Weekend mailbox project update and Annalyn’s first haircut
Posted By RichC on March 14, 2021
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Handy IFitIt tools for gadgets and Spring 2021 family photos
Posted By RichC on March 13, 2021
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Tech Friday: Life after switching to Mint Mobile has been good
Posted By RichC on March 12, 2021
Back in January I switched my “off contract” iPhone7 Plus over to Mint Mobile and a month later switched over Brenda’s iPhone7. 
The transition was smooth and pretty much glitchless. Service from our previous Virgin Mobile then Boost Mobile plan is basically the same, although initially restricted me to 
3GB of data per month (now the company has increase it to 4GB for no additional charge). Surprisingly for me, that ONE additional gigabyte makes a difference especially when traveling away from my home/office “secure” WiFi. About the only negative so far is that you need to be committed to your hardware and not wanting the latest and greatest upgrades … aka: a new phone every year or so.
In order to lock in the lowest monthly price, it also requires prepaying initially 3 months ($15/mo) and thereafter paying for 1-year at a time. This could be an issues going forward IF we contemplate upgrading our phones and getting a carrier subsidy. Personally I’d prefer going to the Apple Store and buying an unlocked iPhone .. but then again, iPhones are no longer reasonably priced???
For now, I’ve set my autorenewal to one full years prepaid and will use my referral dollars to save even a couple more bucks. At a time we’re seeing so many prices rise, it is nice to see cellphone service prices come down as coverage and speeds rise. (I can remember when our family plan PER MONTH was higher than I’m paying for a full year!)
Who doesn’t love the Gilligan’s Island TV show? #TBT
Posted By RichC on March 11, 2021
My generation grew up with a handful of odd, yet popular with kids, television shows, none more endearing that Gilligan’s Island … which shockingly is still loved by almost everyone in reruns still today. After mentioning the passing of Dawn Wells, who play castaway Mary Ann, I realized that only Tina Louise (Ginger) is still with us in 2021. It definitely makes me feel old.
After only three seasons (99 shows which seems short by today’s standards) ended in the 1967, after starting in black and white in 1964. The cast, Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Bachus, Natalie Schafer, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells along with the shows writer and producer Sherwood Schwartz, were able to reunite fora TV sequel in 1978 and some of them again in 1979 and 1981 … all without Tina Louise who “had disputes with the producers.” I was never a fan of the reunion shows … BUT did enjoy seeing the cast all together one last time with Ross Shafer who was hosting The Late Show in 1988. So for Throwback Thursday #TBT here’s it is.
Backing up, updating Linux and installing WordPress 5.7
Posted By RichC on March 10, 2021
After having a server glitch and failed update this morning, it seemed like a good time to backup, updated Linux and test WordPress 5.7 “Esperanza” with a post today.
For the most part everything has been running fine since setting up SWAP space, but any issue triggering a crash makes me question what I’m missing?
For now, WordPress and the Linux install on three of 
the five servers have been updated and are running.
On a completely different topic (prepping for tomorrow) … here’s a fun Gilligan’s Island video highlighting a couple favorite TV characters from my childhood … and if you enjoy this one, you’ll like tomorrow’s post.
How to run email lists, sell your product and retain customers
Posted By RichC on March 10, 2021
After cleaning out my email in-box and “attempting” to unsubscribe to a bunch of marketing oriented email lists, it became clear that I chose to remain subscribed to the lists that do more than plug their products or repeat sales again and again.
A couple “subscribed-to” lists stood out because they were informative and were not just pushing product. The best example of doing it right is from Ranger Point Precision, which is the company that I used for parts to repair AND improve my old Marlin 1894 lever action rifle. Instead of just sending a sales flyer, they email a bit of informative history … and I actually enjoyed reading it.
It’s rare to find someone who hasn’t heard of Wild Bill Hickok. His life is legendary. His character appears in many movies set in the frontier west.
Wild Bill helped bring order to the frontier West. His gunfighting skills inspired many of our wild west tales and legends as one of our earliest “heroes of the west.”
Hickok’s family farm in Illinois was one of the stops on the Underground Railroad. He left the farm at the age of 17, ending up in Kansas, where he joined the antislavery Free State Army of Jayhawkers.
Finishing a desktop bookholder project for my son Taylor
Posted By RichC on March 9, 2021
While finishing up a small black walnut book stand or bookholder for my son’s birthday later this spring, I decided to archive a photo since Taylor doesn’t regularly read my blog (watch this be the exception). I wanted to make something for him since the granddaughters usually get most projects. He is also the other “sailboat” lover in the family, so I think this woodworking project is something suited for him.
The small desktop bookholder is of my own design is is made from recycled wood with dados for the angled bottom rails and slender back straps. I took the photo above after applying the first coat of a satin oil-based finish this past weekend. The burled-maple sailboat is inlayed into the walnut and all will get two-coats of oil and then a wax and buff after a couple weeks of cure time. I’m not sure how functional it is anymore since books and even desks are becoming a thing of the past? We seem to be transforming to just using laptops, tablets and smartphones … but at least he can put it on a side table, dresser 
or maybe his turntable furniture? Back in the day, I could see this kind of thing useful for a dictionary, thesaurus or even am MLA style guide.
Music Monday: Johnny Nash recorded “I Can See Clearly Now”
Posted By RichC on March 8, 2021
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Sunday Filler: Thinking about our path as Christians
Posted By RichC on March 7, 2021
As someone who enjoys using tools and building things, the reference to pendulums and plumb lines in a Stand to Reason post speaks to me. It is also a good reminder to stick to the “plumb line of Scripture” rather than the prevailing … and often skewed … Christian and non-Christian worldviews.
"Align your views to the plumb line of Scripture."
Scripture uses a plumb line as a metaphor for spiritual truth by which we can align our lives. For example, God tells Isaiah, “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line” (Isaiah 28:17). God also sends the prophet Amos to warn Israel of impending judgment because of their disobedience:
The Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand. The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold I am about to put a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel. I will spare them no longer.” (Amos 7:7–8)
The plumb line makes it clear to God’s people how far they’ve strayed from his perfect will.
The mistake is to follow the swing of a pendulum rather than adjust your position according to a plumb line. The problem with swinging the pendulum the other way is that it mistakenly presumes that the opposite position of an incorrect view is always correct. It can be, but that isn’t always the case. When you realize you’re in error, the biblical approach is to look at Scripture like a plumb line and realign your view according to that unchanging standard.
How are we doing in vaccinating our population? #COVID19
Posted By RichC on March 6, 2021
Immunization is picking up speed, but we are still struggling to get enough of the produced vaccinations in arms … especially in some states. This past week an article in Fortune posted a “tracker map” illustrating 
where it is going well and where we’re are struggling to get shots in the arms of every American adult.
My RPh wife Brenda has been vaccinating every day and mentioned that they are already received their first shipment of the Johnson and Johnson “one-dose” vaccine. Beside being one-shot, the storage requirements aren’t as challenging, so this should improve efficiency in getting the US population closer to herd immunity.
Georgia, according to the Fortune Vaccine Tracker map, is having the most difficulty in rolling out the immunization for some reason, but after talking with my friend Mark outside of Savannah, he and Dar were getting their second shots already this past week. Brenda received her second this past week, as did Katelyn, Drew and Megan a week or so prior (all health care workers).
In total nationwide, about 107 million vaccines have been distributed nationwide—80.5 million, or 75.2%, of which have been administered.
As for Ohio, all the numbers are going in the right direction, but we’re still not fully open (State of Ohio Cumulative and Daily Count below):
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.