Daily Update, January 8, 2024

   I was talking to a couple of friends on the chat server. They felt that this daily update is more appropriate for the blog than the chat server. I know it's easier to put up in email, Facebook, and on the blog than the chat server, though I do share it in all four places. Anyone else want to share an opinion on this? I'm happy to share it in any of those places if you like that. {Smile}

   On Monday, I called Uber after lunch, asking them to take me down to the podiatrist.  They were just arriving at their destination when I realized why it looked funny: they sent the driver to entirely the wrong address. I messaged him and he came and got me. I was almost half-way to the address Uber had offered for my podiatrist when I realized they were sending us to his old address, not his current one. My driver got that straightened out, too. {smile}

   I arrived 12 minutes after my check-in time, but they said I could still see the doctor if I was willing to wait. I certainly was. The appointment went well. The ride home was uneventful, with the app knowing both the pick-up and drop-off point from beginning to end. {Smile}

   I ate dinner with Mom and read to her before that. She was awake and interested in the pictures today. First, I began with scripture and thoughts about it. Next, I continued her niece's long family Christmas letter from last year. After that, I finished _Classic Christmas Vintage Fine Art Picture Book Volume 1_. Then I read a story from _Disney 3-Minute Bedtime Stories_. I finished with the 8th of January's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "Where's the Snow?" This year was most unusual. It should be snowing, covering the country in a soft, white blanket. There were no snowball fights or sliding on the ice. Just clear blue sky and a bright sun that couldn't warm the chilled air. Veronica was disappointed as she dressed warmly for a walk. She wanted to build a snowman or skate on the ice, but there'd be no snowman without snow, and no skating without ice. Outside, things were clear and bright. Birds sang, and a pony pawed the ground and whinnied, then started with his breath made a white cloud that floated away. Veronica laughed and clapped her hands. Who needed snow on this beautiful day? {Smile}

   I did my head exercises and walked six times around the driveway while waiting for Uber to come take me to the podiatrist. then I walked six times around the hallway, living room, dining room and kitchen, which I think works out to a little more than three times around the driveway, just a shorter route. Then I did my full 8 1/2 minutes of salsa dancing warmup. However, when I tried to do more a little later, I was just too tired. {rueful smile}

   I read a couple of articles over and after breakfast, then finished writing up yesterday's daily update. Next, I read some comics and more articles until I realized it was time to go to the podiatrist. After I came home, I cleaned myself up before hopping into City of Heroes: Homecoming later than usual. While the server is still particularly busy, my friends were either busy themselves, or not there. So, I worked on some paperwork, figuring out which of my high-level characters hadn't been upgraded. I found three and worked on the highest of the lot. Then Pierogies came on just in time to test her out with him in a couple of high-level individual missions before I broke to read to Mom. {Smile}

   After dinner, I joined the late-night short, large-group event. Then I looked at the character I'd upgraded earlier again, and realized I missed something. So, I finished upgrading her. Then I looked around, and chatted with Austin and Dr. Faustus, but they both were just getting ready to leave. So, I started to write this up, and upgraded the next highest character who needed that. Then I realized Azurette was on. We chatted, and I joined her in a task force, hoping to test the character. After I started, I realized that a middling-high TF isn't the best test of high-level changes, but it was still fun. After it was done, I upgraded the last of the three I found who still needed that, as well as writing a bit more of this. This last character turned out to be more complicated than the other two, so I worked on her a fair while. I said goodnight to Nox, though we didn't really get to talk. Then Pierogies came on just as I finished up upgrading the last character. He helped me test the first one again with an individual high-level mission. That last tweak does make one attack less lack-luster, which is all I hoped for. Next, we started a farm with the last character. I did get to test her, and she is distinctly better. Then I did my exercises, and talked and farmed with Pierogies a bit more before he went to lie down, and I made notes in this to finish writing from the next day. {Smile}