Hot Monday @ 99+

Preface: Last night, I read the first pages of Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style and found the first demand there. No longer use these words and fragments: very, rather, really, quite, in fact, just, so, pretty, of course, and never use “actually” again. I will resist these words and fragments in my writing. Of course, I look forward to quite enjoying another of Dryer’s demands, so please enjoy my revised text. I have kept my revisions visible.

I tried to rise early on Monday, but I am retired, and I think there is a law (a cosmic law) that requires retired people to sleep in on Monday. I got started before 7, winking at the law as I wanted to walk before it got hot. But, I still have not reached that place where the walking does not impact me; my legs and feet were unsure and tight. I made liberal coffee and ate the last banana (when the temperature forecast is below 99, I will shop again–I do not want an unplanned version of Bananas Foster in the Air Volvo cargo hold!

I tried to write the blog the night before but, instead, decided to sleep and finish it in the morning. So, I rushed to finish the final paragraphs. Typing in WordPress’s editor while drinking coffee, I rushed to finish the completing paragraphs. I added a few photos from my iPhone. I try to remember to record a photo or two to better remember the day. I posted the URL to the newest blog entry on Facebook and then sent an email to a list of folks who get a separate update. WordPress allows folks to subscribe to get alerts when I update the blog, but that requires creating a free account; not everyone feels safe doing that.

With that done, I boarded Air Volvo, remembering my phone, summer hat, eye drops, emergency inhaler, and eye protection. I also brought coffee in an insulated Yeti-brand cup as the morning was still clawing my mind. I have not been able to reach my usual sharpness since the surgery (I found the clarity on Tuesday, so I am back; I am restored). I struggled in the hot sun and still had leg and back pain, but I made four loops at Reedville Creek Park. I returned to the Volvo Cave via Air Volvo, looking at the tennis players at the Park, who never appeared to be impacted by the sun or temperature, in pure awe. I might have to learn that sport to become immune to the sun and temperatures! Wow!

Back at the house, I received an update from Portland General Electric (PGE) requesting that I reduce my electricity use by a measurable amount from my usual usage. PGE asked folks to volunteer to do this on peak days. Monday, 5-8, was such a day. I plan to turn off the AC and get dinner out, leaving the house with minimal power usage for the Internet connection and a few clocks. I get a small credit for achieving these results. PGE can then avoid having to buy expensive power or burn natural gas (Oregon has no coal-based power plants) to make up for the shortfall.

It was time to learn. I am not an expert on Wi-Fi (it is “Wi-Fi” according to Microsoft’s Style Guide—yes, they have one) and certainly know little about connecting an Arduino to the local Wi-Fi. More Google searches, and I find an excellent source with examples, a step-by-step through the code (Oh yes, teach me), and progressively more and more complex examples: deepbluembedded.com. With this and other examples provided by ESP updates to the Arduino IDE, I began to understand.

F**k (certainly better than “Of course”), nothing worked. I downloaded programs and could get the Wi-Fi scanning code to see my network, but nothing would connect. Not being an expert, I should have been warned by the scanning program that something basic was wrong. My super-powerful home network was rated at 80, which is a very bad connection, weak signal; I did not know that high numbers are bad.

I added LEDs with appropriate resistors–220Ω–(all old-style through-hole and bought in bulk) to my breadboard to control via a cool web server app reached by an IP address once I get the connection to work. I copied this program from Deep Blue Embedded. My copied programs did not connect to my local network and get an IP number assigned. I removed the wires to the LEDs, worried I broke or shorted something, and there was still no connection. No change.

I set the network credentials to trash values and got the same results. That means something more fundamental was failing. Years of f**king up computer systems and unf**king them had me follow my usual “We are f**k’d” process. I created a new program. I carefully harvest parts of programs that worked and create my own version of the code (My C is not as good as my Python; I now carefully indent C, and I am very happy that brackets are supplied by the IDE, and I forget my semicolons). I know what this code is supposed to do. It does not work; it never connects. But the scanning program does, which means the includes and setup is correct in my code/sketch (“sketch” is what an Arduino C program is called in the IDE). You know you are missing something obvious when you are telling a computer, “Why can’t you see it?”.

I take a break, nap a little, and read a little. I am optimistic that the break will change my thinking and help me find what I am missing; a change of focus has worked before. I know the fix will be easy. I return. I started a search on Google, and there is a comment that a broken Wi-Fi module can cause this failure. The Arduino part of the microcontroller continues to work, but Wi-Fi never works. That fits–something was wrong with the Wi-Fi. I am looking for the other XIAO and am thinking about running my test program on it. I noticed the antenna was connected to it. The antenna is still in the bag for my test XIAO. F**k, it was that easy. This is not the first time a computer issue was caused by a missing or poorly attached cable (a certain shoe company once had a main system failing for a week until the cables were re-plugged in).

With the antenna attached, the XIAO connects, and my test program works with an average connect time of ten seconds, f**k. I load the cool web server app, and soon, I can control the LEDs from my Apple by connecting to the XIAO’s IP address. It’s so fun to turn the LED on and off and the other to change the brightness. This same control will work for my project. I will be harvesting the program details from deepbluembedded.com and giving them credit in my code. It all works.

You can see the screen generated by the tiny webserver on the Apple. The LEDs are lighted. The black square, larger than the XIAO, is the antenna.

It is now hot and likely higher than the 99F (37C) forecast, with the cement and asphalt radiating back the hot into the air. Pleased to have solved my issue and so learned much by trying so many things (and missing the basic computer problem of plugging in the cable–something that has plagued computer software developers since the beginning), I decide, as it is approaching 5, to head to the local Mexican place for a celebratory margarita and plate including a chicken tamale, my fav. My weight went up to 241, f**k; that is likely the last margarita for some time!

Air Volvo became burning hot inside in the hour while I enjoyed dinner in a weak but under 90 AC at the local Mexican place. Returning to the Volvo Cave, the Cave is now 82, having increased 10 degrees, and climbs to 86 before 8 when the peak usage reduction time ends. I am relieved to put on the AC just after 8. I rested and read in the heat. I was not ready for the discomfort; the air in the house was becalmed as I turned off the fan. I turned on one reading light and some music on my Amazon device, hoping the power usage would be low. PGE will send me an update in a few days if I am able to help and get my little credit.

I made popcorn in the microwave and spent only $5.99 to buy on Apple the 1980s terrible movie The Sword and the Sorcerer. I saw a review of it on YouTube and said it was one of the best of the worst movies. If you need a dose of 1980s-style sword-swinging violence and topless women, this is the movie. I am a former teen and still find it to be a terrible movie, but so bad somehow, it is good, and my inner teen loved it. The plot is so bad has gone missing for most of the movie, but it does surprise you. There is even a running gag about folks getting locked up. Can’t recommend it sober.

It is now late, and it has cooled off. I showered and was extra careful. I managed to read something that was not Homer, Dryer, and decided to try his challenge, as I mentioned. I slept and woke later to prove I had drunk all that water.

Thanks for reading. Hope the corrections were not distracting.