I stopped posting to Twitter entirely a while ago and had been cross posting from my blog only for a few years before that. Mostly I was keeping my account for a mix of sentimental reasons and it being an authentication method to some hockey analytics stuff.

At some point I set a reminder for today to go and grab a screenshot of the 15 year anniversary of joining Twitter. It seemed like forever for something on the internet and somehow important. The last week I kept thinking “will Twitter make it to Tuesday!?!

Twitter notification saying that I joined 15 years ago and prompting me tweet about it
We made it 🎉

I enabled activitypub support on my site years ago but beyond micro.blog interactions it was more novel than useful.

Even if it’s short lived it has been fun to see people following me from several mastodon instances in the last week.

Tire swing on fire.
Twitter today

This summary of current events earned a legit laugh out loud.

I have no hard data on this but I feel like “Early Black Friday” is new this year. I have been seeing it advertised since before Halloween!!

I think we should apply the “not before Remembrance Day” rule to all Black Friday sales. (Not to mention that Black Friday isn’t even a thing in Canada)

Today is Hugo’s 8th birthday he got a big treat for a big day.

Hugo staring at his large bone shaped doggie treat that says happy birthday
Hugo’s eyes are so wide that he appears to want to consume the treat by looking at it.
Hugo eating the first half of his happy birthday cookie
Luna staring wide eyed at a fox face shaped dog cookie while Raquel restrains her.
Luna also got a little treat to prevent her from straight up stealing Hugo’s birthday treat.

Today was “new roof day” which is very exciting from a “keeping the elements out” perspective but very disruptive for the “ten month old who takes two naps a day upstairs” perspective.

Roofers hard at work putting new shingles on the upper roof of my home.

For all the horror stories of cancelled flights that I have heard tonight is a new one for me. Show up to the gate for me second flight to be told I’m no longer on it due to “air traffic control” delays.

Next flight isn’t for 13 hours. I don’t qualify for and food or hotel vouchers because it was an “uncontrollable” circumstance. The local WestJet employees helpfully suggest I call my credit card for travel insurance on the flight. They looked real sheepish when I informed them the flight was booked with WestJet Travel Bank that they’ve refused to refund for 2 years.

Stunningly poor experience and I felt very bad for all the employees who were very kind in their utter inability to help me.

Update: When trying to fill out feedback and refund forms on the WestJet website I encountered the following errors:

  • My last name is “invalid”
  • My city in my contact info is “invalid”
  • The phone number field required format 123-456-7890 but only allowed for numeric input so you cannot submit a call back number
The view from the plane window of the fog layer and a bit of the sunrise
Take off from Halifax means a lovely view of the top of the fog.
Aerial view of the CN Tower and the Sky dome
Classic Toronto shot on approach
WestJet Encore turbo prop plane on the runway
My old friend in Toronto, the runway load of a prop plane
Clouds over Lake Michigan with no land in sight
The size of the Great Lakes always surprises me
A multi level ramp system in place of a normal jet way
After the plane taxied to the far end of the runway by some bushes we road a bus back to the terminal to find this monstrosity waiting to get us up into the terminal

First televised Penguins 🐧 game was today so Raquel broke out the tiny jersey she got Gwen when she saw us watching the game.

James and Gwen sitting on the couch in matching black and gold Pittsburgh Penguins jerseys
Gwen and I watching the Penguins preseason game together
Gwen crawling around the floor with her tongue stuck out
Gwen realizing there are more interesting things than preseason hockey

Last night Raquel and I headed to The Carleton with Ross and Brittany for a double date Cider showdown between East Coast Cider Company and Maritime Express.

QUINOA

roasted pumpkin seeds, red peppers, lime vinaigrette

  • EAST COAST CIDER: Hopped Cider
  • MARITIME EXPRESS: Rhubarb
The hopped cider and Rhubarb cider
Ciders with the pumpkin spice quinoa dish

TUNA TARTARE

pickled beets, dulse, whipped mascarpone

  • EAST COAST CIDER: Low Tide
  • MARITIME EXPRESS: Blueberry Rosé
Low tide cider and Blueberry Rose
Ciders and the Tuna Tartare

MUSHROOM CROQUETTE

wild mushrooms, wine jus, chili oil

  • EAST COAST CIDER: Pear Cider
  • MARITIME EXPRESS: Dayliner
Pear cider and Dayliner cider
Ciders and the mushroom croquettes

BLACK RISOTTO

squid ink, noisette butter, spinach, crispy prosciutto, squid

  • EAST COAST CIDER: Ginger Cider
  • MARITIME EXPRESS: Cranberry
Ginger cider and Cranberry cider
Ciders and the squid ink black risotto

LIME TART

meringue, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, tonka beans

  • EAST COAST CIDER: Ambrose Raspberry Cider
  • MARITIME EXPRESS: Oaked Ruscat
Ambroise Raspberry cider and Baked Russet cider
Ciders and the lime tart

Fiona rolled through and took out power for most of the province. Estimated restoration time is Wednesday afternoon so I had to improvise this morning

Camp stove setup on the deck with a kettle boiling and a frying pan full of bacon
Storm kitchen setup
Given that Crypto.com is the first suggested Ad on the App Store search page either they aren’t hit by this recent down turn OR they are doubling down on acquiring new people to inject liquidity into the scam.