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Sgt. Howard
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Location: Malott, Washington

Re: More Stuff

Post by Sgt. Howard »

James Patrick Harris, my stepson, has had a mishap with a pistol on the 11th of this Month. He did not survive. This was not a suicide, but a bit of poor judgement. His Mother and I have been attempting to tie up some loose ends and his fanfiction here falls under that category. I will give notification regarding the Memorial Service (not that I would expect any here to come- it is a bit far).

Gregory Francis (the Old Sgt.) Howard
Rule 17 of the Bombay Golf Course- "You shall play the ball where the monkey drops it,"
I speak fluent Limrick-
the Old Sgt.
Alkarii
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Post by Alkarii »

My dad wound up in the ER at the veterans' hospital on Saturday. His blood sugar was at 300, even without eating anything, and the doctor said he was pretty much just peeing sugar.

So far, all I know is that he's going to be there a couple of days, he's going to be dependent on insulin now, and they gotta test to see if he has any tumors in his colon. My mom said something about telling my dad to ask about his pancreas, but I don't know if he will.
There is no such thing as a science experiment gone wrong.
Typeminer
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Location: Pennsylbama, between Philly and Pittsburgh

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Post by Typeminer »

Sarge: All my condolences. Hope you and his mother are holding up.

Alkarii: Pretty sure the hospital will tell your dad more about his pancreas than he wants to hear. Hope he takes it to heart. Hang in there.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the linchpin of civilization.
Alkarii
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Post by Alkarii »

Third weekend in a row that my dad wound up at the ER, and the second visit that was due to what turned out to be gastroparesis, brought on by his blood sugar issues.

I have a feeling he's never going to be able to work again, and I doubt my mom is going to get a full-time job that pays enough to handle everything, so it's quite likely that I will never be able to move out.
There is no such thing as a science experiment gone wrong.
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lake_wrangler
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Location: Laval, Québec, Canada

Re: More Stuff

Post by lake_wrangler »

I was reading an article on PC Mag, about coming up with a strong master password for your password manager. The second suggestion on the page was about making it a passphrase. I was pleasantly surprised to see them reference the XKCD comic on that subject (correct horse battery staple). It then suggested, for those whose imagination was lacking, a passphrase generator web site (aptly named CorrectHorseBatteryStaple.net ).

Out of curiosity, I went to the website, to see it in action. Just going to the website already generates a passphrase... This is what was waiting for me:
CorrectHorseBatteryStaple.net wrote:Then-Modest-Urge-Shirt-8
What do you think first popped in my mind, when I read that, do you think? :lol:



Another interesting link at the end of the article:
https://www.grc.com/haystack.htm

It calculates the amount of time it would take to brute force through a password, based on its length. Interesting read.
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Dave
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Location: Mountain View, CA, USA

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Post by Dave »

lake_wrangler wrote: Sun May 21, 2023 2:04 pm
Out of curiosity, I went to the website, to see it in action. Just going to the website already generates a passphrase... This is what was waiting for me:
CorrectHorseBatteryStaple.net wrote:Then-Modest-Urge-Shirt-8
What do you think first popped in my mind, when I read that, do you think? :lol:
Heh. Six letters, and I don't think I'm going to need to buy even a single vowel.
FreeFlier
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Location: Land of the webbed feet

Re: More Stuff

Post by FreeFlier »

lake_wrangler wrote: Sun May 21, 2023 2:04 pmI was reading an article on PC Mag, about coming up with a strong master password for your password manager. The second suggestion on the page was about making it a passphrase. I was pleasantly surprised to see them reference the XKCD comic on that subject (correct horse battery staple). It then suggested, for those whose imagination was lacking, a passphrase generator web site (aptly named CorrectHorseBatteryStaple.net ).

Out of curiosity, I went to the website, to see it in action. Just going to the website already generates a passphrase... This is what was waiting for me:
CorrectHorseBatteryStaple.net wrote:Then-Modest-Urge-Shirt-8
What do you think first popped in my mind, when I read that, do you think? :lol:



Another interesting link at the end of the article:
https://www.grc.com/haystack.htm

It calculates the amount of time it would take to brute force through a password, based on its length. Interesting read.
I used to write my passwords in Archaic Middle Elvish . . .

--FreeFlier
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Dave
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Location: Mountain View, CA, USA

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Post by Dave »

FreeFlier wrote: Tue May 23, 2023 3:02 pm
I used to write my passwords in Archaic Middle Elvish . . .

--FreeFlier
A guy I went to college with, many years ago, had mail-ordered a set of tickets for one of the very first Star Trek fan conventions. He enclosed a self-addressed stamped envelope as required. On it, he added a note "Convention tickets" written in Fëanorian script.

When the SASE arrived in the mail, he found that someone had added the annotation "Frodo gave his finger for you."
Alkarii
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Post by Alkarii »

Welp... I've gotten into video editing. Currently, I'm just doing gameplay on my channel, and so far I've only done two videos. I'm currently focusing on playing a Minecraft survival series in single player, so my nieces and nephews, who all like Minecraft, can learn to play.

However, I also intend to play other games, and not just Minecraft. One that I'm really looking forward to uploading is a game from 1998 called Urban Assault, which is a first person shooter/real time strategy hybrid that is a bit more fast-paced than most RTS games.

On the offline side of life, my mom is about to finish her second week working at Amazon. She works at a different facility from me, and she also works the front half of the week, while I work the back half (Wednesday being our overlap day).

Hopefully, if my dad can get on disability, then they might be able to make enough that I could move out of their house finally...
There is no such thing as a science experiment gone wrong.
Alkarii
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Post by Alkarii »

My brother left me a voice mail this morning.

My dad passed away sometime overnight. Based on the condition of the body, it must have been around 5 in the morning. The only thing I know regarding arrangements is that he wanted to be buried in the national cemetery in North Little Rock.
There is no such thing as a science experiment gone wrong.
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Dave
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Location: Mountain View, CA, USA

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Post by Dave »

Very sorry to hear this! It's a real shame that the doctors weren't able to do more to help him.

Please accept my condolences.
FreeFlier
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Location: Land of the webbed feet

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Post by FreeFlier »

My condolences.

Losing family members is rough.

--FreeFlier
Warrl
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Post by Warrl »

FreeFlier wrote: Thu Jul 06, 2023 5:34 pm My condolences.

Losing family members is rough.

--FreeFlier
Very few people are really prepared for the death of a parent who did a decent job of raising them. Even if it was expected and medically overdue.

Not a whole lot more if the parent did a lousy job.

My sympathy in this difficult time. You'll get through it. Don't rush yourself.
Typeminer
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Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 9:34 pm
Location: Pennsylbama, between Philly and Pittsburgh

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Post by Typeminer »

Just seeing this, Alkarii. My condolences.

As the others said, it helps to just stop for a bit, breathe, and observe. You've got lots of company in this, and we understand.

We are built to go on, and so we do.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the linchpin of civilization.
Alkarii
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Post by Alkarii »

My sister and I went to the only military surplus we could find that was open today to get the uniform parts we needed to get my dad ready for his funeral. The guy there was able to help us get one of the emblems we needed for one of his ribbons (a "2" for his NCO Professional Advancement ribbon), but we still need to find one of the crossed rifles pins that go on his lapels.

The song "Endless Love" by Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross will be played, as it was their wedding song. Mom is going to put his ring on his finger. Someone's going to play Amazing Grace at some point, probably at the grave site.

My sister suggested to our mom that Styx's "Babe" be played during one of the services, to which she replied "YES". They didn't do a whole lot of big things together, but they went to see Styx in concert when they stopped in North Little Rock a few years ago.

When we moved to Arkansas back in June of 1993, my dad borrowed his father's old Ford pickup truck to bring everything down here from Ohio. My brother, sister, and I rode in the back (it had a topper), and we had a CD player with batteries and a copy of Styx's Greatest Hits (I think it was the 25th anniversary one; if I saw the cover, I would know, but we don't have it anymore). That song was the first track, and it was also one of my favorite CDs to listen to for years.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this already, but his birthday was on June 18th (Father's Day this year), and my parents' 41st anniversary is July 10th (so on Monday).

Mom and I are both taking a leave of absence from work. I will return to work on the 29th, a Saturday. Mom will be returning from Ohio that day, and going to work on the 30th. Her shift begins at 1:20 am.
There is no such thing as a science experiment gone wrong.
Alkarii
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Post by Alkarii »

My dad's viewing was today. My brother had to contact Ft. Riley yesterday to look into getting a new pair of unit commendations, which were supposed to have been overnighted to the LRAFB where his father in law works, but so far no word. He also got in contact with whoever makes the name plates, and got one rushed out, supposed to be here by noon tomorrow. That stuff won't be here in time for the funeral itself, but we really want it on there before his committal.

Mom had found his most recent wedding ring, and is intending to put it on his finger at the funeral. She also found his older ring, which is the one I think I remember. She gave it to me at dinner on Monday night, which was their 41st anniversary. I don't know if I'll ever get married, but if I do, I'll have my bride put dad's old ring on my finger, so that dad can be there with me.

And oddly enough... The only finger it fits on is the ring finger of my left hand.
There is no such thing as a science experiment gone wrong.
Typeminer
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Post by Typeminer »

Ten years ago this morning, we watched my mother take her last breath. By coincidence, my dad's maternal grandmother had died on the same date in 1965, while I was at summer Scout camp for the first time.

I'll be thinking of you and your dad, and too many others as well, when I pour the good whiskey this evening.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the linchpin of civilization.
Alkarii
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Post by Alkarii »

A few people made donations to help us with funeral costs, and after the funeral yesterday, my mom told us that someone paid off the entire thing, and wanted to remain anonymous. We don't know who it was. But those donations will definitely get the bills covered, and we can get a new dryer (ours stopped working the Friday before dad passed) and we just might get the fridge paid off soon, too.

We didn't find the proper name plate for dad's uniform, and the unit commendations didn't arrive in time for the funeral. However, on Monday he called up Ft Riley, and after another call to the Little Rock Air Force Base, an arrangement was made to have a pair of them sent to the airbase so my brother's father in law could get them for us. My brother also contacted someone to get us a name plate, and when he told them what happened, they rushed it and overnighted it.

Since dad's committal is tomorrow, we'll be able to go to the funeral home today to get his uniform straight, and we also gotta pick up death certificates. We're going to also get a couple pictures of dad in his uniform for the last time.

Edit: I also just had a great idea for what to use as an avatar... And how long have I been a member?
There is no such thing as a science experiment gone wrong.
Warrl
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Post by Warrl »

Alkarii wrote: Thu Jul 13, 2023 8:38 amAnd how long have I been a member?
Since Nov 9, 2014. Assuming you did NOT lose an account and have to create a new one.
Alkarii
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Post by Alkarii »

And my dumbass forgot to even make the avatar... I'm going to use the 18th Infantry crest, for my dad. It was his last unit. My brother and I managed to get a new pair of unit commendations and a regulation name plate on dad's uniform. The only person to see him after the two of us is whoever closed his casket, and I'm not sure if anyone is going to open it to confirm it's him at the gravesite. He was probably the only one under a flag at the funeral home.

My dad's younger brother, my brother, my mom, my sister, and I have all done a ton of work to clean out the master bedroom, and it was a really bad mess. On top of all the clutter, the toilet in the main bathroom had a leak from the tank. The seal had split before dad had died, and no matter how many times I told people not to use it, they'd keep using it, so I'd have to turn the water back on to refill the tank for a flush.

So once the room was emptied, we removed the carpet (and the 18 years of stains from all the spills and general lack of cleaning) and the pad underneath it, and my sister cleaned off the walls. Mom hasn't slept in that room in years, and she was devasted because dad died without anyone else present. We're putting a smaller bed in there for mom (they'd intended to have a king size, but there was a screw up and they got a California king), a smaller dresser, and the floor will be laminate flooring.

Even though there wasn't all that much interaction between the three of us, without dad here, it's just going to feel empty, which doesn't seem right to me. I didn't feel like we were close, and it was difficult to have a conversation with him about anything, because he preferred watching TV.

Ever since I became old enough to feel like I needed some kind of connection, the only time I can recall where I actually felt like I wasn't alone was at dad's funeral, especially when it was time for mom to have a moment with dad. They played "Endless Love" for it, which was their wedding song, and mom put their newest wedding rings on his left hand. She put his on his ring finger, and hers went on his index finger, where she wore hers (due to the size). When mom sobbed loudly enough for us to hear it just a moment later, my siblings and I went up to her, and the four of us held each other and cried beside his casket for the duration of the song. I think we all touched him during that song.

To make matters worse, my mom has pointed out several times to family members that I've talked much more than usual... But at the same time, almost everyone either talked so much that I couldn't speak, or folks would just keep interrupting me, and diverting attention away from me... Which is what happens all the time, and is why I don't talk as much: if nobody wants to let me speak to them, then it's a waste of time to try.
There is no such thing as a science experiment gone wrong.
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