I cannot enjoy. I am a spectator with no interests or motivation to pursue any of my go-to hobbies.
Astronomical
2024-05-14 14:41:00
Over the past month or so I have witnessed a few stellar phenomena such as the total solar eclipse in Arkansas on April 8 and a record solar flare-induced aurora light show in Florida (of all places.) Throw in a Space-X Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral and it’s been a great month. I may have access to a telescope soon that I can hook up the iPhone to and maybe view/capture something else- like an orbiting Tesla?
Rock & Roll
2024-05-26 12:00:28
As a follow-up to the previous post, I am looking for good cardio activities with low impact on my knees, so next up is cycling.
I recently acquired a road cycle and am slowly getting myself up to speed so to speak. Paired with AirPods, I can have a good beat to help me keep pace. Again, tracking activities is a cinch when using the Apple Watch and its built-in fitness guides. As a bonus, I’ve downloaded a third party app called Strava at the recommendation of the man who loaned me his spare bicycle. I like Strava but not too keen on the $80/y or $12/m subscription fee. I am unqualified to justify myself in that manner just yet.
No matter because for now I am content to let the good times…roll.
The author reminds everyone not to shoot a selfie when riding and that he is not too bright.
Play More
2024-05-26 13:00:35
Time to pluck the strings and finally learn how to play this ukulele. Pretty soon it’ll be music to my ears. Not anyone else’s, mind you.
Why
2024-05-28 20:53:42
Why write publicly? I’ve asked myself this question at least once a year, and my answer gets easier every year—no one cares.
Writing, for me, is a tool to organize my thoughts and process them. It’s also a log for me to remember and look back on to see how I’ve progressed over the years. But writing is a lonely hobby. If there is a limited audience, then what is the point? Put it into an email or a text message and be done with it, right?
Writing online with my domain, my website, and a server can be expensive. It doesn’t have to be, but I choose this over a third-party host and give up all of my rights, privacy, and autonomy.
Social media is not an option for those same reasons.
Social internet is an answer, but it takes too much time to build.
The hardest part of blogging, sharing my passions or thoughts, doesn't always mean the people closest to you care to read them. Then the doubt creeps in, "Well, if they don't care, why would anyone else? Why am I doing this, and putting myself out there?”
So, I do what I always do, which is to write for me first, and just hope that maybe someone else might find something of value in there. But over time I just became so frustrated with it all, I am going to close my website down and just go back to journaling for a while.
Why?
2024-05-28 11:54:21
Why write publicly? I’ve asked myself this question at least once a year, and my answer gets easier every year—no one cares.
Writing, for me, is a tool to organize my thoughts and process them. It’s also a log for me to remember and look back on to see how I’ve progressed over the years. But writing is a lonely hobby. If there is a limited audience, then what is the point? Put it into an email or a text message and be done with it, right?
Writing online with my domain, my website, and a server can be expensive. It doesn’t have to be, but I choose this over a third-party host and give up all of my rights, privacy, and autonomy.
Social media is not an option for those same reasons.
Social internet is an answer, but it takes too much time to build.
The hardest part of blogging, sharing my passions or thoughts, doesn't always mean the people closest to you care to read them. Then the doubt creeps in, "Well, if they don't care, why would anyone else? Why am I doing this, and putting myself out there?”
So, I do what I always do, which is to write for me first, and just hope that maybe someone else might find something of value in there. But over time I just became so frustrated with it all, I am going to close my website down and just go back to journaling for a while.
Play More
2024-05-26 12:22:00
Time to pluck the strings and finally learn how to play this ukulele. Pretty soon it’ll be music to my ears. Not anyone else’s, mind you.
Rock & Roll
2024-05-26 12:25:00
As a follow-up to the previous post, I am looking for good cardio activities with low impact on my knees, so next up is cycling.
I recently acquired a road cycle and am slowly getting myself up to speed so to speak. Paired with AirPods, I can have a good beat to help me keep pace. Again, tracking activities is a cinch when using the Apple Watch and its built-in fitness guides. As a bonus, I’ve downloaded a third party app called Strava at the recommendation of the man who loaned me his spare bicycle. I like Strava but not too keen on the $80/y or $12/m subscription fee. I am unqualified to justify myself in that manner just yet.
No matter because for now I am content to let the good times…roll.
