I haven’t watched this video yet so I don’t know if it’s any good or not. I’m just saving it for later.
Apple announced an update to Logic Pro today. Logic Pro 11, to be precise.
I’ve been using GarageBand since, what… 2010? Something like that. For years now I have been thinking of upgrading to Logic Pro. The $200 price tag is basically what has kept me away. Now?
I use the crap out of the session drummer in GarageBand. I don’t think I would use the session bass player, even if it’s awesome. I said that about the drummer function when it was announced too, but I think it will stick for the bass. A keyboard player? I generally don’t write for keyboards. I like the idea of a three piece, guitar bass and drums. That’s it. If I had a keyboard player who could write for his or her artificial self though? Can I make it sound like Jon Lord? Rick Wakeman? (gasp) Keith Freakin’ Emerson???
Is it finally time to upgrade? No. When we get back from our trip to Florida a few weeks from now, will it be time?
I’m in the office today and I am struggling a little. It’s my stomach again, but this time I don’t think it has anything to do with gastric bypass. Not directly. When things went bad last week I changed my diet out of fear of a relapse. That has lead to a lingering issue that I would explain further, but we’re already deep, deep into TMI territory so I will shut up.
Suffice to say, am I feeling things because of these lingering issues, or because I need to eat something soon, or is there some other reason I haven’t considered yet? The analysis nerd that lives in my head is fascinated by all of this. The rest of me just feels uncomfortable. I really am weird, aren’t I?
Anyhoo, as is usually the case when I work from the office I managed to snag a quick photo for today’s photo a day challenge entry before I left the house. This one is a classic. Robin was on the living room bay window. The curtains were closed, but I saw her jump up there and I pulled the curtain open just enough to slip my iPhone inside and snap one.
250/365
Look at that mug, would ya? Just look at it! Think she noticed me? Good kitty was totally busted. HA!
Changing the subject, tomorrow is my birthday and I took a vacation day because hells yes I did. I need to go back to Lens Crafters to see if they can adjust my new glasses. They are really tight along the side of my head and they hurt. I like them tight, just not that tight. I also plan to play my guitar at an absurd volume. It’s a celebration day after all, or something like that. I’m going to turn 53. That’s too old to still be celebrating birthdays, but I need an excuse to crank my amp and this is as good as any. I’m hoping the questions my non-human digestive system are asking will be answered by then. If they are… then I could be visiting that sugar free bakery again.
Those are questions for tomorrow though. For today we just need to decide if we want to do a normal lunch or a meal replacement/protein bar work around. I’m leaning toward a real lunch, but that back fired on me four days ago. I’m sure I’ll let you know, what with me being the King of TMI Posts and all.
I sometimes respond to these questions of the day by saying I am not playing along. Usually the reason is because I have an answer but don’t want to share it with the public universe. Today I am not playing along for a different reason… the reason is because I just don’t have an answer.
I thought about it and I guess I am just not involved with my community. We were to a small extent when the kids were little. We went to school functions, we participated in youth sports, we showed our faces outside of our house. Those sorts of things. Now that the kids are grown ups? I vote. That’s a way to be involved in the community, I guess. When that schmuck set off an M80 in the middle of our street that one night I went outside to investigate and talk to the cops along with the rest of the neighbors. That’s being involved I guess.
Other than little things like those? No, nothing I can think of. I put out the garbage barrels and take them in after the pick up. I pay my taxes. I was available for jury duty yesterday but the state sent me that magical letter saying I didn’t have to show up. That’s about it.
I mean, I am here if anyone needs anything. Like, if anyone wants a bluesy lead guitarist for some local event I am your guy. Beyond that? I’m probably just going to stay at home like a normal middle aged red head. That’s just the way it is, right?
Now that’s more like it. I was doing a bunch of errands around the house and caught the Panthers goal. I was feeling that usual lack of confidence I feel whenever something happens against my team. Then I actually looked at the score and the Bruins were up. We’ll that’s okay then!
A 3-1 lead after two periods. 20 minutes to go with what I’ve heard is the scariest lead in hockey. Two goals. It’s true, a two goal lead is somehow the scariest lead. In my season ticket holding days I always some how felt less confident with a two goal lead than a one goal lead. It’s weird but it’s true.
The Bruins and Panthers are scoreless after one period.
I wasn’t afraid of the Maple Leafs but I am a little afraid of the Panthers.
I need the Bruins to win four straight in utter blow outs or else I’m going to have a full on heart attack over and over from the start of each game until the end.
I bought a couple new bird feeders from Amazon. They are fine and all, but when you buy online you really can’t judge sizes and these things are really small. I am disappointed. Maybe I’ll go to Home Depot or Lowes and try again. Not until we get home from Florida though. These will do for now, even if the blue jays in the yard are pissed because they are too big to sit on the ledge. Sorry, blue jays.
Robin watched me hang the new bird feeders through the dirty window screen. She’s still sitting there but she’s chirping at the birds and the squirrels and the chipmunks. I think she wants to get out there and kill some stuff.
I can’t believe it has been two years. It simultaneously feels like yesterday and a thousand years ago.
Saturday (two days ago) was the two year anniversary of my weight loss surgery. The full gastric bypass procedure that my guts and I went through on May 4, 2022 has changed my life, health wise.
When I list off the best decisions I have made in my life, Marrying Jen is first by a landslide. It is first by a tidal wave. Not just marrying her, but going on that first date, moving in together, meeting the kids, all of it. That’s number one and nothing else even comes close.
It’s a close call for the second most important decision in my life. It might be going back to school in 1997 and everything that came with it over the following seven years or so that lead to my Bachelors degree. If it’s not that, then it’s getting the gastric bypass surgery. From a health care stand point, the surgery is definitely number one. Even after all of this time I still cannot believe how different I feel. It’s starting to become less impactful as I am more and more removed from my former self, but I’m still close enough to the changes that when I stop and think of it I still can’t believe it.
I weighed 452 pounds when I started the process. I weighed about 431 pounds when I actually went under the knife. On Saturday I celebrated the second anniversary by stepping on the scale. I weighed 211.2 pounds. One decimal point placement away from a Rush reference. Ah, hells. I am down 220.2 pounds since surgery and 240.8 pounds since deciding to have the surgery. My brain can’t wrap itself around the idea that I have lost more weight than I currently weigh. I lost the equivalent of a mildly overweight adult male.
It hasn’t been easy. It will never be easy. I am always at the mercy of my newly redesigned stomach. Every now and then it’s going to rebel and show me who’s boss. It happened last Friday and it destroyed me for about 18 hours. Here we are three days later and I am still not quite right. I had a plan for lunch today and I scrapped it because my stomach was feeling weird. It was a little pain, a little gassy discomfort, and a little bit just a sense of being wrong. I’m on edge right now for all things stomach so I errored on the side of caution and went with something very light and simple and small for lunch. We’ll see how I feel in a few hours when it comes to dinner time.
Would I recommend this surgery to everyone? I don’t know. I don’t think so. The variables involved are a combination of how bad is your situation and how difficult is the post-processing. I almost went through with this thing a few years before I did, but the idea of all of the restrictions post-op scared me away. Never eating sugar again? Never drinking soda again? No, I wasn’t up for that at the time. Then in 2022 I was in such a terrible state with my weight that suddenly those brutal restrictions (not to mention the changes to how you eat and when you eat and how you chew and how you swallow your food and all of that) seemed like a small price to pay.
It worked out for me. I don’t want to be the kind of guy who encourages people to go through this sort of thing. You need to come to that conclusion on your own. For me though… I would do it all again in a heartbeat. No question. No hesitation. It is the best decision I’ve ever made for my health. Apart from being with my wife and my family, it’s probably the best decision I’ve ever made, period.
Wish me and my new digestive system a happy 2nd anniversary. Many happy returns, you wild and crazy, temperamental stomach.
The first round of the 2024 NHL Playoffs wrapped up last night and the second round kicked off last night as well. Worlds colliding, the universe is spinning out of control! I need to write another predictions post!
Let’s review my picks from the first round, including my coin flip picks. The Bruins won so that’s all that matters, but we’ll review anyway.
In the East…
Panthers vs Lightning. I hate them both. I picked Tampa Bay and Florida won. Pricks. I am 0/1. The coin picked Tampa Bay too so we’re both 0/1.
Bruins vs Maple Leafs. Nothing else matters. The Bruins won and all was right with the world, even though it stressed me out like crazy over the last three games. Damn, Bruins. I clearly picked the Bruins so I am 1/2. The coin toss picked the Bruins as well. We’re both 1/2.
The Rangers vs the Capitals. Damn if I don’t hate both of these teams too. The Rangers won easy. I picked the Caps because I suck at this. The coin picked the Caps too because the coin sucks at this too. We’re both 1/3.
Whalers vs Islanders. Again… hate for both teams. I picked the Whale and the coin picked the Islanders. Finally some tension here! Who won? The Whale. I am 2/4 and the coin is 1/4.
On to the West!
Stars vs Golden Knights. This is the series that ended last night with a game seven. I picked Dallas and the coin picked Vegas. Who won game seven? Dallas. I was right, the coin was wrong. I am 3/5 and the coin is 1/5.
Jets vs Avalanche. I didn’t follow a single second of this series. I picked the Jets and the Avs won. The coin picked the Avs. Oh well. I am 3/6 and the coin is 2/6 and catching up to me.
Canucks vs Predators. I went with the underdog and I was wrong wrong wrong. I picked the Preds and the Canucks won. Fortunately for the predictions competition, the coin picked the Predators too. I am 3/7 and the coin is 2/7.
Oilers vs Kings. I like the Kings. I kinda like the Oilers. I picked the Oilers. So did the coin toss. The Oilers won. That brings me up to 4/8 and the coin is 3/8.
Two important statistical notes. First, I am at 50% which is really the best I can ever hope for. More importantly I beat the coin. Oh yeah, that’s what I am talking about. I’m better than blind random luck, babie! Nice!
Now for the second round, starting in the East…
Panthers vs Bruins. I am still so intensely pissed off over the Bruins choking last year and losing to the Panthers that I may never forgive them. A second round win this year will not erase last year’s shame… but it would be a nice start. Clearly I am picking the Bruins even though the Panthers are probably favored. The coin flip is tails. The higher seed is heads and the lower seed is tails, so the coin picks the Bruins as well.
Rangers vs Whalers. This is a little tough here. Game one already happened and the Rangers won. Does that color my choice? Nope. Even though I hate New York sports teams with the fiery passion of a million burning suns, I was going to pick the Rangers all along. Last night’s game doesn’t change anything. The coin flip is tails, so it picks the Whale.
Now we move over to the West…
Stars vs Avalanche. These two have a history, don’t they? Dallas vs Colorado always sees me siding with Colorado. Thanks to Ray Bourque, I think. I am picking the Avs out of loyalty. The coin also picked Colorado. That’s three tails in a row. Only one more to go.
Canucks vs Oilers. No question this time. Oilers all the way. The coin flip is finally not tails. The coin pics Vancouver.
There you have it, the third round will be Boston vs New York which is freakin’ epic in scope. The west will be Colorado vs Edmonton. You heard it here first, hockey fans!
I asked Google Gemini about the Boston/Florida series. Specifically, I asked the following:
Who do you think will win the playoff series between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers
Gemini’s response?
Predicting the winner of the Bruins-Panthers series is tough! Here’s a breakdown to help you form your own opinion:
Regular Season: The Bruins swept the season series 4-0, with two overtime victories.
Recent Form: Boston needed a hard-fought Game 7 overtime win against Toronto, while Florida swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.
Last Year’s Playoffs: The Panthers pulled off a massive upset, winning Game 7 in overtime after Boston led 3-1. This adds a revenge factor for the Bruins.
While the Bruins dominated the regular season matchup, playoff hockey is a different beast. Experts are leaning slightly towards the Panthers, but both teams have strong arguments.
