2025 April Update

Photo of The Month:

I was walking over to Enzo’s (pizza) for lunch and noticed the north section of Monument Circle was blocked off in preparation for the “Month of May“. I liked the symmetry of this shot & it’s my favorite one of the month!


What’s Going On:
I *think* we’re done with the wild temperature swings that take place this time of Thanks! year & into the early Dog Days of Summer. I’m looking forward to packing up the SUV and spending time outdoors.

It’s May in Indy & that means I’ll be spending more time at the track that I’m ready for. It’s a LOT of walking. You have no idea how big that place is until you attend a few events and realize you have to factor in 20 minutes to get from your car to the event location.


What I’m Buying:
OLIGHT Sphere Smart Night Light
Do you work in an open-style office? Do you get constant walk-ups asking if you’re on a call? Do you want a way to tell people you’re busy? I have a solution for you that is very inexpensive and works amazingly well!

The OLIGHT Sphere is under $20 and with just a tap you can change the color from Green to Red to other built in patterns. The brightness and colors are adjustable (with the free app), and it worked immediately! As soon as I put it on the corner and set it Red, the interruptions all but stopped. The Sphere comes with a magnetic charger that you can run off a USB port on your computer or dock.

BODEGACOOLER 26Qt (25L) 12-volt refrigerator/freezer
I love my Yeti Roadie 24 (I guess they don’t make them anymore?) but messing with ice can be a pain. I found a good deal on the BODEGACOOLER (under $200) that can ride in the back of my SUV and run off the 12v power port. This will be perfect for Costco runs and Farmer’s Markets. You can use it as a fridge or freezer (and even make ice!).

I tested it with my Jackery 500 and it ran for over 2-days making it perfect for camping and other off-grid activities. If I power the Jackery off the 12-volt plug in the car and the BODEGACOOLER off the Jackery it will basically run indefinitely!

NOCO Boost X Portable Jump Start Pack
Subaru is notorious for having small batteries in their Ascent model, and I don’t like being stranded. I was camping in WV a few summers ago and woke up to a dead battery, it added about 3 hours to my day to get a jump, find an auto parts store, and get a new battery installed (it was due).

I used to carry jumper cables in my car but these days it’s not a good idea to jump start another car. Too many risks of something getting fried. This battery pack might be able to help someone else one day in addition to getting me out of a jam in the middle of nowhere.

Rotring 600 3-in-1 Multicolor Pen and Mechanical Pencil
Remember the 4-in-1 pens that gave you Red/Blue/Black/Green back in the day? Who used the Green? Well, this is a more modern version that gives you Black/Red/Pencil (and a bonus BLUE refill in the box). I prefer Blue to Black so I can tell if it’s an original or a copy (don’t ask me why because I don’t know).

The 600 is all aluminum and has a nice solid feel. It has a smaller grip than the Lamy Safari I traditionally use. I like the ability to quickly switch from Blue to Red and I’ve been using pencil more lately when sketching ideas and logging tasks.


What I’m Reading:
Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobson
If you want to have nightmares, this is the book for you. It’s a minute by minute account of what would happen if North Korea sent a nuke to the United States.

The Belt Series by Gerald M. Kilby
Another great series by a talented author. It has some of the same characters from the Colony Mars series and is an easy read to get into. Really enjoying this author!

Kindle Unlimited
I had a 90-day trial offer from Amazon & once I realized I had several books on my wishlist that were available via Kindle Unlimited I decided to give it a try. So far I think it’s worth the price!


What Else:
I tried a trial of YouTube TV and while I liked it, the User Interface sucked and I can’t justify $90 a month to watch a few channels I’m interested in. I have coworkers who swear by it but it’s just not for me. If YouTube was included in the price it would make it a better option but, as of now, they are separate subscriptions.


And Finally…

2025 March Update

Photo of The Month:
This month’s Featured Image is a Weather Fax from New Orleans Coast Guard captured via Shortwave radio. It takes about 5 minutes for all the data to transfer over the air. Depending on the atmospheric conditions, the results can be quite good!


What’s Going On:
You gotta love the early spring weather in Indiana. 70’s one day and snow the next. You really need to keep an eye on the forecast so you, literally, don’t get stuck out in the cold. I keep cold weather gear in my car, and it’s always a gamble to remove it before Memorial Day.


What I’m Buying:
Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch from Ton Bihn (TB). I had some points to spend and there were a few accessories I have been looking at on the TB website. Since my favorite TB wallet is no longer being produced, and people are trying to sell them for $200 on eBay, I thought I’d look for an alternative. While I was initially looking at using the Ghost Whale to organize some small items in my backpack, it turns out it makes a great minimal (and inexpensive) wallet!


Custom leather money clip wallet from Mitchell Leather Factory. I had ordered this before the Ghost Whale above and it had a longer lead time (also got held up at the USPS hub in Indy that’s weeks behind getting things delivered). As soon as this arrived, I turned the Ghost Whale back into an accessory organizer and moved everything to this money clip wallet. The wallet is made from high-quality Horween Dublin leather, and it fits all my daily carry cards and cash perfectly. The version I purchased is natural on the outside and navy blue inside. This should get better with age and custom form to its contents in a few weeks of carry. For the price (under $100), this is a great product and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in the market for a new wallet.


Horizon Helvetica from Kickstarter. Billed as the “Swiss army knife of sketch tools”, it was yet another campaign that took twice as long to deliver as initially quoted. I’ve backed several Kickstarter campaigns over the years, and I like the idea of helping a small startup get their idea off the ground, but the execution always gets screwed up. It’s either suppliers, manufacturing, or in this case, shipping issues. I think I’m done for a while (until the next “must have it” thing comes along). 🙂

Although it took forever to finally get the sketch tools, they did end up turning out pretty nice. I like to have a straight edge when I use small notebooks and I’ve been using little 6-inch rulers. The Helvetica has additional options and allows for more creative drawing options. I’ll report back later this year on how useful they are compared to what they replaced.


What I’m Eating:
Earlier in March I picked up another bag of soup mix from U-Relish. This time it was White Bean Rosemary, along with a smoked Ham Hock from Schacht Farms to make a pot of Ham and Beans. Another excellent product from this husband-and-wife duo. This is my third purchase from them, and they just keep getting better.


A new location of the Culinary Dropout chain opened in Indianapolis. We stopped by for dinner in March and were impressed with the atmosphere and quality of the food. It’s a fairly large space and they did a good job managing the sound. It was easy to have a normal conversation, even will a full-ish house.


Where I’ve Been:
March was a pretty quiet month. We checked out the new L.L. Bean in the Keystone area. It was dead & they still had a lot of winter gear out. I was hoping to find some new spring/summer clothes but did not. I did end up getting a couple pairs of their traveler pants which I’ll be testing soon. Details next month.


What I’m Watching:
I watched the first episode of Severance Season 2 and realized I needed a refresher, so I found a 14-minute recap on YouTube that got me back up to speed. and back into the Severance “mindset.”

Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations is one of those shows where you can scan through the episodes, find one that sounds interesting, and go to another place for 40 minutes. It’s always been a favorite of mine and it will always be one of those shows I turn on when I need to decompress.

Northern Exposure was a favorite of mine when it was on originally in the 1990s, and it all but disappeared for 25 years. It showed up on Amazon Prime Video one day and I wasn’t sure it would still be any good, but it’s aged very well and is another easy watch at the end of a busy day. I’m slowly making my way through each episode.


What I’m Reading:
Spare by Prince Harry – I’m not a big (auto)Biography fan but I remember the day Diana died, and seeing Harry all grown up, became interested in his story. This book was not popular within the Royal Family but I thought it was a pretty good read, and seemed to be a genuine reflection of how he has lived his life.

The Belt Series by Gerald M. Kilby – I enjoyed the Colony Mars series so much I naturally moved to the next set by this author. These are quick reads and not too far out there with the Sci-Fi, so they are easy to follow along and enjoy. Entanglement was the first book of the series and I enjoyed reading that over a long rainy weekend. I’m already looking forward to book number 2 in the series.

The Ministry of Time – Before moving on to the next Belt book, this one became available via Libby at the local Library so I jumped on it. It follows a time travel project where the Ministry of Time reaches into the past and grabs subjects right before they die, bringing them to the current time. These historical figures are paired with a mentor (called a Bridge) and taught how to live in their new timeline. If it were not for all the accolades this book received, I probably would not have given it a try.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR SCIENCE FICTION • A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, VANITY FAIRESQUIREVOX, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, THE INDEPENDENTPARADEKIRKUS REVIEWS, AND MORE…

It’s been interesting enough for me to keep picking it up! I’ll be curious to see how it ends, or if it turns into a series (or maybe a movie?).


What Else:
Do you ever wonder how much snow costs us? Neither did I until I ran across this article in the Hustle (a pretty good newsletter!). Hint: It’s a LOT! $$$$$


And Finally…
On a dry lakebed in the Mojave, a group of friends build a practical scale model of time: 13.8 billion years of cosmic evolution, and our place within it.

2025 January Update

Photo of The Month:
This month’s featured image was taken facing West on Ohio St in Downtown Indianapolis while I sat at the light. I enjoyed the blue-skied sunrise behind me and the moon’s brightness above the horizon to the west.


What’s Going On:
A lot has happened since my last post in June 2024 (mostly good!). 2025 is a new year, and I was fortunate to have 2.5 weeks off work at the end of the year to reflect and reset. I felt it was time to fire the blog back up with monthly updates and a familiar format that allows me to add to it as the month progresses. I also decided I should start adding context to the Featured Image each month when it’s a picture I took.


What I’m Buying:
I rearranged my reading nook in the front room to make it more cozy and added a few elements. I’ve been dedicating at least 2 hours most evenings to reading and reducing my TV time (which consists of many YouTube videos). The Kindle Paperwhite has been getting a workout. I’ve seen wireless page-turners previously and was intrigued. Since you have to touch the screen of the Kindle to advance to the next page, it limits how you can sit and hold the device. With the page tuner, you can sit however you want, prop the Kindle up (I put it on a raised leg or a small folding stand on the end table), and push a remote button to advance pages. It’s a small thing, but I can sit for hours reading without interruption or discomfort.

I also picked up a mug warmer to keep my coffee/tea warm when I’m really into a book. I got tired of grabbing a cold mug after 30 minutes. I thought the rechargeable Ember mugs were interesting but they are really expensive. The mug warmers are under $20 and the one I purchased has 3 heat settings and an adjustable auto-off timer.

I bought the new iPad Mini 7 in October, which has 512 GB of storage and a cellular modem (basically the maxed-out edition). It was not cheap, but I have been amazed by the little mini’s versatility! The cellular modem allows me to have always-on internet and not have to try to find Wi-Fi (or hot-spot off my phone) when I’m out and about.


What I’m Eating:
I guarantee I’ve eaten every day since my last post, so I won’t bore you with that. Lately, I’ve been visiting Broad Ripple to check out the Winter Farmers Market and Ripple Bagel & Deli on non-market days and on the way into the office.

Located inside the old BR High School (now a middle school?), the market is bigger than I remember in years past, and it has a nice mix of vendors. Shout out to Schacht Farm for having some of the best meat I’ve had in a LONG time. Their sage breakfast sausage, chorizo, bacon, and sandwich ham are all very high quality, and each one is delicious. I plan on dedicating a shelf on the garage freezer to their products soon.

Another vendor I was very impressed with was U-Relish Slow Cooker Meals. They used to have a stall in the Indianapolis City Market, and I honestly never paid much attention to them. Shame on me because I have been missing out on their products! I picked up a black bean chili mix, and the owner recommended I add some chorizo to it if I wanted a little kick. So you know who I visited next!

Ripple Bagel & Deli has a dizzying array of options on its expansive menu!

Ripple Bagel & Deli

When I was in London in 2023, the Salted Beef Bagel was a game changer, and the Brick Lane Beigel Bake will be my first stop when I return. Ripple Bagel & Deli has a menu item called the Monon Roadkill that is about as close to the London sandwich as I can get in Indy. It consists of Pastrami, double Swiss, and horseradish on an onion bagel, and it scratches that itch for now. I need to remember to add pickles the next time I order it.


Where I’ve Been:
Since the last post, I’ve not traveled much, but I ended up in Boston for work last September. I really enjoyed the food we had there. Our group tried to catch a game at Fenway, but it ended up gettingrained out.

Fenway Park

I attended a Teivery Corporation concert at the Vogue. It was my first time seeing a show there, and it was the best concert venue I’ve ever been to. I’m not much for loud noises, and the acoustics and sound levels for this show were very nice. I had a very enjoyable time.

Thievery Corporation at The Vogue

During the holiday break, I traveled over to Dayton to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum (an amazing facility that everyone should visit at least once)

Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum

What I’m Watching:
I use TV Time to track all the shows I watch. It allows me to find out when new episodes become available and to remember where I left off when I don’t watch for a while. 

  • Anthony Bourdain – No Reservations (rewatch from the beginning)
  • Hell’s Kitchen Season 23
  • Below Deck Sailing Season 5
  • Northern Exposure (rewatch from the beginning)
  • Squid Game Season 2

What I’m Reading:
Colony Mars (7-book series) by Gerald M. Kilby
I’m through the fourth book and was hooked from the first one. I’ve never thought of myself as a sci-fi fan, but this series is a good way to dip your toes in because it’s not so far-fetched. I could see this being somewhat realistic in 20 years (if not sooner).

Colony Mars Series



What Else:
I traded in the trusty Subaru Crosstrek for a new Subaru Ascent. It’s a night and day difference in size and performance, with that familiar Subaru look and feel. I only have a couple thousand miles on it so far, but just about everything about the car is perfect. Gas mileage is much less than the Trek’s, but it’s worth it for the capabilities and capacity I’ve gained with their flagship larger SUV.

I’m still “playing radio” (Amateur “Ham” Radio) when I have time. So far I have been in contact with 127 countries and have exchanged QSL (post) Cards with about 50 stations from around the world. I may make a gallery on the Blog to showcase more interesting ones I’ve received.


And Finally…

2024 May Update

What’s Going On:
WHERE did May go? I’m sitting here today doing my weekly Review, and it finally hit me that it’s JUNE (and halfway through June at that)!


What I’m Buying:
My Everyday Carry (EDC) is pretty standard: wallet, watch, keys, phone, knife, and light. Sometimes, I pocket some pepper spray, depending on the situation. The individual items rotate (like a dive watch vs. an Apple watch or a money clip vs. a wallet), but they’re always consistent and in their respective pockets.

My blade of choice this last year has been the 945 Mini Osborne (in Green Aluminum). It’s a great knife and has held up well for daily carry. But it’s a little on the heavy side when wearing lightweight clothing.

Mini Osborne

While walking back to the car from the Broad Ripple Art Fair, we stopped at Rusted Moon Outfitters to look around (and to see if they still had their 20% off sale going on). I missed the sale but still walked out with a new (and much lighter) Benchmade. The Mini Bugout (CF-Elite) is a perfect summer pocket carry since it only weighs 1.5oz. The weight saving comes from the Carbon fiber-reinforced scales. Add to that a Cerakote blade & you’re looking at a nice low-profile and versatile slicer.

Mini Bugout

The Mini Bugout needed to be broken in a bit to get that trademark Benchmade open/close action, but it didn’t take long, and it’s been in my pocket every day since.


What I’m Eating:
Babish Culinary Universe has been posting some interesting “Ranking Every…” videos lately, and one caught my eye: Ranking 46 Kinds of Ramen. If you’ve visited an Asian Speciality store, you have undoubtedly seen the mind-numbing combinations and variety of Ramen. We’re not talking about the standard Top Ramen found at the local Stop-and-Shop for $0.50 a pack.

Spoiler Alert, his favorite turned out to be Buldak Quattro Cheese Ramen Hot Chicken Flavor. I turned to Amazon to help me find it.

Spotted when I visited Thailand in February 2024

This stuff is GOOD! It’s like Kraft Mac & Cheese powder meets ramen noodles, but it also has another pouch of flavor that brings the heat. I must warn you, this stuff is HOT! I used half the hot packet on my first bowl and regretted it immediately. I backed off quite a bit the next time I fixed it, and it was a delicious bowl of instant spicy cheesy ramen!

I thought the packaging looked familiar, and I went back and looked through my Thailand Trip photos from earlier this year. Sure enough, I had sent the picture above to my son while I was there.

If you’re into Instant Ramen, I recommend checking out the Buldak Quattro Cheese Ramen Hot Chicken Flavor. If you do, let me know what you think!

If you’re looking for a good quality lunch, I recommend you check out Slapfish in the Fishers District. I’ve gone there for lunch the past couple of Fridays (working from home) and had some really good fish and chips! Lunch out for under $20? I’ll take it.

Lastly, the old O’Charley’s in Fishers has been turned into a Sports Bar called Walk-Ons. We visited a few weeks ago to try out the Shrimp PoBoys. They were pretty tasty. We were looking for a substitute for B’s Po Boy, who used to be in Fountain Square Pre-COVID. These were very close with the bread (from New Orleans) being the missing ingredient (although the hoagie roll at Walk-ons is decent). For a basic Po Boy, they scratch that itch. In fact, I went back the following week and got another one for lunch! The sleeper item on the menu at Walk-Ons is the HUSH PUPPIES! Get them as an app or a side & thank me later.


Where I’ve Been:
The first weekend in May found me in Marion, IN, attending a small regional Amateur Radio swap meet. I didn’t have very high expectations, but it turned out to be a nice show with a few radio guys I’ve talked to on the air and was able to meet for the first time. I also got a good deal on some antennas to use with my receiving equipment (scanners and stuff).

Of course, in May, you go out to the track! I was out there for some work events & didn’t go to the race. It ended up raining & delaying everything anyway, so that would have been an awful time at IMS this year. I ended up watching it on TV like everyone else when they lifted the blackout. Indy Car will be on Fox next year & I’m hearing people say the Indy 500 will be televised live. I’ll believe it when I watch it.

At the end of May I went camping with a good friend of mine down at Hardin Ridge. We had a good time catching up and playing around with some Amateur Radio equipment once the sun went down.

Lastly, I checked out the Fishers Farmers Market a few Saturdays ago. The markets keep getting better! I walked away with a package of pepperoni Rolls from one of the Amish vendors. They were really good!


What I’m Reading:
Jenny Lawson is back with another introspective into her life called Broken (in the best way possible). It’s been a great read so far. I got about 25% through it in the first sitting. It can be a little dark as she walks you through her mental and physical disorders, but she has a lot of laugh-out-loud moments that make the book a must-read. Her previous books have been just as enjoyable to read as well. If you’re looking for a light-hearted look at life from someone with a very active imagination, Jenny might be an author you’d like to read!


What Else:
That’s about it for May. It went WAY too fast & June is already half over. The weather is finally catching up to us, with 90+ degree days in the forecast for the next couple of weeks. A group of us are going over to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch the Olympic Swim Trials. We were able to get suite tickets, so that should be enjoyable. We also arranged a behind-the-scenes tour to see how they pulled this event off. I should have some pictures in the next blog post.


And Finally…
The maddening mess of airport codes.

2024 February Update

What’s Going On:
I just got back from a 10-day visit to Thailand! It was a LOT of flying (24 hours each way) but worth every minute of the journey once I arrived. I have a 2-part blog post I’m working on this month and should have the first part out in the next week or so.

March is somewhat of a quiet month, but as the temps warm and spring gets closer every day, it’s time to start planning some outdoor activities. I reserved a campsite for an overnight trip later this month to try my hand at a Ham Radio Parks on the Air activation. This combines my love of the outdoors with my newly refreshed passion for Ham Radio.


What I’m Buying:
Woot! is an overstock site connected with Amazon, and it occasionally has some really good deals. Earlier in February, I bought a refurbished Dyson V10 Animal for less than half the cost of a new unit. It’s an older model but better than the V6 I purchased years ago. It arrived in generic packaging, but there was no indication the unit had even been turned on, let alone used at any time. I was immediately impressed with the increased performance of the V10 and am very happy with the purchase. The V6 still has some life, so it will be used for smaller house tasks, including cleaning the cars.


What I’m Eating:
Lots of Thai food while on my trip. I flew Turkish Airlines, and their in-flight meals were very tasty. I was pretty impressed with the quality and quantity of the food served while we cruised at 35,000 feet. It was funny to see the standard USA chains on my layover in Istanbul. Burger King & McDonalds were prominently placed through the airport and had a lot of customers.

I went almost two weeks without eating American or processed foods and could feel a difference in just a few days. For some reason, I always assumed Smoothies all had dairy (something I avoid) and quickly learned that was not true. I enjoyed several fruit smoothies while abroad and also enjoyed their incredibly low price. We’ll see how well my blender holds up after my next smoothie supply run to Costco. I might be in the market for a Vitamix in the future…


Where I’ve Been:
I saved about $1000 on my airfare (and a 2-hour flight leg at each end) by flying out of Detroit. It’s only a 3.5-hour drive from my house and was worth it. I used some of the savings to upgrade my seats for the 4 flight legs. More on that in a future post…

I only had one stop in Istanbul, Turkey, before I went to Bangkok, Thailand. Once in Bangkok, I met my brother, and we took a short flight up to Chiang Mai, where we stayed for most of the visit.

Toward the end of my trip, we returned to Bangkok for a few days before I hopped on an early morning flight to return to the US.

I returned to Detroit via Istanbul again and landed around 7:30 pm. Customs was a snap, and I was returning to Indy by 9 pm. I arrived home after midnight and was still pretty awake, even though I had been up for approximately 36 hours. Once settled, I slept like a rock and enjoyed the extra day of PTO on my return. Adjusting back to Indiana time was more complicated than I thought, considering I didn’t have any issues adjusting to the 12-hour time change in Thailand.


What I’m Watching:
I downloaded a lot of content to my iPad Pro for the travel legs and consumed quite a bit. YouTube always has something to watch, and I wanted to watch a few movies on Netflix. Being able to download content to your device is a great feature that I wish more streaming services would provide. The in-flight entertainment was available, but I only used it once to watch a soccer match live at 38,000 feet.


What I’m Reading:
I also read a lot while held captive in the air. I have a bad habit of pinning articles to “read later,” and I had a lot to choose from. I also worked on a few books using the Amazon Kindle. The Art of Invisibility by Kevin Mitnick kept me entertained for a few hours before I switched over to a copy of Essential Thailand by Fodor’s Travel Guides.


And Finally…
This was quite a mystery. How does a 200-foot broadcast radio tower disappear without a trace? Check the comments on the article for details (and the answer to the mystery!).

2023 Week 31 – River Cruising

What’s Going On:
As I continue studying to upgrade my Amateur Radio license, I’ve added a couple of “stealth” antennas to the attics in my house. Unfortunately, because of my HOA, I can’t put anything on the outside of the house; I’m limited to using the attic space for the equipment. While not ideal, it’s been working better than expected. I hear stations from Europe and South America regularly in the evening. I look forward to being able to talk to them soon!


What I’m Eating:
Last week, I stopped by the Easy Rider Diner in Fountain Square for lunch. It’s owned and operated by the Hi-Fi concert venue located next door. The food coming out of the kitchen looked really good, as did the Cobb Salad I ordered (there is lettuce under all the toppings), but the $6 upcharge for 4 chicken nuggets was a little steep, in my opinion. The Blue Cheese dressing was definitely out of a bottle, too (and not that good). I’d go back and try something else next time. The salad didn’t do it for me this time.


I also picked up a couple of new items from Trader Joe’s.

The Kalua Pork Spring Rolls smelled VERY good while they were cooking, but unfortunately, the taste was off. In my opinion, there was a very strong black pepper taste. The folks at the What’s Good at Trader Joe’s website seemed to like them better and mentioned a strong liquid smoke flavor (they still gave them 7.5 out of 10)

Unlike the Spring Rolls, the Shrimp Boom Bah had a much better taste and included a nice spicy sauce. The only issue I had was they could have been crispier. An air fryer might have done the trick (I don’t have one).


Where I’ve Been:
Traveled down to New Richmond, Ohio, last weekend to check out the Annual International Cardboard Boat Regatta on the Ohio River. This is my first time checking it out, and it was a lot of fun. The town was having a River Days celebration, and the race was one of the weekend activities. All of the boats were made out of cardboard and paint. Some really creative designs! New Richmond is also the home of the world’s only Cardboard Boat Museum.


What I’m Watching:
Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food (2023)


What I’m Reading:
Emerging Tick Bite-Associated Meat Allergy Potentially Affects Thousands
Airport car rental: The unique hell might finally be over
AM radio served the country for 100 years. Will electric vehicles silence it?


What Else:

If you’re on Social Media, you might have seen the woman on a flight pointing to something off-camera and proclaiming it was “not real.” @Travispaints painted his interpretation, and it is amazing! Zoom in; it’s a who’s who of fictitious characters.


And Finally…
Just in time for summer grilling… Juicy Grilled Burger – You Suck at Cooking

2023 Week 27 – Gettin’ Stuff Done

What’s Going On:
It’s going to be a busy week as people return from vacations and deadlines start to loom. Last week was a 3-day week, and with so many people out of the office, it was a good time to get caught up on some low-priority tasks and prep for some big meetings coming up next week.

I’m still using a combination of Todiost for work tasks, Apple Reminders for personal tasks, and Evernote for capturing everything else. It’s worked very well this last year at my new job, and if it ain’t broke… The Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology, first released in 2001, is still the key to my productivity.


What I’m Eating:
I received my order from Enso Supergreens late last week. I will agree with the review I read leading me to this AG-1 alternative. Supergreens is a VERY fine powder that mixes very well with liquid. I’ve been using Oat Milk and a Milk Frother I picked up from Amazon, but any shaker-style bottle will work.

Once mixed, Supergreens has a creamy, minty & slightly sweet taste. It reminds me of a melted Shamrock Shake from McDonalds. It’s also a lot less grainy than the AG-1 samples I previously tried. This is something I can see myself drinking daily and actually enjoying it. Eventually, Supergreens could replace the daily multivitamin and probiotic I’ve been taking for the past year. I’ll report back in a few months and let you know if I’m still drinking it.


Room Service on Wheels, a delivery-only service in Fishers, has expanded its location and opened up a brewery called King Jugg Brewing Company with a lot of outdoor seating. I visited this week and found they didn’t have any of their beers available yet (next week, I was told), but I stuck around for lunch.

I had anticipated getting their chopped salad, which looked very good on the menu, but I pivoted last minute and went for the Tenderloin.

I was told the Tenderloin is marinated in buttermilk, and each one is hand-breaded to order. It arrived piping hot, fully dressed with LTMOP and a side of house-made chips. A little piece was hanging out the side of the bun, and I gave it a quick sample. DELICIOUS! Nice, lightly seasoned breading and a tender pork cutlet. This was an enjoyable sandwich; I will say it’s the best Tenderloin in town. I look forward to returning soon and ordering it again, along with one of the new house beers,

I immediately sent a picture to my friend Rick, the “Tenderloin Connisour,” and told him he needed to check this place out for his All Tenderloins, all the Time review website. I’m curious to hear his feedback & read his review.


What I’m Watching:
I just finished The Bear on Hulu last night. Pretty intense show that people “in the industry” seem to enjoy. If you like drama and food, you should check The Bear out.


LOTS of YouTube videos have been streamed this week, concentrating on Amateur Radio equipment and licensing. I’m determined to get my license upgraded soon.


What I’m Reading:
2023-2027 General Class Study Guide by Gordon West – Study guide for the General Class Amateur Radio Exam. The FCC updates their questions every 4-years to keep with changing times so you have to make sure you have the right study guide. July 1, 2023 was the start of the new 4-year calendar so my timing for getting back into the hobby was perfect. After taking several on-line proactive exams I realized I didn’t know as much as I thought I did and needed to bone up on the tech before attempting to take the test. This is going to be a project I hope to complete this summer.


And Finally…
Following up to last weeks Nuclear Sub tour we give you Mike Rowe on a Nuclear Supercarrier!

2023 Week 26 – It’s Not Easy Being Green


What’s Going On:
It’s the weekend before the 4th of July, and a couple of weeks ago (while I was on my road trip), the Leadership Team at my office decided to give everyone an extra day off (July 3), so it’s a much appreciated 4-day weekend for this guy. Unfortunately, the weather has been anything but ideal, with rain and thunderstorms every day since Thursday and more on the way tonight (Sunday).


What I’m Buying:
Study Guide for the Amateur Radio General Class License Exam – Even though I didn’t get on the Air during the Annual Field Day, my interest in Amateur Radio is starting to pick up again. Like most hobbies, there are usually varying levels of participation, and in the Amateur Radio community, that can be classified through the different levels of licenses you can earn. Each license allows you to do more on the radio and talk to people farther away.

I’ve had the basic license for years that allows me to talk to people locally, and I have always wanted to upgrade my license to gain more privileges. I took a couple of practice exams online and quickly learned my knowledge was limited, and I needed to do some studying.


I stopped in the Sierra store again and picked up some lightweight shirts for the summer at deeply discounted prices. I’m still amazed at the prices and selection at the new Sierra store. If you’re in the area, it’s worth checking it out.


What I’m Eating:
Do you know what’s better than the Chicken Salad Sandwich at The Garden Table on Mass Ave? The Chopped Cobb Salad with a SCOOP of Chicken Salad at Garden Table on Mass Ave!


A coworker gave me a couple of his Athletic Greens travel packs to try. If you’ve spent any time on YouTube, you have never seen this product sponsoring all kinds of content (especially travel and outdoor channels). This stuff is not cheap at just under $100 a month, and they don’t offer samples for you to try before committing.

As I mixed the contents of the green packet into 8 oz of cold water, I was hesitant about what I thought it would taste like. It’s very dark green, and I expected something in the broccoli family of flavors. Surprisingly, the taste was very light with a touch of sweetness (like watered-down pineapple). It can be a little chalky if you let the powder settle out of suspension (especially the last little bit), but it was not awful to drink, and if you believe the hype, it has a lot of health benefits. I could see this replacing my daily multivitamin and probiotic I take each morning.

If you want to learn more about the “Greens” powder revolution and a review of the top contenders, check out The Ultimate Greens Power Test. This was a comprehensive evaluation of 11 different Greens powers with a lot of detail in the decision-making process.

I’m going to order the winner of this test (Ensō Supergreens) and compare it to Athletic Greens. At $39.99 a month, it’s a lot less expensive and might be with the hype! I’ll report back after I’ve used it for a few weeks.


What I’m Watching:
AirNow Interactive Map
Given how the air has been full of SMOKE from the Great White North this past month, I watched this website daily to see if things were improving.

The Bear on Hulu
In its second season, The Bear picks up new challenges as the team tries to rehab its space and open a new restaurant.

Jack Ryan (Final Season) on Amazon
The Final Season just started this past week, and it hit the ground running with a great storyline. I’m going to hate to see this one end.


What I’m Reading:
In addition to the Study Guide mentioned earlier, these articles caught my attention this past week.
Why Was Benjamin Franklin’s Basement Filled With Skeletons?
Americans have ‘tip fatigue,’ resent ‘tip creep.’
What you need to know about Indiana’s new laws taking effect July 1, 2023


And Finally…
Inside a Nuclear SUBMARINE! | USS Indiana Tour

2023 Week 23 – Pack it Up!

What’s Going On:
Finishing the preparations for an upcoming road trip to West Virginia. It’s a combination of camping and a few hotels. The goal is to visit the world’s largest radio telescope in Green Bank, WV. Details to come!


What I’m Buying:
I love over-engineered items, and Yeti products are just that. Some would say overpriced, and I’m not going to argue with them, but the gear is rock solid. I have several tumblers, wine mugs, and even their folding camp chair (it’s amazing). I had a bunch of Amazon credits from my Amazon Credit Card, and after talking to the owner of a 36 oz Rambler with the “Chug Cap,” I decided to pick one up. Yeti designed this one right. It’s roughly the same circumference as a Nalgene, so it fits perfectly in the cup holder extender I have in the Subaru. I did an Ice Test, and it kept ice for several days (almost 3), so it’s sure to help your drinks stay cold on all but the longest road trips.


What I’m Eating:
Nothing too exciting this week. Several meetings ran into the lunch hour, so I ordered a few sandwiches at work. Jimmy John’s has their Summer Wraps back on the menu, and the Chicken Caesar is my favorite.

Potbelly has a “Clubby” on the menu as a limited-time offer, and it was a nice change from the Wreck I normally order.

What I’m Watching:
Top Chef World All Stars just ended, it was the 20th season for the franchise, and host Padma L announced she would be departing the show. She has hosted all but the first season. It will be interesting to see who takes her place in season 21


What I’m Reading:
After finishing, and really enjoying “Falling” by T.J. Newman, I moved to her next book, “Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421.” It started off fast and pulled me into the story immediately. I’ll probably have this one finished by the end of my trip next week.


And Finally…
The History Guy’s latest video should be very interesting to travelers. “ORD Stands for Orchard: A History of Airport Codes” gives you some insight into the 3-letter airport codes that sometimes make no sense.