Day 128 – Happiest

It’s been four and a half months since we were here. I hadn’t realised just how much I had missed it.

Freedom, fresh air. Fantastic.

And our place still exists. Through the winter storms and the long, dark lockdown. It’s OK.

We’re being good and keeping ourselves to ourselves, but places here are open and there is pressure to support the local businesses, which have suffered and continue to do so.

We’ll play it by ear. In the meantime…

Heaven.

Day 127 – Quick in and out

I’m having a busy day today – all to do with a plan we have for tomorrow, which I might well share with you. Maybe instagram is the best space to watch, although this space is always freely available (please observe proper social distancing).

Stuff I saw today which I thought was good – this:

Very good. And salient as well, given that I spotted a new record low of 3/34 people wearing masks correctly while I was out for a run that I didn’t want to go on this morning (but this). I don’t go around checking numbers the whole time. I’m not quite that obsessive. But 1km in, as your mind starts to empty and you (subconsciously) realise that the first seven people you’ve seen this morning haven’t been wearing masks, you start to do a count – if only to distract yourself from the screaming in your legs and lungs.

Anyway, that’s less than 9% and that’s frankly pretty crap.

In other news, I also filled my car up with fuel for the first time in 4 months and 8 days. Topping up only three times a year is certainly cheaper than my usual regimen, but comes with some horrible limits on personal freedoms. I wouldn’t advise it.

That’ll be all then. Not least because I can’t buy any electricity because of some online problem at the electricity buying people and so this post could end at any

 

 

 

(moment).

Day 126 – John Kraus says no

I’ve been following John Kraus on Instagram for a while now – you may remember him from such posts such as Rocket Science. Not because I’m some sort of rocket nerd (I’m really not), but because… well… Look at this stuff:

and this stuff…

Amazing.

John seems to have a pretty cool life, whizzing all over the world to take images of various rocket tests and launches. And if you think his IG is good, go and have a look at his “real” reel here.

John is heading off to Alaska to cover another launch this week:

I’m heading to Kodiak, Alaska tomorrow for Astra’s (@astraspace) first orbital launch attempt, scheduled for August 2nd-7th. Here’s a look at (most of) the camera gear I’m bringing to capture this mission. Also: I’ll still be here in Florida to photograph the #Mars2020 launch — I’m flying out later in the day. 

and here is that image of (some) (some!!) of the kit he’s taking with him:

Wow.

But it was this comment:

and the reply:

that caught my eye.

“My picks, not yours” !!!

Actual lol.

It was (possibly) worth a try.

 

Photos: John Kraus.
Seriously – go and have a look at his work.

Day 125 – Bits of news

After yesterday’s unashamedly lazy post (hey, I was busy with other stuff – see below), let’s have some text on today’s effort, shall we?

The other thing I was busy with was a GooseChase. Basically, a fun*, interactive series of challenges which the teams have to undertake and complete within a given time period. This particular GooseChase is for the Virtual Quiz Groups that got together over lockdown, and while we’re still not allowed to see each other in the flesh or go round each others place and do things, I thought I’d lob one of these together for our entertainment. There is an app, but holey-moley it’s expensive. And expensive in USD – I can’t even work out how much it would be in ZARs.
Anyway, if you thought putting a quiz night together was hard work, wow. You ain’t seen nothing yet. An organisational nightmare.

But if it comes off, it has the potential to actually be quite cool.

What else?

Well, Garmin is half back. I was able to sync a bit overnight and although the interface looks (perhaps understandably) like it’s taken a savage beating and the cuts and bruises haven’t quite subsided yet, it is still breathing – just – and will hopefully continue its recovery. Amazing that it managed to find a ICU bed right now.

Talking of medical stuff, I need to go to a doctor’s office today and I’ve never been less enthusiastic about anything. It’ll be the smallest public space I’ve been to in months, and also probably the longest period of time I will have spent in any indoor public space all year. If you remember my Virus FAQs post, these were two of the things I suggested were best avoided, but sometimes, needs must. So I’m going to put on my Big Boy panties (and my Big Boy mask), take a deep breath (outside) and just do it. I’ll also have my Big Boy sanitiser along with me and won’t hesitate to use it.

Don’t test me.

I have been listening to The Lathums. They’re from Wigan, so the a is hard and harsh, just like all a’s should be (glass, grass, path, bath etc.)

Don’t @ me.

More here.

Finally, some more news on our shit government. This is an image from part of Andrew Mlangeni‘s funeral yesterday.

A true giant of Apartheid resistance, a Rivonia Trialist and an ANC stalwart, it obviously attracted a lot of attention. Hands crossed on the left there is village idiot Fikile Mbalula – currently the Minister for Transport.
Now I have nothing against a decent send off for Mlangeni: he certainly deserves it. But so does every other individual dying at the moment.
So the question is, why are there so many people there? And why are they standing so close to one another? That goes against the regulations for funerals which have been rigorously applied for everyone else.

And then Mbalula turned up on TV this morning saying that the situation “had been exaggerated”. With advance apologies to my reading audience: fuck you, Fikile.
I, like everyone else, can see from the footage that at least two of those regulations above are being ignored and that’s only out of three, given that it’s not nighttime.

Is it any wonder that the lockdown regulations are being so openly and regularly flaunted? The only difference is that there are fines, police brutality and criminal records for the general public. Fikile and his government chums get – at best – a gentle slap on the wrist.

It’s just another example of one rule for them, one for the rest of us.

Right. Rant over. I’m off to mentally prepared for this afternoon’s trip, and to see if I can sort out another couple of GooseChase challenges before lunchtime.

Have a nice day. Wear a mask.

 

 

 

* terms and conditions apply. 

Day 124 – Garmin news

A story in pictures.

Last Thursday:

 

But why? Ah:

 

 

People aren’t happy…

 

Broken:

 

No news is no news:

 

Suddenly:

 

A New Hope:

 

Don’t worry:

 

Now all I need is a functioning Connect screenshot to tie this post – and this whole unhappy incident* – up.

Sadly, I don’t have one of those just yet.

 

 

 

* Unless you’re a member of Evil Corp, obviously.