the iMentor

Hints & rants

This weB-LOG is about the musing of a technical consultant. It is the iMentor's thoughts on technology and the human condition.

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Author: Rick Thues

Fly In

June 11, 2024 Uncategorized 3 Comments
Episode #802 June 15, 2024 I live in a mountain valley just west of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians nation.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOzEeJZ92X8 The Cahuilla have lived in this valley for 5000 years, since they migrated south to North America with the Shoshone tribes. From my house on the western ridge of the valley I can see Cahuilla land as far northeast, east and southeast as the eye can see.  To my south, the valley is bordered by the Palomar mountain range dotted with the white dome of Palomar Observatory. The southeast valley boundary are the Beauty Mountains....
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Water Weather Rain

June 6, 2024 Uncategorized 1 Comment
Episode #801 June 8, 2024 I used to talk to my best friend Pat about where to retire. We were both looking to buy our last house.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeDylD8dV7U Pat argued that due to global warming, southern California will succumb to drought. He believed that the water would run out. He focused his search on northern California, Oregon and Washington. I have lived in SoCal all my life and did not want to leave.  Heeding his warning, Paula and I searched as far north as Bend, Oregon and as far east as Colorado. Most of these places were too remote...
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Dream a Little Dream

May 29, 2024 Uncategorized 1 Comment
Episode #800 June 1, 2024 When I was in school or working at a job, my dreams would not resolve themselves. A dream's loose end would loop back to my job or my classes ending in another loose end.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk After I had already graduated from college I had a recurring dream where I forgot where my university classes were. I was late to classes or never made it at all. One by one I failed my classes until I did not have enough credits to advance. I was doomed to return to the same grade night after night....
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I Fell For It

May 21, 2024 Uncategorized 9 Comments
Episode #799 May 25, 2024 The Post Office lost my Notre Dame University class ring. I mailed it to Balfour (the manufacturer) to be resized.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IU1ZdDfXTY Four days after mailing my ring the tracking stalled. Eight days later I reported the problem to the USPS. I heard nothing from the Postal Service for 10 days until they sent me an email survey asking what I thought of their service regarding my tracking number and claim. Since my ring was still missing, my review was not stellar. About that time I was expecting another unrelated package via USPS which was...
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Eclipsed

May 14, 2024 Uncategorized No Comments
    Episode #798 May 18, 2024     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i26VeJ49QsE 1,400 miles in four days.  Eight miles to the gallon.  Fifty cents a mile.  Aguanga to Cleburne. A dead line of interstate beckons, beckons, beckons, beckons. Tucson, El Paso, Abilene electrified gravel parking lots. Winslow, Cussler, Twain explaining everything. Arrival, rest, anticipation. Patience, as nature takes its course. Moon takes bigger, bigger bites, spitting out shadows of darkness. Chill loiters over dry Texas heat. Friends and strangers wait. Flash of green refraction. Three minute forty second synchronous alignment. Midnight noon. Lunar corona. Corona in hand. Two planets illuminate the day....
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Ricki T Thues Retired

May 6, 2024 Uncategorized 5 Comments
Episode #797 May 11, 2024 My plan in high school is to retire at age 40. Looking forward to such an age seems reasonably distant to my teenage mind.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc1faEHF01Q   It is 1993 and I am 40 years old. The European Union is created this year. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is appointed to the Supreme Court, the first humans are cloned, Frank Zappa dies and I am at the height of my trade show exhibit career. I am not motivated to retire. Life is pretty good. In 2001 GFB, the company I have worked at for nearly 20 years,...
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