| Dreamwidth |
[Jul. 2nd, 2022|09:38 pm]
Bychoice
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I have been hesitant to move over entirely to Dreamwidth, since I have a lifetime paid account with LJ. However, fuck it. LJ is being fussy about allowing cross posting from Dreamwidth, and I feel like I don't want to post, because then I have to duplicate effort. So, I'm moving over to Dreamwidth.
https://lillilah.dreamwidth.org/ |
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| Still. No. News. |
[Jun. 28th, 2022|08:55 pm]
Bychoice
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Yep, we're still waiting for word from the Portuguese immigration people. Nothing much else is going on. I vacuumed and cleaned the filters. I've been reading and listened to some podcasts. Yep. |
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| Not much news |
[Jun. 17th, 2022|07:56 pm]
Bychoice
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We've been waiting for news on our visas, but so far, we haven't heard anything. I emailed our immigration consultant, and she said that it is taking more like four weeks right now, instead of three. We're going to wait until it has been four weeks (next Tuesday), and then we'll email Portuguese consular services to check to make sure that we didn't miss their email.
In other news, I tried out shirataki noodles, which my brother in law recommended. They are basically just fiber. No caloric value, I think, at all. The benefit of them being just fiber is that I can eat them, because they won't raise my blood sugar. Of course, if you are looking for something with flavor, you are out of luck, as they don't have any. However, if you want something that is like a noodle but you can't eat any grains, then this is pretty good. I didn't have any unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects, so that was totally a win. I'm not going to eat tons of them, as they are expensive. However, they make a nice treat. On the flip side, I tried pigeon peas, and they were neither tasty nor without gastrointestinal side effects. So, I won't eat any more of those.
Lastly, I set up the NAS (network storage), and it seems pretty good. The assembly wasn't bad, although I prefer the hard drive bays that don't use screws. The configuration took a while, but it wasn't hard at all. Now, I have the thing copying data from an external drive. I can access the files from a PC and from my phone using an app, which is pretty nice. Supposedly, I would be able to access the files from anywhere. So, yeah, that's pretty good. I'll disassemble it to get it back to Portugal, but for now, it is nice to have easy access to those files.
I had thought about running a Minecraft server on my NAS, but my new plan is that I will run it on my home computer once the new Lord of the Rings mod comes out. There hasn't been any work done on the mod (as far as we know) since Russia attacked Ukraine, though, so who knows if it will ever come out. If it does, it would be great to play with our friends (where this means that I will build elaborate underground lairs and then give tours). |
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| Anxiety |
[Jun. 8th, 2022|10:03 pm]
Bychoice
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Not much going on here. I have a lot of anxiety right now, so every day is a roller coaster of emotions. I'm trying to tone it down, but I'm getting to the point where I would really like to go home. * sigh * |
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| Ideas |
[Jun. 5th, 2022|09:15 pm]
Bychoice
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I've starting coming up with ideas for things I'd like to do, which is nice, as I've been kind of focused on just forging ahead recently. Yesterday, I wondered if I should try making a Minecraft mod to add some kind of plot to the game, which would add a bit more excitement (for me). There seems to be at least one mod to make quests, so probably I could use that (or maybe build on it?). If you string together quests with some reason why you go from one to the next, it can make plot. I'll have to see if I can make it work.
Today, I wondered if I could make a program to dynamically generate images of braided rugs based on parameters given by the user (like colors). I have come up with the way to make one section of a braid as an SVG image in HTML. Now, I just need to make one for the other side, make sure they fit, and work on generating a braid (using PHP to make the HTML). I'll probably make some effort to give the braid some shading to add 3D qualities to the image. Then, I'll form it into the proper shape (probably with math). |
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| Book and Teeth |
[Jun. 3rd, 2022|09:44 pm]
Bychoice
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We had our second Pfizer Covid vaccinations yesterday, so we both slept poorly last night. Then, today, I went to have my temporary crown put on. I had wanted to leave it like this and get the rest of the work done in Portugal, but the dentist insisted that no dentist would just put on a temporary for me. Anyway, I survived that. It was very loud having the tooth ground down. I spent the rest of the day feeling not so well, so I sat in bed and read.
Because I sat in bed and read, I was able to finish reading "Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat" by James R. Mcdonough. It was a good, straightforward book about the author's experiences as a lieutenant in Vietnam. I've read stories of the Vietnam war that were overwhelming and visceral. This was much more about leadership, and thus very useful for my writing. I kind of wonder if the people who wrote the Mass Effect games read it. |
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| Ticks, teeth, and tears |
[Jun. 1st, 2022|10:06 pm]
Bychoice
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We're doing okay, but not surprisingly I'm feeling the stress of a long time away from home combined with the stress of waiting on something that is very important. At the moment, I'm not too upset, but there have been a lot of teary feelings. I've also been having trouble with my knees buckling and speaking. However, if I make a conscious effort to relax myself, I'm better able to communicate after I have gotten to the point where I can't speak. That is nice. Of course, I'll be fine, but I am ready to be done with this.
In other news, I dug up a bunch of old photos and am scanning them. I scanned many of them years ago, but back then, 1MB was a huge commitment of space. So, all my old scans are really poor quality, which is depressing when you have a photo that you want to use in a 1920x1080px background. So, anyway, I'm enjoying (somewhat) going back over them again. I don't always enjoy the old photos, but I really enjoy putting things in order, so sorting them and figuring out when they were taken is very satisfying.
In icky news, we've found ticks in our bedroom twice now. One was on the floor, and one was on my pillow. Ick! Of course, I know only what they told us in like 8th grade, which left me with the impression that all ticks will immediately give you Lyme disease. Apparently, that isn't accurate.
Today, I had my second (and last) visit to the root canal specialist, so my tooth is a bit sore. I'll go see the dentist on Saturday to get a temporary crown. We had considered getting the crown done here, but I think that is just going to cause a lot of unnecessary stress, since the dentist is very busy and hard to get an appointment with. I'll just do it once I'm in Portugal, along with all the other dental work I need done. Obviously, I'm not excited about it, but it needs to be done. Also, tomorrow, we'll hopefully get our second Pfizer Covid vaccination shots. I'm looking forward to that being done too. |
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| Memory Lane |
[May. 28th, 2022|10:03 pm]
Bychoice
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One of the good things about visiting family is that I can work on cleaning up all the stuff I have stored with them. I have boxes of paperwork from twenty years ago, tons of old photos, old writing projects, and a zillion recipes. Much of it is completely useless, so I have started looking through it to get rid of the stuff I don't need. Also, I'd really like to scan in the stuff that actually matters to me. Even if I only manage to scan in a few photos and recycle all the old recipes (since I can't eat any of that), it will be a big improvement. Honestly, though, I'm super glad to find some of the photos, because back in the day, I scanned everything to be like 400x600px or something like that. I'd really like some of those photos to be less crappy, so I plan on scanning them all again. It will take forever, but I'm really looking forward to having those images. Oh, or I could pay someone to scan all those photos. It looks like there is a service that will do it for relatively cheap. Awesome! |
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| All is well |
[May. 26th, 2022|08:52 pm]
Bychoice
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Very little new, which is just fine. I'm playing a new otome (romance game) called Gilded Shadows. I'm really pleased so far with all the work that the author put into it. Generally, I like the graphics, but the story is really the best part. So far, each romance route is _completely_ different and quite long, which means that the author really put in a ton of time on this. It is expensive, but I am definitely getting my money's worth. I played a lot of the demo, so I was a bit nervous about when the game came out, if it ever did. This is mainly because I've seen a lot of games either never make it to completion or else finish up in the weakest possible way. (Also, after a while, I feel like I have a bit of a sense of who these writers are, and for one decided that even though she wrote well, I couldn't continue reading her work, because she seemed like a bitch (and really gave minimal effort in the ending of one long piece).) Like fanfic, there is a huge amount of work involved, and some people just can't muster the energy to get all the way through. Anyway, this one is great and quite varied, so I'm really enjoying it.
Next week will be full of medical and dental work. Not my most favorite thing, but it needs to be done. I'm definitely starting to be ready to head back to Portugal. However, there is more waiting to be done. Luckily, I can sew, read books, and play video games while we wait. |
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| Another calm day/ braided rug |
[May. 23rd, 2022|10:38 pm]
Bychoice
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Today, we went fabric shopping. Another calm day, which is great. As I may have mentioned previously, we would like to make one of our rooms (because we have so many!) into a "tavern". To that end, I'm going to make a braided rug. We have different ideas about how to do that, but ultimately, thanks to some crayons, the internet, and a bunch of embroidery floss, we've come up with a good compromise. There was a time when this kind of problem would have caused a fight, but we've become a lot better at communicating over the years. In part, because we've realized that our goals in communication are very different: I want to be understood and come to consensus, and he wants to get to the end point. There is no "right way", of course. We are just different. So, anyway, our rug will have three shades of red, blue, and green and two shades of gray. When I asked at JoAnn's about tools to help with the rug, the poor salesperson had no idea what I was talking about. However, I remembered from a craft catalogue that I used to order stuff from 30 years ago that there were tools to help make the process easier, and ultimately, it seems that I was correct. I've ordered some metal tools that help fold the fabric so that the rough edges are hidden, another tool that helps you lace the various strands of braid together, a book of instructions for using these (written in 1946), and some linen cord for the actual lacing. They suggest making something really simple, like a chair pad, first, so I'll do that. The area next to the bed where I put my feet when I get up is small and could definitely use a small rug. I'll just have to keep it really clean so that it doesn't cause problems with my allergies. Because there is no way I'm going to use wool for this, I'm going to make the rugs out of cotton canvas, I think. We'll see if it works. |
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| Good and not great |
[May. 22nd, 2022|08:05 pm]
Bychoice
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Today, I saw a hummingbird. That was awesome! Also, I ate tasty food and hung out with family. And I may have found a kind of noodles that I can eat.
On the down side (maybe), I'm feeling a lot more tired and confused. This may be bad, or it may be what is supposed to happen. My psychologist and I have been expecting that I would run out of energy soon, and this may be it. That's fine. We all know I'm sick. It would be bad if my body kept trying to go at full speed, since that just causes health problems for me. So, I'm walking slower, trying to avoid making a lot of decisions, and focusing on doing the best I can to take care of myself. |
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| Relaxing |
[May. 21st, 2022|08:31 pm]
Bychoice
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Today was a more or less relaxed day. I am anxious about the applications, but there isn't much I can do about that. Mom has some plans to go to various parks in the area with us. We're pretty happy about that. |
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| Sent! |
[May. 20th, 2022|10:19 pm]
Bychoice
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Yesterday, one relative who we are living with got in a car accident. Another relative was sick. However, we needed to get papers notarized, so between doctors and tow trucks, someone took us to get a bunch of different pages for the Portuguese visa applications notarized at the UPS store. The big files wouldn't print. We went home and tried to figure out what was wrong. Everything seemed fine. We went back to the UPS store with the files on a flash drive. They still wouldn't print. My mom had said that there was something in one of the Adobe programs that caused problems with PDFs for her, so finally, I suggested that the nice man helping us try using a different program to print them. That worked. Phew! So, we got the papers notarized.
From there, we went home, organized all our paperwork, talked with our immigration consultant, and realized that while we had one set of money orders, we actually need two, because we aren't one person. So, we resolved to go back and do that today. I printed out the instructions we needed, so that I could be sure that I had the right info.
We went out this morning with everything packaged up and ready to send out once we got the money orders. The lady at the post office was very nice, and we got them. Then, I went over to a table to write the payee on them, but I discovered that one of the money orders in the new set was for a different amount than the corresponding one in the previous set. I had gotten the previous set's numbers from an email from our immigration consultant, and this set's amounts were from the instructions I had printed out. Not knowing which ones were correct, we couldn't send the paperwork out, so we went home. I emailed our consultant and eventually got an answer (the instructions had the wrong amount), so back we went to the post office, got a new money order, and then finally headed back to the UPS store to send out the applications. Happily, that went smoothly.
Do I feel better that the applications have been sent? Yes. However, until we actually get the visas, I'm going to worry that something will go wrong. |
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| Almost There! |
[May. 17th, 2022|09:53 pm]
Bychoice
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Yesterday, I think I had a migraine. In recent years (probably before that too, but I can't remember clearly), I have had throbbing, multi-day headaches on one side of my head that made me feel nauseous, which are associated with my hormonal cycle. It turns out that these may be migraines. Surprise! Yesterday, I spent most of the day in a dark room hoping to not throw up. Today, the headache is just a little twinge, which isn't so bad.
Today, we got the money orders with which we will pay for the visa processing. We are nearly ready to send everything out. I am very anxious.
Tomorrow morning, I'm going to have a filling that is coming apart fixed. I need a lot more anesthetic (at least for my teeth) than is apparently common, which makes going to the dentist extra stressful, since there is either drilling when I'm not actually numb or unpleasant sitting and waiting while the anesthetic doesn't kick in.
So, needless to say, I'm not the most chill person in the world at the moment. However, hopefully, all will be worked out by the end of the week. |
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| A Quick Visit |
[May. 15th, 2022|09:40 pm]
Bychoice
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We visited New Jersey briefly yesterday and saw my aunt and uncle (siblings not married). My uncle is one of the coolest people when he is in a good mood, and he was in a good mood. I just love talking to him when he is like that. It was fantastic! It wasn't a long trip, but it is always nice to visit the town where I spent my teenage years. |
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| Sick and Shoes |
[May. 13th, 2022|09:02 pm]
Bychoice
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We spent the night feeling awful after the Pfizer Covid vaccine. The Russian vaccine didn't leave us feeling so sick, so this was a big surprise. We are mostly recovered, though. In other news, my mom took us to REI, so now I have summer shoes! I got two pairs of sandals (including this lovely rainbow pair) and a pair of very lightweight summer hiking boots. Yay!! I've also been spending a lot of time looking at banks. I think we'll go with Charles Schwab in the US, as they don't have fees for using their debit card overseas. I'm still working on the Portuguese banks, though. Their websites are mostly in Portuguese, and most seem to have fees. So, I'm not super happy about them. |
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| Progress |
[May. 12th, 2022|07:04 pm]
Bychoice
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We got our FBI background checks done, and we aren't criminals. Yay! Also, today, we got the first of our Covid shots. Yay! So, progress has been made. |
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| Negative! |
[May. 9th, 2022|05:01 pm]
Bychoice
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Our Covid tests are negative! We also got enough dealt with at the bank that we are all set to go. Phew! |
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| Not much |
[May. 7th, 2022|10:14 pm]
Bychoice
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Today was pretty calm. Ran some errands. Did laundry. Thought about etching glass with a Dremel. Worked out plans for getting vaccinated and fingerprinted in the US. |
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| Still working on the bank |
[May. 6th, 2022|10:29 pm]
Bychoice
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This morning, we went to the bank, and while we got our contact information changed, we didn't manage to get access to online banking. So, we'll try again on Monday. I'm starting to feel more prepared for going to the US, which is good. The first flight is only 8 hours, which isn't too bad. Hopefully, I'll manage to bring enough food that I'll be fine. |
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| More Little Stuff |
[May. 5th, 2022|10:24 pm]
Bychoice
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We started the day by talking to our immigration consultant. After that, I spent most of my time trying to deal with all the little things that need to be done. As yesterday, I got a bunch of items crossed off the list. I also got more information from the bank, but it wasn't what I needed, so I tried another way. That almost worked, but the human who I had to talk to at the end of it didn't speak English, and while he said someone would call me back, no one did. Part of the problem is probably that the bank still has our old phone numbers. I tried to get those changed but got no response. I'll try going to the bank and seeing if I can get this resolved there. We only have tomorrow and Monday to get this done, so I hope we can work it out. |
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| Some Stuff |
[May. 4th, 2022|10:43 pm]
Bychoice
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Today was one of those days when I dealt with a whole bunch of little things, most of which hadn't made it onto my main list of things to do. It felt like I was both overwhelmed and like I didn't get anything done, although I did actually manage to do a lot of stuff. We have insurance now for the trip to the US, the bank has been hassled to give us our log in information, I ordered some things I need for a few different projects, etc. So, we're closer to being ready. Now, bed. |
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| Crossing Items Off The List |
[May. 3rd, 2022|11:01 pm]
Bychoice
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Now that we know when we're heading to the US, there is a lot to be done, so a lot of what I'm doing is making lists and trying to cross things off them. Today, we went to the flea market and picked up some more silverware, a pair of pants for Joel, a mug, and a jar. We also visited a couple of churches, which was nice. It is fun to get to know Lisbon. Not too much else going on. I'm fighting with my bank trying to send a wire transfer. Ordering stuff that we will need or pick up in the US. On the flip side, I'm looking forward to seeing my family and hopefully making some progress on getting our visas.
In more mundane news, it only took a few days of using a normal mouse with my right hand for my arm to start hurting. I'm going to order a trackball soon, so that I can get my setup working better. |
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| Bank Account!!! |
[May. 2nd, 2022|10:53 pm]
Bychoice
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We have a bank account! That means that it is time to go to the US. Cue much running around. Happily, we have a little while before we head there, so we have time to get everything organized (hopefully). |
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| Depressed |
[May. 1st, 2022|11:21 pm]
Bychoice
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Today, I felt crappy and tired. After having a nice, relaxing day yesterday, I wonder if this is the come-down after two (or more) months of constant anxiety about our situation. I'll be fine, but I'm not at my best today. |
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| Mostly Relaxing |
[Apr. 30th, 2022|10:49 pm]
Bychoice
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Today, I just stayed home, did a few chores, talked to my mom on Skype, and relaxed. It was great! I also came up with an idea for getting some of our stuff back. We'll see if it works. |
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| Unexpected Emotionality |
[Apr. 29th, 2022|11:19 pm]
Bychoice
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Today, as planned, I went to the art supply store. I was excited about going, as I have a lot of stuff I want to make, so I need supplies. I took the bus into the center, walked around a little, and finally found the store. It took about 5 minutes before I felt like I was going to cry. I can't exactly tell you what the problem was. I hate spending money, and art supplies are expensive. However, art supplies generally get used up, so even if I get my old supplies back from Russia, it isn't like this is a terrible waste. I can go through acrylic paint pretty fast, especially if I'm working on a big project. I think it is more that I want my favorite paint brush and my sparkly blue paint. As we get our apartment here more in order, I think I'm missing the stuff that was in our Russian apartment more. Obviously, I'll be okay. Perhaps, this is just the reality of the change hitting home. |
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| A nice improvement |
[Apr. 28th, 2022|11:39 pm]
Bychoice
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Nothing major happened today. We went to a second-hand store, which turned out to have almost only clothing, and ended up with a wall-hanging. It is one of the ubiquitous elephant with tree of life designs, but it seemed to fit. We have hung it in the bower room, which someday will have a bower I hope, opposite the couch. Tomorrow, I hope to go to the craft supply store or maybe the art supply store... or maybe both! We'll see. |
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| So tired |
[Apr. 27th, 2022|09:26 pm]
Bychoice
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I think it is all the walking that is wearing me out. That's a good thing, of course, although I'm still worn out. I'm slowly settling in with my new computer, getting used to the Portuguese keyboard, and getting programs installed. There are things that I think I should do tomorrow, but I've forgotten what they are. I do remember that on Friday I want to try and go to the art supply store to get some art supplies, so I can make some things like a pencil holder and a little garbage bin for the computer room. Something like progress is being made on getting our paperwork sorted out, and soon we will have renter's insurance. It costs next to nothing, and it is totally worth it (at least to me) to not have to worry that something will happen to our stuff. |
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| Computer!!! |
[Apr. 26th, 2022|11:16 pm]
Bychoice
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This morning, I got a text from the post office that my shipment of gelatin would be delivered before 7pm. Less than an hour later, a delivery guy called. We were able to communicate just enough so that I understood that he was on his way. Five minutes later, he was at the door with not only the 2kg of gelatin but also my computer. I spent most of the day building it, which luckily went well. There are a couple of quirks: I screwed up one section of the back panel, so USB type C plugs won't work (which I don't care about at all); the USB type C plug on the front doesn't work either, I think (still don't care); and I am using a Portuguese keyboard, which is a bit different. Luckily, the Portuguese keyboard isn't as weird as the French keyboard, so I don't think it will be too bad. The main changes are on the keys at the far right, which I can handle. Unfortunately, I ended up having to buy a new Windows 10 key, but honestly, I'd been limping along forever on a Windows 7 key that was upgraded to Windows 10, so it was probably time. |
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| Bites, Banks, and the Routine |
[Apr. 25th, 2022|10:13 pm]
Bychoice
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I've been having trouble with something biting me at night in bed when I'm asleep. At least, I think it is bites. We haven't found anything in the bed (and I am constantly looking) that seems like it could be biting me, except one terrible-looking, maybe dead for days, unidentifiable monster bug that Joel found this morning. Joel has no bites at all, so I suppose it could just be my sensitive skin. Anyway, I just washed the sheets in hot water and hung them in the sun, so maybe that will help.
I got a message today from one of the banks that we are waiting on. They wanted proof that we have valid Schengen zone visas (which Americans don't need), proof that we have an appointment with Portuguese immigration (this appointment only comes after you have the temporary residency visa, which I have told the bank we have not applied for, because we don't have a bank account), and a copy of our lease. I tried to be polite about it, but I'm getting kind of grumpy with the bank. I explained the situation, sent some links, and attached a copy of our lease. Some helpful paperwork has also shown up, so that is probably a step forward.
Today, I did a bunch of laundry, made enough food so that I have leftovers, and went on a walk by myself. It's been forever since I just put on my headphones and went for a walk. I think I last did that in Narva. Hopefully, in a few days, I'll have a computer. While I can't really settle into a routine until we have visas, since we'll head off to the US as soon as we have a bank account, regular house maintenance, regular food production, regular exercise, regular relaxation, and regular productivity are really important to my mental health. Even if I don't have the comfort of knowing that this routine will last for a while, I at least can enjoy it for now. And that's something. |
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| Calm day |
[Apr. 24th, 2022|09:50 pm]
Bychoice
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Today, we went on a walk down to a street fair, which was at least kind of street fair-y. There were a lot of bars and little restaurants, which isn't my thing. However, it was fun to look at the jewelry and just to be out and about. Also on the way home, we passed a field with what looked like either an animal or a statue of an animal in it. It turned out to be a sheep. There were at least two sheep and a goat in there. Amusingly, this was right next to the Hungarian embassy (or maybe the place where the ambassador lives) and in a pretty posh area of town. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the peaceful revolution against the dictatorship. We may or may not go out and watch the celebrations. |
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| Changes |
[Apr. 23rd, 2022|10:29 pm]
Bychoice
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Today, we bought some warmer clothing, like robes, slippers, and sleepwear. It is great! Joel also finished constructing the body of our sideboard, which is a long cabinet that holds plates and linens (often). We talked about how it is one of the first expensive (and it wasn't that expensive) pieces of furniture that we bought. We generally don't buy anything new. Having a bunch of new appliances and furniture is both what I wanted and also a burden. I wanted furniture that is stuff I actually like. However, now if we have to move, we have to move a lot of stuff. * sigh * Also, if we don't get visas, it will make the situation that much worse. |
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| Alright for now |
[Apr. 22nd, 2022|11:03 pm]
Bychoice
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Still no bank account. * sigh * This is a holiday weekend, so no progress can be made on this until Tuesday. Once we get a little bit more of our paperwork cleaned up, we're considering walking around town and seeing if we can get an account.
The apartment is, at the moment, okay. Yesterday, I noticed water on the floor in front of the washing machine. I told the landlord, and he called the repair guy who had recently worked on the water issues. It turns out that the water was leaking from the wall (improperly attached pipes) rather than the washing machine, which is good, as the washing machine is ours, while the wall is the landlord's. So, anyway, that got fixed. While we were out shopping today, I got a call that our oven could be delivered (instead of tomorrow, as originally planned). So, we rushed home to deal with that. On the way home, I got an email from the computer store, that my computer parts won't be delivered until Tuesday or Wednesday. While this is disappointing, it does mean that we have a long weekend with (hopefully) no one coming to the house to do anything. I look forward to it. |
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| Improvements |
[Apr. 20th, 2022|09:31 pm]
Bychoice
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Our apartment is finally shaping up. I think the construction is all done, and now we have a working doorbell, an upgraded electrical panel, a cabinet on the wall to cover the pipes for the gas meter which isn't being used, and hot and cold water running to the things that are supposed to. This is on top of the earlier improvements of a working hot water heater and drain in the shower. We had enough time to go get a vacuum cleaner and pay for the new electric oven/stove (the gas one will be returned). I also met the woman, Helena, who lives in the basement. She was very nice and spoke no English. She also didn't seem to understand how to type on my phone, so the translator was little help. However, I was able to talk to her a tiny tiny bit.
Now that our place is cleaner (thank you, vacuum cleaner) and has more furniture (thank you, Joel), it is starting to feel like a home.
Of course, still no bank account. |
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| I took a shower! |
[Apr. 19th, 2022|09:56 pm]
Bychoice
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Minutes ago, I emerged from a bathroom that does not smell like sewage after having taken a shower with hot water in a stall with a working drain. A miracle! Of course, today we discovered that the hot water is not only hooked up to the wrong taps in the kitchen, but it is also feeding into the dishwasher and washing machine, which are only supposed to get cold (and heat it themselves, I guess). So, we can't use either of those (the tubes aren't rated for such hot water), but at least I could bathe. Still no word about a bank account. Still no working doorbell or stove, but I'm thankful for the shower. |
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| Doing okay |
[Apr. 17th, 2022|11:29 pm]
Bychoice
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I just finished reading "Against A Dark Background" by Iain M. Banks. It was crazy and definitely worth reading. It is late, so I'm off to bed. |
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| Settling In |
[Apr. 16th, 2022|09:55 pm]
Bychoice
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Today, we went over to check out the farmer's market, but it was closed, probably due to Easter. So, instead, we walked down to the water and along it for a while. (I'll post photos someday.) It was lovely, and the weather was good. After that, we came home, and I spent the next five hours trying to buy parts for a computer. I think that everything I chose will work. Hopefully. However, paying for it was weird, so I might have to go into the store to get everything sorted out. We'll see. It is nice that I no longer need to be anywhere near the bleeding edge of tech, as most of the games I play, even ones like Fallout 4, run just fine on older computers. I considered a curved monitor for a little while, but I don't think it would work super well for a lot of what I do, so I decided against it. |
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| A busy day |
[Apr. 15th, 2022|11:03 pm]
Bychoice
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Today, we went food shopping. It should have been a minor thing, but the store was huge, and we got on the wrong bus going home, so it took a long time. I was completely worn out. I did get to talk to some good friends after that, but repair guys were here, so I had to cut it short to talk to them. Hopefully, we'll be getting an electric water heater very soon. While it will probably cost more to run, Portugal seems to generate at least some renewable electricity, while gas isn't renewable and generally comes from places that I would rather not support. Now, I'm going to go collapse. So tired. |
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| Some Good, Some Bad |
[Apr. 14th, 2022|11:12 pm]
Bychoice
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It is a bit late, so I'll be brief. Today, a repair guy came and fixed part of the water heater. This means that next Tuesday (the soonest date available), the gas inspectors will come back and hopefully install our gas meter. The water heater is still old and creepy, but that may be getting fixed.
I am having a lot of trouble dealing with all the stuff that needs to be done, even though we really just need to physically be here to let people in. I'm not able to communicate, which is unpleasant. I really need to learn Portuguese, but I also am super stressed, which makes that harder. In fact, I'm so stressed that Joel had to stand in the bathroom while I showered as moral support, so that I was able to calm down enough to bathe (from a bucket).
In better news, I finally posted this short story that I've been editing for at least 6 months. I'm so glad that it is finally in more or less acceptable shape. Link. It is Fallout 4 fanfic and more or less PG, although there is mention that genitals and sex exist. |
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