Category: SitRep

Things I’m up to (the real quick version):

• Mechanical Keyboard Proj #2 is wired- working on firmware now.
• My Chip and Dip from NTC finally came (needs to be flashed and whatnot)
• Fly Rod Tube proj is painted- needs mounts made next
• Working to source Grip Heads and 5/8″ pins for mounting monitors
• Shoe re-sole proj (v2) parts are ordered and on the way
• MTB #1 drivetrain (v3) parts are en-route (1×9 w/ a Narrow/Wide chainring)
• Mechanical Keyboard Proj #1 is shipped- should be here shortly (custom key caps are already here and waiting)
• Working on lighting options for the garage (led work strips?)
• Working on web-based dashboards for realtime updates
• Beginning to source frames for a massive art-hanging project

Here’s what’s going on:

• Mini Keyboard project #1 is underway. I’ve de-soldered the original keyboard, cut down the switch mounting plate, and remounted the switches. It’s pretty small- 40 keys or so- and the diodes, wire, and Teensy 2.0 to run it should be at my house when I get home today. So: wiring, then case mounting/building, then programming the AVR, then it’s a keyboard.
• Micro keyboard #1 is also underway- I’ve got the key layout template finalized, and now I just need to cut the acrylic plate. Then it’s time to build an enclosure and source switches and caps. And then build the rest, I suppose.
• Basement Shelves v1.0 is done, and I’m slowly making some auxiliary record storage (mostly for the 10″ and 7″ records). Always more to go there.
• Working on a better web-based dashboard setup for displaying relevant information on screens. That’ll likely mean running a lightweight web server on some hardware in the house (and having that compile and format the data) and then using low-weight hardware to drive the displays with that data. Baby steps.
• Garage storage is at the top of the list right now- new rack shelving needs brought in, a bunch of older junk needs to go out, and bikes need to get hung on walls. There’s just no other way.
• Material storage remains a challenge in the garage, too. I’ve got a stack of supplies out there, and I need better ways to manage that. Given the headroom I’ve got, vertical seems to be the move, but I’ll still have to give it some thought.
• My re-tailoring of a jacket is taking a while, as I’m trying to figure out if I can/need/should undo the existing seams, or just cut them out and redo from there. Dunno. Yet.
• I’ve got a pair of shoes that need re-soling, and I need to source a decent sole for them. They’ve got smooth rubber on the bottom now, but I want to put a pow-profile lugged sole on instead. Sourcing is a problem.
• I can feel Backpack v2.0 coming- I’m working up the steam to put in the cloth order and get going on it. Honestly, I need to decide on a color. v1.0 is black, but I’ve been rattling around doing something else. The design is vaguely military-esq, and I don’t want this thing to scream MALL NINJA, so I think I want to stay away from Coyote Brown or OD Green or whatever. Definitely no camo- no other patterns either.
• Working on more/new content for here. Always.
• Newsletter is up to #65. Subscribe in the sidebar.

More to come.

Lots of balls in the air right now, as it were.

• Custom re-work of a NOS Desert Storm-era fishtail parka. Re-fitting the entire coat, as it was designed as an over-over-coat, and that’s not my intended use.
• Backpack V2.0 needs attention. Fabric choices, paints (yes, paints), hardware, etc all to be picked- but progress!
• Roof top fly rod tube- for transporting multiple fly fishing rods. Finalized hardware today, started amassing parts and paints for the build. Not a complicated thing, but the paint job is non-trivial. Pictures will follow.
• Just finished a small “impossible artifact”- it’s a ceramic set of “brass” knuckles made as if NASA during the Apollo era might have spec’d such a thing. Sort-of. They were a fidgety thing to make- air drying clay is fickle, and free-handing a red worm NASA logo as an embossed thing into the clay? Yeah. Again: pics to follow.
• Custom macro keypad (as mentioned in the previous post). I’ve got the key layout done, the keyplate bought (but not cut…), and I’m making progress on the enclosure. Some hardware sourced, some decisions still to be made.
• New camera storage unit is built- needs some tidying of wires and whatnot, but it’s holding all the cameras and looking good.
• Project Xserve is complete- it’s up and running 10.11.4 with no problems, it’s got a new video card and a USB 3.0 card (with a separate controller for each port), and tons of storage. Odds and ends to come, I’m sure, but for now: done.
• My 1970’s KLH speaker overhaul drags on- turns out making wooden ring spacers is tricky. I’ve not given up yet, though.

Annnnddd that’s it for now. Plenty of other things, but those can all wait until next time.

Oh man, I’m in deep.

My (most) current obsession is monochrome everything. Here’s the run-down of how that’s manifested (thus far):

• My iPhone’s home button has been set to toggle the entire phone into greyscale mode with a triple press.
• I’ve installed Lenka on my phone- it’s a camera app that only does B&W photos. I know you can apply a B&W filter, or that you can set the stock camera app to B&W mode, but you can’t make the camera stay in that mode, and applying the filter after-the-fact robs you of a B&W viewfinder.
• I’ve spent a mildly embarrassing amount of time researching B&W only digital cameras. Yes, there are (a few), but they’re wildly expensive (Leica) or super-specialty (custom conversion).
• I’ve got my analog film processing gear all located and ready- I’m likely due for some new fixer, but we’re nearly ready to develop the growing backlog of film I’ve shot.
• [edit] I’ve also just swapped the display on this computer to greyscale, too. Lovely.

We’ve finally got snow, here.
Something like 8 inches dropped last night, and now I’ve got to go shovel it off the driveway. Before I do, I thought I’d bust one of these posts out, just to bring things up-to-date. Things I’m working on:
+ Repairing a Konica C35 Automatic camera (who’s light meter isn’t currently working)
+ Installing replacement tweeters in a pair of 1972 KLH Model 30 speakers
+ Installing some custom shelving in my new dining room (this includes painting the hardware, building the shelves, and finishing all the materials)
+ Looking for entryway seating/storage
+ Keeping the newsletter running (just put out #46 this morning)
+ Designing a administrative pouch/portfolio for my EDC needs
+ Getting back to taking pictures more often again
+ Getting back to shooting video more often again
+ I’m also (for the first time in a long time) looking at doing another degree- it’s not like I’ve got lots of time or anything, but it’s something that’s been nagging at me for a bit now, and it might be time to at least entertain the idea of scratching the itch.

There’s a bunch of other back-burner stuff going on, but most of that is longer-term and in the planning stages anyway, so we’ll leave that for now.

SitRep

• The new headquarters is up and running (thankfully), though I suspect there will continue to be work to do on it pretty much indefinitely- that being the nature of houses, after all. Regardless, we’ve reached functional status.
• My studio space is nearly fully functional as well- the audio gear isn’t set up at all (and there’s a fair bit of storage that needs to be sorted), but I can stand here and type this without any problems.
• It’s a new year, and while I’m not going to rant about “resolutions” or whatever, it’s as good a time as any to reorient yourself to your goals- take a step back and decide what you really want to accomplish in the short, medium, and long terms. Writing it down helps, as it seems to make it more real (and, thus, something work paying attention to).
• Given the sheer volume of work I need to get done at the day job, I’ve been brushing up on the GTD flowcharts- if you’re not familiar, GTD is “Getting Things Done,” and it’s a method of managing time and workflow.
• I’ve been using an iPhone and iPad as primary computing devices for a little while- my “main” computer is quite old, and it’s been pressed into service as a server, so it’s not really a day-to-day option anymore. My phone continues to be very, very good- though I find myself using one of the iPads we have around from time to time when I simply need more screen space to work with. I’m typing this on a full-sized iPad with a bluetooth keyboard via Poster.
• To that end, I’ve been looking to supplement the performance of my server situation by picking up another machine to handle that- though, I’m not entirely sure if that would be an older Mac Mini (which, it seems, hold their value to an alarming degree…), or a NAS-based solution… My first choice in NAS is Synology, but those won’t (nicely) run the software I need. So.
• I’ve been getting more and more interested in implementing the IoT in this new house. That’s the “Internet of Things,” and that usually means adding internet interfaces to… things. Thermostats. Smoke detectors. Locks. Garage Doors. Some of that stuff is commercially available already; more is no doubt coming. That said, there are a couple of problems:
1. Security- sometimes, you find out that the internet-enabled tea kettle has massive security holes in it’s interface. So that’s not great.
2. Privacy- I’m not thrilled by the idea of paying for a service for, say, my IP camera by allowing my data to be used from them. That’s a bit too much for me.
3. Boring. It’s not much fun to just plug things in.
4. I’m… particular about the stuff I use. I have criteria I develop, and those (for whatever reason) are often not the same as the market develops.
So, to that end, I’ve been exploring the Adafruit offerings more, with the hopes that I might be able to build and code the tools I need. The offerings have only become more inexpensive and easier to work with, and my interest has been growing. I’ve picked up a Raspberry Pi Zero already (and if you haven’t, you might consider it…), a Supermechanical Twine (that, right now, mostly is used to remotely monitor the internal temperature of my house), and I’ve a CHIP on the way (in March, I think). The Raspberry Pi will get pressed into service in the garage, I think, and I’m sure more of that sort of stuff will make it into my house.
• I’m going to try to get back to my newsletter too- I’ve had no time to think about education in any meaningful way, and I’ve had no time to mine my sources to find the tidbits I like to send out to people- and, as I’ve said before, I’d rather send nothing than a half-assed product. Regardless, it will come back.

Ah, yes. Here we are, again.

I’ve made the move to the new headquarters- it’s still chaos, with boxes and stuff strewn all about, but there’s progress being made. Nearly all the stuff has made it’s way here, and the stuff that hasn’t is scheduled to come soon, so that’s good (insofar as it means I’ll have all the pieces to this particular puzzle- even if the puzzle isn’t finished, so to speak).

I’m behind on the newsletter. There’s just not much time right now to dig through the web to find the nuggets that are worth sharing. Indeed, I’d rather send nothing than send a lame/half-assed edition. These should be back soon.

The (new) house presents a number of projects/problems to solve:

• I’ve cut the cord on our cable subscriptions- we have high speed internet only. That means I’ve had to do some work to build a system that will allow us to continue to enjoy watching tv with as little trouble as possible. Right now, I’m running a Plex server (which, if you’re unfamiliar with, is totally awesome). That server holds our movies and archived tv shows, and makes them available to any of our devices, regardless of their physical location. So that’s good. I’ve also installed a plugin that allows for watching live tv via the same interface- it uses a ip-enabled set of digital tv tuners. There’s some software in the works to allow that to function as a DVR for network television- so that will solve the time-shift problem, and I’ve begun exploring running Rasplex on some Raspberry Pi Zero’s to turn some old monitors into smart tv’s. That’s a neat prospect, especially given a Pi Zero costs $5. The control of that device is the current sticking point- I’m unwilling to have a keyboard/mouse connected. It needs to be something much more remote-like. Still $5!
• The internal house network also has taken some work- the house, despite only being a couple of years old, wasn’t wired for data. At all. Sure, they ran hard phone lines and coax all over the place, but no data. The phones lines were even run in old-school four conductor wire- not eight (which is what data needs, really). Stupid. And I loath the prospect of snaking wires, so I’ve picked up a powerline data system- I’m wary, but the reviews are good, and if it works, it solves my problem without me cutting into walls.
• The house has a number of heating and cooling zones- but it has the oldest kind of thermostats, ever. Remember those round ones that you turn the ring on? Yeah. Those. Totally unacceptable. So I’m looking at moving to smart thermostats (Nest 3.0’s, if you want to be specific about it…) but they’re $250 each, and that’s a pile of loot all together. So I’ll likely do one on the first floor (where we spend a lot of time), and then expand over time as well. I’ve got a Nest Protect around here somewhere too- I should get that installed.
• Storage in the garage is a horror show. It’s a two car garage, but there’s a ton of my junk in it- and combined with the rider mower we now have, there’s no room for my car. So: much shelving- and it can’t rest on the floor. So wall mounted or ceiling hung- those are my choices. And bike winches. Lots of bike winches.

That’s house stuff. Other projects include:

• Finishing a tiny backpack for a 2 year old
• Building a new studio space
• Video essay progress
• Rooftop fly rod transport
• Further car modifications (re: aux lighting)
• Custom rubber stamp procurement
• Physical archive project (this will expand over time, but I’ve already created and had made a full archive of all my tweets between 08/18/2012 and 12/09/2015. I’ll need to figure out a way to go back further than that, and this should also expand to video and photos, too).
• My new computer rig- this is a post-christmas project. Looking like a 27″ Retina iMac of some sort- with lots of storage and whatnot.

I’m sure there’s more, but that’s it for now.

Here’s what I’m up to:

• Newsletter #40 goes out this morning. Just a few more and it’ll have been a full year of these. Still not sure why I do it.
• Getting all the ducks in a row for closing day on the existing house/new house. Renting trucks, getting documents in order, buying cardboard boxes, etc etc etc.
• Experimental Education video project is ready for the next round of revision. That will (likely) be the last beta before I give it a try in a live setting. After that, I’ll be able to write about this with more details.
• Car has been (mostly) converted to winter mode. Still waiting on a couple of parts. Suspension is fixed, winter wheels/tires are on. Needs new wipers and the windshield prepped.
• New phone came. iPhone 6s Plus in grey 64gb. Very like. Currently wrapped in a Magpul field case (grey).
• I’ve been researching mini metal lathes. That (usually) means a 7″ swing and a bed between 10-16″. It’s a daunting amount of research, but I’ve got some time before this is a real thing.
• Starting to spec out a new computer for the new house. Looks like an iMac (27?), with a USB3 hard drive array and some other bits and baubles. I’m still working on if I’ll do a second monitor (right away? wait?), and what sort of stands/arms that will require. I’ll likely also use it as a place to consolidate my audio gear, so I’m imagining all that patched in too.

I’m trying to get back to posting here a bit more often. But, you should know: most of my writing about education stuff is happening over at my newsletter. You should sign up for that (if you haven’t already).

Anyway. What have I been up to?

• Selling a house. This is not a fun thing to do
• Buying a house. Also: not a fun thing. Especially under a time constraint
• Tracking my diet via my Hobonichi Techno
• Beginning a search for a new winter hat
  • Merino wool (or, alternatively, cashmere…)
  • Minimal labels/branding
  • Long enough to roll the edge
• Packing packing packing
• Designing a new computer work station (for said new house)
  • Currently, that’s looking like a quad-monitor setup with more than one computer running them. I’ve got a kickstarter Chip heading my way soon, so that might run one, and the main computer will be running at least two others… still some work to do here. Also, need figure out the storage solution for this whole rig. My data right now is spread across a pile of hard drives, and I need to consolidate.
• Trying to source an acceptable duck-cloth vest for the cooler weather we’re having. There are a number that would be acceptable, but most of them have price tags I just can’t quite stomach. So I’ll keep looking (and eventually probably just try to make one myself).
• Lusting over the new Glowforge laser cutter/engraver. It’s a totally reasonable price ($2k), though that’s more than I’d like to spend at this moment (see above: buying house). And the software is the real gem there, too. SUPER EASY. Any k-12 Makerspaces that aren’t buying one of these are missing out. Couple this with a decent 3d printer and there isn’t much you can’t make…
• I’ve planned out a roof-top solution for carrying a selection of fishing rods. I won’t source the parts until after the move to the new house, but I think it’ll be worth posting about.
• I’ve got a couple of days until I can order my new cell phone. I won’t post specs here (because I’m still not entirely sure which options I’ll go with), but I’m looking forward to it.
• I’ve been running Ghosterly on my computers for the last couple of weeks, and I really like it. Sure, it breaks some things- but it lets my old, old computer I’m using surf significantly faster when it’s not loading endless junk. I’m also using Peace on my iPhone (pulled from the app store- natch!) and I can’t tell you how much better it is browsing on my phone with that. I totally understand why Marco pulled the app- the ethics of add blocking are… murky. But still. I understand that people derive earnings from ads- but when those ads degrade the experience as much as they have? Yeah. Time for something to change.
• Also: as a result of running Ghosterly, I noticed that my site had more trackers/pings/widgets on it than I either realized or found acceptable. I’ve removed a bunch of those, and I apologize in the meantime. That said, I think there were 4 running- last time I went to a major site (cnn = 16, buzzfeed = 13, people = 19) I found the numbers egregious. So I don’t feel too bad about 4.