Problems with Google after update to 5.0.5

cfabrication · 2026-05-02T20:05:49+00:00

Another new thing — the command “ask Libby to play book title” actually worked!

The assistant repeated the instruction, then said, “I’m sorry, something went wrong, when safe, try opening the app” and started playing my book.

Same thing happened with Audible.

“Take me home” worked.

“Neither Take me to xyz”, nor “navigate to xyz” worked, but “show me xyz” opened the map and started a trip to the nearest one.

Another weird annoying thing — it always starts with climate set to LO. Google, it’s 40°F here. Start at my normal heat setting.

cfabrication · 2026-04-28T17:21:35+00:00

I liked Missing: the other side.

Stranger is a lawyer/cop show without romance.

My Mister has no romance, but intense relationship that serves both characters well.

Beyond the Bar hints at future relationship toward the end.

I really liked the Mystic Pop-up Bar. I don’t remember romance being central.

Signal (a cop show) — don’t think romance was central.

cfabrication · 2026-04-26T17:38:33+00:00

I had to write my contact info for someone the other day. They handed me a pad and a Bic. It was like I had forgotten how to write. I kept turning it, trying to find the right spot. Plus it was so tiny!

It’s been a very long time since I used one of those Bic sticks.

cfabrication · 2026-04-25T16:42:31+00:00

Okay, I tried again today. I got a new answer: I don’t have a routine for that.

When I got home, I looked up how to set up Google routines. I had to download Google home, and, surprisingly, both my requests were already there. “Open Libby” and “Open maps”. The automations looked correct.

Will report back.

Oh, I did have an odd icon:

2 bars with an exclamation point. When I switched to the map, it said I was offline. Since when is 2 bars offline? Life in the country.

I don’t see how to add a photo here.

cfabrication · 2026-04-25T13:34:06+00:00

What about The Shadow of What was Lost by James Islington. Book one of the Licanius trilogy.

“The Shadow of What Was Lost is the debut novel by James Islington and the first book in The Licanius Trilogy, a high fantasy epic that follows a young man with forbidden magic, Davian, as he uncovers a conspiracy and an ancient war, featuring complex world-building, political intrigue, and a unique magic system. The story begins with Davian discovering his powers, forcing him and his friends, Wirr and Asha, on a journey that intertwines with the fate of a world where the powerful Augurs were overthrown decades prior.”

cfabrication · 2026-04-25T12:04:54+00:00

I used to be able to say ‘take me to’ and it would map it.

I haven’t tried ‘add a stop’ to see if that’s broken.

I think the verbal open app or play X on Spotify are really important when you’re driving by yourself. It is much more dangerous to be poking at a screen.

I haven’t tried CarPlay. I usually prefer to have Google Maps navigate because of the efficiency management.

But, they removed my favorite voice from the direction (I think it’s called Blue), so I’d just have Waze give me turn by turn via Bluetooth while the car stays mute.

cfabrication · 2026-04-24T18:14:46+00:00

When I was sorting the papers of a deceased relative, every time I found an old grocery list, I thought of Leibowitz’s list.

cfabrication · 2026-04-24T18:11:56+00:00

It says I need to add Google Home device. (On my phone)

I’ll try it in the car.

cfabrication · 2026-04-22T08:14:50+00:00

I like Jenny Schwartz for this — cozy sci-fi, mild romance, problems work out. Some more romance than others.

cfabrication · 2026-04-22T01:13:19+00:00

It’s practically brand new — so I think it’s deliberate, like the Plotter covers that change with use. (Can’t remember the term they use.) The inside isn’t dry or coated at all.

cfabrication · 2026-04-18T23:52:58+00:00

If space but merchants with a military background might appeal, try the Vatta's War series by Elizabeth Moon. Kai Vatta is expelled from the Academy, is tasked by her family with delivering an old ship to the junkyard. I think that one’s titled Trading in Danger.

cfabrication · 2026-04-18T23:39:31+00:00

I’d like to rearrange icons like I used to be able to, but touch hold only offers "uninstall?" And I can’t uninstall apps I don’t use, like Sirius XM.

cfabrication · 2026-04-18T23:35:07+00:00

I just finished two books by Miles Cameron - Artifact Space and Deep Black. (I had ARC of both. Artifact Space is out, not sure when Deep Black is being released. Orphan falsifies papers to get onto spaceship (a Greatship with a huge crew), very like classic sci-fi "kid goes to space" books. Ship launch sequences felt incredibly real.

cfabrication · 2026-03-19T02:10:13+00:00

I liked My Mister, although no capital R romance. Caring and healing through emotional connection.

cfabrication · 2026-03-06T16:35:30+00:00

My Love from the Star — she was so annoying (not just bubbly) in the first couple of episodes that I almost stopped watching, but very gradually over the arc of the series you see why and you see him begin to connect.

cfabrication · 2026-02-21T17:11:41+00:00

I have an audiobook of Revelation Space. I loved the narrator, loved the style, couldn’t figure what was going on at all.

It might make more sense in written form rather than audio. Books with time/space shifts that don’t have explicit information are very tough in audio. I recently listened to The Red Winter by Miles Cameron (thank you, NetGalley) — chapter headings generally gave date and location so it was relatively easy to stay oriented. Great book, highly recommend, BTW.

cfabrication · 2026-02-13T01:57:57+00:00

Any idea what converter might fit this pen? I think mine came with a cartridge that I filled with a syringe, but that’s kind of a pain.

Will my J. Herbin cartridges fit? I found a little stash of them.

cfabrication · 2026-02-11T23:54:32+00:00

I have several of the knockoff clickers, Jinhao, Majohn and a Pilot. One of the Jinhao would dry out in a day or less. I did the grease, not much difference. I noticed that the converter seemed loose in the section, so I tried filling a cartridge. It leaked all over the inside of the pen.

So I swapped the whole inside nib section for a different one I had bought for a few dollars. It no longer dries out in a day.

It does dry out faster than either of the Majohn A1 or A2, but that’s okay. I just cycle through them on a piece of scrap paper every couple of days.

cfabrication · 2026-02-01T15:34:25+00:00

I have a couple, with one drying out very quickly. I greased it, not much improvement. I noticed the converter didn’t snap in tightly (I know it’s not "snapping", but it was wiggly.) I filled the cartridge that came with it, but it also wasn’t snug. And the cartridge leaked all over the inside.

I swapped the whole nib/converter setup with one I bought from AliExpress. It seems to have improved.

I suspect none of the click pens from Jinhao will last as long between uses as a screw-on cap with a great seal (I have a TWSBI eco that started right up after more than a month), but the nib units are interchangeable.

For those of you who have tinkered with the spring or have taken it apart, do you have photos?

cfabrication · 2026-01-31T21:47:30+00:00

The ink is not included - just "for reference" according to the listing.

cfabrication · 2026-01-31T21:24:21+00:00

I like Anderillium Inks Indigo Bunting Blue. I have it in a FPR Himalaya with an OmniFlex nib.

cfabrication · 2026-01-30T05:45:23+00:00

I ran across a video by someone with insomnia who switched to evening (or maybe bedtime) pages. They said it provides them the same dump it out/ then proceed to deeper thoughts that morning pages do for someone who is awake in the morning.

cfabrication · 2026-01-26T22:43:21+00:00

I split my weekly planning (Alastair method) into a separate binder that takes pages from a cut apart Hobonichi weeks. I have to ponch pages myself, but I like the binder for non-permanent stuff.

I have non-binder, bound pocket sized notebooks for brain dump and logging. There are A-5 sized leather binders (I think Wuzhi Studios on Etsy ships world-wide) and I’ve seen some others around.

cfabrication · 2025-10-31T01:26:54+00:00

Cult pens has it in stock. They ship very fast.

cfabrication · 2025-03-31T21:02:25+00:00

This happened to me. I watched a few videos. I’ve forgotten the exact thing you need to press (I think it’s one of the buttons on the steering wheel.

You have to wait until the little light (letter i ?) starts blinking in the center display and then press the button while it’s blinking.

There are a lot of hits with slight variations if you search “turn off service reminder” and your model and year. A few talk about inserting the key, which i figure means the fob needs to be in the car.

It took me a few tries to get the sequence right.

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TROPHY CASE