TV as Art

This is what it looks like, when you’re in the middle of watching Chicago Fire, and all the Xfinity services go out, which for me includes my landline phone, Internet, and 100+ TV channels. I’m actually quite impressed by the artful presentation of the highly pixelized image that happened to be on the screen at the time service went out. On the bright side, Xfinity just texted me to acknowledge that my service is out, and they’re working on it, so there’s that. I’m glad to have the final backup of a cell phone with access to telephone, Internet, and streaming services. I think I’ll go flying with the X-Plane simulator, which I loaded from a DVD, and shouldn’t need the Internet. We’ll see…

GO Fest 2026

We enjoyed a fun but flaming hot 100° Saturday in downtown Littleton, participating in Pokemon GO Fest Global 2026 with my sister and niece, and the other 775+ players keeping downtown hopping. We had a bunch of fun battling and catching "Mega Mewtwo X", even though we weren't properly outfitted to handle the heat. We took refuge for a little while, in the nice cool local ice cream shop Inside Scoop. The organizers (Niantic calls them our Community Ambassadors) had thoughtfully arranged for people to bring a few coolers full of ice and bottled water. We called it quits a little early, with no regrets. 

The crowd was still out there when we were returning home with our Los Portales Mexican takeout dinner to share with our visitors. And I think most everyone will be out there again on Sunday. 

Update: Sunday was yet another flaming hot 97° day. We were out there, along with 900+ other friendly but sorta crazy people who were willing to get out in this heat to do battle with the ferocious “Mega Mewtwo Y” critter. And chat of course. We were slightly better prepared this time—Jennefer bought us some evaporative cooling neck wraps a few years ago, and they were very helpful today. Then our friend went home for lunch, and brought us back some soda bottles refilled with tap water and frozen. Pressing those against the neck and other hotspots was immensely helpful in cooling us down even more.

Independence Day 2026

Wishing everyone a safe and reflective Independence Day! 

Two hundred and fifty years is a testament to an idea: that liberty, though constantly tested, is always worth striving for. Leaders and administrations come and go, but the true heart of America has always lived in its people: the communities that lift each other up, and the brave service members who answer the call to protect our home. Today is about honoring our journey, and keeping the promise of freedom alive for the next generation.

Update: My sister and niece joined us for a takeout breakfast, and a warm day of playing Pokemon GO, starting in downtown Littleton and then meeting up with a Pokemon friend at a less busy location in Gallup Gardens by the library. We had an impromptu Japanese Beetle catching session at the Memorial Rose Garden… beetles to be delivered to their chickens! We finished up the day with a rare dinner out. 

Missing Maine

It’s a beautifully temperate 77° Wednesday morning here in Littleton, although it is quite smoky. It will be warmer later… forecast to be 91°. Here’s our view of the smoke-obscured foothills.

Our smoky view of Pikes Peak, which is usually visible just over the trees on our south horizon. Tongue in cheek… no, you can’t see it, and I can’t either. 

The retired meteorologist that I follow on Facebook is experimenting with using Centigrade for all his temperature measurements… so for the metrically-oriented (do I even know anyone like that?), our high is heading for 33°C. And out in Maine, where we would have been today, and for the 4th, were it not for my earlier medical issue, it’s currently 30°C at the Wiscassett airport, but only 22°C at Harpswell, which is closer to the cool breezes of the Atlantic ocean. 

Boo. Sad to be missing my cousins. I’m using my souvenir mugs from a previous trip for my morning lattes, during this period when we would have been there.

In Memory

We're burning a candle in memory of my Dad and for Jennefer's sister Jo Anne, on their common birthday. It what would have been Dad’s 107th birthday today. He had a program on his computer that provided various different information and advice — for example, how much he needed to have in retirement savings, so it would carry him through to the end. When he entered his life details, it told him he might live to be 106... and he occasionally referenced that little detail with the humor it deserved, but also with not a little touch of seriousness. So now I'm stuck with having that memory pop up on every one of his birthdays. Well, he always liked to be early for things, so he was a little early for his end of life, too. But today marks the first year that is beyond that forecast date, so it brings just a little extra heavy sigh with it.

Fun Saturday

Pleasant Saturday afternoon in downtown Littleton with family and gameplay companions. We had a fun day together, but I think I overdid the part about splurging on ice cream, and then still finishing my big dinner, but I have my fingers crossed that it's true what they say... an early-to-bed Saturday night can heal many things. ;-)

Pretty flowers on Main Street, encountered during our walking loop around downtown Littleton.

A few pretty roses in front of a shop on Alamo Avenue, on the second half of our walking route.

Group photo of some of our companion players in Bega Park, where we start our downtown adventure.

Friday Walk

We enjoyed a warm Friday afternoon walk around Ketring Park. More than one short walk in the same week, hooray! I must be doing better. My recovery is clearly not complete, as I still find myself racing home after our walk.

We're sad to see Ketring Lake so low, with many large islands where there used to be one body of water. Looking into it online, I found a 2016 Denver Post article saying that they dug a 700 foot well nearby, just to supply water to the lake. Well, I guess *that* didn't work! More recent articles say they're fighting a losing battle with evaporation and have been considering reducing the size of the lake.

 

Huge thicket of beautiful roses in Gallup Gardens. This corner of the gardens always seems to have something gorgeous blooming, whenever we walk past. What a treat!

Pretty Oak leaves, making me think of Fall... but wait... it's only June! Too soon for a color change! Whaaaaat?!

Kid fishing -- when the water's up, this statue is inaccessible from shore without getting wet to your waist.

This kid fishing heard us talking, and looked up at just the right moment. It made me want to caption this photo: "Watcha reading?"

Are You an Otrovert?

Hmm... Interesting. This struck a responsive chord in me. For those who don't quite relate to introverts or extroverts, meet the otrovert. 

In 2025, psychiatrist Rami Kaminski (with Neil Hellegers) published "The Gift of Not Belonging", in which he discusses his new term to describe a different type of personality. Kaminski mentions the polarization of introverts and extroverts: “When Jung invented the terms extrovert and introvert, he saw them as two fundamental orientations of the personality. I see the otrovert in the same way. A personality trait that faces away from the group... Unlike introverts or extroverts, otroverts are not defined by where they draw their social energy. Instead, the concept captures people who constantly feel like outsiders, and tend to look in a different direction altogether, not necessarily aligned with the rest of the group.”

Some signs that you might be an Otrovert: 

• You might happily spend three hours exploring one idea with one person, and then not speak for weeks without either of you taking it personally. 

• You can appear extroverted in public yet feel fundamentally ‘other’

• You prefer to work from home

• You feel less lonely in solitude than with people

• You don’t resonate with ‘introvert’ or ‘extrovert’ definitions

• You feel like an observer in social settings

• You have a few very close friends

• You sometimes feel like a ‘performer’

• You appreciate alone time, but crave connection

• You don’t feel seen or understood by many

• You don’t need external approval

• You value privacy

Recognizing aspects of this type in yourself and others (if it applies) can help “balance between your individuality and your function as part of the social matrix that determines your well-being. The experience of otherness in a togetherness-minded world can be emotionally bruising. Often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, otherness may lead individuals to feel strange, lonely, and unwelcome in groups. Left unidentified, otroverts’ non-belonging can result in a frustrating, futile lifetime effort of trying to ‘fit in.’"

Check out this Upworthy article about a new personality type called the otrovert and this YourTango article about Eleven signs you might be an otrovert, and Rami Kaminski's publication The Gift of Not Belonging (co-written with Neil Hellegers). 

Thursday walk

Fun but warm Thursday walk around Ketring Park. Lots of nice looking roses in Gallup Gardens nearby. 

Flag Day 2026

Happy Flag Day! I had to look it up: Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes by the Second Continental Congress in 1777. It is the perfect day to proudly display your US flags, as it specifically honors the history, ideals, and symbolism of our national banner. In fact, the U.S. Flag Code explicitly lists Flag Day as one of the most important national holidays for displaying the American flag.

• Historical Significance: Celebrates the June 14, 1777, resolution that established the 13 stripes and 13 stars as the official flag of the United States.

• National Unity: It serves as a dedicated time for all Americans to honor the unity, liberty, and sacrifice the flag represents.

• Official Observance: While it is a national observance rather than a federal public holiday (so businesses and mail services operate normally), it is widely recognized by communities nationwide.

Happy 69th Birthday Atlas Rocket!

Happy 69th Birthday to the Atlas rocket! The Atlas rocket has an unmatched legacy of evolution across all these years and 691 missions. I'm proud to have been a part of that history by working on everything from the Atlas E, Atlas/Centaur, Atlas I, II, III, and V, and into the early days of Vulcan before I retired. 

I have to laugh, at the "young" age of the Atlas. When I first started working on the Atlas rocket, everything at work felt so old -- the ancient wooden desks with peoples' names carved in them, the bathroom stalls without doors, four people packed into a single office cubicle -- that I assumed the Atlas was older than I was. Not so!   

Something worth noting: In this confusing world of corporate pac-man, I worked for four different companies, but with the same group of highly competent and congenial people, while supporting Atlas development and operations over the decades. We launched everything from communications, GPS, weather and spy satellites, to Mars and other planetary reconnaissance missions. Big congratulations to the current team keeping the streak alive!

Thursday... looking up

We enjoyed a pleasant Thursday, with nothing much to share, except a tentative report of me feeling like I'm finally on the upswing, after too many (7) weeks of dealing with this medical craziness. Maybe a few pics from today will bring my perspective back to something fun.

Here's what our Thursday morning looked like. We continue to enjoy watching the Finches come and go from our feeders over the deck.

Sitting at the breakfast nook table, drinking my 3rd (of 5) big glass of water, and enjoying some French-press coffee, several slices from a Trompeau Bakery baguette that we got at the Farmer's Market on Saturday, along with some chunks of Humboldt Fog goat cheese, some slices of Rattlesnake Cheddar cheese, and oh yeah, some "everything but the bagel" Cheddar cheese. Yum!

We love seeing the Goldfinches out there, and especially when the bright daylight illuminates their beautiful yellow colors so nicely. It was a good day to not venture too far from the house -- you can see the clouds gathering over the foothills.

We came across these pretty roses at Gallup Gardens on our short walk around Ketring Park. I'm feeling like I can start getting out again, a little at a time, without risking the dreaded side-effect of Cipro, "ruptured tendons." This has been a long drawn-out 7 weeks.

Looking out over the deck at the usual Spring rain showers that are making their appearance this afternoon.

Coffee DOES count!

 

OK, I take it back: I apologize to anyone I've ever told, that "Coffee and tea don't count toward our liquid intake, because they're diuretics."

I learned something new this week, while researching things to do about a medical condition I've been fighting for the past month, and was advised to drink plenty of fluids to flush my kidneys and gallbladder. Firstly, yes it's true that caffeine is a diuretic, so that part was never wrong. But in the course of all my searching, I've learned something new to me: Modern medical research has concluded that the fluid in your coffee or tea easily balances out the mild diuretic effect of the caffeine. It absolutely counts toward keeping you hydrated and flushing your system. Which is great news for me!

 

So drink up, enjoy your morning latte (which DOES count toward those eight glasses of water we're supposed to be drinking), and forgive me for my years of spreading old information!

Of course, as my cousin mentioned when I posted this on Facebook, fluid intake is one thing, and the effects of caffeine itself are another thing entirely. It's important to know that the FDA recommends limiting your daily caffeine to 400mg -- unless you're a fan of irregular heartbeat, chest pain, and stroke. And, of course, for those that are sensitive to it, caffeine can have adverse effects on sleep, especially when drinking it late in the day.

 

Here's a good reference from the Mayo Clinic for the curious.

Memorial Day 2026

My mom, dad, and uncle all served and survived, but many of their comrades did not. Today, I am honoring the fallen heroes who served right alongside my family and gave everything.

 

Pretty sunset

 We enjoyed a beautiful sunset this evening!

 

Humorous Redefinition of TDS

I ran across this humorous "revised TDS definition" online and couldn't resist sharing:

 

Revised Clinical Definition: Trump Dependency Syndrome (TDS)

 

Diagnostic Overview:

A cognitive condition characterized by the total suspension of personal ethics, logic, and long-held civic principles in favor of an unwavering allegiance to a single individual. Unlike traditional political support, TDS involves a "reality-decoupling" where the subject views a leader’s erratic behavior and factual errors as evidence of superior genius.

 

Primary Symptoms:

• Fact-Refractory Logic: An immediate, involuntary rejection of peer-reviewed science, documented history, or video evidence if it contradicts the leader’s current statement.

• The "4D Chess" Delusion: A persistent belief that tantrums, policy reversals, or obvious mistakes are actually part of a brilliant, invisible master plan.

• Ethical Elasticity: The ability to excuse personal conduct (infidelity, crude language, or financial opacity) that the subject previously spent decades condemning in others.

• Hyper-Defensive Deflection: When presented with a specific policy failure, the subject reflexively shouts "What about...?" to protect the ego from acknowledging reality.

 

Behavioral Indicators:

1. Science Aversion: A deep-seated suspicion of experts and data-driven institutions, replaced by a reliance on "vibes" or unverified social media posts.

2. Tantrum Normalization: Viewing childish outbursts and professional bridge-burning as "strength" or "authenticity" rather than a lack of emotional intelligence.

3. Institutional Erosion: A willingness to dismantle the guardrails of democracy (free press, independent judiciary) to satisfy the whims of one individual.

 

Conclusion:

True derangement isn't found in those who notice the emperor has no clothes; it’s found in those who describe the fine silk of the emperor’s invisible suit while shaming everyone else for being "blind."

Mother's Day 2026

Wishing a wonderful Mother’s day to all my mom friends! 

Spring Snow, power outage, breakfast!

Well, the heavy, wet spring snow that's been in the weather forecasts has finally arrived, and we have a decent accumulation of over half a foot and counting. ☃️ The birdies are here partaking of our bird seed, which is much easier to find than their regular food under the snow right now. 

We woke up to no electrical power, which was a little bit of a surprise, considering that the power company was out trimming trees along Ridge Road this week. That is supposed to prevent this kind of snow-induced outage, where the heavy snow weighs down the tree branches, which then touch the power lines, and cause a short circuit. Oh, well… 🤷‍♂️

Our gas fireplaces are providing heat to the bedroom and living room, so it’s not likely the house temp will fall down anywhere near freezing. Not worried about the water pipes because of that. Avoiding the refrigerator so it can hold onto whatever cold it’s got. Falling back on our cell phone connections for Internet, with our several backup batteries to power them… And beginning to cast an info net, in search of a place to find breakfast!

Noon update: Yum! We met my sis for a delicious breakfast at Le Peep! Considered a walk around the nearby Clement Park lake, and opted to return home. That was a lucky decision, as I just got a notification that I’ve got a dermatology appointment soon. Yikes! I forgot! 

 

Here are some photos from today's adventure:  

 

 

Pretty view of the snow-laden bird feeder, with the nearby horse corrals in the background. 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Snow covered bunny, weather station, deck railing, furniture. My best guess from this photo, is that the snow on the railing, which is somewhat representative, was about 4 inches deep at the time. 

  

 

 

  

 

This is the stereotypical Denver "my backyard furniture under snow" photo. It's nice to have a lattice over this half of the deck, to filter out some of the snow. 

 

 

 

 

 One of many hungry birdies that visited our feeders today. 

 

  

  

 

 

 

Our pretty bedroom view of the snow. The kitties spent some time up in between the plants, gazing out at the snow for awhile this morning. 

 

  

 

Our grid-powered bedroom clock was not at all helpful about telling us what time we woke up! 

  

 

 

 

Here's the Denver metro power outage map — for me, the blank areas indicate where to head for breakfast!  

 

 

 

 

 

More Than One Kind of Introvert

I keep repeating to myself: Everybody’s different. Even Introverts have their varieties. Over my lifetime, I’ve heard introverts describing introversion differently, but it wasn’t until recent years that I started using the label Extroverted Introvert on myself. Based on this Upworthy article, which identifies four types of introverts (Social, Thinking, Anxious, and Restrained), I suppose that along with the Social Introvert label, I might lay claim to one or more of the others, but I’ve always felt myself start squirming, when I tried to pigeon-hole myself like that. The Myers-Briggs indicator always felt a little entrapping as well. 

License plate MISREADERS

Here's yet another disturbing example of bad data entry causing huge problems downstream. The title of this article is a misnomer, but the actual subject is even more concerning. Becoming the subject of police scrutiny and automatically and wrongly being assumed to be guilty of something, should be a huge concern to all of us. The fact that they don't have a straightforward way to feed back corrections into the database is perhaps the worst part of this disaster. As always, what sounds like a useful approach to law enforcement can be surprisingly bad, when human error isn't factored into the design. 

 

I was looking into this issue a little more, and I found something even more frustrating: This isn't always just a computer being "dumb." It’s a human policy. Some police departments intentionally list a suspect's plate both ways, for example as "BOB123" and "B0B123" in their warrants, to ensure they don't miss the suspect. In doing so, they effectively "criminalize" the innocent owner of the second plate, turning their commute into a gauntlet of potential police confrontations. 

 

As always, y'all be careful out there! Here are some suggestions, for those who are more likely to have this issue:

• Check your plate: If you have an "O" or a "0," be aware that you might be a victim of "Plate Alias" errors.

• Demand transparency: Ask local councils about the "misread rates" of the ALPR cameras they are buying with taxpayer money.

• Be Prepared: If pulled over, understand that the officer might be acting on "hot list" data that they believe is 100% accurate, even if it's a data entry error.