I just opened my computer to find a helpful alert from Apple that yet another system update is now available. I swear, there's an update like once a week. Maybe I'll deal with it this weekend. Or maybe I'll ignore it.
Speaking of computer stuff, I'd noticed in recent weeks that the battery on my iPhone was running down much more quickly than it used to. Just walking around seemed to be draining it. I turned off mobile data, thinking that might help -- and maybe it did, I'm not sure -- and then yesterday, my boss showed me how to find a battery usage report that shows how much energy different apps are using. On my phone, the top energy consumer was something called "exposure notifications," which used 35 percent of my battery capacity! What the heck is that?!
It turned out to be the NHS Covid-19 contact tracing app, which was basically "shaking hands" with every iPhone I encountered, and then creating a log of these contacts as a way to keep track of who I'd been near. I don't mind being traced from a privacy perspective -- it honestly doesn't matter to me -- but I don't think I knew the app would operate at that level of intensity. I shut it off.
I may be failing the cause of public health in England, but I want my phone to function.
Dave and I finished the ninth season of "The Walking Dead" last night. We've gone as far as we can go for the time being. The second-to-last episode was quite shocking -- some major characters died. As I told Dave, it was like the famous "red wedding" in "Game of Thrones." (We never watched "Game of Thrones" beyond season one, but I heard so much about that wedding scene that I eventually watched it on YouTube and yeah, basically everybody dies.) We may or may not watch season ten of "The Walking Dead" when it comes out -- I think we both feel like we've had enough of zombieland, although we enjoyed it. The earlier seasons were better than the later ones.
We've bought some products lately that featured mystifying notices on them. Dave bought this celery root (above), which helpfully informed us that it "contains celery." I should hope so!
And I've never seen a notice like this on a bottle of wine. Obviously I know not to drive after drinking, but now I can't walk either?
(Top photo: Olga snoozing on the couch on a sunny afternoon a few weeks ago.)
Celeriac is great - on these shores much underused. I buy my celeriac from an Eastern European (oh to feel at home) outlet, no plastic wrapping. Still, know what you mean. It's like buying peanut butter and the label says "Contains nuts". Thank the Lord. I am doing a YP (the teacher) now and will point out that Celeriac has a much more complex and intense flavour than the watery, though crisp, celery.
ReplyDeleteThe bottle makes me laugh. The label so thoughtful. Yet, I know from experience, that you don't need to drink to get killed on the road. Just cross one and take pot luck. Having said that I once nearly fell into whatever river flows through Lyon, France, after a heavenly meal with a bottle of red to match. I was only twenty so my sense of balance still intact. The next morning, the dark hour before dawn, I found myself hitchhiking on some crazy intersection. Outside a prison. Don't ask. I'd been wondering why guys in uniform and heavy boots, with over the shoulder rifles, were patrolling that concrete hunk of a building without windows in regular intervals. Remember the Mary Hopkin song? "Those were the days, my friend".
U
Yes, we love celeriac, AKA celery root. Are you Eastern European, Ursula? I thought you were German? (Or are you from East Germany?)
DeleteCelery root contains celery. Who’da think it?!? And that wine label is absurd. Oh, and Olga is a masterpiece.
ReplyDeleteShe definitely elevates lolling about to an art form.
DeleteA lovely relaxed Olga
ReplyDeleteShe loves a good beam of sun!
Delete"DON'T DRINK AND WALK ON THE ROAD. YOU MAY BE KILLED." The wine is from South Africa so I assume that this warning was originally aimed at South African citizens. I picture posses of South African police officers touring townships like Soweto in military-style vehicles - on the look out for wine drinkers staggering home. Hopefully, this does not happen in West Hampstead.
ReplyDeleteNot that I've seen, but then, I'm seldom out that late. :)
DeleteThat made me laugh. Have you ever read the directions on a bottle of Aussie brand hair products?
ReplyDeleteYEARS ago, and I remember they were funny, but not the specifics.
DeleteThat "NHS Covid-19 contact tracing app" is kinda scary. Bad enough my phone wants to know my location, but now it wants to know everyone I come across?
ReplyDeleteI guess you can drink at home and then just stay there!!!
I think I'm willing to assume the risk of drinking and walking. Even when I drink some wine I have sense enough to stay out of the path of cars.
DeleteThat's a pretty blunt warning, I'd say. No pussy-footing around there!
ReplyDeleteGlad you figured out your battery-draining problem. I don't think they thought that one out too well.
At least Macs ask if you want to do the update. Glen's PC sometimes just does one and he can't use his computer until it's done.
I've heard that about Windows. Blogger Edna says her computer would run updates with no warning. In fact she's not around at the moment because she's trying to solve some computer issues.
Deletewell, the wine is made in South Africa so maybe lions are a problem for woozy walkers. but the 'contains celery'? have we humans become that dumb?
ReplyDeleteThat's a thought! I never considered wild-animal attacks!
DeleteOlga has the right idea. Find a spot of sun and have a sleep. No worries about pesky phone batteries or walking when wined...
ReplyDeleteI agree. She's got the life.
DeleteI was so surprised by that NHS contract tracing app. I would have never guessed such a thing would take so much battery power.
ReplyDeleteThis labels are pretty funny. Roger and I had a good laugh!
It surprised me, too. I mean, they want the whole country to run this app, but that just sucks up way too much power.
DeleteOlga Girl, Such A Ham - Love That Shot
ReplyDeleteCheers
P.S. Says Nothing Of Stumbling While Consuming
True! Or crawling!
DeleteOkay, those two signs made me laugh. I guess drunken walking is a problem in South Africa.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is, honestly. But would people who want to get falling-down drunk be drinking red wine?
DeleteNothing like stating the obvious on label. I suppose it's good for a laugh though. Just wow.
ReplyDeleteIt made me laugh, that's for sure!
DeleteDo you suppose those notices on the products are an Inside Joke, they sure were hilarious! That first image is precious tho'!
ReplyDeletePerhaps the corporate lawyers who no doubt demanded those product warnings are completely humorless and don't understand why they're funny!
DeleteYou have to wonder about certain notices. I think they may be translations and some of the purpose and meaning were lost in translation.
ReplyDeleteI think that's sometimes true, but South Africa is an English-speaking nation, and it's hard to mess up a translation of "contains celery"!
DeleteI've never seen celeriac before, although I've read about it. Never pictured it looking like this. I think the food labels are a response to food oversight agencies - contents must be stated. But it does make for some funny labels, doesn't it? What does celeriac taste like and how do you and Dave prepare it? Love the shot of Olga. Hope her stomach is feeling better now.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a legal or regulatory requirement, I'm sure. Celeriac tastes a little like a cross between celery and potato. Dave made a creamy soup out of this one, but he also makes a celery root gratin by slicing it and baking it with cheese.
DeleteBoth of those sound good. I'll have to watch for it in our grocery store.
DeleteNanny product reminders just looking out for us all since apparently we must be idiots. Don't forget your overcoat, look both ways before you cross the street.
ReplyDeleteGood advice, checking phone right now to see what is eating my battery.Thinking to go back to a flip phone and a paper map.
Olga looks so cuddly , I would not get anything done, pretty sure! Just cuddle all day with the pooch.
A flip phone and paper map sounds nice, I agree. I'm ready for simplicity.
DeleteI suppose it's wise advice not to walk on the road ever (or at least with great care!). That could get you killed. On the other hand, where else will you drive. It seems like they left a couple of critical words off this -- don't drink or drive on the road AFTER DRINKING THIS WINE. You might be killed. (Which pretty much anyone with half a brain could figure out without the warning!)
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess that's true -- literally walking ON the road could be dangerous for anyone, sober or not!
DeleteI just checked my phone - Instagram is the top abuser at 25%. I'm ok with that. Ha!
ReplyDeleteIt's all about rewards! I was getting no visible rewards from my contact tracing app, though I suppose it could be argued that there are rewards socially. (I'm skeptical.)
DeleteThose are interesting notifications. I need to start reading them for a laugh. I'm not familiar with celeriac either. Everything seems to be dangerous these days. They want to make Uber some money!
ReplyDeleteHey, that's true -- maybe that notice is paid for by the taxi union!
DeleteThat wine label is hilarious. It may be necessary because of the general stupidity that seems afoot these days.
ReplyDeleteTrue. There's definitely a lot of that going around.
DeleteLove the “ iscuit “ as in biscuit above olga x
ReplyDeleteThat's a box of Triscuits, which are a popular snack cracker in America. We buy them at a shop that carries American products near school. I've never seen them in British stores.
DeleteI had never heard of Celeriac so I had to google it. Do you mash it like a potato then? Or slice it? Does it taste like a celery potato?
ReplyDeleteYou can do either. Dave pureed this one and made it into a soup, and he sometimes slices it and bakes it with a cream and cheese sauce, like you would potato gratin. It tastes like celery, but with a deeper flavor.
DeleteDon't drink and walk? That's a new one. I have the same feeling you do about The Walking Dead about The Handmaid's Tale. I won't be watching the new season, too much trauma porn. No relief, no forward movement out of disaster. I can't. Interesting photo of sleeping Olga.
ReplyDelete