Saturday, May 1, 2021

Day 4146

My phone definitely knows too much about me. This morning I noticed that the shopping app I use to get gas automatically selected the premium pump for me. It knew that this was the type of gas I use. Later, in the grocery store I saw a list of frequently purchased items that I could click as repeat purchases without having to scan the item. I doubt that these recent enhancements to the app really saved me much time, but it was interesting how much information the store was accumulating about me. If you think you still have any secrets, you are delusional. Our robot overlords know everything.

I don't think my bank is ever going to reopen the lobby. The drive up windows seem to be working well and the bank can operate with only two employees now. I see this everywhere. Business has learned to become more efficient and I don't think we are going back. My grocery store has changed the traffic pattern to discourage people from crossing each other's paths. This seems to be working too. Popular items have been relocated so that customers can get in and out quickly. A lot more people are using the shopping app on their phones as well. It's weird how well we have all adapted to hundreds of new pandemic rules. I don't think we even realize how much has changed.

Dawn was eager to walk today, so we left the house earlier than usual. There is still a lot of rain in the area, but we don't seem to be getting much. I looked at the weather radar before we left and nobody was getting wet today. I wish Dawn wanted to take longer walks, but she's still content with her short one mile loop. Maybe that's all she needs. I still feel a need to walk longer, so I continue walking after Dawn and Janet return to the house. I'm not sure how much exercise I'm actually getting. I was pretty slow today.

Walking is just a convenient time to daydream and plan. I've been thinking a lot about my trip to the observatory lately. I like to travel light, but there's a lot of equipment I'd like to try out as well. If I leave something behind, I always wish I had it, but there are always things I take that I don't even use. Basically, I'm not a very good travel planner.  I don't like to drive either, which is strange for a person who loves cars. There's still plenty of time, so I'm sure I'll get it all sorted out. I always do.

The Crew-1 astronauts are returning to earth tonight. It doesn't seem that long ago that I watched them launch from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The capsule will splash down later tonight near where my sister lives in Florida. Maybe by the time the Crew-3 mission is ready I can figure out how to get back on the NASA press list. It still bugs me that podcasters and YouTubers have better access than I do. Jeez I write for a real magazine. I guess nobody reads magazines anymore.

I took my sister's letter to the post office today. I have no faith in the post office even though I don't think anything has actually gotten lost. A lot of times the mail is slow, but it all eventually gets here. The new lens I ordered is coming through the mail as well. I'll fret about that shipment just like I did with the computer memory chips I ordered. I have a lot more faith in UPS for some reason. I never worry about UPS shipments.

I worry about too many things. Is Dawn healthy? Am I healthy? Will a tree fall on our roof? Is the world coming to an end? I probably should just go with the flow. There's not a lot I can change anyway.

Betsy is today's Dalmatian of the Day


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