Michael’s Journal

Moon Views, Earth Love

2026-04-07T23:39:06+00:00

I have been watching the Artemis II</strong> mission off and on. I saw these pictures on the NASA website, and here are a few that I really like. They definitely got me thinking.</p>

I have always been fascinated by space and the Heavens. I would like to go to space, but not like we do today. If I went, I would want it to be on a Star Trek</strong> type shuttle or ship. Our spacecraft, much like our planes, are little more than thin tin cans.</p>

Looking at these pictures really affected me. The Moon is very dead and very unwelcoming, and space is the same way. Then, seeing our planet "Earth" from that vantage point just shows the miracle God made for us and the love Jesus purchased for us. Why would you want to go anywhere else?</p>

Hello, World NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman took this picture of Earth from the Orion spacecraft's window on April 2, 2026, after completing the translunar injection burn.</p></div>
The Nearside of the Moon (April 4, 2026) - A view of the nearside of the Moon, the side we always see from Earth. Some of the far side is visible, as well, on the left edge, just beyond the black patch that is Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that straddles the Moon’s ne</p></div>
A Setting Earth (April 6, 2026) – The lunar surface fills the frame in sharp detail, as seen during the Artemis II lunar flyby, while a distant Earth sets in the background. This image was captured at 6:41 p.m. EDT, on April 6, 2026, just three minutes before the Orion spacecraft and</p></div>
Earthset Earthset captured through the Orion spacecraft window at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, during the Artemis II crew’s flyby of the Moon.</p></div> </div>
Source: NASA</span></a> — April 2026</span></div> </div>
I don't know how people can look at these incredible images and not think there is a grand designer. I am staying where we should. Think about it, in the oceans or in space, you will always need a suit that could puncture, rupture, or run out of life-saving air or water. But God made our Earth its own spacesuit that self-replicates the air and water we need.</p>
These pictures are just beautiful. Space, the Moon, and Mars are places to visit for a day or two, but not places to live. It would be very isolating, even with other people. Look at that multicolored marble. It is home, and it is just beautiful.</p>

Birthday Thoughts on a Country at a Crossroads

2026-04-06T11:01:39+00:00

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At a pivotal crossroads, a nation contemplates its future between the pursuit of wealth and industry or the call to civic duty and democratic engagement.</figcaption>
I turn 57 this month, and with everything going on in the world, it almost feels like an afterthought. This year feels worse, more doom and gloom than others. I am not entirely sure why, but it is not just politics. The economy has been rough too, with gas prices staying high, in my case over $4.25 a gallon, along with rising costs across the board and ongoing tech hardware shortages. It all adds to the sense that things are off.</p>
I have never seen as much upheaval as I have this past year. I have also never witnessed in my adult life companies and wealthy individuals fawn over a President to this extent, while much of the media seems complicit. Then they wonder why their trustworthiness is at an all-time low. I believe in a neutral, fact-based media, but in reality we have never truly had one in this country except when it suited particular interests.</p>

🍿Watched Civil War (2024)

2026-04-05T14:27:12+00:00

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING:</strong> FULL SPOILERS</p>
</figure> In "Civil War" (2024), the iconic torch of liberty becomes a battleground as soldiers clash atop its flame, symbolizing the fierce struggle for freedom amid chaos.</figcaption>
My Rating:</strong> ½ (0.5/5 stars)</p>
The movie stunk, and it stunk so bad I kept watching only for the action at the end. It made no sense to me. Why were we in a civil war? Seems more like a feel-good piece for the press. There were undertones of innuendo but no reason was given, nothing clear was given. It was basically like the viewer came in the middle of a tale and only got none of the backstory. Totally stupid movie. If you were supposed to guess about the relationship to today's politics, this movie will be bad in 25 years' time since there is no context at all, and I mean at all. Every good movie has some backstory, either through flashbacks or other ways. My big takeaway: no context, skip it. Don't waste 2 hours like I did. Yes, there were some good action and thrilling one-off action moments, but that was it.</p>
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History Made April 1, 2026 Artemis II Launched!

2026-04-01T21:42:12+00:00

History was made today. The kind of history that will be written about and studied for years to come, and I was able to capture it from my backyard. Artemis II successfully launched with a crew of four and is heading to the Moon. Not as great, magnificent, or universe changing as what we will celebrate this Sunday with Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, not even close. But still amazing.</p>
Here is what I get to see from my house on the other side of the coast of Florida. Not as amazing as being there, but still awesome.</p>
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No Fools today on this 1st of April. Pretty surreal to watch it from here.</p>

🍿 Watched Chief of Station (2024)

2026-03-22T00:26:45+00:00

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING:</strong> MAJOR SPOILERS</p>
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My Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐½ (2.5/5 stars)</p>
The cast has done good work in other films, but not here. They were probably paid, but the story was terrible. Calling it a 2.5 felt generous. In my view, there was nothing redeeming about this movie.</p>
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Exploring Stardock's Clairvoyance

2026-03-14T18:00:43+00:00

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A man joyfully adjusts settings on a futuristic interface labeled "Analyzing," exploring the possibilities of Stardock's Clairvoyance technology in a cozy, modern workspace.</figcaption>
I have been trying out a new app from Stardock</a> called Clairvoyance</a>. It is a nice AI interface that is very powerful and lets you use API keys to interact with large language models and do all kinds of things. It also takes a privacy-first approach and is a bit more user friendly than some other tools I have tried. I will say this has been very compelling and interesting to use. I honestly cannot believe it is free, and I hope it stays free. That said, there are still some bugs and rough edges. For example, it does not always make it clear whether it is actively working or if something has hung. When subagents get stuck there does not seem to be an obvious way to stop or cancel the task, at least that I have found so far. I have also seen cases where the interface says it is finished but still reports that it is working. On occasion I have asked it what it is doing or what is going on, and the response mentions something running in the background but does not really answer the question directly. It almost feels like it is ignoring the question and returning a vague or nonsense response instead of explaining what is happening. So there are definitely some areas that still need to be fleshed out. To be fair, the software is clearly marked as being in alpha. When it is on target and working, especially when it is helping with coding, it actually works quite well.</p>

Mike Elgan Nails It

2026-03-10T14:51:55+00:00

https://elgan.com/why-you-should-love-blogs-now-more-than-ever</a></strong></p>
Why you should love blogs now more than ever</p>
, Mike Elgan</strong> (@MikeElgan@mastodon.social) on sharkey (source</a>)</p> </blockquote>
I saw Mike's post in my timeline, and it's referenced above. While I know some people hate AI with a passion, I agree that AI content has, for the most part, made the internet harder to enjoy. I agree with his post wholeheartedly, and maybe it will bring blogs - and hearing from people on blogs - back into the spotlight.</p>
There was a time when most blogs looked quaint and personal, reflecting the owner's personality not only in their words but in the site's visuals. I also agree with Dave Winer's views on blogs, though not the idea of leaving everything completely unedited. If by "unedited" he means honest, uncensored feelings, I'm fine with that. But I do think having an AI or another human proofread your work is usually a good idea.</p>
When I read some of my earlier posts from my youth - about 35 years ago when I was in my mid-twenties - I often think, what did I even mean there? It may make no sense now, and when I see something like that I cringe and immediately do some blog gardening and fix it. I don't want an AI to turn everything into perfect polish, but I do want my writing to make sense. Sometimes I ramble and chase rabbits the way I do in conversation, and that can lose readers' attention. I hate walking away from someone and thinking, what were we even talking about? That was all over the place.</p>
So yes blogs look like they are coming back and that is a good thing in my opinion, and Google if you are listening, Blogger will be 30 years old in a few years. How about doing some updates to it, but keep it conservative and non-AI related and keep the spirit of it alive and just bring it forward into the modern age.</p>

My Blogging Platform Odyssey

2026-03-08T21:45:36+00:00

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A lone traveler embarks on a journey through a vibrant valley of blogging platforms, seeking the perfect path to share their voice and stories with the world.</figcaption>
Okay, it has been one year since I joined Micro.blog and Scribbles.page, and just over a year since I joined Write.as. I thought I would review all three services with a clear winner, a hard "can't wait for my subscription to end and won't be renewing," and a dark horse.</p>
I joined all three within months of each other looking to get rid of my InMotionHosting web host and get away from WordPress. I didn't like the direction that Matt Mullenweg was heading and didn't want to get burned like I did with Elon Musk and Twitter. Twitter was a special place for me as I refused to use any Zuckerberg product, especially since he ruined Instagram.</p>
Now with the history out of the way, here we go.</p>

Political Disillusionment

2026-03-02T22:26:59+00:00

⚠️ Warning:</strong> Political Rant</p> </blockquote>
Okay, this is one of the few politically related posts I make each year because politics are so divisive. So here’s your warning: if you’d rather not read political commentary, feel free to stop here.</p>
The recent armed action against Iran has me conflicted. I believe it's more of a distraction and a pretext than a genuine strategic necessity. While the issues we face in America come from the neglect of both parties, Trump seems to be using these problems to his advantage. This situation should have been addressed years ago when Iran first began developing its nuclear program. The United States is skilled at acting as a global police force and solving immediate problems but not at handling long-term challenges such as nation building. We have never successfully created a functioning foreign democracy.</p>

Better Health, Bigger To-Do List

2026-02-15T13:48:14+00:00

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A cluttered desk overflowing with DVDs, game controllers, and a computer setup highlights the challenge of balancing a busy to-do list with the pursuit of better health and productivity.</figcaption>
I haven't blogged lately for several reasons. I have been feeling much better from my Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (I have blogged extensively about it in several past posts). I will just say my Camzyos and Metoprolol 200 mg ER twice daily seems to be working. I am sleeping at night and I hardly feel my heart symptoms anymore. The only lingering negative is a high heart rate most of the time, even when sleeping. But I have more energy, and that is actually why I haven't been blogging as much.</p>
I know what you are thinking: if you are feeling better, why aren't you blogging? Well, it is because I am catching up on backlogged personal projects I have wanted to get done, and spending too much money in the process. Ever since AI came on the scene, I have been getting up to speed and, with its help, doing things I have wanted to do but didn't have the knowledge or know where to look. For instance, I have over 2,000 discs (DVDs, CDs, and Blu-rays) from over 30 years of accumulation that I am finally archiving and getting into my Plex server for my home. I had no one to ask and couldn't find resources, so I just had the discs sitting around, many never opened, as I relied on streaming services. But I have been on a purge of subscription services since early last year. I am also finding approximately 100 DVDs that have either disc rot or are scratched. That last one really hurts, as most of the disc-rotted and scratched discs have never been opened. So there has been a renewed sense of urgency on my part to get these things archivally backed up.</p>

📺 Watched Fallout (2024) on Prime Video

2026-02-08T17:37:09+00:00

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING:</strong> MAJOR SPOILERS</p>
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In the desolate wasteland of New Vegas, three survivors and their loyal dog embark on a perilous journey through a post-apocalyptic world where every step could be their last.</figcaption>
My Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 stars)</p>
Episodes:</strong> 8 | Aired:</strong> 12-16-2025</p>
This season answered a lot of questions and introduced a few new ones. But I actually liked this season better than the first season. I think they did the flashbacks much better this season, and this is thoroughly engaging and enjoyable entertainment. The one negative I would have is that this is not the first TV show or movie that has tried to technologize the 50s after World War 2 and the 60s. I am always astonished at the technology they built but other things that seem like simpler items that they miss, and I say why doesn't the technology they have built work here or there. Oh, and I didn't miss the few references to modern day issues and Trump. I find it amazing how politics of today is meshing into TV shows. Some do it well (like here) and some don't (like the recent Superman of 2025). But one thing on the real life side is the old axiom, history seems to always repeat itself. Looking forward to Season 3.</p>
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🍿 Watched The Tank (2025) on Prime Video

2026-01-22T14:41:58+00:00

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING:</strong> FULL SPOILERS</p>
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My Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5 stars)</p>
I thought it was partly a drama and partly a horror movie. It was engaging and it also made me think about how history repeats itself through some of its themes. It was two hours long and maybe about half an hour too long. Still, it was interesting, and it was sad in parts. A lot of what was portrayed in some scenes probably did happen.</p>
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🍿 Watched TRON: Ares (2025) on Disney+

2026-01-20T18:26:14+00:00

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING:</strong> FULL SPOILERS</p>
</figure>
My Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5 stars)</p>
A solid, if unremarkable, entry in the Tron series. Jared Leto stands out, and the plot introduces a novel twist: the digital world invades ours, spotlighting AI. It's a fine way to kill almost 2 hours. However, it's not worth a theater visit. Watching it on Disney+ is your best bet.</p>
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Article I Was First for a Reason

2026-01-15T19:52:01+00:00

This is your Content Warning: this is going to be a Political Rant</strong></em></p>
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Flexing the power of Article I, this bold graphic underscores the enduring strength and influence of legislative authority across diverse global arenas.</figcaption>
Where is Congress while Trump talks like a king? I am going to let everyone in on a little secret. Congress, the Article I institution, is supposed to be the most powerful branch because it is closest to the people. Article I comes first in the Constitution and is the longest. The Founders had just fought a war against a king and were deeply wary of executive power. Alexander Hamilton called the judiciary the "least dangerous branch" in Federalist 78.</p>
Think about it: the Judicial Branch is unelected and can be constrained by Congress. Both Article II (the President) and Article III (federal judges) can be impeached and removed by Congress. The only way to get rid of a member of Congress is expulsion by their own chamber or being voted out by the people. And "high crimes and misdemeanors"? That's whatever Congress decides it is. Gerald Ford said it best: an impeachable offense is whatever the House considers it to be. Congress holds the power to remove, and that is not an accident.</p>

Finally, Great Heart News

2026-01-09T22:35:14+00:00

Great news today at my follow-up with my hypertrophic cardiomyopathy specialist. Camzyos is really starting to work. My most recent echo earlier this week was excellent, and so was the heart cath I had in late December.</p>
In fact, the heart cath showed that Camzyos is working well enough that I do not need to rush into an alcohol ablation or a septal myectomy. If I ever do need an intervention in the future, my doctor said I would be a good candidate for septal alcohol ablation.</p>
I also told my doctor that, if at all possible, I would prefer to stay on medication and avoid any surgical treatment.</p>
More good news: I will not have to see him or have another echo for six months.</p>
I told the doctor I have been feeling great since starting Camzyos. My metoprolol dose was increased last month, and I have been sleeping much better. He said everything seems to have calmed down, and my gradients with exertion have improved greatly. So, no immediate decisions need to be made.</p>
He also had a positive conversation with the cardiac interventionist and personally read my echo himself. It looked good, and he is pleased. I told him that I think staying consistent with my medication has helped. Lately, I have not had delays caused by the pharmacy needing certain tests before refilling my prescription, and I have not had any breaks where I was off the medication.</p>
That means my main job now is simply dealing with the pharmacy and making sure I get my Camzyos on time each month.</p>
So let's pray it keeps trending in the right direction. I actually feel normal for once.</p>

🍿 Watched The Pickup (2025) from Amazon Prime

2026-01-04T17:45:42+00:00

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING:</strong> MILD SPOILERS</p>
</figure> When the heist goes right: Meet the trio behind the biggest score of their lives in 'The Pickup'.</figcaption>
My Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5 stars)</p>
"The Pickup" serves as a pleasant diversion with its fairly engaging plot and commendable performances. The film is entirely a work of fiction. A notable concern, however, is the excessive crude language, particularly from Pete Davidson, which seemed unnecessary for its comedic aspirations.</p>
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Spooky Full Moon January 2, 2026

2026-01-03T15:00:08+00:00

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I just had to snap a photo when I saw this scene. A full moon peeking out from behind those clouds. It was such a dramatic, moody sight with the silhouettes of trees just barely visible at the bottom. Isn't it amazing how nature puts on a show like this? This is a werewolf's nightmare 😉.</p>

My 2025 in Review

2026-01-01T23:29:30+00:00

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Amidst a cascade of light and time, a visionary crafts his dreams for 2025, blending art and aspiration in his timeless sanctuary.</figcaption>
I thought I would give a roundup from my point of view for 2025 and share some thoughts on 2026.</p>
2025 brought so many new things for me. I left InMotion Hosting and WordPress after 9 years with them. I probably would still be with them if it weren't for three factors. First, they had given me a discount for three years, and when it expired, they would not renew it and offered me nothing. Second, they had switched to a new spam email system called MailChannels that was more concerned with outgoing spam instead of incoming spam. I think they started to concentrate on outgoing spam because of complaints coming in. The last issue was WordPress. I started to get the same feeling of craziness from the owner/co-owner that I got from Elon Musk.</p>
I moved to Write.as and thought I would like it. I had been trying it out before I left InMotion Hosting. I purchased a 6-year stint up front after trying it for about 3 months on the free version. But I soon learned it was not all that I had hoped for. I went to Micro.blog, and even though it had a shorter trial, I really liked it and saw how outdated Write.as was. I really liked, and still like, what Manton Reece is doing. So I changed from InMotion Hosting to Micro.blog and MXRoute for email hosting (as Micro.blog doesn't offer that and InMotion Hosting had the whole bundle). Both services have been fantastic, and Micro.blog is operated by an individual, not a big corporation and Manton Reece cares about his service. MXGuarddog is a small company from what I can tell and has been flawless. I will be making a detailed post about these services coming up in the new year for a one-year usage review.</p>

Happy 2026!

2026-01-01T11:03:20+00:00

</figure>
I just wanted to put up a quick blog post and wish everyone a Happy New Year. Let's pray and hope that God blesses us all. I'm looking forward to this year on many fronts. I want to continue getting my heart under control with my Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, do more self-hosting with AI, and learn more coding. This is also my 25th year of proper blogging (more posts coming on that later).</p>
With all the computing power I'm putting together, I'm hoping to learn more about web development, self-hosting, and becoming less dependent on big tech. I'm one year closer to retirement, which I'm looking forward to. Instead of focusing on an employer's needs, I'll be able to focus 100 percent on what interests me and devote more time to my faith. Putting my love of God and technology together.</p>
So Happy New Year to everyone, and let's see what 2026 brings for us all. Should be an interesting year, especially on the home front with the United States of America hitting 250 years.</p>

A Day of Celestial Discoveries and Misty Mornings

2025-12-30T14:31:07+00:00

Today was a peculiar yet fulfilling day. It started with a dense fog but cleared up nicely. I managed to capture the sun through my telescope for the first time, and I also spotted the moon in broad daylight, though the telescope had some trouble pinpointing it. I hope you find the images as delightful as I did. They were taken with my Zwo Seestar S30, except for the fog picture, which I captured with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.</p>
A blurry photograph taken from inside a car at night, showing a view of a road with traffic lights and faint outlines of trees in foggy or misty conditions. The dashboard of the car is visible in the foreground.</figcaption></figure>
Driving through a foggy night, the world blurs into a mysterious haze of lights and shadows.</figcaption>
A serene sky with a soft gradient from deep to light blue, featuring a pale moon visible in daylight and several small birds flying in the distance.</figcaption></figure>
Birds dance around the daylit moon, painting a serene scene in the vast blue canvas above.</figcaption>
A close-up image of the sun showing a detailed and textured orange surface surrounded by darkness, highlighting sunspots and solar features.</figcaption></figure>
Gazing into the cosmic abyss, the sun reveals its fiery solitude surrounded by the dark embrace of space.</figcaption>