I’m finding Logger for Shortcuts an indispensable tool for developing Apple Shortcuts. Available MacOS and iOS means that I can text Shortcuts regardless of which device I am using. I can track what is going on as Shortcuts run and don’t have to temporarily break Shortcuts to display a value.

Highly recommended.

Shadows in the night.

A tall, leafy plant casts long, dramatic shadows on a wooden wall in a dimly lit setting.

Well yesterday I restarted my attempt at completing the Watch to 5K program that for me came to a complete standstill four months ago. I did go for a run while we were in Portugal. At the time I thought that that would be my Watch to 5K restart. No such luck. One run and that was it.

So yesterday morning I went out with the intention of restarting the program. I decided that I would start from the beginning as opposed to trying to pick some appropriate spot mid-program. It felt cleaner to do so and would give me some perspective as I progressed through the program’s stages. This time I also want to be more conscious of how I am running. By that I mean that it became apparent to me, with the help of online feedback from Rex, that I was running too fast for training. I was essentially racing against myself. That eventually tired me out and put me off completing the program. Yesterday, I ran more consciously, with the intended emphasis on running and not racing.

I’ll see where this leads, and continue to map my progress here online. Accountability helps me.

☕ Oh dear. It’s a three coffee morning.

I received this electronic sticker by email today. My first vote in a US Presidential Election since becoming a US citizen in 2022. The Hawaii Primaries.

Auto-generated description: A circular, orange sticker features the text Hi Voted 2024 Primary Election with a rocket ship design.

A short wave video for the Pacific Wave Association. The wind was blowing hard that day. I felt exhausted by the time that we got back to the car, the wind blown out of my sails. The waves weren’t big, but the ocean was a choppy, choppy, choppy, with the ocean blowing strongly from east to west.

Those times when I have to do something that I really don’t want. I end up wasting time either doing other things that need doing, and are easier, or I simply waste time on mindless activities.

…and then I get done what needs to be done. Whether I like it or not, and simply feel better for putting it behind me, even if there is a follow up that I do not look forward to.

I can breathe a little more for getting the job done, and leave myself wondering - again - why I just didn’t get on with the job in the first place?

I’ve been remiss in my lack of videos for the Pacific Wave Appreciation Society. This one is from yesterday. I was driving home and stopped for a moment to look out to the ocean, get my feet wet and breathe in some sea air. As the sound indicates, it was very windy.

Whenever I’m unsure what the weather is doing here on Maui, I always remember a reply that my wife once gave in answer to a question as to what the weather was going to do? She said,

Wait five minutes.

It is sound advice here.

Young puppy, Mochi, my step-daughter’s little French Bulldog getting curious about the sheep next door. What is not shown is the other sheep and cow looking on. How wet it was that afternoon. How I had to push my way through a hedge to get to Mochi, and go back through it once I had Mochi. How Mochi was in no hurry to be picked up, and by the time that I did get to him, he was covered in mud…and then ran straight back down to the animals once I had cleaned him off.

Oh the mischievousness of youth…whatever the breed.

A small brown dog and a white goat are meeting through a wire fence while a person wearing flip-flops stands nearby.

This jigsaw puzzle was very satisfying to do, and the collage of images looks better in the completed puzzle than the image on the box. Some fun, whimsical pieces in there as well. 🧩

A completed jigsaw puzzle showing a colorful collage depicting various pub exteriors and signs from around Britain, each with intricate architectural details and vibrant storefronts.

Oohh, I wish that I had a zoom lens just now. A white egret stood on our grey roof against the background of grey clouds. The weather is overcast. There is no extraneous sun shining through. The egret was in stark relief against the grey that surrounded it.

I am receiving more texts, spam texts, of late from numbers claiming to be USPS and telling me about packages addressed to me and awaiting clearance from customs. Clicking on a supplied link will apparently resolve the issue.

I don’t know what has increased the appearance of these texts? 🤔

☕ The aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifts across the house this morning.

Playing around again with Cinemin by Tinrocket, a couple of evenings ago.

A cozy interior features a vase of flowers on a table, books, and a candle, all softly lit in a purple hue.

I’m in the middle of doing this jigsaw puzzle showing a collage of various traditional British pub exteriors and signage. A puzzle that my mother gave to me. I love doing puzzles. The process relaxes me. Doing this one I’m finding is also making me homesick. There is nothing like a British pub and I am no longer around them. I miss them.

A collage of various traditional British pub exteriors is depicted, showcasing intricate architectural details and classic signage.

Sunset this evening.

I’m testing a Shortcut where I’m entering the text for my post directly into the Shortcut. Here goes…

This morning’s rainbow 🌈

A rainbow arcs over a grassy field and a line of shrubbery, set against a partly cloudy sky.

I’ve been playing around with Tinrocket’s relatively new app Cinemin. While admiring what they can do, I do not normally choose to use apps that give photographs a artistic look, this one I am enjoying though. The images that Cinemin produces is,

Inspired by traditional animation art and films

Here are a couple of my first dabbles with the app, conjoined by Tinrocket’s collage app, Photo Tape.

A collage of two photos. On the left, a view from an airplane window shows the wing and a vast expanse of clouds under a clear blue sky. On the right, a serene waterfront scene is illuminated by a bright sun on a clear day with boats gently floating on the calm water.