jd_1138

Someone gave me an Xbox One media remote (PDP brand), as they switched from Xbox to PS5. It's pretty cool. I usually use my Chromecast media dongle that has a remote, but since I play as much Xbox as watch media, I think I will just use the Xbox One from now on for YouTube, Tubi, etc. My GF doesn't like the controller (not a gamer) but seems to like the media remote. Plus the Chromecast is kinda buggy and has to be unplugged and restarted at least once a week.

I have had a bad cold the last few days with lots of drainage, coughing, sore throat. No fever though, so I didn't suspect COVID. I broke down tonight and used one of the 4 tests the gov't mailed everybody (if you sign up). We just got ours a few days ago. Basically, you fill a small test tube with a testing solution (about a few milliters) then swab the inside of each nostril for 15 seconds (making 5 passes against inside about 3/4 inch deep within the nose). This feels horrible when you're sick. Then you stick it in the test tube solution and stir it about 15 times then squeeze the end of the swab at the bottom of the test tube a few times to get as much material out then recap it. Then you squeeze out 3 drops (through a smaller hole under a smaller cap) onto the inlet hole of the test strip. Then wait 15 minutes and read the result. One line means negative, 2 lines means positive. Luckily it came out negative. I see these tests for like $10 at drug stores.

GF's 24 year old son bought a non-working Xbox Series S (no controller) off his buddy for $125, and supposedly his friend's an 'electronics expert" and said it just needs a PS. So GF's son paid $100 for a new PS off eBay. I replaced it for him, and it still doesn't work (just powers on for 2 seconds). Now his buddy says to try a new SSD. Pull out that "parts cannon" and fire an SSD, maybe a mainboard at it. Being cheap is expensive. He could've bought a brand new Series S with a new controller for $299. Instead he has a $225 paperweight. So after he buys a controller and SSD, it will cost more than a new one would've. And that's IF the SSD is the culprit.

On Friday, I bought my GF a 720p (upscales to 1080p) video projector. I gave it to her early as one of her Valentine's Day gifts. Trick is with Valentine's Day gifts is getting something you both can enjoy.  It was only $129, so cheaper than fine jewelry. We've been watching movies on it and playing some Xbox One too on it. I need to get a screen, so it will look better, but it's decent on the wall (ten feet wide).

eBay, grrrr. I ordered a splint for my foot for a painful bunion 2 weeks ago, and still not here. Then today I get a slip from USPS saying I owe $4.55 postage on the package for that item. This makes the 2nd package off eBay in a month that needs me to pay postage. Both items came with "free" shipping. I already bought a better model off Amazon for same price, and it came in 2 days. My eBay habit may be coming to an end.

Didn't have to go to work for 4 days, so I didn't shower for 4 days.  Today, I gave myself a haircut, showered and then shaved the 4 days of beard off. It feels great to be clean. 

One of my errands today involved taking my brand new car (6 months old with 6k miles) to the body shop to get a second estimate to give to the lady who put a dent in the side of it the other day at Target. I decided to stop at a thrift store before going there, and I pulled in and most spots were taken. 30 feet away was an elderly lady in an old Prius who backed out without looking and nearly wiped me out. She came fast and hard towards me. I had to throw it in reverse, and I barely missed the impact. Somedays you just got to laugh at the humor of life. Beats crying.  BTW, the estimates were within 12 bucks of each other. I guess modern estimating software is pretty accurate -- probably negating the need for a second estimate?

I am working on my Krav Maga, so I can fight my way to the front of the line on Friday. I'm going to score me one of those Polaroid 32" flat panel TV sets for $79. That baby's loaded -- one HDMI port, mono sound, 480i resolution. Last year I almost snagged a KitchenBasics one slot toaster for $4.99, but an old lady tasered me and she got the last one.

We moved into this apartment 2 weeks ago. I was out walking our doggo in front, and the couple whose apartment is near the entrance had their kitchen window open whilst cooking dinner. They were making lasagna I think from their discussions, and they had streaming music playing.

Anyway, they were interacting with it by saying "Ok Google" like animals, and they had to say it a few times. Everyone knows you just have to say "Hey Google" now. One less syllable.  They thumbs downed a Van Halen song to get to a Led Zep tune.

It's kinda cool having neighbors around. Last 20 years, we lived in a house with a quiet neighbor (elderly guy) 50 feet away. Now we have all this life bustling around us. So far they are all quiet after like 10 PM.

We rented Venom (Marvel) tonight on Google Play store. I have like $30 in Google Opinion Rewards store credit. I'm usually not into super hero movies, but I enjoyed this one. I guess it's the first in a series of a new Spiderman group of movies.

It's national "change your profile pic to your fave cartoon character day". I almost went with Yosemite Sam. Garfield's getting some company today.

Apple's upgrading Ted Lasso this season. He's getting the new M1 CPU.

KFC hot sauce packets are the real deal. I just nuked a couple El Monterrey frozen burritos and was sad to see I had no more Taco Bell Fire packets. I did find 2 KFC hot sauce packets. Mmmmm. Stock up next time you visit the Colonel. I am turning into your Depression era grandparents hoarding packets of condiments. Also, I love Arby's Horsey Sauce.

I was walking by a Rent-A-Center on way to my car in a local strip mall, and I noticed a cool bedroom furniture display setup in the window. There was a bedroom set (sorta 1970s style) with a neat bed (Swedish style light wood headboard, padded), a wall sculpture above the bed with a shelf incorporated, and nice end tables. Each had a black panther on them in hunting mode. Large clock with exagerrated hands, and a large area rug.

I can buy into this lifestyle for only $129 a month for everything with no credit check!

To go along with this chicken sandwich craze, McDonald's should come out with a "Golden Nugget Burger" consisting of a quality bun with Chicken McNuggets on it, topped with fries and covered in a garlic based creamy wing sauce of sorts (savory) -- like what you get a decent wing place like Buffalo Wild Wings or a local pub. Or you can get it dry and put your fave condiment on it like BBQ sauce, sweet n sour, ketchup.

NBA 2K21 disappeared from Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at the end of August. Doh! I checked the Xbox Store, and it's like $70 and $100 for the Kobe Bryant Mamba Forever Edition. Can I just get the standard edition without AC, power windows, automatic tranny? I want the Model T version. I ordered it off ebay, sealed, new for $17 for the standard edition. Kinda telling that the Xbox Game Store only sells the pricey copies.  2022 edition's about to come out; 2021 one should be $39 or at least $29. At $29 I would've bought it instantly.

My brother suffers from anxiety attacks/bipolar. I sent him a Tivoli Model One radio, and he loves it and has mellowed him out he says. He had to leave all his vintage hi-fi equipment/turntables with his ex-wife and has missed it. The soothing woodgrain of the radio and the soothing music (he plugs his smart phone into it) helps him a lot. It's based on the older Kloss branded one.

Now I need to buy me another one.

Do people get some weird, sick fascination out of wasting peoples' time on FB marketplace, CL, OfferUp, etc.? I posted a 2-3 year old small sofa for my neighbor -- mint shape, non-smoking home. $100 obo. Had like 20 people message me, but no one actually came to buy it. I even had appt's set up for like 5 of them to come buy it, all no-shows. Finally, he got tired of the BS and put it on the curb, and a lady asked if I still had it. I said yeah but it's on curb. I would've taken $50 for it I said, and she said she would've totally bought it. So then I said well it's still on curb if you want it. Gave her my address, and she said she'd be right over. Never showed up even for a free nice sofa. It's still sitting out there 3 days later. Humans are bizarre. 

TV sucks so hard, that I'd rather watch a Home Shopping Network or QVC one hour sales pitch for some middling Dell laptop or something. At least it appeals to the geek in me. But I can't because I cancelled cable TV 2 years ago. I can stomach The Jeffersons though since my parents liked that program a lot when I was a kid. It has nostalgia value. It's on one of the local OTA digital channels twice a night.

Oh, and on the weekends I do enjoy relaxing while watching golf in the background while I am on the computer.

I saw an item on eBay I was interested in and the seller is 2 miles away, but the item didn't offer a local pickup option. I messaged them saying if they change the listing to "local pickup allowed", I'd use the BIN and pay full price (sans s/h) and meet them locally to collect the item. Seller sent me back boilerplate from eBay with all the bull s--t about it being against their rules, fraudulent, etc. to exchange info. and cut eBay out of the process.  I replied: "never mind". I don't want to meet an idiot like that in person. I already have to deal with enough idiots at work and in everyday life.

Facebook is good for something after all. It sure lets you know the general IQ of your friends, relatives, co-workers based on the bull s--t they post, like, comment about, etc.. 

Archaeologists have discovered the first ever what they are calling motion video/graphics. It dates from ancient Greece and is sort of like the Antikythera Mechanism. It is a complex geared device with a space for these sort of key like things that are separate from the device itself. The device is connected to a large abacus like thing with hundreds of beads connected to the device via levers. They put one of the key things into the device (fit precisely) and cranked it, and the abacus thing showed an animal running. This is the first storage media we know of. One of the other key cylinders produced a graphic of a well endowed woman with obvious breasts bouncing up and down. This is being called potentially the first ever porn movie in existence. Most baffling is the phrase "Please be kind, Rewind" that is written in ancient Greek on each of the cylinders. 

What's with all these amped up Price is Right contestants in this era of pandemic? I think they're all idle SAG performers or something. They come out of a door dancing and doing cart wheels and such on their way to bid, and do the same as they win the bid and are approaching the game they're about to play. Idled Cirque De Soleil performers be up in that mofo. 

All 5 Phantasm movies are on Tubi now, so if y'all wanna have a Phantasm movie marathon this weekend, go for it. GF and I watched the original last night (it's remastered -- beautiful video/audio). GF had never seen any of the Phantasm films. We're watching Phantasm II tonight. 

Cedar Point theme park here in Ohio has had to close a few days in the week due to not having enough employees. Even though they are paying $20 an hour. So come to Ohio if you want to make about $40k/year making overpriced munchies for families or tearing tickets at the roller coaster. Not making light of their work, I am sure it's hard, as most jobs are. Rent is cheap in Ohio. $700-$800 a month in most areas will get you a nice apartment with a pool, gym, etc..