Social

Netflix: Castlevania: Nocturne – A Dark Fantasy Revelation https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/28/netflix-castlevania-nocturne-a-dark-fantasy-revelation/

Siri’s Updates in iOS 17 https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/28/siris-updates-in-ios-17/

Watched “The Wonderful Story of
Henry Sugar” on Netflix

Mass Extinction Looms as Supercontinent Forms https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/27/mass-extinction-looms-as-supercontinent-forms/

Apple Expands Podcasts with New Features Redefining Audio Entertainment https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/27/apple-expands-podcasts-with-new-features-redefining-audio-entertainment/

Finding Mindfulness in Indoor Cycling https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/26/finding-mindfulness-in-indoor-cycling/

Book: “Nova” by Samuel R. Delany https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/25/book-nova-by-samuel-r-delany/

iOS 17’s StandBy Feature https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/25/ios-17s-standby-feature/

Book: “Dragon Palace” by Hiromi Kawakami: A Mesmerizing Journey into Myth and Reality https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/22/book-dragon-palace-by-hiromi-kawakami-a-mesmerizing-journey-into-myth-and-reality/

Threads by Meta Introduces Profile Switching Feature for Enhanced User Experience https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/22/threads-by-meta-introduces-profile-switching-feature-for-enhanced-user-experience/

Unlocking Europa’s Secrets: The Potential for Life in Jupiter’s Moon https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/22/unlocking-europas-secrets-the-potential-for-life-in-jupiters-moon/

Book: “The Stars Like Dust” by Isaac Asimov https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/21/book-the-stars-like-dust-by-isaac-asimov/

Thrawn’s Late Entrance in ‘Ahsoka’: A Missed Opportunity https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/21/thrawns-late-entrance-in-ahsoka-a-missed-opportunity/

Book: “The Magician’s Daughter” by H.G. Parry https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/20/book-the-magicians-daughter-by-h-g-parry/

Silent Extinction: Human Impact on Genera and the Tree of Life https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/20/silent-extinction-human-impact-on-genera-and-the-tree-of-life/

The Factory: A Mesmerizing Exploration of Identity and Purpose https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/19/the-factory-a-mesmerizing-exploration-of-identity-and-purpose/

Bakfiets.nl Cargo Bikes https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/19/bakfiets-nl-cargo-bikes/

Exploring South Korea’s Kimchi Culture: A Journey with ‘A Nation of Kimchi’ https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/18/exploring-south-koreas-kimchi-culture-a-journey-with-a-nation-of-kimchi/

iOS 17: The Fun-Tastic Update That’s Changing the iPhone Game! https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/18/ios-17-the-fun-tastic-update-thats-changing-the-iphone-game/

Kabocha Squash (Japanese Pumpkin) Salad Recipe https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/17/kabocha-squash-japanese-pumpkin-salad-recipe/

Reading “The Magician’s Daughter” by H.G. Parry
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58349172

So I have been living a coffee-free life for two weeks now, and I must say it was a very easy process. I went cold-turkey to cut it out overnight and I must say it was fine. I feel good about and my blood pressure is down to normal 120/80 now. So I am toying with an idea of ordering Decaf Nespresso pods online. I miss the taste of coffee but not caffeinating myself for no reason. #coffee #decaflife

A Thought-Provoking Journey into a Surreal Future: “The Emissary” by Yoko Tawada https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/15/a-thought-provoking-journey-into-a-surreal-future-the-emissary-by-yoko-tawada/

Threads Web Update: Quoting Posts and Mobile Thread Notifications https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/15/threads-web-update-quoting-posts-and-mobile-thread-notifications/

WordPress Unveils ActivityPub 1.0.0: Bridging the Gap to the Fediverse https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/14/wordpress-unveils-activitypub-1-0-0-bridging-the-gap-to-the-fediverse/

New in iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma: Daily Crossword Puzzles for Apple News+ Subscribers https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/14/new-in-ios-17-and-macos-sonoma-daily-crossword-puzzles-for-apple-news-subscribers/

New Buffyverse Audio Original: ‘Slayers’ Unleashes a Decade After https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/14/new-buffyverse-audio-original-slayers-unleashes-a-decade-after/

Planetary Boundaries Update: Are We Pushing Earth Beyond Its Limits? https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/13/planetary-boundaries-update-are-we-pushing-earth-beyond-its-limits/

Apple TV+ Fall Lineup: For All Mankind’s Return and Exciting Offer for Apple Users https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/13/apple-tv-fall-lineup-for-all-mankinds-return-and-exciting-offer-for-apple-users/

How to Unlock Double Tap Actions and Gestures on Your Current Apple Watch https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/12/how-to-unlock-double-tap-actions-and-gestures-on-your-current-apple-watch/

How Many Apps Do You Have on Your Phone https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/09/how-many-apps-do-you-have-on-your-phone/

Watched Season 2, Episode 9

The IRS announced on Friday it is launching an effort to aggressively pursue 1,600 millionaires and 75 large business partnerships that owe hundreds of millions of dollars in past due taxes.

https://apnews.com/article/irs-millionaires-back-taxes-2624282ac20388311bd03ee76ae36f70

Book: Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/07/book-babel-17-by-samuel-r-delany/

Love My Stuffing Tomatoes ‘Striped Stuffer’ (Solanum lycopersicum) https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/06/love-my-stuffing-tomatoes-striped-stuffer-solanum-lycopersicum/

Journey to Quitting Coffee After Several Decades: Discovering the Benefits of a Caffeine-Free Life https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/06/journey-to-quitting-coffee-after-several-decades-discovering-the-benefits-of-a-caffeine-free-life/

Book: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/05/book-tom-lake-by-ann-patchett/

Touring The Set Of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 3 by Architectural Digest https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/04/touring-the-set-of-only-murders-in-the-building-season-3-by-architectural-digest/

NYT: Paris Swimming Pools https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/03/nyt-paris-swimming-pools/

Watched Season 1, Episode 3 and I really enjoying this so far. #ahsoka #sciencefiction #tv

Just watched Season 2, Ep. 8 #foundation #issacasimov #appletv

This made my day: 🤣🤣🤣🤣

September’s Bounty in the Garden https://escribitionist.com/2023/09/01/septembers-bounty-in-the-garden/

Who pays subscription for camera app on the iPhone! That’s insane. 🧐 “The Obscura 4 camera app is out now, and with it comes a host of new tools and updates, along with a new pricing system.”

https://petapixel.com/2023/08/31/obscura-4-offers-more-control-and-features-than-native-ios-camera/

Elevating Podcasting with AI: Introducing New Substack Features https://escribitionist.com/2023/08/30/elevating-podcasting-with-ai-introducing-new-substack-features/

Wallpaper installed #iPhone15 #event #apple #iphone

Finished watching:

August 28, marks the 60th anniversary of the historic speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington. This powerful and visionary speech can be found on the NPR link below. https://open.substack.com/pub/pattismith/p/august-thoughts?r=2pg9i1&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

Early Sunday Morning Cycling Trip to the Lake https://escribitionist.com/2023/08/27/early-sunday-morning-cycling-trip-to-the-lake/

The Thrilling Kick-off of the 2023 Vuelta a España: A Showdown of Titans https://escribitionist.com/2023/08/26/the-thrilling-kick-off-of-the-2023-vuelta-a-espana-a-showdown-of-titans/

Video – The Other Side of Japan: Life in Kamagasaki’s Informal Settlements https://escribitionist.com/2023/08/26/video-the-other-side-of-japan-life-in-kamagasakis-informal-settlements/

Exploring these salt flats at the start of wet season looks like an absolute dream.

The super reflective water on the ground acts like a mirror to the sky, creating a breathtaking atmosphere to bike or walk through. At first, I wondered if I was looking at something created with AI (eyeroll), but this place is as real as it gets. https://boingboing.net/2023/08/26/biking-through-dreamlike-salt-flats.html

Torrential rain, flooding, crashes and darkness — chaos as final Grand Tour of the season gets underway in Barcelona https://road.cc/content/news/remco-evenepoel-slams-ridiculous-vuelta-time-trial-303491 #cycling #news

Watched

Just watched “Foundation” Season 2; Episode 7

Link Between Inflammation and ‘Brain Fog’ in Long COVID https://escribitionist.com/2023/08/25/link-between-inflammation-and-brain-fog-in-long-covid/

Today's editorial on the new #LongCovid #study
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/edit...
In-depth review here:
https://erictopol.substack.com/p/long-term-long-covid

Went for a lovely morning walk

20 iPhone Upgrades Expected in September https://escribitionist.com/2023/08/25/20-iphone-upgrades-expected-in-september/

In The List, a new novel by journalist Yomi Adegoke, an anonymous list circulated on social media threatens to upend a flourishing relationship between a young It Couple. At the book's crux sit all the anxieties and toxicities that social apps can cultivate. And it's not the only work of fiction in recent years to put facets of modern technology under a microscope. https://mashable.com/article/tech-fiction-books-novels-sillicon-valley-startups

Picking up tomatoes and papers from the Garden https://escribitionist.com/2023/08/24/picking-up-tomatoes-and-papers-from-the-garden/

Blue Supermoon: A Celestial Spectacle in August https://escribitionist.com/2023/08/24/blue-supermoon-a-celestial-spectacle-in-august/

Book: The Internet Con: How To Seize the Means of Computation by Cory Doctorow https://escribitionist.com/2023/08/24/book-the-internet-con-how-to-seize-the-means-of-computation-by-cory-doctorow/ #book #new

Scientists strengthen concrete by 30 percent with used coffee grounds https://www.engadget.com/scientists-strengthen-concrete-by-30-percent-with-used-coffee-grounds-221643441.html

🖋️Refilling another set of pens with Smoky Quartz Ink #fountainpens #ink

Pineapple Tomato Steaks #foodporn #food

Sunflower fields #sunflower #summer #photography

Watching La Vuelta a España preview on GCN #cycling #cyclist #gcn

Beautiful start to the day... #cyclinglife

Goats #kawaii

After trying Micro.blog for a month again I decided to stick with my self-hosted WordPress site and Mastodon / Pixelfed. You get a lot of more engagement through hashtags and interaction with lot more people and content, which the other platform doesn’t have. I may leave crossposting to MB for now.

6am and we are out and about #cycling

After watching the excellent “The Crowded Room”on AppleTV+ which is an American psychological thriller television miniseries inspired by the 1981 non-fiction novel “The Minds of Billy Milligan” by Daniel Keyes. I pick up the book today! 📚 #book #reading #readinglist #summerreading https://micro.blog/books/9781409163916

Research is under way to determine whether the mutation-laden lineage BA.2.86 is nothing to worry about — or has the potential to spread globally https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02656-9 #health #covid

Catching up on “Foundation” Season 2; Episode 6 #scifi #sciencefiction #appletvplus

🖋️Considering a fall ink colour for my Carène Contemporary plated in a deeply chiseled silver, gunmetal finish. I’ll refill it with Edelstein Smoky Quartz. It’s a deep brown, not quite chocolate colour. I love to coordinate my inks to seasons. There is no sheen or shimmer on Tomoe River paper. #ink

I love this software and app:
Photomator’s ‘Smart Deband’ Removes Banding and Improves Color Depth

"Smart Deband allows users to remove color banding and increase the color depth of their images in a single click. This is especially useful when working with JPEG and other lossy image formats." https://petapixel.com/2023/08/21/photomators-smart-deband-removes-banding-and-improves-color-depth/

From my garden: Pineapple tomatoes are huge

Morning light #summer #morning #fields #nature #rural #countryside

A new study in the journal Hypertension finds SARS-CoV-2 infection is significantly associated with the development of high blood pressure in adults with preexisting heart conditions or those who were older, Black or male | American Heart Association https://newsroom.heart.org/news/covid-19-may-trigger-new-onset-high-blood-pressure #health #heathcare

Interesting article: The Beekeepers Who Don’t Want You to Buy More Bees https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/19/business/beekeeping-companies-colony-collapse.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
#nature #bees

A US shop owner was shot dead after a dispute over a Pride flag displayed outside her business, police say.
Laura Ann Carleton, 66, was found with a bullet wound at her Mag Pi shop in Cedar Glen, California, on Friday.
A suspect - who fled the scene on foot - was killed by police when found nearby, allegedly still armed. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66564605
#insane #lgbtq #news

Currently reading: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles 📚 On the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar when Tinker Grey, a handsome banker, happens to sit down at the neighboring table… https://micro.blog/books/9780670022694

Scientists were able to visualize the upper 1,000 feet of the moon's surface for the first time. Their results reveal billions of years of previously hidden lunar history.

https://www.livescience.com/space/the-moon/chinas-rover-maps-1000-feet-of-hidden-structures-deep-below-the-dark-side-of-the-moon

#science #moon #news

Listen to “Yes, These Gays Are Trying to Murder You” in the NYT Audio app. https://www.nytimes.com/audio/app/2023/08/17/t-magazine/gay-villains-white-lotus-ripley.html?referringSource=sharing

(1/2) I have some bsky.app invites if anyone is interested:

bsky-social-x5cl5-547rr
bsky-social-6gw3t-u45j7
bsky-social-kirjh-zrnjr
bsky-social-tvpj4-g3uju
bsky-social-oozec-nkmhi
bsky-social-w4ufn-dxfzz
bsky-social-lialp-qqn3e
bsky-social-jm5oj-32f6e
bsky-social-kmpax-5n4oq
bsky-social-l4ucw-sfjrk

(1/1) I have some https://bsky.app invites if anyone is interested:

bsky-social-sz72d-ff5zo
bsky-social-ohslk-3d4ka
bsky-social-g2c26-eglta
bsky-social-pnf7e-25kbp
bsky-social-v26bv-uk33o
bsky-social-wvhxg-n4ns6
bsky-social-loq4m-xsgdb
bsky-social-7coop-ggqoy
bsky-social-jmxaz-bfkpz

It’s still summer in my garden and I love it. #flowers

🖋️ Escribo notas… on my Scribe #kindle

Picked up and started reading: Deacon King Kong by James McBride 📚

The lives of the characters–caught in the tumultuous swirl of 1960s New York–overlap in unexpected ways. https://micro.blog/books/9781473588028

Cool and cloudy morning with degrading air quality due to wildfires again. Not a good to be outside #orangeday

Annie Lennox told me: “Here Comes the Rain Again” you know back in 1983… and today!

Already out and about #cycling by the lakeside. Looks like another beautiful day…

Cafe stop #cycling

It’s just you and the open roads… good morning Wednesday!

Love this 4-in-2 cable: It’s an Apple Watch charger, USB-C cable, Lightning cable and Micro USB cable on one end and 2-in-1 USB A/Type-C port which plugs into 20W wall changer. Perfect for travel when you don’t want to take too many cables.

Currently reading: The Venetian Affair by Helen Macinnes 📚 Fenner reports the findings of the $100,000 he found to NATO and the CIA and he’s recruited to go to Venice to try to quell a Communist attempt on the French President, Charles De Gaulle’s life. https://micro.blog/books/9781781164440

Substack now lets you follow writers, offering a way for you to keep tabs on what a writer is doing without subscribing to their newsletter. “You can stay up to date with what they’re reading, liking, publishing, and subscribing to — through the Notes feed and on their profiles” Substack says. https://on.substack.com/p/follow

Suntanning but still white as a bedsheet #dog

Updating firmware on my trusted traffic camera, rear light and traffic radar Garmin Varia RCT715. It’s a lifesaver… literally!