Almost two weeks ago, my mother's air conditioner finally died, after over thirty years of service, give or take. It was one of the few things that survived a flood from 2003. Since that time, it had slowly started to fail. The dial to the speed control broke, and it was replaced with the fan control dial. The air quality intake broke, never to be used again. The original store stopped selling the filters, so hacks were made. Another dial broke, so the temperature dial would do double duty if something needed to be changed. The post to the speed control started to act up, so the panel for the controls had to be removed, just so that the dial could be used to turn the thing on. Finally, two weeks ago, there was a spark when the air conditioner was turned off, or at least a burst of light was seen. Therefore, the search was begun in earnest for a new one. The first few days of the search centered on the internet, specifically on sites for local stores. Some of the best ones for the size and space needed were out of stock. Considering that it was the weekend didn't help much either, as new shipments would be delayed. At least there was a brief cold spell coming in, preventing the need for air conditioning for a few days. Phone calls were made, both to stores and air conditioner professionals, for advice. Finally, my mother made her choice based on all of the available information. However, there was one problem. The store that was settled on didn't have the right model in stock. It seems that the person she talked to over the phone was mistaken on some points, particularly the price of the right model. Well, my mother then went to another store, without mentioning to me what she was planning, and purchased a different model without asking me for my input. She had used my car for the trip and had the new one placed in my trunk for me to remove when I drove her back home. Yeah. Now, the box clearly had a picture of having two people lifting it, yet I had to do it all by myself. Now, I'm not really big, but I'm stronger than I look. Still, I could just barely lift this thing that was probably around half my body weight and trudge over to the base of the porch steps. Even with the straps on the box, there was no way I could easily lift that thing up those steps. I had to place the box on each step between lifts. Then, I just left it on the porch and scooted it over to the door and over the threshold, further dragging it across the floor to a spot where it was out of the way. I am fortunate that the only problem I had was a tight, left forearm. I could have seriously hurt myself. Now, because it was so late, I was going to wait at least a day to remove the old air conditioner and put in the new one. Well, my mother tore into the box the next morning to get the manual out to read before setting anything up. I would have preferred she waited, but I started reading the thing after I got to the store. Among the details found in the safety measures was a tidbit about how the air conditioner had to be the only device on the dedicated outlet. Now, the old one wasn't and couldn't be done that way, as the only window only had the one outlet and it he to be shared with other devices that also couldn't be moved. This might explain why there had been some flickering with the lights whenever the old air conditioner was on. Well, when the man that was going to take the old one away and help put up the new one came the next day, he confirmed that we couldn't put the new air conditioner there on that outlet without moving something, which was impossible. However, in the clean up that preceded the installation that was now not happening, a second outlet was found. This second outlet ran on a different wattage. Neither the original nor the new air conditioner could work on it, but a older model that the man had could work on this second outlet, and he was willing to sell it to my mother for about half the price of the new one. Well she took the offer, and he helped me lug the new one back to my car's trunk so it could be returned within the proper time frame. The following, third night, we left work early so that we could meet the man to have his model installed. My mother enlisted him to help clean the windows after the old one was removed and before the new one installed. Some parts hadn't been touched since the air conditioner had first been put up. The new model was put in, although its air filter was so old that it had deteriorated and workaround with a homemade filter was put in. That first night, the new model worked, although a felt slightly sick at times that night. Maybe I could detect a bad smell that no one else could. Anyway, it hadn't been hot enough to try it since, so the long-range use still has to be worked out. The old one was taken away and disposed of properly. The cold always makes me feel better anyway.
A puzzling little blog still looking for its voice, but sometimes gets lost and has trouble finding its way.
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Keep Running Up That Chart
Recently, a certain song has been climbing up the music charts, a song from the 1980s. I'm talking about "Running up That Hill (A Plan with God)" by Kate Bush. The song's surge in popularity stems from its continued inclusion in the Netflix program Stranger Things. Not only is the song appropriate to the setting of the show, but it is also seems to be an important plot point on multiple levels. Now, I don't do most streaming, so I am not entirely familiar with the details of the show. I know enough to know I might not like it, but I can't be positive. This surge has led the song to return to the charts, even entering the top five. During the song's original run, it barely cracked the top forty. I have even heard it a few times on my favorite radio station. Maybe. The reception and interference from various sources makes listening to that particular station troublesome. I have mentioned this numerous times. I have heard at least part of it just a few days ago on my way into work. Considering this station frequently plays older songs, it is not that big of stretch to think that it wouldn't play "Running" as well. I have actually heard the song, or at least a few seconds of it, much more frequently on SongPop lately. It is a frequent clip on my "Anagrammed Artists" category, where she is listed as 'Skate Hub.' I always think I'm listening to "Big Love" by Fleetwood Mac. The two songs came out around the same time and share a similar percussion line. I'm guessing that one of the reasons for this newfound popularity is that the song doesn't sound dated. For example, a while back, a video on TikTok of "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac (again) led the song to get back onto the charts, for about a week or two and only in the mid-teens. "Dreams" was released in the 70s and sounds like it comes from that time. "Running" was made int the 80s, but it sounds more contemporary. It fits right into the current trends for pop/rock. Whether this is due to many artists taking Kate Bush as an inspiration or to artists wanting a retro feel to the decade in general, I can't be sure. Many artists have mentioned taking inspiration from the era, some to a greater success than others. Just look at last year's top song "Levitating" by Dua Lipa. The song, and the entire album it was on, was influenced by the late years of disco. I admit, I bought the deluxe version of the album. I like disco, at times. Dance music in general. I'm getting a similar vibe from "About Damn Time" from Lizzo. This song just knocked "Running" down a spot in the charts, and it may have a good chance of reaching number one. Or at least it did until Drake dropped this year's album last week. It will probably have a bunch of songs debut in the top ten, just like last year. And just like last year, most will not have the staying power or crossover radio appeal to make a lasting dent in the yearly charts. I won't go into my usual tirade about how the charts need to change their metrics in gauging this, but at least this has led to an old song making a comeback. Now, how to get one of my favorite, older songs back on the charts to higher levels of popularity?
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
My Name Is His Name Too
I've been steadily increasing my online presence over the past few years. I have two active blogs, one of which you are reading now. But, I hope you already knew that. If you are reading this post without knowing about this blog, I have no idea how you are doing that. Please tell me, as that might be a great service to mankind. I have a YouTube channel. Someone has actually subscribed to it. I don't know how legitimate it is, but it happened. People even commented on it. Kind of. It was more about talking to each other than about the clip. I run my store's website. It has minor updates every week, and larger ones about once a month. I manage my store's Facebook page, where I duplicate some of the same content. Hey, it saves time. Okay, so I make mistakes. Just yesterday, I forgot to publish the latest posts on my other blog, but I still included a link in some of my other posts. In case you missed it, here is the correct link. I'm going to have to include it on my page later on today just to prove that I did have this week's installment. The one place where I haven't reached my fullest potential yet is on LinkedIn. For the past few months, I've been cross-posting my YouTube videos there the day that they debut. I have occasionally posted links to some of this blog's posts as well. I keep thinking of posting links to my recent puzzles there as well, or possibly just post them separately, as some of my posts here aren't the best match for that site. I keep trying to make connections, but so many of their suggestions are just not the best fit. Well, a few weeks ago, I received a notification about a new invitation, from myself. Specifically, another Toby Weingarten. I guess I was a little freaked out, but I sort of knew who this man was. See, a few years ago, I googled myself in a failed attempt to seek out family members on the side I knew nothing about. The first results that came back were for this man, at least those for people still living. I was close behind. I might even have overtaken him by now with my increasing presence. To protect his privacy, I won't go into his details, suffice to say, the invitation appeared to come from the same person. His settings weren't as fully completed as mine; he didn't even have a picture. However, I still accepted the invite. A few days ago, he even messaged me, telling me why he sent out the invitation. It was just a security check-up, to make sure no one was trying to make a fake profile. He even included some information in case there was a chance we were related. The odds are very low, unless someone decided to name him after their long-lost son he hadn't seen in a few years. I believe I'm slightly older than the other Toby, but this is just an educated guess. I must admit, I have had hopes of finding other family out there. Not knowing anything about one whole side of my family is depressing, especially this time of year. Anyway, there hasn't been a response to the last message, yet. I don't log into LinkedIn as much as I should, and it appears that the other Toby doesn't either. He does have a very busy schedule, from his job description. I'm thinking that I may have found a new round of research to look into.
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
'Tis the Season To Be Sneezing
Let me be honest right up front. I have almost no idea what this post will be about. I usually come up with an idea at least a few days beforehand. Some really good ideas come about a week or more in advance, like last week's "Peaches" parody or some of my puzzles. This week, if I did have a good idea at one point, I forgot it. I tried this morning to come up with something on the fly, but I got nothing. I heard something on the radio a few minutes before I got into work that would be a great seed for a post, but it is time-sensitive, and I will have to wait at least another week before mentioning it. So, I am forced to write today's post without much of plan. One of the reasons that I am having problems are my allergies. I seem to be afflicted with very bad symptoms this season, and I don't know why. Many summers, I get some mild symptoms and I think nothing of it. This year, I am having symptoms somewhat more severe and earlier than normal. This latest attack started last night, just before a storm died off before it reached home. My nose felt stuffy. This is actually a normal feeling for me, as a think that I have abnormal sinuses. Anyway, I had a slight problem falling asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night with pressure on one side of my head, as my sinuses had drained to the side I was sleeping on. This has been happening frequently the past few weeks. As I mentioned, this is a normal condition for me, just not this common. I have also been having sneezing fits. Random fits. That isn't too bad, except my sneezing fits have always been strange. I start out with a few small sneezes, like two to three, building up to one huge sneeze that ends the fit. The fit I had this morning had five or six of these smaller sneezes before the build-up to the last big one. Fortunately, I was stopped at an intersection when this happened, so my driving wasn't effected. Even now, over an hour later, I am still snuffy, but breathing quite comfortably. At least through one nostril. For some reason, maybe the previously mentioned sinus condition, I usually just breath easily through one nostril at a time. While this is the average condition for most people, my instance seems to be highly pronounced at times compared to others. What gets me the most is that I have no idea what the trigger could be. I was fine for most of the evening, when all of sudden the stuffiness began. I don't believe anything new has been added to environment lately. Most pollen would not have gotten inside so late at night, especially with all entries closed. I can't think of anything else that I haven't been in fairly close contact lately. Although, if it is some sort of pollen, then a good rain will slow it down until the season ends. Not soon enough for me, but it will happen soon.
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Peaches
Two years ago, I did a post about "Eggplants" which was basically a synopsis for an adult parody children's picture book. Back then, I said I was going to have a follow-up. It has taken me awhile, but I finally have that new synopsis. It might not be the original topic, but I think this one is still a great idea. Get ready for the "Peaches."
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Peaches are quite amazing. They are so delicious, with their gentle curves and delicate flesh. The best peaches are of a light orange or tan color, but darker tones are good too. Don't forget about the blush of darker red as well. A peach should have some blushing, but not bruising. A bruised peach is sign or trouble. In fact, it a disrespectful to deliberately bruise a peach, especially to the point of hurting it. A little fuzz on a peach is expected, but too much can be off-putting. A peach should have a defined cleft, one that accentuates the natural curves. It shouldn't be too deep, as that means there might be less flesh. Be careful about what's in a peach's center. That pit is full of things that are very bad. Once you hit that brown spot, you have probably gotten down too deep. Now, peaches can be said to be juicy, firm, or even mushy. One's preference to one type over another is hard to figure out, but rest assured that one can find their favorite by looking around and feeling for the right one. Having a peach that is too much in one quality or another can make for a rough job. In fact, it might make for ore than a handful. Now, some people think that the cherry can go with peaches. The two are quite close to one another. Working with both at the same time can be hard work, as the two have different needs. It can be done, just not easily. One might need help to work with both at the same time. However, most people prefer one over the other. I, for one, would greatly want some cherries instead of having to poke around some peaches. Sometimes, one can never be sure where a peach has been, but one can sure be fairly sure what has happened with a cherry. While a peach can be admired for what it is, it pales in comparison to what the cherry stands for. Sure, a peach might feel good, but once you get close enough to it, the thing just smells a bit off. Even the best-looking ones might not smell good. Just take off those outer layers, and a peach might not look so good. Still, you shouldn't fault one over their preferences to peaches over cherries. Or even apricots, whatever that could mean. At least there are still melons to be on the lookout for.
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