GTIH … Another Chair

2nd posting to Gross Things in Hotels. Looking down whilst sitting in my chair at the desk.

I’ll note: I put a towel over these things when I see ’em.

Home2 in Las Cruces, NM

Posted: March 4th, 2024
Categories: Gross Things in Hotels
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Connected to MN, yo.

Posted: March 2nd, 2024
Categories: humor, sports
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Oil Longevity … Mileage Not Age

A bit of a weird post … about car oil.

Recent studies have found that the age of the oil in your vehicle is less of a determinant than mileage. Which really makes common sense. The oil in your engine is in a closed environment, not really exposed to the elements. I guess it just validates many suspicions.

A weird post I guess because I would presume I don’t come off as a gearhead. But with 3 vehicles now (1 costing $600 to change the oil, 1 at $200), I change my own (I have to change my Lexus RC’s oil every 2 months due to the mileage I put on it traveling for work each week). Beyond having a lift (like my boss – who owns 12 cars[!]), I have every tool/element one needs to do this simple, 15-minute process.

Posted: March 2nd, 2024
Categories: autos
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Announcing … ‘Gross Things in Hotels’

So … After years and years of traveling, I have decided to create a new ‘category’ on dope … “Gross Things in Hotels”.

I’ve traveled practically every week of the past 12-15 years (12 certainly, 15 maybe not every week). With my prior employer, there were questionable hotels even on paper. With my current employer, I’m able to stay in pretty respectable spots. But without fail, I find a ‘nugget’ or two during my stay that puts most off. I can deal with most issues, and can say I’ve only demanded a different room just a few times over the past 10ish years. But thought, “why not collect pics of what I see?”. May be interesting.

My primary area of coverage currently is NM/El Paso, but do travel to PHX consistently. Also CO, UT, OR, WA and maybe soon elsewhere.

But here’s the first post … from the desk chair at Hilton, UTEP Campus, EP TX:

Posted: February 14th, 2024
Categories: Gross Things in Hotels
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

YouTube Without Ads

Yes – possible.

You need a VPN.

Once you’re in, the following countries DO NOT ALLOW YouTube to have ads.

Albania. Moldova. Myanmar.

Connect your VPN to one of these points, and you’re in. It’s pretty glorious!

You’re Welcome.

Posted: January 20th, 2024
Categories: tech
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Ozzy Groomed

Finally took Ozzy to the groomer – it’s been since last November.

Cats don’t normally need to be groomed; however, he’s gotten so fat by eating/sneaking Wallie’s (she’s now 14) soft food that he can’t groom himself that well. As a result, he’s gotten a few mattes and he just stinks.

Getting a shave-down
Post-shave-down bath
Posted: January 9th, 2024
Categories: pets
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Boarding | Purgatory

Gavin and I went boarding during my week off between Xmas and NY’s, as we’ve done the last couple of years. Went to Purgatory (in Durango, CO), about 3 hours north of home. This is where Gavin went for his first time with Elyce right before COVID. This time was better, but still not quite on all edges and switching for him. He’s SO CLOSE!

He got Burton Step-On bindings for Xmas – which completes his setup. No more lessons! Tina (er, Santa) bought me Spy Marauders which I LOVE!

Purgatory Plaza, heading back to Durango.
Leg got pretty beat up. Forward-foot on the board – maybe from leaning too hard? First time this has happened …
Posted: December 30th, 2023
Categories: sports
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Nordic Snowboarding

Posted: December 19th, 2023
Categories: humor, sports
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

RIP MacGowan

Really Sad that Shane is gone. Not unexpected, per se. Just – I’m sad.

I remember driving around in David George’s Honda Civic during Christmas break … listening to the Pogues. Good times … Loved the Pogues. Loved the Popes, too. RIP Shane …

Great Vid of the playing of Fairytale of NY at his funeral here.

Another great tribute (bio, etc) here.

I hate getting old – keep losing all these legends.

I think I will dance to this song, with Tina, by the fireplace, this Christmas Eve. Seems a fun way to acknowledge.

Posted: December 9th, 2023
Categories: music
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Stephen Fry on God

Oh – and the parasite referenced is the Loiasis, or African eye worm, if you’re wondering.

Posted: November 11th, 2023
Categories: religion
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Hollywood Remakes of Remakes

Word is that The Longest Yard is being remade AGAIN (this will be a remake of the remake).

Ridiculous.

Bad enough we have so many remakes (full list HERE of the hundreds), but we’re going a level deeper here with a Remake of a Remake. Ugh.

Are there not any minds out there of the 4.7 billion on the earth to create or imagine or write something new rather than ‘remaking’ or ‘remaking a remake’? Just seems to be a real waste of resources, etc to have to reinvent or remake a movie/song/etc.

/rantover(maybe)

Posted: November 8th, 2023
Categories: movies
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Hotel AC Hack

So I’ve been traveling regularly since forever for work. At least once a week I’m out of town. And I only just thought of this last night.

Some hotels have ‘governors’ on the AC in the room – meaning, you can only go down to a certain temp … no more. I love sleeping COLD, and sometimes this is a pain in the ass. I even have a OneNote on hotels in cities I frequent so I don’t make the same mistake of staying at hotel for this very reason (and others).

Last night was a new hotel for me and as I was gearing up for bed and getting the thermostat to <65, I realized this was such a room … limit was 68. Ugh. I stared at the thermostat for bit and had a thought: “this is just a circuit board surrounded by plastic. I bet there’s a way to override the board.”

I googled. Lo and behold, there’s a whole slew of videos on just how to do this, by manufacturer. It took me about 3 minutes and I had the circuit board reset and the temps down to 64. Boom.

There are other settings you can adjust, as well – constant fan, disabling motion detection, etc. Just be sure to carry a philips screwdriver (I have a leatherman tread apple watch band, which has helped so many times).

Here’s a link if you’re bored.

Posted: September 28th, 2023
Categories: travel
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

World War II

Posted: September 16th, 2023
Categories: politics, video
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

6′ 3″ … 215lbs

Donald Trump reported weight and height (self-reported) at his Atlanta booking vs Denzel Mims of the Detroit Lions. Both weigh 215 lbs at 6ft 3 inches.

Perfect representation of Trump’s integrity.

Posted: August 26th, 2023
Categories: politics
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Semi-Empty Nest

Dropped Elyce off today at UNM. It’s only 45 minutes down the road, but feels many states away.

Kind of prepared myself emotionally a few weeks back (at the time I was dreading the entire time leading up to today) and felt like I was prepared for today. Not too many tears … but heart really really hurts.

Came home. Napped. Cried in the closet (it’s a walk-in so not quite like it sounds).
Went to the gym. Arms and Shoulders today. Thought I was good. Went to grocery store.

Ugh. Seeing all the little things Elyce would want or laugh about when we shopped together … heart starts to hurt again. Drive home. I’m good. Got this. But it’s quiet.

Pass by the crazy Flag Waving Trumper house driving up the hill. Ugh. Hits again (Elyce always comments on the house, laughs, impersonates a truck-driving right-wing hick – has my sense of humor).

Get home. Cry more. Sobbed. This sucks.

Posted: August 18th, 2023
Categories: family, kids, school
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

The Cure Concert – ABQ

Finally was able to edit footage from the May Cure Concert in ABQ with Elyce.

Hosting on the home server – plans (eventually) are to update the home site (/videos) with a menu system emulating YouTube (but self-hosted).

I’ve got so many other videos to compile from about 4-5 years back to present (trips/snowboarding) … more to come.

** Edit: ugh. Link not working. Will get to it here …

Posted: July 16th, 2023
Categories: music, video
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Too Many Clouds

Ugh. Over the past few years, when we go on trips/vacations/flight/road trips, I carry my case of GoPros with all the attachments, media, slew of batteries, etc. I’ve been more into taking videos with the ambitions of creating epic home videos. I’ve got a lot of great footage. I also take vids from the DashCam to show the drives. Even hired a narrator for some of the vids. Seriously.

But my issues have been around backing up while on the road. One such recent trip was through White Sands and Carlsbad. The drive was, in total, about 8ish hours. So on the first night after White Sands and before Carlsbad, I worked to clear off the media card from the DashCam and all the GoPro vids I had taken – as well as phone pics/vids.

The problem I ran into was file-size limits on uploads to the various clouds I use – OneDrive, Amazon Photos, Dropbox, etc. I sat in the hotel uploading – and ran into limits. So had to split the clouds. Limited while traveling using my company laptop, VPN issues stood in the way and the security features on it prevented me from using flash drives.

Then – when I got home, it was picking the files from each cloud and trying to combine into one folder I could start to work with in Premiere. Did I miss any? Ugh.

Question then – why not just have multiple cards and not upload? Why are you doing this, Dave? I don’t have a good answer. I have dozens of cards. I think I’m just paranoid of losing the data or the cards during the trip, which I’ve never done …

I think I’ve solved by using a script I found on our NAS to allow remote access on my laptop – I can now upload pretty much anything of any size using the 80tbs of storage on the NAS – from any computer or phone anywhere in the world. But it has really made me realize just how fragmented all of my media is currently. Using all these work-arounds and various clouds has made it pretty frustrating.

I use Amazon Photos for all photos from all devices which is unlimited in storage with no degradation/reduction of quality/size – all devices backing up to it, with all family members able to access. But my end-all with all video is to have everything backed up to the NAS, and THAT uploaded to remote storage, with only a desktop that has ‘open projects’. Still working on killing my YouTube account (can’t stand ads and restrictions) and host on the NAS, access via PLEX.

Working on all this. It’s a lot of work.

And I still have over 20 old HHDs sitting in the closet with a lot of data to archive …

Posted: July 14th, 2023
Categories: GoPro, pics, site update, tech, video
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

College Conundrum

I’ve always been self-conscious about my missing out on the ‘college experience.’ Ultimately, it may explain my drive and determination. It works, but I still think about it too much. I always tell Elyce and Gavin – take advantage of your opportunity (my paying, etcetera). Our agreed upon route has been for them to go to community college for the first two years, then transfer in to a university as a junior. There are a multitude of reasons for this – but primary, in my experience, is it’s not where you start. It’s where you finish. Your degree says the same as the graduate sitting next to you on that final day. Use that to your advantage.

This article compounds the idea [Ivy League vs Private vs Public vs No College At All].

“If someone is “resilient and smart” and works very hard, it doesn’t matter if they go to Harvard or a state school, Kang said. If anything, he added, going to a school that affords them less privilege will force them to “learn more business and people skills” earlier.”

Posted: June 18th, 2023
Categories: kids, school
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

WhatsApp WTF

Seems like just another bitching here … but allow me to critique an annoying add I’m seeing while watching the NBA Playoffs …

The WhatsApp Pigeon Ad.

  • Who goes to a ship-center anymore to send a letter?
  • Why lines? Even if you are doing this, there’s no line. I kind of speak from experience on this one –
    • Worked for FedEx Office (formerly known as Kinko’s) and dealt w/decreasing shipping 15+ years ago.
    • I drop in to my local UPS store every few weeks to return Amazon packages … no lines.
  • Music? See above.
  • Do these seem like users that care if their ‘SMSs’ or text messages are private or not? Do YOU care? And if you DO care – what the hell kind of messages are you sending?

I don’t know. Maybe I’m missing something here. This commercial is just really really … irritating. Seems like a waste for ‘Meta’ (ugh).

Posted: May 23rd, 2023
Categories: social media, stupid, tv
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Pathetic

Traveling this week, was bored, tuned in to the CNN/Trump ‘Town Hall’.

What. A. Freakin’. Train. Wreck. I turned it off after about 10 minutes of hearing him spew his same old lies about ‘stolen election’ and his just overall bullshit – including his degradation of women and pitch on January 6 being a ‘beautiful day’.

Are you kidding me?

Granted, the interviewer wasn’t any less-partisan or professional.

I just can’t believe we STILL have to give air-time to this Bozo. Not about policies to me with him – he’s just a terrible person. I don’t care what party or ideology you follow – this guy is just a Vile Human.

Great Leaders are not Vile Humans.

Posted: May 11th, 2023
Categories: politics, tv
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

News?

I have about 4 -10 ‘news’ apps on my phone/tablets. I am and always have been a news junkie. Just like to know what’s going on. No Social Media – if you’ve read any of my prior relative posts, you know why.

But what has been having me reflect on things lately is my news apps (Google, Apple, NPR, Yahoo, local, ESPN, MS Start, etc) are occasionally feeding me articles that seem to come from TikTok (no thanks), Facebook (no thanks), and Twitter (same) that tell the story about some disenfranchised employee, a ‘Karen‘, or other person that I would really have no interest in knowing or ‘following’ and a story about something that happened to them that they want to share with the world. I see these stories in the news that -years ago- would (and still, today) have no bearing on my life. I really don’t want to hear how your tacos arrived cold, how your shoes arrived damaged, or how your service at [insert restaurant here] was unacceptable. That’s not news. Social media has just created a mess with this stuff, as it’s bleeding into ‘news’. This is another way in which we start to lose faith in the press.

Perfect Example:

Okay – I’m not a “Fake News” guy, but hopefully you see my point here. Open to any suggestions on News Apps/Sites that filter this kind of stuff out.

And if you send me a Truth App link, Huffington Post, FOX, or One America link, I’m going to send you a glitter bomb.

Posted: April 7th, 2023
Categories: news, social media
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Prepping For Spring Boarding …

So – Gavin and I will be boarding over the next few days. He’s been a few times now, had a few private lessons. I told him a few times ago that once he’s comfortable (using edges, etc), we can look at getting him his own board rather than renting.

I have Burton Step-Ons. Boots and Bindings. Comes from when I learned in the late 90s when I had Device Bindings (same – but much earlier – concept). I loved them. And migrated to Burton once I started boarding again (15 years later – kids made it hard, but now I can take them).


So – Gavin and I will be boarding over the next few days. He’s been a few times now, had a few private lessons. I told him a few times ago that once he’s comfortable (using edges, etc), we can look at getting him his own board rather than renting.

I have Burton Step-Ons. Boots and Bindings. Comes from when I learned in the late 90s when I had Device Bindings (same – but much earlier – concept). I loved them. And migrated to Burton once I started boarding again (15 years later – kids made it hard, but now I can take them).

So – in prep for this week, I used the Burton rental service. They ship you a board, bindings, and boots – with a return label. Cheaper and easier than getting locally on the slopes.

Today, the board and gear arrived.

WOW – Brand New board (still in shrinkwrap), Brand New bindings (I know, because when I bought the same one a few years back, they arrived the same way with all the same pac

So – in prep for this week, I used the Burton rental service. They ship you a board, bindings, and boots – with a return label. Cheaper and easier than getting locally on the slopes.

Today, the board and gear arrived.

WOW – Brand New board (still in shrinkwrap), Brand New bindings (I know, because when I bought the same one a few years back, they arrived the same way with all the same packaging, etc), and Brand New boots (not used). HOWEVER …

As we unpacked everything (I was unwrapping the board while Gavin was trying on the boots – 1st one fit perfectly), Gavin said … “I think they sent two lefts”.

This was a confusing statement. “What?” I responded.

“The left fits great. The right seems like another left.”

I went over to look as he was putting the other boot on his right foot. Sure enough, we were sent 2 left boots.

How disappointing. Enraging? Everything to that point was perfect. But 2 left boots?

I immediately contacted Customer Service (could only do so via email). Had to cancel the hotel (we live very close to many hills – but I like to get there the night before, hotel, eat, chill, and drive out early to be there at opening).

Where the hell (locally) could I get Step-On boots on rental. Nowhere. The Step-On system is all inclusive – you can’t have any other boot with these bindings. It’s all or nothing.

To make it short – we had to drive to a local shop in ABQ to purchase new boots (damnit – we are going boarding – and he has great equipment otherwise waiting). On the way, I got a full refund of the rental fees. Still have to return everything by the original due date – no problem. But now we have a left and right boot.

Got home, rescheduled the hotel (going to Wolf Creek), and are ready.

Tomorrow, Gavin and I drive to Pagosa … should be awesome Spring Boarding (nice temps, 300+ inches of snow). Reserved 2 nights should we want to do 2 days …

But somewhere in Vermont, there’s a boot-packer I’d like to have a word with …

Posted: March 18th, 2023
Categories: sports
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Belzer Dead

So Richard Belzer died. This one stuck with me, as in ’89 I was a little lost and thought “Hey, I’d like to be a stand-up comic!”. Bought his book. Changed my mind after reading.

I don’t know – I just remember that book.

But when I read the posting on his death, I renewed my appreciation for his wit/wisdom. His last words were absolute legend.

RIP Belzer!

Posted: February 20th, 2023
Categories: celebrity, death, humor
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Sounds Like a Personal Issue?

Was watching the ESPN NFL Honors show on Thursday and a little struck by one segment – “Angry Runs”. This was to award the best running back run of the year. Seems like an unfortunate name, though.

Posted: February 11th, 2023
Categories: odd, sports
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Vanilla Extract Party!

Read this article and was reminded of the challenges while working in grocery retail (before current role) with extracts. One of the highest theft items. That’s why many retailers go with synthetics (alcohol-free).

Also reminded me of many years ago when I worked at Kinko’s (was open 24 hours) and I was on the overnight shift (alone) and would see many homeless people come in (snowing, cold weather) seeking warmth. So many smelled of vanilla or had great breath (drinking mouthwash they stole from Walgreens down the road). Weird times and memories and experiences – but it’s a thing.

Don’t get me started on hairspray …

Posted: February 4th, 2023
Categories: crime, drugs, odd, products, work
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Cosa Nostra?

Huh. I just learned that my snowboard (Arbor: Cosa Nostra) shares the same name as the Sicilian Mafia by its members.

I will admit to my ignorance of it’s name when buying it – I didn’t know that. I mean, technically it means “our thing” so there’s that.

Maybe I can just carry it around and get some respect?

fuhgeddaboudit.

Posted: January 16th, 2023
Categories: sports
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Ski Santa Fe

Gavin and I took the last day of the year and went boarding in Santa Fe. It was crowded. Got him 2 hours with an instructor … still need to find his edges but marked improvement over the spring in Wolf Creek.
Posted: December 31st, 2022
Categories: family, kids, sports
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Don’t Mean To Brag

So after 50+ Stays at Marriot Hotels this year (plus the 30 or so at Hilton), I achieved the glorious rank of PLATINUM with Bonvoy (the Marriot App).

This week, I got a room with a couch (upgrade) and tonight I got a suite upgrade with an extra room and … robes and slippers.

Livin’ Large, yo!

Posted: December 15th, 2022
Categories: travel
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Sucker Alert!

Blow $99 now! Contribute to TRE45ON here.

What a freakin’ joke. Seriously.

Posted: December 15th, 2022
Categories: humor, politics, stupid, Uncategorized, www
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.

Why No Surprise?

Just – Wow? Maybe not-so-much but yeah. I mean, it doesn’t really surprise me … but it sure as hell should. Article speaks for itself.

Fake News? I don’t know. It’s vetted. It’s not Facebook or Twitter. Can’t believe we have to try to justify a source like NPR – I won’t.

Read on.

Former evangelical activist says he ‘pushed the boundaries’ in Supreme Court dealings

Posted: December 8th, 2022
Categories: politics
Tags:
Comments: No Comments.