Category: Blog

I really like it.

It’s very small, a bit bigger than a tennis ball and very light.  I was hoping for that, as I want to take it with me on trips.  We’ll see how that works out this weekend.

It has a USB-C plug and came with a wall wart, something that the iPhone Pro Max didn’t have, which is fine, I have plenty.

Here it is next to the original Home Pod.

I think I’m happy but ….

I ordered the new iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Apple Store App showed that I was scheduled to pick it up, turn in the old phone, and get the new phone set up —> just like before Covid.

I got there a few minutes before my appointment time, and there were no lines.  I wanted until just before, which was fine, since I got waited on exactly at my appointment time.

First problem, they weren’t prepared for me to do the trade in.  Now, I have had bad problems with the third party Apple uses, but no issues with trading in at the store, so I insisted.  Also, didn’t want to get stuck with both phones.

They got me a specialist but they wouldn’t help me set up the phone.  Didn’t even want me to open the box.  I should have stayed at the mall, but I doubt I would have gotten back in BUT the phone wasn’t activated.

I tried Apple support first, and the specialist was completely clueless.  Didn’t even have a proper script.

It had a SIM, but it wouldn’t connect to AT&T.  Worse yet, it took two technical support sessions to get it connected.  

Now, it’s not showing I have Apple Care Plus though the invoice clearly shows I do.

ARGH!  Waiting for an Apple Specialist again.

See Dallas ISD.
In the years before I retired, the computer science teachers at Dallas ISD, put courses on Moodle. I did a computer science course based on Visual Basic.
I updated a course on web design. I think they may have a Game Design course, I can’t remember how much of that got online. A group of teachers put up a PreAP Computer Science.
Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth also has courses, and does some school based. You’ll have to reach them directly to see what they have you can use, but we do teach Java/AP Computer Science and a sequence of Web Design courses that ends with JavaScript.
We also have Python for Elementary and Python for Middle School.
CTY also teaches just about every other course you can think of, but I don’t hav a lot of knowledge about them.

It takes two things to put a website on the internet.

The first, is a domain name.  I have kweaver.org and I have it hosted at GoDaddy.com.  I briefly recommended them, when they were supporting non-profits.  Unfortunately the non-profits bit the hand that fed them and they quit.

Most web hosts will help you with that.  

The second, is a place to put your web files.  I really like http://www.interserver.net right now.  They have been hosting non-profit  websites for free and they have a really good special.  Almost good enough for me to use them, myself.

Customer service is great.

They will give you a login: username and password.  

I had zero confidence in Go Fund Me.  I went out to their website in the early days and had no confidence.

I’ve had a recent experience where a third party had set up a go fund me for someone else.  With further investigation I determined that the third party didn’t have all the facts and the first party was not completely candid.

I am getting my donation back and GoFundMe is investigating the matter, so they say.

It will be very interesting to see how this pans out.

Years ago, I ordered something from Walmart and chose order pickup.  Horrible experience, couldn’t find the order pickup, the employees couldn’t find the items for the longest time, just a mess.  Didn’t do it again.

I needed a large item and didn’t really wanted it delivered to the house, especially if they sent the wrong thing.  So I did the order pickup thing.

This time, it was heads above different.  This time, I got a text message inviting me to check in, in advance.  I did.  I got to the start on Friday morning, expecting it to be quiet and the parking lot was full.  There were three people in line in front of me.  I stood there maybe 30 seconds when a smiling employee came out and ask me if I was there for order pickup (the other three were men).  They even asked if I wanted help out!!!!

I asked if they would open the box for me as I wanted to check I got what I ordered — I did.  I asked if they would keep the packing materials.  They did, and it was a win win for all.

Love the use of technology.

This comes up in discussions a lot when you are an educator and especially in technology where a lot of people are self-taught.

The biggest thing a degree gives you if proof that you can accomplish a long term project – a bachelor's degree typically takes 4 years – with an arbitrary set of rules that can change.  It also shows your potential employer how well you can follow the rules.  If you get a bachelor's degree in 4 years vs. 5 years, for example.  Now there are good exceptions to the 4 year thing — if you show that you were supporting a family while getting that degree that can be impressive.

Having the degree means a lot if an employer is looking for someone that is going to be a team member for multiple years.  I was hired by Texas Instruments as someone they wanted to invest time and energy into.  I spent a lot of time learning the next thing working there.

A degree isn't necessary for contract work, but that employer is not looking for a long term employee — they are looking for someone who has a specific set of skills, and they are not investing training, etc.  You come in, you do the thing and you are out.  I've done that too.

So the answer is: do you want to have a long term career with a company and grow with it, or do you just want to come in and do a job?

I am opposed to using a credit card at a gas pump.  I'm fairly sure my identity has been stolen at one at least once in my life.  Also at a hotel in west Fort Worth, and at a Chili's in North Dallas.

I got spoiled on my trip to Boston, all the pumps took Apple Pay.

The easiest gas station for me to use (across from my gym), is one I worry about have card skimmers.  I've been working hard to find pumps that take Apple Pay.  Thought the Chevron did near the house, and while it has the symbol, I couldn't get it to work.

Today I tried to use the "new" Exxon/Mobile + app.  Supposedly it works with Apple Pay and supposedly it works with credit cards, but not today at that station.  I ended up sitting down and reading it in my car before I pumped gas to get it to work at all –> collect points.

So I still had to run my card through the reader to get it to work.  It honestly should say in advance if it isn't going to work.

One the other hand, the McDonald's app worked flawlessly this morning in Cleburn, Texas.  So I have that.

Recently, a teacher who teaches at the next district over to where I live asked for a connection.

My response to him, was what is wrong with your district, I tried to arrange volunteers to come work in your district and they never responded.

His response: an attempt to sell me curriculum.  Oh, it is was something I'm already an expert in.

So when it isn't someone who is trying to hit on me, it's someone who is trying to sell me something.  I can't decide which is worse.

I've always had a love/hate relationship with Tile.

I used to products that always work.  I got addicted to Nokia's BlueTooth trackers, which yes, always worked.  The tile app/website seemed professional done and I got some good help at the beginning.

My latest problems is making me look for another solution.  Throughout my time using tiles, they have become lost before they expired — I assume they just stop working — and Tile has replaced them.

I was even running the Beta app for quite a while and troubleshooting it.

No longer.

I had a tile stop working, I put in a ticket, and after dealing with about 8 people in the support chain, and even one on chat.  The chat one was worse as he decided that I had the tile in hand and it wouldn't work, and I couldn't convince him I couldn't physically find it.

I was offered — get this — 20% off my next purchase on a Tile that had been activated in June.