My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on November 14, 2021

Prior to 2017, I backed a ThingCharger Kickstarter project that was an excellent product. It was overpriced for what it did, but I ended up buying a couple extras for gifts (Brenda’s phone charging in photo at Katelyn and Drew’s house).

In 2017, after the business failure, founder Seymour Segnit started a new company telling early investors he learned from the mistakes in “running the business” and was re-branding a new line of premium charging products called MagFast. After much delay, pandemic manufacturing slowdowns and now shipping issue backlogs … we’re finally getting an initial backer shipping date list. One thing they did right was to keep backers updated ever step of the way … even when the news was less than positive. Since my order is in Batch 4, I’m hoping that a package will arrive in February 2022 … at least that is what the latest chart is suggesting.

EDIT updated shipping chart as of 3/15/2022…

Category: Cellphone, Gadget, Innovation, Marketing, Shopping, Tablet, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: charger, ipad, iphone, magfast, segnet, seymour, smartphone, thingcharger

Posted By RichC on November 13, 2021

For Christmas in 1999, Katelyn and Drew gave me the MyQ hardware to “smarten up” one of the garage doors … well at least the opener. It permits a smartphone to control, adding authorize users and ability monitor garage door access. A couple of weeks I received a warning that the battery was “low” and needed to be replaced. It is now a couple years old, so that doesn’t seem too bad?

After contemplating a run to the hardware store, I opted to buy 10 CR2450 batteries for under $5.00 from Amazon. Speaking of Amazon, the MyQ setup works well with their Key Service and permits a delivery driver access to the garage … so as long as you trust them. So far, never a problem (see previous post).

I’m not a fan of replacing batteries, but it was no big deal since this one lasted two years and was pretty simple to replace. I only wish the Samsung Smartthings hub connected to the battery motion sensor and door sensors at the condo had batteries that would last more than 6 months.

Next on the “before winter” to-do list is to figure out why the LED lights I put up in 2018 on the back of the pool house garage aren’t working. Grr!

Category: Cellphone, Gadget, Misc, Photos, Shopping, Technology, To-Do | No Comments »
Tags: amazon, battery, garage, garage door, myq, pool house, poolhouse, repair, sensor, smartthings

Posted By RichC on November 12, 2021

A few times before, I’ve highlighted unlikely … or maybe just surprising piano playing talent on My Desultory Blog … and this Friday Filler video is no different. The first was Jacob Toliver in an Ohio hardware store and that post still makes me smile.

Category: Music, Social Media, Tidbits, Video | No Comments »
Tags: friday filler, mp4, piano, talent, tiktok, video

Posted By RichC on November 11, 2021

Our driveway project is semi-wrapped up, but the landscaping company has yet to deliver our topsoil and river rock. The Creech’s rep did update me with a tentative date later this month, so we shall see if the weather holds them back again?

I finally moved the construction cones a couple weeks ago and we started to use our front driveway again … but no sooner did vehicles drive on the new concrete  again did a van drive off the edge. I was hoping that it didn’t crack the edge of the concrete (it did not) … considering that there isn’t any packed ground or at topsoil settled in to give the edge some extra support.

To make this a Throwback Thursday #TBT post, this time the delivery driver can’t blame it on snow or leave it perched precariously on our mailbox (Fedex). I didn’t even comment since the Amazon “girl” was super nice. I actually felt bad for her and wondered if she has trouble driving the van in far tighter driveways?  

Category: Misc, Photos, TBT, Technology, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: amazon, Cam, delivery, driveway, fedex, landscaping, prime, security, TBT

Posted By RichC on November 11, 2021

This content is restricted.

Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, babysitting, bompa, brenda, crafts, drew, ellerie, family, games, katelyn, mp4, oma, perrysburg, playing, richc, veterans day

Posted By RichC on November 10, 2021

It may not be pretty, but hopefully the “fix” for the segment of driveway concrete that was poured when our driveway was replaced, without the proper pitch, will prevent puddling where the old and new concrete came together. We were not home to see the work, but after a cursory look (photos) on Wednesday morning, it looks pretty good.

We are still unhappy with the quality of work, the poor brushing and trying to beat the rain (damage to surface) and will likely have disagreement over our finally contracted payment amount. The company disappointed me several times in addition to the quality of workmanship and the cracking has already appeared:

1. No cut-thru for a spill/pipe in rear on a previous slap that we talked about initially,
2. refused to remove a stump or even contract a stump grinder after starting the project (I had to find someone to take care of this on my dime),
3. damage to blacktop in the rear that they “said” would be taken care of,
4. making me pay separate and out of pocket for the downspout drains that were clearly talked about
5. and a quirky unmatched flare at the road that doesn’t remotely match our previous driveway or others in our neighborhood.

Category: Archive, Misc, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: big pour, drain, driveway, hime, house, project, repair, subcontract

Posted By RichC on November 9, 2021

After learning to tie a Monkey Fist knot this past year, I decided to make a couple Christmas ornaments for my granddaughters. I was planning to attach them to their presents in December, but Brenda suggested they should have them before Christmas so that they could hang them on their tree. Yikes, now I need to get the little “year” tag done sooner!

Of course, even with my long to-do list, I found time to sit back a few minutes over the weekend after working outside. The autumn weather has been crisp, but with sunshine and no wind, it was very pleasant sitting in front of the fire on the back porch.

Category: Personal, Photos, Sailing, Tidbits, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: ani gif, anigif, backporch, chores, christmas, fire, gifts, granddaughters, knots, monkey fist, ornaments, projects, tdiclub

Posted By RichC on November 8, 2021

Although I usually don’t purposely listen to jazz, I do appreciate hearing it when it is played and discussed. Last week when Fox Business host Charles Payne mentioned “We’re having a Miles Davis rally” in reference to the stock market – and the “be there or be square” 1950’s slogan. I tweeted about it and was shocked at the views and retweets.

So for Music Monday, this post wrote itself and I’m including a YouTube clip highlighting Miles Davis and his “So What” composition.

Category: Financial, Music, Social Media, Video | No Comments »
Tags: charles payne, foxbusiness, idiom, idioms, jazz, miles davis, music monday, musicmonday, stock market, tweet, twitter, youtube

Posted By RichC on November 7, 2021

Maybe it is just me, but seeing this drone photo of a Blue Whale off the coast of Western Australia was impressive. Australia is one of those countries on my bucket list, but it is such a long and expensive flight … and Australia is a huge country to visit in a single trip, that a vacation there has never risen to the top of a short one of two weeks off travel list. Maybe someday? For now, I’ll archive the photo from the Australia Twitter feed and save the link the Margaret River Region of Western Australia to my blog.

Category: Archive, Blogs, Nature, Photos, Social Media, Travel | No Comments »
Tags: australia, margaret river, ocean, western australia, whales

Posted By RichC on November 6, 2021

The Ridgid brand of cordless tools have been my choice for the home workshop for a few years now and until this past week I have had a positive experience. Earlier this year Ridgid even replaced a couple failing batteries under the LSA (Lifetime Service Agreement) … BUT now this brand of choice is a little tarnished.

One of the tools, the subcompact driver, has been a go-to lightweight tools for screws and assembly chores. For the most part, I’m a light-duty tool user and don’t abuse cordless tools and take good care of the batteries. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that the battery rapidly drains whenever I attach one to “this tool.” All others seem fine.

So I called Ridgid customer service about it expecting they might just diagnose and replace by shipping a new one (and me shipping back the faulty one) or perhaps exchanging at the Home Depot. Nope … they required me to take it to a service center, leave the tool for them to diagnose and order parts or replace. This would require another trip back and time without the tool (no big deal for me, but a contractor/worker needing it on the job would find this frustrating). In my case, I’ve decided to just live with the minor issue (just remove the battery when I’m done using it for the day) or I will buy another one as an updated and improved model comes out (every few years). Realistically, they aren’t really that expensive. For me, the inconvenience isn’t worth driving back and forth to an inconvenient service center.

So … the Rigid tool LSA might not be exactly what it is cracked up to be. In other words, if you prefer the Milwaukee or DeWalt .. don’t pick a Ridgid cordless tools just because of the Lifetime Service Agreement that includes batteries purchased paired with a kit (which was my reasoning). 

Category: Advice, Misc, Shopping, Tools, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: agreement, battery, cordless, customer service, home depot, lifetime, lithium, lsa, repair, ridgid, service, tools, workshop