Finished listening to : Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison 📚🎧. It was okay. This is a new series starter from the author of The Hollows series, which I enjoy. The protagonist kept making bad choices and the pacing was uneven.
Finished reading: CABIN by Patrick Hutchison 📚. This is a funny memoir about a guy who buys a remote dilapidated cabin that enriched his life. I enjoyed it.
It took 7 trips to the farm store, but I finally acquired this year’s additions to our flock. The demand for chicks this year is huge.
Winter is not quite over yet.
I’m tempted to leave our first generation Echo connected. Training an AI on nothing besides “Alexa, play NPR” should be a good thing.
Finished listening to: Battle Bond by Lindsay Buroker 📚🎧. This is from the Death Before Dragons series. It’s a guilty pleasure.
Finished reading: Still Life by Louise Penny 📚. This is the first book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series. It’s a terrific story, but there is so much more here. I recommend it.
Currently reading: Still Life by Louise Penny 📚 Favorite quote so far: “He knew it was there, that opiate of the Anglos. And his hand clutched the box just as the kettle whistled. Violent death demanded Earl Grey.”
Finished reading: A Trail Through Time by Jodi Taylor 📚This is the 4th book in the Chronicles of St. Mary’s series. I am enjoying these books, and this one is the best so far.
Finished reading: The Universe Within by G. S. Jennsen 📚. 4 ⭐️s. This is the latest book from an author I enjoy. This is probably not a good entry point if you haven’t read any of her previous books, but I found it to be up to the standards of her previous work.
I happily discovered today that our favorite chips are a product of Canada 🍁.
Currently reading: The Universe Within by G. S. Jennsen 📚. I purchased this direct from the author (via BookFunnel) and I can read it on any of my devices, including my Kindle. The author gets more of the purchase price, and I own the book. I’ll be doing this as often as I can going forward.
Pretty start to what is predicted to be a snowy day.
Finished reading: Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner 📚. 3 ⭐️s. This is an unusual read. Long essays on history, anthropology, and philosophy wrapped around an unrelated plot. It has been shortlisted for some some prestigious awards, so maybe I missed something.
Mac or PC laptop?
This is an easy decision for most people reading this. I used a PC for my entire working career. The professional software I used for many of those years didn’t run on Macs. Later, when I moved on to open-source software alternatives, it still worked better on PCs than Macs.
I retired several years ago, and my old PC laptop gave out not long after. Digitally, I have been doing more consumption than creation. I’ve had an iPhone for years in large part to stay compatible with my wife (who just wants her tech to work with minimal involvement on her part). I bought an iPad after I retired, and that has been my primary digital device. The iPad is great for reading and watching, but frustrating to type more than a short email. I’ll save my experiences with the Apple Pencil for a future post. I do have a nice Windows 10 desktop, but it is older, and Microsoft has deemed it unworthy for upgrade. Support for Windows 10 is slated to end later this year.
So why do I want a laptop? I’m looking to dust off the web development and python skills I used to have. As a former data science person, I would like to investigate the pros and perils of AI on my own. If nothing else, I would like to compare notes on this with my grandkids.
I feel like I could do my development work on either platform. I do think that Microsoft’s vision for AI Is more developed than Apple’s. I’ve been satisfied with my Apple devices and will continue to use them. It is tempting to stay within Apple’s ecosystem. It is also clearly the environment of choice within the Micro.blog community where I spend a lot of time these days. It would be nice to be able to relate to the tech posts there.
On the other hand, I have 40 years of satisfied experience with Windows (and earlier DOS).
I think it will come down to a snap decision on the day I order.
The bird feeders are a popular place on this snowy day.
Finished reading: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros 📚This second book of the series was as good as the first. Lots of violence, suspense, and romance. I think I’ll take a break before reading the final book.
Just sent my first message to our new congressional representative. I have a feeling many more will follow. ☹️
Finished reading: The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche 📚This is a well researched and well written fantasy that takes place during the plague in Florence in the 14th century.
The sun caught this patch of Lunaria on our hike.
