I love those Progressive commercials where they warn you to "not be like parents". I laugh at them because more times than not, I'm already at the "parent level" of behaviors and obsessions. This latest video from Progressive on weather nerds though hits close to home. After working for more than 30 years with the National Weather Service, I and many of my coworkers can't help but talk this way. Enjoy!

My 2023 Ford Maverick with Sync 3 does an odd thing, it doesn't allow me to sync Android Auto from my Google Pixel 6 to my vehicle wirelessly. Instead, I have to connect my phone using a USB cable from my phone to the console. There are times, especially during short trips, I prefer to keep my phone in my pocket and not mess with the hassle of cables. Luckily, the third-party market has responded and offers us wireless car adapters to allow me to connect to my phone wirelessly.

My quest continues in 2024 to find better social media platforms! While Mastodon is currently my favorite social media platform for engagement, it's unfortunately not the platform many of those that I followed or followed me on Twitter. Many of these friends and acquaintances have either migrated to Bluesky, Threads, or stayed on Twitter/X. I've been busy looking at these other alternatives.

Last week the CEO and a founder of Post News, Noam Bardin, announced that Post News will be shutting down this May. Post News is one of the alternative social media platform that has launched in recent years as an alternative to more established websites like X and Facebook. Post News distinguished itself from other social media platforms by its efforts to provide users access to premium content and news articles without fully subscribing to news organizations.

A couple weeks ago, my wife and I visited our son in Grand Forks, ND so we could see him in the musical, Ride the Cyclone. The musical was presented by the Empty State Theatre. He played the role of Ricky Potts, a boy that before his death was mute because of a trauma, though in the afterlife his ability to speak has been restored. Confused? Well you'll just have to see the play if you ever get a chance.

Logan was awesome in this musical! He was so good on stage that all I saw was his character. I was no longer Dad but an audience member enjoying the show. The rest of the cast awas also just as good.

I haven't been writing too much lately as I've been busy on a number of personal projects. One of those projects has been redoing my office at home. My previous office space was put together haphazardly a few years ago as a response to the pandemic and finding I needed my own space for both work and play. Fast forward a few years and I now find I want the office space to be better designed, more functional, and include better furniture.

My new standing desk is requiring a new location for my cup of coffee. I will adapt...

Lately, I've been thinking about what it takes to really be happy. So in the new year, I've had some random thoughts on the subject of happiness. This one is more appropriate for social media than a blog post, but here it is anyway.

Being rich or poor is all relative. There is always someone richer and always someone poorer than you. If one can't be grateful with what they already have in this moment of time, I don't think one can ever find happiness no matter what "wealth" is obtained in the future.