WC 1M Post Challenge - You Ready?!

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

It's a rustic dish. That's fine by me.

Not sure rustic is the right word but yeah, it's definitely something to go for!

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Not sure rustic is the right word but yeah, it's definitely something to go for!

It doesn't always have to be pretty to taste good.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Spent the afternoon mired in software update information. I'm going to leave the V35 on 8.0 a while longer. The update is too new and I don't want to deal with any of the issues I'm seeing.

The problem with LG is because they go for stretched between software updates but change the update mechanisms in between. Need to find the correct version of LGUP as it detects the V35 but doesn't allow me to select the file to manually flash. Once you have the right programs, bootloader unlocked aside, LG phones are pretty straightforward to manually flash.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Monday, eh?

At least it's nice weather here in the 212/718.

One of the challenges of the 9-5 is I get to do home visits and accompaniments to all sorts of places (doctor's offices, social service agencies, court, etc). These are helpful as some clients need the extra in-person support at these places for varied reasons. While not a dull moment to see how much of a cluster**** some of our social service agencies are, the travel times are brutal.

I'm not limited to one borough. So I've had days where I started out in Queens at an NYC social services agency site, then hop up upper Manhattan to a community based supportive agency, then back to the hospital to visit a critical care unit. The secondary challenge there is being able to transition and work effectively in any setting.

If course, I'm expected to work in the field. So I have to be careful about how I have conversations in the street as I'm managing protected health information. It's always hectic when I'm out in the field with a client and my phone is ringing off the hook. Sigh.

I'm often reminded in working with seniors and adults how brutal the supportive services are here. It's almost saying don't get sick and save monkey money to cover the things you'll have to pay for when you get older and do get sick".

So what happens if you don't do that? You're assed out. And it'll only get worse as all this geopolitical crap happens.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

I think I'm going to have to put the Sicilian review into multiple posts. I got a bit long winded but I did try to shorten things down some.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Ok I'll put the first part in but the rest will be tomorrow. I want to put some pictures in with the commentary.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Ok I'll put the first part in but the rest will be tomorrow. I want to put some pictures in with the commentary.

I'm just waiting on the food and castle pictures.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

To start, a brief history of Sicily and some general information before I get into what I did in Sicily and some other bits.

Size wise, Sicily is just a bit smaller than the state of Massachusetts. You could drive around the perimeter in about 15 hours, if you wanted but don’t see the point of that.

Sicily is thought to be inhabited by humans for at least 12,000 years but there are signs of earlier settlement, approx. 20,000 years.

Now the term melting pot gets used a lot, but I think Sicily deserves this term more than anywhere else. It is literally a historical melting pot and those cultures, relics and food still are a part of Sicily today. Just more modern. Sicily has been ruled by the following, without going into too much detail:

Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Germanic (Vandals and Ostrogoths), Byzantine Empire, Arabs (Muslim Moors), Norman, several Sicilian rulers and eventually part of the Italian unification.

Sicily’s food, culture and history reflect all that. They are, in general, very nice and welcoming people.

We all know about the Mafia and to be honest I truly believe they’re trying get away from that stigma and have moved into more of an acceptance of who and what they are. The Mafia story is a long one from history and hard to shake.

If you’re at all interested in a decent show on Sicily, I highly recommend Sicily Unpacked. It’s a BBC show, easily found on YouTube. It’s three one hour episodes and the hosts are an art expert and an Italian Michelin star chef. It’s pretty good. It focus is on food and art, but they do talk about other things.

We found Sicily to be quite safe. Like anywhere you travel though always be aware of the usual things. The pickpockets, bad areas (though not easy to determine in Sicily) and scams, we basically avoid anyone begging or asking to talk to us.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

I'm just waiting on the food and castle pictures.

Well, castles, temples, food, churches... the usual.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Well, castles, temples, food, churches... the usual.

It wouldn't be a European trip if you didn't throw up a picture of a castle.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Tip number 1 - Driving in cities or towns in Sicily is an interesting experience. Road rules exist, I think. Drivers are aggressive and impatient and happy to use their horn. However, driving is the best way to see Sicily, so you just follow along and get with the groove as it were. I’d recommend driving as little as possible in any city or town and park in a safe place. Highway driving is not so bad, and distances are relatively short between places.
If you don’t drive, there are ways to still see Sicily using guided tours from the major cities Palermo and Catania.

Our itinerary was this:

Catania for two nights – checking out the sites in city and sampling the food
Agriturismo for two nights on Mt Etna – going up the mountain and dinner for wife’s birthday in Taormina
Palermo for two nights – checking the sites in the city and more food sampling
Mangiapane Cave – ancient site of earliest settlers in Sicily
Agrigento for one night – Beach, temples and villa
Back to Catania for one night by the beach

It was a short trip around Sicily to take in the major sites. We missed some things but that’s ok because we plan to return, just not in the summer.

Tip number 2 – If you can avoid it, don’t go to Sicily in the summer. Probably recommend May or September. Why? Because it’s hot and humid. Ridiculously so. Also, less tourists around.

Typical breakfast spread.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Catania - Now lots of people may recommend not staying in Catania but being honest I think it’s a more relaxed and easy-going place than Palermo. It was pleasant to get around by foot and the food was great. Lots to see there as well. It was a good stay. The only downside was our B&B. We chose a place that was a bit on the noisy side due to traffic that went a bit late into the night.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Food from Catania.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Would an admin be so kind and approve my post.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Rue, any comments?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/...ml?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage

 

[N_LaRUE]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Rue, any comments?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/...ml?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage

I'll provide full comment tomorrow.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

I'll provide full comment tomorrow.

Sounds like a worthy read incoming.

 

[worldspy99]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Would an admin be so kind and approve my post.

Seems like it was already approved.

 

[worldspy99]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Work has been a bit crazy so I haven't been as active here.

I am off to India on the 20th and back on Sept 3. I am probably in China in September so I will be scarce for the next 4 to 6 weeks.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!

Work has been a bit crazy so I haven't been as active here.

I am off to India on the 20th and back on Sept 3. I am probably in China in September so I will be scarce for the next 4 to 6 weeks.

Can we get pictures of Indian and Chinese castles (if you pass by any)? We know how the Europeans get done, so something different and eastern is welcomed.

Enjoy your travels.