Goodbye 2024. Have a Happy and Healthy New Year 2025!
Posted By RichC on January 1, 2025
This content is restricted.
An interesting New Year’s Eve #AI assisted Filler Post to end 2024
Posted By RichC on December 31, 2024
Wishing all who read My Desultory Blog a Happy and Healthy New Year … and may you all have the household size you desire and live in an ideal sized home.
Playing with #AI (results not verified, but interesting)
A chart comparing the average household size to home square footage in the US from 1940 to 2024. #ChatGPT pic.twitter.com/cUZgikfz63— Rich Corbett (@RichC) December 21, 2024
Music Monday: Emerson, Lake & Palmer: “From The Beginning”
Posted By RichC on December 30, 2024
Today’s Music Monday song is from 1972, a few years before my music listening days, but the supergroup Emerson, Lake and Palmer was definitely played on stereos during my college dorm listening years.
The album Trilogy featured Greg Lake’s song “From The Beginning” which became the progressive rock band’s highest ranking U.S. single at #39 … and the album was Lake’s favorite. He died from pancreatic cancer in 2016. The late Keith Emerson (1944-2016) and Carl Palmer were the other two founders and band members through 1980; they continued to perform music throughout their careers.
Currently, Carl Palmer, the youngest member (who join the band Asia after ELP broke up) is still performing according to sources. He was the eleventh drummer to be inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer – “From The Beginning” | 1972 |
A woodworking snippet on how to repair a dovetail pin
Posted By RichC on December 29, 2024
Every once in a while I come across a idea from a library-borrowed digital woodworking magazine that get snipped and stored on my iPad as a photo (some are overseas even). Sometimes its a better idea to add them to MyDesultoryBlog’s Woodworking section as it is easy for me to find them again (there are way too many photos on the iPad).
Who knows, the tidbits might even help a reader out years from now?
When hearing the word “titanic,” we often think RMS Titanic
Posted By RichC on December 28, 2024
The word titanic is hardly one we would pick to describe something huge today due to the history of the RMS Titanic.
BUT, back in 1911-12 when it was built and sailed, the RMS Titanic was an enormous and impressive ship. If not for the arrogance in believe the design was nearly invincibile to the ocean … and carelessness of Captain Edward Smith … it would have been a ship and cruise of envy.
Today the luxury ocean liner is relatively small compared to the enormous cruise ships and of course aircraft carriers, but the Titanic has still has generated a few more posts than the others on My Desultory Blog, but then not all have been seafaring in reference. 😉
Filler Friday: Is this “waves in the sky” photo real or AI?
Posted By RichC on December 27, 2024
It will likely be busy in our household this weekend (as we’re having a belated family Christmas) … but saw this Friday Filler photo on social media and thought it was interesting enough to share (I’m not sure it is real or AI — click for larger)?
Getting better sleep by watching an episode of Hogan’s Heroes
Posted By RichC on December 26, 2024
Sleep has never been a problem for me until this past year or so. I don’t know if it is age or that my mind is filled with too much stuff — my running out of hard drive 
space theory (a worthless thought for another time). Anyway, I mentioned this to my primary care physician durning my last wellness check and it was also one of the questions on the “65 and older” sheet his offices hands out 
before spending 15 minutes in “the small cell” exam room with me.😊
Anyway we discussed my routine (how much TV, blue light screen time, thought provoking reading, caffeine, etc) and all the things to try prior to heading down the meds route. He also agreed with my wife (a pharmacist) that Diphenhydramine is an inexpensive and safe OTC drug to try.
Previously my “doctor daughter” had discouraged me from taking melatonin, which is often suggested as a natural sleep aid — but not by my PCP either. Some are concerned that taking additional melatonin long term may discourage your body from naturally producing what your body needs, but Healthline disagrees. I had previously tried a 10 pill sample 10 MG bottle from Puritan’s Pride, but didn’t see an improvement so decided not to continue down that path (before talking to physicians).
The Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic also have a couple worth reading webpages on common medicines and so I’ll link them for those finding getting a good sleep a continual problem.
All things aside, my sleep has finally improved, … likely because I’ve changed a couple of habits and included a couple new things to my evening routine. 
I’m not sure which deserves the credit, but I’m crediting #3, although pharmacist Brenda would say it is #4 (once a “legal” drug pusher, always a drug pusher).
- Cut out the Diet Mountain Dew — last is generally late afternoon, but I still could cut back (in the past, I always had a can with pretzels while watching TV)
- Drink a cup of milk in place of the pop/soda … but I do put a little Nestlé Quik in the
milk. - Turned off sports or the news and AGAIN re-watch an episode of Hogan’s Heroes (cast) before going to sleep (but as Sgt Schutz would say, “I know nothing”).
- Take a Diphenhydramine an hour before going to bed.
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine used to relieve symptoms of allergy, hay fever, and the common cold. These symptoms include rash, itching, watery eyes, itchy eyes/nose/throat, cough, runny nose, and sneezing. It is also used to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness caused by motion sickness. Diphenhydramine can also be used to help you relax and fall asleep.This medication works by blocking a certain natural substance (histamine) that your body makes during an allergic reaction. Its drying effects on such symptoms as watery eyes and runny nose are caused by blocking another natural substance made by your body (acetylcholine).Cough-and-cold products have not been shown to be safe or effective in children younger than 6 years. Do not use this product to treat cold symptoms in children younger than 6 years unless specifically directed by the doctor.
Wishing your family a “possibly snowy” Merry Christmas 2024
Posted By RichC on December 25, 2024
Wishing all who stumble on these pages (or choose to click on MyDesultoryBlog) a Very Merry Christmas, safe travels and a warm and wonderful celebration of Christ’s birth. May you and yours enjoy time together with family and friends.
Weather? Check to see if the Old Farmer’s Almanac is correct this year (below).
The Real Christmas Story: A Chronicle of Hope, Peace and Love
Posted By RichC on December 24, 2024
As the hustle and bustle of the holiday season reaches its crescendo, it is all too easy to become engulfed in the whirlwind of commercialism and festive preparations.
However, Christmas Eve offers us a moment to pause and reflect on the true essence of Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ. This pivotal event in human history, celebrated for over two millennia, is not just a story of a miraculous birth but a message of hope, love, and redemption.
The Journey to Bethlehem
The story begins in Nazareth, a small town in Galilee, where a young woman named Mary lived. Mary was betrothed to a carpenter named Joseph. One day, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, announcing that she had been chosen to bear the Son of God. Although initially troubled, Mary accepted this divine mission with faith and humility.
Meanwhile, a decree from Caesar Augustus required everyone to return to their ancestral towns for a census. For Joseph, this meant traveling to Bethlehem, the City of David, as he was of the house and lineage of David. Despite Mary’s advanced pregnancy, the couple embarked on this arduous journey.
Music Monday: “Christmas Island” – Jimmy Buffett (1996)
Posted By RichC on December 23, 2024
It may not be the “best” … or even a “favorite” Christmas song … or even a thoughtful Music Monday song that puts us in the snowy, wintery, Christmas spirit. 
Still, Jimmy Buffett’s “Christmas Island” from 1996 seems about right this year since the decorations are minimal and I’m already thinking about warmer weather. It sounds nice 
to “hang a stocking under a great big coconut tree.”
BUT … I’m not complaining AT ALL … since we’ll be spending Christmas time with our family … and enjoying each other company. I can’t help but reflect on how blessed we are to have successful kids, two beautiful granddaughters, good health, financial peace and knowing we live in a country where we can put our head on our pillow at night and not worry about the next day.
| Jimmy Buffett – “Christmas Island” | 1996 |
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.