Listening to the Voices in my Head

The only good thing I've found so far

I have been using/wearing a Samsung Gear2 smart watch. It worked great, only needing charging every three to four days, and the version of Samsung health could measure pulse, blood oxygen and a few other things.

Along comes update on phone. Now Gear2 doesn't work, not because of hardware, but because of software. The new Samsung Health does a 'check version' on the watch, and blocks it from connecting. I email Samsung about why they're using software to block the watch. They said internet security reason. What?  The watch didn't connect to the internet, just phone.  I called bullshit, and pretty much told them so, but in polite language.  They replied with a snarky comment about watch being 'obsolete'.  THEN WHY THE F**K IS IS LISTED IN THE ACCESSORIES!

(deep breath)

Samsung suggest I get one their new smart watches, as the prices of $399 to $499. Uhh, no. I told them I don't buy items that have deliberate obsolescence built it, as you can't change the battery if it stops charging.

Dilemma: What to do.

Solution: Either buy one of my old model smart watch, that had has different OS flashed on it, and can be used with the OS makers own health software, or go in search of an 'old' model that is still compatible with the new phone.

I chose option two. at 1/4 the price of the new ones. I miss a great many features and abilities I had on my old watch. Like being able to choose a photo background AND what display of watch. Can't do that, so picked the least eye-bending color.

The only good thing I have found so far, it's great at reminding me to get up and walk around.

Yippy!

Today is the 4th week I stabbed myself. With a pre-load injection of Ozempic.

Now, I haven't changed my diet, or exercise routine. And I have lost a little over 3kgs (close to 7lbs) already. Huzzah for something that battles insulin resistance for non-diabetics!

It's gonna be fun the next time I tell someone taking my information down, when I mention two medications, and she tells doctor, or MRI tech "6X year old female diabetic" and I pull her up short. I am not diabetic, and ask her to read the 2nd reason people would take those two medications.

I hope it works this time

Without errors.  Currently on Win 7, have my Win 10 in external cloning bay, and am currently cloning my up-to-date- Windows 10 system by cloning the drive, rather than doing one of those nonsensical 'system images' that Microsoft seems to think are so wonderful. 

Their BEST system back up was with Windows XP. If you have one file not working right, you could open the back up, and find said file on the back, and restore it to your new set up. This all or nothing Microsoft currently employs? Nope, if you have a problem with ONE system file and you jump through all the hoops and it still doesn't work, you have to restore the entire system to what it was earlier.  No thank you.

Clone, reinsert Windows 10 drive, date and label the new one.

4th verse, same as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd

I have been trying to watch Curiosity Stream for the past week.  I keep getting either the dreaded 403 error, or "Sorry, there was trouble with the playback"   Then 2nd message is a "Well, no shit, Sherlock" message, but I took it on board, and submitted yet another cry for help from Curiosity Stream tech support.

For the 4th time, I gave them my system stats, whether hardwired or WiFi, what app version (this one's funny, because they don't MAKE an app for Windows 10 or Windows 7 for that matter. You have to use webbrowser.) and a speed test.

The first three times I have done this, I didn't hear/read didn't squat back from them.

Maybe this time will be different, but I am not going to hold my breath. As I have said time and again, I look good in blue, I don't think I would look good hypoxia blue.

Seems my early rising wasn't Loki's fault.

Alan told me that Wing didn't go to bed until 2 a.m. as he was up working into the wee hours. That threw Loki's schedule off. If Wing was up, that meant it was time for Loki's cuddle, as he is a creature of habit.

Really, Loki?

Loki has gotten this habit of waking me up in the middle of the night with a "pet me, cuddle me, shift your pillows so I can snuggle up with at the head of the bed."

I sleep for shit as it is. How do I get him back to doing this cuddle routine about 6 a.m. instead of 2 or 3 a.m.?

If you want true AI noise reduction on your photos

I have used many different noise reduction programs, starting way back when NoiseNinja was all the rage. Noise reduction software has improved immensely. Here are the ones I have used.

Define, by NIK and Google, and finally DxO: The results are good , but I have found it would either smooth things too much, and leave behind artifacts. You can use the brush tool to 'paint' the areas you want noise removed. It is a bit slow to process the image.

On1 NoNoise; Wow. Yes, it removes noise but you also have the options of regaining some detail, or sharpness, or how strong the noise removal has to be. It's not just fast to show you, it is fast. Any changes made you instantly see. I have found that when I use NoNoise, I don't need any sharpening on the image.

Topaz DeNoise: If you started this program without me seeing the splash screen, I would have though it was On1 NoNoise because of the layout and tool arrangement. That's where the resemblance stopped. Topaz DeNoise is Slow. Slow to process any change in the pre-processing window, even if you want to just center the photo. Slow to update changes. Detail recovery is slow, and clumsy. Use of any of the sliders makes the program crawl.

I'm sticking with NoNoise.

Numerologist going to have a field day with this date.

02-02-2022

For me it's nothing more than the day after my eldest sons' birthday.