How to Upgrade to Windows 11 26H2

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As per a recent Microsoft blog post on September 29th, version 26H2 of Windows 11 is now available for devices running 24H2 and 25H2. Like 25H2, it leverages the “enablement package” technology – meaning there’s a chance it takes as little as 2 minutes and a reboot to upgrade. How to Install the 26H2 Enablement Package via Windows Update As per Microsoft, to be one of the first to receive the update, you have to go Settings -> Windows Update, and then ensure that you have the latest option enabled: “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” should be marked as On. Once enabled, I recommend clicking “Check for updates” to install any available updates and repeating this … Read more

With Great Power

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I’ve been really enjoying my new habit of biking to work – there’s something refreshing about being out first thing in the morning when the air is cool and the traffic is minimal. Plus, it crosses exercise off the list of daily tasks without me having to go out of my way. As a result of doing this commute so frequently, I became more familiar with the various intersections that I encounter. And there’s one particular road with vehicle traffic in both directions, while also featuring a bike and pedestrian crossing. For anyone that wants to cross, it’s very simple – each side has a dedicated button that can be pressed. Those are some powerful buttons, I tell you. If … Read more

The Fuel Source

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I always enjoyed watching Mythbusters when growing up – it was satisfying to see the scientific method applied to test myths, especially with the natural straight man / funny man dynamic that Jaime Hyneman and Adam Savage had going. I always found myself gravitating more towards Adam given his enthusiasm and positivity. So when the show stopped airing, I would inevitably find myself watching his content on YouTube. It was really interesting to hear stories behind the show, but I also quickly discovered exactly how passionate he was about his craft, as a maker. He would get so much enjoyment out of creating props from movies, TV shows, and seemed to be a living encyclopedia for his craft. To the … Read more

Stacking Promotions

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As I mentioned in previous posts, delivering for Uber Eats on a bicycle isn’t something I’d recommend if the primary purpose is earning additional income. The revenue generated per hour isn’t high enough to make this worthwhile. However, if you’re doing it for exercise first and foremost, then, and only then, is the income acceptable – because anything over 0$ is obviously a welcome addition. That is – until we factor in promotions. The Uber Driver app has a section where time-limited promotions appear. As you can imagine, they utilize this to provide incentives for their drivers to return. The first time I did Shop & Deliver trips – where you grocery shop for someone and then deliver it to … Read more

How to Unlike Pages You’ve Liked in the Past on Facebook (Android)

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If you’ve been on Facebook for a while, you’ve probably noticed that their news feed typically features a mix of the following content: Naturally, paid ads and suggested content may miss their mark in terms of how useful they are. As users, we have some control – we can tap the “X” in the corner of these posts – and we will have an opportunity to point out why we weren’t interested. That may help Facebook show us more useful content later – but of course, there’s no way to opt out of seeing this stuff, it’s how they make money. What we have direct control over, however, is the friends we’re connected to and the pages we’ve liked. I … Read more

Late Show (An Epilogue)

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Oddly enough, one of my favorite scenes in any TV show, ever, involves the main character failing to reach his goal. You’d think that might be a bit of a downer, but it’s really a matter of perspective. The scene’s potency – and my appreciation for it – is hugely impacted by my unique progression through life, which I just described in a trilogy of posts titled: Wear It Like Armor, Polarity, and Social Assassin.

What I’m referring to, in particular, is a specific story arc in season 3 of Louie, a TV series by comedian Louis C.K. – so if you’re at all interested in watching the series yourself and avoiding spoilers, I would stop reading here and get on that.

Social Assassin

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They want me to lure him to a microbrewery? I’ve been sober for over 100 days – that’ll be a tough one to sell. My colleagues were trying to organize a surprise birthday party for their boss – my former boss – and since I was friends with him, they figured I’d be a great one to get him to the venue.

Polarity

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I spent so much of my early life isolated, bullied and suppressed that I had to develop self-dependency, and a strong sense of humor just to get by. By the time I moved out and discovered true peace at age 19, the experience had helped me forge a type of psychological armor – one that had been thoroughly field tested. Ultimately, whatever happened, I knew I would make it out just fine.

Wear It Like Armor

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“Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.” – Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones.

There I was, watching an innocent Oasis juice carton fly across the kitchen in slow motion, only to explode on impact as it hit the wall on the opposite side of the room. Growing up, you could say that my parents had a bit of a dysfunctional relationship – the atmosphere at home was a pretty stressful one. Arguments between my parents were common – throwing things, not so much, but it would be inaccurate to leave those details out.

The Backrooms

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When I was off seeing a movie recently in a theater, I happened to catch a trailer for Backrooms, a horror movie based on a fictional location popularized on 4chan. Put simply:

“The Backrooms are usually portrayed as an impossibly large extradimensional complex of empty rooms, accessed by exiting reality.”

Watching the trailer itself will give you a better sense of what I’m referring to: