Unutterably Silly So what are you doing RIGHT NOW?

[Rumpelteazer]

Seems there are strong rumours going around that Amazon will open their Dutch store soon, some even say this month. I'm not holding my breath, though, since those rumours have been flying around off and on for years now. Though it would be nice, and it would be even better if when the store opens the Kindle Voyage would be available for (pre)order immediately. But I think that would be asking too much.

[Rumpelteazer]

Last week's trip to Newcastle was supposed to be my alone trip for this year. But my sister asked if she could join me. She normally going on holiday with a group of friends, but one had major surgery so they wouldn't be going this summer.

Still, I wanted to get away on my own for a couple of days. I planned to go to my favourite holiday park in November from a Monday to Friday. A couple of days ago I decided to check how much more it would cost to go from Monday to Monday. And, surprisingly, it's the same price as a midweek! I just called to see if the apartment I stayed twice before was free for the week of November 10. It is, so I immediately booked. I love the view over the lake from that apartment and it's the only one of that type that's not on the ground floor.

I'm planning a lazy week, with lots of reading and watching films. My parents and sister are probably coming to visit on Sunday so I'll go to the nearby town of Harderwijk on Saturday to the market to get some snacks and food.

Time now to start a reading list for that week, Phil Rickman's new book is released just before Halloween so that's one already.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Seems there are strong rumours going around that Amazon will open their Dutch store soon, some even say this month. I'm not holding my breath, though, since those rumours have been flying around off and on for years now. Though it would be nice, and it would be even better if when the store opens the Kindle Voyage would be available for (pre)order immediately. But I think that would be asking too much.

Not to get your hopes up, but The Digital Reader seems to think there will be a store opening in the Netherlands in less than five weeks.

http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/0.../#.VCVrbfldV8E

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Not to get your hopes up, but The Digital Reader seems to think there will be a store opening in the Netherlands in less than five weeks.

http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/0.../#.VCVrbfldV8E

Apparently the date that's often mentioned is October 1. That's next week. Although, as I said, I'm not expecting anything.

[Stitchawl]

Building an electronic test box for the body cords we use in fencing, as well as testing the wiring of the weapons themselves.
Three sockets, one red and on green LED, one 1/4w 650 ohm resister, a 9V battery, a box to mount all of it in, and a half hour with a soldering gun should do it. Most fencing supply companies sell these already made for about $30. I bought the parts for one today for less than $4...



When I finish, I'll go get my health-food drink.


Stitchawl

[ProfCrash]

Banging my head against the wall while taking training for work.

[trichobezoar]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Building an electronic test box for the body cords we use in fencing, as well as testing the wiring of the weapons themselves.
Three sockets, one red and on green LED, one 1/4w 650 ohm resister, a 9V battery, a box to mount all of it in, and a half hour with a soldering gun should do it. Most fencing supply companies sell these already made for about $30. I bought the parts for one today for less than $4...



Stitchawl

That's great, Stitchawl! 'Wish I could do something like that. *nods* The most I do is... rebuild old school laptops and repair/install Windows XP or Windows 7 on PCs... and copy the Android operating system onto a microSD card for the Nook Tablet and Color. >.>

Let us know how your project goes! : )

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Building an electronic test box for the body cords we use in fencing, as well as testing the wiring of the weapons themselves.
Three sockets, one red and on green LED, one 1/4w 650 ohm resister, a 9V battery, a box to mount all of it in, and a half hour with a soldering gun should do it. Most fencing supply companies sell these already made for about $30. I bought the parts for one today for less than $4...



When I finish, I'll go get my health-food drink.


Stitchawl

Originally Posted by trichobezoar

That's great, Stitchawl! 'Wish I could do something like that. *nods* The most I do is... rebuild old school laptops and repair/install Windows XP or Windows 7 on PCs.

Let us know how your project goes! : )

Went good... and not so good.
I tried making two of them at once, one large (about the side of a deck of cards and just a bit thicker,) and one miniature, about half the size, as these were two plastic boxes I happened to have. The large one works perfectly, but I must have burned out something in the small one, or crossed wires somewhere trying to push it all down into the little box and still leave room for a 9v battery. I'll take it apart when I get home from the fencing salle and try again. Worse comes to worse, I'll have to spend two more dollars for a couple of new LEDs and a resistor. The three sockets are OK, and so is the box. It's not a difficult build, nor is it confusing even for an amateur like me. I just screwed up somewhere along the line on the little one. No problem. I'll just do it again.
'Failure' only happens when you stop trying.


Stitchawl

[trichobezoar]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Went good... and not so good... 'Failure' only happens when you stop trying.

Stitchawl

*nods* I agree.

Oh, I thought of a new mantra as I was coloring a Simpson picture on my tablet earlier:

"When in worry, when in doubt--stick your tongue out, scream and shout!"

lol It works really well when restless, irritable and discontent... and in need of a stress reliever.

[Stitchawl]

Jumping up and down, dancing!

YIPPEE!!! She said YES! We can go motorcycle touring in two weeks though the mountain jungle region along the Thai/Cambodian border! A few days 'in the wind!'

October weather in the mountains... cool enough for a jacket, with bright sunny skies! Hundreds of kilometers of twisty mountain crest roads, looking down into jungle on both sides. Roads that bend back and forth like Christmas Ribbon candy, and smooth as silk! Roadside picnics along the way... Yesssss!




Stitchawl

[kindlekitten]

Do you guys have 2 bikes or just one?

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

Do you guys have 2 bikes or just one?

For this ride we will rent a single large bike. (Here in town we use small, more nimble bikes.) My wife prefers to just sit back and enjoy the scenery, especially with roads this narrow and twisty. They are 'work,' she's lazy, and when the views on either side are so great, she'd rather just relax and take pictures! Besides, in Third World countries, most roads like these don't have 'guard rails.' With thousand foot drop-offs on other side, it can get a bit scary too. She'd rather leave the driving to me!

Stitchawl

[kindlekitten]

You know, I'd be hard pressed to even think about where one could rent one of the bigger bikes, let alone any powered bike here in the states. ...

[crich70]

Just finished an early lunch, and will probably spend part of the afternoon working on ideas for my NaNoWriMo project in Nov.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

You know, I'd be hard pressed to even think about where one could rent one of the bigger bikes, let alone any powered bike here in the states. ...

There are a few places in the US, especially on the West Coast, that rent big bikes. But with the astronomical insurance costs, rentals get pretty pricey. Here in S.E. Asia, you can find motorbike rentals on just about every block down town. It's very common for tourists to rent them (cost is about $3 a day) for sightseeing, but then spend the rest of their vacation in the emergency room getting bandaged up. Driving here is NOT like driving in the US or in Europe... This video was shot in Vietnam but it's almost the same as Thailand driving but add to it that in Thailand, we drive on the OTHER side of the street...

There are at least 4 bike rental places within a 5 minute walk from my building, and I don't even live downtown... I can rent anything from a 100cc motor scooter to an 1100cc Kawasaki or Suzuki... Big bikes cost about $25 a day. But... you MUST take careful photos of the bike before you leave the the shop! Lots of places try to scam the tourists with fake damage claims. And most shops require that you leave you passport as collateral when you rent a bike, but no one in their right mind would do so except tourists who don't know any better. Some shops even send out people at night to 'steal' the bikes from the tourist's guest house, then charge them for the loss. The shops do provide chains and locks with the rentals, but usually have a copy of the key...

When I rent a bike in S.E. Asia, I leave a photocopy of my passport, take careful pictures (with time/date stamp,) and use my own U-lock and cable. For longer trips I also bring a disc break lock with built in alarm.

Once bitten, twice shy...


Stitchawl