Friday 5 for January 26: Returns

It's Monday and I have to say "Happy Returns" to Scrivener's Friday 5 site after a major hack occurred there. In catching up with my own answer blog here, these are my responses to the January 26 post:

1. What was the last item you returned or exchanged at a store?

Recently I can't think of anything significant. I have returned food items because they were prepared wrong (eat out) or had an expired pull date (super market). The one that comes to mind which is also not that significant many years ago, is a CD of "The John Lennon Collection". When I opened the CD, it was labeled correctly but the music on it was like totally wrong. Since the CD was a brand new purchase (I tend to buy a lot of used CDs and vinyl) I took it back to the record store, told them to play it and they were also surprised to learn it was somebody else (can't remember what it was but the music was not even rock).... The store Scriv? Records Hawaii... so that was long ago.

2. When did you last leave the house and then turn right back around and go back inside?

Often. I walk down the hall to the elevator in my building and suddenly before I step in, I think... "did I lock the door", "is the refrigerator door properly closed", "did I turn off the stereo, lights, stove...." "do I have my driver's license, wallet, debit card," "I forgot Lisa's whatever it is I was supposed to take to her," "oh shucks, I forgot my tripod", "I need that extra battery for the camera", "I should take the junk cell phone with me because it is raining", etc.... so yes, way too many times.

3. What’s the latest you’ve ever returned a library book?

Ask me about the library book... well not really, but magazine that I never returned... Popular Science I think from way back in 1969! The library was on a paper system so that mag is not even tracked today. I think that magazine is long gone... yes, back in the 1960s and 70s the local public library (in Honokaa) would let you borrow magazines. I don't think we can do that today.

As far as books go, it has varied from a few days to weeks. My current unpaid fine is around $4 so not that much.

4. What location among places you’ve traveled would you most like to see again?




I haven't travelled much. I haven't been to the Big Island of Hawaii now in over a year, so that would be my #1 travel destination mainly because my sister still lives there. I also love driving around the island and going to see the volcano, ranch lands, waterfalls, flowers, beaches, etc.

I have been financially struggling lately so the cost of an airplane ticket is currently beyond me.



As for other places I've been, Kauai and Maui are good for starters and so would the few other places I have seen on the U.S. mainland and Canada that I visited way too long ago would be worthwhile, all of the above to just take new, updated photos of the places.

Just going out of Honolulu and into Kailua, the North Shore or Waianae would be a photographic adventure for me as none requires expensive flying, lodging and ticketing.

5. What’s an unlikely movie sequel you’d like to see?

Gee.... first on my list....


1. Serenity 2 - OK, yes I liked Firefly and if they can't revive the series might as well make a sequel movie to the original "Serenity" which was a sequel to Firefly.

2. Invasion: The Movie - One of several failed scifi TV series from the 2000s decade that deserves at least a made for TV movie to wrap up the storyline.

3. Revolution: The Movie - Another failed TV series from NBC that should wrap up its story with a movie too. I hate cliffhangers that are left hanging forever because the series got cancelled. Maybe that is why I watch less TV these days....

4. The Pod People: Hey what about a sequel to the 1978 version of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Donald Sutherland is still alive.... yes, he was fingered by Nancy (Veronica Cartright) who became a pod person... Veronica is still alive.... a few other cast members are alive... come up with a new story like oh... the last humans still trying to stay human despite a world dominated by Pod People some 45 years later.

5. Soylent Green 2: In the end of the movie, Charlton Heston's character shouts out "Soylent Green is People".... so what is the reaction to that? What do the people do years later? Actually this one would be good to remake again if it isn't in the works already....

So there... 5 of them... yes, I like science fiction... now if you ask what movies would you like to change the ending to, I could start with this one....

1968's "Romeo and Juliet"... have Romeo stop on the way when he spots the Friar watering his jackass on the road to the crypt... Had the guy said "Hey Romeo, the whole thing is a scam to save you and Juliet,".... then the tragic results would not have happened. I get frustrated every time I see that scene in the movie... yes, I know it's Shakespeare and you shouldn't mess with that, but hey, all of his stuff is in the public domain. Why not?

Plus Olivia Hussey was such a beautiful babe when I was like only 12 or 13 upon seeing this movie.... probably the first time I saw a boob in the movies....

Catching Up With the Last of the 2017 Friday 5's

Placeholder text in here. Will be back to enter and edit.

Friday 5 for December 8: It’s Electric

From Scrivener's Friday 5 site... It's electric.... yep...



1. What’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done with electricity?

Back in the 1990s I connected the wrong power adapter to a portable CD player that someone gave me. Duh. I guess the voltage did not match. The moment I plugged it in and turned on the player, a sickening puff of light white smoke emerged and the player was promptly fried. Oh well.

2. How did you last pass the time when your residence was without power for at least a few hours?

Since I live 8 floors up I either just stay at home until the power comes back on, read a book if it is not dark or if it is, look for batteries and turn on my flashlights. Then I listen to the radio. Oh, and I use my landline phone to see if other people have power who also have landline phones. Most of the time the outage is in one small area which means other people do have electricity. Whatever.

3. Around how many AA and AAA batteries do you have on standby?

I have 4 sets of rechargeable AA & AAA lithium batteries that I use mainly for cameras and gear that require them. I sometimes swap into other devices such as a portable radio. I also have dozens of spare alkaline batteries around just to be prepared for like a power outage of something. I have to be able to at least play a radio and use a camera during an outage situation. I also have cameras and other devices that use proprietary batteries and some devices with built in batteries, that I generally despise since it is the manufacturer's way of forcing obsolescence on consumers... don't get me started on built in batteries. I generally hate them because they are not easily replaceable. A crime when I open my drawer and look at my 6 older iPods that I can't use as portable devices unless plugged into a power outlet. I mean the devices work just as fine as they did when I first bought them... but because the built in batteries don't hold a charge I feel that I was cheated by Apple. That is why in recent years my enthusiasm for Apple is not as great as it used to be.



4. How do you feel about lightning?

Film it! I try.... I like it... and thunder... it's something different.

5. When did you last dance the Electric Slide, and if you’ve never done it, what’s the closest you’ve come to dancing the Electric Slide?

Heaven's no. I suck at dancing and as a former school dance DJ I played the song only once in 1994, more than a decade after I did my last school dance, this time at a party at a church function on the Big Island. That was the last time I did a public DJ stint.

I do have a digital copy of the song in my iTunes library and is played about as many times (rarely) as the "Macarena". Heh.

Friday 5 for December 1: Lady Bird

"Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy these questions to your website. 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."

"Five questions inspired by the new Greta Gerwig film Lady Bird, which I recommend."

One quick comment here. Movies  are so expensive at the theater these days. It is far more cheaper to wait for a DVD or streaming release. There is only one movie I plan to see in the theater this year, and that would be the new Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

1. What was moving out of your parents’ home like?

Easy though I still have a few things (like record albums) in my parents' former home which is now my sister's.

2. What makes popular kids in high school popular, and how were you like or unlike them?

Been many decades since I been in high school, but I would venture to guess popularity reigns in whether or not you are in the correct peer group or participate in something popular like band or sports. I hung out with some of the more nerdy kids, though we had no computers back in the day. We caught our thrills playing chess, checkers, Stratego or with the then new finagled "calculator". I was one of the first kids to get one back in 1973.

3. When you were in high school, where in the neighborhood did schoolmates hang out?

During recess we kind of hung around in the library and talked too much. After school some kids hung out at friend's homes and stuff. Other kids hung out at the local Dairy Queen drive in or the convenience store. I have to idea where the tough kids and druggies hung out as I was not in those groups.

4. What was learning to drive like?

My Dad helped my "tutu man" work on his ranch when we were very young. I learned to drive up in the ranch at the age of 10. The vehicle? 1960 Willys Jeep pick-up. When I became of legal age I learned on my Mom's 1972 Chevelle. Back in the day there was no requirement to take driver's education. My parents taught me well. To this very day, more than 40 years later, I have never gotten a speeding ticket or into an accident.  (Photo 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle on Wikipedia)

5. What were your most difficult and least difficult subjects in high school?

Most difficult - Mathematics (Algebra, Geometry, etc).... P.E. - I sucked at all sports.

Least difficult - History, Art, Music, Reading, English, Writing, Civics

Friday 5 for November 24: Thanks a LOT

Five weekly questions from Scrivener's Friday 5.

1. What would you sarcastically like to thank your local government for?

Thanks for the rail development and all the cost and increased taxes that I will have to pay for the rest of my life. Now it is not only the general excise tax, because thanks to stupid, socialist government policy that think rail is a solution to our transportation problems, you are all sentencing us to increased costs as both property owners and renters who live close to the rail line and all the gigantic expensive development that is springing up because of TOD (Transient Oriented Development)... As a property owner I HATE seeing my property taxes increased because of the new developments that will spring up in my area. And Scrivener you are not off the hook, because property taxes and the ugly rail development will impact your neighborhoods in Kalihi that will drive more people out and increase the gigantic homeless problem we already have. So we have the stupid GET surcharge tax and the increased rates for property tax. The rail keeps on costing more money and the stupid city wants to build more in the future to get to the University of Hawaii, yet one of the rail corridors in my area is already blocked because of TOD yet to occur near the convention center.

Fuck You City & County of Honolulu. Rail is the biggest mistake ever of the 21st century unleashed upon all of the taxpayers and tourists in Hawaii. (Currently costing at least $10 billion for 20 shitty miles)

"They paved paradise and are erecting an expensive, giant, ugly fixed rail train".

Ugh!

2. What would you sarcastically like to thank your body for?

For getting emotionally bent out of shape and having high anxiety every time I think or write about the friggin' rail. (See above). Thanks a lot Honolulu.

3. What would you sarcastically like to thank your neighbors for?

I would like to thank that one lady who lives in our building with her stupid pooch who seems to have an exemption from our "NO PETS" policy. Ugh!!!!!

4. What would you sarcastically like to thank the internet for?

Spam. Pop Up Ads. Auto Playing Video Ads that steal your cell phone bandwidth. Crap.

5. What would you sarcastically like to thank November for?

I'd like  to thank this week's Friday 5 topic for helping put me in such a negative mood. Move on to December and November be totally fucking gone. I did not have Thanksgiving at home on the Big Island because, what the fuck... both my parents are dead and gone now and there is no reason other than to see my sister, to ever go back there for something that used to be celebrated but ain't no more.

Luckily Lisa and I had a nice simple turkey sandwich the day before even though Foodland screwed me and gave me a roast beef sandwich with a turkey sandwich label on it. Be Gone November, Be Gone!!!

Friday 5 for November 17: Makin’ It

From Scrivener's weekly Friday 5 blog comes these questions:

1. What skill seems like it would be really fun to learn?

Learning how to play the piano or guitar may be fun. I can read music on the treble clef side after I learned how to play the trumpet in high school. I'd probably have trouble figuring out the bass clef side. I'm also not very good a finger picking on a ukulele, so doing that on guitar may be difficult.

Other than that, perhaps learning how to fly an airplane may be fun, but could be very expensive.

2. Which of the winter Olympic sports would you love to compete in?

I really suck at all sports to a point that for most of my life I just avoided any kind of partipation in sports except for photographing some sporting events or watching a few on TV or in person.

That said I don't have any interest in winter sports and have never watched the winter Olympics on TV. We have no snow in 95% of the places here in Hawaii, which means there is no cultural connection that I know of to any winter sports.

However after going through a list of sports played in the Winter Olympics, the only one that I would be even remotely interested in is Curling. Why? Because I first saw it when I was a kid on The Beatles 1965 movie “Help!”

I thought that was one of the goofiest things I saw grown ups play…. sweeping some big kettle like stone on the ice from one place to another. Of course the scene in that Beatles movie was meant to be funny I think, hence my thought of the sport being one step up from silly.

And this is an Olympic sport? Who'd have known!

3. What fun craft did you make when you were a kid, in school or at camp or somewhere else?

In middle school I took a semester of woodworking class. This was way back in around 1971. I created a dog figurine door stop and a double horse napkin holder (see photo above).

4. If everyone in the world is the best in the world at some very specific thing, what are you most likely the best at?

I was very good at setting type copy on the Itek Quadritek 1200 to 2400 series of phototypesetting machines. It was a computerized system that the operator had to use codes to set all kinds of parameters to get copy out. I was very good in creating forms on this expensive device without having the benefit of having a WYSIWYG graphical user interface. It was all green screen text with codes to set attributes to each action of copy or graphics that the end user wanted to create. Granted for its time this system was complicated to use if you dived into the deep end. The tagging system was a precursor to mark-up languages we have today, such as HTML.

After personal computers became popular, namely the Macintosh platform, publishers and everyone else including myself moved on to these which were far superior in their capabilities and whole lot cheaper than the old stuff from the 1970s and early 1980s.

5. What’s something you own that was handmade by someone you know?

I have a handful of examples of crochet pieces that my grandmother, Mary Pawela Ah Ching created when she was alive. (1901 - 1987)

Friday 5 for November 10: Space

From Scrivener's Weekly Friday 5...

1. Of all the spaces in your residence, which is most powerfully your space?

All of it. I own and live in my small studio apartment which is essentially just one room combined with all the amenities except the bathroom and closet which are separate. That said, the living area is the most immediate of the “powerful”.

2. What’s the most spacious space in your everyday life? 

The great, urban outdoors and once in a blue moon the outdoors in the countryside or on another island if I choose to travel.

3. What’s a good song about space?

There’s plenty and here are my top 10:

1. Space Oddity - David Bowie - one of the most iconic “space” songs out there.
2. Main Theme From ‘Star Wars’ - John Williams / London Symphony Orchestra
3. Rocket Man - Elton John
4. Major Tom - Shiny Toy Guns - One of the few remakes I like better than the original.
5. Theme From ‘Babylon 5’ (Season 5) - Christopher Franke
6. Across the Universe - The Beatles
7. Space Cowboy - Steve Miller Band
8. Theme From ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ - Alexander Courage / Jerry Goldsmith
9. Man on the Moon - R.E.M.
10. Blue Danube Waltz - Strauss / MGM Orchestra from ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’.

If you haven’t heard the above songs before, just search YouTube. There are videos and audios of every one of these. I would link them to this post, but unfortunately my main internet is down and I am posting this using my cell phone data stream.

4. What’s under your bed?

I have 2 flat storage bins containing various computer cables with add on accessories, and another with my old iBook G3 laptop and a small PC Notebook. Both have issues, both may be fixable. There is another small container with audio cables.

5. What are your thoughts on typing one space or two spaces after sentences.

When I first learned how to type on manual typewriters it was two spaces at the end of a sentence before the start of a new sentence. This works today only if you are using a TYPEWRITER with monospaced fonts. Other than that, NO NO NO!

In 1977 at my college’s publications department I was taught that on our then new, state of the art Itek Quadritek 1200 photo typesetting computer, that it was only a single space at the end of the sentence because of the use of proportional fonts even in those very early days of computerized typesetting. From that point on, I ingrained that mantra to all electronic, computerized keyboards I have used throughout my life. SINGLE SPACE AT THE END OF A SENTENCE BEFORE THE START OF THE NEXT.... works all the time with Macs, PCs, Chromebooks, smartphones, tablets and anything else that uses proportional fonts (which is just about everything). It is the mantra! Get with the program you double space Luddites!

And while I’m at it, do not underline text. That is what italics are for.