Disraeli Gears was the first album I remember buying with money I had earned. It think it was at Penney’s (?) in Westgate in Madison WI. The hook was “Sunshine of Your Love”, but my favorites were “We’re Going Wrong” and “Tales of Brave Ulysses”. Eric Clapton’s fun with the wah-wah pedal shines through.

Album 1 of 10. “Disraeli Gears”

My good friend, Craig Huegel, accepted a Facebook challenge from his friend, Jeff Klinkenberg: Post just the covers of the 10 albums which have been most influential in your life. Craig has finished his list and passed the challenge to me. This proved to be more difficult (and more fun) than I expected. I had to throw a bunch into “honorable mentions” and I know I will still miss a few.

After about three weeks, I’ve decided to go back to WordPress from @blot. I really liked blot, but also like the flexibility of WordPress. I’ll keep blot, just not sure what I’ll use it for just yet. I’ll gladly take suggestions. 😎

I have one year to get in good enough shape to tackle Isle Royale for the third time. I was significantly younger the first two times. This is going to take some effort.

It seems like you can’t even buy a cup of coffee these days without getting a customer satisfaction survey.

Music participation in high school linked to higher scores on English, math and science exams This should surprise no one.

I’m thinking a bit about what creativity means. Who is a creative person you admire? Can you explain why you feel they are creative?

Mike’s Sushi in Palm Harbor FL. 👍👍

I’m going all-in on @blot for my long-form blog. I’ve moved from dropbox to git and copied all of the draft posts I had stacked up in MarsEdit to my drafts folder. Some of these will likely end up here though.

Pondering how to distance myself from Google’s clutches after this and this. Leaving my phone number off accounts. Thinking about Yubikeys. Getting as far away as I can from gmail and chrome.

Whenever I want mellotron death-of-the-universe music there is only one album to turn to: In the Court of the Crimson King. My latest trip to Florida to my parent’s triggered it when I drove past King Crimson Trace in Tarpon Springs.

After a long and somewhat disjointed six months I’m going to try being a bit more micro.blog friendly. I’ve been watching and learning though. Thank you all for keeping this platform active!

I’ve just started Maria Popova’s new book Figuring. I was struck by its more than passing resemblance to James Burke’s Connections. Turns out this is not an accident as expressed by Maria herself on Brain Pickings.📕 Anyway, enjoying it so far even though some of the connections are coincidental.

Watching “The Sound Of Music” on the plane. I love the outfit Maria wears out of the convent. It’s so governessy.

Off to Florida today. Aging parents.

Back from Lisbon. Pics to follow.

Flat white at fabrica in Lisbon.

I graduated with degrees in Math and CS from UW-Madison in 1975 and 1976. I had never heard of Sister Mary Kenneth Keller.

U.S. Mathematician Becomes First Woman To Win Abel Prize

I’ve yet to find a gel pen that doesn’t misbehave in some way on the paper I like to use. Sticking with ballpoints (uni jetstream, pilot acroball) for travel; fountain pens (pilot, kaweco) for home and office use.🖋

Planning a photo trip to Lisbon. Wishing I could afford this, but taking this.

I got back to the gym today after a five week break. My exercise during that time has been moving snow from the uphill side of the driveway to the downhill side so that it melts with without flowing into the basement. It’s one of the joys of living in Minnesota.

I finally got a lap desk for my favorite chair. Nothing fancy. No lights. No wrist rests. No mouse pad thingee off to the side. Nice and flat. Writing in my two journals (long-form and bullet) should be much easier now.

TIL Always check the white balance setting before a photo tour. 📷🙄