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Sometimes, when I need a little Japan fix, I walk to neighborhood Zen Box Izakaya or cycle to Moto-I or Tori 44. As I walk in to any of these establishments, the maneki-neko (beckoning cat) always beckons. Although the maneki-neko is a Japanese creation, it has been adopted all over East Asia. Right now it’s… Continue reading Asia Beckons

July 2022, we had a family vacation in Southern Spain and Portugal: my partner and me, our two teenage nephews, and their parents. We’ve traveled many times together, so this was an easy, mostly relaxed trip. You can find further trip posts, including daily microposts, here. 1. Nerja,Spain We arrived Nerja, Andalucia, on-schedule after an… Continue reading Spain and Portugal Vacation Pix

When flying to Europe I favor flying through Amsterdam Schiphol AMS, a generally efficient port of entry to Europe. Having two to four daily nonstops by Delta and partner KLM helps. Dwight and I, our nephews and their parents, are currently in-flight with KLM from Minneapolis MSP to Amsterdam Schiphol AMS. It’s not how we… Continue reading An Unplanned Flight

On Monday we’ll meet our nephews, now 13 and 14, along with their mom and dad, at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. We’ll take off on a backpacking adventure in Southern Spain and Portugal. The areas we’re visiting are familiar to me; dare I say they’re curated for this family trip. We’re traveling much as we’ve… Continue reading Backpacking in Southern Spain and Portugal

In previous LEGO robotic arm builds I’ve used servo motors to move each joint in the arm. However, the weight of the motor and related mechanism meant each arm needed to be reinforced to the point it became too bulky and exhibited excessive inertia. By contrast, pneumatic cylinders are light, and can apply significant force… Continue reading Continuously Variable LEGO Pneumatic Control

Today, as I do most Tuesdays in warmer weather, I went for a cycle ride with my friend, Dave. Sometimes we like to punctuate our ride with a theme: today, our theme was murals. Or, to be more precise, murals connected with music, plus a sculpture depicting a large pencil. We thought up the idea… Continue reading Three Princes and a Pencil

We’re surrounded by reminders of war. Generally, most of us get the choice to look away, but many do not have that luxury as they live with the emotional and physical consequences of war. Today, Memorial Day, I’ve been picking out old posts that reference war or its consequences. Here’s some microposts that also touch… Continue reading Reminders Of War

Over the past three years, while Dwight has been happily tending to plants in our apartment garden, I’ve been regularly upgrading the technology. This is mainly my side of the story.