OT - What are you doing to pass the time

[Marvin]

@Eleven I typically do number theory problems from old AMC, AIME, IMO, NYSML, ARML, and Putnam exams.  The IMO problems are the hardest 

@Neo just saw that FIDE cancelled the Candidates Tournament.

[Neo]

2 hours ago, E4 ... Ke2 said:

@Eleven I typically do number theory problems from old AMC, AIME, IMO, NYSML, ARML, and Putnam exams.  The IMO problems are the hardest 

@Neo just saw that FIDE cancelled the Candidates Tournament.

Saw that.   So, in chess, I dabble.  I had a forty year break.  Fischer - Spassky introduced me.  Life and commerce interrupted.  I’m a 1440/1500 ELO player at Lichess.  Smack dab average.  I am beginning to learn the stars and their backgrounds.  Great human interest stories with global points of view.  There is so much streaming and web content.   The talk now is what do do before the world championship.  The cancellation is not without controversy.  Teimour Radjabov, who I didn't know from Adam a week ago, quit the tournament a few days ago because of the virus and the possibility that he’d be stuck in Russia if he didn’t leave fast.  He pleaded for postponement, did not prevail, left and was disqualified.  Days later, FIDE changed its position to his.  Should he be reinstated?  Everyone has a view.

I like the streams a lot.  Because it’s global, chess is accomplished in streaming technology.  You’ll typically get different ages, localities and genders all at once.  Perspectives!

Lastly, I wrote hear months ago that I was still trying to figure out if chess was a game or a sport.  My friends here said game.  Web personalities in the chess world are unanimous in calling it a sport.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Neo

[darksabre]

Decided to pull my alto sax out of the case this week. Back when I was in middle school I got moved from Alto to Tenor, then Tenor to Baritone, and I basically never touched my alto again at any point when I was reasonably good at playing. I never owned those tenors or baris, they were loaners from the school. All I have left is the forgotten alto...

It's been 15 years since I played saxophone regularly, and probably 20 years since I played Alto. I still have the muscle memory and my control over the reed is still good.

But I probably need a mouthpiece better than the cheap student one that came with it. The horn itself is in great shape and I can play it just fine, but I'm struggling to really get the sound I want. I probably had some really nice loaner mouth pieces for those tenors and baris and had no idea how much they were helping me play ? I was not a serious musician, I was just talented enough to end up in places like jazz band without really trying. 

Edited March 26, 2020 by darksabre

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, darksabre said:

Decided to pull my alto sax out of the case this week. Back when I was in middle school I got moved from Alto to Tenor, then Tenor to Baritone, and I basically never touched my alto again at any point when I was reasonably good at playing. I never owned those tenors or baris, they were loaners from the school. All I have left is the forgotten alto...

It's been 15 years since I played saxophone regularly, and probably 20 years since I played Alto. I still have the muscle memory and my control over the reed is still good.

But I probably need a mouthpiece better than the cheap student one that came with it. The horn itself is in great shape and I can play it just fine, but I'm struggling to really get the sound I want. I probably had some really nice loaner mouth pieces for those tenors and baris and had no idea how much they were helping me play ? I was not a serious musician, I was just talented enough to end up in places like jazz band without really trying. 

dark's neighbor: "Oh, for *****'s sake. That's it, Tina, I'm going to go lick a Metro Rail strap."

I kid.

[Ogre]

Mrs. iT asked if I could build her a shelf about this big by this big....I assumed she meant when I was out of the sling and my shoulder was better but I was looking through some wood drops and found some crown molding. I was inspired so I built a jig to make up for the loss of the arm and made her this. 

[Ogre]

I’ve also been pecking away at this trench. I’m going to heap up some of my magic compost and make a hedge of blueberries along the two sides of my deck. Really sucks digging with one arm but it sucks to dig anyways. The end product will be worth it and I like challenges.

[Cascade Youth]

23 hours ago, Neo said:

Oh, man ....  wear a helmet.   Mrs. Neo and I binged it at the suggestion of a NeoEtte.   Disturbingly, much of it took place in Tampa.

 

So weird that a crazy thing like that would happen in Florida...

[Indabuff]

Gonna fire up the first season of Spartacus.  It's the only series I have on DVD besides Band of Brothers and Trailer Park Boys.

[SwampD]

Figuring out how to rewire my pedalboard.

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by SwampD

[Ogre]

28 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

When you're done I got some stuff that needs dug down in PA. I pay in beer.

Before I agree to digging any holes let me ask, how are you and the wife getting along lately?

[FogBat]

36 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

Ho. Lee. Crap. So much yes. Anybody with even the briefest knowledge of the DSM will have a field day.

On the plus, I got my wife to agree that we are never moving to Florida.

When you're done I got some stuff that needs dug down in PA. I pay in beer.

Glad to know that barter still works. ?

[French Collection]

10 hours ago, Ogre said:

I’ve also been pecking away at this trench. I’m going to heap up some of my magic compost and make a hedge of blueberries along the two sides of my deck. Really sucks digging with one arm but it sucks to dig anyways. The end product will be worth it and I like challenges.

Is that your tractor? Kioti or Kubota?

I have a 27 HP Kioti. Not digging dirt here, still have snow on the ground.

[Ogre]

2 hours ago, French Collection said:

Is that your tractor? Kioti or Kubota?

I have a 27 HP Kioti. Not digging dirt here, still have snow on the ground.

Kubota. We needed a new mower and I really wanted a bucket but the wife thought it was frivolous so when I built the 10’x20’ raised bed, fenced in garden a few years ago I had her help me haul the 5 yards of topsoil with a wheelbarrow. When we were all done she said “I think we need a tractor with a bucket!”?

[shrader]

13 hours ago, Ogre said:

Mrs. iT asked if I could build her a shelf about this big by this big....I assumed she meant when I was out of the sling and my shoulder was better but I was looking through some wood drops and found some crown molding. I was inspired so I built a jig to make up for the loss of the arm and made her this. 

You come across as the type of person who wouldn't screw it up, but I still can't help but picture the shelves sloping at 45 degree angles (left to right) thanks to the arm.

[Stoner]

13 hours ago, Ogre said:

Mrs. iT asked if I could build her a shelf about this big by this big....I assumed she meant when I was out of the sling and my shoulder was better but I was looking through some wood drops and found some crown molding. I was inspired so I built a jig to make up for the loss of the arm and made her this. 

Pfft. Whatever. I got a bag of coffee closed this morning. Two metal tabs pressed in and an adhesive seal secured.

[French Collection]

24 minutes ago, Ogre said:

Kubota. We needed a new mower and I really wanted a bucket but the wife thought it was frivolous so when I built the 10’x20’ raised bed, fenced in garden a few years ago I had her help me haul the 5 yards of topsoil with a wheelbarrow. When we were all done she said “I think we need a tractor with a bucket!”?

Our tipping point was when I was working out of town and she had to shovel the driveway because her 4x4 couldn’t get out.

[ubkev]

Just spent half an hour with my son making birthday cards for his mother. Construction paper and colored pencils, just like a couple of 6 year olds!

Now I've got to get to work on that cake. I'm a pretty good cook, but I'm a ***** baker. Just gonna try to not ***** this up too badly.

[Ogre]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

Pfft. Whatever. I got a bag of coffee closed this morning. Two metal tabs pressed in and an adhesive seal secured.

You didn’t know I had super powers?

1 hour ago, French Collection said:

Our tipping point was when I was working out of town and she had to shovel the driveway because her 4x4 couldn’t get out.

It’s always easier to let them make the decision, innit?

2 hours ago, shrader said:

You come across as the type of person who wouldn't screw it up, but I still can't help but picture the shelves sloping at 45 degree angles (left to right) thanks to the arm.

This was my first try.

[darksabre]

3 minutes ago, Ogre said:

You didn’t know I had super powers?

It’s always easier to let them make the decision, innit?

This was my first try.

Actually, that's pretty cool 

[Ogre]

3 minutes ago, darksabre said:

Actually, that's pretty cool 

I didn’t really build the angled bookshelf. Someday when I have a proper shop. To properly dovetail a funny angle like that is beyond what I can do with the tools I have.

[Doohicksie]

As far as home office goes, I'm pretty well set up in the family room/man cave.  I have an old kitchen table with my computer (an all-in-one) on it, and when I want to work I can use that as a monitor for my work laptop, giving me two screens.  I use company VPN over home wifi, seems to work fine.

I have an old surround sound stereo in the room but after rigging it up quickly when I first moved in I let it be for two years.  Last night I finally got the subwoofer and the speakers hooked up right.

The room itself is the one room in the house that we haven't gotten on top of since we moved in.  There's a lot of crap in here, the kind of stuff you'd expect to find in a basement- tools, stored stuff, junk strewn about, and bicycles hanging from the wall for storage.  But my work area is adequate.

I have a nice view of my backyard through the sliding glass door, and there are windows set high on the wall that faces out toward the driveway.  I can see the sky, the top of my garage and some trees but nothing to draw me into staring out at random people outside.

The views out the windows.  The view toward the driveway:

 

And the backyard:

[darksabre]

The liquor shelf right above the desk is a dangerous move ?

[shrader]

56 minutes ago, darksabre said:

The liquor shelf right above the desk is a dangerous move ?

Actually, it's pretty much a must.

[Indabuff]

Never checked the temp but realized the sun was out and it's been the warmest it's been in a long time.  Doing some yard work basking in Vitamin D.

[Eleven]

Possibly the most adorable 911 call ever: