My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on January 25, 2023

Over weekend of snowy Bengal – Bills playoff football, I was able to get down to the workshop and continue working on a joint granddaughters’ birthdays present. The project required larger holes than I have a hole saw for and cutting it with a jigsaw would have left an imperfect hole.

So … I used an odd baseplate from my Makita router and tapped a new “pivot” hole so that I could use my 1/4” spiral bit to gradually cut the circle. Since I only needed two equal holes, I just used the pivot point two times … but if I were going to do this again, I think cutting one in some 1/4” template material and using a bearing shanked bit would be preferred?

Anyway, the holes turned out great and I was even able to use the shopvac attached to the clear plastic chute to clear nearly all the dust and debris … something that never seems to go well for me (I usually make a mess).

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Category: How-To, Personal, Photos, Tools, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: cornhole, project, router, safety glasses, tips, woodworking, workshop

Posted By RichC on January 24, 2023

Just as the Cincinnati Bengals did last year in January 2022, they will be facing the Kansas City Chiefs again this year in the AFC Championship game after defeating the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday … impressively I might add.  Even though I was proudly wearing my Joe Burrows #9 jersey, the credit goes to every member of the Bengals. From coaching (Head Coach Zac Taylor above) to every player, they performed like a machine. Let’s just hope the Bengals can do the same as they have dial up a win against KC the last 3 times the teams have gone head to head.

One advantage the Bengals have over the Chiefs this year is that QB Patrick Mahomes suffered a “high ankle sprain” in the playoff game against the Jaguars … this could prevent him from scrambling and being so effective. 

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Category: Sports | No Comments »
Tags: afc, bengals, buffalo bills, chiefs, cincinnati, football, joe burrow, kansas city chiefs, nfl, patrick mahomes, zac taylor

Posted By RichC on 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 the forming of Crosby, Stills and Nash (CSN) in 1968 and through the following decades.

Many of us were a bit too young in those early years, but definitely knew of and loved their music in the 1970s and later. Having Neil Young join the band (CSNY) and performing at Woodstock in the summer of 1969 cemented his legacy. A top ten list of folk-rock singers without David Crosby is rare as he collaborated with dozens of artists … including Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Phil Collins, Elton John and Carole King.

He also had six solo albums and “formed a jazz-influenced trio with his son James Raymond and guitarist Jeff Pevar” (CPR), although to my shame, did not know about.

I may be a generation behind David Crosby and his peers, but I definitely loved his music and am thankful for his legacy of music for us to enjoy. Above is a live 1982 performance of “Wasted On The Way” (my post from 2016) and for those wanted a little more, check out this YouTube video from 2012 singing CSN’s “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.”

Category: Music, Obituary, Video | No Comments »
Tags: csn, csny, david crosby, folk-rock, legacy, mp4, music monday, musicmonday, youtube

Posted By RichC on January 22, 2023

Reading periodicals from the library on the computer is not really something I do … but last week while checking out a couple of ebooks (one avaiilable the other on a long hold),

I looked at the latest issue of the Woodworkers Journal magazine and realized just how much the iPad app for reading digital magazines has improved. I ended up reading it cover to cover and even “Smart Tagged” it to notify me when the next issue arrives. 

A few tidbits stood out and I decided to clip them and add them to MyDesultoryBlog more as a test of MarsEdit than anything else, but I did enjoy both the “sharp edge on a razor knife” tip and “tape trick” below. It was worth snipping as workshop advice. 

Category: How-To, Tidbits, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: journal, magazine, razor knife, woodworkers, workshop

Posted By RichC on January 21, 2023

There are two projects sitting semi-started in the workshop this winter (delayed with Brenda’s hip fracture), although I’m still struggling to accept the VERY HIGH lumber prices. To be fair, I’ve always complained about buying lumber as no matter where it is purchased, it always seems far to high. But nowadays with inflation raging, it has gone “out of sight” … to use a little American slang.

One of the projects entails a new banded or perhaps oak edged top to cover an existing set of metal filing cabinets in my home office; I’m planning a leather top similar to the corner desk. The other project will go “unmentioned” since Katelyn regularly reads my blog and I’d like to keep her and my granddaughters in the dark about it. Hopefully I can complete it before their birthdays?

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Category: Financial, Misc, Personal, Photos, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: corner desk, cornhole, expensive, home depot, inflation, leather, lumber, out of sight, project, projects, receipt, slang

Posted By RichC on January 20, 2023

This is a test only post from a new to me Mac app called MarsEdit. It is similar to my much loved Open Live Writer on Windows, but without a few of the features or ablity to preview the blog format while typing.

Still I’m going to give it a try and see if I can adjust to it. 

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Category: Apple, Blogs, Computer | No Comments »
Tags: blog, editor, marsedit, testing

Posted By RichC on January 20, 2023

While watching NFL playoff football this month, I started looking for a app like Blogsy or BlogPad Pro that was available “in the old days” in order to post from my iPad. Unfortunately it is looking as if fewer and fewer app developer are focused on blogging software. 

My preferred software “was” Microsoft’s Windows Live Writer, but it was shelved years ago … but the source code was opened enough that a open source group created Open Live Writer. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be all that active and suspect that sooner or later it will drift away.

Thankfully the WordPress software has a fairly decent web interface and is somewhat easy to edit and post using iOS, MacOS, Windows or Linux desktop from any browser. It is not my preferred interface, but perhaps it will just take a little getting used to?

If there are any WordPress bloggers reading along who have used either Live Writer or  Open Live Writer and have found similar solutions … let me know.

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Category: Blogs, Software | No Comments »
Tags: blogging, ios, ipad, mac, tech friday, techfriday, wordpress

Posted By RichC on January 18, 2023

As the great Yogi Berra is credited with saying, “It’s déjà vu all over again.”

It is once again time to contemplate my home office computer set-up … something I seem to do every year. The last time I updated my main computer was when I replaced an early Mac Mini with the current 2012 iMac some 11 years ago. The earlier Mac Mini was a bit of a disappointment after leaving my G3 and G4 Macs behind, but there really wasn’t enough improvement in processing power to make all that much of a different. The later, my 27” Intel-chipped iMac, did not disappoint and with a second 27” Thunderbolt display has fit all my needs. Back in 2018-2019 I did have some overheating issues and had to self-replace the power supply board (added a SSHD and cleaned while I had it apart – dusty!). I’ve had A LOT of Apple hardware over the decades and can say wholeheartedly that this iMac has been the best … followed closely by the faithful old Macintosh IIci.  

This time it does seem as if the iMac is getting a little sluggish, but then I do run two monitors, two operation systems (Windows 10 virtually on Parallels on the left and MacOS Catalina on the right) both operating systems with 3 or sometimes 4 “desktops” and a lot of open windows. Thankfully I do have 24GB of RAM and a Quad-Core 3.4 GHz i7 processor. Point being is that there is probably a reason things get a little sluggish?

The last go-around, I though maybe as I inch towards retirement that I might be able to shift to an Apple laptop (Macbook Pro or Macbook Air) and dock a monitor? When contemplating a nearly $2000 purchase though, I thought perhaps having one office computer for under $1000 (a Mac Mini with M2 chip and my existing display or new 4K monitor) and a newer higher end iPad Air or Pro might suffice?
Who knows, maybe just delay again.

This is from my old office set-up in 2021, pre-office remodel

Category: Apple, Computer, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: apple, dejavu, imac, ipad, m2 chip, mac, macbook, macmini, office, upgrade, yogi berra

Posted By RichC on January 17, 2023

You would think that after 60+ years that I would comfortably remember which spelling of for the past tense of ‘cancel’ was the common American English version and which was British English version. When it comes to a few words that I stumble over, I still need to check with Merriam-Webster.

British vs. American English

Another fine example that has answers of varying degrees of complexity is the question of how many Ls one should use in the past or present participle form of the verb cancel. The simple answer to the question of ‘is it canceled or cancelled’ is “either one is fine.”

Now for the less simple answer. Canceled and canceling are more common in the US, while cancelled and cancelling are more common in British English. As explained by Lynne Murphy, American and British English have many similar habits when it comes to past and present participles: both double the final consonant of a word when it follows a short vowel and has the stress on the syllable attached to the suffix (such as remit/remitted/remitting). However, if the stress does not come on the syllable that attaches to the suffix then the final consonant is not doubled (as is the case with edit/edited/editing).

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Category: Education, Tidbits | No Comments »
Tags: american, british, canceled, cancelled, english, grammar, spelling

Posted By RichC on 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 surgery… hearing this song on an early morning drive to the hospital last week triggered including it for this week’s Music Monday. Hopefully very soon we’ll be “back in the high life again.” 
 

Category: Music, Video | No Comments »
Tags: mp4, music monday, musicmonday, siriusxm, steve winwood, the bridge