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Five Things – 11 February 2016

1

My Chromebook is back to life.

I ordered a new screen, but the one I received didn’t work. So, I had to order another one and send back the original. The second one worked, fortunately. Since I’d already taken apart the machine by the time it got here, all I had to do was connect the new screen, screw it in place, put the bezel back on the machine. Back in business.

Easy for me to say, some of my coworkers might think if they’re reading this. But here’s more or less what I did:

Just follow the video and you’re cool. You don’t have to have been working in IT forever to do this. And it doesn’t take long.

And it’s definitely worth it. I use my Chromebook most often to write –I’m writing this on it– because of the really nice keyboard. I’m still getting often between 6-7 hours of usage from it when I’m not watching video (I will watch video on it while it’s charging because I’m obviously not killing the battery).

2.

Reading and very much enjoying Dear Mister Essay Writer Guy. So far, I’ve learned I’m too serious in my writing. I need to have more fun, write longer about more fun topics. It’s not life and death. It’s just life.

3.

Supposed to be really cold over the next few days.

4.

Last night, the talking heads on MLB Network were discussing the exit velocity of balls batted by various players around the league. Looks like MLB Network is full-on sabermetrics. Which is cool and I’ll be playing the home game this spring and summer, but I need to remember to turn it off sometimes and just enjoy the games.

Watching a full baseball game is still a great pleasure. Always has been. Never changed. But I can’t talk baseball with just anybody anymore. I’ve met a few folks who only want to dig so deeply into the stats and their arguments that I wonder if they actually enjoy baseball or really enjoy statistics or argumentation and their chosen outlet for those is baseball.

It’s cool if that’s their thing. I just don’t share their passion. As much as we can look into every stat to discern what we think might have happened or what might happen (and it is often fun, just not all the time), I enjoy the poetry and drama and spectacle of baseball as much. People who understand and appreciate those, as well as the numbers, are the people I want share baseball with now and in the future. Otherwise, the joy of baseball quickly leaves.

5.

I’m working on a short piece about Earth, Wind, and Fire, and how their music has been part of my life. Obviously related to the recent passing of Maurice White, the band’s co-founder.