Bryon Blog-O-Rama

Tis the season to be a consumerist pig. Well, no, actually, I would rather not in general get a bunch of stuff for the sake of getting stuff.

My bride is a good influence on me, and so I am very chary with my purchasing power. Also, I’m trying to head off misguided gifting at the pass (scented candle = epic fail). Now that I’m an old-ish fart, I don’t have to worry so much about it, but honesty compels me to also admit that there is stuff I actually do want. So for all these reasons, hopefully without being gauche, here’s my “WANT!” Uber-list(including wishlists at various sites where possible) for my dear parents and bride, although if somebody else gives me stuff it’s better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

Geeky stuff first, in the probably vain hope that anybody will actually get me something that I want for inexplicable esoteric reasons. Well, I try to explain, but it quickly turns into massive glazing for the listener. Well, here goes anyway.

Oh please oh please oh please?

ArduiNIX shield Kit:
http://arduinix.com/Main/Store.htm
Drive Nixie tubes from an Arduino! What’s not to love! I’d have to make something totally cool with it, like a ICBM launch panel or 1950′s era “super computer” or maybe just a clock. Nah, no clocks, been done to death. I’d rather make a DRO readout for a CNC machine or something way cool like that. Or just a really neat sculpture. Nixie tubes are from the vacuum tube era, where you have individual wires shaped like numbers in a tube filled with neon and lit up via high voltage. This once was the only way to have a numerical display, the technology was eventually replaced with solid state options, first LED’s then LCD’s shortly thereafter. But there is something about them that is just funky cool.
And I’m a total Arduino fiend these days, so this particular solution is a no-brainer for me. And it’s pretty cheap!

ThinkGeek Wish List:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/glennz/bc93/ A fun T-shirt
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/watches/6a17/ A Watch that tells time in binary. This warms my heart and reminds me of my childhood.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/754d/ A firesteel for the go-packs that I do need to assemble still….

Sparkfun Wishlist:
Okay, I know this stuff is just “electronic parts” to you, but to me it’s a medium for art and learning. And eventually conquering the world with my robot minions. Or creating something so cool it makes me millions of real American dollars. Or not.

Arduino- the endless applications for Art and fun!
Arduino Pro, need one of these.
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9219
Arduino Pro Mini, also need one or two of these, if they’re in stock.
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9218
And here’s the low power Pro Mini, I can use one of these too.
https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9220
Screwshield, makes it easier to wire in stuff for some applications:
https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9282
Other stuff:
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9117
Rotary encoder, also needs the knob below, best of all- Cheep! I could use maybe 4 of these, with 4 knobs.
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8828

Okay, moving on from Sparkfun, um, I also need a rain coat. That actually fits, so of course Mr. Gorilla Arms is a bit of a challenge. It’d have to be a shopping trip to find one. Costco doesn’t have anything sadly, all the sleeves are way too short.

From last year: X-Band Saw, currently I think it’s available at OSH hardware, Maker shed is no longer carrying it. The cutting station is awesome too, but the saw itself is the bomb. And some spare blades would be good too…
I can’t tell you how handy this thing will be for the next few years. Even after the remodel, I will find much use for it in sculpting.

Afterthoughts-

Ah yes- dr bronners peppermint soap!

Duct Tape! specifically: Scotch high performance transparent duct tape! Rather than getting a new wallet, give me the stuff to make one! (duct tape wallets are apparently still cool.)

Socks! Gold toe black socks at Costco specifically. Size 12 minimum, prefer larger if possible.

Okay, by now everybody knows that posting what you just ate on social media sites is an indicator that somebody needs a self-importance-control-bitch-slap. This said, I have to report that I did in fact just have a incredible sandwich.

That it was I that ate it is of no importance at all. None. I acknowledge this. Thou shalt not give a damn about that part.

But I must share this practical helpful tip with all my friends:
Blue cheese mustard.

It’s one of those things, that when first encountered, makes you say “what the hell took so long for us to think of this?” Pure gustatory brilliance. It gives me hope for western civilization, karmically balancing unrecycled plastic and blue screen ads for “shamwow”s. If we can produce something this wonderful, then maybe America isn’t totally screwed!

Seriously, get some, you will thank me rather than damming me for yet another stupid “look what I just ate” post.
(And folks, unless you ate an entire giant squid or other newsworthy object by yourself, really, nobody cares, sorry.)

One of the many ways that my father and I were linked was our own peculiar numerology. Our birthdays are only 3 days apart, and Nov 9th (his) and 12th(mine) have a mathematical relationship with some amusing dimensions.

My father and I were alike in many ways, appearance, allgeries, intellectual interests (or rather having intellectual interest, generally speaking).

I’m able to remember him now without being crushed with the pain of his loss, even on days like today. I think he’d be pretty proud of what I’ve managed to do in life, although we both always felt we could do better.

Happy Birthday Dad.
11/09/09