Evie Day 523

Good morning! It’s my favorite workday of the week because dinner is already planned! Taco Tuesday! 20 August 2024.

Yesterday was my prep day for this week. I return to my virtual classroom in about an hour, as I will be delivering a four-week course with the same gentleman I delivered the four-week administration course last month. This class is more focused on complete solutions for the cloud, and it should be a pretty good class.

I just took a quick look, and realized one of my certifications is about to expire. I think I need to focus on renewing that after our opening session this morning.

My middle finger on my right is healing up, although it is throbbing a bit this morning. I picked up some new bandaids and some anti-biotic cream for it as well.

Not much else top of mind right now.

We’re watching the news, and there’s coverage of the DNC. The first night was apparently quite the show.

Alright. It is that time. Eastern Time Zone classes move my timeline up an hour, so I don’t have as much time to mess around this morning. Coffee and toast aren’t going to make themselves.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 522

Good morning, and a happy start to the Western work week to you all! Today is Monday, 19 August 2024.

I was preparing a brisket for the smoker on Saturday. It was a little bigger than the last one I smoked, so I cut it in half and then proceeded to trim away the unwanted bits. It had a pretty good-sized fat cap on it and a hard layer of fat in the middle, but I went after it pretty aggressively to prepare it for my Ninja Woodfire Grill/Smoker. As fate would hate it, I was cutting the wrong way and slipped, leading to a nice slice on my right middle finger, right between the knuckles. I’m into day three of wearing a bandage on it, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I need more bandaids. I opened the back of my finger up pretty good, but I’m inclined to think that it’s healing.

The brisket turned out pretty well. I did half on Saturday, and it was wonderful. The other half was interesting… I decided to cook it overnight, and that was brilliant. I aim for an internal core temperature of 205F, so the first piece I smoked was at a temperature of 265F, and that took about 5.5-6 hours. The second piece was put on the smoker at about 9:30 at night, and my goal was the same, 205 for a core temp, but I set the temp on the smoker to 210. When I woke up the next morning, the temp on the brisket was right at 196F, so I used my phone app, bumped the temp up to 265 on the smoker, and it was right at 205 within about an hour. I’m going to remember that technique. I might use that same process to smoke a pork loin this weekend – we’re going to visit my mom on her 82nd birthday. My brother Dan is making a brisket, so I’ll bring a different entree.

I’m back in my virtual classroom this morning for a discussion on preparing for the AZ-500 certification exam (Security). We’ll have folks from all over in attendance. The last time I did a session like this, I believe all of the attendees were from overseas.

Tomorrow I will start a new cloud solutions architecture course with the same instructor I worked with on my last 4-week course. We’ll talk a little later and plan out this week and next. We had a good experience last month, and I expect more of the same. After we wrap up this class on September 13, we’ll both be heading to a big team meeting in Las Vegas… I will do my best to make sure my blog isn’t interrupted.

So, that’s where things are today. There isn’t much more to share.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 519

Good morning, and a happy Friday to you all! It is 16 August 2024.

Yesterday morning after I posted my blog, my wife played a little video on her phone. Our granddaughter… she’s learning how to talk. My daughter shot a video of Evie saying “apple”, “bye bye” and “hi mom”. Apparently she is enjoying her newfound superpower and doesn’t stop talking now. Evelyn turns 17 months old today.

Yesterday was a focus day for me, as I studied for a certification exam I have coming up. Some of it lands pretty soft, and some of it seems to lack traction trying to permanently embed in my consciousness. I sometimes joke that I do not have the cerebral elasticity of some of my younger peers, and occasionally, I have to kick some penguins off the iceberg to make room for new penguins. I think about it a lot – I’m not getting any younger (that’s not the way time works) and I am trying to stay aware of any cognitive decline I might be displaying. I have the moments like anybody else, walking into a room and forgetting what I went in for, but those moments pass – usually because I remembered why I went in the room, or I just accept it and move on.

Garbage day here, so I need to wheel the trash out to the corner. There’s a pile of boxes I need to take in and get recycled as well. I also need to get some gas and diesel for the yard machines. Gracie mentioned that she might pop over to do a little mowing, so I’ll get that sorted.

I also have a whole brisket in the fridge. It might be time to go on another “bark quest”. Smoke that slab to an internal temp of 165 F, then wrap it in butcher paper and throw it back on the smoker until it hits an internal temp of 205 F.

Lisa is coping with a dog crisis. Odin was sitting on Lily.

I’m going to get this in the can and get going with the rest of my day.

For anybody on Mastodon that reads my stuff, yesterday I couldn’t post the link due to a networking issue on the Mastodon side. All of my posts are readily available on the site.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 518

Good morning, and a happy Thursday to you all. Today is 15 August 2024.

Yesterday was a good day. I had a small turnout for my session, my little one-day exploration of some security concepts and tools related to AI, but those who did attend seemed to have a good experience.

Last night, it was another gaming night with the guys. In this campaign, I play an archer-type of character who fights batter at range than in hand-to-hand combat – easier to avoid getting his that way. We did OK against the big bads that we were facing, and lived to fight another day (Ron, I wish you would’ve made it – the dice were rolling well!).

Today is a catch-up day, going through some presentations that I’ll be recording in the studio next month, and I probably ought to book my travel. I looked at the new travel app yesterday, and it didn’t like me very much. I’ll take another run at it later. I have two trips next month, one to Las Vegas for a work get-together, and another to Seattle for my studio obligation.

The weather here was unseasonably cool for the first part of the week, with thunderstorms. I don’t mind a summer rain, but Odin certainly does not like the thunder.

Time to look at my task list and sketch out my day.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 517

Good morning, and welcome to Wednesday. Today is 14 August 2024.

Last night there was a near disaster. Well… that might be an exaggeration – I’ll let you be the judge.

On Monday night, I decided to order food from Jade Garden, a favorite of ours, and a convenient spot for Lisa to run by on her way home. As it worked out, I order-ordered… after all, who doesn’t like leftover fried rice for lunch the next day? Lisa thought we had enough for dinner later in the week, and I thought she meant the very next night. With that in mind, I did not go see my guy about tacos last night.

Lisa got home about 5:25 PM and saw me working on the couch. She asked if I had already been to Cascada La Golondrina to pick up our Tuesday night tacos… and it then hit me. When she was talking about having leftovers later, she wasn’t talking about Tuesday.

I then ran into the restaurant and got my order in at the bar, while a couple of young men who were seriously enjoying their beers decided I was their new best friend, language barriers notwithstanding.

Anyway… crisis averted.

I had my one-day class yesterday, and I believe it went well. Today is a different course, and I’ll admit I think the slide deck is a bit too busy. I’d rather see cleaner slides and more content in the speaker notes, rather than trying to shoehorn in another sentence.

Tonight, I get together with the guys for some tabletop.

In the meantime…

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 516

Good morning and a happy Tuesday to you all… you already know what I’m having for dinner, right? Today is 13 August 2024.

I read some things that bugged me a little bit yesterday. I came across some folks mocking Minnesota governor and Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz because he chose to be a public school teacher. The point I think was lost on those criticizing Mr. Walz failed to grasp the idea that some folks are better at enriching their community than themselves. What an incredible concept!

I’m back in my virtual classroom in a couple of hours. I’m delivering a one-day course today and a different one tomorrow. Today’s delivery is my third for this particular content, and tomorrow will be new content.

I hosted a team meeting yesterday. I think it went pretty well. I also met with my manager, and he provided me with some good tips for other deliveries coming up.

Other than that, not a lot to talk about. I was looking over content last evening while Lisa and I had “Chopped” reruns playing in the background. Last episode we watched wrapped up at 9:45, so we hit the hay a little early.

I need to get to work. It’s an important day for me to lock down and stay on top of stuff. I also have a little bit to record before the day starts in earnest as well.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie day 515

Good morning, and a happy Monday to you all! We are starting this work week on 12 August 2024.

Mark McKinnon said something funny – I’m watching the news, and he’s a former campaign advisor that pops up every now and then to comment on the current political environment, and he was talking about campaign themes that work, and he said that the theme, “I’m pissed off, follow me” doesn’t really work. He was saying that in reference to the different themes in place by the Harris/Walz campaign and the Trump/Vance campaign.

Lisa and I had a nice weekend around here. It was unseasonably cool – cool enough that the pool was out of play – but we were more interested in the closing weekend of the Olympics, as we started off with the US Women’s National Team in soccer win the gold against Brazil, a brief break for lunch, followed by the US squaring off against the host country France for the gold in men’s basketball and an early evening pre-season matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars. The US men took the gold, and the Chiefs figured out that they need to improve their special teams play. Sunday morning we watched some more basketball, as the US women matched up against the host French team for the gold medal, and once again, the US came out on top. I do love the Olympics, but I’m tired of ’em for now.

I’ve been having a little fun with AI and prompt writing. It occurred to me late last week that I ought to try asking the AI for the “prompt of the day”… and I received a response like this: “Today’s prompt is all about adventure! Imagine you’re setting out on a journey to a place you’ve never been before. It could be a bustling city with hidden alleyways and markets, a serene village by the sea, or even a mysterious forest teeming with legends. Write a short story, poem, or even a diary entry about your experiences, the people you meet, and the sights, sounds, and smells that make your adventure unforgettable. Here’s a little starter:

As the sun rose, casting a golden glow over the horizon, I took my first step into the unknown. The map in my hand was old and worn, its edges frayed with time. It was more than a guide; it was the promise of stories untold and secrets to uncover. With a deep breath, I began my journey…

Feel free to take this prompt and run with it in any direction that excites you!”

I followed that up by trying out some different adjectives – the motivational prompt of the day, the inspirational prompt of the day, the technical training prompt of the day – and I was very pleased with how that all worked out. I’m going to continue exploring

This week I have meetings and a couple of one-day deliveries. Certification exam (yes, that dreaded expression) on Friday. It’s going to be a good week with opportunities for me to learn new stuff, reinforce old stuff, and organize some things that could stand a little attention.

In the meantime,

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 512

Good morning, and a happy Friday to you. It’s the end of the work week for most. Today is 9 August 2024.

I’ve got some things I need to attend to today, and my work schedule didn’t have any deadlines due, so I’m taking a day of PTO to address the things that need to be addressed. I still have a couple of things on the burner to take care of before a meeting on Monday.

The Olympics were fun to watch last night. We watched a replay of the USMNT in basketball. The game against the Serbian squad was a thriller. There were some other moments as well.

Right now my wife is deep in negotiations with our senior dog… she can have a bite of Lisa’s breakfast if she gets off the back of the couch and stops clucking at her. The dog won the negotiation… Lisa got up from the breakfast table and brought Lucy a bite.

Our dogs have trained us well.

One of the highlights of my week was reconnecting with an old high school classmate I haven’t spoken with in decades, quite literally. We chatted online and traded some information to discover we live fairly close to each other, so we’re making a plan to grab lunch sometime.

Lucy wants another bite of Lisa’s breakfast. Cluck, cluck.

I’ve thought about taking AI to a different place for fun and exploration. When I punch in a prompt, I will always get two or three additional prompts to try following an AI response. I think it could be interesting (distracting?) to intentionally click on the first 6 suggested prompts to see where the conversation goes.

In the meantime, I need a cup of coffee,

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 511

Good morning, folks! I see you all survived Wednesday. Today is Thursday, 8 August 2024.

We have a storm rolling through right now, and the thunder is scaring the dogs. Odin (yes, the irony is not lost on me) is sitting with Lisa. He does not like storms. The sisters Von Floof seem to be handling it pretty well. Lucy is lying in her bed over by the fireplace.

We’re watching the news, and we’ve gone from attacks on the new Vice Presidential candidate – pretty weak sauce – to Taylor Swift concerts getting canceled in Vienna, Austria due to the threat of terrorist attacks. Arrests have been made.

I wrapped up my teaching responsibilities for the week. Yesterday’s session was on writing better AI prompts, focusing on productivity. Based on the feedback I received, it landed well with the attendees. Today will be a day of catching up on some other responsibilities, finishing up a presentation for a meeting on Monday, taking a look at our applied skills training courses, and maybe cranking out another credential by the end of the day.

Last night I was able to hang out with the guys around the virtual tabletop. It was a good session. I was no longer a statue, and I had earned enough experience points to level up. The character I’m playing in this campaign is the rugged, outdoorsy type, with a slight point to his ears, a nod to his heritage on his dad’s side. After the levels were calculated, I then had a good night of die rolls, and I hit every single shot at the bad guys. It was a good session, and we all had a lot of fun.

I’m going to go make some coffee and get going on my day.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 510

Good morning! Humpday! Today is Wednesday, 7 August 2024.

The news is on. Yesterday there was a little bit of a surprise… I was fully expecting Vice President Kamala Harris to pick Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as a running mate, but she threw a curve and selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. After I’ve read a little bit more about the governor, and I like what I read.

My class went pretty well yesterday. With single-day courses, you really have no idea how quickly the experience will go by, and I try to manage the pace… not too slow, not too quick. I had at least one learner that was on Eastern Time, so I tried to wrap up before 4:00 local time. I think it went alright. I’ll be delivering another one-day session later, and it’s a different course, but I do expect things to move at a good pace. The class today is on prompt writing for AI, and it’s an interest of mine. I’ll be dipping into my bag of tricks to share some prompts that are a little out of the ordinary.

Lisa and I watch the Olympics a bit last night, starting off with the recorded match between the USWNT and Germany in soccer. It was a great match, with Sophia Smith scoring in extra time. There were several great shots on goal, and both keepers did an outstanding job.

After that, we flipped over to watch some basketball, but it was getting late, and we already knew the outcome, so heading off to bed to get into a Sudoku game and fade off to sleep was the next step.

Time to ponder the day… we had tacos last night, and chicken the night before. I might need to think about what I can do with either smoked pork loin or smoked brisket for dinner tonight.

After dinner, it will be time to hang out with the guys and make the Forgotten Realms safe for the good folk of Faerun.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.