It's quiet. Too quiet.

Jason · December 18, 2022, 05:31:01 PM

It's been quiet around here lately. Not that it's ever really busy but wonder where everyone's at. Holiday preparations? Or just hermiting like me? I've only gone out to get food lately.

I've been mainly playing games and watching shows on our streaming networks. I'm really enjoying Letterkenny. Funny as heck and has smart dialogue. It's a comedy about hicks in Ontario but the most clever hicks you'd ever meet. For some, the flavour might not be their cup of tea but the first episode had me hooked. They had 10 or 11 seasons so they must have done something right.

And I've been upgrading my skills to include penetration testing. It's fun. My free membership runs out in January so I want to get in as many sessions as I can.

Let me know what you guys are up to. I know cod3poet is doing some serious lego right now but is also working on a home computer lab. Maybe you can tell us more if you can take a break from the building.

I also want to wish you all happy holidays and all that crap that goes with it, hopefully, the good kind.

fox · December 19, 2022, 07:56:03 AM

A mix of things for me. Holiday prep, skiing, walking, one movie (Wakanda Forever), watching TV, visiting friends. My daughter is here; enjoying her company.

ssfc72 · December 20, 2022, 06:20:54 AM

Yes, I have been busy with a number of pre Christmas, group dinners this year. I have never bothered with the flu shot, in previous years, but I decided to get one this year, due to all the gatherings that I have been going to.
My Raspberry Pi 4 web cam surveillance setup has been working very well. I don't have any issues with connectivity to my wifi, that was happening with the RPi 3b board.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone.

cod3poet · December 20, 2022, 11:04:39 AM

I'm quiet because I am busy, I am busy because for once it's quiet.

buster · December 20, 2022, 11:45:04 AM

I've been doing a lot of nothing lately, but I hope to have that finished up by the weekend.

ssfc72 · December 21, 2022, 04:50:09 AM

The calm before the storm. :-) Yes there is another snowstorm coming today and tomorrow and that means more shovelling. :-(

Quote from: buster on December 20, 2022, 11:45:04 AM
I've been doing a lot of nothing lately, but I hope to have that finished up by the weekend.

Jason · December 22, 2022, 07:48:18 PM

Fox:

How was Wakanda Forever? Glad to see you visiting friends and your daughter, of course. Is this the first Christmas you've felt safe enough to do that? I think maybe I would be, too, but it's not something I have to worry about. Most people seem to think COVID is yesterday's news and maybe they're right. I do believe the worst of it is. But my wife is in a higher-risk group although she's a shut-in. But she finished her primary series about a couple of months ago so I worry a little less.

Do you still have cable TV or are you a streamer like many (most?) of us? We have Disney+, Prime Video, CuriosityStream and Crave. The last is only available to us as I pay for the Crave package for my brother at Fairhaven. So the plus is that you can also access it online. So it's as much a favour to us as him. There are also free services like Pluto.tv which has quite a few "channels" now with both live and streaming old and recent movies and tv. It was quite promoted recently as they expanded their offering in Canada. It's ad-supported but unlike cable tv, they don't show the same ad repeatedly throughout the hour.

Bill:

I didn't always get the flu shot but have been for probably the last ten years or so. Having the flu is pretty nasty and I've never had adverse effects from the shots so it's easy for me. This is a particularly bad flu season, for children especially, so it's good you got the shot as it helps you and reduces the spread. Glad to hear you're getting together with people, too. Since the PLUG meetings you've been arranging have been outdoors or online recently, I wasn't sure how you felt about in-person meetings. I do miss that.

Have you caught anything interesting on your surveillance camera? Wildlife perhaps? I don't know if porch bandits are a thing in Lindsay. We occasionally get Amazon packages but the guy above us gets multiple packages a week. The delivery people put the packages inside our foyer so I don't think we've lost any packages. The bandits aren't that courageous, I guess. Or they think it's a low-income neighbourhood. We seem to have that reputation but it's mixed residential and apartments down here. Not big houses but it's not a ghetto! lol

Don't forget those movie recommendations. I don't often comment but I do read the posts and sometimes even click on the links to find out more.

cod3poet:

Yeah, quiet is the best way to get things done, eh? I love working on things late into the night because of it. If I could always do that, I would. But it's depressing in the winter to not get enough light. Have you been doing any more playing with Raspberry Pis? I love the new Raspberry Pi 400. Reminds me of home computers in the 80s when a "keyboard" had everything computer-wise inside of it. I want to get one for that very reason.

It took me a minute to look closer at your graphic. Still got the bragging rights on that 16-processor box, huh?

Buster:

Keep working on it. Soon you will be fully done that nothing.

I confess that the holidays make my depression a lot worse. I'm very reminded of losing friends and family (mom, brother, sister, niece, cousin) at this time of the year. I lost my mom while a teenager on December 2. I was pretty torn up. I still am, in many ways, but if she hadn't died then, she probably wouldn't be alive now anyway. She'd be pushing a 100. Still would have been nice to have not to lose her at 16 when she was 60. I know you guys have experienced your own losses so I hate to say anything. I guess I'm just more turned inward. I will be happy when Christmas is over, frankly. But I think a lot of people feel the same way for maybe different reasons. We'll just keep trucking.

ssfc72 · December 23, 2022, 04:02:37 AM

Thanks Jason, for the reminder of posting my finds of good videos/movies, that I come across.

I mainly find it useful to use the RPi video monitoring, to watch for someone I am expecting to come to my house. I can use my cell phone, tablet or computer to keep a watch out. I am usually in the bottom level of my house which doesn't give me a view of my front driveway.
It is also nice to have the motion detection and recording to look up what is happening on the street during the day or night.

fox · December 23, 2022, 08:16:57 AM

I enjoyed Wakanda Forever. The plot is a real twist on Black Panther. It was a long movie though; longer than it had to be.

I would say that I'm doing more visiting (and traveling) because of the reduced Covid risk. But Covid is certainly not in my rear view mirror. I got my 5th shot recently, and I mask anytime I enter a store or mall. I also avoid some places and events that I think are crowded because of Covid risk.

I still have cable TV, but with my daughter here, we mostly stream from Netflix or Crave. Lately I have been disappointed with cable TV, as several of my favourite shows are doing more reruns than new episodes.

William · December 24, 2022, 07:18:52 PM

Plumbing! ... I replaced 2 leaking P-trap under bathroom sinks (main floor and basement). 1 leaking kitchen faucet to go.

My car battery was dead this morning. It's time to replace it anyways. Canadian Tire sells the battery for $300. WTF. What kind of inflation is that?

ssfc72 · December 25, 2022, 09:03:16 AM

Hi William. Yes $300 for a car battery seems way out of line for CTC.
Maybe check out the Walmart Maxx car batteries, next time. They came out as a top car battery for performance on a good YouTube video that tested different car batteries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7rTcBanpMk

William · December 25, 2022, 11:16:49 PM

Thanks Bill. I'll head over to Walmart (with car service) when they are open.

ssfc72 · December 26, 2022, 05:05:01 AM

I just realized that some Walmart's in Ontario, may no longer be selling car batteries. :-)
I don't often go to a Walmart because there isn't one in Lindsay. The Walmart's that I have been in recently (Peterborough, Port Perry, Cobourg), no longer have an auto department or supplies.

Maybe Costco might be worth a look. They have auto service departments.

William · December 26, 2022, 08:47:48 PM

I checked Walmart, and they sell my battery for $200. I'll check VW dealership tomorrow.

Jason · December 27, 2022, 05:59:06 PM

Quote from: ssfc72 on December 26, 2022, 05:05:01 AM
I just realized that some Walmart's in Ontario, may no longer be selling car batteries. :-)
I don't often go to a Walmart because there isn't one in Lindsay. The Walmart's that I have been in recently (Peterborough, Port Perry, Cobourg), no longer have an auto department or supplies.

Maybe Costco might be worth a look. They have auto service departments.

You can order from Walmart online, as well. They've probably moved some of their stuff there. I got a Bissell vacuum through them online and it works well. No bags, either.