Friday 5 January 12: Stolen 5

1.What do you drink in the morning?

Water is the only thing I drink 98% of the time during my day. Since I have to take my morning medications, I almost 100% take them with water.

2. What was the last song you heard?

This changes by the minute or at the most a few hours. Except when I am at work, I always have some music playing. Right now that song is "The River" by the fictional rock band Daisy Jones & The Six from the Amazon Prime TV series of the same name. This is what I was listening to when I was typing up the responses for this blog on Google Docs a few hours ago.

You can keep up to date on what I last listened to by checking out my Last FM profile:

https://www.last.fm/user/macpro

I love music, music genres, lists and tracking the songs I listen to through a process called "scrobbling" at the Last FM website. I also publish music charts on my blog and at the M4B Personal Charts site online where chart geeks hang out.

M4B Charts Website - my username there is macprohawaii.

https://freakyflybry.proboards.com/board/38/personal-charts

Mel's Current Top 20 chart page

http://macpro.freeshell.org/music/WTop20.html - This is an old school web page that I have continually published since 1999.

Mel's Music Blog - charts, music streams, opinions, videos… lots of pop rock and oldies stuff here.

https://macprohawaii-music.blogspot.com/

My current most favorite song since September 2023 is "Angry" by The Rolling Stones. It is quite surprising that these three remaining 80 year old guys can still rock it along with their much younger back-up musicians. So in the end of my most recent scrobbles, you'll find "Angry" as the song I last played.

3. What are your feelings about ghosts?

The day I see and photograph one I'll believe it. Currently: No.

4. How do you feel about camping?

Inconvenient but could be fun. The last time I camped out was on July 11, 1991. I slept in a car waiting for a total solar eclipse to occur early the next morning.

5. What are your thoughts on showers vs. baths?

Showers are quicker. Both can be fun if you can do something creative with them. But for the most part I'm in a hurry and have to move on.

These questions and more are posted on Scrivener's Blog.

Friday 5 for February 25: They

 

The following questions are from Scrivener's Friday 5 blog.

1. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. How have you proven them right or wrong? 

Kind of 50 / 50 for me. I am willing to learn new things some of the time, but not all of the time. Doing things in the old way is better than adapting to something new. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

2. They say you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him or her drink. How has this proven true or false in your life?

That's true. If you want something you have to pursue it. Only rarely has something dropped into my lap.

3. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. How have they been proven right or wrong in your life?

I don't have much feeling in this one either way.

4. They say looks can be deceiving. How have you proven them right or wrong?

You can't judge a book by its cover... the same can be applied to record albums, movie posters and trailers. Sometimes the cool looking ones are overhyped trash and the not so attractive ones can be a gem.

5. They say opposites attract. How have you proven them right or wrong?

I think that varies depending on the person or the situation. In politics, to me, opposites don't attract, especially if you are entrenched into your ideology and reject the beliefs of the other.... Capitalism vs. Communism, Right vs. Left, Christian vs. Muslim, etc., etc. Life is never going to be perfect. Look at what's happening between Russia and Ukraine. It's a mess there that could escalate into something even more horrible than what it currently is.

Friday 5 for July 30: Oceans

From Scrivener's Friday 5 website, this week's questions deal with oceans.

"Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there; then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses. Please don’t forget to link us from your website!"



1. When were you last in ocean waters?

On July 6 I went on a trip to nowhere aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. You can read about it here and also see more photos here. The photo above is of the open ocean as seen from one of the hangar decks aboard the huge aircraft carrier. By the way I am not in the military. I was invited to go on this trip as part of a media tour for the first day of RIMPAC operations.

2. When did you last fly over ocean waters?

I rode a U.S. Navy Seahawk helicopter over 50 miles of open ocean from the USS Ronald Reagan back north to the island of Oahu and Hickam Air Force Base on July 6. I will be taking a 400+ mile jet round trip from Oahu to the Big Island of Hawaii in August.


Here's a view of the open ocean and the island of Oahu in the distance as I flew back on the Seahawk helicopter. The entire trip from carrier to base took about 35 minutes flying at an altitude of about 600 feet.

3. What ocean sports activity seems like the most fun?

Probably surfing but I am not a surfer. Would be nice if I had learned because it looks like a great place to take pictures from. But alas, I am way too old and out of shape for that kind of stuff today. I prefer to stay safely on shore and just watch the waves.


A surf shot I took several months ago.

4. What are your thoughts or feelings about public aquariums?

They are great places to look at fish and other lifeforms in an underwater environment without risking your life and limb. Just pay the admission and walk through the many displays.

5. What are your thoughts or feelings about sushi?

I love it especially with pieces of raw fish in it and wrapped in nori. Great rice alternative. Try it if you ever have a chance.