Lew was focused on finding the right technology for the meetinghouse. Our acoustics are actually quite good now, with music events quite doable on the 2nd floor. We're mostly interested in keeping it quiet for our neighbors, not because the room can't handle music. However Lew's challenge is the spoken voice, occasional singing. He's looking at array microphones and their ability to direction-find a sound source. Not a dumb idea.
I'd CC'd Lew earlier today, when SDW sent a memo on the kitchen. FNB kitchen use is more my focus than Pauling House scheduling, where I'm nominally a listowner on the shared calendar (a Yahoo! gadget). That was a solution from another era. In SDW's case, it's the new baker we're seeking to accommodate. Luckily, FNB doesn't do meat or lard. We're not about to fill the atmosphere with grease. A gluten-free baker has nothing to fear, and indeed it's a synergetic combo.
Anyway, I CC'd Lew because I was sharing about meetinghouse history. We have some overlap with St. David, in terms of current and former members. Chatting about our presence on Google Earth, thanks to Lew, is something of an ice breaker, when working with these other neighborhood religious groups.
The link between the Pauling House and the Meetinghouse is Doug Strain's company, ESI. The corporate booklet gives 1958 as a date, whereas other sources say ESI vacated the building in 1956. But remember: the fire at the place on Macadam. ESI moved out, then lost the new place in a fire. Did they need to move back, temporarily? I'm not privy to corporate archives, but the meeting archivist (Dr. Carl Abbott) might have some of those records.
More discussion of UAVs.
Cameras producing pictures that let you change the focus after the fact were another topic.
As a courtesy to one of the tenants, involved in alcohol counseling, we no longer bring alcohol to our meetings. We've been criticized in the past for allowing it, but then wine is a social drink in this region, with OMSI lectures taking advantage of the McMenamins license to run a full bar. We were like a Spaghetti Factory or Red Robbin in allowing minors, but with like a TED talk going on (no, not pole dancing -- that would have been down the street). Private party rules applied, with no selling to the public either expected or implied.
We're getting ready for the Summer Retreat. That time of year again.
I had lunch at Laughing Planet on Belmont. Yesterday: Toney Bento.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Consumer Story
Finding a yellow toilet is not the easiest thing in the world. I'd fatally weakened the old one, by adding a big rock to the tank. The rock swelled, making it impossible to remove without shattering the tank.
The Hollywood Aboy located a yellow Kohler, following up on some sleuthing by other household members. Today, the new toilet arrived but minus one critical washer in Accessory Pack 1024390. Mick tried to find a kit at George Moreland but no dice. The washer is somewhat special in slipping over the screw head, making the tank flush (heh, English) against the bowl.
Aboy had too many in the queue to field my call for help in anything close to real time (my call was returned late the next day), so Mick stopped his clock and just made it his business to locate the part. Kohler is a big name, you would think there'd be such a supply in this town. Lets see what tomorrow brings.
No wait, Mick just called. He thinks he's found a compatible washer. Lets see if this story has a happy ending today then. Today is Tara's 18th birthday for real (legally / officially), although we celebrated big time last night.
[ Brief interlude helping the daughter of an emeritus stats prof at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne. He didn't know Jerry Uhl well (an inspiration behind NetMath) but they did go the first grade together in Pittsburgh.]
Hey Mick, good job. Thanks for being a cheerful, hard-working and patient guy. The new toilet looks like it will use a lot less water, even compared to when the other tank had a rock in it.
Coincidentally, my sister Julie is having toilet work done today as well, in her abode within Greater LA. Carol flew off to Philadelphia. We were at PDX by 6 AM sharing breakfast at Beaches. She's on her way to Pendle Hill for the AFSC board members retreat.
Sunday, June 03, 2012
At Tom's
Tom's is a good place to think of my grandpa Tom, the linotype operator who I knew as a champion shuffle board and solitaire winner. He and grandma Margie were major characters of my childhood and youth. I lived with them for an especially long stretch during my freshman year at Southeast High, in Bradenton, Florida.
I've been diving into fractals with wild abandon, the Mandelbulb especially, and then this other solution, which I've watched I don't know how many times, comparing machines for smoothness of performances (though some of the glitches are in the production, which is eerie and gorgeous... enough positive adjectives to keep it a source of fascination, talking about the music here too).
The thing about school now, is you get a lot out of staying home if you're self disciplined and have a pretty good Internet connection. And shouldn't your community be providing ways to get together and share with friends? Yes, these houses are themselves pretty good in many cases, I don't deny it. If you've got one of those places, consider having it made (whatever that means), in terms of having a great setup for learning.
The thing about learning, though, is it's interactive, not a spectator sport (though spectating may be part of it).
My order just came. I don't usually eat in the bar section with the pool tables, but we thought that'd be fun so why not. SH got liver. Me, just some blueberry pancakes, nothing else, and a Dead Guy.
Tara is at Laughing Planet celebrating her time with the Nicaragua contingent. Betsey, an Earlham alum (as is Annis, some others in our extended meeting, Cradlers, Merkins...), likes us getting another Friend for that place, so we're celebrating that too.
I missed having my camera on me during these last great gatherings, most amazingly (for a host of reasons) the grand party at the Travis household. Congratulations to both girls (of course women), Rachael (college) and Luci (high school). Lynn and Tim are fantastic people with very admirable children.
The Snyders have pretty much finished their move to Portland; Joe sold his sheep. I haven't met their kids in awhile, all grown up.
The deep dive into fractals was not all together unprofessional; having authored my minimalist CropCircle Tractor Art in 2011, a Python module that does a Mandelbrot in ASCII, using "tractors" instead of "turtles" in wavy plains (planes) of grain (pixels).
Hyzy swept through, allowing the gossip that she's transitioning away from Western Friend, 2012 being her last as its chief -- a very responsible role in our community (means she's brilliantly skillful). Hadn't seen Ron, or Dave in awhile, or Gayle. Tom I'd seen in Philadelphia. Or Rachael... like a big family reunion. I'd originally just come as chauffeur for Tara, not realizing I'd been invited, but Lynn said my invite had bounced. Hey, nice. Good fun.
Today, Quaker meeting was packed to the gills. Lew's 99 chair layout was pushed passed the limit most likely. We remnant of Bob Smith's books was for sale at modest prices and I picked up one by an Anglo, exultant about some kind of Anglo race by the sound of it, somewhat ignoring the Philippines. I'll use it as a reference sometimes.
From Southeast High in Bradenton, where I was living with Tom and Margie, then in a motel -- me and sis both, going to respective schools -- I moved to Manila. We were a UN family back then, with fancy blue passports. I was happy with the change of channels, even it meant less Star Trek.
The Boltons are who I really think about though. I haven't seen Chuck or Mary in a long while, and it was like the first thing I said to Carol when she got off the plane, is that we should get by there soon, in this time of so many milestones.
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