Ever since I learned about koji from The Noma Guide to Fermentation, I have developed a deeper fascination for all things fungi. So I picked this book up after seeing it recommended during several internet searches. Each page has stunning pictures of the wide variety of fungi that are known. Additionally, though the text is …
Continue reading Book Review – The Kingdom of Fungi by Jens H. Petersen
Since I first learned how to cook by binge-watching all of Good Eats almost fifteen years ago, I've enjoyed coming up with creative cooking endeavors. More than anything, I like when there are specific constraints that require me to come up with interesting solutions. This began with early Lentil and Alphabet Challenges, although arguably the …
In the previous post, I talked about how my scooter was vandalized twice last year. Despite all vital components still working fine, the mechanic wanted 650 euros to replace the plastic front pieces, more than its value even if it hadn't been vandalized. Sad scooter So as part of my 2020 challenges last year, I …
I have taken to listening to books in bed before going to sleep. I can put on an eye mask with built-in bluetooth headphones (with the extra benefit that I don't need to close any shutters to keep the room from getting light super early), set the Sleep Time on Audible to 30 minutes, and …
Continue reading Book Review – Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson
I wasn't sure how to approach this book in the beginning. On one hand, Peter Thiel is an icon in Silicon Valley and has been integral in creating and fostering many world-changing companies (in addition to having a rockstar first name). On the other hand, the little I know about his politics has led me …
Disclaimer: This lesson is intended as a fun introduction to how an ignition works and not a guide to performing illegal activities. If you steal someone's scooter and get caught, that's your own damn fault. Also, shame on you. Nearly a year ago, during the initial two-month lockdown here in France, my scooter was vandalized. …
Continue reading How to hot-wire a scooter with a paper clip
Reading without taking notes (via Anne-Laure Le Cunff) Most of the time as adults, we read a book, put it back on the shelf (or close the Kindle app), and maybe occasionally think about that book ever again. Perhaps a passage every once in a while sticks with us. Or we come across the idea …
Continue reading Book Review – How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens
As we reach one year since COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic, I've been thinking back on the last year. I don't think 2020 went how anyone thought it would: lockdowns, masks as part of a daily routine, social distancing from friends and family would have seemed almost unthinkable to be part of our new …
After having tinkered with basic circuitry, but with an Arduino still on my hands to use, I started to brainstorm some ideas of possible uses. I could control other lights use it in any number of other projects, but my search finally brought me to the kitchen. In the US, I had a Sansaire immersion …
Continue reading How to make an Arduino-powered immersion circulator
I've been struggling over the last two months with this year of month-long challenges. Call part of it burnout, part of it laziness, but it felt like every month I got further and further behind. Like this year, I was super ready to chase that cheese wheel and then... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvuktushEhY Some of it is probably …
Chortles and Harrumphs 