i spent the day repeatedly searching the FCC licensing database to see if my ham radio call sign was ready yet. the volunteer examiners told us last night to check today, but apparently the paperwork hasn't gone through yet. i was afraid maybe there was a mix up with my name (they notoriously butcher chinese names) so i tried every iteration but still there was nothing. i also searched for licenses that were granted in massachusetts for today but there were none, so it looks like it's not just me.

i went to belmont in the afternoon to do some yard work, particularly cutting down all the garlic chive flowers and iris leaves. i didn't expect to stay, and even had some slow-cooked chicken cooking at home, but my parents said my 2nd aunt was returning to work today so they had the rest of the day off and were returning home.

my father and i went to home depot to get some screws for his ground plane radio antenna project. when we came back we realized they were too big even though i measured them at the store. but my father figured out that with some elbow grease the screws can be forced onto the coax chassis mount connector, a little tight, but still works.

we ordered from domino's for dinner: one pizza, one pasta dish, one sandwich. the thing we learned is only the pizza is good there; everything else is either too expensive and just not that good. the pasta looked like it could've been frozen then heated, the sandwich looked like a steak & cheese sub.

li wasn't home by the time i got back. my chicken breasts with 1 cup of water and processed onion and garlic had been slow cooking for over 7 hours. i shredded the chicken easily with a pair of forks. i then removed the shredded chicken and poured out the juices remaining in the crockpot before putting the chicken back in and pouring a whole jar of stubbs sweat heat barbecue sauce. i also added some cider vinegar to make the chicken less sweat with a more vinegary kick. i left it all to cooked for half an hour before turning everything off.