Mike Williams

Pool Area Project

My illustrious pool project for 2021 is almost completed.

The first year I used an inflatable pool that costs a whopping $10-20 dollars.

I bought more expensive inflatables since then but for the last couple of years I have gravitated back to that original $10 design. It just works.

This year I have added a beach area, tiki candles, and fencing. It was pretty expensive but I think that the privacy of being able to lay out in the yard without all of the cars driving by disturbing me will be worth it.

We’ll see.

Random Apple Things

I ordered AirTags on Friday and literally sat on the refresh key until the Apple store came back online so I could get my order in. It is ridiculous. I own that.

There was a pretty good article that John Gruber linked to about how Apple’s M1 chip strategy is more about unity than trying to sell several variations of the same chip. The $699 computer has the same processor as the $1699 machine. I think that shows how strange it is that Intel thinks they need to have several versions of a CPU.

If they turn around and put the M1 into an iPhone, then we’re talking serious M1 strategy.

Low Temperatures

The low temperature listed for any given day is actually the low temperature of the next morning.

IMG 4434

For example, the low temperature listed for Sunday is 48 degrees F. That is actually the low temperature for Monday morning.

It took me 15 years of biking to figure that out. It is important that I know what the actual low temperature is going to be because I have to dress accordingly.

I had the revelation a few years ago.

HDWGH – Story 29 – Remote Dud

From The How Did We Get Here Series

Now: Brian Kirby did not expect this! He pressed the detonator and should have heard a very loud boom. Instead, he was surrounded by a bunch of flashing red and blue lights and a big (some might say) oversized police officer yelling at him to raise his hands. This was certainly not the way he thought this day would go.

Before: Rachel Phillips loved her boyfriend. She loved him in spite of the fact that he never really talked about his “job.” He would always come home talking with such vagueness, that some of his tales could be applied equally across donut shop owner, car mechanic, and opera singer. Tonight, he had finally opened up to her about what he did for a living. Not only was she horrified to find out that Brian was a well known and well paid hitman but that his next target was a friend of Rachel’s from college. She worked really hard to hide to horror she was feeling.

She had to do something. Under the guise of walking her dog, she left her tiny Brooklyn apartment and headed down India Street. This explained everything to her. The apartment over looking the East River waterfront in a new development seemed way too much for someone Brian’s age to afford. She called the police and told them everything she knew including how he had planned to kill Rachel’s friend.

Rachel kissed Brian goodbye that evening and sat on her bed. She would just sit here until the call came in from the police.

Then, she would pack up her belongings and leave. Well, she continued thinking about her situation, it was the beginning of the month and this apartment cost over $5000 a month. Perhaps, she would leave at the end of the month. Fuck Brian. Fuck Brian in his hitman who wants to kill my college friend’s face.

Great Idea

I have been pondering writing a screenplay. I’ve been working on a crapload of short stories because I love writing them. Every once in a while as a writer, you come up with a story that would probably make a good movie.

I think I have that story.

I am currently finishing up the last chapter and rather than wrapping the whole thing up into a nice bow, I’m going to leave it hanging.

To be continued…

That sort of thing.

Vacation Ends

This was one of the few vacations that I’ve taken where I had a very clear agenda about what I was going to accomplish.

I’m happy to say that I’ve gotten most of the things done that I’ve wanted to.

I completed a few courses so I feel good about that.

There is still a lot to do as far as organization but I am off to a solid start.

I’ve never worked so hard on setting up the next vacations that I have. The next time I am off will be in July and by then, the pool will be in full swing but I’ll get to spend the entire time outside enjoying all of the things I’ve set up.

I hope everything will be worth it. I’ve spent a tad more than $20 dollars for an inflatable pool which is how thing whole thing got started.

If I were drinking, I’d hold up a glass and raise a toast to a week that I hope won’t suck too badly.

A Good Life Lesson

This is going to sound painfully obvious. It is very obvious but I fell into this trap at home. I was watching a productivity video and it flipped on the light bulb for me.

Would you like to know what it was?

Well, I’ll tell you anyway.

Certain things belong in certain spaces. I did an audit of my office and wow, just wow!

You would not believe the amount of crap I moved out of the office so it could be placed where it actually “should” be.

Coffee products = kitchen.

Bedroom products = bedroom.

Basement things = basement.

I had a lot of things in places where they shouldn’t have been.

My office looks better as a result.

Note: The picture is not my office. It comes from here.