Wednesday, 18th June, 2025

Press play on the cassette as you’re about to hear it again…

Maybe I should bin my other blog and just use this one.

Was writing up my two big hikes and radio activations on the SOTA forum last night, and I remembered that brief period were I tried using discourses as a blog. It’s not made to be a blog but it sure is convenient. Write up my story with maybe 20-30 pictures, so easy. Wordpress was also so easy.

I like the X-E5 but I also like the no lens choice X100 series. Luckily I can’t buy either of them.

Sunday, 15th June, 2025

I’m not sure about this. Spent a while with micro.blog and think I’m okay with it. Gone with the micro.one subscription which is very good value at $10 a year. Doesn’t quite have everything of mb full - biggest miss for me would be no theme customisation. You can install theme plugins and do custom CSS but that’s it. A few themes have micro hooks where you can customise parts of them without messing the main theme. Can’t do that. Some have settings to change stuff in a config.json. Can’t do that. However, several stock themes are nice and think I have one. Still, can’t help think that I want to tweak it a little.

The upside is I have several apps on my phone and web for adding photos, posts, books, pages, etc. with minimal effort.

You know what though? I still don’t write anything. So why bother.

Also this site to DayOne is nice but the motivation to write here is because someone might read it. If I write to myself I know no one will read it.

I also don’t want to put “random shit” in my blog. This whole site is random shit (and it’s my blog) but I feel like it’ll mess up my main site. (Hence I never write anything there).

Like today I saw DPReview’s commentary and first look at the X-E5. I’ve been thinking about the X100 series and getting rid of my xe4 and lenses but now I’m thinking … what about the X-E5. I even quite like the film sim dial as you can save recipes to it, and I always set a hot key/button to those.

I thought about writing a post on my new main blog on micro.blog about the X-E5. But it feels pointless as it’s just me going “oh look at that (everyone already knows) maybe I should get one (no one cares) or maybe I shouldn’t (now I’m being annoying)”. Brain says: you can’t write that on your blog. It’ll be bad. It’ll look bad. What a pointless thing to do.

Meanwhile over here on Fondoftea I spend each day going “maybe this; maybe that.” and think nothing of it.

I think this is my third time trying micro.blog. I just don’t quite like it. Not sure exactly what it is, as it’s a very comprehensive service with lots of features. Im not interested in a community and when I do try I struggle to find anything. Searching my emojis is cute but nothing comes up. Searching via words also seems to have nothing. Then seeing one part of conversations appear in my feed is just weird. At least this time it’s cheaper. I suspect I won’t last.

Sometimes I think I should use mastodon and just post stuff to that. But I also don’t care or want to. I don’t want something to spend time on. I like discovering new things but I also don’t need to.

I do return to “delete it and don’t bother” from time to time. I’ve deleted apps before and then never missed them.

And so, I don’t know what I want or should do.

Saturday, 14th June, 2025

Reading the X100VI website makes me want to get one, and sell all my other Fuji stuff to soften the blow. It does have quite a bit more than my X-E4 and my previous X100F. I don’t use a “big camera” that often anymore (which is a shame) but it’s nice to have one and think I’d prefer the X100. I’m always debating about which lens to pick and I still don’t use several of them - likely bought after reading reviews or blog posts where people say the xyz mm is the hidden gem or secret weapon and proceed so say how unique the rendering is and the colours and blah blah blah. I buy it, use it, and go “I don’t know what they’re talking about but I won’t admit it”. Then never use the lens as it’s an annoying focal length.

Probably my problem is solved by the fact the camera isn’t in stock anywhere.

I try not to get sucked into stupid arguments online but it still happens from time to time. I get annoyed with myself and think that the best way to avoid it is to delete my accounts. Probably that’s just as childish.

The 3D printer is annoying. Nothing sticks to the base plate and keeps coming off. I’ve cleaned it and calibrated it but still stuff comes off. I’m not sure if you’re supposed to replace the base plates periodically? I see there are 3rd party ones which are supposedly stickier.

I’ve also been thinking that I might end this blog…it’s had a good run for four years but I might move it to a DayOne journal. I’ll still write out stuff but being private means I can go even deeper or cover items I don’t want to put online. I’ve thought about having this plus a separate one but that’s too much. I think it’ll help me add to the family journal if I’m already in DayOne. I’ve had DayOne for 15? years now, it’s such a nice app. I hope I write a bit more on my main blog as a result. I’ll leave this repo, so I could come back if I didn’t like DayOne…for some reason. I did move for a while to Tiddlywiki and then back, so perhaps this is just the same thing.

Friday, 13th June, 2025

I’m thinking of not renewing a couple of domains. It’s not much money but I don’t need them. It includes this one. I usually buy domains over the summer holidays when I come up with “good ideas” which of course I don’t do anything about once I come home.

I’ll move this site somewhere, although also thinking of not having it and actually writing on my main site.

Or I’ll just do nothing, the domain will renewal automatically and life will continue.

By the time this mp3 player arrives I’ll have moved on. Mostly because I’ve still not picked any headphones. I can’t tell how “open” open headphones are and it seems these are more common in smaller headphone styles. Probably I should just buy the cheapest ones and see how they go.

I need to cancel my eBay alerts as it just makes me want to buy things.

Tuesday, 10th June, 2025

Well I had a great day today. Summit in nice weather, a new Munro, 8 points, a summit to summit contact with a nice guy I’ve met via radio, decent run of contacts, found the geocache at the top, and no issues with timing and back to work meeting on time. Obviously would’ve been better if I hadn’t had to go to work at all…probably would’ve done a big loop of 4 hills but there’ll be there the next time.

Fallen far behind on my summit trip write ups. Tbh posting the photos and a few sentences is all I really need to do.

Started adding to DayOne family journal again recently. It is so nice. I thought about making a SOTA one. Convert all my blog posts into it and add new entries there. This is probably a dumb idea, but I could make a real book out of it! No one would want it but it would be fun to actually make a book. Maybe? Or maybe I just import my stuff into DayOne and have them print a book for me.

Also I’ve started geocaching. It’s fun and plenty near home and work. Need to get the kids in on it. Although they might be disappointed when there’s nothing actually in the cache other than a notebook. Some do have toys but that’s it. Maybe we could hide one and get some codes for things that move about so we can follow them.

One thing at a time.

Saturday, 7th June, 2025

Been consolidating VPS applications down to a single server for public items and will have another for private applications. Both Oracle VPS under their free tier. When they first started offering them I was worried they’d take them away and wasn’t sure how much I liked Oracle so didn’t use them that much. However, it’s been about 4 years+ and nothing has happened so I might as well just use them. The free ARM VPS are very generous and you can get two small x86 ones. Think when I first started there wasn’t much for ARM in the repos but now pretty much everything is there. Also tidied up DNS records. Still got the private VPS to do. Although can’t decide if I should just host those things at home.

Been using the Linux (Debian) laptop and have been enjoying it. I stopped using it before has it had a bug where it wouldn’t wake up from sleep. Eventually I searched for the solution and seems it was a kernel parameter on this specific cpu. It’s still a bug in Debian but I’ve fixed it. It’s not quite as nice as a MacBook but it’s much nicer than windows. Did think that maybe I should’ve spent the money on a Mac vs that radio. But there we go. The best part of the radio is that now I have to buy transverters and other accessories for it.

Oh now I have to read and watch all of this content for typewriter maintenance. That sounds fun, and there’s a huge Royal at the hackspace that’s been on the “to fix” heap for ages. Someone is trying but not sure how far they’ve got. I talk like I’ll know what to do and be able to fix things. I can buy tools and stuff at least 😅

I should redo the Fuji film sims to give me an incentive to use the camera again.

I should do a lot of things.

Browsing https://selfh.st/ and seeing lots of neat apps, open source versions of high quality programs that you have to pay for otherwise. However, I don’t really need a lot of these and it’s a bit stressful looking at the all and thinking about using them. The only one I’m tempted to try is immich photo management, but also I can’t be bothered to maintain it and its database for something I probably won’t use. I looked at a couple of activitypub servers (also thought about micro.blog) but I’m not interested in social media, regardless of if I can host it. I just like my blog. I should just close it.

Friday, 6th June, 2025

Well I just rebought the radio I sold. Upside is for slightly less than I sold mine for. My previous chat about microwaves was a reason why I wanted it back. It’s such a versatile radio. Hopefully I’ll use it 😅

I’ve been getting annoyed with Windows recently. But maybe that’s just me trying to justify getting a Mac. Not sure that’ll solve the problem, it’ll just shuffle the deck again.

I have three free VPS on Oracle cloud. I wanted to install Debian on one and use for an allstarlink node (think ham radio over pbx). But my goodness is the cloud interface panel confusing. I darent touch anything as I suspect I won’t get the resources I currently have assigned, but also I can’t figure how to change anything. I do think maybe I should scrap them and pay for a vps elsewhere. But it’s free!

I’ve made a list of the VPS and now seeing what’s installed on them. Also made a list of what I want and then I should rejig it all. Found a nice guide to install Debian on them (as only comes with Ubuntu) and turned out you can have 6 free VPS!

Thinking of binning my wiki and using Apple Notes. When I find something useful I should make a blog post of it or not presume that others will find it useful. Given I’ve found it, they can probably find it too. Unless they’re not looking for it. I’ll keep the radio wiki as that feels more useful as it’s more curated.

I also think if it’s a link to somewhere good then I should use a service that’s built around managing links, like linkding. Vs the wiki which work for it but less good.

Also want a MacBook.

Thursday, 5th June, 2025

A nice day out. But of a drive though to get to some of these last hills nearby that I’ve not been to. Rain kept at bay, although I could see it in the distance.

I should find some headphones now. Cheap but not cheap…

I sold a lens as well. The 50-230 XC Fuji lens. Never use it. Wasn’t a very expensive one but another pointless thing in the house.

Watching videos on the Olympia SM series. I would like one…

I install navidrome on the server and have started listening to albums I’ve not touched in 15+ years. It’s great. I should listen to my music more 😅 I did rip all my CDs to FLAC but now when I look in the folder for some artists it’s empty or only one album and I know there were more. I’m sad about that. I can get the songs from spotify but I used to own the CD…

Down the rabbit hole of what headphones to get for the echo mini…

Wednesday, 4th June, 2025

I was very close to buying Snowsky Echo Mini but then saw they had a retro mini and then looked at iPods. The problem was I kept changing why I was buying it and creating scenarios and then reading endless reviews. There are two problems: 1. Don’t want daughter on her phone the whole summer holidays but she uses it for music and we don’t want to be that mean. So thinking of some secondary device she can listen to music to on. 2. I want to have a non-computer based device for listening to music. She’ll use Bluetooth and I won’t. So really it’s two problems which probably want too different devices - although summer music is temporary so that pushes me share a device or spend the least. This triggers the internal struggle again.

Also, probably I won’t use mine. Mostly as I can’t break the habit of sitting on the computer all night.

I dug out the Smith-Corona Viceroy De-Luxe that I have. Doesn’t quite work, nearly every key does work except Q and 1/2 symbol. Ink is dry too. I don’t really want it and I don’t want to try and fix it. It is a nice size but that’s about it. I was going to sell it but they sell for nothing and there are listings for £10 which expire and no one bids. It has no sentimental value and it’s not a “top notch” one so probably I should just give it away. Think I only paid £20 for it. Maybe take it to the hack space or give it to a charity shop. Smells a bit old too.

Tuesday, 3rd June, 2025

Wish I never got rid of my SanDisk Sansa clip from 10+ years ago. Was the perfect little digital music player. But back then I got sucked into Spotify etc and “I don’t need this anymore”. Now I wish I had it so I could listen to music and not get sucked into my phone. Or even whilst going out on hikes. Be nice to listen to music or podcast or audio book etc but not be worrying about phone battery. Trying to find something equivalent, but it’s hard as either 1000 cheapo things (which may or may not be good) or people on reddit going “this is the budget one you want. <$200>”

Also eBay is charging more now for them than when new. Obviously.

The Shangling M0 looks nice but more than I want to spend. This is a rabbit hole.

Monday, 2nd June, 2025

Lovely blue sky this morning. Made me annoyed as I’m working today and off tomorrow when a low front hits. Probably push it into Thursday or Friday. The corona ejection or whatever it was that caused a big geomagnetic storm is still lingering so that would’ve put a dampener on an outing anyway. Also I looked at the mountain weather forecast and it’s not blue skies there. So there we go, maybe not missing out on much as I thought. Wish I was retired though 😅 plenty of nice coastal parks to activate.

Went to bed early as I was so tired. Still feel tired today. I know I’m grumpy when I’m tired but it’s hard to not be.

Randomly opened DayOne and added some entries to the family journal from this weekend. I forget how nice the app is. As before, I should do this more often! The usual feeling of burden to do it but then joy at having done it and looking back. This year has been very poor and end of last year wasn’t great. But even a photo and a sentence is better than nothing. Also reminds me of another reason to get a Mac 😅 although they have the web version too which I could use on any computer…(but don’t).

Sunday, 1st June, 2025

3D printers are annoying. Well my one is or can be. Mostly bed leveling/cleaning/ adhesion. Trying not to buy a new one to solve the problem. Was talking to another dad at swimming pick up and he has three Bambu printers! He’s made this huge Lego man with a swim suit, googles and hat for the club which is pretty cool. He said he had an ender but got annoyed with it and the bambus are so good. Thanks man. 🤑

Saturday, 31st May, 2025

Busy morning and kids off all over the place now just home with one for the day. I was productive doing laundry and chores then I sat down with a cup of tea and don’t seem to be able to get up again. 😴

Told myself I’d list the Xbox and a lens on eBay. I should do that, and then I think boy #2 wants to build a big lego creation.

New term timetable means I should try and take Tuesdays off then I can go on big hikes. So I’d lined work stuff up to take this coming Tuesday off…except now it looks like they’ll be rain/wind/snow(?) on the summits. I could maybe swap to Monday but not ideal and not sure the weather is any better. Plus I can’t leave home as early. Or I gamble that it’ll be okay on Friday and just so a small hill somewhere. Or I just walk in the rain and wind…maybe okay in southern hills if I can just use my handheld but bit grim otherwise.

The weather changes so hopefully it’ll get better…although the 10 day forecast inland is rain…☔️ I could try and tidy up some small hills, where the walks are short. Although rain at the top and messing about on air still isn’t that great regardless of height.

Friday, 30th May, 2025

Had a great day out in the hills yesterday with Fraser. The day started with pouring rain and a geomagnetic storm…which wasn’t looking good. However, I’d already committed Thursday to being my day off and I didn’t want to end up sitting around the house (aka the computer) and doing nothing all day. So we went out, but the rain held off and the radio wasn’t that bad.

Only for the day to be ruined 1.5 miles from home when I got two(!) punctures on both left hand side tyres. Ugh. Ended up crawling home at 5mph. Remarkably found a garage to come and replace them last night - which worked out well as less faff today and wife is driving this evening.

Friend with his Mac mini M4 keeps telling me about it. Thing is, I know it’s great, and I would like it, but it’ll be a secondary computer and not really get used or will do but it’ll be a faff with keyboards and monitors and cables. It really wants to be the main thing or another setup somewhere, but there are only so many places you can have a computer. I could do VNC into it.

Or I could replace my desktop with it. I’ve been playing GTAV but I quickly become bored of it. Seems to just become a chore to do missions and find stuff. That’s what happens when I play games, so perhaps I should realise I don’t really care for computer games anymore.