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Sunday Accomplishments and Open Thread

Configuring networks and routers has always been an impossibility for me. No matter how closely I follow the directions, I always mess it up.

This morning, my laptop said I needed to upgrade the driver on my wireless connection. After I did, I couldn't get online. The network only showed limited access instead of local and internet. I was about to go to Office Depot and buy a new router when I thought I'd try one last time to play with the old one. I put the disk in my desktop (which is connected by ethernet cable).

Three hours later, I'm done. I have a new network and not only does my desktop and laptop recognize it, but so does my iPhone and iPod (they never recognized the old network.) [More...]

I might go for broke and try to set up the wireless HP color printer/fax/copier that's been sitting unused in its box for 6 months because I was never able to get it to recognize the old network. On second thought, why push my luck? I'll save that for another day.

What did you get done today? This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Write down what you did (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by rdandrea on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 03:23:42 PM EST
    Before you forget.

    Very important.

    one thing I won't forget (none / 0) (#54)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:26:26 PM EST
    because I just learned it today is that even if you have a D-link "N" router (which I do), if you use WEP instead of WPA or WPA2 for security, it will only work as fast as an 801 b or g router and you won't get the benefits of the "n". So for two years my N router has been running at G speed, what a waste. I didn't use the wpa before because the key was 26 letters/numbers while the wep is only 10. But today during the setup it allowed me to make a password of 10 letters/numbers that is the equivalent of the 26 so I'm now finally running at N speed (I think.) (WPA is supposed to be much more secure than WEP.)

    Parent
    WEP has been totally useless as encryption (none / 0) (#64)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:05:11 PM EST
    for years. I shudder at the thought of people still using it.

    Glad you switched!

    Parent

    WEP keys can be sniffed out of the air (none / 0) (#101)
    by Edger on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 06:32:35 PM EST
    with packet sniffing software and the right hardware (specialized network cards).

    WPA is very secure.

    Parent

    Geek squad anyone? (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Radix on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 03:46:36 PM EST


    Josh's Wii quit working once (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 04:43:58 PM EST
    so I unplugged everything and took it in to the Geek Squad.  I pushed it across the desk at him and he smiled at me and pushed it back to me and said all done.  Apparently the Wii needs to be unplugged at times to reset itself for who knows what reason.  I came home, plugged it in, it was fine.

    Parent
    True of many (5.00 / 2) (#30)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:22:46 PM EST
    electronic thingamajigs.  Always a good idea to unplug, wait a few minutes, then plug it in again before deciding it needs repair.

    Parent
    Itr's called cold start (none / 0) (#60)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:57:11 PM EST
    and let's everything start over, in sequence, and will, in many cases, eliminate software problems..

    We actually use to do that on digital telephone switching systems as the very first line of defense before calling the really smart people.

    Parent

    I took my printer into the Geek Squad. (none / 0) (#12)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 04:54:06 PM EST
    Not cool to be assigned to work on a printer, so it was passed down the line.  Kid removed jam ink cartridge and asked, how did you do that?  Now it is time to change the cartridge again.

    Parent
    Tip: (none / 0) (#14)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 05:03:50 PM EST
    never buy an inkjet printer--ever. Laser printers have slightly higher upfront costs, but they're must more reliable.

    Parent
    I bought an HP Officejet 14680 Alll-in-One. (none / 0) (#15)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 05:07:16 PM EST
    Why?  I don't have a land line so can't use the fax.  CD/DVD player on laptop doesn't work, so can't hook up the wireless.  

    Parent
    You can probably download the driver (none / 0) (#16)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 05:10:33 PM EST
    Trying. (none / 0) (#27)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:10:49 PM EST
    I hope he didn't charge you for that! (none / 0) (#90)
    by hairspray on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 12:27:49 AM EST
    No, he didn't (none / 0) (#93)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 08:38:53 AM EST
    Apparently salt cuts down (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 05:19:39 PM EST
    on the bitterness of grapefruit. Go figure! (My family likes to salt cantaloupe, but I always thought that was just for the salt/sweet combo).

    Tell it to the Italians! The classico way to enjoy (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 05:57:26 PM EST
    ... orangey citrus sweet or savory. (I think we've already exchanged on this but it's too healthy, delish and calorie-wise to keep secret.)

    • peel your blood orange, navel orange or grapefruit and slice crossways up to 1/2-inch (slices should look like wagon wheels.)

    • lay these out over your preferred greens (mesclun, escarole, baby spinach, whatev) that have been lightly misted or drizzled with good, Ex-Virg olive oil. You can omit if you're seriously reducing calories/weight as part of a plan, but IMO finding sensible dishes you'll love is a better approach than "diet-mode" anytime.

    • sprinkle with a bit of salt and/or sugar to balance the PH and flavor. Add a very light drizzle of olive oil and dot with a few drops of good balsamico. Optional: finely minced red onion or shallots; finely grated ginger on top.

    You can make this into a light lunch, afternoon "tea" or beginning to a meal by incorporating some poached critter (chicken, fish, beef), noodles (soba and sweet soy work great) or tweak it up or down to serve as a beginning or side.

    Parent
    Sounds good (none / 0) (#26)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:06:49 PM EST
    The problem with doing grapefruit that was is that the membrane is basically inedible. If I have the patience, I'll cut the supremes. But usually I'll just halve and eat it with a spoon (after loosening the sections with a knife).

    As for blood oranges, maybe I just haven't gotten any good ones, but I've found them to not be nearly as sweet as navels.

    And with all due respect to California, I find that Florida oranges taste better. But apparently supermarkets tend to stock California navels because they look nicer.

    Parent

    Dry-reduce the pith of citrus by leaving them out (none / 0) (#29)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:19:23 PM EST
    So true about the pith. Unless you're making candied peel, the pith is only annoying. It's a sign that the citrus fruit isn't fully ripe, with fully developed flavor from their innate sugars.

    Most people have a dry atmosphere in cold weather, due to heating and a natural tendency of the air not to hold too much ambient moisture. Leaving your citrus out a day or two before use draws moisture out of the pith and reduces peel thickness.

    If you don't want to fuss around with pith and membrane, peel and separate into wedges and cut those into 1" pieces. Hey, when it's yummy it's yummy so go for it.

    Parent

    I'm wary of intentionally drying out citrus (none / 0) (#35)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:41:19 PM EST
    And IMO, pith isn't the problem with grapefruit: it's the internal membrane.

    Parent
    the pith is where (none / 0) (#46)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:12:23 PM EST
    the bioflavanoids are, if I remember correctly. It's the healthiest part of the grapefruit. Has lots of benefits. Naringin is one of the bioflavanoids, but there are others.  

    Parent
    The thing is, most people don't eat the peel/pith (5.00 / 0) (#58)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:51:19 PM EST
    ... anyway. Letting it reduce only removes the water from the pith, allows the fruit to ripen (not unlike tomatoes that were picked before ripening to survive travel are best left out in sunshine a day or two to develop the flavors and colors that ARE beneficial.)

    Never had to do this in Cali, but in cold temps you gotta do what you gotta do. (Whole Foods is kind of scammy, IMO.)

    I save all my peels anyway to flavor dried beans, salads, stir fries etc. but most people toss out the rinds of things anyway.

    Parent

    I've been candying the orange rind (5.00 / 1) (#79)
    by scribe on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:42:55 PM EST
    and storing it in a one of those plastic tub things you buy for leftovers.

    I put it in my oatmeal and farina, and munch it as a snack, too.

    No waste.

    Parent

    Makes sense: it's crazy bitter. (none / 0) (#51)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:20:35 PM EST
    And I have discovered from living (none / 0) (#32)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:35:44 PM EST
    here that feeding the orange trees is very important to the taste of the fruit.  I asked a neighbor if I could have some of her fruits that were just hanging out in the chill, she made a sour face and said that I could try them but nobody had fed the tree any fertilizer in forever so the fruits would probably be nasty.  And sadly they were.

    Parent
    Interesting (5.00 / 1) (#36)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:42:32 PM EST
    More often than not, I find citrus dry and tasteless. So I'm always happy to get it sweet and juicy.

    Parent
    My great aunts (5.00 / 3) (#44)
    by Zorba on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:12:13 PM EST
    used to salt watermelon.  OTOH, they would sprinkle a little sugar on their spanakopita (Greek spinach and feta in phyllo).  Go figure.  

    Parent
    Ooh, pickled watermelon rind; eggplant etc. (none / 0) (#59)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:54:46 PM EST
    I think the salt component is what makes Prosciutto and Melon so great.

    And of course, salting eggplant before doing whatever to it takes it from a spongey flavorless Nerf Football to the heavenly gift from the gods that it is.

    Parent

    Yes, I think it must be (none / 0) (#63)
    by Zorba on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:03:17 PM EST
    the contrasting flavors- sweet and salty, or sweet and savory.  (And you're right about eggplant.  The only time I haven't had to salt it is when we're grown it in the garden, picked it on the young side and cooked it immediately.)

    Parent
    L-Hand: Shark Steam Bottle, R-Hand: The Betty (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 05:36:14 PM EST
    This is too good to dead thread, so I'm reposting it here. (Hope this one-time abuse of bandwidth is okay.) It will save you hours of time doing your Spring Clean for the May Queen (double and treble that if you count Headache-Hours for their toll on serenity.)

    I want -- nay, am demanding -- a Nobel Prize for this or someone's Clock is getting seriously Cleaned.

    Here's the Shark Steam Bottle.

    Here's how to get The Betty.

    Say good-effin'-bye to streaks, dirt, grub and grime and have more time to languish in trashy peignoirs and complain about the gubmint. My mirrors now actually TALK to me and say nice things.

    As part of my kicking @ss and taking names approach to Spring Drudgery, I've been going through old clothes that I could never bear to toss out or donate to Goodwill.

    Before I took a vow of Fashion Indifference during the Bush/Cheney era of suckage -- okay, so I freed myself from cultural slavery -- I used to be somewhat of a Missy Thing, Prancing Around and Working It.

    One joyous find: some old Fun Glam/Goth stuff, like a black, coffin-shaped, purple plush velvet lined lunchbox/handbag. Sure, laugh, but it went great with the lace & soie organza-trimmed and veiled top hat.

    If you have an interested youngster who's into that look, do post. I'd rather pass it along to a stylish kindred spirit as I cry goodbye into a Victorian lace-trimmed hanky (which I'm keeping) than sell the stuff or heartlessly dump it into the clothes donation depot down the street.

    Thanks for that link to "The Betty" (5.00 / 2) (#22)
    by Spamlet on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:01:14 PM EST
    But I just kept mindlessly reading the thread it was in, and soon had to ask if today's time change might have taken me all the way back to December 20. Took me a minute to get reoriented.

    Parent
    So sorry, I should have warned about that! (none / 0) (#25)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:03:59 PM EST
    Glad you mentioned it here so people don't get disoriented.

    I spent most of the day feeling like I was in a bad Sci-Fi flick.

    Parent

    Ellie, this shark (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:50:11 PM EST
    thingy really works?  I'm tempted, but dubious.  Doesn't it splash water all over the place?  How does it heat it up, with batteries?

    Spring cleaning has become a major event and monstrous chore in my life since I moved to the country.  Not that the country is dirtier, but I'm greatly disinclined to do a lot of cleaning when so much of the house is chilly all winter (heating with a too-small woodstove), and once we get into real spring, I have way too much work to do with wrangling firewood and the kitchen garden, etc.  So if I don't get a major cleaning done before all that starts up, it's nearly impossible to get it done at all.

    Parent

    I love the Shark! It needs to be plugged in ... (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:10:34 PM EST
    ... to heat up to a steam level. I heard some complaints about it not working out of the box (which happened to me).

    Solution: don't use tap water (which may be "hard" in your area and have clogging minerals.) Use filtered (eg, britta) water or bottled.

    First time use, let it warm up at least 30-45 mins and prime the handle 10-12 times to open up the innards.

    When it starts working, it effin' rocks. Great for de-gunking creviced areas without gross, harsh chemicals. Great for routine household cleanups. I even use mine to steam wrinkles out of clothes, remove stubborn stains from fabric (by applying a bit of baking soda) and so on and so on ...

    And you save a whack of dough on cleaning products. (I'm down to baking soda, vinegar, washing soda for cleaning; aromatic natural oils like Peppermint (mint/pine/cedar) family and Citrus scents.

    Parent

    Grab a 1/2 gal ball jar (5.00 / 2) (#49)
    by nycstray on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:17:46 PM EST
    and fill it with citrus rind of choice cover in vinegar and let steep for few days (and on). I usually pop my left over rinds in the freezer when cooking. Even if I've zested them. Then I always have them handy to make up a new batch for cleaning  ;)

    Parent
    Oh, as for a big all-around Spring Clean ... (none / 0) (#48)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:15:56 PM EST
    ... it'll get you there in a lot less time. For accumulated or built-up grime, you can cut down on elbow grease by dry scrubbing it with baking soda first and then whack it with the Shark.

    It only holds 8oz of water, so the only thing to consider for efficiency's sake is to be prepared to refill it every 30-45 min of continual use (ie, have sufficient filtered water available if you plan to be going all day.)

    Parent

    Thanks for the tips (none / 0) (#86)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 10:03:49 PM EST
    Built-up gunk is less of a problem for me than just vacuuming and dusting ever square inch of the house.  Not to mention cleaning the indoor/outdoor carpeting the previous owners of my house wisely <cough> laid down over the whole kitchen.  Fumbled a container of my own just defrosted tomato sauce this winter all over the floor in front of the fridge.  Aiiiiieeee.

    And then there are the various spots of cat mousie spit-up to deal with....

    Parent

    Also helpful: dividing surface and air cleanses (none / 0) (#89)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 11:11:52 PM EST
    I only got good at housework because I hate doing repeatedly what's best done right the first time.

    The Shark unscented steam & wipe approach for surfaces cumulatively removes stuff that would get back into the atmosphere. (Use a microfibre cloth and natural antiseptic-antibacterial cleansers. When you rinse the cloth, it's a non-toxic, enviro-friendly reintroduction of gunk from whence it came.)

    Be sure to use ONLY filtered water -- no additives -- in the Shark. For airborne stuff (or surface borne stuff) you can also use the following:

    All purpose cleaning solution/air freshener(s) -- use what suits your nose and circumstances:

    Add to 1 litre/quart of filtered water a capful of Old School Listerine and a small capful (about a teaspoon) of Dettol (or Pine-based substitute).

    I've found that Dettol is best, plus, at various strengths, it can be used medically for sterilizing cuts, insect bites, etc. or to disinfect nasty areas like diaper pails, toilets, etc. I add a few drops of Peppermint, Wintergreen or Spearmint natural oils to make a "Febreze" that's 100x better than "Febreze". The scent of it is so familiar now, when I smell it it kind of smells "dirty". :-)

    The homemade stuff just smells fresh and new and will clean surfaces or the air.

    You can tweak the formula by adding a bit of plain white vinegar by slightly reducing the water. I'd limit it to an ounce or two, though the vinegar smell goes away in a few minutes. This works well with plain baking soda dry scrub.

    Find your preferred scent by goofing around with small quantities first, so you don't end up having to tweak a massive gallon of stuff, and make sure whatever oils you use are naturally derived as opposed to supermarket "fake" scents. As mentioned previously, I like mints and woods, citrus peels, and certain spices (like bay leaves, cinnamon bark).

    If you're going with citrus peel and vinegar (as per nystray's great vinegar tip), use the Orange Listerine.

    I always keep a small bottle spray bottle of half Listerine / half-water in my pack or in my desk when at the salt mine. It safely spot-cleans anything from a mouseball to shoe grime, but you can use it safely on the body too, like cleaning sticky fingers, the pie-hole, under the arms. The Listerine-smell goes away after a moment or two.

    For deodorizing shoes, cabinet drawers, etc., fill a loosely woven muslin bag or one of those awful knee-high with dried flower petals, cedar wood chips, tree needles and and shpritz with a non-vinegar containing cleansing solution containing a few drops of aromatic mint-oil. Put this bundle inside your shoes -- esp gym shoes :-) -- and never again experience the Agony of DaFeet.

    Plain baking soda instead of the dried stuff works great too. All right! Let's do the Whole Planet now!

    Parent

    Stinky shoes . . . (5.00 / 1) (#91)
    by nycstray on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 12:36:48 AM EST
    can also be misted with diluted tea tree oil :) Love your suggestion though for out of season shoes :) I can see putting my winter fare to the back of the closet stuffed with da goodies.

    Parent
    Great idea -- deodorize shoes and closet at the .. (5.00 / 0) (#92)
    by Ellie on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 01:01:39 AM EST
    ... same time! I was rotating the anti-stench bags but storing them in the shoes themselves would not only freshen but maintain shape.

    Hi five ... don't leave me hangin'!

    Here's another thing I do to keep shoes and feet happy and sweet (esp. for the footgear I like to wear socklessly.) Take one of those cellulose scrubber things (1/4-1/2 inch thick anywhere from 6" to 8-9" or so, green usually, but also in yellow, blue and red in a variety pack).

    Cut to the shape of an insole and put it in your shoe. If it doesn't fit snugly or falls out when  you kick off your shoes, use double-sided tape or a bit of gentle adhesive to keep in in place. Dust with peppermint-oil or lavender-oil scented baking soda if you like. I've heard that corn-starch is good too, but that sounds like a matrix for growing yeast.

    If your feet are the boat-sized, use two together. Wash the insoles with your other unmentionables -- and I do mean ... -- when maximum skank has been achieved, or simply toss out. (No single bacterium's getting past me today, can you tell?)

    This removes calloused dead skin from under your feet (which is the primary cause of the odor) and keeps the feet soft and nice.

    Parent

    Ellie, you really need (5.00 / 1) (#94)
    by Zorba on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 09:44:36 AM EST
    your own blog, sister, with suggestions for cleaning, recipes, etc.  You have such wonderful ideas!

    Parent
    I'm impressed Jeralyn (5.00 / 1) (#77)
    by ruffian on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:22:32 PM EST
    Always feels good to get the technology up and running. Glad you got your iphone on it too. That will be nice.

    I recently got an HP wireless printer too, and it was not too terribly hard to connect once I found the hex equivalent of my network password. I always forget how to look it up. Last time I wrote it down and hid it...and forgot where I hid it.

    I did some heavy spring pruning on my paml plant out front. It was getting so big it was starting to block the window. Chopped two big garbage bags of fronds off it. Looks a little bald, but a lot cleaner.  Then I cleaned the garage.


    Good job, Jeralyn. Awesome. (none / 0) (#1)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 02:59:32 PM EST


    Go For It (none / 0) (#2)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 03:17:01 PM EST
    One of the problems I have had with wireless network problem solving, is that I only do it once in a blue moon (when there is a problem) and I forget all the complicated steps needed to reconfigure the system, and so it is usually a nightmare reconfiguring it all.

    Given that you have refreshed your memory and are on top of your wireless game, now may be a good idea to hook up your wireless HP device rather than later, because if you are anything like me, you will more than likely soon forget what you did.

    Congratulations! (none / 0) (#3)
    by scribe on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 03:23:12 PM EST
    I'm on the side of those who say that while you're on a roll of getting appliances to recognize each other and play nicely, why not go and take care of the last of them and get that color printer printing.  The trend is your friend.

    In news from my little corner of the world, today I bought a small (<3 hp) used outboard motor to go on the canoe I bought a week ago.  Zoom.  Now I get to learn all about 2-cycle engines!

    Serendipity (none / 0) (#5)
    by Natal on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 03:44:10 PM EST


    CNN Quick Vote (none / 0) (#6)
    by BarnBabe on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 03:46:00 PM EST
    The question today is what innovation in the second half of the century effected our lives the most.The choices are the Interstates, Television, or the Internet. I voted for Television as it really did cover the entire 50 years. Most people are voting for the Internet. I respect the 90's but I believe that people are including the last 10 years of this century also. I guess television was just there and we witnessed so many historical events and some great entertainment. We saw news. Real news. Now, of course, it has changed, but it is still a major factor of our lives. What do you think your vote would be?

    On another note, my brother sent me the restored Flash Gordon Buster Crab series last year. Finally sat down to watch it on the BlueRay that I have never used and purchased it 6 months ago. Had my geek kid neighbor hook it up. He did my router and network.Gotta love that. Heh. I do his taxes. It was quite a excellent restore and I delighted in noting the pre-Star Wars events. Even sand people. It was enjoyable noting how no one questioned that you could parachute from one rocket ship to another in space. Hang down on a rope, or that no matter where they were, they always landed in the same spot. I think when they had fist fights you would hear the fist hitting a face of one of Ming's men, but, they were wearing helmets. I watched the first disc.12 episodes. Yes, it has 6 discs and that is 72 episodes. Remember Flash?

    I would say television impacted (none / 0) (#9)
    by observed on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 04:11:02 PM EST
    individual lives the most, but computers have had a bigger impact on the way business is done.


    Parent
    Interstates = urban sprawl = war for oil (none / 0) (#38)
    by Cream City on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:46:05 PM EST
    so it's an interesting debate.

    Parent
    The automobile has been the (none / 0) (#50)
    by observed on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:18:32 PM EST
    perfect vehicle for the demonstration of the tragedy of the commons.


    Parent
    I'd say the Interstate (none / 0) (#62)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:00:17 PM EST
    opened up the country and created a pretty well common culture because people could and did travel.

    Parent
    That's what came with this (none / 0) (#10)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 04:40:34 PM EST
    new laptop.  I was reading what Jeralyn had just done and to heck with that.  I barely got it connected to the network.  I'll be waiting for the Mr. to come home to attend to my phone.  It should be able to get on but nope, it doesn't and it can't.  I had to figure out the printer though between it and this new puter or I  was screwed on dogshow stuff.  We won't talk about how long that took.  I had to have it though.

    Success! Driftwood is hanging securely (5.00 / 2) (#13)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 04:55:49 PM EST
    on the wall and the tres pricey Kyoto pot is hanging securely on the driftwood.  Don't need no stinkin' handyperson afterall, although do now need an Ikebana consultant.

    Parent
    Sounds cool. D'ja polish the driftwood? (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:01:50 PM EST
    How did you anchor the Kyoto find?

    And please describe the pot. Lord knows, kdog always does! ;-)

    Parent

    I put a large screw into the front. Pot has an (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:12:49 PM EST
    imbedded metal ring, which I wired to the screw.  Pot is varying shades of brown--think Raku--and is wider at the top and bottom than in the middle.  I am thinking of bleaching the wood though, as it is about the same color as the pot.  Did not polish the driftwood--yet. Did spray for bugs b/4 installation.

    Parent
    Probably easier to go a shade darker with the wood (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:38:56 PM EST
    ... by applying a natural finishing oil or resin than blonding it (which would likely involve salt/heat and drying). Taking your decorative preferences into account, I'd skew for what's safest if the arrangement's near a heat source.

    Just googled the Raku images; how gorgeous. Sounds like a beautiful exhibit. Have you considered "mossing" or crusting the driftwood? If you're handy/artsy, you can polish it and go a deeper brown/green by pat-gluing deep green fibres (as you'd get from shaved velvet) or mineral shavings, sand, crushed glass, etc.

    Sister next is an artist and restorer and she crushes a whole gamut of stuff using a marble mortar and pestle. I'm amazed at the final results she gets. (Huh. Who knew?)

    Parent

    Don't want the wood darker, as the (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:01:04 PM EST
    pot is dark and not-so-dark brown.  Looks good when the lights are on and in the sun.  Which is fine.  I think the wood will lighten as it gets drier and drier.

    Parent
    This is close to the coloration (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:14:40 PM EST
    and size, but not shape: link

    Parent
    Gorgeous against the texture of the driftwood (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:35:42 PM EST
    You're right about letting them "get to know" each other teamed up. Also, it makes for a nice serene time with a cup of your preferred downtime liquid and watching the changes happen.

    Parent
    This is pretty much the look, not (5.00 / 1) (#56)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:46:44 PM EST
    the shape.  Bizen.  Must go there!  link

    Parent
    Mmm, nice. Sounds like a lovely contemplative (5.00 / 1) (#65)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:06:13 PM EST
    ... space you've made.

    Parent
    If you scroll down this link, you will see (none / 0) (#66)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:09:55 PM EST
    the embedded ring like my pot has.  I am thinking this style of Bizen pot is called "gourd" except mine is the same size on top as on the bottorm, with indented part in middle.  Haven't found a photo yet.  link

    Parent
    Gorgeous stuff ... (5.00 / 1) (#71)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:38:29 PM EST
    ... my (late) Sensei ... RIP ... got me hooked on Japanese style and aesthetic and we used to trade tips in our respective Fine Arts disciplines.

    I've always been a fan of Asian graphics and craft design (mid-century/modern) and learned some rudimentary wood, steel and weapons craft. (Need a new haft? Talk to me!) I've got some calligraphy, gear and weaponry on deck for an appropriate display plan but I don't want my dry winter space to wreak havoc on the keepsakes.

    The driftwood/pot arrangement got me thinking up some ideas for a natural rock inside herb garden to tweak for a prime moisture/oxygen level.

    Parent

    Scroll down to the sun garden. (none / 0) (#73)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:55:04 PM EST
    This exhibition is what got me going.  First buy pot.  Then find driftwood, etc.  Anyhow, many Japanese people were seated on benches contemplating this garden.  link

    Parent
    Here is a Bizen gourd pot. (none / 0) (#70)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:30:49 PM EST
    No hanger.  And not the shape of mine.  But now I am thinking I got a bargain!  Also, I have the signed box.  link

    Parent
    Oh! I have a tray set like the one under Leaf Dish (none / 0) (#78)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:33:33 PM EST
    Okay, that's definitely my next project for downtime. I've been revamping my personal space/studio (and in major clean mode to work from a Tabula Rasa).

    Lots of ideas whirring now. Sensei would love where some of the old weapons went. I didn't accept the offer of our dojo sword when he retired because in our tradition, it meant starting a new dojo and I was only up to Junior Instructor class. I suggested repatriating it to its source or closest available. (Ours is a dying art and half-assing it would be worse.)

    The other gear, I pounced on. :-P

    He used to wander over from the dojo to use some of my machinery. I taught him basic textile craft like block printing, weaving, sewing, multi-media and let him putter around at will. He mildly freaked out a visiting colleague once when he came over to fix the leather bindings on a sword. Sensei, a pretty fearsome looking guy, wandered past us wearing full kobudo and the sword at his side. (Carrying it like a piece of junk is forbidden!) He just nodded, grunted and walked right in.

    Colleague: Um ... cough ... er ... El???

    I think the display of tools and new craft, living things and memory are the ideal new beginning for my workspace.

    Parent

    Congrats on your new bébé network! Take a picture (none / 0) (#17)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 05:11:08 PM EST
    Seriously, take a digi-pic or vidcam any hard cables so it's a snap to take down (pack, move around, etc.) and put back. You can also email it for repairs, replacement, tweaking etc.

    i don't know what effected you, (none / 0) (#20)
    by cpinva on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 05:43:16 PM EST
    but i do know what affected more people, in the latter half of the 20th century: computers and the internet. they impact nearly everything you do: work, travel, recreation, finance and just everyday living. in my opinion.

    Times "Person of the Year" (none / 0) (#24)
    by ding7777 on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:03:53 PM EST
    1982 - the Computer
    2006 - You (of the World Wide Web)

    My vote would go to air conditioning, though.

    Parent

    I'm on record for nominating That Dyson Guy ... (none / 0) (#31)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:23:34 PM EST
    ... and the genius who invented Dijonnaise. I laffed when it first came out. Now I carry some around in envelopes when I travel to goof my own salad dressing with whatever's around.

    No matter where you are, you can find the fixings for salad even on people's lawns and in parks, but not the dressing.

    Parent

    You put mayo in (5.00 / 3) (#37)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:44:21 PM EST
    salad dressing?

    I'm all for a bit of mustard in the dressing (and garlic), but I dunno about mayo.

    And you're so right, most salad dressing is bleeaccchhh.  I make a very simple but good one myself, and guests go absolutely nuts and beg for the recipe because they've never had decent salad dressing in their lives before.  No wonder the French think we're food philistines.

    Parent

    Don't Like Mayonnaise? (5.00 / 1) (#40)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:54:21 PM EST
    Well try making your own, and then there is duckonnaise etc..

    Yummy..

    Parent

    Heh ... it's like the Duck Fat from Duck Confit (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:25:03 PM EST
    ... (Cooked Duck preserved in its own rendered fat.) A bean casserole wouldn't be the same without it!

    That, I'd eat sooner that packaged mayo, but I'd be lying if I didn't snap to Hellman's for being the best as packaged mayo's go.

    The other stuff ... WTF???

    Parent

    Yeah (5.00 / 2) (#57)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:50:04 PM EST
    Hellmans is the best, but since it is so easy to make your own, with whatever ingredients suit your fancy, it is hard to go back to store bought mayo.

    As far as the meatonnaise recipes, agree about the beefonnaise and lambonnaise, but the baconnaise looks like it would be pretty scrumptious.

    Parent

    Bacon fat and escarole ... now you're talking (5.00 / 1) (#72)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:46:02 PM EST
    Even when I was a veggie, this was among the sins I'd allow myself: warmed bacon fat, shallots and shrooms on bitter lettuces.

    Parent
    Yep, (none / 0) (#74)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:14:09 PM EST
    that's why west of the Mississippi, Hellman's is known as BEST FOODS :)

    Hellmans is the best


    Parent
    Cassoulet (5.00 / 2) (#61)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:58:31 PM EST
    I have been on a cassoulet kick this winter, great recipes here and here and basic ingredients here.

    Parent
    OK (5.00 / 1) (#69)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:25:21 PM EST
    I was holding back...

    Searching For The Secrets Of Cassoulet and two more recipes here and here.

    Parent

    I'm crazy for mayo (none / 0) (#84)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:59:02 PM EST
    couldn't live without, any more than I could without butter.

    But mixed into salad dressing?  Ewwww.

    FYI, every taste test ever done by Consumer Reports or Cook's Illustrated has found Hellman's indistinguishable from the best homemade.

    Parent

    IMO, caesar dressing (5.00 / 1) (#87)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 10:13:53 PM EST
    is just a thin mayo with parmesan cheese.

    Parent
    Oh, not really (none / 0) (#97)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 11:43:26 AM EST
    Mayo is an emulsification of similar ingredients but in very different proportions.

    Parent
    It becomes much more similar (none / 0) (#98)
    by andgarden on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 12:06:42 PM EST
    when you mix it into a vinaigrette. I don't do it, but it hardly seems strange to me. Haven't' you have Russian or thousand island dressing?

    Parent
    Unfortunately, yes (none / 0) (#100)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 06:26:21 PM EST
    That's the kind of salad dressing I'd be tempted to carry my own around with me to substitute for.

    Parent
    It's like the food version of emergency first-aid (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by Ellie on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:01:14 PM EST
    When my SpFreTalian family emigrated, we were downright disgusted at the very thought of packaged:

    • mayo
    • breakfast cereal
    • croutons / dried breadsticks / crackers

    (ntm the other pre-packaged Food Shockers!)

    As I learned to do it, you only had all of the above home-made, otherwise ... ewwww. Mayo is a table-made zabaglione with egg yolk, olive oil and vinegar, Alpine morning cereal is meusli and the dried out bread is what you dip into your morning latte!

    Parent

    You can make a pretty excellent vinaigrette (5.00 / 2) (#45)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:12:17 PM EST
    with five ingredients: balsamic vinegar, EV Olive oil, salt, pepper, and dijon mustard. But what I grew up with is still my personal favorite: Good Seasons Italian. You mix it up yourself, so you can use good quality oil and vinegar.

    Parent
    Yep, the best -- I always have some (none / 0) (#80)
    by Cream City on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:44:58 PM EST
    packets and the official carafe for mixing Good Seasons.  Nothing better than that in a pasta salad (with quartered artichoke hearts and chunks of crab, even the fake crab) or over my other warm-weather special fave, sliced tomatoes and mozzarella salad.

    Good Seasons is so good even with just the basic oils and vinegars, and yes, even better with the best quality of both -- but also sometimes to try it with specialty flavored oils and vinegars.

    Now I have to head to the kitchen to handle this craving for salad.  And this reminds me to pick up a box of the packets and a carafe for a new family member from abroad whom I so impressed with Good Seasons, which was new to her.  And she already has extolled it to relatives halfway around the world who will be visiting soon, so I suspect I might as well pick up several sets to send home with them.

    Parent

    I find that the light preparation suggested (none / 0) (#83)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:58:59 PM EST
    on the packet is perfectly good.

    Interestingly, I have been without an original carafe for years, but I find that a measuring cup and an empty jelly jar works as a good substitute. (BTW, the best jam is Bonne Maman Four Fruits Preserves).

    Parent

    I used to make baked chicken using (none / 0) (#88)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 10:15:21 PM EST
    Good Seasons Italian packet, mixed w/melted butter and breadcrumbs.  Shake and bake.

    Parent
    Needs a little garlic (none / 0) (#85)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 10:00:35 PM EST
    and I use Champagne vinegar in preference to balsamic.

    But you're right, delectable salad dressing couldn't be easier to make from scratch.

    Parent

    Slight correction (none / 0) (#34)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 06:41:06 PM EST
    Time's "Thing of the Year" in '82 was the "home computer," which didn't even exist yet except as a gleam in a few companies' eyes, where as "computers" had been around for a fair amount of time by then.

    Parent
    Got my first IBM (5.00 / 1) (#67)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 08:11:24 PM EST
    compatible home computer in '84... 360K with two floppies and could send info to the factory... wow... had Lotus 123 and I discovered how to enter/save and hit "recalc" and have 5 year forecasts that were actually forecasts with various variables... wow wow...

    Parent
    Commodore 64 (none / 0) (#75)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:16:24 PM EST
    didn't qualify as a "home computer"? When did Apple put their first home computer on the market?

    Parent
    That year, 1984, was the famous Apple ad (5.00 / 1) (#81)
    by Cream City on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:48:05 PM EST
    introducing the personal computer, an ad in the Super Bowl -- when it was not so costly for a new company to debut on that event.

    The ad was so successful at selling Apples that it not only made the personal computer a societal phenomenon overnight but also created the Super Bowl as the incredible and incredibly costly venue it has become, especially to debut new products.

    (Always an exam question on examples testing the theory of diffusion of innovation, so I had to learn this -- and hope, after all these years, that I have recalled it all correctly for you.:-)

    Parent

    No, it didn't (none / 0) (#82)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:57:34 PM EST
    The Commodore 64, like the Radio Shack Color Computer and the TI whatever it was were toys.  They pointed the way, for sure, but they couldn't be used to do much more than play with.

    Anybody besides me remember the agony of tape-recorder data storage?  My Color Computer had a great, big, fat 16K RAM.  Whoeee!

    Parent

    Yes - I worked with cassette tape (5.00 / 1) (#95)
    by ruffian on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 09:53:50 AM EST
    data storage back in the day. For the young pups, here is the process we had to go through for software development at the first place I worked, early 80's. We wrote software for the computerized point of sale systems for fast food places - Jack in the Box, Wendy's, BK. The end system in the restaurants was loaded from a cassette loader. We started with software developed on an IBM mainframe. Here was the process:
    IBM mainframe to reel to reel mag tape
    Mag tape read to mini-computer that dumped data to a 7 inch floppy disk
    Floppy disk read on PC that could dump data to cassette
    Cassette loaded onto end system so you could test your code.

    By the way, the 7 inch floppy and cassettes were an upgrade - before that, we downloaded to paper punch tapes and those were used to load the machines!

    Since this whole process was so laborious, if we wanted to make quick changes and test them on the system, we wrote instructions in hex and patched them into memory using the command line debugger. For example, we left a hunk of spare memory for patches, then replaced the real machine code with the machine code equivalent of a 'goto patch memory', where we typed in our machine code. Then of course you had to edit that until it was right, and type it back into the IBM mainframe later.

    Good times!

    Parent

    Sure taught me good design and pre-test habits (5.00 / 1) (#96)
    by ruffian on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 09:59:05 AM EST
    though. to this day my code requires a lot less debugging than most of my co-workers. When it takes 2 hours between writing and testing your code, you make sure it is right the first time!

    Parent
    And another thing (none / 0) (#99)
    by ruffian on Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 12:43:32 PM EST
    the two hours between coding and testing was itself a huge improvement from when I was in college, when we wrote out code on forms, waited in line to punch the cards, submitted the cards, and got the compilation results hours later - sometimes the next day. If you had one typo in your cards that resulted in a compilation error - back to the punch machine to do it all again...

    You young whippersnappers with your Visual Studio...

    Parent

    Yep (none / 0) (#52)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 07:22:46 PM EST
    Typically if networking doesn't work, it's due to an incompatible networking driver and all drivers need updating -- or something fixable via rebooting the router, etc.

    The latter is usually the first thing to try.