Mike_in_Hawaii's Profile

I think the picture shown is there because it was available and illustrates wire.

While I understand the humming part (ground loops being the culprit) and solved my issues (ground loop isolator), I am at a loss to what the author describes as "wheezing". Is the port smashed up to a wall? Or is the surround on the speaker finally succumbing to the ravages of Father Time? My KEF 40B is starting to rattle and upon opening, discovered the surrounds on the two drivers are starting to crumble. New sub or new drivers, that is the question!

Having moved into my new place just over a year ago, and helping others moved, I can now speak as an expert in my own mind about packing. A few things I did and learned.

BUY Cardboard boxes. I'ave had it with scavenging for boxes at supermarkets and stores. You get all these strange sizes to keeping order is next to impossible. I bit the bullet and bought what I needed at Home Depot. This kept the sizes consistent so stacking was no problem.

Splurge and get a tape gun and good quality tape. Far faster than tape and scissors. Good tape is thicker and easier to work with. Tape the box in a modified tic tac toe grid: three strips parallel to the seam, two across the seam.

Really big wide markers. Get two or three (you will misplace them). These will mark the box with KIT (kitchen), BATH, L.R, BD1, etc. Big, bold and easy to see in dimmer light. Mark 4 sides and top. And don't forget the famous Last box in/First box opened: what you need to get living in your new space. Include snacks in this box, you'll need them..

Know thy new place! It'll help you do a little pre-organization when the boxes start moving in.

Finally, ask friends if they need storage boxes or are moving themselves. When I moved, my church had two couples moving out just after I moved in. They got my boxes!

Remove the white table and lamp would be my first thought. The table is just there to hold the laptop and maybe controllers. If you can, find another home for the laptop, like beside the sofa. Purge the cabinet of unneeded stuff and hide any wires and controllers when they are not in use.

You'll need to get some light into the corner while you're watching TV or playing games, so a pair of small uplights behind the set on dimmers will be good. They should not be bright, but just enough to reduce the contrast between wall and TV brightness.

My sis and her husband were at a loss to find an outdoor venue in Portland, as many places were all booked up. She lucked out at Edgefield outside of Portland, a McMenamins place. If you've been to a McMenamins, you know it's quirkiness! They said that they could squeeze them in, but would have to use the outdoor tent from the previous wedding the day before. It would be a bit larger than they needed, but gave it to them for 1/2 of what they budgeted! Wedding went off with out a hitch, except for the typical light Portland drizzle.
They always laugh when they said that they got married and had their honeymoon in a "poor farm" and insane asylum. .

Another thing to try out in the morning. Or afternoon. Hmmm, dusk outside......

Boat. A hole in the lake, sea, ocean where your money drains into.

My dad used to take his 14' Boston Whaler out nearly every other week. Usually I went, being chief outfitter and loader. We finally sold the boat after far too many trips to the mechanic to fix the motor (and we followed the manual to the letter) and when the back of his 1960 Chevy Nova wagon started to rust through. We did have a difference of opinion on how to operate the boat. Dad liked it slow and stopped for fishing. I liked it fast and planing with the wind in my hair.

One thing about cutting: it's all in the arm, not the wrist. Having painted friend's apartments many times, I've seen too many people brushing just using their wrist, like they're waving someone goodbye. The trick is to keep your wrist steady and move your whole arm down or across. The edge is so much smoother and you have far less fatigue at the end of the day.

Point of Interest/Warning: if you belong to a church, do not, under practically any circumstances, assign a group of teens to paint a room. Some of the paint may end up on the walls and trim where they are supposed to be. The other 5 gallons now have repainted the parsonage bedroom carpet. Same goes for college students. Been there, cleaned up, tore out the carpet. *Sigh*

I know somewhere in my apartment I have a desk, but under which pile of stuff is it?

I rarely use painters tape for painting anymore. A high quality angled brush is the key for a good line. Add in a slap bucket and damp rag for misses and you're set.

Ah, what's a slap bucket you ask? A large coffee can or small bucket with an inch or two of paint (too much and it gets heavy). Dip your brush in half way, then slap the brush against the inside of the bucket to get rid of excess paint. This is far better than wiping your brush over the edge of the can.

And always use canvas drop cloths: they don't slip around like plastic ones, are easier to move and set and will last years.

My jaw dropped and my heart skipped a beat on The Brain. It's hard to see in the picture, but on the left side of the balcony, there is a fireman's pole! As hard edged and rectangular as the building is, it has a real sense of warmth. I can imagine myself just looking out the windows at dusk, watching the night unfold and take the forest.