I Missed the Fiddler's Convention

It was last week. I doubt these guys were there. 



There is another close to there this weekend. Can't make that one either. I used to go decades ago. Hey, you have to learn how to flatfoot from someone right? I want to see if they still do the greased pig contest. I doubt it.

There used to be a nightclub in Galax that ended the night with all the lights going on and they played this:



Its long gone. I miss that. 



 


 

For My New Found Hometown Friend

BadgerMedic is a paramedic in my home town of Winston-Salem. He has been there for eight years or so. He comments on the Blog here occasionally yet I cannot find his if it exists. In an effort to help him assimilate I present the following map of downtown at the zenith of RJR Tobacco's reach. This is the actual map handed to me by the personnel department at the RJR building showing me where to go for the verbal interview after having passed the written test for my skill set:

Then we get to the new plant. I was part of the commisioning team for it.



I have lived here almost as long as I lived there. I miss it. 

I don't know if you get to the north end of town on your duties, but there are people there I care about still.

Enjoy your newly adapted City! Next time I'm up I need to give ya a tour =) 


















 

Well That Was Interesting. And Somewhat Surreal.

So I decided to play tourist in my own home town last night. Holed up across from the local altar of consumerism Hanes Mall. I have not stepped foot in it for well over a decade but remember shoving quarters in machines at the arcade so many years ago. I chose a Microtel in walking distance from the Outback restaurant and tried it out. What was once an interesting concept and presentation for a chain restaurant has now become a corporate mandated "Meh". I was pretending to like it, they were too. I'll try the old Japanese Steakhouse next time and see if I get the same.

The view from my third floor window with a daybed kept me entertained for the remainder of the evening. Gah. 

Today I drove by many old haunts from back in the day and most are still there yet subtly different. The most disturbing thing was driving by Whitaker Park. RJR at one time had public tours for this manufacturing plant and had these outside of it:

Now, the fountains are drained and no activity is there. 

However today ended on a high note. I visited Mr. and Mrs. Curmudgeon and Mr. Curmudgeon and I visited a local range. He got up close and personal with "Emily" the M1 I built at the CMP.





He said he liked it but would not want to run around with one all day on his back like he did *cough* some years ago.

Food was consumed, stories were told. now I'm back at stately manor. What a great weekend so far! Next time I play tourist I'm going to hang out at either the Embassy Suites downtown so I can play with the hipsters or the Green Valley. I don't know WHO I might play with at the latter =) 

      

Family Reunion. It sorta works like this

More later, but I don't know when. Gotta get ready for CMP Gun Skool this week.

And yes, this is the soundtrack for that. I would go there in a heartbeat if I could. 




Oh, for all the Canon camera haters, the only cousin that actually makes a living shooting photos had a Canon around his neck today =) 

More later! 

Dear Dolby Labs....

So after receiving the proceeds of my interest free loan to .gov over the past year I decide to upgrade my TV. I'm giving the old one to Mr. Curmudgeon for the man cave to help insure domestic tranquility there for him and Mrs. Curmudgeon. 

So I have to really see what the new one can do. I received this today.

After throwing away ST1 and ST5 I load of course the favorite of almost any fan, STII The Wrath of Khan.  

I am greeted with this display on the A/V receiver:

Ok, I have been around the block with consumer electronics for some time. I sold Nakamichi cassette decks back in the day and they were equipped with Dolby "B" and "C" noise reduction. Then came the video stuff. Dolby 2.1, 5.1, 7.2, etc.

I have never observed this display on the receiver before.  Protip, set your PS3 or anything else to "Bitstream" to send to the amp. Let it figure out what you are sending to it and decode.

Dolby TrueHD is described here. 

The audio rocks. The picture is quite frankly impressive. 

Although most of my age only remember Ricardo Montalbán as a dude selling some leather on a Chrysler or as the ice cream uniform from Fantasy Island, he had a storied career as an accomplished actor. He owned this movie.  ILM did the effects and for the day they kept up with Mr. Montalban.     

My Brain Scares Me Sometimes!

So working with some Molle gear and some Maxpedition Tacties today for a gift and it looked like this:

 Oh, the lights? A case of 100W incandescent and a case of 60W. The powers that be are making these hard to get. 

Anyway, while I'm doing this, my brain immedatly thought of this video:



Yep, my brain works in mysterious ways! 



 

Any Home Decor Experts Here?

So after the visit and fantastic paint job of the bathrooms by Mr. Curmudgeon I'm at a loss. I had previously installed these dead bolts on the closet doors.

 














The color is called "hand rubbed bronze". Make a great name for a metal band or p0rn film in my opinion but whatever.

So after looking at the paint job and looking at the light switches I thought a free paint job of this magnitude deserved some new light switches, cover plates and new towel rods and such. 

So, I wander off to the yuppie Lowes home improvement store, not the one near stately manor. I found these switches. 

I threw this one in the room with the toilet in the master bathroom. I have never grounded a wall plate before, but its metal. The switch also has a little indicator light when off to show you where it is. 

That's not overpowering and I like it! 

So before I commit to all of this as well what say you?

Oh, why is this stuff SO expensive?! I brefily considered going to the supply house and getting some rigid conduit for towel rods and toilet paper holder. I know how that works! 

That's the adjustable leg on my reloading bench. About 2 bucks if I remember correctly. Unfortunately I do entertain occasionally and I still await someone more interested in whats in the safe than decor, but still. I do need to make it aesthetically pleasing in case I need to sell in the future!