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The case of the missing notifications

I keep forgetting to post about this: we've been troubleshooting the "missing notifications" problem for the past few days. (Well, I say "we", really I mean Mark and Robby; I'm just the amanuensis.) It's been one of those annoying loops of "find a logical explanation for what could be causing the problem, fix that thing, observe that the problem gets better for some people but doesn't go away completely, go back to step one and start again", sigh.

Mark is hauling out the heavy debugging ordinance to try to find the root cause. Once he's done building all the extra logging tools he needs, he'll comment to this entry. After he does, if you find a comment that should have gone to your inbox and sent an email notification but didn't, leave him a link to the comment that should have sent the notification, as long as the comment itself was made after Mark says he's collecting them. (I'd wait and post this after he gets the debug code in but I need to go to sleep and he's not sure how long it will take!)

We're sorry about the hassle! Irregular/sporadic issues like this are really hard to troubleshoot because it's impossible to know if they're fixed or if they're just not happening while you're looking. With luck, this will give us enough information to figure out the root cause for real this time.

'Sup

After much low-key drama (original ortho referral to UCSF got hooked in with my nutritionist, who also happens to be in ortho but not for this) I got another referral and will be seeing ortho on this side of the Bay. I start with the P.A. and there's probably going to be more imaging, most likely an MRI which means I need to take my nose stud out. JFC, that's going to be a thing but whatever. In any case, back stuff is moving along.

Went out for a walk this morning without my walking poles for the first time and things are feeling a lot better. Only did an easy 30 minutes so as not to aggravate anything but overall, it felt good. I know the surrounding neighborhoods pretty well so I can easily eke out a route that doesn't have a lot of people around while I am having big feelings about my body.

Saturdays I am part of a group working through "The Artist's Way." Participants have ebbed and flowed through according to our various schedules but the time working on it has been valuable. There's definitely some class issues embedded in it which are much more evident to me now as opposed to when the book came out in the 90s, especially when we're talking about time, being able to make space within your current situation. However, it's been useful to do this and meeting new folks is always fun.

Have a quilt or two I want to start. Mostly just have to cut things and prep and get on it. Also have to start a wedding quilt for the godson. After I do one the first one that's scratching my brain, I'll start on the one for the wedding. The wedding is in October but I know me and how I work/not work with time. I already have the fabric so it's just a matter of getting started.

Our sportsgay transformation continues. Baseball is incoming. We went to the second exhibition game between the Oakland Ballers and the San Jose Giants in San Jose. Got to see our baseball friends and enjoy a mostly dry game. Shirley and I came prepared for rain and there was a bit of a drizzle but nothing too bad. Our team got waxed but we all still had a good time anyway. The Ballers were able to get the original Battle of the Bay trophy from NBC Sports and the original artist refashioned it to reflect that it is now the San Jose Giants vs. the Ballers instead of the SF Giants and the (formerly) Oakland As. The Ballers' season opener is May 19 so not too long now.

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Shadow: Collar & Leash Meet Dog

Short update on our new dog Shadow, who’s getting really really bored. He’s starting to move quickly around corners — there’s an energetic pup in there who has been healing all this time. Hasn’t tried zooming yet, and we’ll be screwed if he takes off inside. I hope that if he has the urge to zoom it’s proof he’s well.

He came with an (ugly) collar, and MyGuy found a very spiffy hot red collar with retroflective threads, a sliding D-ring that can be opposite where the tags depend, and white reflector. But because he’s so wary of things happening on top of him, we’ve needed to making snapping on the leash less traumatic.

Today I’ve gone through this routine four times:

get a handful of treats, shake the container
call his name
treat 1 when I can reach my hand to his mouth
pull back my hand and come! plus kiss-kiss to get him closer, with a treat for each stop along the way.
when I can readily reach the D-ring, I snap on the leash and dispense 2 treats
I rotate the collar around his neck clockwise and counter-clockwise a few times.
another treat
unsnap the lead
2 more treats
speak all done! & ASLsign FINISH

MyGuy’s leash always leads somewhere very high-value: today he's been taken around the block twice and for three backyard excursions.

Eleven days left until FREEDOM where he can run in the back yard.

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Trans Duet: “Yellow” — Soprano and Tenor Eight Years Apart

The musician explains:

In 2018, I recorded and filmed a cover of "Yellow" by Coldplay under my former name, Lots Holloway. In 2026, I returned to the exact same place to film it again, this time as Dylan Holloway (Dylan And The Moon). What you're watching is both versions, woven together.

Lyrics at the band’s page: https://www.coldplay.com/song/yellow/

Watch on YouTube or ( stream it here )