Goofy New Year’s resolution? Improve my hand cut dovetails

Posted By on January 1, 2022

Happy New Year. Let’s hope 2022 will finally be the year that we can return to normal life after 2 years of struggling with COVID19 and the precautions and restrictions.

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FinishedPiggyBank2018aOne of my woodworking skill improvements for 2022 (maybe I’ll make it a New Year’s resolution?) is to improve my competence, speed and accuracy in hand cutting dovetails as I did for a Piggy Bank project in 2018.

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In the back of my mind I’ve contemplated making a “short cuts” storage box to go on the cabinet from the office … and maybe it would be a great practice project. With that in mind, I’m archiving a YouTube clip from Rob Cosman below.
 

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Or another option …

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New Year’s Eve Friday Filler Photo: Make 2022 better than 2021

Posted By on December 31, 2021

As we wind down 2021 and close the book on a stressful COVID19 filled year … here’s hoping next year will bring an end to the pandemic. BirdsHavingABadDay2021sIf that is not going to be the case, then let’s hope the Omicron Variant isn’t as deadly as the Delta Variant … and that we will keep our schools and businesses open in 2022. We need to keep living our lives … now that we have improved vaccines, preventive measures and the many new meds waiting on FDA approval.

In any case have a safe New Year’s Eve , take care of yourself and your family and as the old cliché goes … Have a good day! (or at least a better one that the poor bird who flew into our relatively new window. OUCH! )

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Fairwell 2021!
 


End of the year advice for those who reside in the fiscal conservative camp, both for the running of our government (political) and personal lives (investing and daily living). Don’t be tempted by the excessive debt spending, “all-in” high-risk gambles and another “get rich quick” idea … especially now that we are in an age of historically unproven cryptocurrency speculation. The trade-offs for every tulip bulb or dotcom stock is generally for every winner there is a loser – if this becomes the strategy to secure your future, the likelihood of success is less than 50/50 (win or lose, the “house” always takes their cut).

Instead, be the turtle. Don’t overextend and overspend in your daily living, be ambitious and contribute positively at work, spend frugally and enjoy life every day, while still saving 10% of every paycheck. Balance your investments between a higher percentage of growth stocks vs value investments in a tax-deferred retirement portfolio in your early years, then systematically rotate to a value-weighted (with growing dividends) vs higher risk growth stocks in your later years. The final wise investment is in real estate, more precisely “a home.” You should be buying one (yes, with a mortgage). It is one of the few “investments” that you can enjoy while it historically keeps up with inflation. It offers tax advantages both in the short term and long term (capital gains taxes if/when you downsize) and with current interest rates lower than the current inflation rate, it is a no-brainer for those with low fixed-rate mortgages and is still attractive for those wanting to buy a home (although the current housing market seems a bit hot and overpriced – supply vs demand economics at work).

Guide to reducing Ethereum Gas Fees somewhat simplified

Posted By on December 30, 2021

Ethereum-logoThere’s more to buying, trading and SENDING Ethereum cryptocurrency and blockchain dapps than just reading this short paragraph, but if you want make $ETH transactions (applies to other cryptocurrencies as well) … the best way to reduce fees (gas fees) is to make the transactions when the traffic is not at its highest. In other words, if want to use the Ethereum network, it is best to make transactions over the weekend or between 1 and 3 am UTC. This could all be a moot point once the long awaited improvements go into full swing in 2022 as the full Ethereum 2.0 upgrade should be implemented. 

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Books: The President and the Freedom Fighter: Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and Their Battle to Save America’s Soul

Posted By on December 29, 2021

BrianKilmeade_ThePresident_bookThis book is on my 2022 “want to read” list and I’m unsure if I’ll opt for the audio version, ebook or paper edition (Amazon options)?

While listening to the Brian Kilmeade (the books author) talking about the “battle to save America’s soul” on a Fox News program, it has become apparent that those setting the agenda are a new breed of progressive Democrats (now unapologetically advocates for socialism). The very few traditionally-minded liberal Democrats like Sen Joe Manchin and Sen Kyrsten Sinema, who are resisting another round of TRILLIONs of dollars in social spending, are exercising common sense. For Brian Kilmeade,  I’m either sensing effective repurposing of his book title … or a crafty way of marketing his book? In either case, it is indeed fitting though as. 

Our country is in a 50/50 ideological battle between those who want to preserve individual freedom and prefer smaller government … and those who believe power and control is better when it comes from Washington DC, the elites and their central planners.Reagan-the-most-terrifying- OvertonWindowGraphic

I’m reminded everyday of why I’m a local and small government advocate versus a one-size-fits-all big Federal government proponent and voter. The longer I live, the further left in both social and fiscal policies our country is shifting and we are spending our way into a welfare state, we are at a tipping point. I know there are those who say what happened in Venezuela, Russia or China couldn’t happen here … but the direction we are going and the belief that “we can do socialism correctly” coming from the most vocal in education and leadership positions has me concerned – it has me thinking about my Overton window post.

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Simple TableSaw or Bandsaw miter jig idea for #Woodworking

Posted By on December 28, 2021

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As usual, I was late in coming across a simple workshop miter guide for my table saw, although more recently something I needed for my small bandsaw. While working on a Christmas project for my granddaughter, BandsawSled211218I needed to cut a bunch of small pieces where I didn’t lose so much wood to the table saw blade kerf. So, I opted to use the thin-bladed bandsaw to make the cuts and realized that I didn’t have a decent miter guide or miter sled (preferable). So, I took 30 minutes and made a small bandsaw sled jig (photo left) in order to make the cuts.

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It just so happened a couple days later, up popped a YouTube clip with a great sliding miter guide idea … although once again, an indication Google is must be still detecting not only my interests, but tracking what I’m doing (I did not search for a miter sled or miter jig).

Anyway, I’ll include the video below and a couple screen captures above for my own archive so I can make “another” one for my woodworking workshop.

Something a bit more amateur for this week’s Music Monday

Posted By on December 27, 2021

MarvinGayeTammiTerrellAlbumCover1967Social media is filled DianaRossAlbumCover1970with nastiness and ugly news … but it is also a place for upbeat positive news, scripture, prayer requests and a shared love of song and some heartwarming father-daughter bonding.  I’m not sure who these “smiling” amateur singers are that appeared on my Twitter feed, but it made my day and it will make a great Music Monday addition.

Below is a semi-edited daughter and dad singing the 1967 Motown hit Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (Marvin Gaye’s YouTube) and on of Diana Ross in 1970 (Diana Ross on YouTube) singing it a couple years later. These current day amateurs did a great job too!

Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2021 – Elon Musk

Posted By on December 26, 2021

ElonMusk_TimeMagazineManOfTheYear2021Before the year 2021 disappears, it is worth highlighting Time magazine’s pick for Person of the Year  – 279px-Tesla_Motors.svgalthough I generally just roll my eyes.

This time in picking Elon Musk, it is hard to disagree. The pick of Musk, the richest man on Earth, is a good one as he is not only an “influencer” … but an industry titan who’s disruptive drive in business is only SpaceX_StarshipSN15surpassed by his innovative genius and visionary ambition.

His Tesla company has changed the way we look at electric vehicles and his SpaceX company has move space exploration into the private sector. He continues to be a force worth watching since he is only 50, has amassed $300 billion dollars and someone to pay attention to whether he making an eccentric tweet on cryptocurrency or someone building a humanoid robot. In any case, Elon Musk was definitely an excellent pick for Person of The Year in 2021.

Boxing Day update and our Christmas yet-to-be family rotation

Posted By on December 26, 2021

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Merry Christmas to all … and may every reindeer eat a carrot

Posted By on December 25, 2021

Wishing all who read My Desultory Blog a very Merry Christmas, good health and a very Happy New Year.

Not the Christ you want, but the Christ you need

Posted By on December 24, 2021

CrossTopOfTree2021It is not easy to follow Christ, but His teachings, AND gift of salvation, are what we sinners need.

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 

– Matthew 4:19

While mailing out our Christmas cards, decorating our Christmas tree and reflecting on this past year, I listened to a message shared by Christian follower/friend Steve Martin on Twitter (see … there are some positive uses for social media). It was from 2012 (I think) by whom I assumed was his church pastor based on a reference in the audio — Mark Anderson <- his book link. I thought it was still timely in setting my mind and focus on the birth of Jesus this Christmas season … and who knows, someone else might agree?
  

  “Not the Christ you want, but the Christ you need”link

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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