What Did You Blog About Today

[Jeff Tanyard]

Iceman has flown his F-14 into the sunset for the last time.   

Val Kilmer has passed away.

[Vijaya]

Orlando, here we come!  https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/04/preparing-for-competition.html

[Vijaya]

A recap of our barbershop regional contest weekend: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/04/brought-home-three-medals.html

[Vijaya]

Lent is almost over: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/04/passiontide.html

[Vijaya]

My book reviews in my parish newsletter: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/04/books.html

[Vijaya]

Pictures from our Triduum/Easter: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/04/happy-easter.html

[Vijaya]

Prayers for the soul of Pope Francis and for the Church: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/04/sede-vacante.html

[Hopscotch]

Followed up a post about the difficulty (and fun) of rewriting a failed weird fantasy novel w/an offer for the next few days of the rewritten book free on Amazon via stevenhardesty.com.

[Vijaya]

Scenes from our Easter Octave: flowers, family, friends and more: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/04/octave-of-easter-and-divine-mercy.html

[Jeff Tanyard]

Stock market post for anyone who's interested:

The calm after the storm

[Vijaya]

New Pope! https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/05/habemus-papam-happy-mothers-day.html
Garden mostly: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/05/how-garden-grows.html

[Vijaya]

My favorite plotting method plus links to a monster plotting compilation: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/05/how-novel-grows-plot-edition.html

[Vijaya]

This one is for our own Jeff: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/05/how-novel-grows-short-story-and-music.html

[Jeff Tanyard]

This one is for our own Jeff: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/05/how-novel-grows-short-story-and-music.html

Very flattering.  Thanks, Vijaya.         

[Vijaya]

Our Piccolo Spoleto debut with recordings of 3 songs: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/06/piccolo-spoleto-debut.html

[Vijaya]

A mix of church, music, and art, from this amazing weekend: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/06/happy-pentecost.html

[Vijaya]

Gardening, brewing, reading... https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/06/how-garden-grows-fathers-day-edition.html

[Vijaya]

Pictures from last weekend of sightseeing--Middleton and Angel Oak: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/06/summertime-fun.html

[Vijaya]

A rambling post but with a little recap of a conference with book recs at the end: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/07/on-pursuing-trade-localism-and.html

[Vijaya]

I reviewed the 3 memoirs I read recently: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/07/three-memoirs.html

[Vijaya]

A recap of my grace-filled trip to the studios of the Journey Home Program: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/07/on-journey-home.html

[Hopscotch]

Did a blogpost about the reasons I felt I had to write my latest novel Parade of Silence: Forgetting the Holocaust - https://www.stevenhardesty.com/blog-2/2025/8/10/forgetting-the-holocaust

[Vijaya]

Never forget!

[Lorri Moulton]

Back after taking a six-month break.

https://lavendercottagebooks.com/lavender-cottage-blog-2/

[Vijaya]

I took a painting class this week. Surprisingly, it taught me things to bring with me into my writing: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/08/art-of-flow-discovery-class.html

[Jeff Tanyard]

Laptop still works, but it's got problems.  :(


https://jefftanyard.blogspot.com/2025/09/computer-update.html

[Post-Doctorate D]

Laptop still works, but it's got problems.  :(

I recently did the same as you.  The battery in the laptop went kaput and I've so far opted not to replace it.  But, in my case, that was battery #2.  It also used to have display problems but it's now on screen #2.  Thus far, though, no keyboard problems other than the letters are worn off on a couple keys.  I think I may have a spare keyboard if I ever decide to replace it.

[Jeff Tanyard]

It also used to have display problems but it's now on screen #2. 

You replaced a screen on a laptop?  How does that work?

[Post-Doctorate D]

It also used to have display problems but it's now on screen #2. 

You replaced a screen on a laptop?  How does that work?

In my case, I replaced the whole display assembly.  It's possible to just replace the innards, but it saved a lot of time to just replace the whole thing.  I searched eBay for a "parts" machine that had a good display.  Then, I removed the display assembly from the donor machine.  Next, I removed the display assembly from mine and replaced it with the donor display.  After that, I put everything back together and crossed my fingers.

It's been a couple or more years now and the laptop is still running with that replacement display.

[Lynn]

Laptop still works, but it's got problems.  :(


https://jefftanyard.blogspot.com/2025/09/computer-update.html

I tried to reply to your blog post but some weird thing happened with Blogger when I signed in and it wouldn't let me change my profile to the right one, so...

Anyway, I read it and sympathize. :D

I usually keep my laptops as long as I can before I replace them. The last one had the spacebar and shift key quit working on me. I replaced the keyboard and fan and was pretty happy for another year.

But honestly, if my kid hadn't known how to tear into the thing to do the replacements, I would've had to let it go. The wrist rests were covered in some rubbery stuff that I had to take alcohol to because my wrists were sticking to it as I wrote. :D

But it lasted 10 years for me. It was an Asus.

The one before (a Dell) lasted about that long too.

My new one is another Dell, and honestly? It's kind of mediocre. I opted for an SSD and I regret it because it's too small. I don't think it'll last nearly as long.

My big concern these days is that I don't really know what to do with the old ones. I don't want to recycle them, but I don't want to keep the lithium batteries hanging around forever either since I hear they have a tendency to catch fire for no reason.

[Jeff Tanyard]

My big concern these days is that I don't really know what to do with the old ones. I don't want to recycle them, but I don't want to keep the lithium batteries hanging around forever either since I hear they have a tendency to catch fire for no reason.

Why don't you want to recycle them?

[Lynn]

I don't want to clear the hard drives since they actually still work, but the batteries are toast now.

[Post-Doctorate D]

What about putting the hard drives in external cases?

Are the batteries removable?  If so, take them out and take them to a place that recycles and/or properly disposes of them.  You should be able to continue to run the laptops off of AC power.

Typically, it is when lithium batteries are charging that they catch fire.  So, if you leave them alone without providing power to them, the risk is reduced considerably.  Also, name brands tend to have better internal protections against catastrophic failures than do generic, no-name brands.  I have a device that uses a proprietary weird-brand battery.  I don't trust it at all so, when not in use, I keep it in a bag designed to contain a lithium battery fire as extra protection.

[Jeff Tanyard]

Are the batteries removable?  If so, take them out and take them to a place that recycles and/or properly disposes of them.  You should be able to continue to run the laptops off of AC power.

This is exactly what I did.  I'm also semi-paranoid about lithium battery fires, so I took the battery out and dropped it off at the nearest call2recycle place.  Just dropped it in the bin and done, out of mind and out of my life.

There's a locator at their website for anyone who wants to do the same, so y'all can find the one nearest you:

https://www.call2recycle.org/

Typically, it is when lithium batteries are charging that they catch fire.  So, if you leave them alone without providing power to them, the risk is reduced considerably. 

They can also bulge and fracture and stuff, though.  Extreme temperatures can damage them, etc.  Sure, it might be rare, but if the battery is no longer of any use, then there's no reason not to get rid of it.  For me, it's about peace of mind, something I place great store by.

[Lynn]

Thanks. I found a place that accepts them that I didn't realize would.

[Post-Doctorate D]

They can also bulge and fracture and stuff, though.

I had a small lithium battery in a small portable keyboard.  It bulged and popped the keyboard open.

The lithium battery in my laptop lasted 10+ years.  I think I had it maybe 15 years total.  Not sure without looking it up.  It developed a small bulge which is when I got rid of it.  The replacement did not last nearly as long.  I have developed a habit of looking at the bottom of the laptop to check for bulges and it had been okay.  Then, the trackpad began having issues.  I had to resort to using a USB mouse but, even with it, the trackpad would be "stuck" and make even the mouse hard to use.  I eventually thought to check the battery and, indeed, it had developed a bulge and was obviously pressing on the trackpad internally.  Since removing the battery, I have had no issues with the trackpad.

[Post-Doctorate D]

I can't wait until a more stable battery technology is developed to replace lithium-ion batteries.  They seem dangerous and they are in everything now.

[Vijaya]

Wrote about one of my favorite saints today, whose feast day it is: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/09/blessed-hermann-cripple.html

[Jeff Tanyard]

Doing a couple of group promotions this month.

FREE books!

It's been a long time since I did one of these via My Book Cave.  Perhaps this is the start of getting back in the habit now that I'm managing my headaches much better than in recent years.  *fingers crossed*

[Vijaya]

Jeff, that's great you're doing better managing the headaches. I am too. What a difference it makes! Deo gratias!!!

[Vijaya]

I had written an article for Shalom Tidings on Guardian Angels and decided to repost on my blog: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/10/my-guardian-dear.html

[Vijaya]

I've been anxious about all the things I haven't done but today's Gospel reading put everything in proper perspective: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/10/our-lady-of-victory.html

[Vijaya]

A recap of my trip to Chicago to say goodbye to my father who is in the twilight of his time here on earth: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/10/chicagofarewell-to-my-father.html

[Vijaya]

Big photo post from our trip to DC with a surprise at the end: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2025/11/fall-in-dc.html