Since US government workers are struggling with the completion of this simple task, I thought it might be fun to put the challenge out to the assembled. I’ll start it off:
Resolved issues with the electromechanical valve for sprinkler zone #9 (Th-Fri).
Cycled 180 miles (over 7 days).
Worked out four days at the gym (Su, Tu, Th, Sa).
Made substantial headway in A.J.P. Taylor’s The Origins of The Second World War. (Significant side research is required to understand the many references to treaties, agreements, and meetings made by the author.)
Installed and calibrated new bike computer (Mo).
Started re-reading Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, which led to an exploration of Ubertino da Casale & Chiara da Montefalco, as well as of the persecution of the Franciscan Order in the 14th century. A brief summary of Ubertino’s life and work is available in the introduction to a 15th century edition of his book Arbor vitae crucifixae Jesu Christi.
Fixed a really annoying doorknob (Th).
Donated blood (Fri).
Shitposting on Scanalyst and Telegram (every day).
There you have it: from the trivial to the sublime.
This post was inspired by today’s edition of Derb’s podcast.
You had me at the cycling and at “The Name of the Rose”, one of my fave books. I Eco! The movie of that book is pretty good too. I’ve thought of it every time I’ve seen one of those incredibly wonderful libraries, like at Coimbra, Melk, or the St Florian Monastery at Linz.
At Coimbra, they have mammalian librarians:bats! They cover the beautiful tables, inlaid Brazilian work, with heavy leather tablecloths every night , and the bats come out and eat all the “bookworms” (kinda a generic term for all kindsa insects that might eat the priceless tomes ). They fly out at night to drink from the river, then go back to a roost in the library.
Sorry TMI!
I remember you went on a Danube cruise and was hoping you had seen Melk, since you liked The Name of the Rose. I think that library may have been where it was filmed.
If your installed that towel rack while volunteering at a homeless shelter for transgendered women of color, congratulations! The Civil Service will take care of you.
Replaced corroded faucet and drain assembly in half-bath.
Wrote and tested ~300 lines of Java for a software product. (Testing phase really cuts into the lines per programming day.)
Sold several software product licenses, with some pre-sales engineering support.
Acquired and prepared exhaust tube and fittings to fix where a thief cut out the cats on my '99 Suburban. (No need for replacement cats–25yo cars no longer need emissions inspection here.)
Scoured security video to collect evidence of another thief who stole the license plate from that same '99 Suburban. (Parked behind my business office. Not a great neighborhood. Too convenient to the interstate for criminal get-aways.)
Credited with nine problem solutions for the week on the commercial forum where I get many marketing referrals.
Eco! The movie of that book is pretty good too. I’ve thought of it every time I’ve seen one of those incredibly wonderful libraries, like at Coimbra, Melk, or the St Florian Monastery at Linz.
