Books: “MegaThreats: Ten Dangerous Trends That Imperil Our Future, And How to Survive Them” by Nouriel Roubini

| April 29, 2023

This past month while semi-vacationing in Florida (condo window installation), I started reading an excellent new book by well-known economist Nouriel Roubini called “MegaThreats: Ten Dangerous Trends That Imperil Our Future, And How to Survive Them” (October 18, 2022). The book follows a trend for me and what I’ve been reading when it comes to […]

An innovative mechanical fly trap. Ingenious!

| April 24, 2023

Saved this video the other day as thought it was a pretty ingenious fly trap. Now does it really work to rid a home of flies … who really knows?

Archive: Catch-up photos from April 2023 trip to Florida

| April 23, 2023

A trip to Florida would not be compete without at least one timeline marking photo of us … so this catch-up post with a few leftover photos from our “condo window installation” trip will start with a Brenda and Rich beach photo.  Between a few rain and heavy wind days, we had some sunny and […]

Blog test: A claw to claw eagle dance in the sky #video

| April 12, 2023

Just a short video filler test from Twitter after receiving a message that MyDesultoryBlog was inaccessible (suspect it is because previous post was personal and only for registered readers?)

Archive: A few Easter weekend family photos and video

| April 11, 2023

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Music Monday: Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band

| April 3, 2023

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The MB 300d Turbodiesel was out for the first time in 2023

| March 26, 2023

After a quick charge of the battery, the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300d Turbodiesel woke from its winter slumber and headed to the grocery store. I had forgotten how much different the old headlight are in comparison to modern lights … or perhaps it is just my aging night vision? Anyway, the driveway Wyze cams caught […]

What inspires someone to become an engineer? #video

| March 11, 2023

When I was in high school, I headed off to Ohio Northern University to become an engineer although veered off into industrial technology, facility design and then teaching when offered a Miami University instructor position when in graduate school. Now putting that education redirection aside … and the other career moves that followed … I’m […]

Combined Birthday celebration for our granddaughters

| March 5, 2023

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An accident that goes beyond the ordinary in Baltimore, MD

| March 5, 2023

It is one thing trying to evade the police by speeding, then running a red light and crashing into an unsuspecting driver … but to also hit a building and have it collapse is another? Yikes!

Archiving a few WWII B-26 Marauder videos

| February 9, 2023

Here are a couple of B-26 Martin Marauder YouTube videos to archive (saved to personal cloud too) due to my interest in aviation and military history … but also because my late father-in-law serving as navigator on “this beautiful ship” in World War II (I can still hear him saying that). 

A young chef fixes his own lunch #video

| February 8, 2023

From experience, I do know that younggist children in the U.S. (often farm kids — or commercial fisherman kids) were responsible for home chores, pitched in with caring for their siblings … and over a century ago (thankfully) would be sent to work outside the home. But in many parts of the world, children learn […]

Music Monday: Kenny Chesney singing “We Do” live

| February 6, 2023

Since “No Shoes” was mentioned in last week’s Music Monday post, I’ll stick with the theme and include a Kenny Chesney and a “No Shoes Nation” video of his 2020 song “We Do” this week (included KC a few times here before). It is always great to see happy crowds enjoying some great entertainment and […]

Our Echo Show continues to remind us of family

| January 28, 2023

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Friday Filler: Flyover images of mountains on Pluto #space

| January 27, 2023

As a boy growing up enamored with the NASA Apollo program and going to the moon in the 1960s, I’m still a little peeved at Pluto’s demotion from planet status. Nevertheless, I’m amazed at the New Horizon spaceship’s video flying over the mountains of Pluto. Amazing and a worthwhile Friday Filler.

Music Monday: David Crosby of CSN and CSNY will be missed

| January 23, 2023

Steven Stills, David Crosby and Graham Nash in concert in 2012 A depressing Music Monday today as music lovers remembered and reflected on the January 18, 2023 passing of the talented singer, guitarist and songwriter David Crosby. He impacted literally millions with is wonderful harmonies from the day he joined the Byrds in 1964 to […]

Music Monday: “Back In The High Life Again” – Steve Winwood

| January 16, 2023

Perhaps it is that I feel younger “again” or that this song just the good memories from earlier times, but I do get a good feeling when listening to Steve Windood singing “Back In The High Life Again.” After a medically rough week … or several weeks with Brenda’s hip fracture and full hip replacement […]

Amazed at the mobility improvement so soon after surgery

| January 15, 2023

Brenda is making remarkable improvements (in my opinion) in her mobility after having expedited full hip replacement surgery on Monday afternoon at 4PM. As mentioned yesterday, she was released from the hospital on Wednesday night and after a semi-restful day on Thursday, began physical therapy on Friday. Katelyn came down from Perrysburg and was wonderful […]

A whirlwind medical week for Brenda (3 weeks of pain actually)

| January 14, 2023

Prior to Christmas, Brenda was moving furniture around in our carpeted bedroom in order to clean behind our king size bed and headboard. She knew at the time it was too heavy, but continued to push and pull with her legs and hip. When I got home, I noticed the bed and nightstands were out […]

Filler Friday: Stippling or pixel art with nails #video

| January 13, 2023

Although I’m not sure what kind of art this is … it will be included as a Filler Friday video. It does appeal to me since it the artist or craftsman uses tools and nails to create a pixel or stippling. This is some pretty impressive work below.

Music Monday: Roger Miller singing “King of the Road”

| January 9, 2023

Perhaps the first song that I can remember hearing on the radio and remembering I liked was Roger Miller‘s “King of the Road.” I was probably too young to remember it clearly, but my mom and dad commented that I definitely liked it when I was just 4 or 5.  I do know that … […]

Music Monday: Same Old Lang Syne by the late Dan Fogelberg

| January 2, 2023

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Wishing ALL a Happy and Healthy New Year in 2023

| January 1, 2023

I would like to wish everyone visiting MyDesultoryBlog.com a Happy and Healthy New Year … and after seeing this “black ice” social media shared video from last months deadly winter storm … safe traveling in 2023. Whew … very frightening.   https://mdbav.s3.amazonaws.com/DangerousBlackIce2022.mp4

Saving family photos from our Corbett-Oostra Christmas 2022

| December 29, 2022

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What to do with an old Amazon Echo Dot? Tear it down.

| December 16, 2022

What “should” a person do when an older piece of tech stops working? Give up? Buy new? Well we have an older first generation Amazon Echo Dot continued to be unreliable in maintaining a WiFi connection to our mesh home network. After several restarts over the last couple of months, full reboots and re-setups, I’ve […]

Music Monday: Remembering Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie

| December 12, 2022

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Archive: Some family time with our granddaughters

| November 30, 2022

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Music Monday: “Puff the Magic Dragon” – Peter, Paul and Mary

| November 28, 2022

In keeping with the 1960’s Music Monday from a couple week’s ago, the song “Puff the Magic Dragon” by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary flickered by in some way this past week when someone mentioned the old rumors speculating that “it contained veiled references to smoking marijuana.” But the authors, including the original […]

Short video tidbit: Another way to fold sheet corners

| November 23, 2022

Music Monday: “Hey Jude” (or Julian) – The Beatles

| November 21, 2022

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Music Monday: “Make Your Own Kind of Music” – Cass Elliot

| November 14, 2022

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Centuries pass and the borders of countries in Europe change

| November 2, 2022

If you like maps and watching the borders of countries, here’s a small, quick video of the changing borders in Europe over the centuries. Pretty wild.

Music Monday: An aviation photo triggered a memory of a funky boombox McDonalds commercial from years ago

| October 31, 2022

It doesn’t get any odder than seeing a “very low” fly-by photo from a fellow aviation enthusiast Ron Eisele on Twitter and having it trigger a “how low can you go” McDonalds commercial from way back when??? It’s probably not an appropriate Music Monday, but the music well is dry today … so I’m using […]

The 1986 Mazda James Garner ad was a favorite #TBT

| October 27, 2022

Favorite actors pitching products has been a staple in the advertising business for a long time … probably because it works! Shortly after this Gigi and James Garner commercial came out for Mazda 323 in 1986, we bought a “new” 1988 Mazda 626 turbo that replaced a Volkswagen Golf (MK2 Wolfsburg edition). To this day […]

Music Monday: Fox Business on TV, Disco and the Bee Gees

| October 24, 2022

Music Monday triggers can come from anywhere. Today’s was from segment music on a morning Fox Business program and triggered a“disco” flavored song from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1977.   “More Than a Woman” was a Bee Gees song and was paired with a serene Minnesota early morning lake photo (new TV on […]

With the first freeze in SW Ohio … I’d rather be on the beach

| October 19, 2022

There was a leftover beach flyover video on my phone from our late September – early October Florida vacation so with a private family post creating registered only viewing and the first real cold weather of the season, this makes for an envious filler. I’m looking forward to warm weather and the beach again. Why […]

Music Monday: A recovery message from Jimmy Buffett

| October 10, 2022

pic.twitter.com/zzZyRZDG38 — Jimmy Buffett (@jimmybuffett) October 6, 2022

Who doesn’t love an illusion that messes with your mind?

| September 21, 2022

The triangle with the missing block … explained (below the break).

Music Monday: “ABC” and some early Jackson 5 #video

| September 19, 2022

The trigger for today’s Jackson 5 song “ABC” was due to hearing it as segment music on Fox Business last week. It triggered a memory of the choreographed “five-some” dancing and singing back on 1970’s TV, although I don’t recall watching them very much. Nevertheless, hearing them and watching a young Michael Jackson had me […]

Leftover family weekend photos and a Mud Hens game

| September 13, 2022

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Music Monday: “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight”

| September 12, 2022

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Friday Filler: Even crabs hate getting sand in their eyes

| September 9, 2022

Who likes getting sand blown in their eyes at the beach … not even crabs.

Orcas attacking Great White Sharks for their liver and heart

| September 3, 2022

Over the past several years, I’ve been reading stories about how pods of Orcasattack Great White Sharks. A Daily Mail article with photos and a short drone video segment this summer was particularly interesting. Would an 👉 orca eat a swimmer‘s 👈 liver or heart? 😨 At least seven great white shark carcasses have washed […]

My granddaughter enjoyed mowing with me on the Kubota

| August 27, 2022

Along with Brenda sending me a couple of belated video clips from her phone from earlier this month with our granddaughters, I thought the one of Annalyn mowing with me was pretty special. She spent hours with me while Ellerie was taking her nap and thoroughly enjoyed driving the Kubota … thankfully missing the trees!

A birthday weekend in Georgia with the Gerbers

| August 23, 2022

It was a nice weekend to drive to Atlanta, even though it was only for a short birthday visit for Brenda’s sister Ann. As always, we had a very nice time together, had a great day hiking up to Indian Seats (panorama above) and our favorite part, catching up on the life of their girls. […]

When hammerhead sharks feed, stay on the beach #video

| August 18, 2022

It is summer vacation season … and shark video time … so here’s one from Twitter of a LARGE Hammerhead Shark chasing a stingray in Orange Beach, Alabama. Whoa … it’s better to stay out of the water when this is happening. I’ll stick with just looking at the little Sand Tiger Sharks.

Summer 2022 at home with our granddaughters wrap-up

| August 14, 2022

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A Happy Birthday for Brenda … with her granddaughters

| August 12, 2022

It has been a perfect summer week with Ellerie and Annalyn and all topped off with our family together to celebrate Brenda’s birthday. Katelyn and Drew are taking the girls to Kings Island today while we recuperate and I try to get a few things done that have piled up from phone calls, emails and […]

Magic tricks: How did they do that? #video

| August 9, 2022

Who doesn’t like knowing how a magician deceives an audience, especially when the magic trick is performed flawlessly. Here a behind the trick look at some deception.

Summer storms continue, more COVID and Gilligan’s Island

| August 6, 2022

Well if one has to stay at home … looking at our backyard “storm is coming” pool photo … and we aren’t to be out and about, there could be worse places to be isolating? The summer storms continued rolling thru this past week and and after testing positive the previous week, I thought a […]

Video tips on how to do a better job caulking

| July 31, 2022

As someone who is not fond of both painting and caulking, whenever there are professional tips that make those jobs easier, I listen (a better “dripless” caulking guns link too).

Taylor is planning to own rather than rent in Cincinnati, Ohio

| July 28, 2022

A bit of news from my son Taylor who has decided to buy a condo in Cincinnati rather than renting a few blocks away. He has been looking for a while now and pondered a house vs property vs urban condo or townhouse. Escalating prices since the pandemic turned and rising rates in both lending […]

Music Monday: Does Cincinnati still love Jimmy Buffett in 2022?

| July 25, 2022

An especially “cool” Jimmy Buffett concert in Cincinnati, Ohio was enjoyed by Taylor’s Megan and her Parrothead father Dave. As usual (except thru COVID), they were at the annual Riverbend concert and enjoyed the up close and personal and more intimate side of the concert. Dave Schnieder, a Cincinnati teacher and football coach all of […]

Video: Comparing a few different wall anchors for screws

| July 23, 2022

Here’s a very short video highlighting several different kinds of popular wall anchors or mollies and how easy they are to use compared to each other. I saw it on social media and found it an interesting tidbit for woodworking or for those of us spending time in a workshop.

Music Monday: “Movin’ On Up” – Ja’net DuBois

| July 18, 2022

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Our 40th Anniversary trip to the Canadian Rockies (part 1)

| July 17, 2022

Well … this is part 1 of the Canadian Rockies 40th Anniversary wrap-up (a pre-post was made last week) and since there are just WAY too many photos and memories to recall for just one post (the curse of multiple smartphones with cameras that also shoot motion GIFs and video). It was much simpler 34 […]

A nightmare ending to a great 40th anniversary family trip

| July 14, 2022

It is probably good to have waited another day before posting in frustration over how our return flight was handled by Air Canada since we were not happy being stuck in Toronto after our final leg was canceled. To add insult to injury we already had a delayed flight on Sunday, then boarded and deplaned […]

Friday filler: Ambition knows no limits for hard workers

| July 8, 2022

If you are on social media, you likely have already watched this shared video of a couple of ambitious and obviously hardworking guys using their skills to build a below ground level sanctuary.

Tech Friday: Just a low-cost data serving test post #video

| July 1, 2022

For Tech Friday today, here’s an impressive slow-motion video used more for an internal streaming test than for the actual content. In my quest for low-cost minimalist data storage and serving, this is just a tiny computer test. (EDIT: It failed, but will include the video from my normal server anyway.)

Music Monday: Radio Margaritaville and Jimmy Buffett singing “Slack Tide” from “Life on the Flip Side” while mowing

| June 27, 2022

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Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
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