Bondo's Page by Ronald S. Bondulich

Tuesday, September 1st, 2015... What does the word END mean to you? I don't believe in the end. I believe, when we get to what we perceive as the end, it is only a new beginning or a new place to start. I am talking about my web page. I will soon retire my web page, but not My Rambling. My web page started ten years ago as a learning experience. There was a lot to learn, but it was enjoyable to put one together each week. However, changing it each week has become a chore because of the different devices that have been developed over the last five years. My Rambling is still fun to write. The cost was negligible. The only thing I paid for at the beginning was the domain name - www.bondulich.com. The hosting site, Doteasy, was free, but now they have started charging to host my web page. So for all the reasons that I have stated, I am moving My Rambling. Actually, I have been using the new home for some time now. The new location is BONDO AT THE BEACH on WordPress. It makes life easier for me and easy seems to be the way to go these days. The test for BONDO AT THE BEACH has gone well. However, I am still learning the full extent of what I can do with the app - WordPress. I hope everyone will continue to read My Rambling at https://bondo.wordpress.com/. YOU can check it out starting today until technology forces another new beginning.

Tuesday, August 18th, 2015... It was a sad day last week when I had to shoot Vicki. She wasn't that old. Some friends told me that I should try to fix her up with a new hard drive, but she was almost five. I guess the bottom line is that I want a new computer. That is not an easy task! Who would have thought that in the year 2015, it would be difficult to find a computer that fits my needs? Well, here is the problem. Windows 10 came out on July 29th. Here it is three weeks later, and the manufacturers are trying to get rid of their computers that have Windows 8.1 on them. Oh, not to worry, it comes with a free upgrade to Windows 10. If I am going to spend 600 dollars or so on a new computer, I do not want - can I say this graciously - that 'disastrous' operating system on it. Patience is a virtue! It is not one of mine, but I have been struggling to maintain mine. My tablet still has not updated to Windows 10. Microsoft states that I am being evaluated. I love being evaluated. I have been checking Amazon every day for new computers with Windows 10, but there are very few that come with it installed. I want a 15 inch laptop with a touch screen (my friend Jhon said I should get the touch). He also suggested that I get a 'solid state' hard drive, but I only saw 13 inch laptops with SSD's. Be patient!!! Speaking of patience, Helga and I went to lunch at Olive Garden last Friday. As we were walking to our table, I noticed every table had small monitors on them. When we sat down, the hostess said that we can order appetizers and desserts on them. She also showed us the apps that we could play for $1.99 while we were there. Not to worry, a server came over and took our order. After a delicious lunch, I asked the server for a to-go box and the check. She pointed to the monitor and said we could use that if we were using a credit card. I was shocked that Helga knew how to use that little monitor to pay the bill. Hmm, did my smart wife leave a tip for the monitor, too?
table

(Let's meet here on September 1st)

Tuesday, August 4th, 2015... Windows 10 is here!!! Well, it is here for some of the millions of computer users who have 'reserved' their copy. It came out last Wednesday, July 29th, but my 'reserved' copy has not yet been downloaded. I am getting super anxious because my friend Jhon said it is great. I keep checking the status on my Windows 8.1 computer, but all I get is the 'reserved' message. Finally!!! I received an email from them on Friday, July 31st. It stated "Your notification to upgrade could come as soon as a few days or in a few weeks." I told my friend Phil CC about it, and he gave me a web site where I can get it upgraded NOW. However, I am patient and I will wait. That is not really the truth. The truth is that Windows 8.1 sucks so much that I want to make sure that Windows 10 is installed without forcing it. That is the only computer I am installing it on right now. My two other computers have Windows 7 and both Helga and I love it. My one computer is dying slowly so I want to replace it, but right now there are only limited number of computers with Windows 10. The majority of the computers for sale are pushing FREE UPGRADE. Again, I will be patient and wait for the true Windows 10 computers. Windows 8 was so bad that some folks that I know are not using computers any more. Some have switched to Macs, and others rely solely on their iPads and Kindles or other tablets. I can understand their reasoning. I had the following experience this past Sunday. I went to read my newspaper on my Kindle FireHD, and my USA TODAY app would not open. None of my apps would open. Even MAYDAY would not connect to Amazon so I called. After spending ten minutes troubleshooting with Dwight, an Amazon tech, we decided to "Reset to Factory Defaults," which took only ten minutes. He did ask if I had my files and pictures backed up in the cloud, and naturally, I did. However, he said I would lose all my stats and coins for my games. I said NOT TO WORRY, that I have not crossed to the dark side yet. I thanked him and started installing my apps. That, my friends, is the reason why people are switching - an hour procedure on the Kindle to restore it to use would take more than four hours on a computer. I could go on, but this is enough rambling for this week. (Are you busy on August 18th? Come on back!)

Tuesday, July 21st, 2015... I do not feel like writing MY RAMBLING this morning because I feel old. Gees, that sounds terrible. Let me stop writing for a minute and ponder that thought. Hmmm, okay. I have pondered. I have changed my mind about both initial thoughts. I think, as my grandkids grow older, they need less supervision so that is a good thing. When they were younger, I could jump into those ocean waves and save them. Today, I only guard the pool in the backyard. Four of them are here now, and they are not concerned about all the recent shark attacks on our coast. Even my youngest, Diane, is taking it in stride, and she is the number one worrier in the family. She told me that she took solace in a recent article that she read about ten things deadlier than sharks. I don't think I will name them all here, but let's start with number one. Did you know that 150 people annually are killed by falling coconuts? Not to worry, I cut down our only palm tree a few years ago. Number two is a tough one to believe, but it is true. Twenty children or young adults have died in sand holes since 1985. Number three - traffic lights. YOU can read about that one if you want. Four and five are dogs and icicles. I might as well list the rest and you can email me if you want the site so you can do some reading. I know you will want to read it when you get to number ten on the list. Here is the rest of the list - Cold Weather, Cows, Champagne Corks, Lightning, and Vending Machines. I was surprised that lightning only made it to number nine. Oh, yeah, my twenty year old grandson, Nic, did get attacked by a sting ray....very painful. No ambulance was called, but a visit to the Urgent Care was necessary. (What are you doing on August 4th?)

Tuesday, July 7th, 2015... Let's Rumble............oops, I mean Ramble. I am a Yankee by birth. I was born in the greatest city in the USA. When I retired and moved south, I didn't brag and push the ways of the North. I wanted to fit in. However, some of my poker buddies were diehard Southerners. They called me a damn Yankee not just a Yankee. However, they told me that I wasn't a God Damn Yankee. I didn't have the inclination to ask what that was because I didn't want to stir up any more Civil War feelings. None of them flew the Confederate Flag, to my knowledge, but two of them thought the South would rise again. They disliked the Yankees even though their businesses needed those Northern dollars. They felt strongly that Washington, DC did not have the right to tell them how to run their state. I asked them about Blacks and slavery. Only one was still prejudice. One pointed out that Lincoln wrote a letter to Horace Greeley saying he would keep slavery. Here are the exact words. "I would save the Union. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it. What I do about Slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save this Union." Okay, enough rambling. I believe everyone has the right to fly any flag that he or she wants...............and suffer the consequences. Since I have never met any slaves, I can't tell you how they would feel about the Confederate Flag. Oh, I am glad that they have removed THE DUKES OF HAZZARD from television so the impressionable youths of today don't get any evil thoughts. I always thought Daisy's shorts were too revealing. (Next spouting off day will be on the 21st)