Leaderboard

Built the lower deck and made the chop. Still need to cut it down and make it presentable but I wanted to make sure the glide fit and worked well. It sure does. IMG_5519.MOV

I really liked Pat's playing but I didn't even know about his past health issues: "Pat Martino, whose trailblazing career as a jazz guitarist seemed to end prematurely in 1980 when brain surgery left him with no memory, but who then painstakingly relearned the instrument, and his own past, and went on to three more decades of innovative musicianship, died on Monday at his home in South Philadelphia. He was 77." That's even more amazing. RIP Pat

So after being surprised by the quality of Squid Game I decided to give Netflix's other big 2021 hit, Bridgerton, a shot. Bridgerton is actually pretty good! It has the feel of something like Pride and Prejudice, just updated for a 2021 audience. It is worth taking a chance on, IMO. Not everything hits, but there is enough good stuff here to recommend the show.

I saw them, probably on that tour. (At Bogart's in Cincinnati) They opened for mudhoney. Absolutely worst concert I have ever been to. On purpose, by them. They essentially played one deep plodding chord for a half hour. Excruciating. But also awesome.

I thought my then-girlfriend (now wife) was going to rip my bicep out when we saw the Exorcist. She won't watch scary movies anymore...

I've switched to using lundahl power transformers. They cost a little more, but I got tired of noise, heat, and failure. And of arguing with transformer winders.

That is sooo fucking hawt.

New Porcupine Tree

Houdini Melvins 1993 Example:

Disolve steel wool in vinegar and rub that on. Will turn oak gray. Soak the wood in tannins first for black. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/finishing/ebonizing_wood/

Early draft of a modified Megatron. Top EL34 is replaced by 3x2SC4686 and a 10N100D. Less transformers – reduced risk.

I recently watched The Exorcist (few days ago). It was good, particularly since it was released nearly half a century ago. But a bit dated. At the time, the endless green vomit and rotating head hit the button! And human levitation was reprised in Ghostbusters, when Sigourney Weaver did the same thing when she was possessed. The weird thing I'd forgotten was the end title music of Exorcist was Tubular Bells!

Were the toasted ones drawing the same current? If they are SumR, I'd send them back, with these pics and a good label shot of the 13 yr old one that works. I would think Richard would stand behind his work.

Well...to go off on a tangent -- tapping is tapping, so they're all inter-related. Tapping on guitar is much harder than it is on the Stick, the Stick is actually designed for tapping. In fact, even my NS/Stick -- which is technically designed to be played either with tapping or with picking -- it's easier to just tap all the time, when I want to practice picking or strumming, I don't go for the NS/Stick. So that may be why the two might seem decoupled, because one doesn't really inform the other.

I went a bit finer than in that pic. Using a local roaster’s “espresso blend,” which is pretty light. Ground from frozen. Into my workaday Breville: better basket and a puck screen. Perfect fluffy grinds. The Ode can pull delicious espresso with the SSP burrs. This shot is just delicious. Thick, textured, tastes of the coffees (this is a blend, but it’s a distinct blend, and you can taste the beans), acidic and bitter, but in balance. Sweet on the back of the palate. Lots of malic acid, but like sweet lime. 16.5 in, 40 out in 28 seconds, no pre-infusion. The puck popped out clean before I even tapped. Could have gone finer. A wonderful shot. I wish I had more steps, but I can go quite a bit finer if I needed to. I would go a little finer with a single origin light roast, as opposed to this blend. Can’t argue with the results, though I would in no way, shape, nor form, recommend the Ode with SSP burrs for espresso unless you are a crazy like me. God I love coffee.

There's a documentary about Pat's life covering that episode, the shortcomings after the stroke and surgery, the loss of his memory and how he had to relearn how to play. It's titled Martino Unstrung.

That video made me smile

That Curly Maple is gonna dance with some finish on it.

I have the Kobo Aura ONE (Special Edition) as well as a Kindle Voyage, both of which are a few years old now. I prefer the Kobo for it's larger (7.8") size and auto "Natural Light" feature. Most of the newer Kindles all have the warm light feature now though. I dislike the lopsided edge that was introduced with the Oasis and copied now by most of the Kobo line. I also dislike page turn buttons. For those reasons if I had to buy a new e-reader now I would probably go with the new Paperwhite.

Plus now I have room for something else! I’ve decided it’s time for a gold watch again, I think. Now I just have to decide on what and start saving. It may very well be nothing more than trading in my Santos for a two-tone model (which is what I should have gotten to begin with, in hindsight), as that watch is essentially perfect for me, and stays on my wrist for weeks, sometimes months at a time.

I'm not sure if this is really good, or a little too gimmicky. But I've been enjoying it.

Frankie and his hi-fi: I'm guessing it's a hybrid stereo/mono system vs "Dolby 3 channel." That a Mac pre, clearly. This article goes over some of the other kit. The, ahem, bowl of cigarette packs is a nice touch.

I was at my partner’s great-uncle’s funeral this past weekend. He was the patriarch of the clan. Heather’s family is Scottish: he came over after Korea, with his wife from Jersey (a story in and of itself). He was bigger than life in some ways, and kind and decent, and everything I’ve heard says to me that I’m sad I didn’t get to meet him. It was sorrowful, and happy in remembrance, and I got to see her family again (they have absolutely welcomed me, and I appreciate them so much). I wore my Drive Extra Flat. I wore it because I thought “boy, this watch is beautiful on my dresser, but leaves me cold on the wrist, but selling a watch is such a pain in the ass so I never have done so, so I should probably wear it.” At the wake, after, the youngest adult grand-daughter of the decedent, whom I adore (vibrant, smart, fun as hell, striking out on her own at the end of her college career in secondary education and the first openly gay member of the family) kept looking at my wrist (jacket off and sleeves rolled up). I of course noticed. She finally got around to asking what the watch was, because she just was fascinated and loved it. I took it off and handed it to her and told her what it was and said “try it on.” There have been a few times where I have seen somebody’s life just shift a little by an object. I of course immediately said it was hers. Sending the box and papers off to her tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll wear it for the rest of her life, and she’ll remember me every time she puts it on, when I’m long gone. I have a form of “seller’s remorse” now, of course: it was so damned pretty on my dresser! Thought the ‘case watch people would like the little story. Watches aren’t worth anything if they aren’t worn. [Edits because I got some of the family details wrong as I thought about it.]

An iPad and keyboard (even an older one) will probably serve you better than a PC.

i guess i don't understand. This is the sumr transformer from 13 years ago from a T2. Virtually identical size in every way to the transformers above. After 2 hours, 5 degrees above ambient.

This one hurts, I’ve spoken with him, and hoped to speak with him again. What a visionary. https://guitar.com/news/gear-news/emmett-chapman-musician-inventor-chapman-stick-dies-85/

I've just known that Pat Martino died yesterday at 77. RIP Pat.

both transformers now have shorted primaries. And the smell of burned toast. This is just driving the filaments and every output tube was getting about 6.2 volts. (and input tubes were getting 12.5 volts) transformers are 68va and say so. each drives 4 x 6ca7/el34 plus a 12au7 and 12ax7 4 x 6.3 x 1.5 = 37.8 watts 2 x 12.6 *..15 = 3.78 watts so a total of 40 watts should have worked.