Ouch, sorry I have had nasty allergy this fall to ragweed and had an eye infection. Never had that issue though I also have glasses. Maybe rince with distilled water, ask your druggist for flacons of the stuff, or medical salt water. Try to avoid touching your eye too.
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Fall/winter cold is settling in. Seemingly overnight, it went from "comfortable" to "cold." Yesterday, I put the comforter back on the bed. And today I used a heater to take the chill off. And it'll only get colder from here...
This time of year, I probably always remember my mother talking about how in the early 1970s my father was insistent that the heating season would start in October. I am thinking maybe mid-month. She commented how miserable it always was the last week or so before the heat was allowed.
This time of year, I probably always remember my mother talking about how in the early 1970s my father was insistent that the heating season would start in October. I am thinking maybe mid-month. She commented how miserable it always was the last week or so before the heat was allowed.
Chilly here too. But the heating won’t go on for a good few weeks yet. Not at today’s prices!
I don't blame you for waiting! I wish I could. Although I only used a single heater for a while.
An uncle who lived in the Midwest was able to really delay heating. I can't remember how late he said he'd typically go, but it was a surprise. At least well into October, if not November. Although he would heat one room a bit for comfort during part of that time before his central heating season began.
As I think of it some more, I'm pretty sure my uncle would have only made it a ways into October before the heat was needed.
He's gone, now, and I wonder if my aunt continues the tradition of saving energy.
I was looking through some old papers and came across a photo processing envelope. (Remember photo processing?) It has the address and phone number on it for a house we lived in for about a year. Even though the next house was in the same general area, the phone numbers are different. Interesting reminder of an era when phone numbers were less portable than is the case now.
I just stumbled upon some reading on Home Theater stuff. I remember my first dive into Home Theater equipment where I started to lose my mind wanting insane gear... Everything was separate equipment. My first was the "Lexicon CP-1 Digital Audio Environment Processor", which I paired a 300 Watt ONKYO Amplifier to a 15" 300 watt Passive Subwoofer. Two 150 Watt ONKYO Stereo Amplifiers for Left, Right Front and Left, Right Surround. I then used Kenwood Tower Speakers with this odd design but cool look, and JBL upward firing surround tower speakers.... DSP, Two ONKLY Tape Decks, Computer controlled record player, ONKYO FM receiver, Toshiba Super VHS Front Tray Loading, ONKY CD, Technics 18 band? EQ? I think.... It was insane. The lights would dim when I powered it all up. Now all I have is one Receiver, small HT speaker system, Apple TV and big screen. I really changed a lot simplifying my life. lol
I remember a local audio store had Lexicon in IIRC the early 1990s. I remember seeing them demo home theater one day. A couple of front speakers from one company, a couple rear speakers from another, and IIRC a center speaker from a third company. They used a--get ready for this--a tiny TV set.
No, the store wasn't a terrible store--their bias at the time was stereo/music systems. I suspect home theater was viewed as a sideline product. A few years later, they were a lot more serious about home theater.
I've never done anything with home theater. Every so often, I get tempted...but never get around to it. When I was more purist, I felt that I wanted the stereo chain to be optimized first. Plus there have often been space issues.
Haha yes I watched it on a 25” Flat CRT from Sharp. Ridiculous small screen for all that back in 1990. If I recall properly. What I wanted really was for my Music in Surround type format. So that’s why I got all that stuff really for Music mostly then movies simulating surround formats. I remember in the 70’s my Uncle bought home a Sansui Quadraphonic Receiver. He had records that were pressed for quadraphonic playback. As a kid I thought that was insane system. I guess I wanted something like that when I got older. I think I replaced it with an NEC AVR-700 for awhile till I finally started going AV receivers and no more separate amps.
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I'd guess that dealer's TV was about half the size of your Sharp. Although I think he had modern large screens ten years later. I'm not sure what he sold--I suspect he might have had something, but his store was still audio first.
I think I even recall discussions in magazines about surround sound systems for systems where music mattered, vs. trying to do pure home theater.
I remember one system that was popular for a moment about 1990 from Yamaha. I can't remember what it might have done with surround sound for movies, although I imagine it had support. But a lot of audiophiles were interested in using it with music modes that could attempt to recreate various venues. Some felt it could be tricky to integrate so the whole would definitely be better, not worse stereo with fancy sound effects.
As for the old quadrophonic... Someone at a local dealer (a different store than mentioned above) was talking setting up a 1970s-level quadrophonic system in the store to demonstrate. I suspect it would have been a case of "we have this receiver someone traded in, so let's have some fun iwth with before we sell it in the used equipment department!" Plus it could generate some traffic of people coming to experience it, and buying something on their way out. But sadly I don't think he ever got around to it.
Never been a home theater person. I like my stuff to sound good, hence why I have decent monitors but never gone for the whole surround thing or anything close. Just stereo speakers that have decent frequency response is all I ask for. I just have a pair of Mackie monitors that I got for like $150 almost a decade ago. They have none of the bells and whistles, but they sound good enough for me. All I need is something that sounds good to listen to music on. If I'm doing any serious audio mixing/mastering work or anything, I use open-back headphones for the most accurate response.
I don't think I count as an "audiophile" as I audition equipment carefully, buy a system, and then listen to it forever; I don't trade out components pursuing the Perfect Sound. My 1979 system was Yamaha electronics and "Large" Advents, a system I still have in my basement/studio.
In 2010 I upgraded to a 5.1 system, Yamaha electronics and Monitor Audio speakers, 47" LED TV with local dimming. Worked fine until two years ago, 13-y-o TV burned out, and I upgraded to a 55" OLED (Bravia), a streamer a year ago, and I hope nothing else burns out before I do. Am perfectly happy right now.
EDIT: I'm not a big movie person, but I LOVE watching Bluray concerts, and that is what most of my collection is; everything from Dream Theater to Steely Dan to Peter Gabriel, no venue travel/ticket purchases, no jerk throwing up on my shoes, cheap snacks in the kitchen, and no line to my bathroom; again, Am perfectly happy right now.
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These advantages are also advantages of watching movies at home, except maybe the jerk throwing up. (But a movie theater might have some movies with screaming children.)
I was just thinking that in December that it will have been 20 years since my last time in a movie theater.
The most delicious plums I have eaten in my life: The kind of plums, pears, apples and grapes that were plucked from the the plant from which they grew and were - first rinsed - and then handed to me. Divine.
Also, some peaches; yes, they were still hard, and still green, but were very, very tasty.
Fruit from supermarkets, or, indeed, most - almost all - imported fruit just does not taste like this.
Also, some peaches; yes, they were still hard, and still green, but were very, very tasty.
Fruit from supermarkets, or, indeed, most - almost all - imported fruit just does not taste like this.
Speaking of plums, I love prunes; mother nature’s candy 
Just picked up a couple pounds of local plums turned prunes for some prune pastalitos when the weather gets a little colder. That is if I don’t eat them all as is beforehand.
I am very fortunate to not live too far away from southern Colorado which is amazing peach country so they get distributed down to us in northern New Mexico - my favorite are the Durazno peaches. They are perfect organically grown, flavorful, fragrant, big fat n juicy peaches.
Just picked up a couple pounds of local plums turned prunes for some prune pastalitos when the weather gets a little colder. That is if I don’t eat them all as is beforehand.
I am very fortunate to not live too far away from southern Colorado which is amazing peach country so they get distributed down to us in northern New Mexico - my favorite are the Durazno peaches. They are perfect organically grown, flavorful, fragrant, big fat n juicy peaches.
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Indeed.Speaking of plums, I love prunes; mother nature’s candy
Agen prunes, from France, are especially fine.
Sounds delicious.
I am never quite sure whether such temptation should be resolutely resisted, or happily succumbed to.
I wonder if he couldn't find any of the records specially pressed for that Quadrophonic System. My Uncle only had 3 or so records specifically for Quadrophonic playback. That format never took off. I think this is what his receiver looked liked.
Attachments
That seems quite possible.
I remember my mother--who had little interest in technology--even commented about the failure of quadraphonic sound.
Indeed.
One thing I really, really miss is a produce market that was once in my area. They had relationships with farmers, and so they got top quality fruit. For all I know, one might have gotten better if one had a tree in one's back yard, but what they carried was vastly superior to anything at a chain grocery store.
And as for imported fruit, as a rule I prefer US grown, and I will tolerate Mexican or Canadian. I don't buy much that comes from South America--it's usually not that good, particularly given the often $$$$ price.
I make a lot of apple pies because I get free apples. When we have friends over or new acquaintances, I always get asked what my recipe is because the pie is the best they’d ever had. This is the gods honest truth - the pie recipe is a standard American apple pie recipe. There is zero special about it except one thing. My wifes aunt owns an Apple orchard in Espanola NM with many older trees that are approaching 250-300 years old (no joke) & were planted by her great, great grandfather. This orchard produces the tastiest most fragrant and sweet Apples and pears I’ve ever had and I’ve eaten many many different varietals over the years. The apples I use from this orchard are what I put in my pies & apple sauces and why they are so good. Unfortunately while the orchard has stayed in the family, what those varieties are has been lost, so whatever they are, they’re really old. This speaks to how engineered for shelf life and other characteristics store bought apples nowadays have impacted & washed out the flavor because these Apples while they do not travel well, they absolutely slay store bought apples - zero comparison AFAIC.
This year sadly, the trees got frost so no harvest but last years was so huge, I put up pounds and pounds (probably 30-40#s) of premade pie fillings and apple sauce, so I’ve been able to enjoy them despite the bad news about the harvest and the pies crush. They’re so fragrant and tasty. In my mind, it speaks to the freshness and locality of what you’re eating. In a world of processed, engineered food, this really does matter. It really does impact the quality and flavor of what you’re eating. These pies are a perfect example of that.
Anyways, speaking of pie, here’s one I baked the other day from these apples.
Mmm that piece looks lonely. I think I’m going to have to eat it.
This year sadly, the trees got frost so no harvest but last years was so huge, I put up pounds and pounds (probably 30-40#s) of premade pie fillings and apple sauce, so I’ve been able to enjoy them despite the bad news about the harvest and the pies crush. They’re so fragrant and tasty. In my mind, it speaks to the freshness and locality of what you’re eating. In a world of processed, engineered food, this really does matter. It really does impact the quality and flavor of what you’re eating. These pies are a perfect example of that.
Anyways, speaking of pie, here’s one I baked the other day from these apples.
Mmm that piece looks lonely. I think I’m going to have to eat it.
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Today, I expect to spend much of the day travelling, crossing the continent, first, by air, and, eventually, by train and bus. And taxi.