essaying

• 02:23 God. I am absolutely fecking BURIED right now. Don't expect me to tweet much for a week or so while I dig dig dig a little clearance. Argh. #
• 03:29 RT @ravenousromance: Do you write M/M, kinky, or menage? Email submissions at ravenousromance dot com. Full-length novels preferred. #
• 16:20 My anthology "Young Studs" (young guys/older women) is book of day at Ravenous Romance: www.ravenousromance.com/ #
• 16:26 Why do I feel like this day is going to be so hard to get through? Trying to concentrate on the shovel and the dirt right in front of me... #
• 16:27 And not on the immense mountain trying to landslide over me. And why does my shovel look like a teaspoon? Deep breaths. Dig dig dig. #
• 21:41 Time to stop working and make dinner. I think I am inventing a new recipe to use up kohlrabi. I'm going for kohlrabi fritters essentially. #
• 23:52 Invented recipe: kohlrabi fritters. Shredded kohlrabi, shallot, beaten egg, matzoh meal, salt, white pepper, paprika, basil, parsley, cumin. #
• 23:53 Came out wonderful. Shaped into small patties, fried about 2-3 minutes per side in half olive oil/half canola. Yum. #
• 00:47 In between writing tomorrow's Baseball Early Bird segments, I snuck in a post about Healing Arts: www.eastern-healing.com/?p=18 #
• 01:25 OK, proportions on the kohlrabi fritters. 4 cups shredded kohlrabi, 1 egg, 1/2 cup matzoh meal, about half a shallot, salt/pepper to taste. #

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I think the problem with the treadmill is the controller board. I have power to the incline motor, but I see no voltage on the spades for the belt motor. Damn. That's about a $300 part. Still, given that it was like a $2500 treadmill when it was new (though I didn't pay that) it's probably worth it.

http://xkcd.com/661/

 
Try these sets for comparisons of how they affect the color or texture:

(This is all using the microwave. I assume that the same questions arise with stove-top dying.)

In cycles of 2 mins heat, 2 mins rest, try 1 repetition vs 2 reps vs 3 reps. (Probably after that won't make a difference, but check. Also: does yarn change texture from being microwaved?)

Check short vs long resting period between heating periods. Does it prefer to stay warm for a set period of time continuously? Or can the total number of minutes be broken up?

Check including vinegar in the dye bath vs not including it, with yarn that was soaked with vinegar solution, yarn that was soaked in plain water, yarn that was only wetted but not soaked.

Does longer time for cooler temp get the same result? (People do talk about sun-tea'ing it.)

Check rinse soon (while still warm) vs let cool down completely before rinsing

Also: do these vary with light vs dark colors? Or different brands? (Probably not appreciately.)

So, I've been thinking about the holiday shopping season, and what a tough year it is for so many of us, and how even those of us who can afford to spend money on gifts may be looking to make those dollars count.

And I thought it might be fun, and useful, to ask the assembled ElJay masses to put their virtual heads together and share our suggestions for good things to buy, and good places to buy them.

"Good" is pretty subjective, but what I'm thinking about are qualities like:

• Good value for the money. Genuine bargains, or things that aren't cheap but are worth the money because of superior quality.
  
• Good craftmanship: Stuff that looks good, is well-made, and lasts.
  
• Good values: Socially responsible gift-giving, however you might define that. Green products. Things of good value being made/sold by people who genuinely need the money.
  
• Good service. Vendors that ship quickly, have great customer service, good refund or exchange policies.
  
• Good ol' *fun*: Gifts that lift the mood, make people laugh or smile, or generally fill the recipient's heart with delight.

Being as how we're doing this online, I'm kind of partial to online vendors. But if you want to throw in a bricks-and-mortar store, or conventional catalogue house, feel free - just tell people how to find it.

I'll start things off below the cut with a few that come immediately to my mind. If you want to play along, add yours in the comments. I'll even unlock the friends-only setting on this post, so feel free to refer others here. Tuck the post in your memories so you can take advantage of it when you're doing your shopping. Who knows? We might start a new holiday tradition.
( Ze cut tag )

Yarn soaked in vinegar solution

Dissolved 1/2 t. electric blue (Ameri-color) in warm water in the pre-warmed slow-cooker.

Heating/setting now. If it doesn't take up all the dye I'll put some more yarn in later. Not sure how long I'll let it go. An hour? Started it around 7:20.

There are an amazing number of jobs to apply for--but actually, most are through contracting agencies. Some agencies are better to work for than others, of course. I've heard that there are rates out there as low as $11/hr. I do try to work for agencies that value their employees more.

Anyway, even with all the resumes I've sent out, all I've gotten is touch-base e-mails back. I still have about 3 weeks left before this job runs out, so it's early days yet. (I tell myself.)

I'm really pleasantly surprised at the *amount* of activity at this time of year; I think it bodes well.

There's no way to set the wallpaper to "no wallpaper" or a solid color. To get a black background, I had to turn the flash off and take a picture of a solid black surface, then use that photo as wallpaper.

"116/68.. mine should be so good. Whatever you're doing, keep it up."

Cutting-pills-in-half now officially replaced with new prescription at half the previous dose.

Hey, I figured if I waited until the house was actually cleaned up and ready to be photographed, I'd never get it done. So you're getting a glimpse of our space as it is right now... messy and a bit cluttery, but it's working for us right now. Come on in!



ETA: If you click through to the Flickr page, there's a way to turn on the comments so you can see what I wrote about each photo.

Okay, it's official, I'm launching DARON'S GUITAR CHRONICLES.

It's a serialized novel that never would have worked as a traditional print novel because it was too long.

It's a coming of age story, a coming out story, and a period piece about the 1980s.

It's sex, drugs, and rock and roll from the point of view of a neurotic 19-year-old closet case.

Daron: Hey! Watch it with the name-calling!
Me: What? Did I lie?
Daron: Well, no. But I'm not neurotic.
Me: Says who?
Daron: And I'm not in the closet, because I'm not gay.
Me: You just "like guys."
Daron: Yeah.
Me: Uh-huh.
Daron: Don't give me that look. You know it's more complicated than that.
Me: If you say so.
Daron: Hey readers, don't listen to her. Go see for yourself. You'll totally agree with me once you see what's going on.

The first few posts are up for your reading pleasure at: DARON'S GUITAR CHRONICLES.

New content will be appearing every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, starting on Monday the 16th. Please spread the word! Follow Daron on Twitter to get a little reminder each time a new post appears (@daron_moondog). Meanwhile go read what's there to get you started! Comments welcome!

What resale shops will buy Men's clothes for cash (NOT just in-store credit)? I know Buffalo Exchange does, any others?

This could prove to be a useful tool:

http://www.google.com/flushot

(Note, though, that it may take some time to become useful, as they've just launched it and are still awaiting availability/schedule information from many places. It's ... disconcerting ... to plug one's state into the "finder" and get back the result "No flu shots in or near Oregon".)

( You are about to view content that may not be appropriate for minors. )

Running outside sucked, and I never want to do it again.

It was cold. Not cold enough to put on more clothes, but cold enough to be annoyed that I didn't have them.

I had to carry shit. And wear a headlamp.

There were no numbers counting in front of me. I put a c25k app on the new phone, but it sucked and I had to keep turning the phone on to see what was happening.

There were hills. Tiny hills, mind you, but still hills. There were also obstacles to be avoided.

Running with headphones sucks.

I encountered a potentially-dangerous two-legged vermin.

That car that sounded like its brakes didn't work as I crossed the street in front of it didn't make me happy to be out there.

I had no control over pacing. At the end of the first running segment, I was massively out-of-breath and almost ready to stop. I tried running slower on the second leg, but it didn't work and I quit after 60 seconds and headed home.

It took me 15 minutes to get home once I'd quit.

Yes, the boats on the estuary were pretty, but it's totally not worth it.

• 02:11 OK, soft launch is a go. Start reading Daron's Guitar Chronicles, my 1980s rock and roll coming of age novel daron.ceciliatan.com/ #
• 02:12 New posts to Daron's Guitar Chronicles will be 3x/week starting 11/16. Follow @daron_moondog on Twitter to get auto-reminds each time. #

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( You are about to view content that may not be appropriate for minors. )

I bought a Droid.

The treadmill is still busted. I want to run, so I guess it's time to go out into the real world.

I downloaded a C25K application. We'll see how it goes. I say 50/50 that I make it through the run.

P.S. Carrying things while running-- presumably this is a solved problem. Help?

I have way too much to do on way too many fronts, but I'm bored. I'm bored with my job. I mean, it all seems kind of pointless... I'm bored with looking for work. I'm bored with looking for opportunities to volunteer as a mediator because no one will talk to me about it. I'm bored with everything I'm eating.

And I can't do much about any of it.

I can't do anything that costs any money because I'm planning not to sign the papers that will give me extended severance until January (for tax purposes), which means that I will need to make my own January mortgage payment.

Knitting socks is a good way to pass the time while you're waiting for the server to show you the document map or making a PDF of the book.