Producing Power on the Way to the Store

Jay and I have some friends that keep a Whatsapp group chat open.  It's where we post pictures or talk about what we're doing and a great way to keep up.  For example, one member is landing in Tbilisi, Georgia today.  We get pictures and comments immediately when we wish.  Unfortunately, this has surely killed sending postcards to each other!  

This morning, one member talked about an Ontario potential driver who failed the test because they relied on 'regeneration' in a Tesla rather than using the brake pedal.  I mentioned I most always regenerate in our Hyundai Kona.  I can completely stop by using a 'regeneration paddle' on the steering wheel.  It can set the car's regen level from none to extremely strong.  It can also be used to stop the car at stop signs and traffic lights.

Later in the day, I happened to open my car app and noticed the day's trips.  I added the following to our group chat because we'd mentioned EV regen:

This was our way to the Superstore this morning. My car always ranks me as an "Economical" driver. The other rankings are "Normal" and "Aggressive". The car is set up with three levels of driving characteristics too. I just press a button. They are Eco, Normal, and Sports. I am generally in Normal because it mimics driving a standard gasoline vehicle.

 

I ended up in Coquitlam with more in my battery than when I left the house. It was probably a wash as I needed to use more to get home because of the incline. Still it is pretty hard for a gas car to go anywhere and have more gas in the tank than when they left.

The Same City Hall Since 1953

The weather seemed too good to waste. So, I took a tiny walk up to New Westminster City Hall.  Of course it sits right beside Tipperary Park, so I spent a few minutes walking to the uncovered stream.  

 

Is there a Connection?

My first two images of the day may be related, although not directly.

   

Yesterday evening, the Amazon guy brought a Crucial 2TB mini SSD. This morning I formatted and checked it out. I moved some data from another that looks idential but holds just 1TB. I shall gift that one to Jay's younger sister to hold all her selfies and I'll keep the newer, double-sized one for carrying around movies, or something ...

I had a conversation with a friend via Whatapp that this little device would hold nearly six million of the original type of IBM floppy discs that I once used.  Not the rigid 3.5" ones but the bendable 5.25" type.  It's mindboggling, isn't it?

   

My second image shows today's newspaper on our coffee table. We started getting the Vancouver Sun delivered a long time ago, probably when we bought this apartment in 1998. We may have been getting deliveries for over a quarter of a century. Newspapers are no longer so important, but Jay was reluctant to give up on it. They cut days and don't deliver on Sundays or Monday. It continues getting thinner and thinner with less news inside. We could really never depend on it for international news but now there's barely any regional news either. As an added insult, they have made stopping subscription when we're away harder and harder. On top of that, it is getting far too expensive. I guess it's time to finally call it quits. 

I think there is a relationship between these two photos today. How would you describe the connection in a simple statement?

Warm Weather in New Westminster

We welcome the nice weather we're getting in the Lower Mainland of BC. Today, I did note a smidgeon of wildfire smoke in the air, but we've been blessed with a pretty small amount of that phenomena this season.  I walked out of the door with my Bluetooth headphones on.  My new phone played Spotify, kept track of my Fitbit walking route and stats, and still provided me with a chance to play with its camera.

 

I loved the feeling of sun on my face and old tunes in my ears.  The few people who were out appeared to be enjoying their chance to experience some nice weather too.

Ease on Down

 

The weather today was sunny and warm. It reached nearly 30°C today in New Westminster. I saved this image from the security camera that sits on the curio cabinet in the living room. When we're away, I occasionally take a look at the empty living room on my phone. Often the time zone means I see a night scene. Instead today, I'm looking at myself, looking at myself in a sunny southern exposure.

It was one of those days when it felt great just kicking around. We went to buy some fruits and vegetables and enjoyed the drive under clear blue sky. This can't last forever, and won't. It's mid-September already!

 

A Bottle of Asti Spumante and a Box of Macaroons

We're not new-comers when it comes to cruise ship journeys.  We just got back from a one-week, Barcelona-to-Barcelona adventure last Thursday and it hasn't even made it onto this listing yet.

Last week's cruise for Jay's birthday was our third time on an MSC cruise. Our first journey with them was a great deal we noticed during our winter in Argentina. We were able to see the port of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil because of an MSC ship. 

They are a fairly new name to American passengers because the name itself means Mediterranean Shipping Company. The name is common on cargo containers but the Italian company is getting into cruising at a impressive rate. As well as a few cruises in the Caribbean, they are starting in the US and Canada. In fact, I read they'll be accompanying us in this area for the Alaska cruise season in 2026, yet out of Seattle at first. 

We have been frequent Holland America Line passengers for around 20 years and now carry a level four of a possible five stars in their loyalty program called, Mariners. When doing a little research, I discovered that the MSC Voyagers Club offers a 'Status Match' program. So, I filled in an online form this morning on their Canadian website. The info said it could take between ten days and a month for processing. However, I received a notice of acceptance for a bump up after only a few hours. Jay and I received Diamond Status which is the fifth of their six levels. When we board the MSC Euriba in Dubai with Jay's sisters in December, I'll expect a few perks, like priority boarding.

 

My Sixth Android Phone in 15 Years

When growing up in the 60s and 70s, my family had the same, white, rotary-dial phone on the kitchen wall.  Contrast that to the fact during the last fifteen years, I've had six different Android phones.

I find it interesting that most people do not bother to keep track of very basic information in their own lives.  I guess it really doesn't matter when and what mobile phones I've used.  However, I find myself quite interesting; hence, this blog exists.

So, here's a grand review of the smart-era phones I've owned and the month each was purchased:

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: September 2025

Google Pixel 7 Pro: May 2023

Google Pixel 5: April 2021  

One Plus 6: May 2018  

Google Nexus 5: January 2014  

Google Nexus One: June 2010

Fraser River Port at 1X, 5X, and 10X.

Moving from my old Pixel 7 Pro to the Pixel 10 Pro XL wasn't really hard.  Even though Android replicated my customized icon setup and downloaded the apps, I still had to log into each with the new device.  Of course, I got dozens of warning emails along the way.  It took me a large part of yesterday, to get back to exactly where I used to be.

So finally, today, I stepped out on the balcony to see the new phone's increased zoom level.  Whereas my old phone had only 1 to 5x optical quality, the new one boasts up to 10x.  This may make my photo shooting more useful even if I never go into the digital magnification software shenanigans hitting its touted 100x.