06.21.09
Posted in Family, Food & Kitchen at 6:42 pm by charlie
This morning Scott stood up in front of the church and sang several songs with a group of other kids. It was the culmination of the past week’s Vacation Bible School. The songs had dance and gesture (loosely based on sign language) components. Scott had a great time with the dancing. He loves to dance, the sillier the better.
I figured out something as he waved his arms and spun around with the others. I’ve always wondered, how is it that parents can still be so proud of their children, even after watching them mess up in painfully obvious ways?
Part of it, the part that occurred to me, is that we knew our children back when all they could do was cry and explode diapers. Then one day Junior Thunderpants feeds himself, plants his own bottom on the toilet, and dances around to a song I’ve never heard before.
I’m not just proud - I’m delighted. Of course I expect more, but it’s a great start. Now if we could just get him to wipe himself and put his toys away…
Scott and I have been learning how to make bread. Really it’s not my first try at bread-making. Once, during a summer break in the middle of college, I tried to make bread the old-fashioned way. The end result was inedible pretzel-colored cannon balls that were mailed to a camp in Alabama. Dana still talks about them.
Around the same time, I made a stack of serviceable pizza crusts. It was a lot of work for not much gain.
This time we’re trying a different method. Rather than kneading and rising and kneading and rising ad nauseam, we’re doing it the lazy way.
First mix up some very wet dough. (Scott can help with this.) Let it sit for a couple hours, then put it in the fridge. Next day, carve off a piece, shape it into a ball, let it rest for an hour or so, and bake for half an hour. Cool on a wire rack before serving. Easy.
Results? Chewy crust, good flavor, dense texture. I’ve had worse from actual bakeries. The yeast packets had expired two years ago, so today I’m trying again with fresher yeast. Maybe it’ll rise better next time.
Where to find more information:
Article on Mother Earth News
Same article formatted for printing
Video instructions
Authors web site
Earlier in the week I had my first accident with the antique double-edge razor. I was doing a late night shave and shower, and was a little tired and distracted. I didn’t notice that the razor’s twisty knob was a tiny bit loose, causing the blade to be a little wobbly. Thus I got a few cuts, one of them bad enough to still be noticeable several days later.
For a few days I allowed my face to recover, using my electric razor to ward off the homeless look and applying neosporin as an after-shave lotion. Then I bravely got back onto the metaphorical horse - this time making sure the dang knob was tight enough. No problems since. Really, I’ve had cuts from modern disposable razors that were almost as bad.
Double-edge and electric razors make a good team. The blade does a great job, if used correctly, but it works best in the middle of a hot shower. The electric is better for a quick touch-up when I’m in a hurry. Both are useful.
In a little while we’re going out to dinner. Father’s Day ya know. I hope the restaurants aren’t too crowded.
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06.14.09
Posted in Family, Other at 6:21 pm by charlie
Vacation Bible School started today. Scott is going this year, and Dana is helping the teachers. The theme is life in ancient Rome from the perspective of early Christians.
For a few hours it’s just me and the baby. Blake loves to play by himself, with no big brother to interfere. Especially if he gets to watch Baby Signing Time too.
So far I’ve shaved with my 1960 Gillette five times. I’ve already learned a few lessons:
1. Always use shaving cream for every pass, including touch-ups. This might also help with more recent blade designs.
2. Put as little pressure as possible on the razor. Let it do the job under its own weight.
3. Lock the door in case a certain 4 year old barges in and starts talking. Distractions cause blood loss.
I think the first blade might be dull enough to be replaced. No problem, there are nine more in the dispenser.
Last Friday I picked up another double-edge razor from a garage sale. Here’s a picture:
It’s a Schick Krona, which seems to be a close copy of the Gillette Super Speed from the 1960s or 70s. I haven’t completely figured out its history yet. The black handle resembles a Pentel mechanical pencil from the early 80s. It came with a plastic storage box, one new blade in a dispenser, one used blade (ew), and a very brief instruction manual.
The sellers were happy to get rid of Grandpa’s old razor for one dollar. I’ll have to visit garage sales more often!
I haven’t decided if I want to keep it as a spare, offer it as a gift to a worthy relative, or resell it for a profit. It mostly depends on what else turns up.
I mentioned last time that shaving goes back to Roman times. Or earlier, if you look at Egyptian writings and ancient cave paintings. Yet when I wanted to try a shave from an earlier era, I chose a method that dates back only about a hundred years. Why?
Until the safety razor came along - it was invented in the 1800s and made practical shortly before WW1 - people used straight razors. The exact design changed over the millennia, but in essence it was a very sharp knife. Could you hold a dagger to your own throat and hope to remove only hair?
Some men can do it. Me, not so much. It’s on my to-do list. Maybe next year.
Throughout the straight razor era it was common in cities to visit the barber for a shave. The barber was a trained professional. He did thousands of shaves every year, and knew how to do it right. All of the customer’s friends were there for a shave, too. It was practically a social forum.
Wives sometimes shaved their husbands. Rural aristocrats had their servants do the shaving. Country boys and mountain men just grew beards. All of that changed with the safety razor and do-it-yourself shaving.
I’ve been thinking about trying an authentic barber shop. Not for a shave, but for a haircut. Last time I went to a real barber, about 10 years ago, he talked at length about the importance of forming long term relationships with customers. We were only on our first haircut together, so it was a little creepy. Never went back.
Those who know me might be thinking: “Charlie has a beard. Now he’s talking about shaving. Oh no!”
Don’t worry about it. Since last summer I’ve been wearing a goatee in summer and a full beard in winter. Even with a “full” beard, my neck still needs a shave.
I like the goatee though. It makes me look several years younger.
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06.09.09
Posted in Other, Technical, Travel at 2:34 am by charlie
This past weekend was SoonerCon. Rather than go home Friday night and stay in the convention hotel (the Biltmore on Meridian in OKC) on Saturday, as we’ve done in the past, we decided to stay both nights next door at the Econo Lodge. It costs about half as much, so in effect we got two nights for the price of one.
We quickly learned that we would have been happier elsewhere. Our motel made the Biltmore look good, which I hadn’t thought possible. The furniture was battered, the beds were hard, the pillows were flat, the housekeeper was very rude in a right-now-or-never kind of way…
But let’s dwell on the positive. This is what I liked about that Econo Lodge:
1. Shower head produced a delightfully luxurious spray of water. Really, no sarcasm.
2. Missing alarm clock was one less thing for the baby to chew on.
3. Toast at the free continental breakfast was okay.
4. The hair dryer worked. I used it to dry out some damp clothes.
5. The window had a nice coating that kept out most of the afternoon solar heat.
6. Couldn’t hear swimming pool noises from inside the room, even though we were right next to it.
7. No need to leave a tip for the housekeeper since she didn’t actually do anything.
8. Dorm fridge!
But other than that… Next time we might stay somewhere else.
One interesting discussion panel at the convention was about how history could have gone differently in Europe. At least that was what the program guide said. Really the main focus was on the 1632 series - which I haven’t read yet - and Victorian steampunk to a lesser extent.
The authors on the panel pointed out something that had long been percolating in my own mind. People way back in history weren’t stupid. They just lacked today’s level of scientific advancement.
People have always faced many of the same basic problems. Often their solutions didn’t work very well. But sometimes they did a pretty good job. We just forget too easily when a new way comes along. We lose ideas that could prove useful later.
One concern over the ages has been how to shave. The ancient Greeks and Romans went around beardless. America’s founding fathers did it too, as did countless men between then and now. But how could they shave safely without electricity or plastic?
None of the modern shaving methods have done a fantastic job for me. My current electric razor is okay, I suppose, when I have time to use it. It takes a while.
My Mach 3 removes hair very well. After a hot shower and four passes of the razor from different directions. And a lot of nicks and painful razor burn. Also, cartridges cost about $2 each at Sam’s and last for maybe 3 shaves if I’m lucky.
So I looked into the alternatives. I read general articles that covered the basics. I asked a few older people what they knew. I spent a lot of time with Badger & Blade reading specific reviews and instructions. Last week I got on eBay…
My shiny new razor arrived in the mail Monday morning. It’s not really new. According to its date code, it was made in the first quarter of 1960. This razor was 14 years old when I was born.
It’s a twist-to-open Gillette Super Speed, part of a product line that for decades dominated the shaving market. It’s not in perfect condition, but it’s reasonably good considering its age. Here’s a picture that I took after cleaning it up a little:
(I’m using this to test how well iPhoto, Flickr, and WordPress work together. Still undecided about whether to move all of my pictures to a photo hosting service like Flickr or to continue with ZenPhoto. At least ZenPhoto needs an update, and some old stuff from Coppermine still needs to be moved over. But anyway.)
Here’s a better picture of the same basic model, as found on Badger & Blade:
I chose this type partly because it has a good reputation. More importantly, it was cheaper than buying a new one. Oh yes, they still make double edge safety razors, in places like China and India and Germany. But not here in the USA. Gillette and its competitors have moved on.
Blades can still be found. Sample packs are available, so people can try several brands to find what works best for a particular combination of razor and face. Once the ideal blade is found, it can be ordered at astonishingly low prices in hundred-blade packs. 100 blades looks a lot like a year’s supply.
I got a pack of Personna blades from Walmart to start out. By my math, it costs about a tenth as much as Mach 3 cartridges. I also got a can of Barbasol shaving cream, which I tested over the weekend in a disastrous experiment involving a free disposable razor and a motel sink.
Thus a new experiment began: Combine razor and blade, take a shower, apply the cream… Most instructions tell a beginner to start with only one pass, going with the grain. After some practice add a cross-grain pass, and then eventually try a third pass against the grain. Lather up between passes.
I skipped to three pass mode on the first session. My technique was horrible. The angle wasn’t quite right. I pressed too hard on the razor. I didn’t let the cream soak in long enough. I have 20 years of habits to unlearn.
Best shave ever.
Compared to my usual Mach 3, the ancient razor caused fewer nicks and less razor burn. My cheeks felt like the proverbial baby’s butt. I even had fun with it.
To be fair, the razor wasn’t the only variable in the experiment. It’s possible that the Mach 3 could be made less gruesome by re-lathering between passes. I’ll have to try it with some of my remaining cartridges.
But let’s guess that equalizing shaving cream usage makes the two comparable. Which is better, a great shave with a $2 blade, or a shave just like it for 20 cents? Think about this.
That brings up a question. If the double edge safety razor worked well enough for so many decades, why did the market move away from it back in the 1970s?
For starters, plastic is cheaper than metal. At the time even the double edge razors were moving towards more plastic parts. A lift-and-cut system might have worked better in theory, given such a lightweight razor.
Maybe people just didn’t want to handle those sharp double edged blades anymore. But my guess is that the big players wanted to regain a proprietary advantage.
The relevant patents had long expired. Anyone could make a razor, anyone could make a blade, and there was an excellent chance that they’d work with each other. By shifting to the modern cartridge format, they reset the clock on new patents.
Ever notice how a new wave of razor models hits the market every few years? Not all technological change is for the benefit of its users. Sometimes it’s all about profit. Never let the monopoly end.
The experiment continues. I’ll try another shave on Wednesday.
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06.08.09
Posted in Technical at 11:13 am by charlie
Several months ago I accidentally did a half-upgrade to Wordpress. This happened because I used my web hosting provider’s upgrade tool, which assumed a different directory name for the WP installation. Along the way it broke my blog’s category system. Since then I haven’t had time to go in and fix it.
This morning, while Scott was in summer preschool and Blake was eating breakfast, I finished the upgrade manually. Suddenly the categories came back! Hooray!
Time to go back to the Institute and pick Scott up again. He really likes going to school.
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05.27.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:49 pm by charlie
(With apologies to Shel Silverstein… This came to me while bathing the boys a little while ago. The original limerick is better of course.)
There are too many ducks in this tub
There are too many quackers to scrub
I just washed a beak
That I’m sure didn’t squeak
There are too many ducks in this tub
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05.13.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:37 pm by charlie
Things that go into this blog tend to end up being fairly long and not very frequent. I get a fun thought, decide that the rest of the world might like to know, and then let it stew in my subconscious mind… For months. Eventually might get around to combining it with several other thoughts and spin it into an essay. I write and edit it very carefully to make sure it says exactly what I intended.
Usually, though, I never get around to sharing whatever it was. Most good posts need at least an hour. Things are busy around here, so any attempt at writing is interrupted repeatedly. (As I wrote this, I had to get snacks for the boys, break up 3 sippy cup fights, turn on the air conditioner, accompany Scott to the bathroom, and then search the house for Scott’s Leapster. One of its games is a bit unstable, so any minute now he’ll need me for tech support. Yep, here he comes…)
People who know me in person quickly figure out that I’m the master of random thoughts. It’s not really random, of course. You just weren’t privy to the details of how I got there.
That sort of thing is lost in this format with this writing schedule. As an experiment, I’m going to try supplementing with Twitter. Twitter posts have a 140 character limit, so no long-winded manuscripts. It also has potential for mobile posting through various methods.
http://twitter.com/okbouncey
Have a look — and watch this space for another essay.
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03.24.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:39 am by charlie
We now have scheduling info for Financial Peace University!
Time: 6:30 PM - We might start a few minutes earlier.
Date: Every Wednesday from April 1 through the end of June
Place: Memorial Presbyterian Church - 601 24th Ave SW, Norman, OK 73069
The preview is tomorrow night, Wed March 25 at 6:30 PM. (This is also Scott’s fourth birthday!) If you can’t make it for that, you can watch the preview video online. [video link] A list of class sessions is also available.
You’re welcome to attend the first session to see if you like it. Note that to “graduate” you have to be there (or arrange make-up times) for 12 out of the 13 lessons. There is a modest membership cost for the books and materials. Once you have a membership, you can go through the course again as often as you like at any class location.
Sign-up is through Dave’s web site or by contacting us directly.
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03.07.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:25 pm by charlie
So what has been happening around here?
Two weeks ago we went to the Shrine Circus. A friend, her sons, and some others from her family went with us. It was pretty much like all of the other times that we’ve been to the circus.
The same friend had her birthday party at a mexican restaurant the night before. We let Blake try corn tortillas and birthday cake. He liked both. That boy loves to eat - just like his daddy!
One of the other guests at the party put a small handheld radio on the table. A few minutes later I heard a fast sequence of electronic pips squeal out of its little speaker. I jumped and stared down the table. “Was that morse code?!?”
He sheepishly turned down the radio. “Yeah…”
I used the opportunity to ask for suggestions about how to get started with amateur radio. My main interests on the subject are emergency communications and how radio works in general. Electrical engineering school just sort of danced around radio without actually teaching it. Apparently I missed that elective.
Thus I started studying for my Technician license. A local group does the required testing once every month. I have a few weeks to figure it out. 35 questions, multiple choice, no morse code… I want to learn morse code, but it’ll take a bit longer.
The weekend of the circus, one of the guinea pigs at Scott’s preschool passed away. The boys and I went to the funeral. It went something like this:
Teacher: “Wiggles died, so we have to bury her in the ground. See how she isn’t moving? I’ll put her in the hole… Now let’s say goodbye to Wiggles!”
Kids and parents: “GOODBYE WIGGLES!”
Older boy: “Why do her eyes look so crazy?”
Teacher: “Do you want to help me cover her with dirt?”
I might be a little off on the exact words. But you get the idea. Scott was in good spirits, and was very helpful with the dirt. I think he didn’t understand.
Wiggles will be missed by many.
A few days later baby Blake had his first birthday. For the occasion we had a simple party at home, with only a few visitors. We fed him spaghetti and a sugar cookie birthday cake. What a mess! Blake had a wonderful time playing with his food.
Earlier that day Blake and I went to a park while Scott was at school. Just baby and daddy… I got some cute photos and video. I’ll try to post the results after the new version of iMovie arrives.
Scott’s birthday is a month after Blake’s. We’re planning a more elaborate party for both of them together.
Yesterday Dana, the boys, a friend from OKC, and I all went to the big car show at the fairgrounds. It was fun. The goal was to evaluate several models of economy car as possible replacements for our Saturn. (Paying cash of course, and possibly buying used.) Honda’s Fit was the winner, though the Civic and Toyota’s Yaris might be good alternatives.
My friend wanted to look at Ford trucks. Blake wanted to drool all over a Ford. So we sat in some trucks. I’m not really much of a truck guy, but I was inexplicably delighted by Ford’s Transit Connect commercial van.
Tomorrow we get to tell the church members about the upcoming Financial Peace University course. With any luck we’ll soon be able to pin down a firm start date and actually get into Dave’s class database. This will allow us to buy the course materials and start seriously promoting it to both members and outsiders.
But first we have to gauge interest for each of the possible class times and develop an approximate scheduling consensus that others will agree to. That’s quite a feat among Presbyterians. I’m almost tempted to just set a date by personal fiat. It’s called “leadership” in other groups.
Tonight Dana and I have to figure out what we’re going to say in the morning, and who is going to say what parts. I already have some ideas. The course is worth the effort. I hope we can do some good through it.
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Posted in Uncategorized at 5:49 pm by charlie
Usually I avoid any news that I can’t do anything about. The past few weeks, though, I’ve been catching up on the news a little. Especially national and international economic news.
This led me quickly to an observation: Oklahoma is doing much better than the rest of the country. Or rather, we didn’t get quite as overheated on the labor and real estate markets, so we’re due for less of a drop. I think this is the reason why I’m more of an optimist than the people on TV.
So maybe we’re going into the next Great Depression and I just didn’t notice. Or maybe not. Either way, there’s no reason to go into a total panic about it.
Afraid of losing your job? Cut your spending and pile up cash. Heck, do that even if your job is secure. Cash is useful. Keep some around. Start looking for other opportunities for income.
Afraid of losing your home or car? Give them a higher priority on your budget. Pay your mortgage before paying mastercard. Vehicles come before visa. Food and toothpaste come before any of those. If you don’t have a budget, now’s the time to start.
Afraid of losing your retirement account? I’m not sure what to say about this if yours has already lost some value. (Mine is down about 50%.) I don’t know when the lowest point of the stock market will come, so I’m holding back on Roth IRA contributions until the bottom becomes more obvious.
Other than that, what can I do about it? What can you do about it? Not much. We’re stuck on a roller coaster. Calm down and try to focus on something else.
Afraid of food shortages? Afraid of disease, civil unrest, or heavy-handed government keeping you in your home for an extended period? Store some extra food! It’s easy, and even in good times buying in bulk saves money if you do it right. There’s a wealth of food (and water) storage information online.
Afraid of crime? Develop a basic home security plan that involves locked doors and flashlights. Be aware of your surroundings outside the home. Buy a gun and learn how to store and handle it safely. If by some misfortune you aren’t allowed to have a weapon, take up a sport that involves swinging a blunt object around. Either way, you’ll be a little more secure and have a fun new hobby.
Afraid of social isolation? Join a club, a civic organization, or a church. Say hello to your neighbors. Find reasons to get out of the house.
My basic point is that nothing is gained from being overwhelmed by fear. Life is unfair. The government isn’t going to help you. (And if they do, they’re just going to screw it up.) It’s much better to stop whining and go do something about your troubles.
Constructive activity can be an excellent mood lifter.
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02.11.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:47 am by charlie
When I wrote last night’s post, I was exhausted and wired on pseudoephedrine. Yes, you really can get the stuff here in Oklahoma, if you don’t mind signing up for a government database and paying twice what it’s worth. At least my nose felt better. This winter we’ve been on the one-cold-a-month plan.
I left out a few points that are important. First, I might have come across as suggesting that individual workers are “inefficiency” and “waste”. That’s only true in the general sense of an unnecessary plant or a wasteful process.
People themselves are only a waste if they allow themselves to be. If you lost your job for economic reasons, it just means your position was unnecessary. You’re needed elsewhere. Dust off your resume and start the job hunt. Now would be a great time to change careers if that’s what you want.
(If they fired you for just cause due to something immoral or stupid that you might have done, consider it educational and try to do better next time. If they fired you because they’re jerks, be glad you’re free from their control.)
Second, I don’t think the federal debt is going to come crashing down tomorrow, or even this year. It might be decades away. The real problem has been with us for almost a century. I don’t know how or when it’ll be resolved. But it’s coming.
The third point that I failed to make was the role of debt in making hard times worse. As Dave Ramsey often says, debt magnifies risk. A business or family that has debt must continue to bring in more money to make payments. A debt-free enterprise is better at handling downturns.
Heavy debt loads and crazy lending practices have been a big part of the troubles with housing, cars, and banking. Apparently they still haven’t learned the lesson.
We’re personally going to do something about consumer debt levels, at least in one small place. The leadership committee has given permission for Dana and me to lead a Financial Peace University class at our church. The date and time details haven’t been decided yet, but I’m already feeling excited about it.
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