From me to me

Gifts to self?

I'm a bit on the cheap side when it comes to technology.  I only replace things when they break.  I've been limping along with a printer that was on its last legs for a couple of years, and it's almost tax time again, which means I shall need to be printing for reals.

I took advantage of the functional need to also upgrade the tech so that this printer is on my home network, and I can print to it from any device, anywhere in the house.  It's not tied down to a single computer by a cable!

It arrived Wednesday and I set it up using my phone, then set up the computer to "see" it, too.  Ahhh... now maybe I'll write some Christmas letter responses!  Just a couple.  

I tried it today (Thursday) and had to jump some hoops to get it to print from the computer, but it did a fine job, and I now have an "annual update" letter on its way to a friend I collected at my very first corporate job, back in the 1970's.  We still exchange snail mail letters at holiday time.  She's the one who taught me how to make lasagne, back when I was young!  She was young then, too, but she was of Italian heritage so she learned that among her base cooking skills!

Another gift from me to me was that the donation to my university's alumni association that came with socks, and what's a Christmas without socks?

Year to year comparison

Do your tracking apps send you "Year in Review" e-mails?  Mine does, and it told me that I averaged 7537 steps per day during 2021.  I'm cool with that, based on studies related to health versus steps that show among old-er folks (average age of participants was 72), 4500 steps was enough to show improvements in health, and the positive impact increased with additional steps, topping out at 7500 steps a day.  Above that, there was not any additional health benefit.

Year end weight was about the same as the first weigh in of the year, so it was a "maintenance" year.  While I'd like to do a little better in that regard, I'll take maintenance!

Weathering the weather

Kid sis Ace and I survived our "acclimating" walk in yesterday's cold temperatures.  Today it has bounced back up again, pushing the 40℉ mark for a high, which is in fact "seasonal" for Nebraska.  But tonight it's going to plunge again, and overnight Friday to Saturday they are telling us to brace for snow.  Brrr!  Perfect time for a major snow storm, starting at midnight, New Year's eve?

Hopefully that's not the whole country, just my own neck of the woods, and at this point, we'll just have to be prepared.  The neighbor across the street was just test starting his snow blower when I walked out to get the mail.  If the storm track decides not to come here, I'll be happy.  But looking at the models, I'm likely going to have my "workout sponsored by Mother Nature" over the weekend.

The Pep Talk

All that said, let us live the days we are given, one at a time.  This is the only Thursday, December 30, 2021 we'll ever get.  Whatever we choose to do, may it meet our expectations of "enough".  And may we all rest well tonight, having done just that.

Life is Good.  Spark on!  💖✨🔥