Author: rjpugh

Danger: 2025

More on the overhaul, and what the future may hold.

To quote a famous frog, “Looks like we’ve come to the end of another one!”

As I said earlier, I’m giving this site a complete overhaul. Why? Because I want to level up my blog game. I know that I have said, many times, that I was going to make this blog more active. And so far I have generally failed to do so. But once again I am going to make the attempt. But this time something is different. This year I feel that I’m in a different head-space. I actually feel that I can make a difference, however small, and more importantly I feel that I must try. I just have to keep with it. I’ve been setting up a schedule for posting and editing, and so far I think I can work with it. Why am I in a different head-space this year? There are several possible factors, but that absolute dumpster fire of an election in November was probably the final push. A lot of things in this world need to change.

What is changing on this site? Again, most of the changes will be invisible to visitors, as they are focused on web maintenance, enabling RSS features, and security issues. One thing that has been mentioned to me has been the insecure nature of the site. My first task was to speak with my internet service provider, Ionos, and rectify this. The site now has a secure certificate to keep black hats at a distance.

I have also worked out a few kinks related to the RSS feed, so that folks who use this feature should find it a smoother ride. Near the bottom of the meta tag area in the sidebar, are the options “entries feed” and “comments feed.” Those are the RSS links, and tests have gone well. I will confess that I don’t fully understand how RSS feeds work, as I’ve never made much use of them. But that’s my problem.

I’ve enabled some sharing options for those who like to share stuff on Facebook, Pinterest, and the like. The icons appear at the bottom of each post, right above the index keywords. My own use of social media is sporadic, so I’ve only enabled a few of the major ones. I suspect I’ll be tinkering with this one a bit. If someone brings a specific platform to my attention, I’ll look into it.

The next thing I’m going to look into is finding some sponsors. I recently read some articles by professional blogger Taylor Stanford about how to do things like this. She apparently has managed to turn her blog into a thriving business that pulls in several thousand dollars a month. That’s very encouraging, and it would be nice. But realistically, my aspirations are far more modest. I’ll consider this effort successful it I’m able to offset the costs of maintaining the web presence and email service my family uses. Which isn’t that expensive, all things considered. We’ll see how that goes.

Now, regarding the content of this site. I still want to address issues that relate to neurodivergent folks, more now than ever. The more I scoot around the net, the more I read about people who are part of this misunderstood club. If I can be of some help to these folks, and/or the people in their lives, that would be great.

My current plan is to make the neurodivergent stuff the main attraction, but I will also include some lighter stuff. News related to my family, especially places we visit, will certainly show up. I find those fun to write, especially if the location is esoteric and not well known. I will also have the occasional foray into computer stuff, some more space exploration tidbits, and perhaps even some contraptions from my infamous Erector set.

What I will not include, if I can help it, is political stuff. I don’t feel that political ranting is appropriate for this site any more. In recent years politics has forced itself to the front and center of many people’s lives, and it’s not pleasant! I won’t be adding to the glut of web-based political commentary, at least not here, unless the topic relates directly to neurodivergency. I’ve archived the bulk of my political essays, so if you go looking for one you aren’t likely to find it. I’ll restore them if they are requested, but otherwise they are staying in deep storage. I may have also found a different forum for political ranting, should it ever be necessary for me to do so.

In closing, I have to say that my outlook for 2025 is very guarded. Some frightening changes are approaching, and you probably know what I’m referring to. Namely, a certain “project.” I won’t go into specifics. But I’m very concerned about the effects it may have on those of us who see the world through a slightly different lens.

There are dangerous roads ahead.

The header image came from Shutterstock, though I tweaked it within an inch of its life.

Renovation 2025

Pardon our dust.

This site is currently undergoing an overhaul to accommodate some new ideas and features. Visitors aren’t likely to notice much of a difference, as most of these changes are back-end related settings. Some content has been removed, as I no longer feel it appropriate to this type of site. I will explain more later, after I’m done wrestling with some configuration files.

Unix. Gotta love it.

Hoboken bound

Time files, weather you’re having fun or not!

I feel very old, but also very proud.

Xander has graduated from Eastern View High School in Culpeper, Virginia, and is preparing to go to college. I have to think about that for a moment. There are dozens of cliché sayings about how time passes at one speed for adults, another for children, and dilates and compresses at will when attempts are made to synchronize them. But no matter how you look at it, the baby I carried home from Adventist hospital in Takoma Park, Maryland, back in 2006, is now eighteen, out of high school, and preparing to go to college.

They’ve had to deal with all of the usual growth issues, and some unusual ones. Such as managing friendships, dealing with difficult classmates, and even more difficult teachers! They’ve dealt with cyberbullies, duplicitous fair-weather classmates, emotional abuse from specific adults, the loneliness and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, dysphoria issues, the difficult decision to undergo hormone adjustment, and even the decision to legally change their name. Worst of all was the tragic death of their younger brother. Having a front row seat to my gradual mental breakdown probably wasn’t fun either. But even so, Xander managed to slog through all of that.

High school, and the teen years in general, are usually a rough ride for everyone. I remember dealing with a variety of issues back in that toxic swamp I called high school. I drew on my experience as best as I could to help guide Xander through that mass of brambles. I can honestly say that Xander handled things better than I would have. Xander is far more mature, and seems better adjusted than I was at that age. And they clearly have more raw intelligence than I ever had.

Later this year, Xander will begin college at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. They plan to focus on software engineering, with perhaps minor in technical theater. They already have some high level certifications in cybersecurity and computer network administration (thank you, CTEC), and with near perfect grades, they have a very solid start.

Life can be crazy, and often times things don’t turn out right. But Xander is one thing that did turn out right. To say that I am proud of Xander would be a tremendous understatement.

Footnote: Washington Adventist Hospital of Takoma Park re-located to larger facility in nearby White Oak, back in 2019.

Photo credits: photos one and two were taken by Lisa Pugh on May 15 and May 18, 2024, respectively. The third photo was taken by me on May 26, 2024. Most colleges send a letter of congratulations when accepting a student, but Stevens sent a placard! Go figure.

Thoughts of my father

Today would have been my father’s birthday. Were he still alive today he would be 86 years old. Most of the men in my family never make it that far. I’m hoping to be the first; my personal goal is 87. I don’t remember why I settled on that number, but whatever.

I have outlived him. Actually I passed that point back in July of last summer. He died at the age of 56. I’ll be turning 57 is just under a month. And for some reason I asked myself what he would think about the world of today.

My father probably wouldn’t like the world of today. I suspect he wouldn’t have made it through the G.W. Bush administration. The frustration and general stupidity of that era would have killed him. He had very little use for people who could see reality in front of their face and still miss it. He had even less use for people who could see reality and deliberately ignore it.

The Trump administration would have probably killed him within the first month. People who ignore obvious facts because some charismatic blowhard tells them to were, in his mind, the worst type of people the human race can produce. He had a rather humorous name for them: it took their genetic lineage and compared it to the excrement of a boar.

Dad, you’re probably fortunate that you haven’t seen what the world has become. Perhaps if things improve over the next year or two, your spirit may find some more peace.