Monthly Archives: May 2021

Phones, Old and New . . .

Jan and I were on our way up to Clear Lake about 12:30 this afternoon, a little earlier than usual because I got a text sayingPh that my new S21 phone had been delivered at the office, so we wanted to pick it up first before we had lunch at Snooze.

Not only was I impatient to get my hands on it, but I wanted to get it charging while we were eating breakfast so I brought one of my power bank chargers with me.

Power Bank Charger

Then while we were waiting for our food, I opened the box and then let Jan help me pull off the protective film on the screen (Big Bang joke).

But when I tried to use the included USB cable to charge the phone, I ran into a problem. The cable had a USC-C connector on both ends, not just one. Normally there’s a USB 3.0 connector that plugs into charging ports and the USB-C on the other end.

But with the same ‘C’ connector on both ends it wouldn’t plug into my power bank, so I went back out to the car to get my cable from there.

While I was sitting there I went online and ordered a USB 2.0 to USB adapter like this so I can plug the cable into standard charger ports.

USB 2.0 to C adapter

And I also ordered a second wireless charger so we’ll both have one.

S21 Wireless Charger

Before we just had one, since only my S8+ could use one, and not Jan’s S5.

Turns out it was already about 60% charged, but it was 100% by the time we finished our meal. I did at least turn it on to watch it boot up but then turned it off when it asked to start the initialization.

Since I’m going to have the phone number switched from my S8+ to the S21, I thought I’d just let Verizon do it all, because after that they’ll need to switch Jan’s number on her S5 over to the S8+.

But I did download the User Guide so I could check out all the new features, which is where I discovered the possible use for the USB ‘C’ to ‘C’ connector.

S21 Cable Transfer

It can be used to transfer all the data from the old phone to the new phone.

Then it was back down to the NTB to get the new tires for our Jeep. With that done, it was a quick HEB stop, a quick Cowboy Coffee stop, and then home for the night.


Thought For The Day:

The only person who listens to both sides of an argument is usually the next door neighbor.

 

 

Graduation Day . . .

SpaceX put another 60 Starlink satellites into orbit today, which is supposed to complete the first level of the system. Don’t know, but hopefully it means we might be getting our dish/system soon. Crossing my fingers.

Also crossing my fingers that my new phone comes in tomorrow as scheduled. At least that’s what UPS says. And Jan’s also crossing her fingers since she’s excited to get my hand-me-down S8+ to replace her S5 which is now 7 years. Which I think must be about 20 in phone years.

And I’m ready for it since I already my Otterbox and Screen Protector ready to go.

Otterbox S21 Ultra Case

As I mentioned yesterday, we’ve got an appointment at our local NTB tomorrow afternoon to get new tires for our Jeep. And as I always have with our Dodge Dakota, I chose their ‘house brand’ Crosswinds with a 40,000 mile warranty. And once I eliminated all the stuff I didn’t want (Road Hazard Warranty for $20/tire), and didn’t need (TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) Repair Kit) since the Jeep doesn’t have a built-in tire pressure monitoring system, I’m getting the 4 tires installed for $480 out the door.

I could have bumped up to the middle choice, the Mesa AP3’s, with a 50,000 mile warranty, but the 20% added mileage would have cost me 30% more per tire. Not a good trade off. And FWIW both of these tires are made in China, so no change there.

And if I was feeling really spendy, I could have gone with brand name Michelin’s, for more than double the cost of the Crosswinds. Though these are made in the U.S., for some strange reason, they have absolutely no mileage warranty of any kind.

So what’s the point

Tomorrow was the last day of school for Landon this year, and his graduation day from Elementary School. Next year he’ll be in 6th grade, or Middle School, as they call it here.

Landon 5th Grade Graduation

That’s him, 2nd from the left in the blue shirt.

Somewhere along the line, the grade levels changed since Jan and I were in school. Back then, Elementary School was 1st – 6th, Junior High was 7th and 8th, and High School was 9th-12th. Easy Peezy.

Then somewhere along the way Junior High became Middle School, but the same grades. But now 6th grade has been bumped up to Middle School. So why?

Wrapping up the subject of Landon’s school, Brandi posted this note she got from Landon’s home room teacher.

Just got the sweetest note from Landon’s home room teacher.  I asked how he has been doing and if his behavior has improved and she wrote the following:

We have a mutual respect and he knows I think he is pretty amazing.  I told him, and I would like to share with you that he has the soul of a writer.  I keep thinking back to the beginning of the year when he refused to write and I dreaded giving him a writing assignment because he would fight me tooth and nail on it.  Now, I cannot get him to stop writing.  He has such an amazing imagination and his voice rings out in everything that he writes.  With his art skills he could illustrate his own books.  I told him when he publishes his first book, I would like him to mention me in the dedication. Ha!

I will truly miss him next year and hope he will keep in touch and let me know how he is doing!

Awww. So sweet.  Even with the “White Sarcasm” gene going strong!!

And she’s right about the “White Sarcasm’ gene too.


Thought For The Day:

I always look both ways before crossing a one-way street. I’ve driven behind a lot of people that I don’t want to be in front of.