Adrian’s Microblog

A great 7m video on how to play Mexican Train Dominoes. Been wanting to learn how to play this for awhile, and it really is a neat game and has some good layers to it.

Also marking for the GatherTogetherGames YouTube channel, since it seems they do an excellent job of introducing games in a easy-to-digest manner.

Enjoy! :)

Proud to say changed out my bike chain over the weekend. A step in my aspirations to become an amateur #bikemechanic. Couple things I learned in the process:

Bike chains are rated on “speed”, e.g. “11-speed”. But speed in this case doesn’t refer to the total number of bike speeds, but the number on the rear cogset (i.e., the rows of teeth on the back wheel). In my case, although my bike is 24-speed, I needed an 8-speed chain since my rear cogset had 8 rows of teeth. To size the chain to your bike after purchase, wrap it around the largest rows on the front and back (without threading through the normal path which includes the jockey wheel) - you want one link of overlap. Remove any excess links. Of course be sure to lubricate the chain when you’re done.

Most of what I’m learning is from “Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance” - great information in there. It’s not exactly a “bike maintenance for dummies” as it’s written with a little more lingo, but after spending time with it it starts to click and the wheels start to turn. ;) 🚲

Archival video footage in mint condition from 1911 that has been synchronized to normal speed.

It’s equal parts eery and enchanting - you feel like you’re stepping in to: “so this is what it felt like to live then”, and “it’s not that different - people are still people, doing their thing”.

Hope you enjoy watching it too.

Been continuing to evolve the “there and back again” digital/analog mediums for everyday function. Lately I’ve been experimenting with overall lists kept digitally, while “today’s list” is managed on paper. At first it was a daily index card, and now want to experiment with a Field Notes book. I definitely lean towards plain white paper, over ruled, gridded, dotted, reticled, or otherwise - somehow it’s less distracting and constraining.

The order arrives soon, and will see how experiment goes!

Where Have All the Beautiful Women Gone?

If you want to understand something, learn to stand under it. If you stand over it, you are “over-standing” (bringing in your preconceptions and presuppositions) and not “under-standing.”Bruce Herman, artist

24 Things You Should Know Before Starting A Vinyl Collection

What a great idea I saw at a friend’s house recently - custom “easel calendars” from Shutterfly. You can use their designs along side your photos, or upload your entirely custom design. Either way, a great and simple presentation that provides a wonderful special touch.

$24.99 via Shutterfly.

Paraphrased by Abp. Charles Chaput from Erasmus of Rotterdam’s work, ”The Manual of a Christian Knight“:

Rule 1: Deepen and increase your faith. Rule 2: Act on your faith; make it a living witness to others. Rule 3: Analyze and understand your fears; don’t be ruled by them. Rule 4: Make Jesus Christ the only guide and the only goal of your life. Rule 5: Turn away from material things; don’t be owned by them. Rule 6: Train your mind to distinguish the true nature of good and evil. Rule 7: Never let any failure or setback turn you away from God. Rule 8: Face temptation guided by God, not by worry or excuses. Rule 9: Always be ready for attacks from those who fear the Gospel and resent the good. Rule 10: Always be prepared for temptation. And do what you can to avoid it. Rule 11: Be alert to two special dangers: moral cowardice and personal pride. Rule 12: Face your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Rule 13: Treat each battle as if it were your last. Rule 14: A life of virtue has no room for vice; the little vices we tolerate become the most deadly. Rule 15: Every important decision has alternatives; think them through clearly and honestly in the light of what’s right. Rule 16: Never, ever give up or give in on any matter of moral substance. Rule 17: Always have a plan of action. Battles are often won or lost before they begin. Rule 18: Always think through, in advance, the consequences of your choices and actions. Rule 19: Do nothing—in public or private—that the people you love would not hold in esteem. Rule 20: Virtue is its own reward; it needs no applause. Rule 21: Life is demanding and brief; make it count. Rule 22: Admit and repent your wrongs, never lose hope, encourage your brothers, and then begin again.

CarBargains - Car Buying Service

Nigel Stanford’s music video, “Automatica: Robots vs. Music”.

A great engineering feat, as well as a reflection on the line (or lack thereof) between humans and machines.

(via Gary M)

P.S. If you enjoy this video, you may also like one of his previously posted on my tumblelog.

”La Concha”, a traditional Mexican pastry.

Fluffy and light inside, with mild sugar topping, for a very tasty treat.

Read about conchas and more Mexican sweetbreads on Wikipedia.

So I’m gonna make a go at bike commuting this winter, and have been trying to see what may need to be done to my bike to help that be successful. So far, tips I’ve picked up are:

Treat the surface of the bike frame to keep winter muck from sticking to it.

Apparently this can run from Pam cooking spray, to lightly applied car wax, to a special purpose bike product. Important key is not to get it on the disc brakes if you have them (for the obvious reason). A silicone spray can be used for the pedals. And for extreme conditions, DuPont’s snow and ice repellant made for snow blowers, and applied to downtube’s and the cassette.

Be sure you regularly wipe off and re-lube the chain to keep it running smoothly. Tire modifications can range from

Getting studded tires (extreme conditions and hard to turn) Getting file tread tires. And leaving the tires on the lower side of inflation so the rubber grips surfaces more.

You can also go deeper and disassemble joints to treat them with lube and rust-resistant goo. Not to mention, you can seal and/or lube the cables as well. Use fenders to protect you from spray of weather from the road.

As long as the fenders have enough clearance, they should be good for avoiding jams Otherwise, you may want to consider clip-ons

Keep your saddle and other leather/fabric parts wiped down, and even treat the surfaces. Having a good designated spot for cleaning also goes a long way to making sure your bike stays in good shape from its winter excursions.

I’ll be back to edit this post, but here’s some links: www.bicycling.com/repair/wi… gizmodo.com/four-ways… www.beginnertriathlete.com/mobile/Ar… www.bikeradar.com/us/gear/a…

”Brand New Day” by Joshua Radin.

This song helped me get through a rough year a number of years back, and just recently re-watched the official music video. It made me laugh, and thought you gentle reader may enjoy too. :)

6 Tips for Wearing a Cycling Cap Properly

Flahute Cycling Cap by Red Dots Cycling.

Definition of “Flahute” as provided by Flahute.com:

The type of rider who wins races where 125 riders start and one finishes—that’s a Flahute. A Flahute thinks the Tour de France is just a bunch of long training rides. A real race is one where it’s pouring rain, it’s cold, the roads are treacherous, and the prize list is about the same as your 8-year-old neighbor’s allowance. When you’re a Flahute, that’s racing.

L’enfer du Nord Winter Cap by Red Dots Cycling.

Derivation of the name, as described by Whitstable Printworks:

”First run in 1896, Paris-Roubaix was initially conceived as a “leg loosener” for Bordeaux-Paris that, at the time, was considered the most important spring time race. Despite being half the distance of this race, Paris-Roubaix soon became an entity in itself on account of its sheer brutality. It quickly gained a diabolical reputation on account of the route traversing unpaved forest roads and cobblestone tracks that were often made all the worse due to the rain and wind that would batter the peloton as it swept in from the North Sea.

Now well established, it wasn’t until an enforced four year hiatus due to the First World War, which the race gained its most notorious and descriptive nickname “L’Enfer du Nord”. In 1919, six months after the Armistice, the race began its twentieth edition and followed the line of the Western Front. Passing through towns and countryside ravaged by war and death and entombed under grey, sombre skies one journalist penned the race as being in “the Hell of the North” and the nickname stuck ever since.

Today, years after the passing of the First World War, the peloton still has to combat much of the same terrain as it struggles across the infamous pave of northern France. Despite time easing the travesty of war there remains a spectre over this race that adds to its drama and cements its claim as the most important and toughest one day race on the calendar.”

Search Twitter - #capsnothats

“Seagulls (Stop it Now)”, a bad lip reading.

A comically disturbing re-reading of the transformation stage of Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back.

(via Stephen)

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