new car

Bought a new car.

Options were 

Tesla model 3 or Y

Or BWD $50k 400km range $53k 480km.

Went to Indooroopilly and looked at a BYD. 

Went and looked at the Tesla's as one concern was the physical size of Y but when I saw a Y side by side with a 3 the Y was only slightly longer than the 3.

Also considered that at 60, if I keep it for 10 years, I'll be 70 so it's possibly my last car so let's make it a decent one. I'm not saying that I'll get to 70 and stop driving but I'd imagine I'd be looking for a physically smaller car then. 

Another consideration was resale. My gut feel is that the Tesla's would keep their value better. 

So decided on a red Y. 

Bit of PIZZAZZ. 

SHARING

I really wished I'd someone to share the news with. Called and chatted to a couple of friends. It's not the same thing though. Kind is feels a bit awkward. I bit like BOASTING as distinct from sharing. Maybe they might feel inadequate. Possibly have a comparison mindset.  So it's different from sharing with a partner. 

OTHER STUFF
Charging adaptor leads

Trade in
Insurance - done

plugshare app - done

INSURANCE

Lets go with RACQ

 

 CHARGING CABLES

Tesla model Y has a onboard charger of 11kW.

So a single phase 10A circuit is 2.5kw

A 32A 3 phase outlet is 22KVA.  
So I guess the Tesla can charge from 15A three phase.

https://www.zap-map.com/ev-guides/model-charging/tesla-model-y

Mobile Connector - From Tesla shop

This Has a charge control box and two tails.  One with a Aussie 10A plug and one with a Aussie 15A plug.  Apparently the charger knows what tail is plugged on and limits the current draw appropriately. 

As an interesting aside, as supplied, the charge controller limits the current to 8A and 12A respectfully.  I understand that one can get "the system" to reprogram it to 10A and 15A by charging the car to 80% and then set the max charge to 50% and sit on charge for 20 minutes.

Bought a after market tail with a clipsal 3 phase 32A plug with one phase wired.  $218.95

TRADE IN

3/4 of an hour on the phone to TMR and they kindly emailed me the proof of insurance.

 

Cleaned all the crap out of the car.

Moved the craptiva remote access circuit boards to the Chinese housings. Both the official Holden housings and the new Chinese ones are equally poor quality but in different ways and internally slightly different. 

Dan took the good Craptiva key and the two Chinese blanks to get Jai to cut them.

Remove the dashcam

Order a new LinkT holder from within the LinkT account.

Format X-Box drive for windows

 For the video editing, we have bought a 8TB drive.

Type Disk Management into the search box on Win11
It says Control Panel - Create and something hard disk

It ran and sees disk 0 but not the X-Box drive.

Looks like one has to use the USB3 micro cable that plus in at the back near the power input connector.
But it's arleard in exFAT.

Tuesday down down down

Depressing cooking for one.

Still down from the Sunday night fathers day trigger.

Depressed - > tired and lacking in energy. 

A empty house. 

Peter has moved out. Weird - even though we rarely ate together I suddenly feel the emptiness. 

The run on from fathers day trigger still raw. 

Cooking for one. 

So lonely. 

A reminder of how I failed as a husband. 

In addition to all the stuff I did and didn't do that resulted in marriage fail, there's the unknown (to me) personality shortfalls that mean every internet date is also a fail. 

1:30am on the dot, awake. Not really surprising as I've been lying around dozing most of the evening. 

Wordle. Ended up using a helper website. 

Put on sounds of rain

Wordle 802 4/6

⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜

⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜

⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 

Got up. Cleaned kitchen. Only took half an hour. This included unload and reload dishwasher.  Clear table. Put rubbish in bin. Wipe benches and stove. Pity I just had zero energy last night. 

Monday night

Boys over for dinner and discussion

Sunday bloody Sunday

Well Sunday started well coffee in the park with friend Phoebe and Magnus and Chris called and we had a great chat.

Home to prepare Lasagne. 

A lovely lunch with Lewis,, Morgan & Peter

2:30 film meeting

5pm Dance

I only lasted until 7:30 ish. 

Home

Jemma messaged me asking about father's day. I said I had dance in the evening and I'd like to do a bush walk and picnic. Turns out Dan and Jemma acompanying Megan to see her father. Consequently once again I have to play second fiddle to her arrangements and calendar. Just like Christmas and a million other times. I said don't worry about it. I don't want to do anything tagged as fathers day on other days. 

main Beach park run

SATURDAY 26 AUGUST 2023

Main Beach park run and Asic are lending out shoes and as they cost 10 times my shoes they've gotta be better. So I swap and feel like a runner. 

We stand around while the chief guru welcomes us and acknowledges sponsors including uber and various people with milestones and makes luminescent announcements.

The usual jostling for position (at the back)

And we are off. The funniest bit was a very vocal dog which I would swear was yelping "park run" "park run".

I'm using the first bit as a warm up as usual just taking it slow. I did have to confess to myself that these shoes did make it easier. We pass the 1k marker and then the 2k marker. The course takes us through bushland and I ponder the prevelance of lime electric bikes abandoned along the way.

A well trained young lady clapping and cheering marked the turn around. I'll take that. Now it's back heading south with the ocean on the left. Lungs are feeling it and I spy a lime electric bike. Reminder to self, next time bring phone. 

As we plod home, I note lots of these bikes until I realise that they are labelled uber+Lime and uber is a sponsor. It's a bit bugger... Such a tease. So close and yet so far.

Crossed the line with two wins. First time ever I've done it without a walk and a PB.

26 Aug 37:16 gold coast

19 Aug 39:07 rocks

29 JULY: Rocks riverside 00:38:20

Mid July: Coombs parkrun 00:40:44.

Went and bought the shoes

SATURDAY 19 AUGUST

Well park run got slower. Would have hoped with skiing, dancing and rowing.... albeit compromised by dessert. 

19 Aug 39:07

29 JULY: Rocks riverside 00:38:20

Mid July: Coombs parkrun 00:40:44.

One thing I like about park run is what I unstand to be their conscious philosophical approach. For example the tail walker. This volunteer ensures no one ever comes last at park run.

Peter and I had gone in separate cars because I may have needed to drive Dan to a doctors appointment however I received word to say Jemma was doing that. 

Communicated with Tim and Peter and we met at Oxley Cafe. Peter brought Magnus. 

Shopping for the movie meeting followed by said meeting. 

I bought gluten free bread and stuff as one of the meeting people was likely to be gluten free. 

I bought lettuce, tomato, cheese etc. The leftovers will be my lunches this week. 

12:30 movie tech meeting. 

Evening: Wanda introduced me to Jen and the three of us had a beer and Samoa snack at Suburban social. 

2:30am erg

There's a certain psychosis about waking up in the middle of the night and doing an erg.

The grammarians are participating in an ergathon. For 24(i think) hours, always someone erging.

1:40 alarm

1:50 depart home. 

2:15 inside at Inspire gym. 

2:30 erg

3:00 end erg. 

3:15 depart. 

Slept in until after 7am

Only 6124m.

Split typically 2:20 - 2:30

I noticed when Scott got on, he was splitting 1:50 ish. I'm too fat and scrawny. 

SUNDAY CONTINUES 

having gotten back from the erg, lay in bed without showering. In the morning decided that was a good excuse to wash the sheets. The morning turned into a bit of a cleaning day. 

Hand washed a blanket and hung it on the line and hosed it to rinse. Also hand washed my ski jacket. Vacuumed my room. 

Drove to west end and fixed a speaker in the "craft". The problem was no sound at 2 seat and turned out to be the wire disconnected at 4 seat. 

Caught up with Phoebe who brought some sandwiches she'd nicked from a church service she'd helped out at at West end. My contribution was to buy a couple of takeaway coffees. 

She's good at giving me some pointers about my communicating. 

On the way home Peter Kirakov phoned so I dropped into Anne Maree's place. I had Magnus with me and even though she played well with their dog Alfie, there was the concern that Alfie may become centre. 

After I left there, Lewis called and we chatted about Orange. 

Next up is a shower and dancing. My hope there is some kind of improvement in my humanity. Mind and body stuff. 

Electric Cars - Brisbane

 Electric Cars Brisbane

30 June 2023 — A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is not eligible under the Zero Emission Vehicle Rebate Scheme. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: are partly...

Hyundai Kona   $54500 - $64 500

Kia EV6   $68k-$83k

Hyundau IONIQ 5  $76k - $89k

BYD  

Tesla Model Y Rear Wheel Drive $69200

2023 Model Y all wheel drive $80k

3am

I often wake in the middle of the night. Usually around 1am but sometimes later.  Today it was 3am.  Normally, actually I don't like to use the word normally here because I don't feel I am "normal".  Anyway, usually I feel quite depressed when I wake but today I feel fine. Not excited. Not happy. But not sad or depressed. Just OK I guess.

EKKA WEDNESDAY 

Started by waking at 3:50am and driving to West end. Rowing in 3 seat in an eight. Even though it was populated by lower ranked? (several less experienced or in my case weaker) rowers it says a pretty good row. I judge based on the boat sitting up and it felt like everyone was trying to row well. Helped along by Angus coxing. It showed the value of a good Cox.

West end Park Cafe was closed and we meet at Valencianos. Brief chat with the guys and I signed up to row with Scotties row a thong 2:30am shift next Sunday morning. Gave up trying to order as the ordering process was too long. 

Decamped and drove to Phoebe's place at St Lucia. I've become good friends with Phoebe as I seek to try and work out my personality qwirks. We walked down to the St Lucia village to buy coffee. At the entry to the coffee shop is Nicky, Margo and a group of ladies. They asked about Jemma and her broken arm. I got distracted and engrossed in showing them pictures of X-rays....

When I joined Phoebe inside the shop, we discussed my first fopar in that I should have introduced her.  This honest discussion is something I value. 

Walked back to her place. Decided we would go for a road trip out to brook field to try to buy a bag of horse poo fertiliser. This was another opportunity for discussion and for me the main value outcome. Kind of nice just spending time chatting.

Dropped Phoebe at her place and came home. Zapped some leftovers. Had a snooze. Took the dog for a walk. Another snooze. Somewhere in there I had a (very naughty) bowl of ice cream and milo and another phone call with phoebe to clarify a few things. And another snooze 🤣🤣.

5pm dance lesson

Had not danced for ages so it was back to refreshing the basics. We spent 3/4 hr on waltz. Adding in some of the timing and that rise and fall. Lot of work still required. Then the lady 15 minutes on disco samba. 

I'm usingDisco samba as my measuring stick. A overall factor of achievement. A bit like an ergo is for rowing. It's so frigging complicated. I can sort of do it without music but once the music is on and we speed up, it's hopeless. Hopefully I get it by the end of the year.

During dance, a text had come in from Peta so I called her back and had a good chat while I drove home. 

Peter (nephew) had cooked spicy chicken, rice and broccoli. We consumed separately. Him in front of his computer and me in front of the TV. Dance is mentally draining so I just channel surfed.

The TV wanted to do a system upgrade which I let it do. Naturally theve changed the UI and naturally I don't like it. 

Stated watching a movie. It was crap. Fast forwarded through. No idea really about it. 

9pm ish Went to bed. 

HOTY Airfare Booking

 Interesting to compare Virgin and Qantas

flights at similar times.  Prices include checked bags.

	QANTAS	VIRGIN	VIRGIN Business	V Upgrade Offer
BNE->MEL	$273	$275	$800-$1200
MEL->BNE	$225	$205	similar about $1k	+$160 -> $365 Half a business fare
Travel Bank		-$104
Total	$498	$376

Having worked my way through the booking process and having ticked a box that says that I would like to pay for some or all of the flight with travel credit but when I got to the checkout, there was no option to pay for part of it with travel bank. 

Eventually I called virgin on 13 67 90 and that required me to be "put through" and they confirmed that there was no way to do it on the web site and that I the way to do it's on the phone and they wave the phone charge.

BUSINESS UPGRADE

22-11-2023 Update
Decided to bid on an upgrade for the return leg.
I bid $160 which the web site advised was a "fair" bid.  Only $5 more than what it considered to be a poor bid.  Takes my total cost for the return leg to $365

I dont know what business class fares were for this leg at the time but I put into Virgin's web site to fly MEL->BNE on 18 Jan and the prices for business class ranged from $600-$1200 with a reasonable number around $710

 

 

 

 

Jemma Birthday Dinner

 TUESDAY 15

Invited Jemma and Megan over for dinner

This was only the second time (I think) that I had invited Megan to my place.  The previous was to Jemma's 18th party.  I think my mental position had improved to the point where I could do that.

It was a lovely night.  I had thought that Jemma might like something like spag bog that could be eaten with one hand so I asked her and she said she would like steak so steak and 3 veggies it was.   It was a lovely night despite the poor photo.

Sunday and a broken arm

 SUNDAY 13-AUGUST-2023

Sunday started normally and ended up taking a very unexpected path.

Packed our bags and checked out.

Drove to Perisher.  Decided to take the train to Blue Cow.  The logic was to skip the queue at the V8 and also, given the poor snow conditions, we were not sure how easy it would be to get across to Blue Cow.  On the plus side at Blue Cow, one just walks out of the train and onto the snow.

We arrived before 8:30 and observed a huge group waiting patiently for the rope to be removed.

 

 

 

Two and a half runs later and I am waiting near the "early starter" and Jemma joins me and says she fell over and hurt her wrist and would like to ice it.  I clarified that this was more than just grab a handful of snow.  We took the "Early Starter" up to the top and walked, trudged, up to Blue Cow terminal.

We wet into the coffee shop on the lower level to ask where to find first aid.  A fellow, who turned out to be an instructor, said he would call the ski patrol.  I initially thought that was over the top but in hindsight, it was the right thing to do.

 

 

Ana from Colorado attended and took us back stage at Blue Cow and then accompanied us and another fellow by train down to the medical centre at Perisher.

 At the Perisher centre, the medical staff did X-Rays and concluded it was broken enough to warrant a cast.  This first cast is a half cast and a bandage.  This is because the arm will apparently swell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They let me know that there was 15 minute parking behind the medical centre so I moved the car over and moved Jemma and the skis and snow board into the car.  

We drove round to Smiggins and dropped off the skis at Rhythm.

Then onto Cooma via Jindabyne and dropped the snow boards and clothes.  

We phoned Qantas to try to change to an earlier flight.  We spoke to a fellow over seas and the bit rate made the conversation unintelligible.  He recognised this and offered to call us back.  The return call was just as bad but we got the message that he could not make the change because I had bought cheap tickets.  Gave up.

Decided to navigate to the Canberra airport and request in person.

Arrived at the Airport and Jemma accompanied me.  I hoped that having the patient in front of them would engender sympathy.  They kindly moved us to a flight an hour earlier.  

Continued onto Henry's place and cleaned up the car and repacked.  Cup of tea and cake