Courtney Rosenthal
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courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Courtney Rosenthal
@courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
9 followers 1 following 150 posts
Voted most likely to be eaten by a grue.

🌉 bridged from ⁂ https://pdx.social/@courtney, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact
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courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
It's irksome that the battery in my Anker Soundcore A40 earbuds is fading after only 18 months, and the only option appears to be chuck them and buy new ones.

At least they are relatively inexpensive ($47).

I can't imagine spending $250 on something like a Sony […]

[Original post on pdx.social]
A disassembled black wireless earbud lies open in two halves, revealing its internal components including a circuit board with a visible QR code, a small speaker driver, and a silver button battery encased in plastic and adhesive. The translucent plastic casing shows the intricate electronics housed within the compact device against a white background. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
December 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
During my STATS final last night, the instructor presented a slide show of pet photos submitted by my classmates.

Here's the photo of Franklin I contributed.
A meme image pairs a scene from "The Real Housewives" showing a blonde woman yelling and pointing with an agitated expression, alongside a tabby cat sitting at a dining table staring directly at the camera with an unimpressed expression, positioned behind a yellow bowl filled with sliced cucumbers on a green placemat. The format recreates the popular "Woman Yelling at Cat" meme structure with a different cat in a similar setup. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
December 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
@PizzaDemon
A young Heath Ledger in a black tuxedo with long curly hair and Julia Stiles in a blue formal dress with an updo adorned with a red flower both point directly at the camera with serious expressions. The scene from the film captures them against a blurred indoor background during a formal dance moment. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
December 8, 2025 at 5:04 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Night and day. The Astoria Column.
A tall monument column decorated with historical imagery stands illuminated in a dramatic nighttime display, with colorful string lights in blue, orange, and white cascading from its golden-topped lighthouse-style beacon, creating a glowing triangular pattern against the foggy darkness. The white base sits on a circular plaza with the multicolored lights reflecting in the misty night atmosphere. (Description assisted by Claude AI.) The same tall monument column decorated with historical imagery rises from a white base in daylight, topped with a golden-domed lighthouse-style beacon, with unlit strings hanging from the top forming a triangular pattern against the overcast sky. A paved walkway leads to the monument, which is surrounded by manicured hedges and green lawn, with evergreen trees forming a backdrop in the daytime scene. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
December 8, 2025 at 12:33 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Standing on the dock, looking up to the Astoria Column in the distance, lit up for the holidays. In Astoria, OR.
A wooden boardwalk decorated with red and white string lights stretches along dark water at night, leading toward illuminated waterfront buildings and a distant hillside crowned by a bright triangular formation of lights. The moody scene features weathered wooden pilings on the left, small colorful structures built on piers, and foggy skies above the forested hillside. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
December 7, 2025 at 4:07 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Love song of the Astoria, OR sea lions at night.
December 7, 2025 at 3:55 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Don't we all wonder ...
The rear of a gray Honda HR-V displays an Oregon "Keep Oregon Green" license plate and a yellow bumper sticker reading "HOW AM I DRIVING? HOW DOES AN ENGINE EVEN WORK? HOW CAN A LOVING GOD CAUSE SUCH AGONY." The dirty vehicle is parked in what is a parking area with other vehicles visible nearby. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
December 4, 2025 at 5:46 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Bummer, no takers. But it's a nice night for a show.
A tall vertical "PORTLAND" theatrical blade sign with blue letters and decorative white border lights illuminates the night above a modern urban streetscape with glass storefronts and a bright marquee canopy. Pedestrians walk along the sidewalk beneath the illuminated signs, with the theater marquee displaying "Oregon Symphony" and "Ben Folds" visible in the distance. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
December 3, 2025 at 4:32 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
By the way, APC, what is the deal with these evil RJ-45 to USB-A cables?

I guess you've got some compatibility issues with legacy serial port interfaces, but, c'mon. Anything built in the past decade (or two) should be using USB-B to USB-A.
A coiled black cable with a USB-A connector on one end and an Ethernet (RJ45) connector on the other end lies on a textured gray surface. The cable is wound into a loose circular shape, showing both connection types designed for different data transmission purposes. (Description assisted by Claude AI. I love that Claude doesn't know what to make of this monstrosity either.)
November 28, 2025 at 8:11 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Today's plan: Swapping out the last of my APC backup power supplies. I hate APC as a brand. I hate the way they use special battery jigs that make user replacement difficult (and expensive).

It's almost as if they want you to buy a whole new UPS instead of just […]

[Original post on pdx.social]
A black uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit features a digital display showing "120V" input, battery capacity indicators, and status icons for mute and eco modes. The front panel includes three control buttons labeled "DISPLAY," "MUTE," and "ENTER/SETUP," along with USB-A and USB-C charging ports, with ventilation slots at the top and the manufacturer logo at the bottom. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 28, 2025 at 6:00 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
The second is tacos.

Hard shell, Caucasian suburban mom, ground beef tacos.

It's a tradition that started long ago when I was single and alone, and would celebrate the holiday with a six-pack of Taco Bell tacos -- one place that would be open on the holiday.

My […]

[Original post on pdx.social]
Two hard-shell tacos with crispy golden corn tortillas are filled with shredded green lettuce, stacked on a black ridged plate. The tacos have a simple, classic presentation with the folded shells showing light browning from cooking. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
We have two Thanksgiving traditions in our house.

First, listen to Alice's Restaurant Massacree by Arlo Gutherie.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Restaurant

I'll probably queue that up while I make our Thanksgiving pie ...

(1/2)
An album cover for "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie features a yellow background with brown text at the top, and a photograph of a person wearing a black top hat seated at a dinner table with lit candles. The vintage-style image shows the subject positioned behind a plate and candles in what is a dining setting. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 27, 2025 at 5:58 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Today I am in mourning.

The Chumby -- a very early smart display device -- appears to be no more. It spent well over a decade as our living room clock. I'll try some basic troubleshooting, but I fear this may be the end.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chumby
A digital clock with a black frame displays the time and date in large white numbers, featuring a blue interface designed in the Star Trek LCARS theme with a calendar grid in the upper left corner. The device sits on a light-colored surface with its power cord visible on the left side. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 26, 2025 at 5:07 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
It's chili time. 🥵
A red shallow bowl holds a serving of dark chili topped with shredded yellow cheese alongside a mound of white rice, with condiments visible in the background including sour cream, jalapeño peppers, and oyster crackers. The meal is set on a light-colored table with a second bowl visible in the background. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 17, 2025 at 3:28 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Don't judge me! I'm making chili.
A tall can of Budweiser beer sits on a granite kitchen countertop among various cooking items, utensils, and spice jars. The kitchen counter shows typical cooking preparation items with an induction cooktop visible in the lower left corner. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 17, 2025 at 1:16 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
yeah 🤦 ... i knew this ...
A meme image featuring a South Park character in ski gear with a red vest labeled "INSTRUCTOR" standing on snowy slopes, with white text reading "IF YOU DON'T MAKE 'GET' IDEMPOTENT" at the top and "YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BAD TIME" at the bottom. The comedic format references a popular South Park episode about skiing, adapted here for a programming or technical joke about idempotent operations. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 11, 2025 at 8:33 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
The #tsunami vertical evacuation building at OSU Hatfield, Newport, #oregon. It's designed for the walls to blow out but the structure remains standing. There's space and a supply cache to support 290 people for two days […]

[Original post on pdx.social]
A long concrete ramp curves upward along a grassy slope, leading all the way to the roof of a modern multi-story building with gray siding and large windows, designed for tsunami evacuation. An informational sign reading "The Oregon Coast is at Work" on a wooden stand sits beside the path, with a parking regulations sign visible mid-slope, all under a blue sky with scattered clouds. (Description assisted by Claude AI.) A view from the roof of the building shows a large parking area filled with RVs and recreational vehicles, bordered by rows of trees and green grass, with a steel arch bridge crossing the water in the background. The coastal scene shows residential buildings on distant hillsides under a blue sky with scattered white clouds. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 8, 2025 at 9:38 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Another picture from our day traveling the Hood River Fruit Loop.

https://www.hoodriverfruitloop.com
A cairn of stacked rocks stands in the foreground of a rural landscape, with a solitary tree displaying golden autumn foliage positioned on a small hill, flanked by two additional piles of rocks. The scene includes tilled brown earth, patches of green grass, and forested hills under a clear blue sky. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 3, 2025 at 4:26 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
We traveled the Hood River Fruit Loop today. It's end of season, but still lots of great fruit and lovely sights. Just less crowds.
Dozens of perfectly rounded, dome-shaped lavender plants arranged in neat rows create a distinctive pattern across a gravel landscape, with each meticulously trimmed bush casting crisp shadows in the sunlight. The organized lavender garden sits beneath a clear blue sky with wispy clouds, backed by a row of trees displaying vibrant autumn colors in orange and gold, with forested mountains rising in the distance. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
November 3, 2025 at 1:28 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
#portland Our ballot has just one issue -- supporting parks funding.
A solid blue silhouette of Oregon displays "Yo Voté" ("I Voted" in Spanish) in large yellow letters with the hashtag "#oregonvotes" at the bottom. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
October 24, 2025 at 12:39 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
The neighborhood ducks said to say "hi" to ur mom.
Three mallard ducks—two drakes with iridescent green heads and yellow bills, and one brown hen—stand at the edge of a calm stream with their distinctive orange webbed feet visible on the muddy shore. The water reflects the surrounding vegetation, with rocks lining the opposite bank and trees with autumn foliage visible in the background. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
October 23, 2025 at 8:18 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
I bought two pairs of shoes tonight.

Two of the same shoe.

Two of the same walking shoe I already have right now.

I feel good about this decision.
A Merrell trail running shoe in shades of gray and turquoise blue features a textured mesh upper with geometric pattern details and blue lacing. The shoe has a chunky cushioned sole with a black tread pattern designed for outdoor terrain. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
October 23, 2025 at 4:23 AM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
Just north of Union Station, #portland.
A stylized graffiti mural on a metal roll-down door features a colorful bird-like creature painted in red, orange, and yellow tones with large expressive eyes and black outlines, positioned next to a turquoise abstract design. The urban art decorates green shipping container-style structures beneath a steel bridge or elevated roadway, creating a street art installation on what is an industrial urban sidewalk. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
October 22, 2025 at 9:13 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
"Power to the Peaceful"

#portland #nokings
A large sign for "Johns Marketplace" displays the message "POWER TO THE PEACEFUL / NOKINGS.ORG / OCT 18", with people sitting at an outdoor cafe area directly beneath it. The sign stands along a beige brick building with a "Multnomah Deli" mural, with wooden barrels positioned near the entrance and a covered walkway visible under a blue sky. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
October 19, 2025 at 11:32 PM
courtney.pdx.social.ap.brid.gy
... and they're off!

#portland
Multiple participants paddle hollowed-out pumpkin boats in various shades of orange across a pond during a pumpkin regatta race, using kayak paddles to navigate their carved squash vessels. Large crowds of spectators line both sides of the waterfront, with residential buildings and autumn trees in the background, while a floating Toyota-branded platform serves as a viewing station on the right side of the water under a dramatic cloudy sky. (Description assisted by Claude AI.)
October 19, 2025 at 9:23 PM