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Newb question: I just bought 10 lbs. of coffee (enough to last me a year). What's the best way to store it? Hermetically sealed, frozen, or other?

Some if not all 6dj8/ecc88 datasheet has spec'ed max plate voltage at 130V, which the top tubes operate right around that range, I'd think e88cc/6922 is actually safer bet.

yes ecc88, e88cc and 6922 can all be used. I believe the e88cc is similar to a 6922 - which is what I have been using in the T2 for years.

Is it possible to use E88CC instead of ECC88 in this T2? They have similar ratings but also some differences.

I “finally” upgraded my espresso grinder. Niche Duo with SSP MP. I wouldn’t say my espresso tastes any different, but the Niche Duo will sell on eBay fine. Pour over is greatly improved over the Niche Zero. Makes it worth it. Especially since the Zero will sell fine.

I got to handle a GFX100RF. It convinced me to buy one. I don’t know if I’ll keep my Q once it arrives. It’s brilliant, though. I got to handle a Hassy 907/100C, and it was cool, but very fiddly and fragile feeling. I bought a Nikon 810 with a 58 f/1.4 as well, in mint condition. I should be good on replacing my film photography.

Decided to have a go at Chicken Korma. Bites while seasoning were pretty great. Naan is staying warm in the oven to go alongside.

I just got a colnago c50 with super record 11, but no pictures until Christmas because it’s under the proverbial tree.

Starting to look the part!

Got a ride with the ANG two weeks ago to check out our remote project site in what southerners call Northern Maine (Bangor area). They had an issue with the first aircraft, but thankfully had a spare, and the delayed departure made for a convenient return time.

Violin repair:

Glad that you got to see Colin.

Had dinner with @cetoole and @MexicanDragon, who graciously drove out to meet me in Lake Forest Park. I am also convinced Seattle is entirely too cold for me. Get me back to sunny California!

A bit of minimalist droney piano stuff. Quite lovely if you like that sort of thing. https://vantzou-harrison-bennett.bandcamp.com/album/christina-vantzou-michael-harrison-and-john-also-bennett

Finally the PCB's arrived for the Kiwi Ears headphone drivers: Just three different PCB's needed, on the left is the diaphragm ring which is a 0.6mm pcb but with no solder mask so it is actually 0.51mm. This has to be ENIG to make it completely flat but most fabs require that anyway. Film is 2um mylar-c as that is so simple to get and relatively easy to work with. In the middle is the dust cover holder/spacer. I made this 1.6mm thick as that way it clears the stock lip on the baffle that was around the dynamic driver. I used the first one as spacer and then stacked up the driver sandwich. For the dust covers I used the same mylar as the diaphragms but not stretched as much Finally the stators, 1mm ENIG pcb's and this is the outer side with the inner side having a smaller active area, aka like the SR-007. Holes are a bit less than 1mm but that can easily be altered for another run. Here they are assembled with the only alterations to the baffle where I counter sunk the mounting screws. There were just the three holes there in a row and with the earpad mounting plate being flush to this, it had to be done. One second with a counter sunk bit will do this as this is nasty, cheap ABS plastic. Here they are assembled. Only mods to the chassis is that I enlarged the two holes there are on each side (cable entry and a port on top) to 5mm so the strain relief would fit and the solid plastic plug I glued into where the port is. The cable is the 6 core silicone wire that can be found everywhere now with a 3D printed Y-split and Stax plug made from an XLR plug and pins. Now for the sound... lets just call it work in progress. This is very much the first draft and one channel is slightly weaker than the other (I swapped out the diaphragm for another which fixed it mostly) so I need to look into that. I'll probably just build a second pair of drivers so I can match them into pairs as I have another set of the headphones. Massive baffle leak too and the housing... has issues... so bass is not their strong suit for now. That needs to be fixed but I might have to get creative with that. Still for a cheap project that took only a few hours to make and cost less than 150$ all in... there are worse ways to spend an afternoon.

A while back, I bought a lot of camera gear because I wanted one specific piece. The lot was cheaper than the item on its own, because eBay. Included in the pile of gear was a Tamron "vacation lens" (all-in-wonder, not good at anything) 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD A010. Yes, that's its name. I was not expecting much with the Tamron and it's barely delivered even on that meager promise. With that said, I did have some fun with it. This past September, I took the 5D IV and Tamron for a walk around downtown EDG. This New Beetle is parked in front of this shop all summer. 78mm @ F/9, 1/200. Old Beetle! It made genuine air cooled noises, and belched out noxious exhaust fumes. 87mm @ F/8, 1/200. The main drag, which is one way, because it was built for horses. 70mm @ F/8, 1/200. Zoomed in on the same, 179mm @ F/7.1, 1/250. Main St. never meant to hold a Wagoneer. A rather famous boat, with Chappy in the background. 28mm @ F/10, 1/320. Speaking of famous, the Dolphin returns to harbor. 71mm @ F/10 1/320. Both On Time ferries, 109mm @ F/9, 1/320. A Series III on Kelly St. That's a pet pickup truck I see in the summer behind it. 195mm @ F/7.1, 1/200. The line for the On Time, Daggett St. 97mm @ F/8, 1/160. Mose St. is two way, and has parking. It's even less suited for Wagoneers. 97mm @ F/8, 1/200. The Connaught House, now just another goddamn rental. 109mm @ F/8, 1/250. North Water St. 179mm @ F/7.1, 1/250. A cute MG and absolutely garbage bokeh. 223mm @ F/7.1, 1/320. South Water St, which I have callously ignored for 20 years now. 87mm @ F/8, 1/200. September is still vacation for some. 43,mm @ F/8, 1/250. The Tamron is not a very good lens. It covers a large focal range and not well. I had to work over many of the above pretty thoroughly to get decent results. I also had a bunch of shots that were not really worth the effort to salvage. Tune in next time for Vineyard wildlife and some seasonal colors.

Jumpstarted the holiday cheer (winterless necessity) with a trip to lights.

Snarky Puppy, Metropole Orkest, Jules Buckley, Somni (LOL that ending, where the drummer is air drumming over his drums after they get quiet the second time.) This is their second collaboration, the first one being Sylva which I absolutely adored (probably because I got to see it live).

already on sale for 350k

I always have a ground plane or rather two, on both sides.

Does your board have a ground plane?

Thurston Moore's (and Neneh Cherry, Joe McPhee, Bryan Coley, and Mats Gustafsson) new book on free jazz. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/nov/28/free-jazz-history-most-maligned-music

Most of our guests switched to other pies, but I was determined. That said when juggling pie parts the fallen crust had a closer parameter than the apple slices and juices which took flight. Saved mess ratio was a little off.

You didn't eat it? A floor would have to be pretty dirty to keep me out of an apple pie.