Weekend!
So for Easter, I got invited up to New Jersey to see some old friends. Friday night will be the drive up there (3ish hours!), Saturday will involve a road trip to the shop that has the best New York bagels on the Shore, and Sunday will be the Easter Feast.
Ironically, were I in Colorado, I’d be spending Easter Sunday on Steam. Since I’m out here, I’ll be spending it with loved ones.
Funny how things work out. (I’m still totally hitting Gamestop, though, and picking up stuff for the 3DS.)
So… what’s on your docket?
Saturday, golf clinic. I hope my back stops hurting by then. Then shopping for new cell phones. No one seems willing to offer an opinion on whether the new HTC is better or worse than the new Samsung Galaxy.
Time allowing afterwards, gardening (I sure hope my back stops hurting by then) and shopping to replace our twenty-year-old water heater. (Not even caring about my back there; someone else will be paid to do this job).
Woo-hoo, the Likkos sure know how to have a good time with their tax refund!
Sunday, I’m contributing potatoes au gratin for an Easter feast with some my fellow nonbelievers. (What? We can have a feast on Easter if we want to, damnit. Some of us love Christmas, too.)Report
I bought the HTC One X rather than the Samsung III and I regretted it due to the lack of the SD card slot.
I haven’t looked at the new models yet.Report
@burt-likko and @patrick I have a Galaxy S3 and am reasonably satisfied with it. I’ll be looking to upgrade some time this year, but only because I want a Note. Otherwise, I’d be happy with the S3 for some time to come.
I can’t speak to the HTC. I used to always get HTC back in my WinMo days. I initially went with Samsung for reasons that are no longer an issue. I will probably continue to prefer Samsung because of the removable battery. (The SD card thing was also an issue.)
My understanding is that the new HTC does have an SD card slot, unlike previous models. And it does come with more native space. People say that they like the feel of the HTC more than the Samsung (which is plastic), though I’ve personally never cared about that. The lack of a removable battery, on the other hand, is a big deal with me.Report
Hi Burt –
A lack of opinions (re Galaxy S5 versus HTC M8)? Hard to believe 🙂
Hi Burt –
I have an S4 and I have been extremely happy with it. I don’t believe that it is possible for me to care less than I do about the fact that the HTC looks better.
However, the SD card in the HTC is accessible without removing the back cover, which is not true of the Galaxy, if that matters to you. I can easily imagine that the curved back of the HTC makes it easier to operate.
At least on my S4 running 4.4, Samsung did not resize some of the text and icons for the much smaller dot pitch of the S4 (441 dpi), which makes some of the text and icons smaller angular size than the really ought to be.
Other than those things, I think the S5 is the clear winner:
1) Removable battery, as Will mentioned.
2) Far better display
3) Far better camera
4) more water resistance.
5) Many more interesting accessories (e.g. you can pop off the back cover and screw on either macro or zoom lenses onto the existing lens body).
6) Historically at least Samsung has somewhat better antenna gain than their competitors, which means that your connection will be stronger under conditions where you are limited by signal strength rather than interference (e.g. far far out in the Antelope valley). If you want to connect an external antenna (e.g. rooftop), the Samsung will perform far far better than the HTC because the external antenna is direct coupled rather than inductively coupled (theoretically 6 dB better or a factor of two in range).
Hope that helps. At least you aren’t buying an Apple phone 🙂
Will T, my only WinMo phone was a Samsung Blackjack II, which I bought in early 2008. Enormously better range than anything else of its era, and at the time I got it almost the only phone that would work both on the US AT&T network (IS-136 TDMA) and in Japan on NTT Docomo (the 3GS was the first iPhone where an AT&T model would work acceptably in Japan, and that is indeed what I reluctantly bought after the Blackjack II).
Report
I actually had three WinMo phones. The TyTn 2, the Touch Pro, and the Touch Pro 2. I got the second because I wanted the 640×480 resolution. The third I got because I changed carriers. The TP2 may to this day be the most hand-comfortable phone I’ve ever had. None of them had the Blackberry keyboard like the Blackjack, though all of them did have slideouts. As did my first Android, the Stratosphere. Sigh.
I actually had the data plans turned off on the phones until the last one. I was content to have a cell phone and a Pocket PC, but then I got a job somewhere that considered Pocket PC’s a security threat but allowed smartphones. (Apparently, they’re less threatening when they come with cellular capability and a camera?)Report
One more thing, Burt, which might be relevant to your professional use:
At least on the S4, you can store pretty much any app’s data (and for that matter most apps themselves) on the microSD card rather than on the internal flash. With a wee bit of configuration work, that allows you to change your phone’s personality and data library with just a card swap. In particular, it makes it very easy to “declassify” your phone by putting the sensitive stuff on the SD card.
I assume but don’t know for a fact that the HTC can do the same thing.
Report
Hey Scott, do you use a launcher? If so, which one? I’ve been pretty pleased with Halo Launcher as a relatively slim-but-customizable alternative to TouchWiz. I used Go before that, but it was too resource-intensive (though that was a phone with only half a gig of RAM.
Also, in your comment on the other thread, it’s actually a pet peeve of mine that Google has not done very much to get Android into cars. It completely should. I’ve been looking around for an aftermarket system that runs off Android and the selection isn’t very good. That should be something of a priority, but I very much get the sense that they didn’t make it one. Which is a mistake. Maybe there are some liability concerns, though I hear Apple is working hard at it.Report
Will, I use Apex (free version). Thinking about changing to Cover. I’m not a power user by anybody’s estimation, so I haven’t taken full advantage of Apex’s near-infinite widget set, etc.Report
@scott-the-mediocre , @patrick , and @will-truman thank you much! Natasha is leaning towards the HTC for other reasons, but these thoughts seem to dovetail to that result too.Report
The boy and I are hanging out, playing some board games, watching some movies, and maybe going for a hike. He’s having girl trouble, so he’s going to need some decompression time.
Man, I am so glad I will never have to do high school again!Report
I hope that I am married for the rest of my life. For a number of reasons. Not having to deal with that sort of thing isn’t exactly at the top of my list, but it’s on the list. I was so terrible at being single.Report
Turkey hunting Saturday morning, a quick nap and then lots of yard work. Sunday is packed with church, food and family.Report
There is nothing on the calendar for Saturday.
That’s unprecedented.
Easter is at the sister’s place this year. Kitty will make a pie and some deviled eggs and that’s our total contribution.Report
I will get the chance to actually operate a real steam engine 🙂 this weekend probably and definitely will next FridayReport
Wow! Why will you be operating a steam engine? Are you killing John Henry?Report
I work with the Oklahoma Railway Museum two days a week. We have a company out of Indiana that travels with a steam engine to different railroads. We are having two days where people can run the engine and four days of train rides over two weekends. I’m getting ready to go run it right now and and some of the guys here paid for a slot for me next Friday to run it a second time. woo hoo!Report
So a ‘steam engine’ means train engine, not a steam shovel (which is what @tod-kelly made me think of).
Is it a coal engine? I’ve always been amazed at how the coal ash lingers by railroad tracks for years. And I’ve ridden the Mt. Washington Col Railway pulled by a steam engine; nasty nasty nasty if the wind blows the smoke back to the cars.
But ohh so fun, too, to imagine the freedom to travel these monsters brought to the world. Have a great time, @anne !Report
So she’s gonna kill Big Bad John instead of John Henry.Report
There are some pictures and video of Flagg Coal #75 from today on the museums Facebook if anyone is interested
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oklahoma-Railway-Museum/107611745940488Report
@zic the people I hang out with like to ride in the open cars behind steam trains. I’ve ridden the Cumbres & Toltec and the Durango Silverton trains multiple times over the years my dad was a huge railfan. Actually when I drive the engine on Friday my mom is coming with me and we are going to bring Dad’s ashes with us. He would have really loved to have run this engine and old engines being what they are he would have really come in handy for some of seat of your pants fixes we have had to do. First guy out this morning broke the handle of the bell and we had to weld up a new one.Report
I’m glad to know you can weld! I want to learn.
And that’s Mt. Washington Cog Railway, not Col Railway; it goes from the western slope to the summit of Mt. Washington; the grades so steep the track has a cogs to keep the trains from slipping down hill.
Nice photos, @anne I hope you post some on FB with you in the Engineer’s seat; call me if you do!Report
@zic
I’ve been to Mt.Washington several times but have yet to do the train. My father-in-law loves that thing. Speaking of Mt.Washington, I’m sure you are aware but the big steamboat on Lake Winnipesaukee is also called the Mt.Washington. That sucker has almost drowned me in my kayak a couple of times but we love seeing it go by on the evening cruise from the front porch of our cabin.Report
I’m familiar with it; seen it from the mountains, but never ridden her, @mike-dwyer
Have you ever hiked the Welch-Dickey Loop Trail? That might be one of my favorite hikes ever. I highly recommend it, for the effort, it’s got most incredible views for an extended time while on the ledges.Report
@zic
I haven’t done that trail. I’ve only hiked one in NH and it was a short trail near the Old Man in the Mountain (unfortunately about 3 months after it fell down).Report
Awesome!Report
Tomorrow and Saturday I am trying to get the rest of the garden in. Sunday is Easter, and the entire batch of kinfolk will meet at my mother-in law’s house to eat and play so I will walk the 100 yards to her house and hug all and watch the great nephews and nieces look for eggs while I sit on the porch and think how lucky I am to have such good in-laws.Report
Tomorrow and Saturday I am trying to get the rest of the garden in.
This boggles my mind. Mine’s just been revealed from it’s white blanket of snow; and they’re predicting snow tonight. It’s still frozen a few inches down, I won’t be able to work it for the first planting of peas, spinach, and carrots or at least another week or two. Nothing frost intolerant goes in the ground until after Memorial Day. And beans, probably not until the first or second week of June, when the soil finally warms to 60?
Plant with love!Report
I may be taking a quick trip to DC this weekend and meet some new people. Not sure. Otherwise, more of the same, except hopefully with more cleaning involved.Report
Oh! Does anyone remember candy cigarettes? On a lark, I bought some from Amazon to ship with some luggage I ordered.
Actually tastes pretty good (kind of like candy hearts). Looks more like a toothpick than a cigarette in my mouth, though. Which makes sense, when I think about it.Report
To do it right, you need to carry them around in a fancy case;
Report
Tomorrow in the afternoon I’ll be doing a campus tour of the University of Oregon with Son the Eldest. Then drive back home to see an evening la crosse game with Son the Younger.
Some work on Saturday, then smoking a ham for Easter on Sunday.Report
Are you also going to take him to the Oregon State campus, or have you made up his mind for him, as far as major state universities of Oregon are concerned?Report
We did OSU last week. They were shockingly dull, and so did all of my work for me.Report
We did OSU last week. They were shockingly dull,
Was there ever any doubt?Report
Must… Not… Make… Beaver joke!Report
Why the Duck not?Report
My feast was on Monday. In addition to my traditional charoset (lots of sweet stuff mixed together), I made tzimmes, a sort of vegetable stew. Beware: the recipe makes twice as much as advertised (two 13×9 dishes worth), but it’s good.Report
“Ironically, were I in Colorado, I’d be spending Easter Sunday on Steam. Since I’m out here, I’ll be spending it with loved ones.”
Considering as Easter is also my family birthday celebration (your mom will be picking me up at 3 pm), I do not think you would’ve spent the whole day on Steam. Considering as I will be spending most of the weekend using BOTH computers to do my cussed homework assignments, I *especially* don’t think you would’ve spent the whole day on Steam.
That said, I mostly just wish you were here. And not only because I would then have a chore buddy and someone to hide behind at your sister’s, either.
*sighs*
It’s nice that I’m still so fond of you that it sucks this much to be split up, I suppose.
****
Anyway, I had originally thought I would spend tomorrow doing whatever I wanted, including a friend-hangout in honor of my birthday tomorrow night, and then buckle down to work on Saturday and Sunday (chores, and many many homeworks, the end of the degree looms nigh but there are some major hurdles to scale first.) Turns out, having reflected on the level of panic I’ve been feeling, the amount of weird work days I have coming up (9am-4pm and 10pm-2am on the same day, anybody? so fun being a scheduler who is actually humane to the other people she schedules), and the lack of sleep I’ve been getting, I need to spread out Saturday and Sunday’s deals over three days instead. (I’m still hanging out with our friends though, because, well, dammit. It’s my birthday.)
Which I guess choosing to do homework and chores all day does qualify as spending tomorrow doing whatever I want, but there’s not a whole lot of joy in it. Ah well. There’s always next year. (NO, we can’t kick it to the right. Birthdays don’t kick.)Report
Happy Birthday, Sweetie.Report
Thank you.Report
Hey, happy birthday from me, too!Report
Thank you!Report
Happy birthday!!! I love birthdays 🙂 <3Report
They are nifty things!
Thank you.Report
HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!
/Peanut dances around Maribou like Ren and Stimpy on a bender.Report
*grins*
*stops doing homework and chores long enough to join in the dancing*
Thank you!Report
My wifes b-day is Monday (40), so final shopping, and dinner!Report
She’s just getting to the good part!Report
Do you realize that Easter falls on 4/20 this year?
I am going to the Friends of the SF Public Library book sale with two lit friends tomorrow.
Sunday, I might see the Only Lovers Left Alive.Report
Hitler’s Birthday. I thought the classy thing would be to not acknowledge it.Report
Very clever wiseacre.
The Pot Smoking 4/20.Report
Jaybird, are you the same Jaybird that posted at Dreher’s site? If so, do you go there to poke holes in the hot air balloon that passes for deep thought at that site? I hope the previous sentences aren’t religion or politics.Report
This is my home and I don’t tend to leave it. If you see a Jaybird anywhere else, it’s someone else entirely. (Well, not *ENTIRELY* true… sometimes I comment at Hit&Run and sometimes I comment at Jim Henley’s/Thoreau’s site but 99% of my commenting is here.)Report
Heh…I also ran into a Jaybird at AVClub a while back that turned out not to be you, despite a shared fondness for shoegaze and Disintegration.
The fact that there are multiple Jaybirds in the internet wilds is just part of your overall invisibility plan, isn’t it?Report
When the gummint kicks down my door, I want a lot of plausible deniability.
“Rob Ice”, sadly, didn’t work out.Report
48 hours ago, I might have predicted something about yard work, but in fact I will be going out to shovel the sidewalks shortly – it looks like we got a couple inches of snow last night and this morning.
My wife and daughter just got back in town early this morning and are still asleep, so the conversations about how we will spend the weekend haven’t happened yet. There’s a house concert / song circle tonight we might go to, a friend’s birthday party at the new bike workshop tomorrow (there are two workshops the organization runs, she’s spent the better part of the past year getting the South side one moved into new premises and set up).
Easter dinner will probably be at home with kiddo, my wife and her boyfriend. It will not involve barbecuing anything, due to UPS’s continued inability to deliver objects to places. (That story has gotten to the point where if my boss hears me telling someone the current status of the shipment, he comes over to listen, and still laughs at the parts he’s already heard)Report
Easter Egg hunt Saturday morning for the kidlets, then coffee & pastries afterward.
Sunday is me catching up on some work.Report
So many eggs to hunt and enchanted forests to explore.Report
Nothing pressing tonight. Youngest boy’s soccer game tomorrow at 0900 Saturday, followed by bringing their cousins home for mayhem and chaos to give sis-in-law a breather while bro-in-law is out of town. Maybe buying a new head for my snare. Going to see a good local band Saturday night. Sunday, Arsenal vs Hull City in the FA Cup Final and dinner at my mother-in-law’s.Report