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My nephew is doing a space walk (his first, the woman he's doing it with is on her fourth)! Live link, think it will be saved as well: Trying to watch while at work, very cool stuff!

Yumi was out of town for 8 days last week. I guess the cats were so lonely they started bonding (they are from the same litter - 2018). This never happens!

Saturday was Pie Day so we had previously agreed to celebrate this week. So tonight I made but did not bake Taco Pie and also made the crust (and did bake) for a Chocolate Chess Pie.

Even this guy gets the role.

Rode 20 miles with a fair amount of climbing in the heat today and felt like I had done something. But then I watched the 150th Milano - Torino race that was a bit longer with more climbing. Oh well. HBO Max and Peacock have way more cycling during the classics season than was available here before and I watch lots of it.

Sweet Italian sausage and leek Detroit pizza

Finished this morning, devoured at work.

Katsu tofu with Japanese curry

Mexican night in NH. Enchiladas Verdes Cilantro-Lime Rice

Calling him a cunt is too kind. RIP Bob Mueller

Funny you should mention that. We finally did the surrender of the vehicle and got our check -- even though the "transfer agent" didn't have the check at first. Apparently it was sent before our prior appointment date and the agent went and found it after completely pissing me off telling us there was no check in her paperwork. Anyway, thanks for all the good wishes everyone!

A few roadside graffiti snaps from two mostly grey days on a recent trip to Monument Valley and Route 66, that aren’t at Monument Valley or on Route 66. Colors are from the SL2 (CV 50mm f/1 Nokton) and monochrome the M9M (LLL 28 f/2.8 9E). Final two are with the Sigma BF (24mm f/2 Contemporary). I need more road trips in my life.

"The speakers ARE the room treatment."

I read an article about the best breakfast burrito in the Bay Area and the winner had cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon, beef tallow tater tots, crema and avocado. I didn't have tots so I heated up some fries and then fried them in the bacon fat. Adding a bit of salsa as I eat. It's almost too decadent and I'm considering going back to bed.

Martin L. Kennedy, the main man behind the Australian space rock project All India Radio has a very nice kitty.

I had a leftover crust, so tonight I decided to make spinach-bacon quiche so I'd have something good for breakfast.

Happy Birthday Al!, Last year's prompts, this years images, plus a bonus image incorporating your recent car troubles!

Shepherd's Pie...sort of -- used ground turkey instead of lamb and beef culinary stock, but otherwise...NAILED IT! It came out delicious. Didn't overwhelm with any one particular spice (I'm looking at you, the usual suspects garlic and black pepper), but it was sweet and savory and the carrots came out perfectly al dente...just...(chef's kiss)... Yes, I realize I'm kissing myself.

When I've had time recently I've assembled a few more DIY electrostatic headphones: First off, the last of the Superex chassis I had in stock so I designed a new stator design for them: This has been a long running project to to make drivers and test the various aspects in a controlled housing. They are not ideal as they are mostly closed but I got a bunch of them for next to nothing years ago. New stators with some minor tweaks and a protective grill too: These are not really built for sound quality but to test different coatings, distortion tests on drivers and all that jive but still fun to have a pile of these here. Since the Superex is just a Beyerdynamic clone, I found some DT880's with blown drivers that could also work: The need to be modified internally a bit to open up the back but nothing major. Different stators on this one and the drivers have to be at a 45° angle to get it all to fit (not that it matters at all) but same basic idea as above Round them off with some nice leather pads, silicone 6 core cable and my new Stax plugs that I've been refining recently. These do sound better than the Superex shell as the backwave is more open. Finally, the second of those Kiwi Ears headphones was fitted with drivers: No major changes here except I didn't use the bayonet plate to fix the earpads, I rather slipped the stock pads over the lip of the housing which helped a lot Also some simple tweaks to ensure better baffle seal: Thick cloth tape here and it works nicely. These are okey sounding headphones for next to no money at all.

Happy PI Day

If Stayin' Alive Had Been Written in the 16th Century

Added lights to the patio. Previously Now with lights That work! And are automated!

Breakfast at the Mayberry compound. I made homemade biscuits while Al manned the flattop. He cooked bacon, hashbrowns and a scramble w/sautéed onion, bell pepper and cheese. We had honey peppered smoked salmon, which a few of us mixed into our scramble. Mmmmm! Now I don't see this as a bad thing, but I tend to cook just slightly more than needed. Is 18 eggs, 15 biscuits and a pound and a half of bacon really too much for 5 people? 😀 I believe that there should be leftovers for everyone to take home.

"I think I found a market for these old SCSI cables."

Some sourdough za and a glass of red.

Thanks everyone! We were away for a long weekend of eating and drinking. Our son lives in the NE of the UK, so we spent a couple of days with him. Then we spent two days at The Black Swan at Olstead https://www.blackswanoldstead.co.uk/ , a two michelin star restaurant. That was quite an experience. 7 courses in the tasting menu with a glass of matching wines with each course. This is really in the middle of nowhere down a single track road. As it got narrower and narrower we honestly wondered if we were on the right road. Got back a few hours ago - and I feel as if I've put on quite a bit of weight! Cheers all!

Thanks all. It's a bit difficult to comprehend (at times anyway) where the time goes. I remember a lot of what's happened in the last 25 years or so but at the same time don't. But I think I'll continue Operation Ostrich and try not to have today feel like much more than any other day. That said, minus work it was a great day of catching up with some friends and family and having good food at home and now breaking my no-drinking-till Thursday rule to enjoy a wee dram of the good stuff.

Petaluma (West) Acme Burger 'n Acme Larger, Fish 'n Chips, Chocolate Shake

Rain starts again tonight, so burning through some of my newly split logs. So another gift smoke - 5 Vegas Classic. - nice. ...and as much as I may miss some of my trees, I am really enjoying additional sky access.

Previously: One day lad, all this will be yours. What, the curtains?

Brit Brunch

Update - woke up to 2" of new snow. It is time for winter to end.

One of those songs that sneaks up on you gradually. Robert Quine (Voidoids, Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Tom Waits) on guitar.

^^ in my queue, looking forward to it. The Magnificent Moodies by The Moody Blues (1965) https://open.qobuz.com/album/urxbgzj4qgepc Example:

Jazz in the Movies: Chet Baker Performing (which he only does on seven of the 18 tracks). This Italian release is under various titles and various track listings, so whatever you find, may or may not be the same album, but this version is a good listen as you wind down the work week (yes, I'm mentally winding down at 9am). Also not to be confused with the Jazz on Film: Italian series, which is much more comprehensive and I probably need to buy next. Ex. EDIT: Just bought.

From All Sides by Vince Guaraldi (1964) https://open.qobuz.com/album/v8c45tsbx2ekb Example: Ah Bola.. Not super fidelity on this album, but a very nice listen.

Cable Managed / Mangled "Streamer Edition", with passing turkeys. 🦃 🦃 🦃

I do like me a go fast story...

Danny sure could sing.

Steve loves to smile for pictures

I've missed this thread until now, but been a fan of The Charismatic Voice for a while. I enjoyed this episode a lot. In a similar vein, I go on bents of Drumeo's "For the first time" series, which can be pretty analytic depending the drummer.

Not sure if this is widely known, but I only found out about it today on The Norman Bates Memorial Soundtrack Show. Seems the first three Space: 1999 episodes were stitched together and released theatrically in Italy. And they got Ennio Morricone to do the soundtrack! It's very different than Barry Gray's. Import CD purchased, below is a sample, and the whole thing is streaming on some Hungarian site. Fun! Ex. (put on your seat belts)

I like the new Gorillaz album. Qobuz link Feeling this one tonight.

Not a standard TV show, but a YouTube channel. Armistead Maupin was a young conservative Viet Nam vet. Who moved to San Fransisco in 1971. He moved there for a job with the Associated Press. He was a closeted gay man who learned quickly once in SF to be honest with himself and others about who he was. He made friends with many people, including Harvey Milk and Rock Hudson. He started a weekly story in the SF Chronicle, which turned into the 'Tales of the City' series of books. I've run into him a few times in my life. First in a bar in Seattle, not long after reading the first book. And a few years back in the Castro, as well as the Pride Parade I attended with Colin and Brent. One of the early jobs I did after moving back here in 2017, was to remodel his old house after he sold it to a Yuppy Tech. A-hole. Claire's chase lounge that Al and I built several years back is built from the primary bedroom deck boards the new owner had me dismantle. He now lives in London with his partner, and has been doing these 'fireside chats' on YouTube that are just amazing. He and his generation paved the way for me and subsequent generations. He talks about having to be completely closeted, the AIDS epidemic, Rock's friendship, Harvey and his assassination... It's history coming straight from a man that lived it, and it's fascinating to me. Look up Armistead Maupin on YouTube if you may have any interest. And for those not familiar with the Tales of the City books or TV series, you certainly don't need to be gay to thoroughly enjoy them. They're a fun romp through time, with lots of then current events tossed in for good measure.

Confused because I think Michelle Trachtenberg died last year. She definitely missed this war. RIP Mr Sedaka. I'm pretty sure I was working at the Concord Pavilion the night he played there in 1977. My brother was the booking and marketing director and I had random jobs in the parking lot or handing out flyers for upcoming shows.

Let's fucking do this.

We Like It Here by Snarky Puppy (2014) https://open.qobuz.com/album/aazibgbisyolb Example: Killer set. After some research this was a Live in Studio - which they filmed. So: Playlist. I do like me some snarky.