Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Gold is over $2.6K.
WOW…
Cal
WOW…
Cal
Prest_400
Multiformat
Parts of New England do resemble Scandinavia from what I have seen. Particularly Maine seems like the western coast, minus the fjords. Over here Moose live further north. You just have a much lower latitude which favors longer winter days.
About class, I have this one acquaintance from western MA that lived for a year on some family ranch in ME close to Acadia. I was surprised him mentioning not positive words about intolerance there. He is of a minority however.
It is interesting to get more first hand knowledge than rely of what is seen or perceived online.
Your Upstate is quite vast. Have a cousin that moved to Toronto and I recently realised that is much closer to Niagara falls and Rochester than NYC. That itinerary might be a future visit with Rochester just for the "Kodak" factor.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I really missed my guitars while on vacation, and it was great to come home.
Upon reading my unattended email I learned from my niece that my older sister died of Cancer.
“Maggie” and I are at an age where many of the people we know are dying. Kinda dropping like flies.
So I have an awkward situation, and I had to explain to my niece why I won’t be attending any service or wake.
About 30 years ago the invitations to celebrate the holidays, Christmas and Thanksgiving stopped for three years, and then on the fourth year I got a surprise invitation to go to my oldest brother’s house for Thanksgiving.
So basically I was kinda abandoned and left alone for three years, and I went to therapy to move past the loss of my family and process my grief.
The Surprise Thanksgiving was kinda awkward, but I kinda iced my older siblings: two older brothers and an older sister.
They grew up together, were bonded, and were a family; but because of my upbringing in Foster Care for a decade there was unspoken survivor’s guilt, and perhaps a lot of guilt for abandoning me and my younger brother in regather destitute situations where we kinda grew up as feral kids, were kinda crazy and angry, and pretty much had to deal with depression early in life.
Our abandonment over time eventually became complete. Anytime we were around we were reminders, We were messed up confused kids who grew up alone and on our own. I was 13 years old taking care of my dad who was 69, a house, and my younger brother.
Anyways, I processed my losses and the loss of my sister decades ago. She was an alcoholic and I actually am in peace that she is no longer suffering. She died of Cancer.
In a time of grieving, I don’t want to recreate the awkwardness that happened at that last Thanksgiving…
The only person who can understand what happened to us is my younger brother. He too is estranged from our older siblings. We were both pushed away…
Cal
Upon reading my unattended email I learned from my niece that my older sister died of Cancer.
“Maggie” and I are at an age where many of the people we know are dying. Kinda dropping like flies.
So I have an awkward situation, and I had to explain to my niece why I won’t be attending any service or wake.
About 30 years ago the invitations to celebrate the holidays, Christmas and Thanksgiving stopped for three years, and then on the fourth year I got a surprise invitation to go to my oldest brother’s house for Thanksgiving.
So basically I was kinda abandoned and left alone for three years, and I went to therapy to move past the loss of my family and process my grief.
The Surprise Thanksgiving was kinda awkward, but I kinda iced my older siblings: two older brothers and an older sister.
They grew up together, were bonded, and were a family; but because of my upbringing in Foster Care for a decade there was unspoken survivor’s guilt, and perhaps a lot of guilt for abandoning me and my younger brother in regather destitute situations where we kinda grew up as feral kids, were kinda crazy and angry, and pretty much had to deal with depression early in life.
Our abandonment over time eventually became complete. Anytime we were around we were reminders, We were messed up confused kids who grew up alone and on our own. I was 13 years old taking care of my dad who was 69, a house, and my younger brother.
Anyways, I processed my losses and the loss of my sister decades ago. She was an alcoholic and I actually am in peace that she is no longer suffering. She died of Cancer.
In a time of grieving, I don’t want to recreate the awkwardness that happened at that last Thanksgiving…
The only person who can understand what happened to us is my younger brother. He too is estranged from our older siblings. We were both pushed away…
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Jorde,
I wear my Panerai, two 1 1/4 caret mine cut pinky rings (one Victorian and the other Edwardian from when the British Empire existed), and pretty much because of class I get to pass as white.
I’m sure I would get treated differently if I looked marginalized or looked poor.
I felt no racial tension, but the lack of minorities I mentioned because it is kinda in your face. A polite discomfort of sorts perhaps amplified if you happen to be a person of color.
I’m sure there would be resentment by those that felt left out or left behind.
New Hampshire certainly is the “Great White North.”
BTW I was in New Hampshire as a kid.
When I was 16 I went to Belgrade Lakes Maine and evidently this little boy never saw a non-white man ever before.
“Mommy-mommy look at that man.” The little boy said in an excited voice. I was like E.T. Who came from another planet.
My friend Richie laughed. Meanwhile the mother was embarrassed.
Snarky Joe mentioned, the farther north you go the more like the south, and that includes upstate New York.
Cal
I wear my Panerai, two 1 1/4 caret mine cut pinky rings (one Victorian and the other Edwardian from when the British Empire existed), and pretty much because of class I get to pass as white.
I’m sure I would get treated differently if I looked marginalized or looked poor.
I felt no racial tension, but the lack of minorities I mentioned because it is kinda in your face. A polite discomfort of sorts perhaps amplified if you happen to be a person of color.
I’m sure there would be resentment by those that felt left out or left behind.
New Hampshire certainly is the “Great White North.”
BTW I was in New Hampshire as a kid.
When I was 16 I went to Belgrade Lakes Maine and evidently this little boy never saw a non-white man ever before.
“Mommy-mommy look at that man.” The little boy said in an excited voice. I was like E.T. Who came from another planet.
My friend Richie laughed. Meanwhile the mother was embarrassed.
Snarky Joe mentioned, the farther north you go the more like the south, and that includes upstate New York.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
My niece understands. About a decade and a half ago she reached out to me and wanted to know what happened to me.
Pretty much as a young adult she had questions that her father would not answer and were evasively avoided.
I explained to her the family dynamic, and this helped her reestablish her relationship with her mother and father. She described their relationship as estranged back then.
Her mother had breast Cancer, and then every few years a new Cancer. The chemo and the fatigue eventually defeated her.
I mentioned the pushing away that she experience from her parents as being similar to what I experienced, and all the still raw trauma that my older siblings could not process.
It gave her the compassion that led to understanding…
For me my sister died over three decades ago. Alcoholism is an awful disease, and pretty much people destroy themselves, a kinda slow suicide. My close friend Richie drank himself to death.
I don’t drink…
Cal
Pretty much as a young adult she had questions that her father would not answer and were evasively avoided.
I explained to her the family dynamic, and this helped her reestablish her relationship with her mother and father. She described their relationship as estranged back then.
Her mother had breast Cancer, and then every few years a new Cancer. The chemo and the fatigue eventually defeated her.
I mentioned the pushing away that she experience from her parents as being similar to what I experienced, and all the still raw trauma that my older siblings could not process.
It gave her the compassion that led to understanding…
For me my sister died over three decades ago. Alcoholism is an awful disease, and pretty much people destroy themselves, a kinda slow suicide. My close friend Richie drank himself to death.
I don’t drink…
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
In Peekskill is a used book store that is like our own version of “The Strand.” It has the old hippy vibe of perhaps 1969 though, and is a bit of a fixture that goes back a pretty long time.
Not far from Peekskill Coffee, we will walk there later, and pretty much they have a pretty big used CD collection. In New Hampshire we went into this blended store that was part coffee shop-part thrift store, and I bought 4 CD’s for $1.00 each.
The best CD was an old early Ray Charles recording. Pretty much Jazz-blues and Ray’s voice resembled Nat Cole. In fact lots of his phasing resembled Nat Cole’s. Kinda slow and tasteful. Most of all not over produced and the guitar parts were early electric played on an archtop. Not sure who came first.
This early Jazz-Blues that is kinda primitive is what I seem to be drawn to. The book on 50 unknown notable guitar players kinda suggest not having any guitar hero or role model. Many defined having an influence is one thing, but having someone to emulate by a few was said to be a trap of sorts.
I kinda feel that way. I deeply admire Jeff Beck and this unknown guitarist named Mick Robnson (Played with David Bowie in the Ziggy Stardust era), but I certainly can’t emulate them. Perhaps the best I can do is learn a lesson from them and move onto finding my own identity.
Anyways this book about 50 unknowns reassured the path I’m on.
In meeting two Santa Cruz OM’s made of mahogany from the “Tree” was an interesting experience. The wood certainly was visually stunning. One guitar was brand new and cost about $25K. The used one was being offered to me for $17K, not that I was looking for one.
I think I would of been more interested if the used version was a OMG, an OM model that has a slightly larger body, so that it could compare or compete against my custom 1934 version Model “F.” The pricing would of translated into a huge discount. I think an inside quick sale was being offered to me in a preferred customer sich-E-A-tion.
Anyways I think my 1934 “F” kinda crushed these two OM’s, but not a really fair fight. The Model “F” has a bigger sound because of the bigger body, and at this point my Model “F” is kinda played in and is kinda open and matured.
I have to check the UPS tracking. My new Vintage 47 amp was shipped Thursday. This amp has the old school sound from the old octal tubes. Still a low powered amp, but thick fat greasy sound like the old blues and jazz records. Think Charley Christian and Hubert Sumlin on the old Howling Wolf recordings.
Thick and meaty, no effects pedals, and plug and play. The sound coming from the fingers and an amp breathing hard.
I’m setting up the spare bedroom as my guitar room. I kinda maneuvered “Maggie” into a mucho happy place in her cedar “She-Shack.” I’m a clever guy. Think I will move my tube stereo into the room also.
There is a free couch that somehow got delivered as payment for some digital influencing gig. Kinda high end. It barely fit the narrow staircase and almost did not fit. A kinda lux piece of furniture that also converts into a comfortable full sized bed. Very well made. Not a bad place to sit and play guitars.
Know that I have enough gear to overload the room though…
Still my amp purchase is still a secrete…
I’m a bad boy: spank me… LOL.
Anyways I missed my guitars… They are inspiring instruments.
Cal
Not far from Peekskill Coffee, we will walk there later, and pretty much they have a pretty big used CD collection. In New Hampshire we went into this blended store that was part coffee shop-part thrift store, and I bought 4 CD’s for $1.00 each.
The best CD was an old early Ray Charles recording. Pretty much Jazz-blues and Ray’s voice resembled Nat Cole. In fact lots of his phasing resembled Nat Cole’s. Kinda slow and tasteful. Most of all not over produced and the guitar parts were early electric played on an archtop. Not sure who came first.
This early Jazz-Blues that is kinda primitive is what I seem to be drawn to. The book on 50 unknown notable guitar players kinda suggest not having any guitar hero or role model. Many defined having an influence is one thing, but having someone to emulate by a few was said to be a trap of sorts.
I kinda feel that way. I deeply admire Jeff Beck and this unknown guitarist named Mick Robnson (Played with David Bowie in the Ziggy Stardust era), but I certainly can’t emulate them. Perhaps the best I can do is learn a lesson from them and move onto finding my own identity.
Anyways this book about 50 unknowns reassured the path I’m on.
In meeting two Santa Cruz OM’s made of mahogany from the “Tree” was an interesting experience. The wood certainly was visually stunning. One guitar was brand new and cost about $25K. The used one was being offered to me for $17K, not that I was looking for one.
I think I would of been more interested if the used version was a OMG, an OM model that has a slightly larger body, so that it could compare or compete against my custom 1934 version Model “F.” The pricing would of translated into a huge discount. I think an inside quick sale was being offered to me in a preferred customer sich-E-A-tion.
Anyways I think my 1934 “F” kinda crushed these two OM’s, but not a really fair fight. The Model “F” has a bigger sound because of the bigger body, and at this point my Model “F” is kinda played in and is kinda open and matured.
I have to check the UPS tracking. My new Vintage 47 amp was shipped Thursday. This amp has the old school sound from the old octal tubes. Still a low powered amp, but thick fat greasy sound like the old blues and jazz records. Think Charley Christian and Hubert Sumlin on the old Howling Wolf recordings.
Thick and meaty, no effects pedals, and plug and play. The sound coming from the fingers and an amp breathing hard.
I’m setting up the spare bedroom as my guitar room. I kinda maneuvered “Maggie” into a mucho happy place in her cedar “She-Shack.” I’m a clever guy. Think I will move my tube stereo into the room also.
There is a free couch that somehow got delivered as payment for some digital influencing gig. Kinda high end. It barely fit the narrow staircase and almost did not fit. A kinda lux piece of furniture that also converts into a comfortable full sized bed. Very well made. Not a bad place to sit and play guitars.
Know that I have enough gear to overload the room though…
Still my amp purchase is still a secrete…
I’m a bad boy: spank me… LOL.
Anyways I missed my guitars… They are inspiring instruments.
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
My new Vintage 47 amp expected delivery is Wednesday.
I was selected at random to fill out a Jury Duty questionnaire. Lucky me.
Today at the last minute saw the kids. Went to a Mount Cisco local carnival, and then to some Country Music fest at the Peekskill waterfront at La Factoria, a kinda brewery/eatery. Ran into some people we knew.
In one of my prior posts I was GAS’ing for a possible baritone guitar, but it seems like the HOG has this bass dominant tone that displays huge fundamental along with mucho warmth. Has the richness of a bass guitar, but with limited extended low range. Not a bad substitute, and a lot more playable. The notes tend to hang and the sustain is great.
The 1934 Model “F” is the polar opposite, where along with a decay there are all these overtones layering the sound like a chorus. Bright attack and high-end note definition along with that decay of overtones. Kinda sounds like a section of horn in a Jazz orchestra.
So these guitars really compliment each other very well. I could not be more pleased.
I dug in and found out that Nat King Cole was in fact earlier than Ray Charles. We did get the chance to visit the Bruised Apple and I bought 2 Ray Charles CD’s for $14.00. Interesting to note how I am being drawn into piano players even though I’m a guitarist.
I will play the OM later tonight. Pretty much after my vacation I have fresh ears, and I’m learning a lot about how the voicing of each Santa Cruz is different and unique. Also my string adjustment on the HOG to a DADGBD set really worked out well. Now the string balance is perfect, and it emphasizes the warmth and base more in a great way. This guitar is mucho smooth.
The 1934 Model “F” though is kinda in your face in a great way. Not laid back at all. This Santa Cruz is all about clarity and articulation.
I still feel a hangover of fatigue from the trip to Franconia Notch and all the hiking. Seems like I lost some fat, but I also gained some muscle and tone. Not that I’m J-Lo, but I think my butt grew and got bigger.
Lucky me: I think I won $50.00 on a scratch off lottery ticket. I have an old Lotto ticket, and I bought $3.00 more Lotto today. Generally I don’t play these games, but I felt lucky. Let’s see if I won anything or if I have duds.
Cal
I was selected at random to fill out a Jury Duty questionnaire. Lucky me.
Today at the last minute saw the kids. Went to a Mount Cisco local carnival, and then to some Country Music fest at the Peekskill waterfront at La Factoria, a kinda brewery/eatery. Ran into some people we knew.
In one of my prior posts I was GAS’ing for a possible baritone guitar, but it seems like the HOG has this bass dominant tone that displays huge fundamental along with mucho warmth. Has the richness of a bass guitar, but with limited extended low range. Not a bad substitute, and a lot more playable. The notes tend to hang and the sustain is great.
The 1934 Model “F” is the polar opposite, where along with a decay there are all these overtones layering the sound like a chorus. Bright attack and high-end note definition along with that decay of overtones. Kinda sounds like a section of horn in a Jazz orchestra.
So these guitars really compliment each other very well. I could not be more pleased.
I dug in and found out that Nat King Cole was in fact earlier than Ray Charles. We did get the chance to visit the Bruised Apple and I bought 2 Ray Charles CD’s for $14.00. Interesting to note how I am being drawn into piano players even though I’m a guitarist.
I will play the OM later tonight. Pretty much after my vacation I have fresh ears, and I’m learning a lot about how the voicing of each Santa Cruz is different and unique. Also my string adjustment on the HOG to a DADGBD set really worked out well. Now the string balance is perfect, and it emphasizes the warmth and base more in a great way. This guitar is mucho smooth.
The 1934 Model “F” though is kinda in your face in a great way. Not laid back at all. This Santa Cruz is all about clarity and articulation.
I still feel a hangover of fatigue from the trip to Franconia Notch and all the hiking. Seems like I lost some fat, but I also gained some muscle and tone. Not that I’m J-Lo, but I think my butt grew and got bigger.
Lucky me: I think I won $50.00 on a scratch off lottery ticket. I have an old Lotto ticket, and I bought $3.00 more Lotto today. Generally I don’t play these games, but I felt lucky. Let’s see if I won anything or if I have duds.
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
They say housing costs were over 70% of the inflation last year, and this was measured to be 5.2%.
Mortgage rates are down to 6.29% already, and when the FED cuts rates this number will be lower still. Barbra, the real estate Shark, suggests that because of the chronic housing shortage that when the lower interest rates hit a certain tipping point that again that home prices will escalate.
In a separate report she suggests that this tipping point might be around 6%.
I personally think and believe that inflation will get reignited and housing prices will continue to be a major contributor to the CPI. I also think The Hudson Valley will be a particularly hot market.
My fresh ears after our vacation made me realize that the Santa Cruz OM is now well played in. It is mucho loud and responsive in a crazy way, and it seems like a bigger bodied guitar due to the projection and volume.
The two larger Model “F’s” kinda require a heavy hand to maximize the tone and fullness. Really good exercise, and it is promoting my downstroke. It could take a while for these two rather newish Santa Cruzes to get played in.
The exercise of breaking in and playing in two newish guitars is really good for development as a player. Muscle memory and I kinda replicate a piano strike which is mucho percussive.
“Maggie” seems to do best in Nordic Walking which uses poles. My heavy hands kind somewhat simulates Nordic Walking. Very conducive and highly mobile because the equipment is so portable. I kinda got her into a pace that really elevates the heart rate in a sustained manner.
Kinda resembles cross country skiing which is a great-great cardio workout. We are looking into getting equipped with cross country skiing this winter. Heart rates get sustained, no resting, and pretty much a hyper efficient workout that burns a lot of calories and pumps a lot of blood.
Later today we will head to the Trailway Head in Yorktown to do power walking.
In October we have two road trips: one to Brattleboro; and another to Saratoga. Both trips involve book festivals and Maggie will be presenting. Our location in Peekskill is mucho convenient.
I kinda abused coffee to maintain my energy level in New Hampshire, and I recognize I have to cut back.
A lot of our tomato harvest is being made into sauce that will be frozen.
Cal
Mortgage rates are down to 6.29% already, and when the FED cuts rates this number will be lower still. Barbra, the real estate Shark, suggests that because of the chronic housing shortage that when the lower interest rates hit a certain tipping point that again that home prices will escalate.
In a separate report she suggests that this tipping point might be around 6%.
I personally think and believe that inflation will get reignited and housing prices will continue to be a major contributor to the CPI. I also think The Hudson Valley will be a particularly hot market.
My fresh ears after our vacation made me realize that the Santa Cruz OM is now well played in. It is mucho loud and responsive in a crazy way, and it seems like a bigger bodied guitar due to the projection and volume.
The two larger Model “F’s” kinda require a heavy hand to maximize the tone and fullness. Really good exercise, and it is promoting my downstroke. It could take a while for these two rather newish Santa Cruzes to get played in.
The exercise of breaking in and playing in two newish guitars is really good for development as a player. Muscle memory and I kinda replicate a piano strike which is mucho percussive.
“Maggie” seems to do best in Nordic Walking which uses poles. My heavy hands kind somewhat simulates Nordic Walking. Very conducive and highly mobile because the equipment is so portable. I kinda got her into a pace that really elevates the heart rate in a sustained manner.
Kinda resembles cross country skiing which is a great-great cardio workout. We are looking into getting equipped with cross country skiing this winter. Heart rates get sustained, no resting, and pretty much a hyper efficient workout that burns a lot of calories and pumps a lot of blood.
Later today we will head to the Trailway Head in Yorktown to do power walking.
In October we have two road trips: one to Brattleboro; and another to Saratoga. Both trips involve book festivals and Maggie will be presenting. Our location in Peekskill is mucho convenient.
I kinda abused coffee to maintain my energy level in New Hampshire, and I recognize I have to cut back.
A lot of our tomato harvest is being made into sauce that will be frozen.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
The power walk pumped some blood. I feel the tightness in my torso from the heavy hands.
The drive to the Trailway is only 20 minutes, and it is worth the time. A quick hour and 5 minutes, but honking at a good pace.
One thing is to get the exercise I need, but it is also great that I am exercising “Maggie.”
I discovered that the National 5 watt amp I bought earlier this year is already selling for crazy money 33%-66% higher than what I paid. Seems like the supply dried up, and also these prices are for one’s that are all original and are like time paperless like mine as far as condition.
Valco/Supro/National amps were all made in Chicago. The packaging is different, but many used the same schematic. They also made amps for Gretch.
My purchase of a custom Vintage 47 amp is a bit speculative. This is a tiny company, kinda under the radar, but they are a unique nitch in that they create modern replicas of Valco and Supro amps. This is such a small operation that only a few employees. I looked at their shop, and it appears to be part of a house and the basement.
Parts are warehoused off-site. My concern is if there is a recession will they survive?
They make a Gibson EH-185 amp clone. This is the amp that Charlie Christian used. BeBop likely would not have evolved without Charlie Christian. The VA-20 I’m getting is similar, but different that the EH-185 clone. One thing is a bit more power and headroom, and the driver is different.
I need to ping my friend Cris and get my electric arch-top back.
Cal
The drive to the Trailway is only 20 minutes, and it is worth the time. A quick hour and 5 minutes, but honking at a good pace.
One thing is to get the exercise I need, but it is also great that I am exercising “Maggie.”
I discovered that the National 5 watt amp I bought earlier this year is already selling for crazy money 33%-66% higher than what I paid. Seems like the supply dried up, and also these prices are for one’s that are all original and are like time paperless like mine as far as condition.
Valco/Supro/National amps were all made in Chicago. The packaging is different, but many used the same schematic. They also made amps for Gretch.
My purchase of a custom Vintage 47 amp is a bit speculative. This is a tiny company, kinda under the radar, but they are a unique nitch in that they create modern replicas of Valco and Supro amps. This is such a small operation that only a few employees. I looked at their shop, and it appears to be part of a house and the basement.
Parts are warehoused off-site. My concern is if there is a recession will they survive?
They make a Gibson EH-185 amp clone. This is the amp that Charlie Christian used. BeBop likely would not have evolved without Charlie Christian. The VA-20 I’m getting is similar, but different that the EH-185 clone. One thing is a bit more power and headroom, and the driver is different.
I need to ping my friend Cris and get my electric arch-top back.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
A gym day today. I’m a little stiff from yesterday. I slept good. This is a good morning stiffness that will fade into the day that is a bit of a holdover from yesterday’s workout.
Today I wonder if the two Santa Cruz Model “F’s” will always be stiffer and less open than my Santa Cruz OM. The two “F’s” have tapered bracing, while the OM has scalloped bracing that flexes more. The downside or trade off is that scalloped bracing scoops out the mids and is not as warm sounding or as balanced as the tapered bracing.
So I wonder how much louder and fuller will the two Model “F’s” get. They are pretty brutal now. The mahogany also tends to have a more focused sound also and this adds to articulation and clarity. To me more like a piano. I believe a good amount of opening already has happened and the progress from here with the Model “F’s” will be rather slow.
Been putting the time in on the guitars, lots of practice, and pretty much it takes a long time to internalize things. I have to think and concentrate, but to play pretty much you don’t have time to think, you perform. This is the level of muscle memory where thinking is excluded, and this becomes a new universe with unlimited possibilities.
In my life this mindset is spilling over. My goal is the discipline to exercise my guitars as well as my body. The way I play guitar it requires good technic to avoid arthritis or injury, the same with my old 66 and 3/4 year old body. The key is momentum of every day discipline.
I pretty much have a sense of purpose, and somehow I have snookered in “Maggie.” For her writing every day is her focus, and the 8x8 cedar She-Shack I built for her overlooking the 30 acre marsh, frog pond and brook is a treasure for her as a workspace. Pretty much seclusion right in our own backyard.
I paid a huge Trump Tariff on Canadian finished wood products I think because it was a kit, and this was for Maggie’s 70th birthday. I built up a gravel pad as a foundation and for drainage, and this resulted in no tax increase because technically it could be moved and is not considered a permanent structure.
Pretty much it was recommended that it would take 2-3 guys a weekend to assemble, but I did it all alone. Kinda crazy, and I had to be clever. Lots of problem solving, and it was playful and fun.
The She-Shack is out of the range of our Internet hot spot, but I have three Milwaukee High Output 12.0 amp hour batteries: one is for my table saw; and the other two are for the lawn mower. I also have an adapter that pretty much converts the 18 volts to 120 volts AC, so basically for camping and the She-Shack I have mobile 120 VAC.
I have somewhere in my basement a 1000 watt electric heater the size of half a shoe box. This came from Grumman. Our boss addressed the cold floor of the dilapidated trailer we had as workspace. Pretty much our feet got cold.
I also want to buy this Milwaukee M18 fan that could be used as a cooling system for the She-Shack. A wet towel could make an improvised swamp cooler. Basically want to extend the She-Shack into a real three season work space. The She-Shack has major “You suck factor.”
Don’t forget my own best interest is to be able to plug in and play through an amp in the house. Don’t tell Maggie… Every morning Maggie spends hours back there in seclusion. For me it is a bonus vacation every day.
At this point our retirement has led to a more simple and basic life. We enjoy a lot of freedom, and there is a renewed sense of purpose that allows a great deal of self development. It is a gentle life filled with peace.
After our vacation in New Hampshire it was great coming home and getting back into our boring life. This Thanksgiving will be my 4th year of transitioning into retirement. I figure I won’t be really retired until I’m 70 and collecting my Social Security because I have to. That’s a little more than 3 years away…
The message here is that retirement is an unsettled place, and it is like being a teenager all over again in many ways. Pretty much you have to consider your future carefully, and have a plan.
Cal
Today I wonder if the two Santa Cruz Model “F’s” will always be stiffer and less open than my Santa Cruz OM. The two “F’s” have tapered bracing, while the OM has scalloped bracing that flexes more. The downside or trade off is that scalloped bracing scoops out the mids and is not as warm sounding or as balanced as the tapered bracing.
So I wonder how much louder and fuller will the two Model “F’s” get. They are pretty brutal now. The mahogany also tends to have a more focused sound also and this adds to articulation and clarity. To me more like a piano. I believe a good amount of opening already has happened and the progress from here with the Model “F’s” will be rather slow.
Been putting the time in on the guitars, lots of practice, and pretty much it takes a long time to internalize things. I have to think and concentrate, but to play pretty much you don’t have time to think, you perform. This is the level of muscle memory where thinking is excluded, and this becomes a new universe with unlimited possibilities.
In my life this mindset is spilling over. My goal is the discipline to exercise my guitars as well as my body. The way I play guitar it requires good technic to avoid arthritis or injury, the same with my old 66 and 3/4 year old body. The key is momentum of every day discipline.
I pretty much have a sense of purpose, and somehow I have snookered in “Maggie.” For her writing every day is her focus, and the 8x8 cedar She-Shack I built for her overlooking the 30 acre marsh, frog pond and brook is a treasure for her as a workspace. Pretty much seclusion right in our own backyard.
I paid a huge Trump Tariff on Canadian finished wood products I think because it was a kit, and this was for Maggie’s 70th birthday. I built up a gravel pad as a foundation and for drainage, and this resulted in no tax increase because technically it could be moved and is not considered a permanent structure.
Pretty much it was recommended that it would take 2-3 guys a weekend to assemble, but I did it all alone. Kinda crazy, and I had to be clever. Lots of problem solving, and it was playful and fun.
The She-Shack is out of the range of our Internet hot spot, but I have three Milwaukee High Output 12.0 amp hour batteries: one is for my table saw; and the other two are for the lawn mower. I also have an adapter that pretty much converts the 18 volts to 120 volts AC, so basically for camping and the She-Shack I have mobile 120 VAC.
I have somewhere in my basement a 1000 watt electric heater the size of half a shoe box. This came from Grumman. Our boss addressed the cold floor of the dilapidated trailer we had as workspace. Pretty much our feet got cold.
I also want to buy this Milwaukee M18 fan that could be used as a cooling system for the She-Shack. A wet towel could make an improvised swamp cooler. Basically want to extend the She-Shack into a real three season work space. The She-Shack has major “You suck factor.”
Don’t forget my own best interest is to be able to plug in and play through an amp in the house. Don’t tell Maggie… Every morning Maggie spends hours back there in seclusion. For me it is a bonus vacation every day.
At this point our retirement has led to a more simple and basic life. We enjoy a lot of freedom, and there is a renewed sense of purpose that allows a great deal of self development. It is a gentle life filled with peace.
After our vacation in New Hampshire it was great coming home and getting back into our boring life. This Thanksgiving will be my 4th year of transitioning into retirement. I figure I won’t be really retired until I’m 70 and collecting my Social Security because I have to. That’s a little more than 3 years away…
The message here is that retirement is an unsettled place, and it is like being a teenager all over again in many ways. Pretty much you have to consider your future carefully, and have a plan.
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Weekly weigh in: 5’10” 158 pounds.
Seems like my weight is hovering, but my body composition is changing. More muscle: less fat.
I was able to increase the resistance on the elliptical to 16 out of 20. My goal was an hour, and I toughed it out. I feel that my butt is kinda getting more muscular, so now I have J-Lo factor, meaning a big butt, but my legs are also getting bigger. These weekly jumps are actually big.
The amount of calories per hour is 700 calories. This is kinda comparable to the intensity of cross country skiing.
Tomorrow “Maggie” wants to do a power walk along our waterfront. The pace is brisk and there is a great amount of blood pumping.
At the Country Music Festival at the waterfront a woman we know gave me a hug and copped a feel of my right bicep that stood out as impressive with mucho cut tone.
The owner of the empty house I engaged with and I let him know about all the ill-will that is generated by the overgrowth. I cut the chase and told him the neighbors are furious with him.
The smut is that he is riddled with problems, no details were given, but this confirms that he is in trouble and somehow got in over his head.
Presently a landscaping crews is using some heavy duty equipment to tame the micro forest that evolved.
I shared some of our cherry tomato harvest with “Snoopy” and “JJ” and my old hippy friend Andrew and his wife Joan.
In conversation Renold’s Hills at one time was called “Jewville” because it was not only a Jewish community, but also was socialist.
The frog pond actually was a swimming hole for the community, but the locals in Peekskill did not commingle with the residents of Jewville. In history there was a serious amount of clansmen in Peekskill and then there were “The Peekskill Riots.”
The actor and activist Paul Robeson was going to speak, but this got disrupted. It involved a good deal of violence.
My “stalker” mentioned wading into Dickey Brook and bathing in the frog pond. I will investigate because the grand daughter would love it if she had a swimming hole. Pretty much this pond is kinda hidden in the 25-30 acre marsh. Don’t tell anyone. I can see the small pond from my cliff I have made in my back-backyard.
My stalker mentioned that Arrowroot grows by the frog pond. Arrowroot is edible and can made into a flour.
We will have the grandson a week from tomorrow. The mom, Maggie’s daughter, complains that because of our daycare he is high maintenance. LOL. The kid has what it takes to be a rock-star.
So a boring life, actually is kinda rich in its own way. I love the relaxed pace. Pretty much relaxing is a skill, not everyone can do it. It took a while for Maggie to learn. Now I have trained her to be a Lazy-Slacker, and she realizes it is easy to be happy.
Cal
Seems like my weight is hovering, but my body composition is changing. More muscle: less fat.
I was able to increase the resistance on the elliptical to 16 out of 20. My goal was an hour, and I toughed it out. I feel that my butt is kinda getting more muscular, so now I have J-Lo factor, meaning a big butt, but my legs are also getting bigger. These weekly jumps are actually big.
The amount of calories per hour is 700 calories. This is kinda comparable to the intensity of cross country skiing.
Tomorrow “Maggie” wants to do a power walk along our waterfront. The pace is brisk and there is a great amount of blood pumping.
At the Country Music Festival at the waterfront a woman we know gave me a hug and copped a feel of my right bicep that stood out as impressive with mucho cut tone.
The owner of the empty house I engaged with and I let him know about all the ill-will that is generated by the overgrowth. I cut the chase and told him the neighbors are furious with him.
The smut is that he is riddled with problems, no details were given, but this confirms that he is in trouble and somehow got in over his head.
Presently a landscaping crews is using some heavy duty equipment to tame the micro forest that evolved.
I shared some of our cherry tomato harvest with “Snoopy” and “JJ” and my old hippy friend Andrew and his wife Joan.
In conversation Renold’s Hills at one time was called “Jewville” because it was not only a Jewish community, but also was socialist.
The frog pond actually was a swimming hole for the community, but the locals in Peekskill did not commingle with the residents of Jewville. In history there was a serious amount of clansmen in Peekskill and then there were “The Peekskill Riots.”
The actor and activist Paul Robeson was going to speak, but this got disrupted. It involved a good deal of violence.
My “stalker” mentioned wading into Dickey Brook and bathing in the frog pond. I will investigate because the grand daughter would love it if she had a swimming hole. Pretty much this pond is kinda hidden in the 25-30 acre marsh. Don’t tell anyone. I can see the small pond from my cliff I have made in my back-backyard.
My stalker mentioned that Arrowroot grows by the frog pond. Arrowroot is edible and can made into a flour.
We will have the grandson a week from tomorrow. The mom, Maggie’s daughter, complains that because of our daycare he is high maintenance. LOL. The kid has what it takes to be a rock-star.
So a boring life, actually is kinda rich in its own way. I love the relaxed pace. Pretty much relaxing is a skill, not everyone can do it. It took a while for Maggie to learn. Now I have trained her to be a Lazy-Slacker, and she realizes it is easy to be happy.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
A new daydream is to buy a 3-season “Camp” within 2-3 hours drive from Peekskill.
The hot spots in the Catskills seems to be a 2 hour drive from NYC, but we are about an hour’s drive north of NYC. Pretty much we are entering bang for the dollar where you kinda get acreage, more privacy, and a bigger selection. Basically a small dwelling on perhaps 3-5 acres.
The idea here is to basically play the jump in our location, and avoid the crowded market. We will be kinda bargain hunting. Ideally we would have enough space maybe to build onto, or build upon. Kinda speculative, but know that global warming, climate change, work from home, and the land we are looking into is somewhat limited.
So this involves keeping our Peekskill residence, and having a remote getaway as a summer vacation home. Pretty much we could buy something with cash because the cost is kinda low.
I have to check out my frog pond. It is public land, but pretty much it is almost my backyard. Dickey Brook BTW empties a series of three ponds in Blue Mountain Preserve, and eventually drains into the Hudson River.
With the likely rate cut(s) the U.S. Dollar is loosing value. Let’s see if this causes a de-winding of some carry trades. The Japanese Yen is stable, and so far the Bank of Japan seems like it will not increase rates further. The dollar decline though works the other end of the carry-trade to promote an un-winding.
The low interest rate is one end of the trade, and the offset in the higher paying yield is the other end. Think of compressing the bandwidth. If an unwinding does not happen now, it will happen later. Also know that the carry-trade is a crowded trade. This does not only include the Japanese Yen BTW. There could be many surprises that go Kaa-Boom.
A surprise big cut like 1/2 a point could trigger an event. The markets seem confused between 1/4 and 1/2 a point cut. Either way will be somewhat of a surprise at this point.
Cal
The hot spots in the Catskills seems to be a 2 hour drive from NYC, but we are about an hour’s drive north of NYC. Pretty much we are entering bang for the dollar where you kinda get acreage, more privacy, and a bigger selection. Basically a small dwelling on perhaps 3-5 acres.
The idea here is to basically play the jump in our location, and avoid the crowded market. We will be kinda bargain hunting. Ideally we would have enough space maybe to build onto, or build upon. Kinda speculative, but know that global warming, climate change, work from home, and the land we are looking into is somewhat limited.
So this involves keeping our Peekskill residence, and having a remote getaway as a summer vacation home. Pretty much we could buy something with cash because the cost is kinda low.
I have to check out my frog pond. It is public land, but pretty much it is almost my backyard. Dickey Brook BTW empties a series of three ponds in Blue Mountain Preserve, and eventually drains into the Hudson River.
With the likely rate cut(s) the U.S. Dollar is loosing value. Let’s see if this causes a de-winding of some carry trades. The Japanese Yen is stable, and so far the Bank of Japan seems like it will not increase rates further. The dollar decline though works the other end of the carry-trade to promote an un-winding.
The low interest rate is one end of the trade, and the offset in the higher paying yield is the other end. Think of compressing the bandwidth. If an unwinding does not happen now, it will happen later. Also know that the carry-trade is a crowded trade. This does not only include the Japanese Yen BTW. There could be many surprises that go Kaa-Boom.
A surprise big cut like 1/2 a point could trigger an event. The markets seem confused between 1/4 and 1/2 a point cut. Either way will be somewhat of a surprise at this point.
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I’m going to write. Seems to be a destiny happening. At the Brattleboro Book Festival not only “Maggie” will be presenting, but also Pablo Medina my MFA Thesis advisor.
Paula Deitz, the Editor of the Hudson Review once mentioned that a more interesting story is the man that evolved after being in the Foster Care System for a decade. Pretty much what happened to me as a kid is less important. I think this is/was great advice, but I refrained from taking this task on.
It was a matter of fatigue, discouragement, and the need for separation. The timing was not right. This ending happened right around 2007-2008 when I got obsessed with photography. Pretty much I not only needed a break, but I also wanted to do something fun, so I changed my focus as well as my creative identity.
So now I have mucho inroads into the writing community. Thanks to this forum I kinda have developed some and have continued to write almost every day, but this is much more serious writing, and of course things get complicated fast if you are me.
The recent passing of my sister is a very profound moment and an epiphany for me. I realized I mourned and grieved the loss of my sister, and my two older brothers about or almost 3 decades ago. Know that my two brothers are living, and for clarity my sister only died last week.
My niece initiated contact with me perhaps 15 years ago initially via an E-mail. Pretty much her father was evasive and could not answer the question of what happened to me, and why I seemed to have disappeared. She had just graduated college and had a very confused identity. Part of this was being of mixed race: Chinese/White.
We had a public meeting, and I learned that she described her relationship with her parents as estranged. She like me was kinda pushed away. Anyways it seemed that personality is innate, and pretty much my niece and I were somewhat painful reminders of the mother that my oldest brother had lost.
There was a great amount of dysfunctional family dynamic revealed, but I presented things in a manner that led to an understanding and compassion for a man, her father, who has/had limitations and was human.
I would later learn that my niece moved forward and re-established a relationship with her estranged parents. Of course this was my goal. I was mature enough to not have anger or hard feelings. It seemed the level of understanding and compassion both my niece and I have and share.
So mucho time passes, and I get another E-mail about my sister’s passing. My niece of course, but I had to explain how I grieved about 3 decades ago over her loss, and that showing up at a wake or service would not be a good thing for anyone.
In the late 90’s I wrote a screenplay about a man who lost his mother twice: once to mental illness; and a second time upon her death. Pretty much an epiphany happens where he realizes the family dynamic of where he is the painful reminder of the mother they all lost, he understands the projecting of mental illness imposed upon him by his family, and all the meanings of a lot of behavior.
Part of this is guilt, and survivor’s guilt. Part of this story is about abandonment and neglect. Of course some hideous trauma is revealed.
And this is from a man who was too young to really know his mother, at least when she was well.
My screenplay was powerful, but it was tragic and sad. Pretty much an interesting story but a hard sell.
I think I now have the bones to write a story that has a lot more complexity, compassion, understanding, and perhaps is more about redemption. I saved myself, and I also saved my niece from a repeat of family history. I think over the decades I have also become not only a better writer, but also a better man.
There’s a lot to think about. “Maggie” suggests just start writing and see how things fit together later.
Anyways seems like divine intervention, and a strange twist in retirement. BTW I do believe in destiny… There has to be some greater meaning to what I experienced.
Anyways something is happening beyond my control… Oh-well…
Cal
Paula Deitz, the Editor of the Hudson Review once mentioned that a more interesting story is the man that evolved after being in the Foster Care System for a decade. Pretty much what happened to me as a kid is less important. I think this is/was great advice, but I refrained from taking this task on.
It was a matter of fatigue, discouragement, and the need for separation. The timing was not right. This ending happened right around 2007-2008 when I got obsessed with photography. Pretty much I not only needed a break, but I also wanted to do something fun, so I changed my focus as well as my creative identity.
So now I have mucho inroads into the writing community. Thanks to this forum I kinda have developed some and have continued to write almost every day, but this is much more serious writing, and of course things get complicated fast if you are me.
The recent passing of my sister is a very profound moment and an epiphany for me. I realized I mourned and grieved the loss of my sister, and my two older brothers about or almost 3 decades ago. Know that my two brothers are living, and for clarity my sister only died last week.
My niece initiated contact with me perhaps 15 years ago initially via an E-mail. Pretty much her father was evasive and could not answer the question of what happened to me, and why I seemed to have disappeared. She had just graduated college and had a very confused identity. Part of this was being of mixed race: Chinese/White.
We had a public meeting, and I learned that she described her relationship with her parents as estranged. She like me was kinda pushed away. Anyways it seemed that personality is innate, and pretty much my niece and I were somewhat painful reminders of the mother that my oldest brother had lost.
There was a great amount of dysfunctional family dynamic revealed, but I presented things in a manner that led to an understanding and compassion for a man, her father, who has/had limitations and was human.
I would later learn that my niece moved forward and re-established a relationship with her estranged parents. Of course this was my goal. I was mature enough to not have anger or hard feelings. It seemed the level of understanding and compassion both my niece and I have and share.
So mucho time passes, and I get another E-mail about my sister’s passing. My niece of course, but I had to explain how I grieved about 3 decades ago over her loss, and that showing up at a wake or service would not be a good thing for anyone.
In the late 90’s I wrote a screenplay about a man who lost his mother twice: once to mental illness; and a second time upon her death. Pretty much an epiphany happens where he realizes the family dynamic of where he is the painful reminder of the mother they all lost, he understands the projecting of mental illness imposed upon him by his family, and all the meanings of a lot of behavior.
Part of this is guilt, and survivor’s guilt. Part of this story is about abandonment and neglect. Of course some hideous trauma is revealed.
And this is from a man who was too young to really know his mother, at least when she was well.
My screenplay was powerful, but it was tragic and sad. Pretty much an interesting story but a hard sell.
I think I now have the bones to write a story that has a lot more complexity, compassion, understanding, and perhaps is more about redemption. I saved myself, and I also saved my niece from a repeat of family history. I think over the decades I have also become not only a better writer, but also a better man.
There’s a lot to think about. “Maggie” suggests just start writing and see how things fit together later.
Anyways seems like divine intervention, and a strange twist in retirement. BTW I do believe in destiny… There has to be some greater meaning to what I experienced.
Anyways something is happening beyond my control… Oh-well…
Cal
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Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Cal, watch out in that swimming hole, as the amoeba which causes an essentially fatal brain infection has been found in fresh water more increasingly in northern latitudes. Ohio has confirmed at least one case, so the amoeba is in the northeast and with climate change, will continue to migrate to higher latitudes as the temperature increases.
Phil
Phil
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Phil,
Thanks for the heads up.
Last night I had disturbed sleep. I think the idea of writing again triggered me, and I now think there is danger of revisiting my past. Could be a great piece of writing, but at a high cost.
Also the guitar has the more positive spin and is a very fresh and different journey. I do not need the distraction.
I guess today’s logic is to choose to be happy, and that for me and my history the past is fraught, better to just move forward.
Around 3:00 PM, after laying in bed trying to fall asleep for a half hour, I played an unplugged Tele down in my living room to seek comfort. It became clear to me how I kinda need peace in my life rather than drama and turmoil. I live with a past that still haunts me.
Cal
Thanks for the heads up.
Last night I had disturbed sleep. I think the idea of writing again triggered me, and I now think there is danger of revisiting my past. Could be a great piece of writing, but at a high cost.
Also the guitar has the more positive spin and is a very fresh and different journey. I do not need the distraction.
I guess today’s logic is to choose to be happy, and that for me and my history the past is fraught, better to just move forward.
Around 3:00 PM, after laying in bed trying to fall asleep for a half hour, I played an unplugged Tele down in my living room to seek comfort. It became clear to me how I kinda need peace in my life rather than drama and turmoil. I live with a past that still haunts me.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I will add that today is my sister’s service, and as much as I think I already have closure, the truth is I feel the loss.
Cal
Cal
Prest_400
Multiformat
Sorry about your loss Cal.
I have had a very comfortable and stable life, upon reflecting now it is good that I saw --not felt-- poverty at a young age gave an understanding of the world's complexities. Grief is a very interesting sentiment and personally thankfully due to young age and this upbringing I never had strong situations.
It had been ages since I was at a funeral prior to our family friend's in March. I had missed due to work and living off state (so to say) the previous ones. It was specially Eerie timed that I came for an Easter visit, was able to greet him, and he passed shortly after that. It took not much more than a quarter year for the Cancer to take over.
So far, very close deaths I have skipped. And that certain distance has been more of a "carpe diem, tempus fugit" signal.
One is hardly ready even if such destiny is written for us all.
I have had a very comfortable and stable life, upon reflecting now it is good that I saw --not felt-- poverty at a young age gave an understanding of the world's complexities. Grief is a very interesting sentiment and personally thankfully due to young age and this upbringing I never had strong situations.
It had been ages since I was at a funeral prior to our family friend's in March. I had missed due to work and living off state (so to say) the previous ones. It was specially Eerie timed that I came for an Easter visit, was able to greet him, and he passed shortly after that. It took not much more than a quarter year for the Cancer to take over.
So far, very close deaths I have skipped. And that certain distance has been more of a "carpe diem, tempus fugit" signal.
One is hardly ready even if such destiny is written for us all.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Jorde,
Many thanks.
Grief and loss has been a big part of my life. Pretty much I enjoy a resilience that kinda is a superpower. For some reason I defied the odds and became an old man.
In Navy SEAL survival training they teach you that 95% of survival is maintaining a positive mental attitude.
Today I did a moderate power walk with heavy hands. No rest day.
I have been concentrating on a heavy piano like attack on the Santa Cruz named “HOG” and the sound and tone has grown noticeably. Some of this is due to my playing, but also the top is getting more and more flexible.
I am now believing that the Model “F’s” might become louder eventually than the OM. The OM has scalloped bracing which allows the top to flex easily when compared to the tapered bracing on the “F’s,” but the Model “F’s” have bigger bodies, and I think this might weigh more heavily in favor of the “F’s” eventually being louder.
Despite my loss, I’m moving forward.
Chinese funerals are interesting. We believe in an afterlife, but a funeral is more of a celebration of the life that was lived. Generally this is also memorialized in a big feast of a meal. Money is symbolically burned, and incense to help the spirit to rise, and there is a hope for reincarnation.
My sister’s alcoholism was rather severe. Clearly she was suffering. Her thinking was impaired. The behavior of a drunk persisted even when not drinking. Very sad to see someone killing themselves slowly.
Brunswick county in North Carolina is experiencing flooding. Roads are closed. One of “Maggie’s” brothers came close to having water in his living room. Water came up the hill/berm and came under his new deck. A close call. Some neighbors got flooded out.
Another brother in North Carolina had his one year old car totaled by a falling tree.
Separately there is a report where gold could hit $4.4K in a once in a lifetime gain. $3K seems not too crazy. A lot depends on how much rate cutting happens, and how long. Remember that gold is a store of wealth to counter inflation. Also it is a hedge against political instability.
To move forward with the house I’ll cut some junk lumber for bulk pickup tomorrow. And I saw a pallet that I will claim and recycle to stack my firewood.
Cal
Many thanks.
Grief and loss has been a big part of my life. Pretty much I enjoy a resilience that kinda is a superpower. For some reason I defied the odds and became an old man.
In Navy SEAL survival training they teach you that 95% of survival is maintaining a positive mental attitude.
Today I did a moderate power walk with heavy hands. No rest day.
I have been concentrating on a heavy piano like attack on the Santa Cruz named “HOG” and the sound and tone has grown noticeably. Some of this is due to my playing, but also the top is getting more and more flexible.
I am now believing that the Model “F’s” might become louder eventually than the OM. The OM has scalloped bracing which allows the top to flex easily when compared to the tapered bracing on the “F’s,” but the Model “F’s” have bigger bodies, and I think this might weigh more heavily in favor of the “F’s” eventually being louder.
Despite my loss, I’m moving forward.
Chinese funerals are interesting. We believe in an afterlife, but a funeral is more of a celebration of the life that was lived. Generally this is also memorialized in a big feast of a meal. Money is symbolically burned, and incense to help the spirit to rise, and there is a hope for reincarnation.
My sister’s alcoholism was rather severe. Clearly she was suffering. Her thinking was impaired. The behavior of a drunk persisted even when not drinking. Very sad to see someone killing themselves slowly.
Brunswick county in North Carolina is experiencing flooding. Roads are closed. One of “Maggie’s” brothers came close to having water in his living room. Water came up the hill/berm and came under his new deck. A close call. Some neighbors got flooded out.
Another brother in North Carolina had his one year old car totaled by a falling tree.
Separately there is a report where gold could hit $4.4K in a once in a lifetime gain. $3K seems not too crazy. A lot depends on how much rate cutting happens, and how long. Remember that gold is a store of wealth to counter inflation. Also it is a hedge against political instability.
To move forward with the house I’ll cut some junk lumber for bulk pickup tomorrow. And I saw a pallet that I will claim and recycle to stack my firewood.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Correction: “Maggie’s” brother’s car was totaled by flooding and not by a tree fall.
Parts of Route 17 are washed out. This is a road I have driven on.
I just read a report on the world’s debt crisis. Here in the U.S. the Commercial Real estate debt problem could lead to another string of bank failures end of next year. Then there is consumer and Government debt. Pretty much austerity is needed/required to reign in the debt, but either candidate will continue to add to the deficit, either through spending or tax cuts.
Not sustainable.
In Europe Italy and France have the big debt loads.
In Asia China has an overcapacity problem and a popped real estate bubble. Looks like China will go Japanese and experience a lost decade. Japan is trying to raise interest rates and normalize their banking system.
So the big picture to me is an inflationary era, and also combined with a period of austerity.
James Dimon of JP Morgan thinks we will experience a period of low growth. Eventually the FED and the National Banks will run out of ammo.
I’m kinda glad and happy that I have stockpiles of goods so I will not suffer austerity. I’m kinda loaded up.
In this period of extended inflation and a likely series of debt crisis’s I can see why they might be projecting $4.4K gold. Paper currencies will be “worth-less” as purchasing power goes south. Eventually the flow of loaned money will have to slow down that currently fuels the world economy.
It is predicted that in 2034 U.S. debt will be 120% of GNP, and that number is bigger than the deficit after WWII.
Cal
Parts of Route 17 are washed out. This is a road I have driven on.
I just read a report on the world’s debt crisis. Here in the U.S. the Commercial Real estate debt problem could lead to another string of bank failures end of next year. Then there is consumer and Government debt. Pretty much austerity is needed/required to reign in the debt, but either candidate will continue to add to the deficit, either through spending or tax cuts.
Not sustainable.
In Europe Italy and France have the big debt loads.
In Asia China has an overcapacity problem and a popped real estate bubble. Looks like China will go Japanese and experience a lost decade. Japan is trying to raise interest rates and normalize their banking system.
So the big picture to me is an inflationary era, and also combined with a period of austerity.
James Dimon of JP Morgan thinks we will experience a period of low growth. Eventually the FED and the National Banks will run out of ammo.
I’m kinda glad and happy that I have stockpiles of goods so I will not suffer austerity. I’m kinda loaded up.
In this period of extended inflation and a likely series of debt crisis’s I can see why they might be projecting $4.4K gold. Paper currencies will be “worth-less” as purchasing power goes south. Eventually the flow of loaned money will have to slow down that currently fuels the world economy.
It is predicted that in 2034 U.S. debt will be 120% of GNP, and that number is bigger than the deficit after WWII.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Today delivery is expected the custom Vintage 47 amp. I placed the order over 3 weeks ago and it had to be built to order.
This is a tiny business and all amps are built to order.
I wonder if a tiny business like this could survive a recession. Know that they have a small nitch in the market. Not a well marketed brand also. The price is very modest and not inflated. Pretty much kinda unknown.
So I did consider some speculation here, and also it seems like the sound I want and pursue is the old school plug and play where the sound and tone comes from my hands and not effects.
The amp I had built has beefy transformers, and an Alnico speaker that has a 30 watt capacity even though it is only rated at 20 watts max. Pretty much this differs from the Valco built amps that lacked overkill and were kinda cheaply made.
Understand that the first two Led Zeppelin albums Jimmy Page used an old Supro amp, and a rebuilt/modified Supro that fell off a truck and was destroyed.
It seems my research indicates that these old Supro/National/Valco amps have a big cult following, and these old amps carry inflated prices. Many are no longer original and are kinda sold “as-is” and pretty much either need maintenance, or could fail at any moment.
I own a 1964 National 1210, and it is 100% original and pretty much is a time capsule. Bought it earlier this year for $700.00 cash no tax, and now an all original in my condition have prices of $1K and $1250.00. The availability has dried up and the prices now reflect slim-pickings.
These amps sound great “dimed,” meaning played with the volume maxed for thick saturated distortion. Many have been played this way and have changed or reckoned speakers.
I got a lot of practice in yesterday. Looking forward to getting this amp today.
The cherry tomato’s I harvested get ripened on the vine, and the flavor is divine. We also grew Roma tomato’s that I guess are really plum tomato’s for sauce. I think next year I will plant more and add in Beef Steak versions.
I’m looking for high yields. I kinda gained some experience, and next year will be better.
Cal
This is a tiny business and all amps are built to order.
I wonder if a tiny business like this could survive a recession. Know that they have a small nitch in the market. Not a well marketed brand also. The price is very modest and not inflated. Pretty much kinda unknown.
So I did consider some speculation here, and also it seems like the sound I want and pursue is the old school plug and play where the sound and tone comes from my hands and not effects.
The amp I had built has beefy transformers, and an Alnico speaker that has a 30 watt capacity even though it is only rated at 20 watts max. Pretty much this differs from the Valco built amps that lacked overkill and were kinda cheaply made.
Understand that the first two Led Zeppelin albums Jimmy Page used an old Supro amp, and a rebuilt/modified Supro that fell off a truck and was destroyed.
It seems my research indicates that these old Supro/National/Valco amps have a big cult following, and these old amps carry inflated prices. Many are no longer original and are kinda sold “as-is” and pretty much either need maintenance, or could fail at any moment.
I own a 1964 National 1210, and it is 100% original and pretty much is a time capsule. Bought it earlier this year for $700.00 cash no tax, and now an all original in my condition have prices of $1K and $1250.00. The availability has dried up and the prices now reflect slim-pickings.
These amps sound great “dimed,” meaning played with the volume maxed for thick saturated distortion. Many have been played this way and have changed or reckoned speakers.
I got a lot of practice in yesterday. Looking forward to getting this amp today.
The cherry tomato’s I harvested get ripened on the vine, and the flavor is divine. We also grew Roma tomato’s that I guess are really plum tomato’s for sauce. I think next year I will plant more and add in Beef Steak versions.
I’m looking for high yields. I kinda gained some experience, and next year will be better.
Cal
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