Here are a few ice and snow pictures from 2023. Enjoy!
Snow 2023
Broken – Outlook – Needs Emergency Fix
I have multiple email accounts. I use one, Outlook, for shopping. Why, because I can use the safe sender list to block most emails from getting to my inbox. Currently, in my Outlook Junk Mailbox, I had over 3200 emails in the Junk folder. Approximately, every 98 out of 100 emails in this box are from spammers.
This morning I woke up to numerous notifications on my phone. I did not see these notifications over night because I have “Do Not Disturb” active on my phone. But once the Do Not Disturb expired the beeping started. My Junk Mail was being routed to my Inbox.
This is a Microsoft Outlook problem. An update broke the Junk Mail routing. I don’t know what they were trying to fix, but now everyone who uses Outlook should be on guard, because Spammers and Hackers are rejoicing this morning. Their email is no longer being routed to Junk Mail and they are reaching more potential victims.
Now it is time to take precautions:
First, if you are sick of the notifications – Turn them off. On most devices you can find Notification under Settings.
Second, don’t open any email that are not from a friend, colleague, or a business where you signed up to receive emails. My security system blocked an URL this morning, because I opened an email that attempted cause havoc. Here are a few examples of Spam emails:
- If it has Affiliate in the title.
- If it has Associate in the title
- If it has Gift Card in the title
- Renewable by Anderson
- Back Pain
- AARP
- ADT
- You Won
Third, if you really want the special offer in an Email. Do not click on any links in the email (ever), go directly to company’s site and get the offer directly from their site. If the offer is not on their site, it is probably not a legit offer. Community Coffee is really good about sending emails about their offers. When I go to their site, the same exact offer is published on the top of their page.
Fourth, report the offending emails as phishing. I really hope the technology companies or working on stopping Spammers. I tracked a spammer down to a mailbox in Las Vegas. If I can do that, why can’t the tech companies?
The Move Adventure
We moved! Well at least part of the site has moved, and it been an adventure that has lasted several weeks. I decided to move some of my artwork, or what I consider works of art to a new site named sarahcath.art. I know the domain name isn’t very exciting but describes what is being hosted on that site.
On the new site, sarahcath.art, you can find my drawings, paintings, and wood projects. Along with all my travels and everything related to technology, this site will continue to host the coloring pages, plastercraft houses, and my clay projects. If you would like to continue to see my artwork, you are welcome to follow my art site.
More adventure coming soon, but here is a little look at the past adventures.
Audiobook Recommendations January 2023
Wow! It’s been over a year since I recommended Audiobooks. My excuse, I’ve been busy moving to another State. When you move 800 miles away, if gives you a lot of driving time to listen to books.
Just a reminder, I don’t listen to self-help books or romance books; I listen to books that are entertaining, adventurous, and will keep me awake while I am driving. That is why my list consists of all LitRPG books. If you see me just sitting in a parking lot, it because the book has gotten really good and I waiting for it to get to the end of a chapter.
I spent a lot of time listening to books in the Divine Dungeon Series Artorian’s Archives, by Dennis Vanderkerken and Dakota Krout. I finished Book 6 (there are currently 13 books in the series) and was tired of Artorian. I decided to put that series on pause and branch out to other books. I am so glad I did. The adventures of the zombie Digby were entertaining and so was Rockland’s survival of the apocalypse.
Here is my list:
David Petrie
- Ravenous: A Zombie Apocalypse – Book 1
- Revenant: A Zombie Apocalypse – Book 2
- Rend: A Zombie Apocalypse – Book 3
- Ruin: A Zombie Apocalypse – Book 4
Ryan DeBruyn
- Equalize: Ether Collapse – Book 1
- Excise: Ether Collapse – Book 1
- Earthdom: Ether Collapse – Book 1
John L. Monk
- Underpowered Howard
Dakota Krout
- Lord January: Year of the Sword – Book 1
- Lady February: Year of the Sword – Book 2
- Dokeshi March: Year of the Sword – Book 3
- Invent: The Completionist Chronicles – Book 7
- Implode: The Completionist Chronicles – Book 8
- Anything: Full Murderhobo – Book 2
Christopher Johns
- Crimson Queen: Mephisto’s Magic Online – Book 2
- Aetherocalypse: Mephisto’s Magic Online – Book 3
Xander Boyce
- Temper: Red Mage – Book 2
- Fracture: Red Mage – Book 3
James Hunter and Dakota Krout
- Libriohexer: Wolfman Warlock – Book 2
Sorry Jay Boyce and Ted Dekker your books didn’t make the list. Jay your book was a big let down from the first three books. Ted I am sure your book was well written and entertaining, but I just don’t remember much of it.
Tinkercad Contest and more…
To support all the tinkers that hosted contests during this holiday season and Tinkercad’s TinkerTogether, I created the following designs:
TinkerTogether Design Challenge #25: Winter
Snow Cones for Sell: In this design we have two snowman selling snow cones to a few reindeer. If you look closely at the ground, it appears that Santa Sled has been through. The hats, the reindeer and the candy cane are available in Tinkercad’s Shape Menu.
Take a close look at the trees, what do you see?
Create an Ugly Christmas Sweater: I used the template provided.
Contest: Design an Ornament – I could have created a typical ball ornament, but I wanted something that looked fragile. Do you see the snowflake inside?
Contest: Create a Gingerbread House – I created a Gingerbread Fairy House. The roof of the house is a candy strawberry, and the path is lined with candy canes and gum drops.
Contest: Create a Log Cabin using the TinkerLogs created by HLModTech – I created a TinkerLog Church. The building and most of the items, including the trees, were created using the TinkerLogs that HLModTech created. I kept the width and height of the TinkerLogs, and only change the length.
TinkerTogether Design Challenge #26 – Party: For this challenge, I created a Bouncy Castle and Balloon Animals. Can there be a party without these items?
Contest: Create a Christmas Plushie – my contest entry was me. For years, I had a certain way of creating a stick figure of me. I decided for this contest I would create a Plushie of Me. Notice the Santa Hat, it came out looking pretty awesome.
You can see all these items in 3D view from my profile or clicking the links above: SarahCath
Merry Christmas 2022
Merry Christmas from Sarah, or Sarahcath, as I use it a lot for my handle. Link: Merry Christmas 2022. For all the Tinkercad users; both past, present, and future; I created a Christmas 2022 scene with a tree, a train, and presents. Each present under the tree contain a gift. It is not just a pretty box. To open the gifts, you will need a Tinkercad account. Copy the design and ungroup the box from around the present. If the gift is too small, you are using Tinkercad, you can make the gift larger.
The tree came from my Instructable on Designing a Christmas Tree with Tinkercad. The train came from my 2016 Design We Wish You a Merry Christmas. The poinsettia I plucked off of last year Christmas Tree with Flowers. I created the Candy Cane, saved it as a shape, and uploaded into Tinkercad’s shape library. The big red, blue, and green ornaments are a work in progress.
I you would like to add a present to this tree. Either reach out to me and follow the directions in the design profile. Link: Merry Christmas 2022
Christmas with Tinkercad Codeblocks
My biggest adventure this year was moving. Not a move across town, but a move to a different State over 500 miles away. I cannot recommend moving. While I was sitting in front of the TV at night, during my breaks from unpacking boxes and organizing, I decided to relax with some coding in Tinkercad Codeblocks.
The first thing I coded was a Christmas Wreath:
First, I coded one holly leaf with all the details. Then I copied and rotated each leaf along the x, y and z axis.
The rotation around the x and y axis is random, so the wreath will look a little different every time the program in run.
You can copy and run the program on Tinkercad Codeblock: https://www.tinkercad.com/codeblocks/2ZZut9sL86G
The second Christmas design I created with code block, was Santa. https://www.tinkercad.com/codeblocks/hPyeQnEmdV5
He was coded from the feet up. The beard is randomly generated, so it will look different every time the program is run.
After you create a design using Codeblocks, you can export the design as a Shape and use it in Tinkercad 3D Design.
The Santa may have looked better if I used 3D Design, but he does have a level of cuteness to him.
Earthling Comic – Issue 1
This is the first issue of my 3D comic, made in Tinkercad, that I am calling Earthling. Click on the link above to see the comic in 3D. Here are some pictures of the comic. All items in the comic were created by me, except for the grass.
Note: The AR Viewer on the IPad was used to capture the images.
Other issues will be forthcoming as I have time to develop them.
2022 Nebraska State Fair
I am usually out of town when the when the Nebraska State Fair rolls around. This year I made it back into town just in time for its very last day. The Nebraska State Fair isn’t just about the carnival rides, its mainly about 4H and FFA. There is livestock, food, crafts, woodworking, quilt and many more competitions. There are food vendors and other vendors displaying their merchandise, entertainers, and concerts. Here are some pictures from the fair:
Amarillo and Cadillac Ranch
Amarillo is located in the Texas Panhandle along the historic Route 66. They are known for Palo Duro Canyon (America’s Second biggest canyon) and Cadillac Ranch. Amarillo is also the Helium Captial of the World.
Due to rain, I was not able to visit Palo Duro Canyon. There is a nice, pleasant walking path around the hospital’s complex lake.
Near the lake was Helium Monument:
Cadillac Ranch is located on the west side of Amarillo. It is opened 24 hours a day. The biggest surprise was the layers and layers of paint on the vehicles.
Sarah Cath's Adventures 