Category: positive thoughts

Upgrade

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My laptop is (at least) 8 years old and while it was a very decent laptop 8 years ago, software has moved on since then, and it hasn’t. Thus, it is having a few problems coping. The biggest issue was the heavy demands of Lightroom and Photoshop, which also happen to be the two programs I use most on there. The fancy AI denoise tool is far too much for it, and despite promising me a result in 12 minutes, it invariably failed: “falling over” some way through the process. “Falling over” is the whimsical way that computer people describe it breaking down, the whimsy designed to take your mind off the fact that you can’t actually use the tool because your laptop doesn’t work.

And so, a combination of birthday and Christmas gifts has arrived. An HP Victus laptop with souped up memory and hard drive. I now have more RAMs than a particularly successful sheep farmer, and a super smart, brand new edition graphics card and processor which should see me through (at least) the next 8 years.

Of course, once all set up, there was still the acid test: could it AI denoise a photo on which the old one had failed? It’s clearly a complicated and demanding process, and so I warned the assembled crowd (two people and beagle) that once I clicked the button, it would probably say about 10 minutes, but if it did it in 10 minutes, that was a win.

We all held our breath, and I clicked the button.

9 seconds.

Done.

Nine seconds.

Oh my. This is going to be an absolute game changer for photo editing.

AI DENOISE ALL THE THINGS!

Happy Day

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Whatever you’re doing today, have a nice day.

We’re looking forward to a big lunch with friends and family, and I have potatoes to peel. And infamous Yorkshire puddings to make.

So please, enjoy your day. I plan to enjoy mine.

Saturday – the Day of Rest

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I dunno. I was never really that into the Old Testament. But surely any genuinely omnipotent deity would have got all the stuff done ASAP and given Himself the whole weekend off.

I’m not claiming to be either omnipotent or a deity, but I worked hard yesterday and this morning for the opportunity of a quiet afternoon in front of the football before the hectic festive season kicks off again tomorrow.

Sadly, a combination of a very dull West Ham game and a horrific new animated ad constantly in the corner of the Newcastle game have made it a bit frustrating thus far, but I’m thinking that a gammon sandwich (yes, with lashings of English mustard) and a beer in front of Liverpool v Arsenal might make everything better.

Always my hardest, just not my longest

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Eish. Suddenly that title looks very dodgy. But please bear with me.

I’m not feeling 100% today. Bit snotty. Bit stiff and sore. Bit under the weather.
Nothing too bad. Really no biggie. Maybe 75%. Just not 100%.

And there’s football tonight, which could honestly have come on a much better day. But one needs a very good reason for dropping out of the squad on the day: a big fire, a war, actual death or some such. Certainly not “feeling a bit meh”.
Also, it’s the last game of the year, and so I was totally ready to make the effort. And, after all, with rolling subs, one can roll off more than one rolls on, and use your reduced energy, sensibly and effectively. On days when others haven’t been feeling their best, I’ve stepped up and done more than my share of running. So tonight, I will play my hardest (of course), but maybe just not my longest.

All was good, and I was at peace with my decision.

And then I looked at the squad. My fok, Maralize: Ke Dezemba has taken its toll. There are 5 of us.
No rolling subs. No subs of any kind, in fact. Just 40 minutes of hard slog against a younger, fitter team.

Ah Jesus.
This calls for pre-emptive anti-inflammatories and a quick change of mindset.

Both of which will absolutely happen, and there will be nothing short of 100% effort on my part.

But tomorrow (or possibly even later tonight) is going to bring a World Of Pain™.

I’m ready.

Mistakes were made…

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One of the lovely things about being down in Agulhas is the chance to reconnect with a bit of nature. Especially without the constant concern of being mugged.

And so last night, I planned a run for this morning. A run in all of the nature.

But then there was a win, and a braai, and there was food and drink, and a bit of a late night. And by the time I got out of bed this morning, it was a bit late to start running. It is, after all, rather summery here.

Still, I went and did it anyway. And I’ll be honest: it wasn’t great. Hot, windy, burning sun, some very challenging, unforgiving and technical terrain on the Agulhas Escarpment near the Southernmost Point.
And yes: all of that braai stuff from last night.

Still, there were positives. I did get out there and do it. I appear to have survived, and, at the halfway point, there was the opportunity for a few minutes pause looking down on a Black Harrier hunting over the fynbos below.

Reconnection complete.

Tonight, we do it all again, but I think it’s unlikely that there will be a repeat of this morning’s efforts tomorrow. Still, you never say never.