@jolenealaska how's it going hon?

Not great, nothing has changed. Super early for you!

I won't know anything more until I talk to the cop.

Christ, tell me about it. Anarion is just awake >.<

Beaming hugs your way x

It'll all work out, don't worry

Enjoy your son.

He is currently busy smashing the hell out of a plastic car

He likes to get the important things done early

Now he is attacking it with a wooly spider.

Recreating Jurassic Park perhaps

hmmmm

He is crawling now

One minute he's recreating Hollywood classics, the next he's chewing a power cord on the other side of the room

AH He finally took the plunge!

It's more of a military style belly crawl at the moment, but the boy can move

At this point, losing weight may become easier.

@Cerberus Indeed. Tell me about it.

Yup. He has the chubbiest legs. He could stand to burn a but of puppy fat

but of puppy

Hi guys. Still at it? @ElendilTheTall I thought you were in the UK. You must be quite the early riser.

that's my goal too.

An entire butt of it

I'm on mobile and it's not even 6am, forgive me :P

@FaheemMitha I'm not, my son is...

@ElendilTheTall Oh, right.

BRB, daddy needs coffee

I may practice with my Dragon tonight.

@jolenealaska get this. Faheem doesn't drink coffee. O.o

@ElendilTheTall Hardly that surprising.

He's like some kind of science experiment

To some it's rather shocking.

Thoroughly.

Just about to add water to the first life giving brew of the day

oooh

Once more I suckle at your stimulating teat

(and the coffee's) ;)

Guess what I have in storage (along with everything)

my coffee maker.

Good grief woman

I'm at the end of my rope.

What else do you have in there? Your clothes? Medication?

Rope?

Surely there is a 24/7 coffee delivery service. It's America.

There are probably several in competition

not delivery

I'm considering going to a bar tonight to celebrate the 4th.

But I probably won't.

I thought you were broke?

I can't afford such nonsense.

exactly

I don't actually have to spend any money, but going knowing I have none to spend is no fun.

Celebrate it here with a redcoat and anotherof of his colonial chums

that is probably what I'll do.

brb

Lol. She's obviously gone to get her union flag

Something like that.

Whiskey?

Ah, the rhythmic thump of isildurette descending

I was wondering when we were going to see the pinkcoat!

If I had something alcoholic in the house, I'd probably be drinking it right now.

But I don't.

No coffee either.

I thought you were in that frame of mind

There MUST be a booze delivery service in Alaska of all places

:)

Not here anyway.

But perhaps it's for the best that you have no depressants on hand...

I have lots of dangerous drugs, but

my mind doesn't roll that way.

Speaking of drugs: antihistamines

Thanks for the reminder

If I do something self destructive, it would be like gambling.

The season that was bugging me seems to be over.

That's good

Hmm, I don't think I do anything self destructive

It makes me think that it was cottonwood.

Does chocolate count?

@jolenealaska you'll have to wait a year to find out

Do you know of anyone producing local honey?

It can, if you feel "guilty" about it after.

Not these days, I only have a little bit at a time

They've even got your stubble right!

!

What's more American than apple pie? Two apple pies!

My mic and phone need to charge, and my fingers are not cooperating....recommend a YouTube video to last 1/2 an hour or so?

purty!

Hmmm

Sorry, I got nothing. I'm not a huge YouTuber really

Try reddit.com/r/documentaries

Just lots of free documentaries

Funny, I just had the story of The Cannibal Cop on in the background a few days ago.

A little light background entertainment

It sounds like a party is getting started in the neighborhood

Maybe I'll wonder down later.

I had watched something entirely different, and it just came on. I had never heard of the case.

That's a plan. Wander in when everyone's too drunk to notice you're gatecrashing :)

exactly!

'Jimmy said it was ok'

Point to the guy upside down behind the TV

I've settled on a British documentary about Capital Punishment over the ages.

@ElendilTheTall If all you had was a crock-pot,

regular ground coffee,

And (oddly enough)a sieve....

How would you go about making coffee?

Interesting, it's specifically about the history of Capital Punishment in England.

I'm getting my Dragon on. Brb

That's interesting O.o

How fine is the sieve?

Fine enough to hold the coffee?

I guess I'd heat the water in the crackpot, decent it to the cup, then pour it through the coffee

I'm back with my Dragon.

So you wouldn't actually heat the coffee in the water at all?

I suppose you could

So right now, I have 4 cups of fresh water in a crockpot on high.

Dragon really can't understand me at my normal rate of speech.

I have to slow way down.

It's hard.

lifehacker.com/5979295/…

That's what she said

Yes.

I may try it just like that overnight, but I want coffee now.

So, once my water gets near boiling, I think I'm going to stir in half a cup or so of coffee and let it steep like that for a couple of minutes.

Then I'll strain it. And see what I've got.

You could just do a couple of lines of the grounds...

Dragon wants a lot of samples of my writing to analyze, I really have anything except what I've written on SE.

:)

It also wants me read to it. Kennedy's inaugural address is a choice, I'll probably go without one.

Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end.

We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender

Great speech

He had a way with words, did Winston

but that one isn't an option! Back soon, I'm off to channel JFK to please my Dragon.

Try not to boink the secretary

That was pretty trippy.

I read the whole speech into the microphone, and then it said that it was going to analyze it.

This may take over an hour.

Say what?!?!

It could not be done in the background. I tried to open this room, and what I saw (just trying to get here) is JFK's speech running across the Google field, like a tickertape.

It does seem to be understanding me somewhat better.

I should read to it something that can naturally be read a lot faster than the JFK speech,

Aha... Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

That's one of the options, and something that I would naturally read faster and with more affect.

Wow...It wants me to read all of Chapter 10. And so I shall, as soon as the dishwasher is done.

I printed it out in a much larger font too.

I actually grabbed a pair of reading glasses to get through JFK's speech.

I've got to remember to make an appointment on Monday to get my eyes checked.

I keep remembering at 505.

Since I generally ask what I should do in whatever circumstance, and then do exactly what I would've done to begin with, I bought 4 cups of cold water to a near boil in my crockpot. Then I added about a cup and a half of grounds, and set the timer for five minutes.

(with the crockpot unplugged)

hmmm that's pretty damn drinkable, if I do say so myself.

It would be kind of fun to record this Dragon training exercise.

Chapter 10 of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory could make for some nice bedtime reading.

it could

I'm giving it a practice go since the dishwasher is still running.

It's a nice read, but it starts off very sad.

If I recorded it, might you play it some night for your little ones?

I'm reading it anyway as I would if I were reading it to a class.

As soon as the dishwasher is done, I am starting.

@Jolenealaska it would be waaaaay in the future, but maybe!

It's making me want to read it again. (the whole story)

It's Charlie, starving, finding the ticket.

It's a great thing to read out loud.

I like Dahl's stuff

his autobiographies are great

We meet the bratty kids

and his Tales of the Unexpected

The excerpt of Willy Wonka that I am reading to Dragon ends with the appearance of Mr Wonka. I haven't given Dahl a thought for 20 years, but he is just timeless.

Another one I love is Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends.

never heard of that one

Fabulous!

shelsilverstein.yolasite.com/table-of-contents.php

But the illustrations are as fun as the poems.

I also think Dr Seuss should get some kind of medal.

(posthumous of course)

Does your daughter enjoy being read to?

Ok the dishwasher is done, it is time for me to close everything else, and read to my Dragon. I shall be back!

@Jolenealaska yes, she has 3 stories every night

Whew, that was actually a lot of work.

Three stories! Does she get to pick?

I just checked. amazon.com/Charlie-Chocolate-Factory-Bucket-Book-ebook/dp/…

$1.99 for the Kindle edition.

Hi guys. Having a good Sunday?

So far. I just bought Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for $2, and am remembering how much I like it.

I just read a 20 minute excerpt to Dragon, to improve its accuracy.

@Jolenealaska Bought what for $2 exactly?

I had so much fun doing it that I had to find out what happened next.

The kindle version of the book.

The sequel is good too. Vermicious Knids.

@Jolenealaska Ok

Illustrated, I can read it on my computer or phone (I have lost my actual Kindle).

@Jolenealaska That's too bad.

Well, having lost it is the only reason I finally upgraded my phone....

so, meh. I'll survive.

Of things I have lost and wish I could now find, my Kindle is very low on the list.

@Jolenealaska Fair enough.

The excerpt Dragon had me read was chapter 10-13. Pretty fun stuff for a former theater geek.

It's Charlie finding the ticket.

I've never really been a big Roald Dahl fan, but his children's books are pretty much iconic.

And Mr. Wonka is totally mad in a fun way. Quite unusual for a children's book, especially fantasy ones. Usually adults are authority figures or absent.

I can't even really remember the book, only the movie, and that's a shame.

A decade from now, will kids read Harry Potter? Or just see the movies?

This is making me want to find a day-care class of kids to read to.

I personally find movies a pale shadow of the books. For the most part.

James and the Giant Peach is also pretty good. Also made into an (animated) movie.

That is usually the case of books turned into movies.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is just begging to be read out loud.

Trivia of the day...

Ready??

apparently not!

@Jolenealaska ready.

That's one! OK

From where do we get the idiom, "You're pulling my leg"?

@Jolenealaska Are we allowed to google?

I don't know.

well, you'll get an answer that way!

It comes from the era of public executions in the UK.

If you're hanging from a noose and slowly dying, to pull on your leg will cause you to die faster.

It's an act of mercy.

@Jolenealaska Wow, that's cheery.

Weird though, I get a totally different answer by Googling.

Though it doesn't really make sense that the idiom would come from that.

I learned the "hanging" origin from a documentary I watched earlier.

@Jolenealaska Hmm. Did it explain why it ended up meaning "making fun of me"?

Stack exchange to the rescue, as usual.

Still confusing.

I'm experimenting now. Can I dictate when I feel like it, then turn off the microphone and go back to other applications??

Apparently.

And then can I just turn the microphone back on and keep talking??

Apparently so.

nice

That seems to be the key to using this hog of a program.

@Jolenealaska These answers all look speculative. I think probably nobody really knows.

The accepted answer is as likely as anything, and seems more likely than a hanging-related reference.

Now my Dragon control is hidden...Dammit!

Just when I think I've got this program figured out, it throws another curveball.

fUCK

Look in the system tray by the clock

It was stuck doing some kind of "learning".

It says it is done now, and it should know me a lot better.

One thing I can kind of tell is that I don't like it listening for commands. I hate it when I dictate something and takes it as a command to do something else.

The only thing is that I have to hit enter instead of saying press enter.

Which is kind of a pain in the ass in chat, but probably not so much in Word, where I belong.

@Jolenealaska cue a rendition of "Getting to Know You".

Its accuracy does seem improved.

I should read it another text.

Alice in Wonderland is an option, I'll do that after I finish reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Finnegan's Wake might be amusing, briefly.

In order for a reading to help Dragon's accuracy, I need to read something it has chosen for me.

Oh, lame. Anyway, that might be a bad idea, I guess you don't want to train it with gibberish or you'll never get any sense out of it

So far I have read to it JFK's inaugural address (...Ask not what your country can do for you) and a few chapters of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

I enjoyed the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory excerpt so much that I bought the Kindle version of the book.

I'm reading it now.

And this is Dragon taking my dictation. I am not doing any editing, just talking.

So far, so good.

I can't type, so dictation software that actually works is quite a boon.

I still haven't done any editing.

I downloaded a free voice to text program a few months ago. It was good for an evening of entertainment, but absolutely no good for its supposed purpose.

Hi Tall.

I've got a question for you.

How is it that I cannot keep my Kindle window on top of this chat window?

I'd like to be able to read my book and be able to tell if somebody has said something in chat.

I have to minimize this window in order to see the Kindle window.

I can read the book on my phone, but that is asking a lot of these tired old eyes.

Click and drag the chat window to the left until it snaps. Then do the same to the right with the kindle app

Where do I grab the chat window?

The title bar at the top. Firefox as a whole

Got it sort of.

Sort of?

I've got the two windows sharing a screen. Which is an improvement.

I'm not sure what else you expect to be able to do...

I was trying to have Kindle in a small window on top of chat, maximized.

But, this is actually fine. I can see the book, I can see chat, and I can control Dragon all at the same time.

Hi Cerby!

A small window and maximised are contradictions

But you appear to be sorted

Yes, I am.

If a little rude by not giving us your undivided attention... :P

If I only have one browser tab active, Dragon seems to have no problem at all.

Right now I just have this window, Kindle and Dragon open.

Now, I'd like to bounce back and forth from a document in Word.

It works!

Where I click, so goes what I say.

Flipping back and forth, no problem.

Cool

I'm not sure, but Dragon seems to be much less of a system hog after it reaches a point of learning the user.

Does that make any sense at all?

How is it with emails? :D

Yes, that's conceivable

Now I have email open too, and Dragon isn't choking.

Frying pan, Outlook, Word. Simple as that.

All while reading my book.

I am quite pleased.

It really does seem like it is taking a lot less processing power now than when I first installed it

Hmm, I don't know if you're missing my point on purpose or not... I'm going to go with on purpose :P

That would be a good guess :-)

You're no fun :P

Intentionally missing your point does not mean I'm not checking my email :-)

Oh ho

Give me a starter word

hmmm

Every one I can think of is so obvious....

Lol

Give me an obvious one and delete it

hmmm

<whistles to pass the time>

Lol

Missed it, but check y8ur email

You are so bad to encourage this behavior!

Word games? Pah!

We seem to have a new face in the Frying Pan.

A new one pops up every so often

Have you replied?

Cerby has shown up too, but he's being his flighty self and hasn't even said hi.

not yet

He is a will o' the wisp

Are you referring to me as a "new" face?

You are no fun :D

@Gigili hi, how you doing?

@Jefromi mycaldron.com

Hello,

I hear their newt stew is great

Fine, thanks for asking. What about you?

I thought you left the site

No, just had a couple of weeks off to get stuff done

@Gigili No, he was just taking a break.

@ElendilTheTall whose?

Glad to see you here again

@Gigili The witches from Macbeth.

One of my favorite scenes.

Double, double toil and trouble, Fire burn, and caldron bubble

We studied Macbeth at some length in junior high. I found that scene to be shocking.

Or those scenes I should say.

@ElendilTheTall Today I was posting a photo of the butter cake I baked the other day -on instagram-, then I thought to myself "what's the point of posting food and drink pictures here and other people commenting on it, oh delish wow mouthwatering dear I am drooling send me some and such"... Exactly what you said a few months ago! I get your point now

Until then, I had no idea that Shakespeare was really for mature audiences.

@Gigili I'd like to see your butter cake!

hihi :P

Hang on please

@Gigili I have been known to be correct on the odd occasion.

:)

Right!

Wow, that looks great!

That's the chocolate butter cake.

I might have destalked the strawberries, but otherwise... Send me some!

:D

Very pretty!

@Gigili what makes it a butter cake specifically? Just that you've used butter?

@ElendilTheTall Wish I could :\

@ElendilTheTall The recipe says so

Yes, lots and lots of butter

That was the chocolate butter cake

Here's the other one:

With chocolate cream cheese filling and frosting

@ElendilTheTall What makes a cake a butter cake, from a scientific point of view?

No idea :) most sponges use butter/margarine/oil though.

When I think of butter cake, I think of Paula Deen.

Funny thing...I went to Food Network and searched for butter cake. I got four results, all four recipes are Paula Deen.

We seem to have lost @Gigili.

And Cerby still hasn't said Hi.

@jolenealaska he's so fickle

He is probably chatting with someone else as we speak.

Probably. Three heads and all that

I've even seen him in other rooms, acting as if he belongs.

hmmph

Are you guys feeling lonely?

Not at all

So, how healthy or unhealthy is white corn? We get it here occasionally.

I have other diversions at present

Mostly carbs I would guess.

Though I don't really know what carbs are. I'm so uneducated.

Pasta and stuff innit

@jolenealaska had to finish that last one quickly, feel free to take up the gauntlet

I'm working on it!