My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on March 12, 2023

This past week my son Taylor and I had a father-son dinner together at Chili’s and enjoyed some “desultory” conversation … from the Ukraine-Russia war to ChatGPT. Eventually he commented, “Dad, you should let the AI system write or rewrite your blog posts.”  

Hm … how about I just ask the Chatbot to write today’s blog post for me?

Change is an inevitable part of life. Whether we like it or not, things are constantly changing around us. From technological advancements to societal shifts, change is happening faster than ever before. As a result, it’s essential to learn how to embrace change if we want to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Here are some tips on how to embrace change:

1. Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged in the moment. When we’re mindful, we can observe our thoughts and emotions without judgment, which helps us better manage our response to change. Practicing mindfulness can also help us develop resilience and cope better with stressful situations.
2. Cultivate Flexibility: Being flexible means being open to new ideas and different ways of doing things. It also means being adaptable and able to adjust to changing circumstances. By cultivating flexibility, we can better navigate change and see it as an opportunity for growth rather than a threat.
3. Develop a Growth Mindset: A growth mindset is the belief that our abilities and intelligence can be developed through hard work and dedication. When we have a growth mindset, we’re more likely to embrace challenges and see them as opportunities to learn and grow. This mindset can help us approach change with curiosity and optimism.
4. Build a Support System: Change can be challenging, and having a support system can make all the difference. This can be friends, family, or even a professional network. Having people to turn to can help us stay grounded and provide a sounding board for our ideas and concerns.
5. Stay Positive: Finally, it’s essential to maintain a positive outlook in the face of change. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of change, try to see the opportunities and possibilities that it presents. By staying positive, we can approach change with a sense of excitement and adventure.

In conclusion, change is inevitable, and it’s essential to learn how to embrace it if we want to thrive in an ever-changing world. By practicing mindfulness, cultivating flexibility, developing a growth mindset, building a support system, and staying positive, we can approach change with confidence and optimism. Remember, change can be an opportunity for growth and transformation, so embrace it with open arms!

Category: Advice, AI, Computer, Innovation, Technology, Tidbits | No Comments »
Tags: ai, artificial intelligence, change, chatbot, chatgpt, chilis, Computer, desultory, mindfulness

Posted By RichC on 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 still attracted to solving design dilemmas as do engineers. Perhaps this kind of video will inspire the next generation to study engineering?

Category: Education, Innovation, Science, Social Media, Video | No Comments »
Tags: design, engineer, engineering, miami university, mp4, ohio, onu, sidney

Posted By RichC on March 10, 2023

It has been quite a few years that I’ve been struggling with what to do when it comes to purchasing a new “travel” computer and I have contemplated doing something a number of times. The aging Lenovo still works, but I do struggle with not having everything with me that is part of my “Apple Life.” Still the new MacBook Pro line is too expensive for what I do anymore and the lower priced MacBook Air M1 wedge shaped notebooks with limited SSD storage seems underwhelming (Taylor loves his MacBook Air and not sure about Katelyn, but she has one too). I’m still tempted to go with the new M2 MacMini. 

When the MacBook Air M2 was released in mid-2022, it looked as if it might be the perfect travel computer … but it of course came with a much higher price point and still didn’t have a touchscreen (not necessary, but something I’m gettting comfortable with after using my Lenovo, iPads and Brenda’s Chromebook). The lowest priced M2 Air also comes with a pitifully small SSD (only 256GB) and bumping that up adds hundreds of dollars to the price … so I’ve put off a new computer again.

(more…)

Category: Apple, Computer, Shopping, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: adorama, Air M2, apple, Computer, macbook

Posted By RichC on March 9, 2023

It has been a quandary for years. Do you value Tesla like a car company or a fast-growing technology company? This past weekend Barron’s Magazine included an interesting article by Jack Hough after Tesla’s “investor day” and subsequent stock price drop. 

Tesla is trading “more like just another car maker,” wrote Bespoke Investment Group this past week. I don’t think it was a compliment. On Wednesday evening, the company held a new investor day at its equally new Texas Gigafactory. On Thursday, shares sagged 6%.

That’s not how these things are supposed to work. Investor days aren’t a must, like filing an annual report. Companies do it to generate enthusiasm for their strategies and products. Rapturous applause in the moment is good, but a pop in the stock price is better.

FULL ARTICLE

A $220/sh value calculation for $TSLA by Adam Jonas at Morgan Stanley:

Category: Financial | No Comments »
Tags: $TSLA, barrons, investing, jack hough, stock, tesla

Posted By RichC on March 8, 2023

After a bit of time away from my aging Apple iMac and time to ponder using the MarsEdit blogging app from RedSweater as a replacement for OpenLiveWriter on Windows, I bit the bullet and purchased the software. The final push to purchase was the responsive emails from the developer Daniel Jalkut and how to set up a few “custom macros” to better fit my needs. The great part is that he is continuing to improve and add to the app and has been doing it a long, long, time. 

I’m not sure if Daniel has been programming Apple MaciOS software as long as I’ve been using Macs (an original logo sticker sheet from one of my first Macs above) … but long enough to give me confidence to start using Marsedit 5. 

Category: Apple, Computer, Photos, Productivity, Software | No Comments »
Tags: app, apple, blog, daniel jalkut, logo, marsedit, testing

Posted By RichC on March 7, 2023

For years now, I’ve been planning to make a set of Cornhole boards for the backyard when entertaining in the summertime, but never really wanted to just slap together construction grade 2 x 4s and plywood. So when thinking about a project gift for my granddaughters 3rd and 6th birthdays this year, who are now old enough to play yard games, I decided to improve the woodworking a little bit.

Initially I was going to paint them in OSU “scarlett and gray” colors … but really wanted to use better quality wood and joinery techniques. So instead of paint, I opted for a preprinted logo and clear lacquer and sanding … and more lacquer and sanding, etc. You get the picture … a full quart of lacquer and I lost track of the number of coats until it was gone. HA! 

The other thing I wanted to stay away from was the use of fasteners … although did use a few stainless steel pin nails when seating the top into the rabbet joint since I wasn’t confident in having enough clamps or even pressure (in hindsight I probably could have used weights?) For the corner joints I also used a single brass screw mostly for alignment, but made a jig to cut the walnut miter shims which turned out nice. This addition is definitely a favorite of mine when making frames, etc. 

Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Recreation, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: birthday, cornhole, game, gift, granddaughters, osu, project, workshop

Posted By RichC on March 6, 2023

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Category: Music | No Comments »
Tags: casey kasem, mary macgregor, mp3, music monday, musicmonday, siriusxm

Posted By RichC on March 5, 2023

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Category: Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, birthday, drew, ellerie, granddaughters, homebuiding, katelyn, oostra, perrysburg, whitehouse

Posted By RichC on 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!

Category: Automotive, Social Media, Video | No Comments »
Tags: accident, building, collapse, crash, mp4

Posted By RichC on March 4, 2023

With area code 513 phone numbers in shortened supply in our Southwest Ohio area, “the Public Service Commission of Ohio has approved an all-services area code overlay for the 513 area code, which serves southwest Ohio including the communities of Cincinnati, Cleves, Forest Park, Hamilton, Lebanon, Maineville, Mason, Miamitown, Middletown, Norwood, Oxford, Trenton and West Chester. The new 283 area code will serve the same geographic area currently served by the existing 513 area code.”

So if you live in and around the Cincinnati, Ohio area, be aware of of caller IDs with 283 being “from the Southwestern Ohio area.” 

Category: Business, Local, News | No Comments »
Tags: area code, cincinnati, numbers, ohio, phone, telephone