the only positive to come of this is now air mail has delivery confirmation to canada

 

...and i just found out yesterday that Verizon charges me 50 cents/minute when I call Canada.  OMG, the border!!

Tried mostly in vain to get the calibration matched between my external monitor and MBP screen.  It's a lot closer than before but still not close enough.

 

On a somewhat related note, noticed today that the ISO dial on my film camera had been accidentally moved to incorrect film speed.  No idea how long this had been the case or how many shots I took with it like that - the lesson is that I'm an idiot and need to get better at figuring out correct exposures myself.

This was last night, but close enough.  I had dinner with Claire, my five siblings, and their spouses.  It was fun and raucus with lots of loud personalities involved.  One brother started off the gift-giving, or re-giving, with a long story about realizing that morning that he hadn't thought of a present and set out to find suitable re-gifting options.  Whiskey Stones were the first thing he thought of because he got those for Christmas and doesn't drink whiskey.  The obvious next step was finding that bottle of single malt that somebody gave him long ago that was still in the box.  Well, the fact the box was falling apart was a hint that it might not be pristine, and inside turned out to be a half-empty bottle appropriated by his kids at some point that he gave to me anyway:

 

 

Next up, one sister gave me one of these self-monitoring Jawbone things she got at a conference recently.  She didn't really think I would use it but thinks I am more tech-y and therefore more likely to try it.  Claire may do so, although the aforementioned brother had an even fancier model on his wrist and wears it all the time.

 

One brother had no present (and I was glad because he has no money to spend on me) and another brother gave me one of those tattoo sleeves so I wore that the rest of the night to intimidate the waiters.  I'm sure that was lying around their house, but he didn't make a big speech.  Lastly, my other sister gave me real presents that she bought for me in Cuba last week (professor exchange trip).  There are a couple of Cuban CDs, one of the lame band she saw at a bar (including No Woman No Cry and a salsa version of Let It Be) and one of a hip jazz combo.  The main present was the awesome mojito glass with recipe and muddler from La Bodeguita del Medio, the bar where Hemmingway hung out.  The muddler has a reproduction of his note to La BdelM on it.  Cute touristy and Cuban.  The Che hat is really hers although my other sister who re-gifted that Jawbone thing was shaming her into giving me the hat, and she apparently slipped it into the bag.  I'm giving it back.

 

Anyway, that's my nutty family in a nutshell.

Edited March 23, 201313 yr by Voltron

you did talisker stones jawbone cuban stuff?

I was updating the post to make it less cryptic. 

you did tattooed talisker stones jawbone cuban stuff?

 

Fixed......

Al, sounds like fun.  I'd be very interested in the Mojito recipe.

Sounds like a hoot Al!

Unfortunately, all my "loud and politically incorrect" relatives have moved on to greener fields.

Al, sounds like fun. I'd be very interested in the Mojito recipe.

Sounds like a great time Al!

 

I miss my siblings.

Edited March 23, 201313 yr by swt61

Hmmm, might need some help on the translation.

This seems to be for the size glass I have, which is 8oz:

 

.5 teaspoon sugar

.5 oz lime juice

Mint sprig(s)

3 oz soda water

Muddle mint without harming the leaves

2-3 ice cubes

1.5 oz aged rum (3 years)

Stir and drink

 

On their website (http://www.havana-mojito.com/lang/en/downloads/mojito-recipe-20.pdf), they have a recipe and a video demo, and this is the recipe:

 

2 teaspoons sugar

Juice of half lime (cover the sugar)

2 sprigs of mint

3 oz soda water

Muddle mint without harming the leaves

2-3 ice cubes

1.50 oz aged rum (3 years)

Stir and drink

 

You pick how much sugar and lime you want. 

Edited March 23, 201313 yr by Voltron

it took forever but i finally finished cooking playsand to fill my solidsteel speaker stands.

 

rotating in my lowly insignias for a little more low end.  its probably shameful to run these with this equipment.

 

also put up my polystyrene diffusors (well, the set that wasn't sent back..dont ask) 

just realized they aren't even, but not bad for eyeballing it for all of 5 seconds.

 

going to replace the ikea soon, im tired of it.  

 

My current opinion on selling property (or buying for that matter) is that the only way to survive the ordeal is to use an absolutely kick ass realtor and lawyer. What a freakin nightmare. The difference between an ordinary realtor and a great one is enormous. My only experience with bad or mediocre lawyers has been opposing my good one, so I have to say that I've had only positive experiences on that front, but I imagine mileage varies. ) The USPS is funny. In my neighborhood, to and from, they're fabulous. As good as FedEx. I use whichever one has the product that "fits" best. (For me that means "is cheaper" . ) UPS here is gawdawful.

Grading.... it never ends.

 

Got the PWD back on Friday but haven't had time to take it out of the box yet.  

Shelly, send it to me and I will give it a nice write up in the impressions thread. 

 

No need to thank me, this is the season for sacrifice and all and I am always glad to help a HCer in need.

Thanks Greg!    

Snow in spring Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow, beautiful picture Justin.  Sorry but, I got a bit of a sunburn at lacrosse practice yesterday and drank Reisling in my shorts this afternoon.

 

 

To clarify,I drank wine while wearing short pants. 

Edited March 25, 201313 yr by Augsburger

Wow, we got nothing up here.  I do realize we're in different weather zones, but sometimes the differences are more pronounced than at others.

 

EDIT:  Oh my, what is going on in Cincinnati?  wind map

 

EDIT #2:  ...or in Greensborough, for that matter?

Met up with a bunch of Brits and played tourist in Muir Woods. So engrossed in conversation, that our group ended up with a four mile walk rather than the planned two mile loop on the flat. Just for Justin, it was spring-like, in spring.

Did you see my nieces Dorothy and Ellen in Muir Woods Grahame?

^ Didn't pay much attention to the non Brits, other than to notice the parties of students who seemed to think that a trip to Muir Woods was a high-fashion outing

Got back late yesterday from a couple places in NJ and PA.  Party for my aunt and uncle, 65 year wedding anniversary.  But then got to see a whole bunch of cousins from my generation at that party and a brunch the next day, some I haven't seen in many years.  Every part of the family has some dysfunction, but it's OUR dysfunction and I love them!

Got up at 4am to drive in to work to power off half of one of my supercomputers so they could replace a breaker.  For all the money spent in redundant components, we're still beholden to 50 year old power breakers.