Keyboard Mech

Today I made some decent progress on my next keyboard/laptop stand. I won’t tell you exactly what it is yet, but I’ve started calling it either Keyboard Mech, Carrying Desk, Walking Around Desk, Scrapwood Proton Pack, or other, stupider names which aren’t worth sharing.

There’s a lot left to figure out, and I really like to solve these problems as I assemble the piece. For example, how can I stabilize the laptop on a 2 x 2 wooden post, especially in wild situations? The laptop has a lot of downward weight on a thin panel, and I’d like to transfer it to another panel. Can I do that with an elaborate harness, or will I still need another belt to stabilize it? Can someone explain how I ever found a mate when I occupy my time with hobbies like this?

Much more to come, after I process these problems while I sleep. Except the last one. That one’s for you.

Food Poisoning

I missed writing a post yesterday because I had food poisoning. I get food poisoning usually around twice a year, but this year I’ve had it probably four times. I’d like to blame the Portland water, sourced from reservoirs that double as bear toilets, but this frequency suggests I should really see a gastroenterologist. My 2018 new year’s resolution was to get my gut health in order via frequent consumption of kim chi, yogurt, pickles, and other foods active bacteria cultures. I kind of fell off on that, though. Not all of my routines can be as successful as writing these blog posts.

Post Chicago Post

I’m back in Portland, and it feels pretty good to be home. I’m tired, and it’s later for me than it is here, but it’s my bedtime either way.

Besides a long flight, today was mostly uneventful. Here are some random thoughts:

I gave money to someone on the el platform, only to watch him answer a call on his smartphone not long after.

I had to try four separate bathrooms in Midway’s C terminal before I found an open stall. Midway’s in bad shape because of construction, and it was a personal offense to me when Potbelly’s left. The one glimmer of hope was big and little’s reasonably priced fresh breakfast tacos. Do more of that, Midway, or you’ll fall to second from your tied first place ranking of best Chicago airports.

When I touched down in Portland, I was sure to get lunch. Three tacos later and I was ready to go home proper.

Chicago Trip Post 4

Thank you, bathroom attendants. Thank you for providing spray-on deodorant that has a crisp, clean fragrance to cover up my body odor on the dance floor. I also appreciate the ample chewing gum options you offer, and the disposable cups of mouthwash. Your steadfast commitment to dental hygiene is something I share. I’m not embarrassed to use the toilet in the room with you, as I know you’ve seen and heard it all. You’re just doing your job, and your job is to support us. If I ever record an album, I will write a song devoted to you and your work.

Thank you.

Chicago Trip Post 3

If there’s ever a recommendation I can make, it’s to go to Pain Stop Massage on Milwaukee Ave in Chicago. It is hands down the best deep tissue massage you can get on the Planet Earth.

Pain Stop is bare bones, but not so bare bones that it feels shady or dirty. Perhaps utilitarian is a better description. The walls in the private rooms are only 8 feet high. The floor is linoleum. The therapists set an electric timer before they start, and they stop their work shortly after it goes off. The front room has a receptionist, a few massage chairs, and sometimes a table scattered with Mahjongg tiles.

The therapists will work on loosening up your glutes as much as they work on your back, arms, legs, and feet. There is no embarrassment, just deep tissue massage at a reasonable price. Please tip the therapists; they truly deserve it.

I had a 90 minute massage today, and I’m about to fall asleep as a puddle of a human being. I am truly content.

Chicago Trip Post 2

I’m beat. For what it’s worth, I did sleep on my red eye flight, and then a couple hours before work in the office. Not the good kind of sleep, but any kind is better than none.

Seeing the Chicago skyline from the street level is comforting. Also, it’s great to see my coworkers who are good people and also my friends.

I’m considering a new feature for this blog which I call “evocative adult thoughts”. The best writing is the most truthful, and sometimes the most truthful writing is about genitals.

Chicago Trip: Post 1

I wrote the following blog posts in separate emails to myself. I should just subscribe to my password manager service so I can make posts on my phone.

Waiting in America’s best airport for my red eye flight back to America’s best airport for… best airport for…. ah! America’s best airport for tortas, Chicago O’Hare.

Is there nothing better than a cross-country red eye flight? Gazing out over a black sea spotted with a million amber flecks. Hidden minds asleep or barely sleeping or working the late shift, all without the faintest notion of my voyage between the stars above their heads. It truly is peaceful.

You know what else is great? Sleeping upright in a middle seat for 4 hours. Past Tony, why did you think this would be a good idea?

Evocative thought for the evening: turds in a urinal

 

3D printing on the Ender 3

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I’m working on a new keyboard project, and I’ve taken to 3D printing some of the brackets I’ll use to paste the thing together. Back in October I bought the Ender 3, a Chinese 3D printer known for its solid prints and low price point. It’s also known for its setup, which requires quite a bit of physical debugging. It took me a month of learning to properly tune it. It still needs some occasional upkeep. I haven’t used it for a few weeks, and I spent a lot of my free time today getting it back up and running right. That’s what you get for a sub-$200 3D printer, and I’m fine with that.

I’ve 3D printed a few brackets for that earlier keyboard project, and I’m generally impressed by their strength. I know 3D prints tend to be weak, but for my use cases, I’m finding them more than adequate. Here’s a POC filament/nail bracket I worked up. This should be the final design.

A 3D printed bracket affixed to wood.

Doneday

Sunday’s ending, and with it a fine and long weekend.

I spent the evening 3D printing some brackets for a new keyboard prototype I’m working up. I hatched the idea a good while back, but I haven’t turned back to it until now. I’ve been telling people about it, which is actually motivating. Then when people ask me if I’ve finished it yet, it provides the motivation I need to really get started.

If you walk around a dark house with only a laptop to light your face, I imagine you look like a tired ghost to any burglar who might be casing your place from the street.

I retired the second ladder I made for Zavian. It seems he lost interest in it before I was done making it. That’s ok. I’ll keep it stored in the basement in case he remembers it later. If not, I’ll dismantle it for the precious scrap wood. If my planning is accurate, Z will ask where it is one day after that.

Victorian Belle Holiday 2018: impressive lights, lines, horror

Today we attended the holiday celebration at the Victorian Belle, a menagerie of Christmas lights and waiting in the cold to see the inside of a crowded old house. It also serves as a reminder that there are too many families in Portland now, and any family activity will be absolutely mobbed. Nice job moving here, all of us.

If you end up going, you’ll be presented with a staggering arrangement of Christmas lights. It’s truly awe-inspiring and in no way diminished by the many minion and troll movie novelty yard inflatables. You’ll have to wait in a long line to see the arrangements, though. Then you’ll have to wait in a long line while seeing them, and another long line to be done seeing them. It only took me a year to lose my midwestern winter fortitude, but it’s well and truly gone now. Milling about in 40 degrees is cold, and despite all the light provided, there was no ambient heat. It was a god damn LED heat tease.

Eventually, we found ourselves waiting to go inside the mansion, a portion of the venue I do not recommend. It was a 40 minute line that snakes through a crowded, musty house you can’t seem to leave no matter how bad the fire code is violated. Their claims of a Christmas tree in every room were quickly dismissed by a five year old who pointed out there wasn’t one in the small water closet the tour passed through. We put up with it because we expected to get some hot cocoa at the end, but those expectations were also dashed. I asked an employee dressed as a large elf where we could get some hot cocoa, and after a couple suggestions, he revealed he actually had no idea.

Overall, I give this attraction two porta potties out of five, because there were literally two porta potties for the 1000 people who were in attendance this evening.