My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on March 26, 2024

As has become a routine, I’m archiving a couple family weekend photos. First, last week was Gigi’s rescue day (Taylor and Megan’s dog). It was in 2023 that they found her and after attempting to find the owner by posting signs etc … although they suspected she was abandoned after having puppies … adopted her as their own (creative photo Taylor!) 

Second, Katelyn decided to add some creative painting to her daughter’s (and mother’s) love of rainbows. 

Genesis 9:13-16

13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,

15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

And third, an AMAZING world title skating performance by Ilia Malinin on the March 23, 2024 — see NBC Sports YouTube clip below. 

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Category: Archive, Art, Faith, Personal, Photos, Sports, Video-TV | No Comments »
Tags: dog, family, figure skating, genesis, gigi, Ilia Malinin, katelyn, nbc, rainbow, rescue, sports, taylor, youtube

Posted By RichC on March 25, 2024

A Twitter/X.com social media contact from FoxBusiness, Brian Brenburg,  is a “DollarVinyl” shopper. He is always posting album covers that he finds for “a buck.” In January 2024 he posted one from The Steve Miller Band … that I once owned (college days and pre-basement-flood). It triggered a response from me and a 2007 live video of the band performing “Jet Airliner (2018 post)”. Great band and excellent music.

So for Music Monday, above is a LIVE performance video from 2007 and below a comment from the SMBOfficial.

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Category: Music, Video | No Comments »
Tags: 2007, jet airliner, live, mp4, music monday, musicmonday, steve miller band, twitter, x.com

Posted By RichC on March 24, 2024

Today, Sunday March 24, 2024 is Palm Sunday … the Sunday before Easter. For Christians around the world, it commemorates the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. On this day, a cheering crowd greeted Jesus along the road, spreading their garments and palm branches before Him. For us today, it is time to get our hearts and minds ready to celebrate Easter … and to be prepared for the second coming of Jesus. 

It is also time for me to start counting down to April 15th … tax day … and a reminder for those who haven’t thought about it. I’m busy shuffling papers, downloading forms and planning out this year’s filing. Hopefully all will be in order and our filing will go smooth.  

So since I’m short on ambition, I’ll post a beautiful and “soothing to me” photo of the Marblehead Lighthouse shared online. The area and lighthouse has been a part of my history since going there with my parents and grandparents as a child (and even as a baby) … then while dating Brenda and eventually sailing during our years sailing Brenich and even Tulla! (1996 video below) 

Category: Faith, Misc, Personal, Photos, Sailing, Video | No Comments »
Tags: catawba, christianity, groupbiblestudy, island, lake erie, lighthouse, marblehead, ohio, palm, sunday, taxes

Posted By RichC on March 23, 2024

This should probably should have been a Tech Friday blog update post (or not at all?), but was something I noticed after cleaning up about 13 older posts with “issues.” Also I am hoping to test a “featured image” add-on to see if it work with social media alerts. 

Since 2005, I’ve been posting daily and the total number  is now over 8100 (it has become obvious when backing up data, photos and video). 

AND … to make this truly DESULTORY … here’s a photo from an X.com automotive discussion thread that has me to wanting to re-watch the 1973 movie, “American Graffiti.” 😊 

Category: Blogs, Movies, Social Media | No Comments »
Tags: american graffiti, blog, movie, my desultory blog, posts, toad, twitter, x.com

Posted By RichC on March 22, 2024

Although at this point I’m still sticking with cable for my Internet and television entertainment, the difficulty in watching certain sporting events is increasing. I’m not happy about Amazon locking up Thursday Night Football and did not like having to plan ahead for the NFL playoff game in January, but for the most part … sports channels are bundled in my “still pricey” cable TV package. It is just a matter of time before we’re looking at “pay per view” for big events and games … or at least having to “stream” certain games on dedicated platforms; 🎶 the times they are a changin’ 🎶.

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Category: Entertainment, Financial, Idioms, Music, News, Sports, Streaming, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: bob dylan, cutting the cord, idiom, sports, streaming, tech friday, techfriday, television, tv, wsj

Posted By RichC on March 21, 2024

I started reorganizing the south wall of my basement workshop on Sunday afternoon, first, so that I could store a bit more lumber on my storage rack (the extra Oosta lumber!) … and second, so that I could clean up my old children’s workbench for my granddaughters to use when they come this summer. 

After going through the junk stacked on it, I removed the back, cleaned some of the dust and dirt … then noticed writing behind the broken florescent light. My Grandpa Bluhm’s signed it with paint and added the date that he made if for me (he always printing everything in all CAPs … including letters from Florida to my mom). Tihs workbench was a gift he gave to me for Christmas in 1966 and therefore will be a Throwback Thursday #TBT post.  I have very fond memories of my namesake grandfather and often wish that he would have lived longer — he died only 3 years after making this for me in 1969. ☹️  

On a side note, Katelyn and Drew have quite a bit more lumber saved in their garage. I’m not sure how much they will use for their own projects, or how much I will be able to haul back … or where I’m going to store it (maybe garage?), but I definitely would like a bit more of the 3/4” oak — hint, hint Katelyn. 

Category: Archive, Memories, Personal, Photos, TBT | No Comments »
Tags: 1966, basement, christmas, grandpa bluhm, lumber, namesake, oostra, workbench, workshop

Posted By RichC on March 20, 2024

I’m of the opinion that there are three basic issues we Americans need to address when discussing what should be done with TikTok — be it a ban, divested ownership or continue under Chinese ownership and control. 

1. The Chinese Communist Party (government) uses the social media platform to collect data on U.S. citizens/user and feeds an addicted user base in the U.S. with propaganda and a selectively moderated feed.
   Is that appropriate from any foreign country? 
2. TikTok’s data collection practices and influence, puts Americans and the United States at risk from an adversarial country.
   Is it a form of “spying” and espionage?
3. How much freedom should Americans have when it comes to what they choose to read, watch and listen to?
   Would banning TikTok infringe on the First Amendment? 

TikTok, though, may go for option three: Sue the government. (LINK)

For the most part, people who use TikTok to enjoy the senseless videos (including one below) and see it as harmless. They do not understand how the algorithms are used or what the propaganda value is to the CCP.

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Category: News, Politics, Social Media, Video | No Comments »
Tags: ccp, china, divest, opinion, tiktok, video, wsj

Posted By RichC on March 19, 2024

Brenda commented with a photo that another White Pine Tree near our property line with one of our neighbors came down in the last windstorm. I missed it, but then generally am not all that observant to what is behind the trees (can’t really see it from our house).

Since the trees are on the line and landed on “his side” … and were planted by the neighbor when they built their house, I think I’ll assume that he will take care of it. The last time the tree came down on our property, so I removed it. 

Category: Personal, Photos, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: homeowner, tree, white pine, wind storm, yardwork

Posted By RichC on March 19, 2024

This content is restricted.

Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, birthday, bluey, ellerie, family, homebuilding, ohio, oostra, party, whitehouse

Posted By RichC on March 18, 2024

Five years ago for Music Monday I posted on Eric Carmen and a memory … well Brenda’s memory really, as he used her pharmacy in a NE Ohio decades ago. This past month his wife Amy Carmen shared that he passed away at the age of 74. ☹️ 

From MDB March 2019 (also shared an EricCarmen.com addition as a comment):

Brenda and I were talking about my blog and the fact that I include music with the occasional memory that it triggers. She wondered if I included Eric Carmen, a singer/songwriter (and original Raspberries lead) that was a customer at her pharmacy in Shaker Heights, Ohio when we lived in east side suburbs for Cleveland, Ohio (University Heights, Aurora and then Hudson)?

“Nope I did not” … but even if the music wasn’t exactly my taste, it does make for a good excuse to include the above video and the below, Hungry Eyes from the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing. By the way, it was recorded in Beachwood Studios (Beachwood, OH).

Eric Carmen – Hungry Eyes | 1987

Raspberries – Go All The Way | 1972

Category: Memories, Music, Obituary | No Comments »
Tags: eric carmen, music monday, musicmonday, obit