noise."Late April State of the Author · 12:27am Apr 26th, 2019
My Android phone updated to sleek new icons and I don’t like it.
It also caused havoc with my internet, and I had to randomly push buttons until I could tether my phone again.
I only mention this because it’s a good summary of the month: things changed, which I suppose is what one should expect for spring.
Or, alternately, since it’s spring and Michigan, temps range between 20 and 70 (F), it’s sunny one day and snows the next.
I got a new tool cart!
Y’all remember my old one. Well, it was near the end of its rope, so it was time to replace it.
Sadly, the tool truck guy wouldn’t let me buy it on truck credit, so I had to use Snap-On credit; luckily, if I pay it off in six months, there won’t be any interest.
Also, one of the accessories I wanted for it--which is in Snap-On’s current catalog--is discontinued. 
Speaking of work, the new guy, Earwig, put in his notice. Tomorrow’s his last day.
I don’t blame him. He and my idiot manager got into it a few times, and he decided it was time to look for greener pastures. So, starting next week, I’ll once again be the guy who fixes everything, because there’s no one else to do it.
Also, I got me a new monitor! Which is like the old monitor, but the point is now I have two.
I’ll be able to pony twice as fast now!
Especially since I also got new RAM, 16gbs of it!
Thus far, I have not had any sound issues, and unsurprisingly, the computer is happier with zillions of tabs open.
Yes, my desk needs to be cleaned. But . . . well, funny story about that:
Yesterday, I forgot to bring my thermos home, so I had to carry my coffee to work in a empty 2 liter bottle. I was so flustered about that, I forgot my keys and wallet.
Now, my manager made it to work before I did for once, so the lack of keys wasn’t an issue, and I keep a spare key in one of my cars.
Well, I did. But I have no idea where it went, or what car it’s in anymore. If it is still in a car.
After looking around for a half hour or so, I decided that I was going to have to use a different technique to get into my house. Luckily, I hadn’t latched the window by my computer desk, so after I pulled the screen out, I was able to open it, shove the monitors to the side, and crawl across the desk only knocking some of the junk off it.
So that was April in summary.
Are you going to Everfree Northwest? I’m too lazy to look up if you are a community guest but I suspect you are.
5049421
He is.
BTW, that "Old Man Yells at Cloud": Me every time some new phone/tablet/etc is released.
Nice tool box and new double monitor is good! I've left my cup at work...it makes for a tough day. And having to be the go to guy...again...just try to stay positive.
5049421
Yes, I am. Along with Cyne, Rose Quill, Georg, and TD.
5049431
I know, right?
I’ve had my phone almost two years now and just figured out how to turn off Bixby.
5049441
The tool box has already been slightly modified, and I’m still working on it. The biggest problem is that things aren’t where I remember they were, and it slows me down a bit, but that’s to be expected.
Thus far the double monitors hasn’t been anything great, but once I get used to having a second one again, I’ll use it to its fullest potential. The two of them together are almost unmanagable; three-quarters of my desk is monitors now.
I get a crick in my neck going from left to right.
If nothing else, I’m still indispensable at work, and while that’s not always reflected in my paychecks (unfortunately), I don’t have to worry about job security.
derpicdn.net/img/2012/11/25/162100/large.png
eBay?
You can probably find it there if it's not still in inventory at some re-seller.
5049453
Old saying. If you can't be replaced, you can't be fired. You can't be promoted either.
My laptop kilt its screen. The repair shop wanted &150 for a new screen or $90 for rebuilt
+ $50 to install it, 90 day guarantee.
Yeah well, folks in Hell want ice water (A favored saying of my late father)
JAY-ZUS KEERIST! For that kind of money, I could get a new laptop.
Went on Amazon. For $90 got a new monitor, wireless keyboard & mouse + 4 year guarantee.
Sears, this is why Amazon is EATING YOUR -ING LUNCH!
Oh good, I'm not the only one hating it.
It's a mix of apple sheek and wannabe comic (might as well turn my font to comic sans, gross)
It's also got a few other changes that I'm less annoyed about... and closing tabs in it is no longer "click the X" it's now swipe up, because you need to perform an intricate dance with your device to do anything. I'm not a wizard damnit! Somatic gesture to close a freaking tab. (although thinking of it like that makes it slightly less annoying)
5049451
I’m so fucking excited to finally meet Cynewulf you have no idea
5049452
I'm still working on dealing with Bixby...
However, I've gotten increasingly good at not accidentally hitting the Bixby button, so progress!
Edit for slightly more relevance:
Also I remain fascinated by the glimpses into your life. Which I hope is a sentence that doesn't sound creepy, now that I've typed it.
At least you didn't get stuck in a bootloop by an OTA update.
Trying to block custom recovery partitions and rooting should be illegal.
A bit sad we don't get to hear more from Earwig, and that your shop is back down to one competent mechanic.
Cool about the monitor, though.
5049456
At least that means the owner really can’t fire me.
5049462
Yeah, that’s possible, or else I can find someone else that makes it . . . or find someone else who makes something similar and modify it to fit my needs.
That’s how the screwdriver rack on the cart is; it’s on its third cart now and it wasn’t built for the last two.
5049470
I’ve been promoted, and didn’t like it. So I wasn’t mad when I got demoted back to my old job.
And you’re right, I’m pretty much fire-proof. Just recently, I told the owner when I was taking days off--I didn’t ask, I told.
Yeah, you can get lots of stuff for cheap on Amazon, no question. Although as I’m sure you know, the onus is on you to do the research that it’s what you need and that the product you order is good quality.
Not having to maintain physical stores surely helps, too.
5049482
Yeah, exactly.
Although I prefer function over appearance, so I suppose when I get used to it, as long as it doesn’t affect how I use the phone, I’ll probably get used to it.
That was something that I recently figured out. One thing that is nicer is you can delete images with only two clicks instead of I think it was four before. And you couldn’t kill them when attached to a computer, as I found out before our trip to Toronto.
Also, when I went to mute my phone before Hamilton, I wasn’t sure it actually was working like it was supposed to, so I just turned it off.
5049491
I know, me too. Poor Cyne is gonna get glomped so many times.
5049549
In the last version, there was actually a way to turn off the button, and it only took two years for me to figure out what it was.
I mean, it does, but I’m a big boy and know that there’s a difference between what I put on the interwebs on purpose, and people sitting outside my house with binoculars hoping to get a glimpse of the Admiral cooking breakfast or whatever.
5049605
I don’t know what that is.
I do know what that is, but I don’t know how to do those things.
5049690
It is a shame. He was an interesting guy.
We did become friends on FB, so maybe I’ll have a story or two to share in the future, who knows? Also, I gave him a t-shirt before he left. My manager was upset about that and asked why he didn’t get one. I told him it was because I was careful about my brand.
On the plus side, I have enviable job security.
It’s really too much, but I’ll get used to it.
5050845
We should definitely write a three-way collab whole we’re there.
5050855
I’m on board with that idea.
5050844
Made me doubletake, you meant the play not the place, right? I discovered that when bluetooth devices (such as headphones) are connected the phone may decide to not send the notification sound through the phone and only through the headphones (but not the ringtone, that still sounds from both the phone and device)
5050862
Yes, I meant the play not the place.
I haven’t really had much luck with bluetooth devices at all, mostly due to the fact I’m a complete luddite.
5050916
You just say that because your job involves checking wires in connections and the lack of a wire between the devices triggers you.
5051006
Yes.
Someday I’ll blog about Audis, fiber optics, and the lollipop, but today is not that day.