My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on March 15, 2026

As we bow our heads in prayer this Saturday evening or Sunday morning, pray especially for the men and women serving in our armed forces — those stationed far from home, in harm’s way, protecting freedoms and standing guard for peace. The highlighted passage from Psalm 144 has been top of mind since seeing it on my social media feed:

Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle—
My lovingkindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge...
– Psalm 144:1–2, excerpted

This ancient prayer of David reminds us that true strength, refuge, and deliverance come from God — the ultimate Rock and Protector. Whether in literal battles or the daily challenges of service, many find comfort in calling on Him for safety and guidance.
Today, I’m asking friends of all faiths who believe in the power of prayer to lift up our troops:

• Pray for their safety and protection from harm, wherever they are deployed or serving.
• Ask for wisdom, courage, and peace for them and their families back home.
• Pray for swift resolutions to conflicts, for the return of all service members to their loved ones and for healing in places of tension.

If this resonates with you, please take a moment whenever you read this—to pause and pray. Your prayers matter. 

Category: Advice, Faith, Millitary, Social Media | No Comments »
Tags: bible, christianity, iran, military, prayer, psalms, troops

Posted By RichC on March 14, 2026

Although watching SpaceX unmanned launches has become normal, many long time NASA observers are anxiously waiting for the Artemis II manned capsule launch planned for 2026. The upcoming launch for around the moon mission has been postponed a couple times due to  an “abundance of caution.” It  has been a long time that a manned space vehicle has traveled this far into space; shockingly it hasn’t been attempted since the Apollo Space program a half century ago. For many of us who watched those missions to the moon, it has been too long! 

Below are the potential launch dates for April 2026. Check out the PDF reference guide.

Category: Archive, News, Science, Space | No Comments »
Tags: apollo, artemis, astronaut, launch, lunar, moon, nasa, rockets, space, spacex

Posted By RichC on March 13, 2026

Stocks slide as surging oil and Middle East tensions spark inflation fears and delay Fed cut hopes, with tech and growth leading losses into the weekend. ☹️ 

Category: Financial, News | No Comments »
Tags: dow, fed cuts, indices, inflation, nasdaq, stock market

Posted By RichC on March 13, 2026

On Thursday evening I updated WordPress to 6.9, a few plugins to current versions and addressed a couple apt-update & upgrades on the Linux server; it was more just to keep things up-to-date rather than addressing any problem. I’ve yet to do a full Linux version update since there are too many problems with old theme code, etc. Who knows when I’ll get around to that — probably when I’m finally forced to do it?

I did seem to figure out how to both remove an Apple Watch “Fitness app” workout buddy and a “workout done” update that has been pretty persistent and an annoying. My son has been on my list, and for some unknown reason, occasionally my Apple Watch 10 sends him a notification (AI implemented?)

It should have been an easy thing to address, but after dealing with it for a few weeks finally figure it out with the help of Gemini AI. Taylor and I chuckled about it and he commented that “I really don’t mind the message … at least I know you’re still alive.” 😉 

Before you go for the “nuclear option” of deleting contacts, try these steps to disable the automated prompts and the feature itself.

1. The “Off Switch” (Stop the Reminders)
This is the most likely culprit. There is a specific toggle that tells the Watch to stop suggesting or showing the Check In screen every time you start a workout.

On your iPhone: Open the Watch app.

On your Watch: Open the Settings app.

Go to Workout.

Scroll down and find Check In Reminders.

Toggle this OFF.

2. How to “Clear” the Person (If it still shows up) (more…)

Category: AI, Apple, Blogs, Technology, Watch | No Comments »
Tags: apple, apple watch, artificial intelligence, gemini, linux, taylor, tech friday, techfriday, update, upgrade, wordpress, workout

Posted By RichC on March 12, 2026

A couple of months ago, I spotted an “Elio Engine Development” photo and thought it might make for a good ThrowBack Thursday #TBT post. 

I still wish Elio Motors would have been a successful company … but suspect the developing EV industry competed with this small tandem seat, high-efficiency ICE vehicle about the time Paul Elio was raising capital.

Still, the company could have been far more communicative with those of us who put deposits down and “thought” we were helping a small startup company? This would have been a fun “toy” car. 😉 

Category: Automotive, Financial, Memories, TBT | No Comments »
Tags: deposit, elio motors, mistake, TBT

Posted By RichC on March 11, 2026

Who knew??? The fresh scent after the rain is called petrichor. When raindrops touch dry soil, they release plant oils and geosmin produced by bacteria, creating this rich, earthy fragrance. — @earthcurated

Category: Environment, Human Interest, Science, Social Media, Video | No Comments »
Tags: bacteria, fragrance, geosmin, petrichor, rain, smell, who knew, wikipedia

Posted By RichC on March 10, 2026

  Our piano for home recital in Hudson, OH and after adding bookshelves (2020)

Back in the late 1980s (or maybe early 1990s), we bought an older Brambach baby grand piano that was manufactured in the 1920s and restored and refinished prior to our purchasing it. For me it was a beautiful piece of furniture that doubled as a “tool” for our young Katelyn to learn to play the piano. Brenda and her family were far more invested in playing the piano (she did as well) and going further — Brenda played the violin (exceptionally well, BTW). So it made sense that we would try to do the same for Katelyn as well as Taylor as they were growing up.  

Brambach Piano Company was founded in 1823 in New York and became renowned for its compact, high-quality baby grand pianos. The company gained prominence in the early 20th century for introducing the first mass-produced baby grand piano in 1912, measuring just 4 feet 7 inches—a revolutionary design that brought grand piano tone into smaller homes and studios.

Brambach’s innovation extended beyond size. The company developed a patented “Tone Expander” and a custom soundboard, enhancing resonance and volume to rival larger grands. These pianos featured a full grand action, warm mellow tone, and elegant casework, blending tradition with accessibility.

By the 1920s, Brambach was the largest exclusive manufacturer of baby grands in the U.S. The company was acquired by Aeolian in 1926, and later became part of Kohler & Campbell. Though production continued under the Brambach name until 1957, the brand was eventually discontinued.

Our family’s love of music has come full circle now with our granddaughters learning the piano. Up to now, they have been practicing on an electronic keyboard and playing beautifully at recitals.

So Katelyn began her search with a little encouragement from the girls music teacher. She found a very nice late model Boston Piano from a family in the Toledo area.

Soon the girls (and Katelyn … and Drew’s mom) will have a VERY NICE quality baby grand piano (photos below) to play and practice on in their new house. It will both look and sound wonderful in their home (I can’t wait to include a photo).

Category: Archive, Education, Music, Personal, Photos, Tools | No Comments »
Tags: boston, brambach, family, furniture, granddaughters, Music, oostra, piano