Third Post Office 's the Charm!

The Betty White stamps went on sale today. The Niles post office still had theirs in a vault and was waiting on someone to release them. I was told to come back later in the day. I reasoned that Galien doesn’t get much business and tried that post office. The elderly lady in front of me there asked about the Betty White stamps and took the only two sheets they had. Missed it by a hair! I then went to the Buchanan post office. They, too, only received two sheets but no one had made an inquiry about them yet. So, I was able to get a sheet. 

Kris and I were sent to live with our paternal grandparent when I was in 4th grade. The Golden Girls was one of Grandma’s favorite television shows. It was, secretly, also one of mine. I was in awe of Dorothy’s wit. I also loved Rose who was played by Betty White. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to stand someone as ditzy as Rose was in real life. But her heart—I would treasure a friend with that kind of heart. 

As the years went by, I saw Betty White in a more adult light and found her to be a devilish delight. The real Betty was not what I expected based on the character of Rose in The Golden Girls. I was genuinely saddened when I learned of her death, just shy of her 100th birthday. She, like Angela Lansberry, were like grandmothers that you grew up with and hoped would never leave.

Went back to Windows

See also: "Going back to Windows?"

It didn't take me long to pounce on a discount for the Surface Laptop 7. What did I get for $1500 from a list price of $2000?

• 32GB RAM
• 1TB Storage
• Snapdragon E Elite processor
• 13.8" display

I'm getting reacquainted with Windows. I haven't owned a Windows computer since Windows 7. I hated Windows 8 so much that it contributed to my move to Mac. There was some pain trying to use Mac OS but I have been largely satisfied. The ecosystem and the integration between my Macbook, iMac, and iPhone have been impressive.

As I started up this new laptop, I was hit by the... junk. There is a lot that goes into setting up a new computer. With this one, it wasn't just answer a few questions and then you're in. There was a lot of downloading and installing involved. Then when I got in, I had to take out the programs that I didn't want. Download the ones I wanted and log in to my accounts. Some of them, I had forgotten passwords and had to do resets because I just haven't had to do them on my Apple devices.

Setup is mostly complete but as I go through the days, I'm sure there are going to be programs and web accounts that I have forgotten.

But Jesus Christ... the ads! Ugh. 

Going Back to Windows?

 See also: "Oh. This isn't going to work out like I thought."

My 2015 Macbook's last days appear to be arriving. The battery is shot, a speaker is blown, rubber feet are gone, the screen gasket is gone, and there are no more software updates coming. I now have to start thinking about a replacement.

My absolute hatred of Windows 8 was what drove me to Apple. I work with Windows 10 at work and I've since calmed down about it. I'm still not a big fan of the tiles but I can work with it. Personally, I haven't had a Windows computer since Windows 7. I'm strongly leaning in going back since I already have an iMac. It's be nice to have two computers using the two different operating systems.

I don't need to make an immediate decision. I will probably wait a few months, though. 

Moccamaster vs. Keurig

The Moccamaster was recommended as a superb coffee brewer. America's Test Kitchen has had a form of it at the top of their list for years now. It's hella expensive. Would I pay $360 for a coffee maker? No. Would I buy one on a Black Friday sale for 50% off.... yes.

I was curious to see how it preformed against my Keurig. Was the Moccamaster going to make a $260 better batch of coffee?

To make it a fair test, I used the same water to grounds ratio which was 60g to 1,000ml. I was also going to test out the K-Cup which doesn't follow this ratio. I also used the same beans and with the K-Cup, the same brand of beans.

L-R: Moccamaster, Keurig Drip, Keurig K-Cup

Look, I'm no critic and I'm not good at describing my experience. But here goes. First up is the K-Cup. Murky and harsh. The difference between the drip forms was noticeable. The Moccamaster tasted bolder and fuller. The Keurig was still good but in comparison, it was toned down and flatter. Is the Moccamaster worth an extra $260? No. I would have been happy with the drip Keurig. Considering that I got a good deal, I'm still happy to have made the upgrade. I would say that if you are not a coffee snob, I don't think it would be worth the extra money especially at full price.

Bob's Back!

Bob, my Ford Escape had an unfortunate encounter with a deer over a month ago. It took a couple weeks to get an appointment with the body shop and then another three weeks before it was done. 

I can only imagine that my insurance company is plotting to drop me after two roofs and now this $10k bill. Yes, my auto and home insurance are with the same company. They haven't but after these three events, I've been quite happy with Progressive.

Throw Money at It. Inkjet and Laser (LED) - Why Not Both?

I have not owned an inkjet printer since I left college in 2004. It was some cheap Lexmark that I would always buy cartridges for but I was glad I had it so I didn't have to go to the computer lab for prints. Now looking back on it, I don't know why I did that since I had an allowance of "free" prints baked in from my tuition fees.

I have had access to laser printers ever since then even though I didn't own one for myself until five years ago when I moved into my new house. I got the cheapest monochrome laser from Walmart - the Brother MFC-L2685DW. Fantastic printer. The only thing was that it didn't have color and at the time, I wasn't going to pay big bucks for a color laser printer.

Recently, I bought into the hype around tank printers. I was attracted to the prospect of having a smaller printer, finally being able print in color, and ink refills were sooooo cheap in comparison to the cartridges. I watched and read some online reviews and noticed that people were saying that their prints were so sharp. So I thought maybe the technology has progressed enough that I could buy a new printer. With some of my tax return in hand I got this:

Epson ET-3850

The Epson EcoTank ET-3850. $299 from Costco.

I set it up, easy peasy and started some prints. Then the regret came. 

When it came to pictures, it was good. I've never had a printer that could print photos like I got from developers. The colors were off from the pics that I see on my computer but that wasn't any different than I experienced when I sent my pics to be printed by professionals.

When it came to printed text, I hated it. The text still had this fuzzyness that I couldn't get over. Also, despite, my efforts to calibrate - I could still see the misalignments.

So I resigned myself to keeping the two printers and I would decide which one I needed based on what job I had. 

Now what follows may seem dumb to you and I get it. I think it's dumb but I'm a lot happier for it.

I got a bonus at work. $1,000. I took $353 of it and got the Brother MFC-L3720CDW. A color "laser" printer. It's not really a laser printer. It's similar but the principal difference is that it uses LEDs rather than a laser to create an image. Please see this video by from Technology Connections.

Brother MFC-L2685DW (monochrome) and MFC-L3720CDW (color)

So how does my Epson and Brother compare?* Glad you asked.

Text

Epson

Brother

You can see that there is a misalignment in the line containing, "John Turner was Prime Minister," on the Epson. Also, look at the apostrophes and how much more crisp they are on the Brother.

Color

Source file

Epson

Brother

Picture

Source

Epson

Brother

For pictures, I'm happy with the Epson and prefer it for that alone. However, with my type of usage of printers--I'm far more happier with with the Brother LED printer. I print documents that may have pictures or use color in them. I've always had pictures printed by 3rd parties and I rarely have that done. Also, there are long stretches where I don't print - that's a danger with inkjets. Ink will dry and clog.

You know you and I'll leave you to decide which one you rather have. As for me, I'll probably keep both. I mean they are already paid for!

*Scans are at a resolution of 1200 dpi.

Meet Bob

 I ordered my Ford Escape PHEV on October 13, 2022 and I finally took delivery on September 1, 2023.

h/t to my salesman

Meet Bob. Actually, I thought I would come up with a better name since my last car was named Patty because I got her on St. Patrick's Day. But after spending about three minutes trying to think of something clever, I threw in the towel and settled on Bob.

So this is a base model PHEV. It doesn't have things like a heads up display, 360 degree camera, premium audio system, etc. Mind you, I came from a base fiesta. Patty had roll-down windows and didn't even have cruise control. This is a very big upgrade for me.

A little over two weeks in, I've hit 1,000 miles. I've tried to force some non-ev time. I'm not sure what kind of engine break in is needed for this. I figured I should do some of that and get its first oil change before I head down to Florida with it in November. So far, just one and one-quarter tanks of gas used. Averaging 86 mpg.

Most of the time, I am able to charge up at work. I'm not sure how it well it will work in winter but for right now, it's enough to get me home and back. 

Still Waiting On an Escape

I placed an order for a Ford Escape PHEV back in October. Five months later and I am no closer to getting into the driver's seat. Ford sent me an email today to confirm that the wait continues.

Over the past few months, I have been watching for videos on this model. Unfortunately they are top trim models and not what I am purchasing. I ordered the base as I didn't think that the $4.5k price increase was worth the features that I cared about. Namely the full digital instrument cluster and the premium speakers. The rest of it--like the front end light bar or auto park system I didn't care whether I had them or not. What I wanted to see was what the base instrument cluster and the cloth seating was like.

Although I would like it now, I do need to save money for a HVAC replacement. As long as my little Fiesta holds up, I can wait on this.

I Need a New Car. But Which?

I thought that I might need some new shocks and struts as my car has been making creaking sounds when I go over bumps. Turns out that it is worse than that. $1800 in repairs are needed for not only the shocks but also a pinion something and a bar doo-hickey. I’m now trying to run through a complex decision tree.

Should I junk the car and get a Bolt EUV? There is some inventory but I have to travel hundreds of miles to get them. There is a cash incentive and I would be able to get the tax credit which would be substantial savings. However, I’m not sure I’m ready to go full electric. On occasion, I want to do road trips and with its slow charger and 250 mile range, I don’t want to do it with this vehicle. 

Should I get the repair and order the Ford Escape PHEV? The order bank is open. It becomes a question of how long it the wait will be until I get the car. It could be months before it is ready. However, it will be a plug-in hybrid where I can do my day-to-day commute on electric and fall back on the gas engine when I want to go on those road trips. Plus, this is the vehicle where I can transport my bike or lash a kayak on the top. Yet, I won’t be guaranteed the tax credit as I won’t purchase until 2023. 

I hate that this repair has wiped out a large amount of the savings that I have made for the down payment for the new car. 

It seems like there is always something that sucks out my savings around here! The water heater, the roof, the car. This place is a disaster.

Abortion, Cake, and a Roof

I was a little too heated to write about my reaction to the SCOTUS leak that Politico published. The published draft of the majority opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade and remove the federal protection granting the right to abortion. It's not surprising and we knew where this was headed with Trump's justices. Still it is shocking and deeply disappointing. 

What is still making me angry are conservatives making hay over the leak of the opinion. Really? That's what's important? Not the overturning of Supreme Court precedent that expanded the rights of women? Democrats better take this issue and beat the drum into the next elections.

*  *  *

I went all the way to Chicago for a cake. Yup. A cake. Mother's Day is coming up and I wanted to get my mom a mango cake that is made at a Filipino chain bakery called Red Ribbon. From her facebook post... looks like it was a smashing success.

*  *  *

I've sent out signed paperwork to start the roof repairs. So now I've got to wait until I'm put on the schedule and that should be a week or two from what I've been told. I've also secured an extension of an existing loan that I have with my credit union. Based on the estimates, I will be able to get this paid and financed without too much trouble.

There is one thing that I still need to tie up and that is getting rid of the threat from the tree that still hangs over my house. I'm not willing to leave it up to chance anymore. All of it or at least the overhanging bit is coming down. However, I'm running into a problem where I've got three places that have still not returned my call. It feels like I've been blacklisted or something.

Setting Up a New Computer Still Sucks

 

I've had my macbook for almost seven years now. It has been the longest serving computer I have ever owned and I believe that I got my money's worth out of it. Lately, the battery has noticeably degraded. The rubber gasket lining the display is coming out. But more importantly, I have been playing with the last 10% of the storage. I'd fill it with files and then transfer them over to an external hard drive. Whenever I would look into the storage, I'd always be bothered by how much "other" data was sitting there.

Even though it is a year old, I decided to get an iMac. I've been wanting a desktop for a while and I've been debating for a couple months now on whether I should pull the trigger. Yet, I would also think that I should get another macbook and purchase an external monitor and keyboard. I'd look on the Apple website make out a bunch of orders and then click out of the page--not wanting to pay for it. But one day, as I was looking at the refurbished catalogue, I decided to stop wasting time and do it.

I got it yesterday and started the process of setting it up. I didn't want to transfer everything from the old mac to the new one. I didn't want that "other" data coming along for the ride. So I transferred what I could. I made my personal settings on the iMac. I downloaded some of the programs that I used like Office and Dropbox. It took up most of the day.

I've since wiped my macbook and updated the macOS to Monterey. I intend to keep it light, with just the programs that I need to use while out traveling. At least now, I have a lot more storage available. 

Zooming on a Bike

I started searching for a bike early this summer while I was on furlough due to COVID-19. The big box stores didn't have bikes. The bike shops only had the crazy expensive bikes or the niche bikes. I put myself on a waitlist with my local bike shop for a Marlin 6. I would still check out the various bike websites to see if anything came back in stock.

Ebikes came to my attention while I was waiting. I almost pulled the trigger with the VanMoof S3 but I kept hearing about negative experiences online. The S3 seemed to suffer from quality control issues, bad customer service, and the fact that it would be months before I could get one shipped.

While checking out ebikes on the Trek website I found one model that had stock. I went to my local shop and had them put in an order--the Allant+ 7.

It's a class 1 ebike so it is a pedal assist motor up to 20 mph. I thought about getting a class 3 which goes up to 28 but those are more expensive, they are illegal for trail use in Michigan and Indiana, and 20 mph is plenty fast for me.

I've had it for a few weeks and it hasn't been trouble free. I've had to have the rear brakes adjusted, a crank tightened, and a defective battery replaced. The guys at the local shop have been terrific in making sure that everything was taken care of. I now see the value in such places.

The Allant is a blast. The motor gets me up to speed with less effort on my part. I've never biked farther or longer. I've even done intercity travel with it. Work is 15 miles away. I've made the ride but I'm not ready to do it every day.

Verizon Brings Back Unlimited* Data

I have been holding on the a grandfathered unlimited data plan with Verizon for years. And I vowed that they would have to pry it from my cold dead fingers. Taking away the phone subsidy didn't work nor did their raising the data plan from $29.99 to $49.99 shake me off. Verizon seemed hellbent that they were going to see unlimited data plans die. Thanks to T-Mobile and, to a lesser extent, Sprint, the competition has caused Verizon to reverse themselves and offer an unlimited data plan again. I admit that I am a bit wary of the announcement because for a long time I have been waiting for them to come and take my grandfathered plan away.

So I took a look at the plan.

Currently, I pay $89 and change when you include plan, taxes, and fees. The plan they are offering would save me a few bucks. If I decline enrolling in Auto Pay, it's a few dollars more expensive. I haven't made up my mind on giving up my grandfathered data plan but I think I might.

Saw It.

I had a very good laugh with my coworker when she showed me her cup that she got from McDonald's this morning. It is supposed to be two mittens but she added a couple squiggle lines, turning it into a NSFW cup of coffee. I didn't realize at the time but apparently the internet has been going crazy over this. Normally I pride myself on keeping up with the trending memes out there. It was good to experience one first hand though.

iPhone 6s - I love you. I hate you.

Thanks UPS!

My iPhone 5s quickly became one of my favorite phones that I had ever owned when I bought it two years ago. As weird as it sounds, I was ready to ditch it the first chance I got had the iPhone 6 met hopes. When the 6 came out, I was excited for NFC and Apple Pay. What kept me from buying it, though, was that the camera was still stuck at 8 megapixels. Apple's offering wasn't enough to make me want to spend money on them... well at least on their iPhone. (Some of that money that I saved went on to buy my laptop.)

So this year for the iPhone 6s, Apple upped the camera to 12 MP and introduced some other features.  I got online and ordered one and was fortunate to be able to get one on launch day. So here are my thoughts:

Camera
The bump up from 8 MP to 12 MP is welcomed. I haven't noticed too much of a difference between this phone and the old one when it comes to the overall picture quality. Photos still look fantastic until we get into low light situations. 

Live Photos
Pictures taken with this mode on will also take video and audio capture along with a snapshot. It will make your pictures come alive! I think that most people will think that this is a gimmick. For the most part, they are right but I've already used this on little kids and pets and I welcome it. I may not be using it all the time, but it is an awesome choice to have.

3D Touch
Critics seem to think that this feature is more worthwhile than Live Photos. They may be right but in my experience, I have not used this very often. I'm already accustomed to doing certain actions the old way. Mostly, I've only been using the peek and pop when I am in iMessage and want to look at the picture attachments.

Apple Pay
This is pretty darn awesome. I love being able to pay for things with tap/hover of my phone. It's unfortunate that acceptance of these types of payments are not everywhere. Most notably, Wal-mart.

Storage Options
Apple offers 16, 64, and 128 Gb options when it comes to storage.  With 12 MP photos, 4k videos, and an OS that takes up lots of room, getting a 16 Gb phone is not a smart idea. I opted to spend the extra $100 and get the 64 Gb option.

6s or 6s Plus
I thought about getting the 6s Plus because of its use of OIS in the camera but also the bigger battery. However, I am always by power and OIS by itself wasn't enough. I opted instead, for a better form factor. The Plus is a little to big for my tastes.

While I love this phone, I also hate it. The design is rather horrible with the antenna lines and protruding camera module. Mostly I hate the price. I had to pay full price in order to keep my grandfathered unlimited data plan with Verizon.

Like a Flash of Lighting, It was Gone

Back in the early '90's when I was living with my grandparents in southwest Michigan, I was introduced to Hot N' Now as the go-to place for a burger.  As farmers, they were more conservative with their cash and Hot N' Now provided the most bang for their buck.  Their burgers sold for 39¢ which was a great deal less than McDonald's which if I remember right, were selling for 69¢.  In Niles, this caused a burger war with McDonald's which began to sell hamburgers for 25¢ on Tuesdays as a special.

There were at least three places in the area but they all closed.  They had started getting a bad rap with perceived degrading quality.  In school, us kids were apt to call it "Cold N' Later."  The last one that I saw was in Charlotte.  Since graduation, I had heard of rumors of Hot N' Nows existing in far flung pockets of Michigan but I had accepted that I would probably would never see one again.

My sister texted me the other day and revealed that she had just visited one in Bay City.  I couldn't take this challenge lying down.  I couldn't go to Bay City either.  With a quick Google search I found out that there were only three locations left and would you believe that that there was still one in my own back yard.  Well, the backyard that I never visit.

Fifty miles away in Sturgis, there is a stand.  I went there this evening.  I hadn't been to Sturgis before and there was a Hot N' Now.  Good enough reasons for me.  Unfortunately, I discovered that the food from the 90's was nothing like the food that they serve now.  It tastes like the generic frozen foods that you can pick up at Walmart.  Blech.

I will have to remember Hot N' Now as that burger place, that for a precious few years, was a great place to get a fast, simple, and cheap-as-hell meal.  A place that my grandma would stop by when we were done with work on the farm.  A place that my dad would get a sack of burgers.  That weird place that was drive-thru only.  I'll miss it.

If you would like to see a commercial for this click here.

Earlier this week I read that Verizon was introducing a new phone plan called “Share Everything.” There isn’t much growth room in the mobile phone market. Any real growth has to be by cannibalizing other customers from customers. So without new contract customers and existing ones decreasing voice and text usage, the revenue stream for providers is plateauing. Apparently Verizon has decided that revenue growth is going to be in data because that is the only thing that customers seem to want more of. And boy does Verizon intend to squeeze every buck out of you that it can.

Under the new Share Everything plan, an account (not a line) is set up. This account is sort of like a pot in which voice, texts, and data will sit and can be “shared” with other devices that are plugged into the account. Voice and texts will be unlimited but the data will be capped and that determines the tiered charges. $50 for 1GB, $60 for 2GB all the way up to $100 for 10GB. The device fees are basically plug-in charges into this pot. Smartphones are $40, tablets $10.

 If I was a new customer and coming to Verizon and I wanted a plan that was comparable to what I have and use now, I would have to shell out about $100/month which doesn’t include the insurance, taxes, and fees. Take a look at the chart below. With my old plan and the discount I get through my employer, I pay roughly $76 every month. The current Verizon plans are pricier but not shockingly so. The new Share Everything isn’t just sticker shock—it needs to come with a “Danger: High Voltage” sign.

I do not intend to go with Share Everything and I was sitting on an upgrade eligibility that I wanted to hold off on until the new iPhone was announced. But with Verizon putting this plan into effect on June 28th, I had to decide whether I wanted to buy a phone now and grandfather in my contract and rates or go month to month and pay for my next phone at full price.

None of Verizon’s offerings seemed great. I liked the Droid Maxx but that is getting a little old already. It’s a Gingerbread device and still hoping for an Ice Cream Sandwich update. Jelly Bean is around the corner! The Samsung Galaxy S III looked good but it wasn’t going to come to Verizon until after the new plans were in place. But I did wonder what would happened if I preorder.

Turns out I could! So I’m all set for the next two years at least.

The Ginger Ale Challenge

When it comes to ginger ale pop (or soda for you other people), I’ve always preferred the local Vernors over all other brands. My dad prefers Canada Dry so as a kid, Vernors in the house didn’t happen unless I got it myself. On a whim, I picked up three brands of ginger ale that is sold locally: Schweppes, Canada Dry, and Vernors.

I ended up tasting all three and found that I really do like Vernors the best. I don’t critique consumables very well. I just like what I like but to give you some analysis I suppose that Vernors as a cleaner taste. Schweppes made me pucker up a little and both it and Canada Dry had more of a lingering after taste. Vernors also has a very noticeable vanilla taste to it.

Ugh, I’m going to have to drink 4L of so-so pop before I can finish off my now confirmed favorite brand ginger ale.

Stamp Day

I woke up early to go to the post office today. Other than Saturday, 0800-0900 is the only time on the weekdays that I can get in there because of my work schedule. I had to purchase some international stamps for Christmas cards that I’m sending out. Would you believe that they didn’t have any? It’s Christmas, their busiest time of the year and they don’t have them?! I messaged a tweet to one of the recipients who lives in Scotland. I asked him if he collected stamps because he’s getting a few domestic ones from me: Boy Scouts, military award, and some clock thing.

Later in the day, it was slow so I asked a different department if they needed any help. Since it’s the end of the year, some documents needed to be destroyed. One of the box contained post cards. Now these are business reply cards and if they are mailed from within the US, no postage is needed on them. If they are mailed from outside, then they do. I was halfway through the pile when I noticed that a number of them had stamps on them. They were all international stamps. I asked the supervisor if I could tear off the stamps and she said she didn’t mind and so that's what I did.

I’ve never collected stamps but I guess I’ve started. Not bad for only half an hour’s worth, eh?

I guess I can see why some people get into stamps. They can really be artful and there’s so much variety…
…unless they’re from the UK.

Shorts

I just had put away my summer shorts. Now it’s warm and again and I’ve got to drag them back out. Believe me, that’s not a complaint!

As I put the shorts away, I went shopping for some thermal underwear. There harder to find than I thought. Meijer didn’t have any. (They don’t have much of anything for men.) Then I tried the tractor and supply store and they had plenty of thermal outerwear but not what I was looking for. I checked out Dick’s and they did have some—for $30 a piece. No way. Even though the Wal-mart website said that my local store didn’t carry them, it turns out it does for $6 a piece.

…Yeah, you’re not gonna see a picture of that.

Since I mentioned Walmart, I have just recently found out the term for a group of people that I look down upon: University of Michigan fans that have no connection whatsoever to the school. They’re called Walmart Wolverines. Check this out:


h/t to Forgazi for putting up (and creating?) this video.

That was a parody for the Pure Michigan ads that have been running for the past few years. If I remember right, there was an article that came out that said the money spent on these ads have been a good investment. That is, if you can say the tourism money that came to this state really is because of ads? Who really knows how much of it was would have ended up here anyways. But in any event, I do like the campaign.

Only days away to the elections and the races are tightening and the ads are maddening. I’ve got Jackie Walorski ads popping up not only on the TV and radio but also on facebook and YouTube. Ugh. I don’t even live in the district she’s running for. It's not just her, but I'm gonna be glad when the campaign season ends.