Splitear

I’m about 40% into this one. Fantasy is a nice break from the horror trend I was on for a while. I wouldn’t call this high fantasy, more of a historical fantasy, with the ties to Norse mythology. I’m kind of feeling like it’s a group of Norse that got stuck in North America from the way that it’s reading, but I could be trying to read too much into it. Regardless, it’s pretty fun. “You Die When You Die” by Angus Watson.

Libby is awesome. I use it all the time for ebooks and audiobooks. I use my NYPL card as it has a much better selection than my local. I also have a Kobo ereader which I can use to borrow books directly from them. I also use “Chirp” to find deals on audiobooks and Book Bub for ebook deals.

God I wish. I don't know that I have the time, energy or ability to change the fact that some of the worst people do the best in our society. The best I can do is try to keep a reasonably open mind, do the best with what I have, admit when I'm wrong, not be prideful when I'm right, and be happy in whatever outcome that gets me

I'm really torn on this, I see both sides, and so I will say I'm undecided on my feelings about this program. However, the thing that is so aggravating for me is how hard it is to get accurate information when trying to learn about any topic that involves the slightest hint of politics. I spent some time trying to learn about the safe smoking kits, and I'm bombarded with "Free Crack Pipe" articles from sources I'm not familiar with, and I really had to dig to find out what is in a kit. Turns out that it's mostly safety and hygiene products that help stop the spread of illness and disease. Again, I don't know that I agree we should be spending tax dollars on this, but it's stupid that people can make so much money by pushing the most extreme headlines and anyone who really wants to be informed on a topic have to dig through so much crap to get to the reasonable facts. I guess it's a fact of life that I need to get used to, there's always reward for bad people to do bad things. I don't have to like it, but perhaps I should just accept it.

I am in this camp. The chances of me voting for Biden or any other democrat in 2024 are very, very small, and getting increasingly smaller. However, I will not vote for Trump or any candidate that conducts themselves in a manner similar to him. Surely we can do better.

I thought the same thing

I was just thinking about this yesterday. We ordered the day they opened orders. I'm not sure if we have, as my wife has ordered other rapid tests, so they may have been in that shuffle. However, I think the order was under my name, and I don't remember seeing them come in.

Who's on first?

Boy, that is a dandy buck.

Awesome!

I'm following this, will probably be looking for something for next year.

I miss mine, I wish I wouldn't have sold it. A beautiful gun!

We might try to go over next weekend. I've had a few people recommended Willard.

We put an order in at work for a new 3/4 ton quad cab with a plow from the local Chevy dealer. It was a state contract, which usually take longer anyways, put in in November/December. Last we heard was that it could be as long as 2023 before they received it. We ended up cancelling the order and buying a new 1 ton they had on the lot this week.

Holy cow, that is some beautiful work!

I enjoy muzzleloading, and am hoping for more time to dedicate to it. I did a post a while back that I'm looking at starting a 4-H Muzzleloading and Heritage Arts program for the kids I work with. We've had to put it on hold due to Covid numbers, but I'm hoping maybe March or April for a start. At some point I'll be shopping for a flintlock, and would like something from a private maker. In the next year or 2 I'm going to make the trip to Friendship to see what's out there. I don't want to sink a few grand on a gun that I don't like. I'm really thinking about a smoothbore like a fowler though. I like being able to use a PRB or shot. I know it's not as accurate, but if I can kill a deer with it within 50 yards, I'd be happy. Right now I have a TC New Englander with a .50 and 12 gauge barrel. I haven't used the shotgun barrel yet, I need to get some shot at some point and shoot it. Are both of those guns yours? They are beautiful.

I've done similar to knehrke, with results that really surprised me. A few years ago I participated in the NYS 4-H Diversity and Inclusion Cohort and learned a lot about biases that I have and didn't realize. Here's a simple one that anyone can try. From Harvard, so it's not some "Facebook Quiz". https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/user/agg/blindspot/indexrk.htm https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/faqs.html

Awesome! It puts me in mind of a Goldwing. Hope it provides a lot of fun for you!

It's no one's fault who watches. They know their demographic, and they play to them what will get a reaction and keep them watching. I remember hearing a piece by a psychologist during the Gabby Petito case, and why it was getting so much attention. They essentially said (this is not a direct quote, just what I took from it) that it has to do with empathy, which is a naturally occurring human response. When you see someone who looks like you, or who you can relate to, i.e. a pretty white girl, you empathize and care more. You can see that person being your daughter, niece, or granddaughter. It's not that it doesn't matter any more or less than any other similar situation, but it matters more to you because you can see yourself in the families. Really interesting. That whole discussion came about when people were saying it was racist to care about Gabby Petito and not care about the other murders of colored women that happen every day. She was saying that wasn't the case, but that it's just the nature of how we connect to things. I wish I could find that interview, but I don't even remember where I heard it.

This was literally me for the first 5 years that I went skiing.

I'm just very bitter about cable news, because I've seen my dad just get hooked on it in the past few years. It's always CNN or Fox when you walk in there house, and he won't even turn it off while you're visiting or having a conversation. He doesn't want to miss anything. When he's not watching "the news" he's perusing Facebook or websites about "the news". I just really hate it, I think it brings down society as a whole, and only benefits those sitting at the top of the networks. I'd rather read a book

I took up skiing when I was in my early 20's. We didn't have any slopes close to us except for Paoli Peaks in Southern Indiana. I'm a big guy, and I build up a lot of momentum. Needless to say, I developed very little skill on my few trips to what I realize were the small hills in Paoli. When we moved to NY, I really made a solid effort to learn. My wife grew up skiing, their yearly family vacation was to do a week of skiing in West Virginia. She really wanted me to learn, but as anyone who started later in life knows, it's really frustrating. However, through perseverance, I was able to develop enough skill to keep up with her on the blues. I don't try anything more than that as I'm not a fan of hurting myself Now it's nice to spend some time with her doing something that she loves, and I have learned to enjoy. @mlammerhirtOur oldest is 3, and we talked about getting her started this year, but she just turned 3. I think we'll give her another year. I do look forward to it becoming a family sport.

There's no need for a 24 hour news cycle anyways. News has become entertainment, and that entertainment has value. How much more informed are you about a story after following it for hours, compared to reading it in the paper or seeing it on the nightly news. Pundits and analysts are not news people or journalists, they are entertainers. News websites contain very little "news", but plenty of entertainment parading as such. This event was awful and sad. Watching someone go on and on about it for hours makes it no more or less awful. However, the news entertainment companies will play tragedy for all it's worth if it keeps bringing in eyeballs and selling ad space. At some point, you have to ask yourself if you are being informed or being entertained...

Just heard that Louis Anderson died. My wife and I watched "Baskets" for the whole time it was on, and he played a hilarious role as Zach Galifianakis' mom. I've listened to some of his stand-up as well, a very funny guy. Too bad.

I hadn't heard the Covid thing, but too bad. We got to see him down in Kingston a few years ago. My FIL loved him when he was in college, so we got tickets and invited them to come out and visit to go to the concert. In all honesty, it was terrible. His band was great, the girl he had singing with him was great, Meatloaf was awful.