Just some thoughts…

I Am a Firm Believer in Costumes

I am a firm believer in costumes. Specifically, the correct costume for the correct task at hand. Most days will find me in Carhaart or Bjornklader jeans, Carhaart work shirt, Danner leather boots - as I am spending the day fixing or building things. When I am cleaning the house, you will find me in soft soled shoes or slippers and a t-shirt. When I am out shopping, the good clothes come out, including a vest with lots of pockets to hold all the stuff you need when venturing outside. When I am working on my vehicles, I will be in my vintage Big Mac coveralls - they are never used for anything except cars. When I worked from home, I always dressed like I was going to the office. I think the correct costume helps make the task “succeed” - lowers the friction point of the task at hand. ...

October 13, 2025

An Easter Tale

In the late 90s, in my very first career IT job, I found myself (a die-hard Mac guy) working in a design house that was 99% Windows, and a Microsoft “Preferred Vendor” to boot. I barely knew my way around Windows, and sure did not know the dark arts needed to manage a few NT 4 servers. There was no way I was qualified for this job, but in the late 90’s in Seattle you only needed a pulse to get a job in IT. ...

March 30, 2024

Minimal Debian Install on a Headless pi

If you just want an OS on your pi that is basic (no GUI, etc) for running pi-hole or whatever, then here is a method I use that works for me. I don’t want to drag out a monitor and keyboard to set up a pi, either - I just want to put in the SD card, and put the pi where it will be used. This method does not require access to a keyboard and a monitor for the pi. ...

January 15, 2024

Default Applications

On episode 097 of Hemispheric Views, the crew had a “Duel of the Defaults!”, where the reigning champion user of the default applications provided by Apple, Martin Feld was challenged by up and comer Jason Burk, hosted and judged by Andrew Canion. I won’t spoil the outcome, but I thought I would join in and list my “defaults”, as well. So without further ado: Mail Client: Apple Mail Mail Server: iCloud custom domain Notes: Bear To-Do: Things (with some shared reminders in Reminders) iPhone Photo Shooting: Camera Photo Management: Photos Calendar: Calendar Cloud File Storage: iCloud RSS Reader: Reeder Contact Management: Contacts Browser: Safari Chat: iMessage and Discord Bookmarks: Raindrop.io Read it Later: GoodLinks Word Processing: IAWriter Spreadsheets: Numbers Presentations: Don’t do ‘em! Shopping Lists: Things, or a 3x5 note card Meal Planning: Nope. Budgeting and Personal Finance: GreenBooks News: see RSS Reader above Music: Albums - the app. I just love this app. Podcasts: Overcast Password Management: 1Password Family

November 6, 2023

Overheard from a Shopkeeper

Overheard from a shopkeeper who always wanted to visit Paris, and was leaving the next day to do exactly that: “I am trying to remove “eventually” from my vocabulary”.

April 27, 2023

Whitey on the Moon

Every time I read about rockets, I can’t stop thinking about Whitey on the Moon

April 23, 2023

Books Follow You Home

Books follow you home and pry open your head and rearrange the things inside. 📚

November 26, 2021

Nostalgic November

Nostalgic November A story requested by the fantastic crew of Hemisperic Views @HemisphericViews on micro.blog. As I get older, there are many things that trigger a feeling of nostalgia. There are many past moments that are triggered by sights, sounds, smells, objects. But the one item that is most appropriate for Nostalgic November is my collection of Doc Savage paperbacks - a collection that was started on a rainy November afternoon, while visiting relatives in California. ...

November 19, 2021