Kerry56's recent activity
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Comment on What your next water heater will look like in ~enviro
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Comment on What your next water heater will look like in ~enviro
Kerry56 Link ParentI live in west Texas. The power company is called Green Mountain Energy, and yes, they have a few plans that give free electricity during the evening hours. For my bill in March, I averaged 6.8...I live in west Texas. The power company is called Green Mountain Energy, and yes, they have a few plans that give free electricity during the evening hours.
For my bill in March, I averaged 6.8 cents per kilowatt hour, but it is one of the months where I use the least amount of electricity. I have a three-bedroom home, ranch style, and my bill for the month was $41.20.
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Comment on What your next water heater will look like in ~enviro
Kerry56 LinkNothing mentioned in the article about my style of water heater, which is an on-demand electric heater with no tank. I really like this water heater, since my electric service plan gives me free...Nothing mentioned in the article about my style of water heater, which is an on-demand electric heater with no tank. I really like this water heater, since my electric service plan gives me free electricity at night (8 pm to 6 am). I can schedule any use of hot water at night, and basically get it for no cost, other than the price of the water itself.
If my heater ever fails and I can't get another like it, I'll be pissed. Installing one of the heat pump water heaters is probably a lot more involved.
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Comment on Authors of Tildes: How well do you know your own book when you publish? in ~creative
Kerry56 LinkI have to take a break and just not look at my writing for a while. Sometimes that adds up to a year or more before I'm ready to edit them again. I've lost count of the number of re-writes I've...I have to take a break and just not look at my writing for a while. Sometimes that adds up to a year or more before I'm ready to edit them again.
I've lost count of the number of re-writes I've done on each of my books, and I still find issues in structure, punctuation and flow when I dive back in. I've self-published five novels and have completed three more, though I have more work to do on those.
As for your original question, I know my novels well enough to answer questions about any of them. Remembering names of minor characters who are only mentioned once or twice might be challenging, but I'd get there eventually.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
Kerry56 LinkI don't listen to kpop as a general rule, but over the last ten days or so, I've been exploring music by Mamamoo, which is an outstanding group of women vocalists. Their music has influences from...I don't listen to kpop as a general rule, but over the last ten days or so, I've been exploring music by Mamamoo, which is an outstanding group of women vocalists. Their music has influences from a dozen different styles, including latin, R&B, hip-hop, and jazz. Their live performances are as good, or even better than their official music videos. This one, Where are We Now?, is one of my favorite ballads from them.
They've also been shaking up conservative Korean attitudes, as they speak up for marginalized groups in society. Quite a change from most kpop music groups.
Wish I'd known of them earlier. They had a very successful tour in the US last year.
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Comment on Best foreign films and TV shows? in ~tv
Kerry56 Link ParentThe scene where she gives her friend a nickname nearly broke me.The scene where she gives her friend a nickname nearly broke me.
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Comment on Best foreign films and TV shows? in ~tv
Kerry56 LinkAttempting to add a few that I didn't see listed before. The Lives of Others: German film about the Stassi in East Germany. This is a dark film, but very much worth watching. Mostly Martha: German...Attempting to add a few that I didn't see listed before.
The Lives of Others: German film about the Stassi in East Germany. This is a dark film, but very much worth watching.
Mostly Martha: German film about a woman chef having to take care of her niece. The American remake sucks big time, but this one is much better, at turns tragic and uplifting.
Korean tv shows: It's OK to not be OK. A mystery/romance with a strong willed female lead. Seo Ye Ji's performance in that role is outstanding.
Weight Lifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo. Coming of age story and romance set in a college focused on athletes. Fun, and light-hearted.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo Follows the story of the first autistic woman to become an attorney at one of the top law firms in Korea. Highly recommended.
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Comment on The more I use Linux, the more I hate every distro in ~tech
Kerry56 LinkSince I don't have to be on the bleeding edge, I've found Mint to be a stable experience. And that's all I want, stability. The occasional issue I run into is usually related to the fricking...Since I don't have to be on the bleeding edge, I've found Mint to be a stable experience. And that's all I want, stability. The occasional issue I run into is usually related to the fricking Nvidia drivers.
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Comment on Movie of the Week #19 - There Will Be Blood in ~movies
Kerry56 LinkThere Will be Blood is a good example of a film that I find worthwhile, and powerful and yet one that I didn't enjoy. Daniel Day-Lewis dominated the screen and it was easy to get lost in his...There Will be Blood is a good example of a film that I find worthwhile, and powerful and yet one that I didn't enjoy. Daniel Day-Lewis dominated the screen and it was easy to get lost in his performance. Nevertheless, it's not a movie I want to revisit. Coming out of it, I felt emotionally numb, beaten down by the experience. Even thinking of the film gives me a bad taste in my mouth.
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Comment on What are your favorite series that are not from the US or UK and also not popular anime? in ~tv
Kerry56 LinkSome of these have been mentioned before, but these are my favorite Korean shows: Goblin, Hotel del Luna, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Weight Lifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, and It's Ok to not be Ok....Some of these have been mentioned before, but these are my favorite Korean shows: Goblin, Hotel del Luna, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Weight Lifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, and It's Ok to not be Ok.
Goblin is a fantasy story about a cursed Korean general from the Goryeo period who is given eternal life, and after many centuries, finds that he wishes to end that life. Only the Goblin's bride can lift the curse. Gong Yoo is great in the lead role (he also played the father in Train to Busan). Goblin is a mix of humor, drama and romance, and is really a great introduction to Korean tv series.
Hotel del Luna gives us another cursed figure, a woman who runs a hotel for ghosts. IU is known more for her singing career, but she does a great job as the female lead.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo treads a fine line of humor and drama as it shows us the problems faced by the first autistic attorney in Korea. Park Eun-Bin is one of the best actresses in Korea. I've enjoyed her work since Hello my Twenties, and she shines in this one.
Weight Lifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo is a coming of age story set in a college for athletes. Light-hearted, and fun romance.
It's Ok to not be Ok: Mystery, romance, and a bit of whimsical fantasy thrown in. Seo Ye-ji's performance in the female lead role is a tour-de-force.
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Comment on Who are the pop stars, from any era, who have extraordinary skills? in ~music
Kerry56 LinkI don't normally listen to Kpop, but recently ran across a group called Mamamoo. They've been described as four soloists who happened to get together in a band. All of them can sing, but Solar...I don't normally listen to Kpop, but recently ran across a group called Mamamoo. They've been described as four soloists who happened to get together in a band. All of them can sing, but Solar truly has some power in her voice. Here they are in the Killing Voice, singing live with backing vocals, and it's amazing how good they sound.
If you go to the link, make sure to listen to the song "I Miss You." All the songs are just snippets, not the full length versions, so you'll get a good variety.
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Comment on ‘Oppenheimer’ wins Best Picture and Director at Critics Choice Awards, leads field with eight; ‘Barbie’ gets six in ~movies
Kerry56 LinkI must be in a very small minority. I disliked Oppenheimer quite a bit. I found it boring throughout, and felt it could be cut down to 100 minutes with almost no loss. And no, it isn't nearly as...I must be in a very small minority. I disliked Oppenheimer quite a bit. I found it boring throughout, and felt it could be cut down to 100 minutes with almost no loss.
And no, it isn't nearly as good as many films of this century. Off the top of my head, I'd put The Lives of Others, Shoplifters, A Separation, Amelie, and The Departed well ahead of it.
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Comment on What is a classical music piece you like? And why? in ~music
Kerry56 LinkI don't often get the urge to listen to classical, but two pieces by Stravinski draw me back in now and again. His compositions were so different from anything else I'd heard in classical music,...I don't often get the urge to listen to classical, but two pieces by Stravinski draw me back in now and again. His compositions were so different from anything else I'd heard in classical music, they just stuck with me.
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Comment on Can someone please recommend me a no BS printer I can use like half a dozen times a year in ~tech
Kerry56 LinkBrother still seems to be the best bet. Get a B/W laser printer, not an inkjet. And stay far, far away from HP. I've got a Canon Imageclass D530, which is probably seven or eight years old now,...Brother still seems to be the best bet. Get a B/W laser printer, not an inkjet. And stay far, far away from HP.
I've got a Canon Imageclass D530, which is probably seven or eight years old now, and it has worked flawlessly. Still on the original toner. But Canon may be moving more towards the dark side these days, so I don't know about their new models.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~books
Kerry56 LinkI tried to read the first one and couldn't make it through. Martha Wells is one of my favorite authors too, so I was a little surprised to bounce off it. Most of my favorites from her are early...I tried to read the first one and couldn't make it through. Martha Wells is one of my favorite authors too, so I was a little surprised to bounce off it. Most of my favorites from her are early works, like Death of the Necromancer and City of Bones though, so maybe her style has changed too much for me.
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Comment on What are your top three video game soundtracks? in ~games
Kerry56 LinkNo one remembers this game, probably. Outcast (from 1999) The score is incredible, and I believe was performed by the Moscow Symphony. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkhv-sMTeI0No one remembers this game, probably. Outcast (from 1999)
The score is incredible, and I believe was performed by the Moscow Symphony.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkhv-sMTeI0 -
Comment on How to use the YouTube website? in ~tech
Kerry56 LinkI use Ublock Origin in Vivaldi. And I rarely log in to my Google account. The only time I log in is to subscribe to a channel or like a video in order to help support the creators. Then I log out...I use Ublock Origin in Vivaldi. And I rarely log in to my Google account. The only time I log in is to subscribe to a channel or like a video in order to help support the creators. Then I log out immediately.
I haven't seen any ads or messages about blockers.
The only problem with this overall strategy is that my front page at Youtube eventually gets overrun with weird videos that I have no interest in. Right wing nutjobs show up frequently, and I don't watch any kind of political videos on Youtube. I erase the Youtube cookies and start over by manually entering the channels I follow. This works for a few weeks or months, till Youtube's bizarre suggestions start clogging up the works.
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Comment on California man has gone viral for making and eating a historical or weird sandwich on camera every day in ~food
Kerry56 LinkIn high school, my best friend's dad was an oilfield worker, and a very easy-going guy. But it was tiring for his wife to come up with new variations in the lunches she fixed for him every day....In high school, my best friend's dad was an oilfield worker, and a very easy-going guy. But it was tiring for his wife to come up with new variations in the lunches she fixed for him every day. Finally, fed up with his typical answer of "whatever" when she asked what kind of sandwich he wanted, she made him a coffee grounds sandwich.
He never mentioned it to her, but not once did he say "whatever" again when she asked what he wanted to eat.
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Comment on Looking for music with creative or interesting or skilled violin or fiddle that are not the classics (cello or viola also) in ~music
Kerry56 LinkThe One Mic series on Youtube has this song from the David Grisman Quintet. There is a fiddle player in the group. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4FCyzZXTVAThe One Mic series on Youtube has this song from the David Grisman Quintet. There is a fiddle player in the group.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
Kerry56 LinkI've started writing another story, with hopes that it will have enough depth to expand into a novel. It's odd, but I can never tell at the start, which stories will pan out and have legs. I'm...I've started writing another story, with hopes that it will have enough depth to expand into a novel. It's odd, but I can never tell at the start, which stories will pan out and have legs.
I'm having issues introducing one of the three protagonists, as he is angry and bitter, and I have trouble putting myself into that mindset. I'll get there. Right now, he's mocking me in my mind, so yes, I will get this bastard on paper.
Yes, you're right about them working out the math, but if you have discipline in your use of electricity, you can out-game them. They expect to make approximately 17-18 cents per kWh, but I have never paid that much on this type of plan, even when using AC in the summer. I'm lucky to live in a very dry climate, so water-cooled AC is an option during the day, where I use only 1/4 of the electricity of my refrigerated AC unit. I only run the more expensive cooler at night, when the electricity is free.