We are in self isolation because of the covid19 virus. We don’t know if we have it. I don’t think that we do, but who knows. We both feel fine, so I guess that’s all that matters. In addition to the pandemic we had civil unrest in Rochester because of an act that happened in Minneapolis. Such craziness. In addition to all of the outside foolishness, I have been engaging in my ongoing feud with my computers, PC and Mac. The PC shuts itself down shortly after I turn it on, at least once and then maybe sometime while I am using it to scan slides or just anything. Very annoying. The Mac wouldn’t let me update because I didn’t have enough space on my disk. My flash drive has only 128GB, but I have a 2TB external drive attached. I finally deleted enough stuff to allow the update to take place. I’m really getting tired of being tired of figuring out all of these things necessary to do simple tasks on a computer. Maybe I’ll go back to the olden days where you wrote things on a piece of paper or a notebook. It worked to hundreds of years after all.
Dulcimer lessons have been discontinued because both of our instructors have retired. I may take fiddle lessons in the Fall, but I’m not even sure at this point what form they will take. I do like my instructor, but I can’t say that I am as enthusiastic as I want to be about learning the fiddle. I am no spring chick, so I have a lot to learn in a short time.
I notice, once again, that I do not attend to my blog on a regular basis. 2018 was the last time I wrote anything. That’s too bad, because there are things happening that I should record, but Imjust forget to do it. I really need to get myself some kind of a reminder system. I should also read what I have written in the past. It might be interesting to find out what I have been up to.
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Sunday, October 28, 2018
DNA Results and Revisions
You think you know who you are, then you get a DNA test that proves that you are someone else, then they revise the results and you’re more like who you thought you were all along. I took an Ancestry DNA test a couple of years ago and it revealed the following:
Scandinavian 32%
Great Britain. 16%
Ireland. 14%
Italy/Greece. 12%
E. Europe. 11%
W. Europe. 11%
Trace amount Jewish
Recently, I went on the site and found that they have revised my results. I am no longer Jewish (Oy vey). I am no longer Italian either, although I am still allowed to eat pizza. The new results are as follows:
Germanic Europe including Germany and Mid-Western United States. 44%
England, Wales & Northwest Europe. 38%
Ireland & Scotland including Ulster. 14%
Norway 2%
Sweden. 2%
So, considering that Northwestern Europe could include Ireland, I am of German and Irish ancestry like I thought I was all along. No one in the family ever mentioned And Scandinavian connection.
We’ll see what the next revision shows. Maybe I’ll be a South Pacific Islander.
Scandinavian 32%
Great Britain. 16%
Ireland. 14%
Italy/Greece. 12%
E. Europe. 11%
W. Europe. 11%
Trace amount Jewish
Recently, I went on the site and found that they have revised my results. I am no longer Jewish (Oy vey). I am no longer Italian either, although I am still allowed to eat pizza. The new results are as follows:
Germanic Europe including Germany and Mid-Western United States. 44%
England, Wales & Northwest Europe. 38%
Ireland & Scotland including Ulster. 14%
Norway 2%
Sweden. 2%
So, considering that Northwestern Europe could include Ireland, I am of German and Irish ancestry like I thought I was all along. No one in the family ever mentioned And Scandinavian connection.
We’ll see what the next revision shows. Maybe I’ll be a South Pacific Islander.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
The Pacemaker
It was in July, 2016 that I noticed that climbing some hills and going up the stairs in out house was requiring a lot of exertion. I thought that I was getting out of shape and that I should do more exercise, but then I began to think that this was requiring too much exertion. This was over the span of a few days. so, I called my cardiologist's office and got a quick appointment. He did an EKG and said that maybe I needed a pacemaker. He wanted me to get further evaluation. He said, "The easiest thing is to drive over to the emergency department. That way you won't need an appointment and I'll call ahead so they will be expecting you." Got lost on the way (I followed the GPS) but finally got there. They were expecting me and couldn't understand how I wasn't passed out because my heart rate was 30 bpm. Yes, I needed a pacemaker and now I have one, battery and all.
I have to say, hearing that I needed a pacemaker was a shock because a pacemaker wasn't even in my thoughts when I went to the doctor's office. Psychologically adjusting to the fact that I have one has also been difficult. However, thoughts about that have dimmed somewhat since I added a radiation oncologist to my medical team a few weeks ago. That story will have to wait for another post.
I have to say, hearing that I needed a pacemaker was a shock because a pacemaker wasn't even in my thoughts when I went to the doctor's office. Psychologically adjusting to the fact that I have one has also been difficult. However, thoughts about that have dimmed somewhat since I added a radiation oncologist to my medical team a few weeks ago. That story will have to wait for another post.
The Great Computer Debacle and Other Things
It is hard to believe that I haven't written a post here in over a year. With so many people now on Facebook, I can add little ditties on there. Once in a while, though, I like to write in more detail, just so I have a record of what my life has been like. It is time to catch up.
Rochester, NY is cold in the winter and has lots of snow - usually. This year we have not had, so far, any really debilitating snow storms, although communities not that far away have gotten hit hard. In addition to cold, one thing that Rochester does have in abundance is music. It is home to the world renowned Eastman School of Music, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and many, many other groups and venues for music performances, operas, plays and all manner of entertainment. Anne and I are still taking hammered dulcimer lessons and this year have added a class in the History of Western Music, both taught by the also world famous Mitzie Collins. Many of the performances by the Eastman students are free and we also have a subscription to Rochester Philharmonic performances. So, we are busy musically, but I wanted to talk about the computer and my workshop.
Anne had an older HP computer that wasn't getting along all that well with Windows 10. It was in two different shops a couple of times and we finally got her a laptop to replace it. She is pleased with her new computer. I said, "We really have no use for another computer. I will take this one to my shop in the cellar, remove the hard drive and recycle it." I took it to the cellar and decided that the next day I would get the drive out. Overnight the thought occurred to me that maybe I could install Ubuntu (a Linux operating system) onto it in place of Windows. Ubuntu is frequently used by computer geeks on an older computer to bring it back to life. So, I installed it. Ubuntu is a free open source program and has a ton of also free open source programs to do just about everything under the sun. I put it next to my Mac in my room, but really had no use for a third computer there. (I also have an older laptop.) What to do? I said, "I will take this, now resurrected, computer down to my shop, where I also don't really need it." I have a workbench there with several shelves over it. The bottom shelf was too low for the computer and monitor, so I cut it in half. Then I decided that I could use a couple of electrical outlets wired directly from the service panel instead of extension cords that I was using. It took two days to snake wires around for that project, but now I was ready.
Several trips were made to bring down the computer, monitor, speakers, keyboard and mouse. I got it set up and turned it on. Everything went fine and it told me I had some updates to install. Okay, install. Halfway through, the thing froze and despite using all the troubleshooting available, I couldn't get it unfrozen. Logic would have told me, "You took the thing down to recycle it. Why don't you do that?" No. I remembered that I had another hard drive from a backup for this machine that was now not being used. I removed the side of the computer and saw that the hard drive was deep in behind the DVD drive, but it wasn't a whole lot of trouble to get it out. It turned out to be the same size and brand as the back up drive, so I swapped them. I now had to load Ubuntu on this new drive. Upstairs I climbed to get the disk and back down I went. I loaded Ubuntu, which went on without a hitch. I also downloaded a couple of extra programs from the Ubuntu software store (free). I went upstairs and the machine went to sleep after the ten minute time that I had set. It never woke up. Try as I might I could not get the thing to come alive again. Then I thought, "I wonder if I took the first drive and reloaded Ubuntu onto it...maybe it might work. I'll give that a try in the morning." I went to bed and in a dream a voice came to me and said, "Stop already. Disable the hard drives and recycle the dumb thing." Funny how dreams can have a profound effect on your life. I did what the voice said and it is now gone, Ubuntu and all.
Remember that shelf that I was talking about that I sawed in half to make room for the computer? Now I wanted the other half of the shelf back, so I had to join the two halves with a piece of plywood underneath with glue and screws. Now my workshop is back in relatively good shape and I have to decide what to make next. I think I will not make any more musical instruments. This past year I made a minstrel banjo (from scratch), an Irish tenor banjo, a mountain dulcimer and an octave mandolin, all from kits. There's no more room for instruments and I have to learn to play these. I am leaning toward making limberjack figures. That's not a misspelling. They are wooden figures about a foot tall that have limber joints and dance when bounced on a thin board. Dulcimer hammers is another possibility and intarsia woodworking, plus Anne thinks making some bowls would be nice. Stay tuned.
Rochester, NY is cold in the winter and has lots of snow - usually. This year we have not had, so far, any really debilitating snow storms, although communities not that far away have gotten hit hard. In addition to cold, one thing that Rochester does have in abundance is music. It is home to the world renowned Eastman School of Music, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and many, many other groups and venues for music performances, operas, plays and all manner of entertainment. Anne and I are still taking hammered dulcimer lessons and this year have added a class in the History of Western Music, both taught by the also world famous Mitzie Collins. Many of the performances by the Eastman students are free and we also have a subscription to Rochester Philharmonic performances. So, we are busy musically, but I wanted to talk about the computer and my workshop.
Anne had an older HP computer that wasn't getting along all that well with Windows 10. It was in two different shops a couple of times and we finally got her a laptop to replace it. She is pleased with her new computer. I said, "We really have no use for another computer. I will take this one to my shop in the cellar, remove the hard drive and recycle it." I took it to the cellar and decided that the next day I would get the drive out. Overnight the thought occurred to me that maybe I could install Ubuntu (a Linux operating system) onto it in place of Windows. Ubuntu is frequently used by computer geeks on an older computer to bring it back to life. So, I installed it. Ubuntu is a free open source program and has a ton of also free open source programs to do just about everything under the sun. I put it next to my Mac in my room, but really had no use for a third computer there. (I also have an older laptop.) What to do? I said, "I will take this, now resurrected, computer down to my shop, where I also don't really need it." I have a workbench there with several shelves over it. The bottom shelf was too low for the computer and monitor, so I cut it in half. Then I decided that I could use a couple of electrical outlets wired directly from the service panel instead of extension cords that I was using. It took two days to snake wires around for that project, but now I was ready.
Several trips were made to bring down the computer, monitor, speakers, keyboard and mouse. I got it set up and turned it on. Everything went fine and it told me I had some updates to install. Okay, install. Halfway through, the thing froze and despite using all the troubleshooting available, I couldn't get it unfrozen. Logic would have told me, "You took the thing down to recycle it. Why don't you do that?" No. I remembered that I had another hard drive from a backup for this machine that was now not being used. I removed the side of the computer and saw that the hard drive was deep in behind the DVD drive, but it wasn't a whole lot of trouble to get it out. It turned out to be the same size and brand as the back up drive, so I swapped them. I now had to load Ubuntu on this new drive. Upstairs I climbed to get the disk and back down I went. I loaded Ubuntu, which went on without a hitch. I also downloaded a couple of extra programs from the Ubuntu software store (free). I went upstairs and the machine went to sleep after the ten minute time that I had set. It never woke up. Try as I might I could not get the thing to come alive again. Then I thought, "I wonder if I took the first drive and reloaded Ubuntu onto it...maybe it might work. I'll give that a try in the morning." I went to bed and in a dream a voice came to me and said, "Stop already. Disable the hard drives and recycle the dumb thing." Funny how dreams can have a profound effect on your life. I did what the voice said and it is now gone, Ubuntu and all.
Remember that shelf that I was talking about that I sawed in half to make room for the computer? Now I wanted the other half of the shelf back, so I had to join the two halves with a piece of plywood underneath with glue and screws. Now my workshop is back in relatively good shape and I have to decide what to make next. I think I will not make any more musical instruments. This past year I made a minstrel banjo (from scratch), an Irish tenor banjo, a mountain dulcimer and an octave mandolin, all from kits. There's no more room for instruments and I have to learn to play these. I am leaning toward making limberjack figures. That's not a misspelling. They are wooden figures about a foot tall that have limber joints and dance when bounced on a thin board. Dulcimer hammers is another possibility and intarsia woodworking, plus Anne thinks making some bowls would be nice. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
The Model Boat
I have been thinking of making a model ship for some time. Years, in fact. I started a model Lightning number of years ago, took it out every once in a while, looked at it and put it away. Last year, however, I got it out and actually made some progress on it. However, I wanted to build something more ambitious, like the Charles W. Morgan or the Bounty, but kits for those are a few hundred dollars, so, if I bought one, I had better do it. I mentioned all of this to brother-in-law, Art, who thought I should abandon the kit idea and build one from scratch. My father had built a model of a sailing sloop entirely from driftwood and it is really beautiful. But, Dad was a craftsman in the true sense of the word. Then I thought, why not build a model of the Sara B. I wanted a model of a boat that had some meaning for me, so that seemed like the perfect answer. I got the lines of Sara B from Skipper Chris who had meticulously taken them right off the boat. I scaled them out as best I could and blew them up to actual size, 1/2 inch to the foot. Sara B is about 38' on deck so that would make a 19" model.
I met with Art and we went over plans and techniques. I was planning on making a solid hull, but Art thought I should do plank on bulkhead, a lot more work, but more fun (Art says). He gave me a piece of walnut from which I can cut the planking.
I met with Art and we went over plans and techniques. I was planning on making a solid hull, but Art thought I should do plank on bulkhead, a lot more work, but more fun (Art says). He gave me a piece of walnut from which I can cut the planking.
Here I am with the piece of wood.
Since I wrote this post, but didn't publish it, I joined the Model Shipwrights of Western New York, a group just forming of several people interested in model boat building. I was contacted around October, but didn't get to a meeting until December 2015. The knowledge and expertise of these men is truly astounding. A few images of works in progress and finished boats are below.
Well, I got correctly scaled drawings from Skipper Chris for the size boat I want. I couldn't get my printer to do anything in the way of scaling without a lot of trial and error, mostly error. So, now I have the drawings and the wood. I had better get busy.
Well, I got correctly scaled drawings from Skipper Chris for the size boat I want. I couldn't get my printer to do anything in the way of scaling without a lot of trial and error, mostly error. So, now I have the drawings and the wood. I had better get busy.
It's Been a Whole Year
Well, golly gee! I haven't posted anything to my blog in a year. I know that I have not just been sitting here comotose for that time. I've done a lot of things, but, I haven't written them down. I have posted things to Facebook, but maybe not with the same detail as I would here. It seems that we get so inundated with information these days that it's hard to keep up. The good part of this blog is that I could go back and read what I had done at various times. Hmmm. Do people blog anymore? I think some do at least. So, now the task falls to me to recreate my year and post it here for the joy and edification of my followers, assuming anyone is still following. If you are, dear reader, hang in there and give me a few days to gather some thoughts.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
The New Year is Slip Sliding Away
It is almost the middle of January. Katie Rose just turned 18 and she's deciding on which college to attend. Dulcimer lessons are proceeding. Go to my other blog, Barrister Bill, to see about that. We renewed our membership in the YMCA, free this year, courtesy of our new health insurance carrier, Aetna. We have been asked to be sacristans at our church (why oh why can't I just say "No") and I'm thinking about building a model of the Sara B, which is the schooner in which we have a partial interest.
The first step seems to be is to have plans from which you transpose the lines somehow to a block, or blocks of wood. Skipper Chris Gateley did a masterful job of taking the lines off Sara B and emailed the drawings to me. I have been reading a lot about building model boats and there is quite a bit about taking the lines off another model, or a real boat, but very little that I've found about what to do with the drawings once you have them. We're having lunch with Skipper Chris and Skipper Sue later this week, so I will just come right out and ask him. "Hey Chris, what do I do now?"
We have appointments at the Y tomorrow to me with health advisors to tell us what we should do with our aging bodies to make them new again. I once had a barber who asked me how I wanted my hair cut. I told him, "The usual and make me look good." He said, "Hey, I'm not a miracle worker." I hope I don't get the same answer from the health advisor. We have been getting some unwanted exercise by shoveling our driveway the past few days. Not enough snow for the snow blower, but enough (1" to 2") to require removal. One of the things I want to discuss with the Y guy (or gal) tomorrow is sailing. When we were on Sara B this past summer, my body did not feel at all limber. In fact, I felt somewhat limited in my ability to move. Maybe arthritis has something to do with it, but I want to see if I can do something to loosen myself up. I don't think I'll be sailing one designs anytime soon, but I should to be able to move more fluently on a 47 foot schooner.
I almost forgot. I just finished reading The Last Lion, Alone 1932 - 1940, the fascinating biography of Winston Churchill by William Manchester. This is the second volume of the trilogy. Manchester explores all of the macinations going on in England, France and Germany in the years leading to the second world war. It was very interesting and educational reading. This book is about 689 pages of text. The final book is over 1,000 pages. I think I'll wait a little while before I take that up.
The first step seems to be is to have plans from which you transpose the lines somehow to a block, or blocks of wood. Skipper Chris Gateley did a masterful job of taking the lines off Sara B and emailed the drawings to me. I have been reading a lot about building model boats and there is quite a bit about taking the lines off another model, or a real boat, but very little that I've found about what to do with the drawings once you have them. We're having lunch with Skipper Chris and Skipper Sue later this week, so I will just come right out and ask him. "Hey Chris, what do I do now?"
We have appointments at the Y tomorrow to me with health advisors to tell us what we should do with our aging bodies to make them new again. I once had a barber who asked me how I wanted my hair cut. I told him, "The usual and make me look good." He said, "Hey, I'm not a miracle worker." I hope I don't get the same answer from the health advisor. We have been getting some unwanted exercise by shoveling our driveway the past few days. Not enough snow for the snow blower, but enough (1" to 2") to require removal. One of the things I want to discuss with the Y guy (or gal) tomorrow is sailing. When we were on Sara B this past summer, my body did not feel at all limber. In fact, I felt somewhat limited in my ability to move. Maybe arthritis has something to do with it, but I want to see if I can do something to loosen myself up. I don't think I'll be sailing one designs anytime soon, but I should to be able to move more fluently on a 47 foot schooner.
I almost forgot. I just finished reading The Last Lion, Alone 1932 - 1940, the fascinating biography of Winston Churchill by William Manchester. This is the second volume of the trilogy. Manchester explores all of the macinations going on in England, France and Germany in the years leading to the second world war. It was very interesting and educational reading. This book is about 689 pages of text. The final book is over 1,000 pages. I think I'll wait a little while before I take that up.
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