Quiet no more – Katelyn and Drew are having a second baby
Posted By RichC on September 24, 2019
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Finally … a first baby shower for Lauren and Aaron Howard
Posted By RichC on September 23, 2019
Carolyn (Aaron’s forever babysitter and family friend), Brenda, Delores (DadH‘s office manager) and my sister-in-law Chris.
Hm … the word "finally" is a sensitive one for those wanting a baby verses those delaying having a family? Thankfully for my nephew Aaron (loyal Music Monday blog commenter) and his wife Lauren, the wait is over, as they had a baby shower back in their hometown of Bemus Point, NY. Several in our extended family drove or flew to be there including Aaron’s niece Madelyn (Justin and Katie), Chris, Madison and Jerry (thanks for the photos) and my wife Brenda. It would have been nice to have driven up with Brenda … but I already had previous plans and also am starting to feel like a dinosaur remembering when baby showers didn’t include men. Oh well, I’m super happy for them just the same and was glad Brenda could be there.
Enjoying a nice drive, good weather and undeserved friendship
Posted By RichC on September 22, 2019
Made my favorite “good weather” drive this past week on I-40 through Tennessee and North Carolina (photo above) and visited my 
undeserved friends Mark and Dar Jones who recently moved to a new townhouse outside of Savannah, Georgia. What a comfortable place for both of them … offering “walk-ability” for Dar with her limited eyesight and still giving Mark a large east facing (no afternoon sun) 1-1/2 car garage for his woodworking shop. Their hospitality to me is, as always, second to none; Dar made me my favorite roast beef, potatoes, veggies for dinner (with Apple Pie and ice cream!). They have been great friends from their years living aboard Zola and the kind of people who represent the best in Americans … doing most anything for someone in need … or their country (true American patriots – Dar, US Navy and Mark, lifetime USMC).
Of course the eventual destination for my drive was Encore to check on her condition after Hurricane Dorian devastated the northern Bahamas and brushed the Florida east coast (all good). She is looking sad and neglected after the heat of the hot southern summer. I’m losing ambition to keep up with her maintenance knowing that I now have an electrical issue (alternator, batteries) on top of an overheating diesel. I did clean her up a bit and added the new verdigris painted cabin lights that Brenda has been working on. They look nautical to me and much better than the tarnished brass plated originals.
How-To: A workshop tidbit for accurately drilling shelf pins
Posted By RichC on September 21, 2019
While talking with my good friend Mark Jones about accurately drilling pin holes to mount a few glass shelves in a tight space, he gave me a great idea to use a piece of peg board to align all the holes accurately. Thanks Mark, a great tip!
But in my case, I didn’t have a scrap piece of peg board (or was too lazy to buy one) and also wondered if the 1/4" holes would align the 5mm pins … so I instead drilled a template board with a stop to accurately align each of the holes precisely on the four points for each of the levels these little shelve pins would fit.
One of the better investments, back when building airplanes, was a "tight fit right angle drill" which really helps when a normal or EVEN small drill with a chuck will not fix (photo above).
Note to self:
Next time remember to also pack the charger for the Ridgid tools! DUH!
Tech Friday: Lenovo, Eye Care and Snipping Tool backgrounds
Posted By RichC on September 20, 2019
Today’s Tech Friday tip is something that has changed in recent weeks likely due to an update that is suppose to make reading on devices easier on the eyes. Based on lighting conditions, automatic settings will filter out blue light — a lot more when the room is dark.
The problem is that this can impact other software such as the screen snipping tools that have become universal in daily computer productivity. In my case, the temporary fix was to turn off the "Eye Care" feature or just move the slider back and forth in Lenovo Vantage (on my Lenovo 710). Hopefully this post will show up in a search if you are having and provide a quick but temporary fix until the problem is addressed.
Keeping a “Sharpie” eye on Tropical Storm Jerry
Posted By RichC on September 19, 2019
So sorry President Trump (Sharpiegate) … I just can help myself when looking at weather forecast maps. #humor
How does marriage impact the taxes you pay?
Posted By RichC on September 18, 2019
Does Your State Have a Marriage Tax Penalty?
It isn’t always easy to decipher the tax impact of marriage on taxes, but the Tax Foundation summarized the tax code “marriage penalty” and offers an overview map. YMMV.
Under a progressive, graduated-rate income tax system, tax rates increase as a taxpayer’s marginal income increases. A marriage penalty exists when a state’s income brackets for married taxpayers filing jointly are less than double the bracket widths that apply to single filers. In other words, married couples who file jointly under this scenario face a higher effective tax rate than they would if they filed as two single individuals with the same amount of combined income.
This nonneutral tax treatment is particularly harmful to owners of pass-through businesses, who pay taxes on their business income under the individual income tax system. Under a marriage penalty, married business owners are subject to higher effective tax rates on their business income than they would be otherwise.
A 1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia: The 2nd car I ever drove.
Posted By RichC on September 17, 2019
After receiving for my learner’s permit (at age 16 in Ohio the 1970s), my family took a long summer vacation out west. One of the stops was to visit a long-time work friend of my dad’s who lived just outside of San Francisco in Los Altos. One of the cars he had was a bright orange 1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia convertible with a manual 3-speed. He was a bit more California-free spirited or “looser” with the rules than my parents … so he tossed me the keys telling me to take it out for a spin. What a special moment as it became the second car I drove behind my mom‘s 1967 Ford Custom 500. Thankfully I brought it back in one piece (but I did stay in the neighborhood).
This particular car is identical, but in Scottsdale, AZ
Archive: Thankful to have my family within driving distance
Posted By RichC on September 16, 2019
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Do you have a REAL ID yet? If you fly, you have until Oct 2020.
Posted By RichC on September 15, 2019
The Wall Street Journal Middle Seat writer reminds us that in about a year, just before the 2020 election, there will likely be a few more airport delays and angry passengers attempt to use their “old” driver’s licenses as an ID in order to pass through the TSA screening line. UGH! One can only imagine the frustration of getting to the airport only to be turn away because the ID that you’ve been using for years is no longer valid due to the new REAL ID regulations … or standing in line behind angry travelers in that situation.
Check out Scott McCartney’s WSJ MiddleSeat column or follow @MiddleSeat on Twitter.
I discovered another difference between my wife’s travel preferences and mine this weekend: Her driver’s license is compliant with REAL ID regulations, and mine is not.
Actually, a TSA screener at Raleigh-Durham International Airport discovered it for me.
This week’s Middle Seat (by coincidence) looks at the looming hassle ahead for travelers because of REAL ID. If you use your license as your ID, and most of us do, then you may have an unexpected trip to the DMV within the next year. That’s even more fun than a TSA patdown.
Starting Oct. 1, 2020, your license has to have a REAL ID star on it, or you have to use your passport at TSA, if you have a current passport. Or you’ll probably miss your flight. TSA says after numerous extensions, it’s not kidding this time—REAL ID is going to happen next year.
We’ll see. The prospect of millions of angry travelers right before an election probably isn’t good politics. In a few states, you still can’t even get a driver’s license that complies with REAL ID requirements. But telling everyone they have to comply by a certain date and then saying "just kidding" isn’t good policy, either.
REAL ID may turn out to be a real mess.
Safe travels,
Scott McCartney
Find me on Twitter @MiddleSeat, or email middleseat@wsj.com.
Updated: Due to Coronavirus, the new date for Real ID is now October 1, 2021.
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.