Appears that OpenAI isn’t keeping up with the ChatGPT Extension launch in Apple Intelligence today. Trying to sign in with my account for the extension.

OpenAI login page showing a 500 server error with message get_user_connection_info_error and a Try again button

Getting a massive overhaul of Shortcuts support in OmniFocus 4.5 this morning is like an early Christmas present! I whipped up a quick “Add to List” shortcut to try it and love the new interfaces. They are significantly more intuitive. 🎁

I have half-jokingly said for years that I wish there were professional scratchers, sort of like massage therapists, but to scratch your back! Then in today’s NextDraft:

“A small but growing field of scratchers are making a living off their nails, hoping there’s a healthy market of people who will pay $100 or more an hour to do what a spouse or wooden spoon will do for free. Professionals contend they’re not just scratching itches. They say they’re helping people achieve a level of relaxation that is beyond the reach of a kitchen utensil or loved one. They drum up interest by posting videos of clients oohing and aahing in candlelit rooms.” WSJ (Gift Article): How to Make $100 an Hour Scratching Someone’s Back.

I made Banana Bread tonight. It seems I cook so rarely that everyone else was flabbergasted that I did it. So I decided it should get a blog post since it was such a special event. 😂

Freshly baked banana bread loaf in a dark nonstick pan resting on a gas stovetop, golden brown on top.

The 2024 St. Olaf Christmas Festival was amazing today! Mazie is in the St. Olaf Chapel Choir and was part of the Christmas Festival this year. It was a great program with beautiful performances by all.

Vintage-style graphic with a sunburst and the words Our Hope For Years To Come on a teal textured background. Auto-generated description: A group of six people, including two individuals wearing red plaid shirts and one in a maroon robe, happily gather indoors for a photo.

The performance we saw was recorded and will be available online on December 18th.

On our walk around Lake Harriet this morning Tammy and I saw this rare Bald Eagle in the city. It was perched and analyzing the ice line for easy prey.

Bald eagle perched on a bare tree branch against a pale winter sky, scanning below.

I love to see new blogs being created. In the spirit of Christmas, I’m gifting five 1-year subscriptions to micro.blog for readers of the Weekly Thing (announced in WT304). These folks can then get their blogs going and in January I’m going to share links and introduce each of them. Fun! 🤩🎁🎄

When I decided to get a hot tub one of my buying criteria was making sure I can monitor and control the spa from my phone. Yesterday I got the Bullfrog X8 connected. The app itself isn’t fancy but does the things you need it to do including changing modes and locking the controls.

Magic Hot Tub app on iPhone showing water temperature at 100 degrees F with filtering active and cooling to 85 degrees F.

I was excited to see there is now a watchOS app for Tesla! It can access all car functions and pair as the key to the car. Unfortunately I need to wait for an update to the cars before it will work though. Soon!

Apple Watch Ultra with orange Alpine band showing Tesla app displaying Model Y at 203 miles range and Set Up Watch Key button

Trying Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur for the first time. Delicious! The cream is incredible. The whiskey smooth. Straight from County Cork. Even the bottle is cool. This may ruin me from regular Bailey’s.

Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur bottle next to a rocks glass filled with the cream liqueur over ice on a kitchen counter