Day 4389

I'm struggling with this new piece of machinery I've got. I finally located an English language version of the instruction manual. At least I know what the various buttons and knobs do now. The star tracker operates by using a Bluetooth enabled iPhone app. The app isn't available on the Apple App Store yet, but other people seem to have it. I keep asking dumb questions but I haven't been able to find the download location for the Beta version yet. Until I can get the app running on my phone, the motorized tripod head/star tracker is basically useless. 

I did go buy a Micro SD Card and a charger that uses USB C cables which are both required. The tiny Micro SD cards are more expensive than the cards I use in my cameras. Of course I can't even format these cards until I figure out how to install the Beta version of the Polaris app on my phone. Maybe I ought to just wait until the final version of this app is available on the App Store. I always thought I was good with technical things but I'm way behind some of the other Kickstarter backers. Maybe I'm just getting old. While I was out looking for Micro SD cards, I also looked for my favorite Reed's Extra Ginger Ale. My supply is getting low. The last store I know of that regularly carried this stuff dropped the product. What am I going to do now? Story of my life, I guess. Everything I like is almost impossible to find.

I did find the missing Muscovy Duck on my walk this morning. I don't know where it has been this week, but it definitely isn't dead. It was good to see this odd pair of ducks reunited again. Some of the Pelicans and most of the Double-crested Cormorants are back as well. I don't know where these birds went either. Maybe I should become a birder. Birds are plentiful at the lake and they are a lot easier to photograph than the Milky Way.

I used to always buy something for the business on the last day of the year so I could expense it and reduce my taxes a bit. That seems kind of pointless now. The business hardly even exists anymore and I don't need new gear anyway. I hope my computer doesn't break because I like it a lot better than the new stuff that is available now. I feel the same about cameras. My old cameras work fine. Basically I've really gotten tired of change. I don't view change as progress anymore. Change has just become a nuisance. My Dad was the same way. He was a scientist, but he refused to get a computer. He kept using an old manual typewriter his entire life.

I've taken this week's trash to the curb. I wish I could just take 2021 to the curb as well. This was supposed to be the year we returned to normal but it didn't turn out that way. It would be nice to start fresh next year, but from my vantage point it looks like 2022 will just be more of the same. Can I keep this tired old blog going for another year? We'll see. I guess anything is possible.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day