What are you doing today?

[Clix Pix]

Back in October 2020 when I was going through the "shall I get a new car? What should I get?" phase, I read up on hybrids and looked at various brands of them online, read comments and reviews and then decided that I wasn't ready for that drastic of a change yet. I already knew that there was going to be a somewhat major adjustment to all the technological advances that have progressed through the automobile industry since I had bought my Acura RSX back in late autumn 2005 so decided against a hybrid at this point. Having removed that option from my consideration I moved on to brands and styles, which was much easier, as I was already fixated on another hatchback. Acura wasn't offering any hatchbacks this time around and I wasn't excited about what I was seeing in their models online. The price tags weren't appealing, either! Since Acura and Honda are both made by Honda, it was an easy move to check out the Honda offerings and bingo, there was my hatchback! Sticker shock wasn't TOO bad, another good reason to go with Honda rather than Acura this time around. This may or may not be my last car, but I'm loving her and very happy that I did get her. It was definitely time for my Acura to retire....

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Back in October 2020 when I was going through the "shall I get a new car? What should I get?" phase, I read up on hybrids and looked at various brands of them online, read comments and reviews and then decided that I wasn't ready for that drastic of a change yet. I already knew that there was going to be a somewhat major adjustment to all the technological advances that have progressed through the automobile industry since I had bought my Acura RSX back in late autumn 2005 so decided against a hybrid at this point. Having removed that option from my consideration I moved on to brands and styles, which was much easier, as I was already fixated on another hatchback. Acura wasn't offering any hatchbacks this time around and I wasn't excited about what I was seeing in their models online. The price tags weren't appealing, either! Since Acura and Honda are both made by Honda, it was an easy move to check out the Honda offerings and bingo, there was my hatchback! Sticker shock wasn't TOO bad, another good reason to go with Honda rather than Acura this time around. This may or may not be my last car, but I'm loving her and very happy that I did get her. It was definitely time for my Acura to retire....

Hondas are superb cars, very well made and stylish, too.

My father had one, in the late 80s, and early 90s, and loved it.

There are far worse cars than a Honda to have purchased as a "last car".

 

[lizkat]

it was an easy move to check out the Honda offerings and bingo, there was my hatchback!

Yep I always loved hatchbacks ever since I had driven a 1980 Datsun B210 into the ground... and so I was starting to look around at Hondas as my trusty 2000 Prizm sedan (the closest thing I could find the previous time it was time for a new new-to-me car) started pulling jokers out of the deck.

I too had figured hybrids and eventually all-electric would be the way to go. Initially though I was quite put off by not only the early-adopter sticker prices, but the dearth of charging stations, the limited radius of travel between charges and so forth. After all at that point I thought nothing of ripping up to Ithaca to go shopping, drop in on some kin for lunch and head back. That sort of run was easily 200 miles all told, by time I got done tacking on miles just running around up there.

All those concerns would wane away over time, I knew that, but also figured that would probably not happen in time for me to be plunking down the dough for any car. I'm finding now I don't miss not driving as much as I had sometimes thought I might do.

Heh, maybe I had put enough miles on my mind and body commuting three hours one way from the city up to here a couple times a week for so long, before I talked them into letting me telecommute for most of the job... the trips were scenic but of course it's not the same as just lazing around on a Sunday drive in the boondocks. I don't regret my choice to work on converting a seasonal residence into a year-round home during that time, but I don't miss some of those adventurous trips up here either, at least not the ones where unexpected snowfall or encounters with deer bounding up out of gullies were features of the last 60 miles or so in the wee hours of a fresh weekend.

I like looking back on all the technological developments that have expanded our options for almost everything since I was a kid. It's mind blowing really, and not just in the miniaturization of things like "portable music" or the advent of practically instantaneous electronic communications.

Only disappointing that the USA never really got into high speed rail the way other countries have done. There's something about Americans being wedded to their cars (and the oilpatch crowd being wedded to the idea of extracting the last barrel of oil) that seems to have put the brakes on that for so long.​

​

I wouldn't have minded hopping onto a fast commuter train from the city to the Catskills. The bus option remains a four-hour affair so while I was working and after I bought this place in the sticks, I used to keep two rat cars, figuring my trusty mechanic could keep at least one of them roadworthy for my commutes, because no way was I going to sit in a bus for four hours (one way) when I was often making two round trips per week. That extra hour each time was just unthinkable... just too much tacked on to the need to meet a public transit schedule. I don't mind a round trip by bus now and then for a day of shopping and schmoozing in the city, but as a regular thing, no way.​

Oh well. Today I'm content to be a homebody, working on converting some one-off quilt blocks into potholders or hotmats for the holidays. The blocks were made over the years to use up scraps from other projects, and they come in handy for giftmaking now.

Meanwhile I have a fresh cuppa tea in a mug that insists "Quilting Forever Housework Whenever". Later for another round of dispatching dust bunnies to the next level.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Oh god, I was relatively fine after my first but am expecting a reaction from the second.

Hope you feel better soon [emoji1303]

I was absolutely fine after the first one.
But the second one is a different case. High temperature etc. The Doc said it is good as I am reacting. According to him some doesn't have any reactions, others suffer like hell.

I am better now, thank you all for your kind words

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I was absolutely fine after the first one.
But the second one is a different case. High temperature etc. The Doc said it is good as I am reacting. According to him some doesn't have any reactions, others suffer like hell.

I am better now, thank you all for your kind words

Yes, anecdotally, and online, I have heard that some people seem to suffer quite a severe reaction to the second dose of AZ.

The very best of luck; very glad to read that you now feel somewhat better.

 

[User.45]

I was absolutely fine after the first one.
But the second one is a different case. High temperature etc. The Doc said it is good as I am reacting. According to him some doesn't have any reactions, others suffer like hell.

I am better now, thank you all for your kind words

Turns out, not having a reaction doesn't imply less immunity (per antibody testing). I personally found this notion upsetting

Edit: here's a figure to demonstrate (source NEJM)

Antibody Responses in Seropositive Persons after a Single Dose of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine | NEJM

Correspondence from The New England Journal of Medicine — Antibody Responses in Seropositive Persons after a Single Dose of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine

www.nejm.org

Note that ~third of patients had no symptom whatsoever, yet >95% of folks clustered well above the seropositive AB titer threshold.
20% had headaches, <10% had chills in the COVID-naïve group, but those who were exposed to the virus these rates were like 30%. So it's more likely indicative that you may have been exposed to the virus than the intensity of immunity you developed after the shot.

 

[Alli]

But the price of new cars in general has always been a wonderment to me, so I know I'd have my work cut out trying to talk myself into a hybrid or all electric at current prices. It doesn't help that I bought my fixer-upper house here back in the mid 80s for less than the price of a low-end new car even then.

Between the price of the all electric vehicles and the lack of charging stations, I decided a hybrid was best for now.

Here’s what I got:



2021 Sorento Hybrid S. All the safety technology like lane assist, plus wireless Apple car play. The only feature I’d wanted that I didn’t get was a power hatchback. But that was hardly a deal-breaker.

 

[tranceking26]

Spent yesterday (4th) at my mothers, we watched some Stingray from the 60s.

Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet were my shows growing up but Stingray is just as good.

 

[Clix Pix]

Between the price of the all electric vehicles and the lack of charging stations, I decided a hybrid was best for now.

Here’s what I got:

View attachment 5794View attachment 5795

2021 Sorento Hybrid S. All the safety technology like lane assist, plus wireless Apple car play. The only feature I’d wanted that I didn’t get was a power hatchback. But that was hardly a deal-breaker.

Oooh, a bright red little Kia! She's cute! Enjoy your new Hybrid!

 

[Alli]

Spent yesterday (4th) at my mothers, we watched some Stingray from the 60s.

Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet were my shows growing up but Stingray is just as good.

What, no Fireball XL5? That was my favorite.

Oooh, a bright red little Kia! She's cute! Enjoy your new Hybrid!

Thanks!

 

[Eric]

Between the price of the all electric vehicles and the lack of charging stations, I decided a hybrid was best for now.

Here’s what I got:

View attachment 5794View attachment 5795

2021 Sorento Hybrid S. All the safety technology like lane assist, plus wireless Apple car play. The only feature I’d wanted that I didn’t get was a power hatchback. But that was hardly a deal-breaker.

Very nice!

 

[tranceking26]

What, no Fireball XL5? That was my favorite.

hehe, probably wasn't repeated on TV like the others, when I was a kid (90s) for some reason only episode 1 is on BritBox.

 

[User.45]

Grant #2 submitted. One more to go this month, then will be on a break until the Fall. Looking forward to doing actual cutting edge research rather than begging for money.

 

[fooferdoggie]

been going by this for awhile finally stopped and got pics. it is a grade school in Portland Or Richmond I think is the name

 

[tranceking26]

been going by this for awhile finally stopped and got pics. it is a grade school in Portland Or Richmond I think is the name

Looks really cool! Never had anything like this when I was at school.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Looks really cool! Never had anything like this when I was at school.

yes really impressive. lots of kids names on the leaves and such.

 

[tranceking26]

Today seems to be one of those days where I just listen to music a lot. It's nice outside but I'm content under my blanket.

Credit to Sony for making such comfy headphones and credit to Geekria for making comfy replacement ear pads.

 

[fooferdoggie]

yes really impressive. lots of kids names on the leaves and such.

had to send pick of the Elise name to my daughter Elise.

 

[Alli]

It’s raining. The birds are delighted, but I can’t share their enthusiasm. I’m at the point where I dislike weekends.

 

[tranceking26]

It’s raining. The birds are delighted, but I can’t share their enthusiasm. I’m at the point where I dislike weekends.

Dunno why, but I'm the same as you, weekends are usually my least favourite days. Hopefully the rain'll clear up soon.