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Tuesday was a busy day, and as I write this blog on Wednesday morning, I realize that I need to start packing and cleaning the house. I like to come home to a clean and ready house, as I am often tired when I return. Doing laundry and going slowly is my usual routine on the first day back (this time, I will have a game that evening and only ten days before my next trip). It looks like I have only Friday clear to clean and finish packing.

I rose at 7:30 and did not write the blog at all as I was in the shower at 8:15 and out the door at 8:45 to board Air VW. The morning was spent updating Quicken (I had to pay all my bills and monitor that), transferring dividend payments (Ford and JP Morgan Chase preferred shares had been paid out) to my checking account, and attending to various other tedious but necessary tasks related to my modern finances.

The drive was a chance to enjoy a California-style morning, with the sun bright and hot. It was more enjoyable than I planned, as it took just under an hour to reach Richard’s place, with all the usual slowing as I crossed Beaverton and was inbound to Portland. I don’t like traffic jams on bridges, as the bridges bounce a bit, but you really feel it when you’re stalled and not moving.

I arrived only a few minutes late. James and Richard were setting up Tainted Grail, a dark cooperative role-playing game with a dark fantasy theme and a hint of King Arthur legends. An app, like in Mansion of Madness 2nd Edition, runs the game. It is fiddly and complex, and I didn’t enjoy it much the last time, but it’s worth trying. James bought a secondary market version with painted figures and is sharing it with Richard and me to enjoy. We played the intro version and tried to learn the game. I had trouble last time with the iconography and all the complex interactions for combat, and we realized that combat alone is challenging.

We reset and played the intro game again. It went better as we had the rules down better, we had watched a recommended video, and I watched with care. I found myself playing the role of a rules lawyer, to my surprise, as James and Richard, as usual, rushed through things, and I insisted we follow the process. Also, despite being cooperative, Richard was driving to get resources for himself and upgrading his character’s abilities. But that meant I could move the stories forward, and since I was playing a druid, it just seemed right.

James and Richard started moving together and fighting many monster encounters. I mainly traveled alone. I did have to run away once, but I kept resting and exploring more, and soon was healed and well resourced. The redo, and this time following the gameplay, and I thought it was OK. To me, it is still slow and fiddly when compared to a role-playing game with a Dungeon Master (DM), such as Dungeons & Dragons or Call of Cthulhu.

We stopped about 2 when we had completed another quest. We will pick this up and play the following story when I return from my travels in June. After we put most of the game away (it has a save process that allows it to be picked back up at the point where we stopped), I headed out. I parked Air VW the Gray near the Broadway Grill in SE Portland. There, I had two excellent local beers named for the Disneyland ride, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. I had the East Coast Meatball Calzone, which at first seemed like chicken instead, but it turned out to be actually sliced meatballs. No red sauce is included in the calzone (meatballs, green peppers, onions, and cheese), but it is served with hot red sauce in a soup cup, and I dipped my bready calzone in it. Excellent, but a caloric disaster.

I returned to the EV and, with the blog posted and my headache better (food, beer, and water helped), I headed home. I got to enjoy the bridge for twenty minutes and watched a navy ship moved down the river by tugs under all the bridges. I managed to take a picture of the bridges all up, but traffic started to move, and a pic of the navy ship was not possible. The bridge bouncing a few times when large trucks moved convinced me to keep moving!

I arrived home with Beaverton delivering heavy traffic, too. It was a ninety-minute trip back! But with bridges, ships, and sun, it is still enjoyable. Best traffic jam yet!

Home was chores and more headaches. I rewatched the Doctor Who episode; it may be the last. I made a salad with some roast pork added for protein for dinner. I read the “Sleeping Sorceress” by Michael Moorcock, one of the better Elric stories, and I would recommend it.

I received additional stamp mounts from another vendor in the US mail. I was finally able to update my US Revenue collection with new stamps, which had been kept in a mostly complete album I purchased at an auction years ago, already containing some stamps (it was a lucky auction and the price was very low); I continue to add to it. I also replaced some mounts that were reversed to fit stamps when I and the previous owner did not have the correct size. I replaced some of the mounts where the stamps were getting loose. Better. Some stamps I bid on are often 1/10 of the catalog value. I also buy some sets for the less valuable stamps. I have many spare battleship revenue stamps and frequently put them in a frame to give away, as they are fantastic-looking and from the turn of the 19th to the 20th century.

And with that, I went to bed after doing the dishes. The headache had faded out, and soon I got on the dream bus and visited many pleasant places, but all are forgotten now. I did wake at 4ish to prove hydration. I slept until 6, as it was overcast on Wednesday morning, and the Oregon Mist washed the pollen away, and the headache did not return to wake me.

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

Mondays are quiet for me. It is like my Saturdays, but without the Saturday cartoons. I am still experiencing headaches and woke up with the sunrise, then got up around 7:00. I collected the dirty clothing, stripped the bed, and washed the sheets. I do not always get the laundry put away on Friday. The weekend gets in the way; although I am retired, I find my weekends busy, as people who work meet me on the weekends and pile on gaming, church, and cooking into the weekend.

I wrote the blog, it was short, and I paid my bills. I had to transfer money from a high-interest account to a zero-interest account; leftovers from another time when you were happy not to be charged for a checking account. Having moved my IRA to US Bank Wealth Management, I now receive refunds for any charges, including ATM fees.

I wrote a summary of my upcoming trips in an email and sent that out. It had flight information for me on Sunday. I did not include that in the following trips and will send it out close to the travel times to those who need it.

I made lunch instead of buying it. Today, it was canned Stagg Chili, which is a favorite of mine. I added some shredded cheddar and some Southwest-style chips to it. I heated it on the stove and enjoyed it while watching another movie. The Odessa File is a favorite book, and the film I found to rent for $3.99 was worth the price. I see there is a recent series version that I will have to try. There is a magical moment when the viewer or reader of the book learns why the reporter suddenly dropped everything and takes up the story, and they managed not to blow it in the less-than-stellar 1960s movie. The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File are great books, and I recommend them. You should be able to find them in your local library or at a local used bookstore for a reasonable price.

Next I headed out to Wildwood for a beer and to read more Artificial Intelligence. I have still not heard from HOPE_16 if they want me to present; I read more options for AI and Python code. There, I saw Jim V, my former director at Nike, at the bar, enjoying a Monday morning beer. We chatted for a bit, but I headed to a table and ran Python examples in my Jupyter Notebook setup in Visual Studio. Later, I learned that the green light, which was on for the first time in six months, meant there was free beer. I asked, and a can of an excellent Washington State-made pilsner was shared with me for no charge.

I continued to try to understand the more than 2-dimensional use of least-squares line detection and learned that it faltered when data sets were smaller and required the use of more complex error-correction processes. All of this was hard to retain or understand without clear examples. I will have to write one myself, as I couldn’t understand the plus/minus logic.

With my head spinning less from one and a half beers and more from Python code, I reboarded Air VW the Gray and headed home. But before heading home, I stopped by for a few groceries. With a few bags filled, including some garlic bread, I returned home. I found the pork roast, which was less than $8 at Safeway, and salted and spiced it before roasting. I steamed some aging carrots, and that, along with the garlic bread, was perfect with the just-cooked pork. I finished the movie, ShipHappens’ newest update, and The Battle of the Coral Sea by Drachinifel.

I looked at hotel rooms for Saturday night at PDX. I have an early flight on Sunday and can’t get to PDX without leaving my car there or paying for a shuttle or driver. A waste, in my thinking, and could be held up by a traffic incident on Ship Week in Portland for the Rose Festival. Instead, I will get a room. A looked at Aloft and read that someone claimed their room was broken into. I called the hotel and they explained that it was safe. I will order a room and avoid the morning rush.

I did the dishes, put away the laundry, made the bed, read some Elric, and soon was sleeping.

Thanks for reading.

 

Sunday was completed with me playing Dungeons and Dragons 2024 version at M@’s place with most of our usual group, starting at 5:30, but I was ten minutes late. This is my first time playing a sorcerer, and our second time playing D&D 2024. We had a couple of dives into the rulebook, as there are some subtle changes that I think clarify some of the previously inexplicable rules and provide a framework that allows other rules to apply now. We played hide-steal-run most of the play. We even had dinner with one of the factions, but did not sign up with them. We avoided much of the battle with the local bad guys until reaching the crypt level, and then hit one of the classic encounters. Jason of the Argonauts-style arcane undead skeletons, and we got harshly hit. Another battle ensued, and we were able to inflict enough damage to avert severe consequences. We are still getting accustomed to our new characters and how we interact with them.

Scott and I chatted for a while, and then I returned home. I had slept poorly and went to bed early. I managed to sleep until sunrise.

Going backward, before heading to the game, I watched the season finale of Doctor Who. I had already seen some of the details in the press and was interested to see how they wrapped up the season. I thought it was a good episode and did not seem like a rush to complete storylines and move on to the next. No spoilers, but I thought it was a good season (though the dancing and singing routines seemed forced to me). Recommended with only minor complaints.

For lunch, I had some thin Italian ham (like prosciutto) with cheese and Triscuits. I had a burger for dinner that M@ makes for us (thanks, M@). Breakfast was a banana and coffee (and a donut hole at church). I finished the blog I started in the morning somewhere in the afternoon.

Before all of this, I was at the church and filling in as the usher, and arranged for folks to watch on the next two Sundays while I will be traveling in California. I had to help a few people, and it was a communion Sunday. I was busy throughout the service.

Dondrea’s sermon was on unity and also not abdicating Christianity to the nationists and folks who exclude the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner (who are called out for us to help by God) as not being citizens or deserving of our help. Nationalism is not the same as patriotism, nor is it a form of Christianity. Dondrea covered that we have to object when our religion is perverted into some kind of false religious self-serving political movement. We need to be about being Methodist (we are older United Methodists, not the newly formed Global Methodists who are part of a nationalist movement and exclude people), which means helping others, providing healthcare and food, supporting human rights, and generally being kind. We don’t exclude. There is a pride flag on the side of the church. We even serve both caffeinated and decaf coffee after church!

I rose with another headache from pollen at sunrise and tried to roll over. My colon, truncated 25cm from colon cancer, wanted some attention, too. It was a rougher start than I would have liked. I started the blog.

And that takes us to the end. Sorry for the short story and a few photos.

 

 

 

 

 

I rose again with a headache at about 7. I had coffee waiting this time. Some days, when I go to write the blog, it’s like a movie running in my head and easy to recall, and some days it’s not. Saturday is a misty and dreamy image for me this Sunday morning as I write this.

While I sat in my office drinking liberal fair trade coffee from the local Equal Exchange Brand warehouse, I wrote and saw my neighbors two houses over removing two tall trees. One with leaves and the other a pine. I understand folks are worried they will fall and the leaves and needles make a mess, but I have tried to remove only dying trees. Now, as I write this on Sunday morning, the sky is visible where the trees once stood, and the view is slightly disturbing. I feel like something is missing, and I keep looking. I have some of the tallest trees on my lawn in the area. Nothing I expected to happen.

I talk to Deborah a few times, and we text. I see that we are at the end of the month, and I have updated the balance for my IRA in Quicken, which combines all my IRAs and 401 (k)s. I read my emails, updated Quicken, and wrote.

I had started a Word document with the link to some open-source tools for Artificial Intelligence (AI), and I used that link to return to the documentation for these tools. Some of it is a how-to guide with code that can be run in a Jupyter Notebook (a type of live Python environment that allows you to mix text with code to create a record of the work — essentially, super-commented code that others can run and interact with). I decided to head to McMenamin’s Cornelius Pass RoadHouse for lunch, a beer, and to read this stuff in detail. I, like many others, find it easier to study at coffee shops, bars, and libraries than at home. There are just too many distractions at home.

I boarded Air VW the Gray and was soon delivered to Umbre Hall, where I sat at the bar. Lacy was my bartender, and soon, a 1983 Lager was before me, deciding it was not a bad year to name a beer after. Its flavor was terrific. I had a Greek-style salad (extra cheese and no meat), which went well with the sklean details I was reading. I was relearning what I knew about AI classification solutions. I was surprised to see the boost solutions now covered in detail (with some new types). They were newer when I started in Python AI before the pandemic; this treatment covered their use and compared them to my favorite tool, Random Forest of Trees (RF). There were detailed comparisons and exploration of various parameters, and the options for the newer items could handle more complex data challenges. All interesting.

The light from laptops eventually gives me a headache. I use a Kindle for reading to eliminate the extra light and prevent headaches. I usually have my Apple set to 50% brightness as it is. For coding, the black backgrounds in the editors help mitigate some of the eye strain issues. The bright and colorful sklean website left me thinking and needing a break.

I did order dessert after the salad. They have a lovely lemon cake with berries on the side. It also has an orchid flower that I left for Lacy. I also discovered some tree spinners (not sure what they are called) that had fallen on the EV, and she liked getting that, too. Signs of summer. Not another beer, but coffee went with the dessert, and coffee after beer keeps me awake while still enjoying the relaxing effects of a beer.

I took Air VW the Gray to Portland and Lucky Labrador off of Hawthorne Boulevard, and enjoyed Highway 26, which resembled a parking lot for thirty minutes. I finally reached the exit across the river and soon parked, happy to have secured a spot in the Lucy Labrador lot and to have a locally made pilsner beer and a bowl of peanuts. I spent the afternoon relearning Jupyter Notebook and how to install it in Microsoft Visual Studio. I found some instructions on the Internet and managed to get the tool to run a Jupyter Notebook file. The Python, which was installed in the virtual environment, did not update with sklearn‘s add-ons or any other items. I eventually learned what the Linux-based install command PIP ‘–Isolated’ option was for and used it. I was able to update the isolated Python for the environment. After that, I was able to run the example code on my Apple.

It was now hours later, and I had a game at 6 at Richard’s house. I got a sandwich, just a grilled cheese, while I ran the notebook now. I packed up, paid my bill, and headed to Richards. Laura and Richard were finishing a game of Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon. The board game was the choice for today: a new game, available with some upgrades from the publisher. It lasts about two hours and was a pleasure to learn and play. I scored last with Laura, thirty points ahead of me and Richard lapping me. It plays fast and turns are not complex, but the strategy is difficult–my favorite type of game. At the moment, it sold out, but I am not in a rush.

After the game, we chatted for a while, and then I took Air VW the Gray home and soon reached the house without issue. The Oregonian drivers did not disappoint with their erratic, slow, and multiple-lane changes, as well as their passive-aggressive driving. But as usual, no accidents as we are usually going too slow to hit each other.

I was soon sleeping, waking at 1 with a terrible nightmare that is now forgotten. Sleep was broken and I rose just after 6 as sleep would not return.

Thanks for reading!

 

 

I woke with the sunrise near 5:30 and rolled over. I started after 7 with the coffee made by the timer built into the fancy coffee maker. I would not drink half a pot, and I have noticed a decrease in my coffee usage. It is a good thing. My weight after the trip is back to 234 pounds, a number I see often. As my friend Scott C suggests, I will have to increase my workouts from walking on trips to something more. My colon is reacting to salads again, which means I will have to be careful with alternative food choices.

I had a question (via text) about travel, and I thought it was insightful from Joan S:

“Do u look for the trips so you can keep traveling or do these trips present themselves
Do u have a goal as to how often u want to travel”?

I find the trips often present themselves, and I have no goal, but I originally imagined traveling every other month. I was even considering renting a room or a small apartment for a month and splitting my time between the house and traveling. A month in New Orleans, LA, NYC, Boston, or Key West would allow for a more thorough experience of the areas than a typical tourist trip. Instead, I am traveling for a week or more, 8 out of 12 months. I prefer ten days and not two weeks (or more). For two weeks, it is a long time to eat out for $$$, and the clothing gets complex (and laundry may be needed).

There are a few places on my bucket list (shipwreck–many in museums, ships in museums, historical sites like Rome, the Dan Brown tour of Rome, and so on) and places I want to try (St. Louis, London, Ireland, Key West). I watch for trips to these places. I often like to visit twice. Once without much of a plan and then back again to see those things that require planning (i.e., cooking/tasting classes, hard-to-get tours, tourist things I missed, etc). I book tours for international trips to ensure I get those hard-to-get tourist spots. Deborah and I did this for Iceland. I expect to do that someday for Rome (I need to take the Dan Brown tour).

Of course, Deborah and I enjoy seeing each other, and that creates a goal to travel more often. I am getting more familiar with the Detroit area, and I like it. It is a short five hours away by Delta’s direct flight from PDX to Detroit, with a pleasant morning flight (arriving around 7:00 pm) and one overnight flight (arriving around 6:00 am).

Returning to the story of Monday, I spent the morning at the laundry mat (the one at 185th and TV Highway), using a pile of quarters from my last visit and cashing a $20 bill; I knew I would be back. It is a hot and sunny day, with temperatures nearing 80°F (25°C), but the laundry is not oppressively hot yet. I have learned that the morning time at the mat is for folks like me with a broken laundry machine (I met a woman doing laundry for her sheets that had a broken machine) or those doing laundry for work. I wanted out before it was oppressively hot!

I use one washing machine for my travel-stained clothing and the few items before and after the trip. One washer and two dryers, and I am out of there in less than ninety minutes. It was $7.50 for the big washer and $1 for each gas dryer. I think two smaller washers are less than one big one, but I hope not to get that involved in this process that I start strategizing.

With the clothing done, I returned home in the EV, spent some time doing various things, and then showered and dressed. At the laundry, I finished the blog, got out some paperwork for church items, and reviewed my transactions in Quicken. I am vigilant for criminals gaining access to my money or submitting charges to my credit cards. My credit cards have been used frequently at restaurants over the last month. But mostly, I try to tap and avoid anyone getting their hands on one. My bank card is not one I use now, except at a bank-owned ATM (ATM fees are refunded to me now that I have my retirement managed by US Bank).

I review my investments, too. My investments for my IRA (once my 401(k) and Susie’s IRA) are running nearly 18% up on an annualized rate since it was moved to US Bank Wealth Management. Mostly, the results are a result of lucky timing (I sold out of the 401 (k) before Trump crashed the markets with his tariffs and other destructive policies — that is not meant to be a political comment, but an observation). My US Bank Wealth Management team then bought low as the markets rebounded using indexes and mutual funds. I am also harvesting (until Trump f**ks that up too — that is a political comment and heartfelt too) higher interest rates.

Lunch is later. I pick up my waterproof pants, which I had shortened to use in Iceland (thanks to Joan S for the pass to their Employee Store, where they are available). They go over my usual pants. I stopped by the food truck park near Beaverton Central. It was hot, so I ordered jambalaya with cleaned shrimp and spicy sausage, and sat outside at the bar, paying $6 for two beers. Natalia from The 649 was there and waved to me. I get to meet her outside of work, and she introduces me to her boyfriend and others. They were also getting lunch at the trucks.

I used my laptop to order an air flight via Delta to New Orleans for the church trip. I gave myself five days in NOLA before the Methodist stuff. The flight was $99 (one way), and I went with the $149 version to allow for changes. I also tried to apply for the American Express Gold card for Delta.

For the Methodist trip, I have not heard from the tour people. I sent them a note. I am unsure of the hotels, travel arrangements, and connections required for the trip. More to follow. But one flight is in place. I looked at hotels, and one of my favorites has rooms for this extra time. Excellent.

After food, heat, and beer, it was time for a nap. I performed a comfortable nap with the AC working at the house after Air VW the Gray took me home without issue from Beaverton Central. I rose in time to watch the rest of Rogue One (I wanted to watch it again after all the Star Wars experiences) and headed to Mexican food with Dondread and Z.

I boarded the EV and soon arrived at Pepita’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina. We had a nice meal (Dondrea and I both picked Chilli Colorado), and Z enjoyed tacos. We were surprised to see USA Tacos (hard corn shells) and Mexican Tacos (soft flour or corn) as separate offerings. I stuck with iced tea, as I didn’t want to take another nap! I brought a few items for them from Asheville and the Blue Ridge Parkway gift store.

We talked about our upcoming trips and Z’s college fund. I will see about getting one started for Z. In Oregon, the first $180 (twice that for married) is tax-deductible per year (for anyone who contributes in Oregon). This is a 529 program (see here). In other states, the deduction may be different (in many Red states, it is often higher, as the 529 may be used for religious schools — that is what I noticed when looking into this).

After our long dinner and chatting, Air VW the Gray took me home, and I soon was reading about Iceland (thanks, Joan S, for the article) and in my PJs. I slept. I woke up around 1ish with pain in my legs and proved hydration. I got some more water and painkillers, and soon the pain faded and sleep returned.

I slept late as my sleep was disturbed. I dreamed of the dream bus again, traveling a phantom mix of cities (i.e., some Portland, some NYC, some Orange County, etc.), now with a new Asheville section, and I was having trouble with connections and changing buses. Various friends (including Joyce, Eric, and Susie) appeared on different buses with helpful advice. I finally woke from one of the buses, still not reaching my destination.

Thanks for reading.