Check-In 132: Pronic Aethra Ogle - HNY 2024

[Jim Gamma]

Thanks for the well wishes! Completion is Friday, so I get the keys then. I will move some stuff over immediately to act as an encampment/forward base and spend a few weeks getting a new bed, sofa, etc, all of which take time to deliver so I'm expecting to be fully moved in by April.

Basically my first goal is to get it liveable, then to get it comfortable.

[scottydog]

Despite being rained on the whole way, the 3-hour drive from Carmel to Napa Valley was uneventful. We stop in downtown San Francisco for a few minutes to satisfy the Wife's wish to drive down Lombard Street. Sorry RJ, no Haight-Ashbury. We were in a hurry to get through the Big City before rush hour traffic hit.

The highlight for me was not Lombard Street but rather going over the Golden Gate Bridge. I hadn't done that since I was a kid, many decades ago.

I'll post pics in the picture thread when I get a chance.

Thanks for the well wishes!

Basically my first goal is to get it liveable, then to get it comfortable.

Congrats to you. Like RJ said, we'll need to see pictures once you get it presentable.

And National Peanut Butter Day!

I wouldn't be alive without peanut butter. I've devoured it daily my whole life.

All while we were taking part in the Battle of Crécy.

I had to look that up. The Hundred Years war. That's a long-ass war

I have seen it though we didn't drive it. We were thinking about it, but then a guy walked by, looking at the street then at our truck and shook his head.

How big a truck was it? We have a mid-size rental car and it was a piece of cake.

Interesting. I've never heard of it before.

I'm sure you've seen it. The unique looking Lombard Street has been featured in "Vertigo" (1958), "The Love Bug" (1968), "What's Up, Doc?" (1972), "Basic Instinct" (1992), "Full House", "Monk", and many more movies and TV shows.

Today I learned that our decisions don't make alternate universes-- alternate universes make room for our decisions.

What does that mean exactly?

In my love-triangle scenario, you should feel glad to be left out

This is the common denominator of all universes.

I've been in one love triangle, way back in college, and it turned out to be one of the most painful experiences of my life. So be very glad that you've been left out of such a scenario!

[Madeliaette]

gm

1.That's pretty cool. I feel left out, but that's all right.
2.Oh, so you believe in a cyclic universe? Me too. Well, I think that's part of the big picture, anyway. Is that a Buddhist belief in general, or a personal belief?
3.At least in the next life we'll have known each other in a previous life
4.drive north into San Francisco
5.I wonder if you, Lupy, and Elara were part of some lurid love triangle. Perhaps you and Lupy were married and you caught him in bed with Elara, prompting you to give her some of her first major injuries
6.We should ask Maddie how, karmically speaking, your next relationship with her will be influenced by your current one.
7.It's National Beer Can Appreciation Day!
And National Peanut Butter Day!
8.All while we were taking part in the Battle of Crécy.
9.Evening all! University has been slaying me for a year now, and in 2 days I will, at age 41, be a homeowner. (Nice 2-bed apartment.) It'll take a few months to buy furniture etc, but hoping to be up and running by early April.

1 well its not to say i havent known you before - just that it wasnt recent/dramatic enough for me to recall.....im not experienced enough to know when and how i met everybody i meet again before...sand i really have to foicus to find out when ill meet them again.
2 both really. it isnt something you have to beleive in if you cant/dont, to be a Buddhist poractitioner - but many of the advanced Lamas regard it as true and nothing i have learned in life or text or science prooves it wrong. i also had a similar beleif before i beganb to study Buddhist texts.
3 yes....will loook out for you next time round - maybe the next door neighbors little kid, maybe the bus driver's pet dog, maybe a coiusin maybe a fellow nun, maybe a spider on my walll.....wjho knows!! OInly a Buddha can see every furute and past life.
4 ahha....thye real city!
5 it could be anything - brothers and sisters, married, cousins, pets, neignbors, friends....i honestly dont recall. im not THAT advanced, yet.
6 as i said i hoinestly dont know. i would have to focus strongly on the topic before sleeping then see what came up in my mind.then ascertain if it was a fraction of the past or just a dream, then.....
7 well ill mnunch on the nutty nutter svp. you can keep yr canned beer -i used to drink bottled beer, but i dont drink canned stuff.
8 some form of battle or war may have been a possibility - it would explain Elaras constant accidents and yr interest in historical costumes and my fiesty fiery temper that i have battled to overcome....but as i said i dont know.
9 waves at Jim. i know inheriting a house made me half happy half sad.....at first. now im grateful and pleased...but at the time i tjhought of stuff like - how will i afford repair bills....

Well, I had some sad news last night - L phoned to tell me that Flo had passed away. I spent most of my 'on call' night shift sending blessings and investigating. I feel she will be reborn as a human being, but no idea where or when. so far, 2024 has been a tad dramatic - son arrested. son leaves e,mployment. son surrenders iconic sword, cousin and son face court dates. going for my level 3 diploma.death of dharma center acquiantanfce, death of Flo....
ahead - 3 hrs work, a zoom, a trip to the farm shop and either relaxing or studying.

[RJDiogenes]

Good morning, everyone.

I saw on CNN that the singer Melanie has died. She was only 76. That seems very young in this modern world.

I will move some stuff over immediately to act as an encampment/forward base and spend a few weeks getting a new bed, sofa, etc, all of which take time to deliver so I'm expecting to be fully moved in by April.

Basically my first goal is to get it liveable, then to get it comfortable.

Sounds like the plan for Mars Colonization.

Sorry RJ, no Haight-Ashbury. We were in a hurry to get through the Big City before rush hour traffic hit.

Aw, bummer. Will you have another chance on the way back?

The highlight for me was not Lombard Street but rather going over the Golden Gate Bridge. I hadn't done that since I was a kid, many decades ago.

In William Gibson's novels, the bridge is closed to traffic because of earthquake damage and has become a shantytown.

I'm sure you've seen it. The unique looking Lombard Street has been featured in "Vertigo" (1958), "The Love Bug" (1968), "What's Up, Doc?" (1972), "Basic Instinct" (1992), "Full House", "Monk", and many more movies and TV shows.

I've seen Vertigo and every episode of Monk, but it's been a while so I don't remember.

What does that mean exactly?

Decisions are thoughts, which are macroscopic systems, so they don't involve wave functions with a range of possibilities-- so there's no way a decision can result in separate worlds. But there are so many separate worlds that decisions or events may turn out differently just as part of the natural course of things.

I've been in one love triangle, way back in college, and it turned out to be one of the most painful experiences of my life. So be very glad that you've been left out of such a scenario!

Well, in retrospect....

well its not to say i havent known you before - just that it wasnt recent/dramatic enough for me to recall.....

Knowing me, it was probably pretty mellow.

both really. it isnt something you have to beleive in if you cant/dont, to be a Buddhist poractitioner - but many of the advanced Lamas regard it as true and nothing i have learned in life or text or science prooves it wrong. i also had a similar beleif before i beganb to study Buddhist texts.

It seems to make sense, and that's where the evidence points.

but at the time i tjhought of stuff like - how will i afford repair bills....

That's one reason I never bought a place-- the cost is far more than the price.

Well, I had some sad news last night - L phoned to tell me that Flo had passed away.

Oh, that's terrible news. Poor doggie. I hope she was peaceful and comfortable and sleeping. I feel like I knew her.

so far, 2024 has been a tad dramatic - son arrested. son leaves e,mployment. son surrenders iconic sword, cousin and son face court dates. going for my level 3 diploma.death of dharma center acquiantanfce, death of Flo....

Dramatic indeed. At least your diploma is a good thing.

[Cayla]

Good morning!

It is travel day! I cannot wait to get on the plane and get out of Ohio. I am traveling light, so I will not be checking in, since I am not taking my laptop.

Yesterday, some events lead me to prompt a sit down conversation with the owner of the restaurant. I accidentally sent him a text, meant for someone else, venting my frustration. Whoops! I took advantage of the situation, by expressing my need to discuss some concerns with him. It was a good conversation.

[scottydog]

Happy Thursday, everyone

Today, of course, we'll visit two wineries in Napa Valley. We're giddy with excitement, like two Muslims visiting Mecca for the first time. Could I get beheaded for drawing that analogy?

I accidentally sent him a text, meant for someone else, venting my frustration. Whoops! I took advantage of the situation, by expressing my need to discuss some concerns with him. It was a good conversation.

That's amazing that you got away with a mistaken text. I would have been fired on the spot: "What did you mean, Scott, when you called me a "Poopy-head"?"

ahha....thye real city!

Well, all the cities here are real -- unless I am dreaming this trip. Reminds me of the song lyric, "Life is but a dream." When I look back at my life 30 years ago, it does feel like a dream....

L phoned to tell me that Flo had passed away. I spent most of my 'on call' night shift sending blessings and investigating. I feel she will be reborn as a human being

I'm sorry to hear this If you meet Flo as a human, how will you know the person was once Flo? A gut feeling?

son arrested. son leaves e,mployment. son surrenders iconic sword, cousin and son face court dates. going for my level 3 diploma.death of dharma center acquiantanfce, death of Flo....

You're right, 2024 has been a bit dramatic. And there are 11 more months to go. Do you believe that whatever happens is meant to happen?

I saw on CNN that the singer Melanie has died. She was only 76. That seems very young in this modern world.

Personally, I'll be thrilled to make it to 76. I can feel my body's expiration date approaching.

Aw, bummer. Will you have another chance on the way back?

Probably not, unfortunately. We both hate big cities and will do everything possible to spend every moment we can in the rural countryside.

In William Gibson's novels, the bridge is closed to traffic because of earthquake damage and has become a shantytown.

Fascinating. We were shocked that see, in the chilly pouring rain, throngs of sight-seers walking along the bridge's pediestrian walkway. With the rain and thick fog, there was really nothing to see.

Decisions are thoughts, which are macroscopic systems, so they don't involve wave functions with a range of possibilities-- so there's no way a decision can result in separate worlds. But there are so many separate worlds that decisions or events may turn out differently just as part of the natural course of things.

Wow. So in a way, all these separate worlds are waiting for us. If I were to tell the Wife that I'm switching from wine to beer, there's already a divorce world waiting for me

[Lupine]

Good morning, travelers in the totality of reality.

Trash Day! I also need to tinker with the cover of Children of Ares which Amazon says needs tinkering. Life goes on.

I have seen it though we didn't drive it. We were thinking about it, but then a guy walked by, looking at the street then at our truck and shook his head.

How big a truck was it? We have a mid-size rental car and it was a piece of cake.

The F150 Lariat isn't a huge truck, but in retrospect it was probably not a good idea to try it.

8 some form of battle or war may have been a possibility - it would explain Elaras constant accidents and yr interest in historical costumes and my fiesty fiery temper that i have battled to overcome....but as i said i dont know.

Interesting thought.

I saw on CNN that the singer Melanie has died. She was only 76. That seems very young in this modern world.

Gary Graham of Star Trek fame has also passed.

Yesterday, some events lead me to prompt a sit down conversation with the owner of the restaurant. I accidentally sent him a text, meant for someone else, venting my frustration. Whoops! I took advantage of the situation, by expressing my need to discuss some concerns with him. It was a good conversation.

That could have been awkward.

[RJDiogenes]

Good evening, everyone.

My new toaster oven is here. I think I'll celebrate with a Chicken Pot Pie.

I am traveling light, so I will not be checking in, since I am not taking my laptop.

I'm a little suspicious of you going off the grid like this. Do you know The General?

Yesterday, some events lead me to prompt a sit down conversation with the owner of the restaurant. I accidentally sent him a text, meant for someone else, venting my frustration. Whoops! I took advantage of the situation, by expressing my need to discuss some concerns with him. It was a good conversation.

I'm glad that worked out well. Good thing we're not in the alternate universe to that event.

Could I get beheaded for drawing that analogy?

Very likely. You better start wearing Groucho glasses.

Personally, I'll be thrilled to make it to 76. I can feel my body's expiration date approaching.

Really? I really find it hard to grasp that I'm over 30.

Probably not, unfortunately. We both hate big cities and will do everything possible to spend every moment we can in the rural countryside.

I'll give you five bucks to have your picture taken under the Haight-Ashbury street signs.

We were shocked that see, in the chilly pouring rain, throngs of sight-seers walking along the bridge's pediestrian walkway. With the rain and thick fog, there was really nothing to see.

I guess they had to be there.

Wow. So in a way, all these separate worlds are waiting for us. If I were to tell the Wife that I'm switching from wine to beer, there's already a divorce world waiting for me

Yes, that one's called the SamAdamsVerse.

I also need to tinker with the cover of Children of Ares which Amazon says needs tinkering.

They tell you this after sending you an approval copy.

The F150 Lariat isn't a huge truck, but in retrospect it was probably not a good idea to try it.

Maybe it was the wingspan.

Gary Graham of Star Trek fame has also passed.

Oh, no. I didn't see that. He was such a great Vulcan. Trek has really struggled with casting good Vulcans since TOS, but he really nailed it.

[Lupine]

^He was also in the Alien Nation TV series and did roles in fan Treks.

[scottydog]

Today we had an amazing time in Napa Valley. We arrived at our first vineyard at 10am and were greeting by a 30-something guy who looked like Jesus He had long brown hair, beard, and spoke with an ethereal voice. He sat us down under a gorgeous gazebo surrounded by 212 sun-kissed acres of rolling hills dotted with grapevines as far as the eye could see.

He poured us 8 small glasses of wine in 90 minutes, while also giving us a tour of their elaborate cave system where they store many hundreds of fermentation barrels. I'll post pics in the pic thread but they won't do the place justice.

So yeah, we had an amazing time and vowed to come back here every January for the next 20 years, or until our livers fail, whichever comes first

Good morning, travelers in the totality of reality.

I used "travelers in the totality of reality" as an AI image prompt -- check out the AI Art thread

The F150 Lariat isn't a huge truck, but in retrospect it was probably not a good idea to try it.

If this is what it looked like, you could have made it down Lombard Street. Maybe.

^He was also in the Alien Nation TV series and did roles in fan Treks.

I had to look him up, and yep, he was a top-notch actor, especially in ST:ENT.

My new toaster oven is here. I think I'll celebrate with a Chicken Pot Pie.

I hope you didn't burn it. As you know, every oven cooks differently.

I'm a little suspicious of you going off the grid like this. Do you know The General?

I hate to break it to you, but ALL OF YOU HERE have been visited by the General, at least once. Everyone I know, basically. That's how he vets people.

Really? I really find it hard to grasp that I'm over 30.

I find it hard to grasp that I'm under 90. But seriously, I'm 64 and I feel 64. It's all good

I'll give you five bucks to have your picture taken under the Haight-Ashbury street signs.

Well now I'm kicking myself because I just looked up H-A on the map and it's less than a mile from Lombard Street

[Madeliaette]

gm

1.I hope she was peaceful and comfortable and sleeping. I feel like I knew her.
2.I cannot wait to get on the plane and get out of Ohio.
3.That's amazing that you got away with a mistaken text.
4.When I look back at my life 30 years ago, it does feel like a dream....
5.If you meet Flo as a human, how will you know the person was once Flo? A gut feeling?
6.Do you believe that whatever happens is meant to happen?

1. yeah mummy was with her, heard her sigh - then pass away.
2. oh oh.....trouble with Vlad?
3 also guilty....but ended up cjhuckling. i sent a parrot message to my boss once.....only 2 letters different in their names and bleary eyed and....then i thought hang on a mo...ooopsies...no my boss doesnt need to know that the parrot was eating grapes and peanuts.
4 30 years ago....eeeekkkkkkkk completly different me. instead of dreadlock i was shaved bald. instead of on old house in a expenading village i wasmoving into a trailer as a caravan park....i had no connection with Buddhism and was akinda open minded feisty hippy.
5 i havent explored that far yet....it takes time and effort.
6 no. it happens because we made it happen - usually without realising it.

well todays agenda= zoom. shop. coffee.shop.zoom.take Tilly out. study.

[Jim Gamma]

Morning!

Not sure who The General is... Only time I've heard that is in relation to the American Civil War, or maybe War of Independence, I forget which?

It's completion day! Just waiting for a call to go collect keys, then I can start the fun of arranging power/water, etc. And this weekend I will start looking at furniture.

[RJDiogenes]

Good morning, everyone.

Another day of productivity and laziness lies ahead-- I can feel it!

^He was also in the Alien Nation TV series and did roles in fan Treks.

Oh, I didn't know that. I never watched Alien Nation. Obviously he was a good guy to participate in fan productions.

Today we had an amazing time in Napa Valley. We arrived at our first vineyard at 10am and were greeting by a 30-something guy who looked like Jesus He had long brown hair, beard, and spoke with an ethereal voice. He sat us down under a gorgeous gazebo surrounded by 212 sun-kissed acres of rolling hills dotted with grapevines as far as the eye could see.

A little preview of passing into the afterlife.

I used "travelers in the totality of reality" as an AI image prompt -- check out the AI Art thread

Uh oh....

I hope you didn't burn it. As you know, every oven cooks differently.

I kept an eye on it. It does seem to cook faster than the old one-- the interior seems smaller.

I hate to break it to you, but ALL OF YOU HERE have been visited by the General, at least once. Everyone I know, basically. That's how he vets people.

That explains the morning I woke up in Applebee's parking lot in my underwear.

Well now I'm kicking myself because I just looked up H-A on the map and it's less than a mile from Lombard Street

Now you'll be living with regret for the rest of your life.

yeah mummy was with her, heard her sigh - then pass away.

That's good, at least.

oh oh.....trouble with Vlad?

More like trouble with the weather, I think.

also guilty....but ended up cjhuckling. i sent a parrot message to my boss once.....only 2 letters different in their names and bleary eyed and....then i thought hang on a mo...ooopsies...no my boss doesnt need to know that the parrot was eating grapes and peanuts.

At least it was a benign message.

30 years ago....eeeekkkkkkkk completly different me. instead of dreadlock i was shaved bald. instead of on old house in a expenading village i wasmoving into a trailer as a caravan park....i had no connection with Buddhism and was akinda open minded feisty hippy.

We would have gotten along then too.

Not sure who The General is... Only time I've heard that is in relation to the American Civil War, or maybe War of Independence, I forget which?

General is the top rank in the Army and Air Force, so there are thousands of them-- but this particular General is an ostensibly retired government operative who recruits everyday civilians-- like scotty-- for clandestine Intelligence operations involving hostile foreign powers, lizard people from the Hollow Earth, humanoids from the deep, and other threats. Kind of like Mr Phelps.

It's completion day! Just waiting for a call to go collect keys, then I can start the fun of arranging power/water, etc. And this weekend I will start looking at furniture.

Congratulations again! Dare I ask how mom feels about this?

[scottydog]

Happy Friday, everyone

Today we'll drive a different direction -- 30 minutes north to the quaint town of Healdsburg, the home of world-class wine in Sonoma County. Sonoma is adjacent to Napa, so it produces great wine at cheaper-than-Napa prices. Then we'll walk around the cute town of Sebastopol, go home and nap and recover from so much decadence

oh oh.....trouble with Vlad?

Cayla's never mentioned that there's any trouble. But him not liking Florida could be a source of friction that we could really run with if we need more 2024 drama

i sent a parrot message to my boss once.... my boss doesnt need to know that the parrot was eating grapes and peanuts.

Remember, there are no accidents. Perhaps you planted a suggestion to your boss that he should take better care of his parrot.

30 years ago....eeeekkkkkkkk completly different me. instead of dreadlock i was shaved bald. instead of on old house in a expenading village i wasmoving into a trailer as a caravan park....i had no connection with Buddhism and was akinda open minded feisty hippy.

Exactly. Thirty years later we're completely different people, or we're supposed to be. We need to keep growing and evolving over the entire lifespan.

it happens because we made it happen - usually without realising it.

I agree. So much of growing up and becoming our best selves involves bringing unconscious stuff into consciousness so that we can be more "awake" when we make choices.

Not sure who The General is... Only time I've heard that is in relation to the American Civil War, or maybe War of Independence, I forget which?

Interesting. The UK doesn't have an army with Generals? Does it have a Royal Navy with Admirals?

A little preview of passing into the afterlife.

Exactly. Isn't that what an idyllic retirement should be?

I used "travelers in the totality of reality" as an AI image prompt -- check out the AI Art thread

Uh oh....

I loved the images that Bing came up with, but what's disappointing is that AI gets one "theme" in its head and only generates images based on that one theme. Why doesn't it try to generate an alternative perspective from the same prompt?

I kept an eye on it. It does seem to cook faster than the old one-- the interior seems smaller.

Size and speed are always correlated, both in humans and in ovens

That explains the morning I woke up in Applebee's parking lot in my underwear.

If that's all that happened to you, consider yourself lucky. Cayla ended up in bed with a vampire.

General is the top rank in the Army and Air Force, so there are thousands of them-- but this particular General is an ostensibly retired government operative who recruits everyday civilians-- like scotty-- for clandestine Intelligence operations involving hostile foreign powers, lizard people from the Hollow Earth, humanoids from the deep, and other threats. Kind of like Mr Phelps.

You were supposed to keep the "humanoids from the deep" stuff to yourself. Expect another Applebee's incident

[Lupine]

Good morning, authors.

Children of Ares is finally out in paperback. Also it might be Trash Day.... I hope as it didn't show up yesterday. Also my aunt needs to get some paperwork for her blood work from her doctor's office as she lost the last one.

^He was also in the Alien Nation TV series and did roles in fan Treks.

Oh, I didn't know that. I never watched Alien Nation. Obviously he was a good guy to participate in fan productions.

And he's not the only one I've seen John De Lancie, Erin Grey, Ann Lockhart, Lou Ferrigno, and Walter Koenig in various productions.

Not sure who The General is... Only time I've heard that is in relation to the American Civil War, or maybe War of Independence, I forget which?

General is the top rank in the Army and Air Force, so there are thousands of them-- but this particular General is an ostensibly retired government operative who recruits everyday civilians-- like scotty-- for clandestine Intelligence operations involving hostile foreign powers, lizard people from the Hollow Earth, humanoids from the deep, and other threats. Kind of like Mr Phelps.

I thought that was all classified! Just don't mention the Moon Mummies.... d'oh!

I used "travelers in the totality of reality" as an AI image prompt -- check out the AI Art thread

Uh oh....

I loved the images that Bing came up with,

They are good.