Betty Widerski (aka Betty4Cats)
@bettywiderski.com
Rock violist in band GingerIbex.bandcamp.com
40+ years in IT
Trumpet mentor in SchoolofHonk.org
She/her, cis lesbian
Owned by 4 cats
40+ years in IT
Trumpet mentor in SchoolofHonk.org
She/her, cis lesbian
Owned by 4 cats
Feeling sad because before my wife’s stroke I could have afforded to cover more of the joint rent on the band practice space to help the self-employed friend who uses it for teaching music with what seems will be her large health insurance increase. Just hope that MA manages to somehow mitigate it.
November 10, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Feeling sad because before my wife’s stroke I could have afforded to cover more of the joint rent on the band practice space to help the self-employed friend who uses it for teaching music with what seems will be her large health insurance increase. Just hope that MA manages to somehow mitigate it.
Reposted by Betty Widerski (aka Betty4Cats)
Happy Saturday everyone! I have a jewelry shop at nora.jewelry!
I'm also drawing fruit/veg for people who donate $50 to @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social for SNAP replacement grocery gift cards; I'll do up to 20 of those this weekend. See thread for details and quotes of this post for availability.
I'm also drawing fruit/veg for people who donate $50 to @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social for SNAP replacement grocery gift cards; I'll do up to 20 of those this weekend. See thread for details and quotes of this post for availability.
November 8, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Happy Saturday everyone! I have a jewelry shop at nora.jewelry!
I'm also drawing fruit/veg for people who donate $50 to @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social for SNAP replacement grocery gift cards; I'll do up to 20 of those this weekend. See thread for details and quotes of this post for availability.
I'm also drawing fruit/veg for people who donate $50 to @wingsndnsilver.bsky.social for SNAP replacement grocery gift cards; I'll do up to 20 of those this weekend. See thread for details and quotes of this post for availability.
National Grid makes these suggestions to help lower my *natural gas* bill???
November 6, 2025 at 3:44 PM
National Grid makes these suggestions to help lower my *natural gas* bill???
Saw this link on FB - some Boston area places offering free food to SNAP card holders: www.boston.com/food/food-ne...
Amid SNAP benefit cuts, these Greater Boston food businesses are here to help
Greater Boston restaurants and food businesses are stepping up as residents face cuts to their SNAP benefits amid the government shutdown.
www.boston.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Saw this link on FB - some Boston area places offering free food to SNAP card holders: www.boston.com/food/food-ne...
Based on my Sheets archive I stopped doing monthly budget spreadsheets after 2015 - I guess because $ was no longer tight. I've started one for Nov/Dec 2025 & will continue, after realizing I need to return to that financial mode due to the massive $ change of a spouse now in memory care.
November 4, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Based on my Sheets archive I stopped doing monthly budget spreadsheets after 2015 - I guess because $ was no longer tight. I've started one for Nov/Dec 2025 & will continue, after realizing I need to return to that financial mode due to the massive $ change of a spouse now in memory care.
Yay! It’s Rancatore’s ice cream day at the blood drive.
November 1, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Yay! It’s Rancatore’s ice cream day at the blood drive.
<headdesk> I'm sorry you felt like the task instructions I found & sent you yesterday were "too much to read through", but they turned out to be the correct version vs the simpler one you found elsewhere.</headdesk>
October 28, 2025 at 5:52 PM
<headdesk> I'm sorry you felt like the task instructions I found & sent you yesterday were "too much to read through", but they turned out to be the correct version vs the simpler one you found elsewhere.</headdesk>
So I'm looking to easily (e.g., not drive 2+ hrs to the good buying bookstore that moved out of town) sell some fancier books. I found Bookscouter that lists where and how much $ for specific books. Anyone experienced selling to TextBookAgent.com?
October 23, 2025 at 7:44 PM
So I'm looking to easily (e.g., not drive 2+ hrs to the good buying bookstore that moved out of town) sell some fancier books. I found Bookscouter that lists where and how much $ for specific books. Anyone experienced selling to TextBookAgent.com?
"Many of the largest AWS services rely extensively on DNS..." - duh
EVERYBODY GO READ THE AWS INCIDENT WRITE-UP! aws.amazon.com/message/1019...
Summary of the Amazon DynamoDB Service Disruption in Northern Virginia (US-EAST-1) Region
aws.amazon.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:26 PM
"Many of the largest AWS services rely extensively on DNS..." - duh
Things you do not knowing how useful it will be later: thankful @dreamwidth.org allowed me to import my old LiveJournal content before I ditched LJ because I just used it to look up something that happened around 2004 before I had a cloud email archive (was still on Eudora).
October 22, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Things you do not knowing how useful it will be later: thankful @dreamwidth.org allowed me to import my old LiveJournal content before I ditched LJ because I just used it to look up something that happened around 2004 before I had a cloud email archive (was still on Eudora).
Reposted by Betty Widerski (aka Betty4Cats)
I look forward to explaining to my non-musician offline friends why the fact that they felt threatened by the *clarinetist* is the funniest possible outcome here
"Federal agents had just exited the fortified facility and appeared to be chasing a protester when the protester and officer collided with band members, most of whom were wearing banana costumes."
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
Federal agents barrel into band at Portland ICE protest, arrest clarinetist, accuse her of assault
Oriana Korol, a 38-year-old child and family therapist, remains in Clark County Jail.
www.oregonlive.com
October 16, 2025 at 12:06 PM
I look forward to explaining to my non-musician offline friends why the fact that they felt threatened by the *clarinetist* is the funniest possible outcome here
Apple Watch: Check your Vitals! They are far from normal!
Me, checks Vitals: yes - my pulse rate is 10 bpm less, and my sleep time 2 hrs more. It’s called being on vacation.
Me, checks Vitals: yes - my pulse rate is 10 bpm less, and my sleep time 2 hrs more. It’s called being on vacation.
October 8, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Apple Watch: Check your Vitals! They are far from normal!
Me, checks Vitals: yes - my pulse rate is 10 bpm less, and my sleep time 2 hrs more. It’s called being on vacation.
Me, checks Vitals: yes - my pulse rate is 10 bpm less, and my sleep time 2 hrs more. It’s called being on vacation.
1st LTC insurance payment for y wife arrived - but they also still took out this month's premium from my acct, which should have been waived. Had to get the Policy side to talk with the Claims side. And now the refund will be a check in J's name even though my acct is what paid it >:-/
October 7, 2025 at 9:00 PM
1st LTC insurance payment for y wife arrived - but they also still took out this month's premium from my acct, which should have been waived. Had to get the Policy side to talk with the Claims side. And now the refund will be a check in J's name even though my acct is what paid it >:-/
It's too bad eBird protocol says my nocturnal flight calls need to be logged under a separate account from my regular birding - else I'd be really increasing my overall life list, like this Yellow-billed Cuckoo from 4:15am
October 7, 2025 at 2:36 AM
It's too bad eBird protocol says my nocturnal flight calls need to be logged under a separate account from my regular birding - else I'd be really increasing my overall life list, like this Yellow-billed Cuckoo from 4:15am
Well, I knew this time would come: work has announced my work-paid cell phone will end in December. Fortunately I will be able to keep the #. AT&T isn’t the best choice but keeping with them for the moment makes transfer easier. Not gonna upgrade the iPhone 12 immediately assuming I can keep it.
October 6, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Well, I knew this time would come: work has announced my work-paid cell phone will end in December. Fortunately I will be able to keep the #. AT&T isn’t the best choice but keeping with them for the moment makes transfer easier. Not gonna upgrade the iPhone 12 immediately assuming I can keep it.
Not only did the local Stop & Shop have the expected Halloween candy, they apparently had Xmas candy left in storage so put that out as well
October 5, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Not only did the local Stop & Shop have the expected Halloween candy, they apparently had Xmas candy left in storage so put that out as well
@ckshowalter.bsky.social sorry my monthly ko-fi donation failed - PayPal decided I was evil because my account name didn’t exactly match my ID so cancelled it with no way to appeal :-(
October 4, 2025 at 10:45 PM
@ckshowalter.bsky.social sorry my monthly ko-fi donation failed - PayPal decided I was evil because my account name didn’t exactly match my ID so cancelled it with no way to appeal :-(
I learned my lesson last year going to my timeshare week: check planned Saturday stops ahead of time for interfering events. So now not planning a stop at the Wellfleet Audubon sanctuary to bird- they are having musicians playing on the trails!
October 1, 2025 at 11:02 PM
I learned my lesson last year going to my timeshare week: check planned Saturday stops ahead of time for interfering events. So now not planning a stop at the Wellfleet Audubon sanctuary to bird- they are having musicians playing on the trails!
I didn't skeet anything at the time, not wanting to alarm a performer about to go on. But as the performance organizer asked for feedback today I *did* report the totally unsafe handling of the performer's onstage instrument by guys who decided it needed to be moved back for lighting.
September 29, 2025 at 7:44 PM
I didn't skeet anything at the time, not wanting to alarm a performer about to go on. But as the performance organizer asked for feedback today I *did* report the totally unsafe handling of the performer's onstage instrument by guys who decided it needed to be moved back for lighting.
Nora keeps experimenting and developing cool new shapes and colors with fused glass! Check them out regularly and buy some for yourself and friends. (They also regularly support trans folk with gifts & donations too!)
hello blueskies! i am nora and i have a fused glass jewelry shop. i would love to send you something beautiful!
nora.jewelry
#bsnm
nora.jewelry
#bsnm
September 27, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Nora keeps experimenting and developing cool new shapes and colors with fused glass! Check them out regularly and buy some for yourself and friends. (They also regularly support trans folk with gifts & donations too!)
A combination this week of an HR class on preparing for nonfinancial elements of retirement (e.g., "what will I do?") plus arranging extensive medical documentation & treatment research for my wife gave me the idea I could do that sort of documentation help for other folks as a job or volunteer!
September 26, 2025 at 1:06 PM
A combination this week of an HR class on preparing for nonfinancial elements of retirement (e.g., "what will I do?") plus arranging extensive medical documentation & treatment research for my wife gave me the idea I could do that sort of documentation help for other folks as a job or volunteer!
Love someone calling me from a phone while driving and saying "why is that person so close to me?"... whereupon I say "call me when you are stopped!" and hang up.
September 25, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Love someone calling me from a phone while driving and saying "why is that person so close to me?"... whereupon I say "call me when you are stopped!" and hang up.
I didn’t bother putting out the NFC bird recorder tonight.
September 23, 2025 at 2:34 AM
I didn’t bother putting out the NFC bird recorder tonight.
Zoe doing PT exercises with me last night.
September 22, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Zoe doing PT exercises with me last night.
I was regretting not bringing the muscle roller to work. But I managed to make one out of items in my desk.
September 22, 2025 at 1:44 PM
I was regretting not bringing the muscle roller to work. But I managed to make one out of items in my desk.