Happy Birthday Brendan Graves !!
By Chuck Wiser, I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
As I start this pre-Easter Wrambling it is also pre-7:00 AM but will likely not be completed nor submitted until much later in the day. I have a full docket of outside work before me but will try and stall till the temps get at least into the 30’s or 40’s. Typical of April weather a day can start below freezing and end up well into the 60’s or even 70’s. Today’s title alludes to the items I had added into my “Future Writings” notebook several weeks ago but which were superseded by topics of more interest, at least by me, if not you the readers.
I made the word “superceded” (my spelling) a bold font to highlight my apparent grammar error. As I have mentioned earlier, I pride myself on my grammar, and trust “my gut” when it comes to going with my first instinct regarding spelling. Autodefect changed my spelling to “superseded” and I thought I had caught it in another mistake. My bad! Checking the world renowned Google resource, it turns out I was wrong. I concede (or consede) and bow to the Google Grammar gods.
If those among you cringe at my lack of reverence of not capitalizing God, that feel it is the proper common practice, I do so out of respect for our God. By mentioning the grammar gods or golf gods as I often do, I think it would be contrary to proper respect to belittle the appropriate entity with comparison to a sport or language as being equal. Maybe in some minds they would be, but not in mine.
After I mention the only two topics written in this week’s notebook page(s), I will Wramble on with my “workbook Wrambling leftovers” from previous weeks.
When I purchased my new laptop computer from Wellsville Computers Rob Donlan asked if I wanted him to load Ad Blocker as an app. At least I think he did, but in any event, it is in my computer. I am having second thoughts on that now as Ad Blocker is almost as much nuisance as is the ads that it blocks, in that it pops up and asks me if “I want to block” a pending addition and I have to respond that I do. I guess I would prefer that it just blocks it in the background. If I didn’t request the item advertised, I shouldn’t have to interact and deny the ad in the first place. Now, if I could specify that it automagically blocked all “political notifications or requests for donations” then I would be “all in.” I have started getting invitations to financially support not only the two major parties but anything else that comes “down the pike” from the non-affiliated candidates as well.
Having used the phrase “down the pike” in that last sentence It is a short cut to “down the turnpike” The phrase down the pike initially was used to mean “in the course of events” and, more recently, “in the future.” Pike here is short for turnpike and in this case is a metaphor for something encountered along the road one is traveling. Sometimes down the pipe is used with the same meaning, probably showing a conflation of the similarity between the words pike and pipe and the phrase in the pipeline meaning “things to come.” This paragraph was a “Copy-Paste” and thus the high (or low) lighted words are from therein.
The only other “new” item on my agenda was the announcement from Mallory Short of the Allegany County Veterans Association regarding a soon to come new Dwyer Program for Veterans. This link will take you to their site wherein you can look into possible interest in attending. https://www.alleganyco.gov/event/fly-in-breakfast-at-wellsville-airport/ . I have become a “fan” and as a Veteran, a supporter so I share all of their events to the many Veterans that otherwise may miss these notices, but still may be interested. This program reflects what is a fairly new organization offering information, support, and services to the many Allegany County Veterans.
I have “Wranted” a few times recently about “any and everything” you do with a computer these days, as is 90% of what my sources, and communication, is/are through. It assumes that you are working from a smartphone, and you have ready access to the messages they send to your email advising of a code to be entered to access their information or link. Since I am working on my laptop, and they have sent my link to my phone I have to work back and forth between the two. It is a major nuisance. I guess having one foot in each of two communication services and devices is the penalty I pay for same.
When I used my phone just minutes ago to access the link that Mallory Short had sent me, my hand accidently “swiped” the screen which “auto marked” her email as being SPAM and sent it into spam-space. I then had to find where that was, then mark it and her name as not being spam.
As I wrote this I was asked for assistance with my wife’s Kindle as she was trying to access Amazon. I had to go through this yesterday, so it was relatively a simple, but burdensome process. I had to use my phone (as another device) to access the security code they sent, to make sure that my wife was my wife, or that she was actually the person that was saying they were that person. It is getting more and more of a nuisance to have these “layers of security and protection” appeased. Having to use passwords is bad enough but now they have added another layer. I am going to have to expand my two page “Users and Passwords” list to add a 3rd page to include Security Codes. The following picture clip is taken from moments ago when I tried to access URMC My Chart. This is an illustration of what bugs me the most these days.
When I access my device, the 6 character code disappears off the screen faster than I can write it down or remember it. Having repeated that problem a couple of times I got pretty good at reading and memorizing the code to enter into the “other” device. Having noted that on a recent Facebook post a friend advised that although the message had disappeared from my screen, I could still access it in my “messages list” where it was retained.
The old industry disclaimer apologizing for missing a meeting saying: “I didn’t get the message,” Now has a new meaning.
As I approach my 80th decade I’m wondering when my mind and memory will just shutdown out of rebellion or overload. Dr. Collins previous diagnosis of “Mild Vascular Dementia” may one day come to bite me. I have to admit to short term (or very short term) memory issues has caused a little friction in the household as I deny have said or having been told something, so I had better “ramp up” my journal keeping. Several years ago I started keeping a “journal” for various reasons. Over the past couple of years I use it as a “reminders of future and past” events. The past few months I have been a little lax in making or updating the notes to myself. When I get a couple of days behind in my record keeping it’s a challenge to back track through the days to update or refresh my memory.
We all have various degrees of short-term memory, I think. It includes such things as remembering where you left your keys, or some other such common items like going into a room and forgetting why you went in there. I haven’t gotten to the point yet when I go up town and forget how to get home but it may be an early sign of that by coming out of Tops Supermarket and trying to remember where I parked my truck. I must admit that I have wandered up and down a couple of parking aisles looking for it, but at least I have it narrowed down to just a couple.
I guess I’ll wrap this up with a first-time relative mention in this writing. Today is grandson Brendan Graves 23rd Birthday, so His grandmother and I wish him a very Happy Birthday. You are one of a few bright lights in our lives as we watch you grow and turn into the man, we always knew you would.
In keeping with tradition I like to share the “cutest” or most embarrassing picture of the Birthday celebrant as I can find.
Brendan is now much bigger and has turned into a very handsome, and tall, lad.
Chuck Wiser pens his weekly column from the Genesee River Valley. You can reach him anytime, chuckwiser@roadrunner.com
