What inspires someone to become an engineer? #video

| March 11, 2023

When I was in high school, I headed off to Ohio Northern University to become an engineer although veered off into industrial technology, facility design and then teaching when offered a Miami University instructor position when in graduate school. Now putting that education redirection aside … and the other career moves that followed … I’m […]

An accident that goes beyond the ordinary in Baltimore, MD

| March 5, 2023

It is one thing trying to evade the police by speeding, then running a red light and crashing into an unsuspecting driver … but to also hit a building and have it collapse is another? Yikes!

A young chef fixes his own lunch #video

| February 8, 2023

From experience, I do know that younggist children in the U.S. (often farm kids — or commercial fisherman kids) were responsible for home chores, pitched in with caring for their siblings … and over a century ago (thankfully) would be sent to work outside the home. But in many parts of the world, children learn […]

A bird feeder idea for those with access to curved glass

| February 7, 2023

For those with with a love for feeding birds and access to a curved piece of glass (or perhaps the ability to heat and curve plexiglass?) … here’s an interesting project idea. Click on image for a short .mp4 video Although having this bird feeder in your window might get old after a while, it would be […]

Our Echo Show continues to remind us of family

| January 28, 2023

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Friday Filler: Flyover images of mountains on Pluto #space

| January 27, 2023

As a boy growing up enamored with the NASA Apollo program and going to the moon in the 1960s, I’m still a little peeved at Pluto’s demotion from planet status. Nevertheless, I’m amazed at the New Horizon spaceship’s video flying over the mountains of Pluto. Amazing and a worthwhile Friday Filler.

Music Monday: David Crosby of CSN and CSNY will be missed

| January 23, 2023

Steven Stills, David Crosby and Graham Nash in concert in 2012 A depressing Music Monday today as music lovers remembered and reflected on the January 18, 2023 passing of the talented singer, guitarist and songwriter David Crosby. He impacted literally millions with is wonderful harmonies from the day he joined the Byrds in 1964 to […]

Music Monday: “Back In The High Life Again” – Steve Winwood

| January 16, 2023

Perhaps it is that I feel younger “again” or that this song just the good memories from earlier times, but I do get a good feeling when listening to Steve Windood singing “Back In The High Life Again.” After a medically rough week … or several weeks with Brenda’s hip fracture and full hip replacement […]

Amazed at the mobility improvement so soon after surgery

| January 15, 2023

Brenda is making remarkable improvements (in my opinion) in her mobility after having expedited full hip replacement surgery on Monday afternoon at 4PM. As mentioned yesterday, she was released from the hospital on Wednesday night and after a semi-restful day on Thursday, began physical therapy on Friday. Katelyn came down from Perrysburg and was wonderful […]

Filler Friday: Stippling or pixel art with nails #video

| January 13, 2023

Although I’m not sure what kind of art this is … it will be included as a Filler Friday video. It does appeal to me since it the artist or craftsman uses tools and nails to create a pixel or stippling. This is some pretty impressive work below.

Music Monday: Roger Miller singing “King of the Road”

| January 9, 2023

Perhaps the first song that I can remember hearing on the radio and remembering I liked was Roger Miller‘s “King of the Road.” I was probably too young to remember it clearly, but my mom and dad commented that I definitely liked it when I was just 4 or 5.  I do know that … […]

Music Monday: Same Old Lang Syne by the late Dan Fogelberg

| January 2, 2023

There are songs that when you hear them trigger memories of times, people and places in life. Dan Fogelberg’s “Same Old Lang Syne” does that for me … although thankfully not as depressing as the lyrics. (I’m thinking about the “bigger than life trips” during my college Christmas/New Year breaks). Over the Christmas and New […]

Wishing ALL a Happy and Healthy New Year in 2023

| January 1, 2023

I would like to wish everyone visiting MyDesultoryBlog.com a Happy and Healthy New Year … and after seeing this “black ice” social media shared video from last months deadly winter storm … safe traveling in 2023. Whew … very frightening.   https://mdbav.s3.amazonaws.com/DangerousBlackIce2022.mp4

Saving family photos from our Corbett-Oostra Christmas 2022

| December 29, 2022

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What to do with an old Amazon Echo Dot? Tear it down.

| December 16, 2022

What “should” a person do when an older piece of tech stops working? Give up? Buy new? Well we have an older first generation Amazon Echo Dot continued to be unreliable in maintaining a WiFi connection to our mesh home network. After several restarts over the last couple of months, full reboots and re-setups, I’ve […]

Archive: Some family time with our granddaughters

| November 30, 2022

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Short video tidbit: Another way to fold sheet corners

| November 23, 2022

Music Monday: “Make Your Own Kind of Music” – Cass Elliot

| November 14, 2022

About a week ago while watching television, the song “Make Your Own Kind of Music” in a Volkswagen commercial caught my ear. It triggered a “Can you dig it?” psychedelia thought that I thankfully only knew from observing the “far out” subculture during the 1960s. Still, a lot of the music and memories are from […]

Centuries pass and the borders of countries in Europe change

| November 2, 2022

If you like maps and watching the borders of countries, here’s a small, quick video of the changing borders in Europe over the centuries. Pretty wild.

Music Monday: An aviation photo triggered a memory of a funky boombox McDonalds commercial from years ago

| October 31, 2022

It doesn’t get any odder than seeing a “very low” fly-by photo from a fellow aviation enthusiast Ron Eisele on Twitter and having it trigger a “how low can you go” McDonalds commercial from way back when??? It’s probably not an appropriate Music Monday, but the music well is dry today … so I’m using […]

Friday Filler: Even crabs hate getting sand in their eyes

| September 9, 2022

Who likes getting sand blown in their eyes at the beach … not even crabs.

Orcas attacking Great White Sharks for their liver and heart

| September 3, 2022

Over the past several years, I’ve been reading stories about how pods of Orcasattack Great White Sharks. A Daily Mail article with photos and a short drone video segment this summer was particularly interesting. Would an 👉 orca eat a swimmer‘s 👈 liver or heart? 😨 At least seven great white shark carcasses have washed […]

My granddaughter enjoyed mowing with me on the Kubota

| August 27, 2022

Along with Brenda sending me a couple of belated video clips from her phone from earlier this month with our granddaughters, I thought the one of Annalyn mowing with me was pretty special. She spent hours with me while Ellerie was taking her nap and thoroughly enjoyed driving the Kubota … thankfully missing the trees!

A birthday weekend in Georgia with the Gerbers

| August 23, 2022

It was a nice weekend to drive to Atlanta, even though it was only for a short birthday visit for Brenda’s sister Ann. As always, we had a very nice time together, had a great day hiking up to Indian Seats (panorama above) and our favorite part, catching up on the life of their girls. […]

When hammerhead sharks feed, stay on the beach #video

| August 18, 2022

It is summer vacation season … and shark video time … so here’s one from Twitter of a LARGE Hammerhead Shark chasing a stingray in Orange Beach, Alabama. Whoa … it’s better to stay out of the water when this is happening. I’ll stick with just looking at the little Sand Tiger Sharks.

Summer 2022 at home with our granddaughters wrap-up

| August 14, 2022

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A Happy Birthday for Brenda … with her granddaughters

| August 12, 2022

It has been a perfect summer week with Ellerie and Annalyn and all topped off with our family together to celebrate Brenda’s birthday. Katelyn and Drew are taking the girls to Kings Island today while we recuperate and I try to get a few things done that have piled up from phone calls, emails and […]

Magic tricks: How did they do that? #video

| August 9, 2022

Who doesn’t like knowing how a magician deceives an audience, especially when the magic trick is performed flawlessly. Here a behind the trick look at some deception.

Music Monday: Does Cincinnati still love Jimmy Buffett in 2022?

| July 25, 2022

An especially “cool” Jimmy Buffett concert in Cincinnati, Ohio was enjoyed by Taylor’s Megan and her Parrothead father Dave. As usual (except thru COVID), they were at the annual Riverbend concert and enjoyed the up close and personal and more intimate side of the concert. Dave Schnieder, a Cincinnati teacher and football coach all of […]

Video: Comparing a few different wall anchors for screws

| July 23, 2022

Here’s a very short video highlighting several different kinds of popular wall anchors or mollies and how easy they are to use compared to each other. I saw it on social media and found it an interesting tidbit for woodworking or for those of us spending time in a workshop.

A nightmare ending to a great 40th anniversary family trip

| July 14, 2022

It is probably good to have waited another day before posting in frustration over how our return flight was handled by Air Canada since we were not happy being stuck in Toronto after our final leg was canceled. To add insult to injury we already had a delayed flight on Sunday, then boarded and deplaned […]

Friday filler: Ambition knows no limits for hard workers

| July 8, 2022

If you are on social media, you likely have already watched this shared video of a couple of ambitious and obviously hardworking guys using their skills to build a below ground level sanctuary.

Tech Friday: Just a low-cost data serving test post #video

| July 1, 2022

For Tech Friday today, here’s an impressive slow-motion video used more for an internal streaming test than for the actual content. In my quest for low-cost minimalist data storage and serving, this is just a tiny computer test. (EDIT: It failed, but will include the video from my normal server anyway.)

Interesting information on Summer vs Winter Solstice

| June 21, 2022

On Tuesday’s solstice, everywhere north of the equator will receive at least 12 hours of daylight and everywhere south of that point will get less than 12 hours. The continental U.S. will get 14 to 16 hours of daylight, compared with eight to 10 hours on the winter solstice. “All the planets orbit the sun […]

Weekend yard chores, painting and corner desk update photos

| June 7, 2022

Brenda and I enjoyed our anniversary weekend staying around home, working in both the yard and for me painting on Sunday afternoon (Brenda helped out at a store short a pharmacist in Dayton). Slowly I’m making progress in painting the guest bedroom (pano photo below). Ceiling are done, walls have their first and second coat […]

Katya Nikiforova: Juggling skills extraordinaire #video

| May 31, 2022

Russian Katya Nikiforova has amazing juggling skills. Wow! Katya Nikiforova Born into a family of non-circus artists in a small town in Ukraine, as a child Katya performed gymnastics and dancing. At the age of 10, she studied at her first circus studio. She instantly fell in love with the art and by the age […]

Tech Friday-ish: Van Gogh virtual world artwork filler

| May 27, 2022

Although I appreciate the talent of artists in all mediums and have plenty of artwork in our home, I’m not sure where this Vincent van Gogh “virtual world” art fits in??? Maybe it is just fitting for the blog?  

The Pain at the Pump is even worse when it comes to diesel #TBT

| May 26, 2022

I have put off buying diesel fuel for the Kubota mower and John Deere 330 as long as possible … but inevitably the reserve of 25 gallons stored in fuel jugs gets used up. It looks as if it is time to pay $$$ the inflated prices on fossil fuels — elections have consequences (pre-Russia invasion […]

Archive: SpaceX rocket launches and successes continue #video

| May 22, 2022

It is difficult to ignore the success of the private space industry and admire companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX as it launches and re-launches rocket after rocket. From satellite launching to shuttling astronauts to and from the International Space Station, SpaceX definitely has the potential to land astronauts back on the moon and to be […]

Enjoyed a Mother’s Day beach week of R & R in Florida

| May 10, 2022

Depressing as it may be, our vacation in Delray Beach is over, but it was a perfect and needed rest and relaxation trip. Our old 2002 Honda Odyssey is still surviving … although I did pondering a new Florida vehicle after having to jumpstart and fidget with the flakey AC. Yet it still didn’t convince […]

Cincinnati Reds: Dad catches a foul ball while feeding baby

| April 30, 2022

Major League Baseball is back. Last week, baby feeding did not keep this hardcore fan from from enjoying a Cincinnati Reds game and coming away with a souvenir. Perhaps the Reds could add him to their roster … they sure need some kind of spark.

Replaced LED security light with Wyze Cam Floodlight

| April 27, 2022

Earlier this year after an HOA meeting, I added myself to the waitlist for a new Wyze Cam product called the Wyze Cam Floodlight. The neighborhood has been looking for a better way to monitor the pool without the high cost of a commercial security camera. I mentioned this economical motion floodlight with cam and […]

Spring, apple blossoms, an iPhone photo & an Ellerie #video

| April 25, 2022

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We can hope that April 2022 Flurries don’t kill May Flowers

| April 18, 2022

For a day after Easter, the weather sure doesn’t look like spring! https://myarchive.us/mp4/April2022FlurriesBringMayFlowers.mp4 Also testing WordPress automated mp4 plugin with added gray vs black border than my normal hardcode video from iPhone7plus in slow-motion with poster image below the break)

Music Monday: Starland Vocal Band – “Afternoon Delight” 1976

| April 11, 2022

This week almost didn’t have a Music Monday song, but after hearing “Afternoon Delight” over the weekend, I thought that since this was the only song I could remember from the group called Starland Vocal Band, that it would be worth adding? “Lo and behold,” I’m not alone in remembering it, as my wife started […]

Archive: Combo family birthday party for Ellerie and Annalyn

| March 12, 2022

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Are you planning to go hiking or backpacking in bear country?

| February 6, 2022

For those of us who have gone hiking or backpacking in bear country before, we have been taught that avoiding trails shortly after bears have been encountered is the smartest approach to avoiding danger.   Of course this doesn’t guarantee not running into a bear on the trail. Having never carried bear spray in the […]

Workshop Wednesday: Frame-making and a crown molding jig

| January 19, 2022

For the lack of a better subject line, this will be called a Workshop Wednesday post … even though I’m rarely in the workshop on Wednesdays (it was last weekend). Anyway, I was busy making a jig to help cut the “cheap” (and I mean “cheaply made”) crown molding that I purchased from Wayfair for […]

Archive: Hardly artwork but memories with my granddaughters

| January 15, 2022

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Archive: Our 2021 Family Christmas over New Years

| January 5, 2022

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Merry Christmas to all … and may every reindeer eat a carrot

| December 25, 2021

Wishing all who read My Desultory Blog a very Merry Christmas, good health and a very Happy New Year.

Happy Winter Solstice; it is the shortest day of the year.

| December 21, 2021

The planetary astronomer and science guru, Dr. James O’Donoghue, that I follow on Twitter posted a great video illustration that explains today, December 21st … or more appropriately a couple of days that occur as the seasons change. Today is the winter solstice and it marks the shortest day in the northern hemisphere. On December […]

Rickie Lee Jones: Her book “Chronicles of an American Troubadour” plus “Chuck E’s in Love” music from 1979

| December 6, 2021

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Music Monday: Bruce Hornsby and “The Way It Is” #video

| November 15, 2021

I’m recycling a Music Monday song from a few years back (2017) with Bruce Hornsby performing “The Way It Is” from the 1986 album by the same name  … but this time not just audio, but the official video on YouTube/Vevo (so indicates the mp4 file). Although he is best known performing with his group […]

Friday Filler: Tickling the ivories (a TikTok video snippet)

| 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.

Spent a couple days in Perrysburg with our granddaughters

| November 11, 2021

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Friday Filler: Splashing morning sunshine

| October 22, 2021

Just a very short 10-second video slow-motion snippet as a Friday Filler post and to say “good morning.” /p>

The Bankrupting of America – Stephen Moore for PragerU

| October 20, 2021

Here’s a short video worth 5 minutes of your time to watch and to contemplate before Congress and President Biden makes our spending spree even worse. “You can’t spend what you don’t have indefinitely ..” – Stephen Moore for Prager University. LINK to video

Friday Filler humor: Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force

| October 15, 2021

Who doesn’t enjoy a funny military rivalry video clip. HA!

What happens when you make a Rhinoceros angry?

| October 6, 2021

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
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