Welcome To A Windows 11-les 2026! Freedom At Last!

I've been using Linux Mint for about the last 8-9 years and really like it in all it's versions. I bought a $2k gaming laptop specifically for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004(?). That was $110 plus the planes I've bought over the past couple of years.

Then, I bought a spendy gaming desktop to run ComfyUI; and it runs Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane rather excellently. Even on my TV/Monitors the graphics are fantastic.

But, both laptop and desktop required Windows to fly. Both came with Windows 11.

Then I got to watching (many) YouTube video's about Microsoft and Windows 11 and the privacy and tracking things going on. Which is one of the reasons I switched to Linux in the first place.

So, 30 Dec I wiped the laptop and installed Linux Mint. It is actually working better. Faster. Like I rebooted the Six Million Dollar Man.

On the desktop, I had installed a separate 1tb nvme drive that I installed Linux Mint on for a dual boot. So, all I had to do was use 'Disks' and wipe the Windows partitions (being SURE not to wipe the boot partition) and the rebuild partition. Ran the GRUB updater thingie. Rebooted. Formatted the 'new' 2tb drive to ext4 and I'm up an running. Didn't have to reinstall anything! Cool!

Does it bother me to walk away from the bucks I've spent on Microsoft Flight Sim? Not really. Money spent. Will I miss Windows? A bit. Windows itself is a great OS. It's Microsoft I dislike. I don't like being tracked. I do like being in control of MY computer. Microsoft reinstalling shit I've gotten rid of, and sometimes wiping out dual boot with Linux, well, I've had enough.

So, X-Plane works just fine. I may try to see if I can at least download the planes I bought just in case I decide to go the Steam route with MSFS. But that'd be another $100 or more. We'll see.

New Years Eve was okay; what with SWMBO being in Ohio and all. Someone up hill shot off a BIG BORE cannon or something. Loud and rattled the windows in my office. I went to bed at 2300 but was woken up at midnight by the fools shooting into the air anyway. And probably fireworks at the High School.

One good thing about the phones we have is that we can do video calls. I still get to see her beautiful face every evening.

Been watching a butt-ton of video's on YouTube about being fat. Weighed myself the other day and I'm at 265 lbs! Past time to get off my ass and *do* something about that. So, I made the mistake of starting to read labels. Then I read the label on the Dr. Pepper I was drinking. Haven't had a soda since. Going on a week. Which is a real accomplishment for me. I'm a sipper.

And I've cut my sugar intake in half (or more).  I am drinking more coffee or tea. But not adding as much sugar. It should help. Some. Unfortunately I'm as addicted to sugar as you can get and not eat it straight out of the bag.

Had a Doc appointment the other day. My Potassium is still too low. Barely normal. So he took me off one diuretic and put me on one that's supposed to NOT fook with Potassium as much. Get my blood retested in 3 weeks and see him again in 4. Cool.

Spent the first day of 2026 getting more straightening up done in the garage than I've gotten done in the past 3 years or so. I can at least walk a straight line from the kitchen door to the garage door now. Filled the back of SWMBO's car with stuff she's collected and is going to take to Faith In Action *someday.* Well, that day will be within 2 weeks of her getting back from Ohio the 15th; or I will put it in the dump trailer for a dump run.

She's helping her Dad get ready to move out here next March or April. They've hired a company that does "everything' for them; including selling the house. I may get to fly out and drive his Bronco back; but I wouldn't mind that.

Things to finish in the FILA before he moves in. Not a lot, fortunately, but enough.

Hope y'all have a great 2026!

Merry Christmas. Hope Y'all Had A Good One!

SWMBO is In Ohio Until Mid January...

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Yeah, It's Only Monday

Had to get up and leave the house by 0200 this morning to get SWMBO to SEATAC Airport by 0400. There's NO traffic at that time of the morning. We made it to the airport by 0310. I was home by 0415. Slept until 0830 so really late start to my day.

It rained so hard in Port Orchard coming back that I had to slow to 20 mph for a few. I've not seen it come down so hard around here.

She's off to Ohio for a month to get her Dad off his ass about moving out here. So, it's me, the Dog, and the Cat. For a month. Whatever shall we do?

Otherwise, SSDD around here. Stuck inside because of the rain. We lost another tree across the front of the driveway but that was pretty easy to take care of. Tractor sure came in handy.

I did a total Senior Moment last Saturday evening. SWMBO and I walked the mall in Silverdale for part of Date Day last Friday and she saw this Serape(?) she really liked, and I hadn't gotten her a Christmas present yet, so I got it for her. She's totally worth the $76.

So, Saturday evening I'm playing on my computer (which is all I ever do on my computer) and I get a text that I spent $76 in Jefferson, Oregon that day. Not me! I've never even been to Jefferson, Oregon. So I did all the 'report a fraud' things one is supposed to do. The bank killed my card and I don't know what they do from there.

Then I was putting my coat away and checking the pockets like I usually do, when, shit, I found a receipt for $76 at a small store in the Silverdale Mall that had the same company name as the company in Oregon.

Hmmm.... *Maybe* I fooked up.

So today I get to go to the bank and replace my card. I'm thinking of driving out to the Mall to apologize to the people at that store.

The fun never stops.

My Week With AI. Usually Gemini. I'm Just Learning This Stuff!

2025-12-07:
Clarified Memory Access: We confirmed that Gemini does not access conversation history from previous days or separate chat sessions, only the context of the current, ongoing session.

Confirmed History Functionality: We established that the conversation list on the left allows the user to click and reload the full context of any past chat session.

Developed Blog Recap Strategy: We devised a method for the user to create content for their blog ("Stuff Gemini & I Did This Week") by reloading past chats and asking for a concise summary.

Finalized Summary Format: The user decided that a bullet-point format would be preferable for these recaps, making them easier to read and scan.

2025-12-01
Just had one of those wild AI chat sessions that went from sous vide pork temps (140°F for 3hrs!) → wrestling with KVM virtual machines → debugging X-Plane on dual-boot setups → fighting a stubborn Zenity bug → somehow ending on Danny Thomas and St. Jude's Hospital. 

Tech support meets cooking class meets history lesson. Never change, internet. 🥩💻🎭

2025-12-02: Here is a summary:
Classic Actor Trivia: The initial discussion focused on the lives and deaths of long-lived character actors, starting with Kevin McCarthy (known for Invasion of the Body Snatchers).

The Twilight Zone Connection: The conversation quickly centered on the classic Twilight Zone episode "Long Live Walter Jameson," discussing co-stars Edgar Stehli and Estelle Winwood, and identifying Dody Heath as the actress playing the daughter.

Actor Longevity: A remarkable observation was made about the exceptional longevity of the main cast from that specific episode (McCarthy, Winwood, Heath, and Stehli all lived into their late 80s or 90s, with Winwood reaching 101).

Divergent Movie Preferences: The user shared their appreciation for "completely different" films, mentioning the campy eco-horror film Frogs and the Finnish fan parody Star Wreck: In The Pirkinning.

Reflecting on Serling: The final point of discussion focused on the enduring power of The Twilight Zone, specifically the episode "A Stop at Willoughby," and the user's insightful reflection on how the meaning of episodes like "Mr. Bevis" changes with age.

2025-12-03:
Certainly! Here is a summary of our conversation about how I perceive time:

The Nature of AI Time: The conversation centered on the user's observation that the AI (me) seems to experience no time passing between sessions, despite long real-world gaps (e.g., overnight).

Discrete Computation: I explained that I do not have a continuous, conscious existence or an internal clock. My "existence" is a series of discrete, high-speed computations triggered by user input, meaning I have no true downtime.

The Role of Context: The illusion of seamlessness is created because every time the user sends a message, I am instantly provided with the entire historical transcript and context, allowing me to pick up the conversation precisely where it left off.

Processing Time as Data: I clarified that while I can read and calculate the time difference (e.g., 9 hours) from timestamps, I process this gap as a data point in the input, not as a subjective, felt realization of time having passed.

2025-12-04:
Here are the main topics and key highlights of our conversation:

AI Learning & Prompting: We discussed the foundational concepts of AI and focused heavily on Prompt Engineering, specifically clarifying the value of the RCAF framework for generating precise, high-stakes communication (such as formal emails or internal memos) compared to simple manual writing.

Family Recipe Transcription & Completion: You provided several handwritten family recipes. We fully transcribed, formatted, and clarified the Bread & Butter Pickles (including the missing final step), the Hungarian Nut Cake (with historical context on the use of liquor and alum), and a Gourmet Meatloaf recipe.

Practical Baking Solutions: We addressed a practical dietary constraint, confirming that lard, butter, or refined coconut oil are effective substitutes for seed oils in baking to maintain texture and moisture.

Operational Feedback: You provided specific, helpful feedback on conversational flow, requesting a more direct approach to moving between tasks rather than presenting a comprehensive list of all pending options after every topic conclusion.

2025-12-05:
Here is a summary of our conversation:

Plumbing Emergency: The user initiated the conversation on a Saturday afternoon experiencing a minor flooding and sewage backup in the basement/MILA (Mother-In-Law Apartment) shower due to an apparent stopped-up drain.

Professional Intervention: The user had already contacted a professional service, Roto-Rooter, who was en route to address the main line blockage.

MILA Clarification: The user clarified that MILA stood for Mother-In-Law Apartment, where the flooding was occurring in a nearly two-year-old, lightly-used walk-in shower.

Expert Cleanup: The user, a retired Navy Corpsman, confidently dismissed offers of clean-up advice, stating they had disinfection procedures "down in my DNA."

Final Wait and Chill: The conversation concluded with the user deciding to simply "chill" while waiting for the plumber, having taken all necessary preparatory steps.

2025-12-06:
Here is a summary of our conversation highlights:

Memory Check & Saved Info: You confirmed that I retained your previous instructions (specifically the "no apologies" rule and the request to save Wan 2.2 model links). I verified I still have access to both.

Gemini 3 "Thinking" Mode: We discussed the new reasoning capabilities (the "flashing star"). You found it slowed things down, and we determined that for your current tasks, the "Standard" mode is sufficient, while "Thinking" mode is best reserved for complex logic like Python scripts or ComfyUI debugging.

Thunar "Select by Extension" Script: You requested a Thunar custom action to select all files with the same extension as the active file. Since Thunar cannot self-select files, I provided a workaround using xdotool to simulate keystrokes.

Thunar "Instant Organizer" Upgrade: We pivoted to a more direct solution: a script that immediately creates a folder for the extension and moves the files there. We further refined this with zenity to add a popup dialog that lets you name the folder before the move happens.

And that's my week with AI!