We had yet another amphibian visitor on our deck after the last torrential rains and I re-homed him down by the pond. We were befuddled, at first, by how these little frogs were getting up on our ten foot high deck that has no stairs leading to it. Then some of the original residents in our neighborhood educated this city boy (me) about how frogs can easily climb vertical surfaces. We have a ravine that runs behind our house that turns into a stream when it rains and I’m sure the frogs are just seeking high ground so they aren’t swept away.
Renovation Update
Materials are chosen, final details are settled on, deposits are made, “i’s” are dotted “t’s” are crossed. Next, we’ll be scheduling the days our kitchen renovation, hardwood floor, and carpet installation will be taking place. We have to vacate the house for two weeks but be close enough to check on the crews’ progress every day. Life is about to get very interesting for the next month or so but, the good news is everything should be done in time for the holidays! Of course, I'll be sharing plenty of after photos as soon as they're available.
Feeding My Inner Brit
Thanks to 23andMe I've discovered my DNA is about as British as it could be. Most of our ancestors originated from the dead center of London. I've also discovered DNA is strong! During my visit to England in 2019, to my dismay, I even enjoyed black pudding.
We watch a few British YouTubers like RateMyTakeaway, Hannah Ricketts, and Gary Eats that leave my stomach rumbling when they review traditional English food like meat pies, fish and chips, afternoon teas, stews, and the famous full English breakfast.
Recently I've found a fix. An American-based company called Parker's will deliver traditional English food right to your doorstep and the prices aren't terrible either. I plan on working my way through their entire menu, I have my work cut out for me. : )
Portrait Mode
I’ve been experimenting a lot this summer with my iPhone’s (15 Pro) camera. Recently, I’ve been pushing the boundaries of the camera’s portrait mode.
The more I delve into the iPhone’s capabilities, the more impressed I’ve become. For most of us there would be, literally, no reason to own a standalone camera anymore. It’s been a lot of fun watching and capturing the natural world around our house as it has changed with the seasons this year. The warm weather is fading quickly now, I’ve even had to turn the furnace on.
Robotaxi
After experiencing the most current version of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving in my car during my brother’s recent visit I’m confident saying that the tech is now ready for widespread release and regulatory approval.
Yesterday I took it a step further and was excited to be amongst the first wave of people to download the new Robotaxi app. With the Robotaxi network set to expand rapidly across America, soon anyone will be able to call a driverless taxi from their phone and it will whisk them away to their destination while they work, rest, or just spend time on their devices. All for around 1/3rd the price of Uber or Lyft. The world of transportation is about to change drastically. Pretty soon it’ll be commonplace to see vehicles driving themselves anywhere across America (and eventually the world).
The app shows a glimpse of what the experience will be like. It will allow you to preset your preferences for things like - temperature, ride style, music/video preferences right in the app so your experience is tailored instantly to your liking across all future Robotaxi rides.
Good Vibes Only
I wanted to take a moment to thank all who’ve supported the #GoodVibesOnly initiative on Hive so far. A special thanks to my partner on this project @TengoLoTodo for his efforts and @agmoore for being one of the first to post using the tag! There haven’t been many Hivians joining in yet but, Rome wasn't built in a day, I’m confident the initiative will grow over time.
If you find yourself writing a post that you feel has a positive message please consider using the #GoodVibesOnly tag. There are a few of us who will be monitoring the tag and rewarding content that fits the criteria. Extraordinary posts using this #GoodVibesOnly tag will be shared amongst all my outside socials (and possibly be rewarded in other ways).
As we ease into another weekend I'll leave you with this:
All for now. Thanks for reading.
