Out with the old, in with the desk

Tiring weekend. During the week a shipment arrived from Miller Nurseries: Seven fruit trees Heather had ordered but wasn’t expecting before spring. Fortunately the weekend provided both opportunity and favorable weather, and we got them planted, wrapped, watered, mulched, and caged. Watering, yeah… did I mention I’d just last weekend stowed away all our hoses [...]

Goals and victories review (Oct 09)

Goals:
(Recreation and fitness)

Blue belt done
Green belt done
Brown belt done
Climb an Adirondack high peak done x 2
Complete my electronics project (the WSG)

(Work)

Rewrite polarimeter software 
Complete next experiment (HAPPEX-III) done

(Home)

Organize shed done
Repair house exterior

(Financial)

Reduce debt y y n n y n n y? n y – – / N(y(n) means we did (did not) meet my specific debt [...]

All I wanted was an oil change

So I got into the Prius this morning to take it to the mechanics.
(Yes, I know. Real Men, and Real Women, change their own oil. Well, I do too — on the lawnmowers. I just prefer to have people who have more expertise than I do the maintenance on the cars I and my family [...]

Brown

Kenny and I have the same color belts again, though he got his four months ago. This is belt #7, but this and the next (red) each take longer than each of the first six. They’re the first of the advanced belts. Then there’s high red, and the fun really starts…

A blast from way, way in the past

Labor Day Weekend, 1985. (YouTube video, low quality unfortunately.)
Another video from the same show will go public soon, I hope…

Goals and victories review (Sep 09)

Goals:
(Recreation and fitness)

Blue belt done
Green belt done
Brown belt progress
Climb an Adirondack high peak done x 2
Complete my electronics project (the WSG)

(Work)

Rewrite polarimeter software 
Complete next experiment (HAPPEX-III) progress

(Home)

Organize shed done
Repair house exterior

(Financial)

Reduce debt y y n n y n n y? n – – - / N(y(n) means we did (did not) meet my specific debt [...]

Contrarian

Of course I’ve neglected to mention one of the big factors in my interest in the ukulele: my contrarian tendency. I am often biased against the popular and in favor of the out-of-favor.
I’ve never watched Titanic or “American Idol”. I’ve ignored contemporary popular music to a great extent all my life, especially the past couple [...]

4 nylon strings: Priceless

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that it is easier to learn to play three chords on a decent uke than on a bad guitar. I had a guitar once. A cheap one. Bought it — I can’t even remember where, now — back around 1981 or so. Spent a few weeks trying to play, [...]

Still without comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzHAa9FMJoM

Goals and victories review (Aug 09)

Goals:
(Recreation and fitness)

Blue belt done
Green belt done
Brown belt
Climb an Adirondack high peak done x 2
Complete my electronics project (the WSG)

(Work)

Rewrite polarimeter software 
Complete next experiment (HAPPEX-III) progress

(Home)

Organize shed done
Repair house exterior

(Financial)

Reduce debt y y n n y n n y? – – – – / N?(y(n) means we did (did not) meet my specific debt reduction [...]