Thursday: Conference end.

I was able to get the database thing to yield useful data, and I have more information on the things I didn't understand to try to get more out of it.  One interesting thing was using the db information to construct one of our configuration files, but instead of doing it manually, doing it based on queries and test results.  I doubt we'd ever automatically generate something like that (because that let's the robots win), but it's not a bad first step before human validation.

Or validation through new monsters.

Including "new medium-size trash bird."

The moon.

After using the ride app stuff here (because that's what the travel people want, because that's direct billed), I've come to the conclusion that the driver directions/map must be fuzzed somewhat.  That's the only explanation why I have yet to be picked up or dropped off anywhere near the marker I've placed.

• Build your own monster emoji.
• Pokemon.
• Thxgvg cocktails.
• Moon Squirrel.
• So I guess it snowed at home.  Huh.  Also: here are useful local webcams to spy on the weather.

Sarcastic angel plutocrat cat.

Multiocular O.

Wednesday: Learning

I get "there's lots of information in this not-quite-database."  But I still don't fully understand how to make use of that information.  If the good stuff and the bad stuff aren't pre-selected, then it's not really efficient to do that selection myself.

But I learned a decent amount, and I hope I helped other people by answering some questions.

Pokemon while waiting for my ride.

The moon.  Also while waiting for that ride.

I have concerns about things, but I'm too tired to deal with them now.  Instead, I will dream of the brisket of next week.

Tuesday: Travel

A lot of travel.  Too much travel.

I stuck Rhydon into the train station gym.

Then the flight was delayed, but it worked out, and they do meals on flights now (?), and I was able to get to the conference, but that was about the most my brain could take.

Also Mexican.  I am still not a big fan of chile rellenos.

Tomorrow is a big day of doing coding and science at things.  I already have been up way too long.

Thursday: I've seen enough of Reno. Probably Nevada's cities, too.

Today was the last day to wake up in Alameda.  Probably forever-ish.  I think that's a bit sad.

One last brunch with Julie and Ramona.  I ordered the big beignets, which was probably too big.  I guess I can eat them tomorrow for breakfast?

 And then I dropped them off at the airport, which went well, and was fast, but I wish we could have had a more regular visit.  I guess Thanksgiving will probably be largely regular.  Hopefully I won't have to help renovate.

One last visit to Crab Cove.

They've updated the picnic areas.  It was too foggy to see the city across the bay, but that's ok.

I had to stop at Koja.

Even though I was too full from brunch to really enjoy it all the way.  Very good, and I guess this means I need to sit down some day and figure out how to duplicate it.  The coconut miso pork is probably the hardest part of the fries.

And then it began.

So it turns out driving is boring, and puts some extra stress on some muscles, and is just generally not-much-fun.  Still, that's why I made a huge playlist to listen to.

Donner pass.

 Which is the only rest area open on I-80?  Which, um?

I mean?

 Ok?

It was useful but imagine living through all that, and getting "yeah, you're a paragraph in elementary history books, and we built a rest stop, because people want chips and a pee."

Jokes on the guy who wanted jerky.  It got stuck in the "unstickable" vending machine.

And then Nevada.  And Reno.

Which, I guess if I don't have good things to say.

 My hotel is a huge casino, and the best thing about it is that one of the cable channels is NHK World.  There are also "12 restaurants."  One of them is Johnny Rocket's.  One of them is "Italian":

For extraordinarily liberal definitions of "Italian."

I saw that the "Cafe (pretend I made a great cafe/casino pun, but I couldn't come up with one)" had a patty melt.  Also milkshakes.

And French Onion Soup.

 The menu lists the patty melt as having swiss and grilled onions on rye.

Technically correct.

How do you dry out a 1/2 pound patty cooked to medium?  How do you make grilled onions flavorless?  What kind of monster doesn't salt the fries when they come out of the oil?

So, yeah.  It wasn't great.  The milkshake was good, and that counted as a dessert.

And then time to gamble my $20 reserved for gambling.  During dinner, I realized I had no idea how to do a gamble.  Do you have to change money into fake stuff first?  How do the tables work?  Why in this day and age do they allow people to smoke inside?  Why did that guy in the oversized heavy flannel jacket try to sell me a screwdriver for $2?  Was that the absolute work sting operation ever?

Anyway, I figured out the machines take your money, and can spit out coupons that can be turned back into real money, so that avoids all the human interaction components of the gamble.  The machines are designed to take all your money quickly, but not so quickly that you get bothered by it.  One had a nice "skip all these stupid animations" button, and another let you choose your poker cards to hold, and then spawn them across up to 100 hands that were then filled, letting you lose money two orders of magnitude faster.

One machine had puppies, which doesn't quite counteract all the "look at this cartoon lady you can 'rescue' by playing" or "this is Egypt theme (with cartoon lady)"/"this is China theme (with cartoon lady)"/"this is Viking theme (with cartoon lady)"/"this is Tiger theme (with horse for some reason?)" machines.  I guess when 70% of your customers are white women aged 70+, then...you...market for...  Yeah.  No idea.  Most of the men were playing the tables, which, whatever.  I also saw more mobility carts and walkers than I have in years.  At what point is this elder abuse?

I successfully lost $19.93, cashing out when I was trying to figure out how it was going to give me 3.5 cents.  Jokes on me, credits are 2 cents each?  Who the fuck cares, this is all stupid nonsense.

This is basically me at this whole place.

Wednesday: The last night in the Bay Area

For an unknown period of time, that is.  I'll probably be back someday, for some reason, but I definitely won't be coming here as regularly as I have been.  It's a bit sad, to leave the place where you probably should have been on the lease, and maybe should have paid some rent.  Oh well.

I have a hotel room scheduled in Reno for tomorrow night.  It's a bit of a lazy start to the trip, but that's how it goes.  I might push extra hard the next day, but we'll see when that happens.

Another thing that happened today was the release of Utada Hikaru's new album.  I found a site of questionable legality yesterday, as neither Amazon nor Google had it listed.  It popped up on Amazon late last night, so I grabbed it there.  None of the songs jumped out at me, but I had it on quietly, and not in the proper "loud blasting" method I usually use.  We'll see tomorrow.

I saw the moon set this morning.

 And one last time:

KBBQ.

 Is delicious.

Extra fatty brisket is the best.

• Ugh.
• Breaking seems a bit strong.

Tuesday: Suddenly so little time.

At least 99% of everything is packed or gone, and the rest will be pretty easy to get done tomorrow.

Colby taunting with BBQ.

I evolved this jerk.

It's not a bad sandwich.  The mushrooms help.

So all this stuff was taken out of the dumpster.  Sure, whatever.  It stopped being my problem when I tipped it into the dumpster.

Probably the last visit to Cookiebar.

Pasta.

Actual pasta.

• Yeah.  Wonderful.

Monday: One last week.

Friends are finally here in Pokemon Go.

Colby is taunting me by sending a gift from Rudy's.

I had Five Guys with my favorite kid.

I also nearly have the tumblr side of my auto-queue script written that will scan my starred RSS items and add them to my tumblr queue to keep it up-to-date.  It will probably need a decent bit more work, but I have the basic API interface up and running. 

Sunday: At least it wasn't so hot.

Which made cleaning things up and clearing things out much easier.  It feels a lot like we're on the home stretch, as most of the rooms are cleared out, one totally so.  Tomorrow has a few things planned, and I want to try and get the majority of the big things out, finish some "this is all trash" things, and get that trash and the recycling out.  I would have done part of this this evening, but after yesterday, and the rest of the complex, the trash zone is a mess.  I don't think we can put much more in there, so I'm going to let it get emptied before adding more.

And there are still three full days left before the flight, and before I start my cross-country trek.  Again, moving is a lot easier when it's not your stuff, and when the weather doesn't make every movement a sweltering mess.

Brunch had to happen at the third option, due to every place being busy.  It was good.

They added friends, so I'm back in this game for a bit.  We'll see how well that works.

Saturday: You know it's bad when you need to take a second shower.

Today was KBBQ day.  I love KBBQ.  I will miss KBBQ over pretty much everything else in the Bay Area.  If I was forced to eat KBBQ everyday until I die, I would laugh every day at the folly of the jerk who thought AYCE KBBQ would ever be my downfall.

I'm saying it's good, because it's good, and there's a good variety, even though we usually focus on just three things.

Also, everyone always thinks that I'm forcing myself to cook the meat.  Would I accept someone else cooking?  Sure.  Am I going to make someone else do it so I can eat?  Nope.  Am I missing out on eating?  How are you missing the point that I control the tongs?  I can eat whatever I want by just not advertising that the brisket is done.  It's in my tummy now.  Did you want it back?  Didn't think so.

Then I kind-of illegally parked in a space without feeding the meter, and sat to watch this couple illegally park in front of a hydrant.

 Jerks.  Then we passed out for most of the afternoon, because of meat, and because of the heat.  Today was pretty bad.  So we did the sane thing, and went to Target to hang out and steal their A/C.  I did not buy the thing I needed, but bought some snacky stuff.

Then pizza, because someone always wants this, but doesn't want the pizza, but wants the ice cream token to get gross bubblegum ice cream.

 Seriously gross.  Then we did more packing/cleaning/decluttering, which taught me how to dismantle an Ikea Brimnes, so if I get that, I should be able to assemble it as well.  It's pretty simple.

This is Julie's "Best Salt Ever."

Friday: I keep falling asleep

Because I'm sleepy.  Today we saw Incredibles 2, which was pretty good, even if the twist is pretty much what you'd expect.

Someone dropped important things in the car while leaving.  I had a backup Clipper Card to use.

Someone said Chipotle was ok, but actually doesn't like it?  The queso was good today.

And then the movie, with uncooperative seats.

Sushi for dinner.  I'll miss this place.

Thursday: And that's how I got a parking ticket.

Ugh.  Whatever.

Now I have the parking pass, so I can park in the lot.  Which, of course, means that there's only a week left here before I have to start my grand migration.

Pasta.

 Because pasta is good.

My new phone can check my Clipper Card correctly.

Although I'm probably loaning it out next week.  It'll clear out some of that value.

• Koko the gorilla died.
• Today's just not great.

Wednesday: Another moving day.

Or, at least a day to pack everything into the truck so it can be moved tomorrow.  Even though I've technically never lived here, I have visited so often over the last four years that I was probably supposed to sign onto the lease.  That makes it some kind of second-home, which is even more important when you don't currently have a first-home.

Still, I'm looking forward to visiting the new place, and seeing all the cool things that owning a house get you, and to eating a lot of barbecue.  All of it, if I can.  Om nom.

They updated the splash screen.  I guess it's summer.

The Target generic tortilla chips are the first I've ever seen to have a built in resealable opening.  Why isn't this on all chips?  What took so long to see the obvious replacement for chip clips that never work?

 And then movers arrived, and packing happened.

I got the big meatball sub, because I was hungry after helping with packing.

 I'll admit I didn't do that much, but I'm sure I contributed to getting things done faster.  I packed dishes, so hopefully they don't shatter.

Cambodian for dinner.

Really, the world would be a better place if everyone just tried each other's food, and agreed that things are delicious, so let's stop being jerks and start eating this delicious chicken.

I found the secret stash.

• Agree.