Hi

Arc

2014-11-01T05:58:54Z

So I made this arc reactor to wear under my shirt tonight:

http://imgur.com/bOEz2Mz

I started by printing this thing, which took about an hour and a half on my printrbot:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:12882

Then I very quickly and dirtily soldered the forty-something connections (I was in a real hurry to make trick-or-treating). I added a potentiometer for dimming. All told, I spent under an hour frantically connecting things and getting it put together, then realized I was really late and didn't have time to clean it up, so I covered the most janky connections in hot glue.

http://imgur.com/E9nr7Wu

I'm hesitant to even show this, but it's the kind of thing that some of you are going to look at and say "Holy crap, I can't believe that thing worked all night even though all those leads were stabbing you in the chest and should have been shorting out like mad", and no one reads LJ anymore anyway, so it's safe to show off quick ugly hacks that turned out okay here, right?

Okay, I'll peel back the curtain. Here's the wiring mess that's making it work: http://imgur.com/UdrKx69

I'm still shocked that it worked so well. There's no excuse for this working as well as it did. I'm apparently way too careful in my other electronics projects.

achild @ 2013-04-26T14:42:00

2013-04-26T19:42:20Z

Hey LJ, don't delete my account.

There, I posted. I can be quiet for another couple years now?

achild @ 2012-07-17T16:45:00

2012-07-17T21:45:30Z

Against my better judgement, I'm gonna throw some more fish in the pond.

This fall, I'm fishing for and eating some fish. Hopefully there's still water by then. It looks like there should be, thanks to the flooding this week.

achild @ 2012-07-10T08:54:00

2012-07-10T13:54:50Z

Well, the pond is filling back up. We're getting massive flooding out here. Pretty crazy.

I figure it's because I took my hardtop off the jeep. The bikini top doesn't keep the sideways rain out, so the tub's full of water now, and it's pouring so hard I don't want to go mess with the drain plugs, so it's going to have to wait until the rain lets up a bit.

Crazy amounts of water going into the pond though. Maybe it'll stay full a few more months. I'm not stocking it with any more fish just yet though.

Edit: check out the turtles I found in the yard after the deluge. They're safely back in the pond now.

Plumbing

2011-10-17T19:41:31Z

We had two leaking pipes that needed repair, and used these things to fix them:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100638089/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Turn off water, cut the pipe on either side of the leak, and shove this between the two cut sections. No pvc cement, no soldering, no glue, nothing. Just stick the pipe in each end and it's good to go.

My neighbor recommended them. He does a lot of residential repair work, and they rock. From 0 to plumber in a few minutes. Fixing your own problems - priceless.

achild @ 2011-08-19T11:18:00

2011-08-19T16:19:18Z

It was a fun system while I was there. I'm out. Still have LJ.

Too bad that modern social interactions are so damaged when we choose not to participate in social media. It's like no one knows how to use a phone or email any more.

I'm still adamantly opposed to the real names policy, and I expect that the real names policy is going to explode on them - or require even more draconian rules in order to truly enforce it.
- We've noticed that the name on your associated phone bill does not match this account name.
- Please proceed to a G+ registration booth and swipe your state provided ID card to register or verify this account.

I have no need to hide my legal name. My legal name is all over the web. My association with Flipside is on my resume. I choose this life.
At this time, I'm simply not willing to continue to use a service that will not accept my right to use the name I choose to use. Forcing me to use a standard looking name is bullshit. Telling me that !Bob is any less real than Bob is regressive thinking. We live in a new time, and we have no need to be defined by the things that defined us in the past.

I respect and support those who do not have the luxury of using their real names on these services. They have the right to interact with their friends on the Internet too.

When it's once again safe to light the oven.

2011-08-17T19:00:02Z

Oh man, when it stops being so damn hot out, I'm going to light the oven and make some of these little guys:

In case you're not on austin-list

2011-05-05T22:16:31Z

Pat's running a kickstarter to offset a portion of the cost of a major art installation for Flipside. You can see more about it and donate to the project here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/593761347/collective-spectra-burning-flipside

More art bigger better faster prettier!

Springloops

2011-04-24T00:14:03Z

At my previous employer, we were using beanstalk for hosted SVN and deployments. They were good, but since I'm essentially starting fresh here, I was looking around for alternatives. Well, I found one. Springloops is running a free beta of their new version of Source Management/Project Management software. I've been playing with it for about 24 hours now, and it's pretty sweet.

It includes automated deployments, so you can do things like:
   - All checkins auto-deploy to development server,
   - Deploy any version (including rollbacks) to dev, stage or live

So there's that. Then it also tracks milestones, tickets, helps you distribute tasks, maintains backups, etc. It'll integrate with basecamp out of the box.

I was looking at project locker for similar functionality, but I forgot my password there, they mailed me a new one in plaintext, and I stopped using the service. Seriously...no.

Not sure how much longer Springloops will be in beta, or what the cost will be when they relaunch their SaaS model app, but if it's reasonable enough in price, I'm definitely keeping this tool around. It's far too valuable to let go to waste.

Words words words.

2011-04-05T21:09:23Z

If you play words with friends, I'm plasmator - bean is beannoneya.

Timber!!!!

2011-04-04T19:10:59Z

I've got a lot of yard work to do. I've kinda let the yard go to hell, and we've got down trees, dead trees, and branches everywhere. I'd like to focus on the dead trees and downed branches, put together a good kindling pile and cut/stack wood for the fireplace and campfires this winter.

I've got time during the day to work on this any day this week, but I hate running the chainsaw while I'm alone out here.

If anyone out there has time during the week, and would be interested in coming out, drinking some beers, and cutting up dead trees, I'd love the company. My weekends between now and Flipside are already quite full, so I'm trying to find time during the week.

I can feed you beers and probably food too, depending on the timing, but money's way too tight for this to be a paying gig.

If this sounds appealing and you have time during the week this week, lemme know when would work for you and we'll go from there.

Perspective

2011-04-04T00:27:44Z

I went out to an offroad park with my neighbor today. I now have a more accurate definition of what 'offroad' means. Additionally, I have learned what a jeep is.

Holy
Crap
Batman

Jeeps can traverse some mindbogglingly rough terrain.

His buggy is even more crazy. Flat ignoring any boulder in the path smaller than 4 ft, climbing cliffs, etc.

It's been a highly educational day.

Pond is dry again

2011-03-24T20:45:02Z

La niña has dried us out again. The pond is dry.

On the up side, it's an excellent helicopter flying zone. No trees, nice bowl to hide from the wind, and safe clear landing zones.

Who says it isn't a blessing?

wind hacking

2011-03-16T19:21:42Z

I think I'm going to get one or more of my kites back into working order, then take the helicopter and a kite or two to the park.

Then, when the wind kicks up too high for the heli, I launch the kite. If the wind's too low for kite, launch the heli.

I will beat you, nature.

Yum.

2011-03-11T00:31:25Z

Jalapeno Cheddar Bread just finished in the bread machine. This one rocks.

https://community.tasteofhome.com/forums/p/775683/6611436.aspx

JALAPENO CHEDDAR BREAD
1/4c. jalapeno slices, from a jar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
7/8c. hot water
1/4c. brine, from the jalapeno jar
2/3c. shredded or diced sharp cheddar cheese
3c. bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. bread machine yeast

I used a heaping 1/4 cup of jalapenos, and added some garlic powder, oregano, a splash of frank's red hot sauce, and some white and black pepper. I didn't measure any of those ingredients, just added what seemed right, probably between a teaspoon and a tablespoon.

This is delicious.

This just in

2011-02-23T22:21:03Z

Wheat germ != Wheat Gluten. Subbing 1tbs of wheat gluten for 1tbs of wheat germ = very chewy bread.

That's behind me now though. Now I'm working on oatmeal raisin bread. No substitutions.

Boom!

2011-01-01T04:01:05Z

I love celebrating splody days.

Something about the smell of gunpowder in the air as I walk out to my fireworks stash really makes me smile.

May God continue to bless those of us who like making/seeing things go boom.

Here's hoping 2011 treats you as well as or better than 2010.

achild @ 2010-12-04T00:08:00

2010-12-04T06:08:50Z

Hrm....now that's funny.

2010-12-01T15:16:36Z

I just clicked www.hasbeanhadthebabyyet.us on Bean's journal, just to see if the status had updated yet.

I'm officially a web-junky.

BACON IS GOOD FOR ME

2010-07-30T22:54:38Z

1 package Oriental Ramen
cover with water
add seasoning packet
microwave 3 min
add egg
microwave 30 sec
add bacon
add butter
add soysauce

Yum.

Suggestions?

2010-06-25T15:39:22Z

So, two days in a row, I've had a package dropped off at my place by UPS or FedEx. They leave them just inside the gate.

The first day, the item was a spindle of dvds, relatively immune to the attack of our two puppies, who tore the box apart and destroyed all but the cd spindle (packing materials, box, etc).

Yesterday, the item was a remote controlled foam truck that flies. The thing is glorious, I gave one to to a friend for his birthday and it flies like a dream. This time, the package did not survive, and the truck is scattered around my yard in tiny bite sized pieces.

Apart from the "take them to the pound" approach, any suggestions on what I should do to break this habit that they're establishing? I'm thinking maybe ordering a shipment of live rattlesnakes or pressurized cans of butane might do the trick, but I'm looking for something at least trivially less violent.

achild @ 2010-05-17T01:55:00

2010-05-17T06:55:58Z

God created suffering and heartache, so that joy might be known as their opposite. Hidden things become manifest through their opposites. But God has no opposite; so he remains hidden. Light is known as the opposite of darkness. But God's light has no opposite. Thus we cannot know him through our eyes.

- Rumi, "Mathnawi"

Projects and stuff.

2010-04-27T01:42:16Z

Pond chemicals ordered - duckweed will die again.
Fish are doing well, been seeing lots of them - goldfish, bluegills, and some catfish striking.
Going to add some more minnows and maybe some largemouth bass.

Been seeing a couple snakes in there too. Banded water snakes. Plus turtles, occasional ducks, etc.

Got a fountain going, but we need to fence it off (turtle fence?) to avoid sticks/fish/etc getting caught in it.

This post full of fragments.

This sentence no verb.

Feeling really busy and full of life these days. Liking it.

Pond life - non microscope

2010-04-14T16:45:16Z

I've been seeing a lot of activity in the pond this week. A couple turtles, lots of goldfish. This morning I saw a snake and a bluegill.

Pretty cool to see it thriving with life.

Science!

2010-03-28T18:54:46Z

Feeding a webcam microscope full of pond life to Chat Roulette.

This has been entertaining.