Kirsten Tenney Bush Musings

We just got home from an epic week exploring the Amalfi coast for our 10th anniversary. I wanted to document what I learned from planning and experiencing the trip, in the form of an informative blog for those planning a similar trip. When to Go - What it was like in March Weather We were there March 12-18, 2022. I had looked up average March temperatures beforehand, and was hoping for 70's. It was mostly 50-60's, with a few cooler nights in the 40's, though gorgeous and sunny the whole week. We dressed in layers and had packable coats in our backpack.  On the warmer days in the sun, it felt very warm - warm enough that we braved swimming at the beach! But the water was freezing, so it was more of a run in and out then lay in the sun than a swim. Crowds There were none. March is before tourist season, so there were very few extra people anywhere we went.  This was great in some ways. The location of our trip was a surprise to Weston until we were en route, and I wanted to p...

Here we go again!  I'm against voting straight ticket as a matter of principle.   I always research local candidates before I vote, and want to share my research here to make it easy for people in my community to research candidates too. This time around, I'm covering my ballot in my new town, Jacksonville Beach. (Please note: The above GIF is the last fun thing your eyes will see on this post.) This is not academic research.  Wikipedia is my favorite source for its ease of use and because it seems to be less biased in its reporting.  Some candidates aren't a big enough deal to have wikipedia pages, so I chose the first site I could find on them, sometimes their own candidacy site (not ideal, but hey).  Names will be linked to my sources.  I'm not going into great detail, but more taking notes for myself to remember what stood out to me about each candidate--this is definitely a biased perspective, and I encourage every voter to research for themselves and ...

I've been researching basic cyber security since Buzz-kill Braden told me I should secure my new smart thermostat. This time last week, I was definitely a Cyber Security Dummy.  Since I've learned a few simple basics, I thought I'd write a blog about it to help my Cyber Security Dummy friends. To note, we have the Apple Airport Extreme, which made it really easy to make these adjustments.  I haven't used other routers, but the internet should be able to help you figure out yours.  I mean, come on. 1. Rename your Wi-fi network. Your wifi network name should not contain personal information like your name or address.  That information can help hackers target you. 2. Have a good password. You should definitely change it from the default password that comes on your device, as those can be found online.  And your password should have capital and lower-case letters, and numbers.  But the most effective way to prevent password hacking it ...

NOTE: This is from 2016, and options and prices have changed significantly. As well as TV watching habits both nationally and in our home. So while this could be a good general introductory guide, I'd suggest going other places for current options and prices. In case you missed it, "cutting the cord" refers to ending traditional cable/satellite tv services.  I've been researching different methods for a while, but I got really motivated to learn more when our DirecTV promotional offer ended a couple weeks ago, and our cable bill went from $55/month (I know, not cheap in the first place) to $95/month.  That's a ton of dough! Weston's initial reaction to my first dozen mentions of cutting the cord was basically, "No.  I need sports."  Other concerns included getting the channels/content we wanted, and DVR (we rarely watch live tv). So I hit the google to see what I could find.  First, I'll discuss content service alternatives, DVR, ...