Alan Levine @cogdog@mastodon.social

So I remember to log in to Mastodon like every third month. I have an [interesting][to me] experiment in anonymous expression that I've shared with a few here.

But I am asking that it not be shared in public channels, only direct messages, emails, etc. So I cannot slip the URL here.If you are willing to try, send me a private message

Tootles..

Trying a hello toot for #LidA103 Since @mackiwg follows me, thus my Toots from this account should toot over there.

Toodling along.

Might as well toss in a CC0 llama photo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/4238580321) while here.

Aren't the phrases "unprecedented" and "new normal" a bit... tired? How about some extraordinary stories?

This newest #SPLOT attempts to collect #smallstories of "Extraordinary Responses"-- the things individuals, communities, organizations are doing now to support learners.

Tell one and pass it on, thanks https://splot.ca/extraordinary/worldwide-stories/

The most recent Episode of This American Life "The Show of Delights" had a strong flavor of #smallstories

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/692/the-show-of-delights

They are not Olympic Rings (bits of circuits found in our small town's rubbish pile, fun stuff)

Got a slick (I think) new feature in one of the WordPress "SPLOT" themes, ones that create places for sharing w/ no logins, tracking.

SPLOTbox is for a place to collect media from various sources (direct URL, upload) https://lab.cogdogblog.com/splotbox/

The new thangs is a built in audio recorder, saves directly to site. Give a spin?

https://lab.cogdogblog.com/splotbox/share-it/

Made this small thing using a nifty generative art thing I found http://mfviz.com/flowFields/ Not sure what all the settings do, but its kind of nice to set it up in a tab and let it run.

Added some text as I thought it would make a nice #ds106 daily create.

Well maybe for a little change of pace I might keep Mastodon open in a browser tab rather than the bird thing.

The convos @bryanalexander started over in that blue bird place made me open up this account after a while. Howdy.

Not even a story as much a joy of being able to relax in the home of @katebowles w/o an agenda for 4 days, wander a fairly empty beach 16000 km from home, and have have a host slightly worried when the 45 minute walk tool 2 hours. https://mastodon.social/media/KPVXkokapFTUNuPtVj4

Just to shatter an illusions of Arizona as being only desert, here's a view from underneath those red maples, plus being dwarfed by the aspen in Flagstaff https://mastodon.social/media/6VwEy7-V-8kJAIdsblk https://mastodon.social/media/5Bw0Fkb6Se67wGvuEbU

Today's walk, second very unusual grey cloudy day in northern Arizona.

Then something weird happened.

Water started falling from the sky. One burst for a minute a second for about five.

And then...

A bright flash.

Followed by a huge boom of thunder that sustained continuous rumbling overhead for at least 25 seconds.

This pic was pink sunset glow over Strawberry Mtn last night, boosted w/ HDR. That tiny red dot is a patch of red canyon maple, I stood there Sunday.

https://mastodon.social/media/CYExV0o5nggoL8CaB3Q

In addition there are a lot of _____ Tommy people in town.

Barkeep Tommy, well you know what she does. Bicycle Tommy? doesn't seem to work, he just circles his bike around the parking lot til Barkeep Tommy opens the door.

When I moved in I hired Cowboy Tommy to cut down some dead trees. He was the real deal, a trail rider.

Give me 10 more years here and I will be Web Guy Tommy?

I've decided to rename Louthian Drive to be "Steve Street" a street in my neighborhood with 17 homes on it, 3 of them I know for sure are inhabited by men named Steve.

I only know maybe half the residents, so I bet there are more Steves lurking in those houses.

Steves.

Watch out for them.

I miss Wayne.

An ideal neighbor, age and health kept him down in the valley in winter. He had tons of stories of this place, rendered opinions on everything with a straight out of "Fargo" North Dakota accent, plus a contagious self-laugh.

The people who bought his house did a lot of reno. They drive tinted window SUVs and wave only some of the time. They are here weekends, often different vehicles. Shades are always drawn tight and few lights are on.

I think they are devil worshippers.

Since adopting my dog Felix, walking several times a day, I've easily tripled the neighbors I know by name and chat with.

Something about a [friendly] dog makes it much easier. I respect you cat lovers, but I don't see many people out there walking their cats, nor any cats eager to jump up and kiss you or go madly chasing a ball.

As screwed up as the world seems, having the right dog puts it all in place, https://mastodon.social/media/6BbvTTuo65JnpMPi87c

#smallstories

Two nights ago my dog walk was a bit late. With minimal disk left, we were perched on crossing a wild, overgrown ditch (with a path) that connects to my street.

We listened the local fire department siren going off.

This was then echoed by mimicking coyotes, a normal sound, but usually coming from the hills outside of town.

These yips were coming from just up the ditch we had to cross, maybe 200 yards away.

We crossed, making loud "WE ARE LARGE: stomping sound.

Home safe.

Hiya tooters

Sorry Mastodon, we forgot about you. Then got bored and wondered, what are they all tooting about? Then a squirrel ran past.

https://mastodon.social/media/WULAef9in1q4PYdCvmY

@katebowles @Tdorey #smallstories that won't happen in this or any other social media stream. A 6 year old blog post about the stories of my cousin's life growing up as part of a high dive act in the 1940 is found for 3rd time by someone who knew cousin Lorrie. And I am able to connect.

This is what blogs do, as old and creaky and antiquated as people make them out to be http://cogdogblog.com/2017/06/long-soaring-dive/