Copper Etching #1

A little copper, some ferric chloride, some ammonia, a few paint pens.....

More work needed: have to drill a hole in the center at the top, add some cord for hanging, and coat with polyurathane......
The uneven texture around the edge is part of the design - I didn't want it to be too smooth.

Pirate Kindle

Not a "Pirated Kindle", but a home made skin, using some materials lying around and my NEW pirates hockey tape !

Stuff I Made for Christmas: Copper Wind Chimes

First Set - with a woven copper sail.





Second set - with a copper cat sail.




Set #3 - Sail with "Instant" Patina



Set #4 - Sail and Clapper from Hardwood.
The clappers from all of them are slices of hardwood branches that have dried.






Next post: copper etching.......

Current "Time Wasters" aka "FUN"

"What I'm working on now".... which really should be "How I'm having fun now", but somehow, when you grow up, you don't think of it as "having fun" - you think of it as 'projects' or 'work'.

1. RUNNING. I have to think of it as 'learning' to run.... My goal for the 2010 - 2011 running season (Sept to May) is to run the February race in Ambler and the Broad Street Run in May...... Outside of real work (i.e., employment), i'm trying to make running my #1 activity. Now that it's below 70 degrees (F), with almost no humidity, i don't have any excuses.


How I run in the dark - PETZL lamp.


2. Playing Bejeled Blitz. I admit it - i have a serious addiction. I am convinced that if I just play long enough, I'll have an epiphany and I'll understand the intricacies of the game, and I'll be able to rack up 300,000 points every time I play.

3. READING.... always a serious addiction. But now I have the Kindle and the iPOD (Audible.com)...... what is better than laying around reading a book or having one read to you ?

BIKING on hold...... Despite the recumbents, i seem to have them badly adjusted. All is well while I'm riding (63 miles last trip), but my hips hurt when i get off.... and hurt for weeks afterwards. Running seems to cure it, I think.

People Over 40 Can't Type with their Thumbs

I am sooooo tired of the perception that people over 40 are technologically incompetent.

Somehow, a myth was started that "people over 40" don't use technology. News flash: I have used computer technology since 1981. I had an Atari hooked up to my black-and-white TV that used to learn Basic. I know why we say "boot up" a computer - because I did an IPL on an IBM 360 every morning for 2 years...

Yes, it's probably true that people in different age brackets don't USE a technology the same way, or to the same extent that others do..... But age isn't an excuse to drag out every time someone has a problem or doesn't know something.....

My latest gizmo (on which I can type with my thumbs).

Running vs. Biking

No - running does absolutely NOTHING for biking capabilities. Time spent running is just time away from the bike. Lesson learned: fall, winter, and spring are for running; spring and summer are for biking.
80 degrees (F) and above are just too hot and humid for running, but they're perfect for biking......

Heat Wave

It's just too hot to run in the sun, bike in the sun, do anything except lie in a hammock and listen to the birds..... Day 3 of the heat wave - 97 degrees yesterday. It's supposed to stay like this for the rest of the week....... perfect weather for my new career as a beach bum. If only I had a beach....

Digitizing Vinyl

Spending vast amounts of time using the ION turntable and Audacity software to digitize my 30-year old vinyl collection. Starting to wonder how many songs I really like, and if it wouldn't be cheaper to just buy those songs from iTunes.... the really annoying part is listening to them all, so I know when a side is done.
Weather Report, Elvis Costello, Van Morrison (everything), Stones, Taj Majal.....a trip back in time. Then, it's on to the casette tapes ......

How far is 10 miles ????

THIS far -

Running by the Numbers...

It is now weeks until the Broad Street Run
.
Actually, it's

days... I've run


miles since September. My longest runs (two of them) have been


Miles.... Am I ready ????