Bye Bye Facebook Sort of

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Hi there, Facebook friends! I hope you’re all doing well. At the beginning of this year, I stopped posting to my “wall” (or whatever they’re calling it these days). But I’m still blogging—I have been for almost 22 years, and I don’t plan on stopping. All new blog entries will go to my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/scott.weinstein.me/

Why, you ask? Well, Facebook and I (and all social media, for that matter) have a complex relationship. I only post on Facebook so family and friends who care to know what’s going on can see my blog updates. Otherwise, I’ve found social media to be far less enjoyable than I once thought it could be. Plus, Facebook prevents automatic posting of external links to personal accounts. That’s why, years ago, I set up my Personal Page.

If you’re already following my page, thanks! If not—and if you still want to keep up with what’s going on with me and the fam or you moderately enjoy my writing—you should follow the page.

I won’t be posting here anymore, with the exception of occasional reminders over the next few months to follow the page.

Earl Grey Hot

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I started drinking tea on and off for the past 11 years. I wrote about previously how we went to fancy tea for the first time on my birthday a decade ago when we were in NY. It was a fun experience that we have since done many times both in NY and now that we live in England. We also will do our own tea at home. M does a fantastic tea with homemade scones and everything. More recently we will simply just have tea and biscuits or a sweet with the kids or when people come over. I’ve also done tea and a biscuit at while at the office or even just at a break from work at home.

When we first went for tea I had the inevitable question to answer, what tea do I want. Being someone that barely was drinking coffee for a few years at the time, I had no idea what tea I wanted. That first time 11 years ago I simply went with what I knew. I knew that Captain Picard drank and asked for Earl Grey. I figured if it was good enough for Captain Picard I might as well try it. Funny enough I rather enjoyed it. Since then it’s pretty much the only tea I drink.

Since drinking it more regularly I have researched more about the history of Earl Grey. I did not know at the time I started drinking it, it’s not an everyday tea for most people. We have the Yorkshire Gold in the house that is more of the “regular” tea many drink if there is such a thing.  I just do not drink it. I’m perfectly happy with Picards choice.

So yes Early Grey Tea is yet another reason why Picard is my favourite Captain.

What I don’t understand is why an English guy playing a French guy is drinking English tea and not having any biscuits. That something to ponder for another day. I will think much more negatively if in the 23rd century they do not have Milk Chocolate Digestives.

The Story of My Dad’s Haircut My Mom Didn’t Even Recognize Him

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There is a photo of my parents from the mid to late 70s I would assume where at one point within the past 20 years my mom went to my sister while looking at the picture who is that strange guy I’m standing next to and my sister had to go mom that’s dad the reason she didn’t recognize him was his hair was radically different than he has now let’s just say it was a hairstyle very much embracing the 1970s His hair in the photo on this entry is close but not 70’s enough to represent what it looked like.

I miss you dad…

2,557 Days Later

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Seven years ago today we flew from New York to London starting our big move. Some things haven’t changed and many have in that 2,557 days.

We still live in the same house we moved into back in 2017. Now we own it vs renting it. I wrote about finding the house way back in 2017.

I am still at the same company but it has been spun off once and then acquired by another company.

The girls went from being in Nursery school and Reception to one being in the High School and one in her last year of Juniors school.

In July the girls and I got our citizenship! So being a duel citizen for me is a bit new.

Being far from our family in the states was defiantly a struggle this year.

People still ask when or if we are ever moving back to the states. My dad always said never say never however we are enjoying living life in London.

I am in Denial About Having Another Tween

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All day today I told A she is still not yet 11 since the time she was born was late in the day UK time. She would argue with me about it. Then midway through the day I said ok I accept you are 11. She said no, don’t. She wanted to continue to argue with me. So I said “so you want me to continue to say I do not accept you are yet 11? She said yes”

So yes I am still not ready for another tween, but she refuses to listen. The fact that she enjoyed the arguing is an interesting tell for the future.

Closing The Stock Market For a Holiday Party

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I took the girls to the LSEG Holiday Party for the first time this year. I am pretty sure it is the only holiday party were you get to perform the closing ceremony for the stock market at the end of the party (simulated, I am pretty sure the market continued at 2:30 on a Monday). We had tickets two years ago and I forget why we couldn’t make it. Last year I don’t think I was able to get tickets. I didn’t realise how in demand this party was. It was pretty awesome.

The girls got to build their own stuffed animals. There was a mini petting zoo. I found that one ironic since it was in a large conference room I goto often. There was also a mini carousel, game room, candy floss / candy and gingerbread decorating. The girls had a really good time.

There was of course Santa reading us the night before Christmas. I am pretty impressed with the party and now know why many at work talk about wanting to go.

Christmas Crackers

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All set for Christmas. Ordered these bad boys in October. I learned my lesson two years ago when I ordered them early and didn’t realise I ordered miniature ones. Why do those ezist at all I will not know. By the time we got them it was so close to Christmas we couldn’t find them anywhere!

Cat of Interest

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Have you seen this cat? He goes by Grogu, Chicken, little dickens, and other Aliases. He is a cat of interest in the disappearance of a stuffed Shepard from our advent calendar. And probably other stuff.

Ok he is not missing thankfully, but we do have surveillance on him as much as we can.

My Top Star Trek Captains

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When they announced that they were making a show bringing back Picard, it got me thinking about my early memories of Star Trek and my favorite Star Trek captains. For me, choosing my favorite was a pretty easy decision. I then decided to do a top 5 list of the rest. The rest being the first 5 from my childhood through my early 20s. The newer ones add a whole new complexity to the mix. Picking my 2nd through 5th favorite in this ranking was a bit more of a challenge. The order is from least favorite to number one. And if you are reading this, yes, sometimes I have free time to waste time/creative write about nonsensical topics like this.

At number five is Capt. Jonathan Archer from Enterprise. He comes in last not because he was horrible or anything. He was just so-so. Maybe the show came out too late, and I was already attached to others? Regardless, he didn’t leave a massive impression on me.

At number four is Capt. Benjamin Sisko of Deep Space Nine. With Sisko, in many ways, I liked him. I think he was a little bit more erratic than some of the other captains he contended with. I get where they were going with him in the beginning. They were trying to make him have a past and be a bit bitter. He was more unlikable to me than I think they wanted him to be. What also worked and didn’t work for me was the whole emissary thing. By the end, it got a bit weird. Later on, I grew to like him more; however, he had tough competition and is for me at number 4.

At number three for me would be Capt. James T. Kirk. I did really think about whether or not Janeway was number three. Even with so much about Kirk being awesome, I think Janeway was just badass, so Kirk is 3. Originally, I wrote this list with him being 2nd, but I reconsidered. What was going for him was the fact that he was the original captain, which also helps a lot. Only he could overact and still be cool.

At number two would be Capt. Catherine Janeway on Voyager. I find it interesting that I like Deep Space Nine much more than I liked Voyager as a show. However, I still think Janeway was a better captain by far than Cisco. She was tough and kind at the same time. Bringing together two crews and keeping them together by sheer force of will sometimes was pretty awesome. The fact that she was a woman in the Captain’s chair when there were only men before her was pretty awesome. And that was the 90s.

That leaves my favorite captain to be Jean-Luc Picard from the Next Generation. This was no contest for me. My memories of Star Trek: The Next Generation were basically what I grew up on. Picard’s style contrasted hugely with what a captain should be compared to Kirk. I know it was deliberate, and I liked it. He didn’t go on away missions; however, he was protective of his crew. He wouldn’t always be the one to talk in a team meeting and relied on his team to get stuff done. As an adult and leader of people, Picard did things I look to emulate as a leader now. I didn’t even realize it growing up. Yet he did.

With Picard being my favorite, I was super excited to hear that they were making a new series with him. As I am writing this post, I’ve seen two episodes. By the time this eventually gets onto my blog, the series will have ended. I thought the series, in the end, was great. I know many would pick Kirk as the best, yet I don’t see them making any new series for him now, are they?

For the record if I was counting newer captains the Strange New Worlds version of Captain Pike would be tied for 2nd place!