Instructions

 I'm not a big fan of reading instructions, especially for something I already know how to use. But I had questions about my new hair clippers, so I read the manual cover to cover. It was amusing, but answered exactly zero of my questions. 

My clientele has grown to the point where I need better equipment, so I invested $20 at Walmart.  A big draw for me was that they have color-coded combs, because I can no longer see the tiny numbers on my old ones. Yes, the combs have different colors, but that doesn't make them "color-coded" if there is no code! The numbers are just as tiny as they are on the old black ones. They're pretty, but also pretty useless. I think the purple one is #2,which is what I use on most of my customers, and purple is my favorite color, so that will be easy to remember. 

I want to know how to oil the blades and what I'm supposed to use the tiny brush for, but the manual says nothing about that. Actually, I haven't even been able to turn them on yet. Is the red thing part of the power switch, or am I supposed to remove the red thing to access the power switch? No mention of it in the manual.  

But I do have these handy tips: 

"Keep it in good care" amused me, for some reason.

Somehow I don't think calling Walmart and asking them about proper disposal is going to yield beneficial results.  I thought about doing it, just for jollies, but decided against it. Same with my local government officials.  Maybe an entertaining project for another day. 

"Big Comb" seems a little overdramatic. It's not much bigger than "Brush" in the picture,
 and in reality it's just a normal-sized comb. 

Rabbit trail

When I was in college, I used to love the assignments that involved analyzing poetry, but in the decades since I graduated, I haven't done it recreationally.  Today I decided it was time. I started analyzing an Emily Dickinson poem. One of the lines is "Has it feet like water lilies?" which made me wonder...DO water lilies have feet? So I asked Siri. That's how this whole tangent began. Her response was: 

Which made me wonder...Who does she think I trust? So I asked her. She said:

At this point, I'm thinking AI technology is more artificial than intelligent, but my elbow has been hurting so I'm verbally asking Siri instead of typing questions. I tried to redirect our conversation back to Emily Dickinson, and Siri said,

I explained that I was looking for a poem by Emily Dickinson. Siri then wrote this poem, which made me think she's more intelligent than artificial:

When I pointed out that that was not an Emily Dickinson poem, she took it upon herself to open my Spotify app and start playing this song, which I actually really liked and added to my playlist.

So here I am listening to a new song, still not knowing if water lilies have feet or what this poem really means. I'm thinking about how Siri influences us towards Attention Deficit Disorder. This whole thing reminds me of a modern adult version of one of my favorite children's books, If You Give a Pig a Pancake.  I'm blogging it so the next generation can look back in horror at how primitive our technology was.

The end

Days 20 and 21 got lost in the blur, but I assure you there was plenty of eating and cheating. I don't regret this attempt at a fast. I always learn something when I fast. I'm not good at extended fasts. This is not the inspiring journey I was hoping to take you on, but know that God is always faithful, even when I am not. Blessings to you, my six readers.  😊💗

The Fast(ish) - Day 19

I didn't eat for 30 hours, and it was hard. I broke the fast with oatmeal just now because I have to go to work soon. That opened the floodgates to the cookie dough that I've been eyeing in the fridge for 19 days.  I bought it the day before the fast started, which was not a good idea, but it was marked way down at Costco. I ate a whole lot of it the day I bought it, and it's been tempting me ever since. Today, it won. Fortunately, my stomach has shrunk enough over the last couple weeks that I couldn't eat the whole tub of it. 

The Fast - Day 18

Thursday, February 29, 2024

4:00 and I haven't eaten anything. God has given me lots of visions, and a verse that helped me. "So live the rest of your earthly life no longer concerned with human desires but consumed with what brings pleasure to God." - 1 Peter 4:2

Fail - Day 17

Wednesday,  February 28, 2204

I was determined not to eat today. Made it all day and had a plan for the tempting evening time. But then I went to church to lead worship for the ladies, and one of them had brought in chili, crackers, fudge, and apple crack, and before I even knew it, it was all in my mouth. What is wrong with me? I had literally minutes before that talked with my pastor about this very thing. I was lamenting the fact that the flow of the Holy Spirit dries up when I fail. He said it's my feeling of disappointment in myself that stops the flow. Trying again tomorrow.

How NOT to fast - Day 16

Tuesday, February 27, 2204

Readjusted my own rules to make me feel better.  Fasted all day except during my Costco shift, during which I pigged out. I do have more intense encounters with the Lord when I fast. I just need to discipline myself to do it.