Where has the week gone? Seems like my last post was just yesterday… but it wasn’t; it was Monday. Oh, well.
Semi-randomized thoughts from The Voices in My Head…
File under Life’s Little Disappointments:
So I’m starting another brew season. Thought to myself, “Self, why not pick up a few more swingtop bottles, since you’re going to be making lotsa different kindsa brews?”
Okay, answered I.
So, picked up a few Grolsch swingtop bottles. No, not empties, silly. With beer in them. After all, it’s cheaper buying swingtop bottles with Grolsch beer in them than it is buying empties, for some reason (and not because the beer in them is bad. Usually. I have had skunky Grolsch, just not normally).
Filed under Life’s Little Disappointments: Grolsch has changed their swingtop bottles. Oh, functionally they’re still the same, but I miss the four large “medallions” featuring barley and hops formed into the sides. Now, it’s just couple of itsy-bitsy “almost can’t see it” (3/4″?) substitute cartouches, the name, “Grolsch” on the side and some weird hash marks. What? Somebody wanted change just for change’s sake? Dumb. Oh, well.
Been finding some neat accessories to make modding the lil XBox I got recently a bit more fun (Son & Heir reads here every now and then, so I’ll hold these close to my vest for now *heh*). Pretty soon I’ll have to just block out some time, gather the materials I’ve researched/bought and jump right on just doing/installing the thing as a media server. Get it set up in the etertainment center in the main room and all set to serve up media from the various computers on the network. Cheapo media server; fun lil project. Time.
Right after I TS and repair the weird coolant issue on my car. *sigh* Just got Son & Heir’s car back from the shop. Next day: my lil econochamp loses a ton of coolant. No time/energy to deal with it right away, so parked, did a quick checklist and have just driven another car while mulling over my plan of attack… tentatively scheduled for Saturday. Fun. (Yeh, I could get it to the mechanic, but after what I poured into Son & Heir’s car this week, I’d rather spend my Saturday instead. See: “Tightwad, one of”. *heh*)
Speaking of tightwaddery, I decided that spending $15.39 for The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn was a Good Thing to do. I’d read an earlier edition about a decade ago and found quite a few things I was not already doing to improve my tightwaddery. Yeh, since the price I mention above includes my shipping charge, I may have gotten one of the last really cheap copies, but if you can buy it for $20 or so (including shipping) you’ll likely recoup your cost in your first few pages of reading the thing, unless you’re already a Master Tightwad. Really. Seriousy good stuff.
Bought a buncha beer making supplies. Forgot to get more yeast. Hmmm, think I can revive some from filtrate ff my most recent batch? Could be… We’ll see. Of course, ancient beer makers called beer “liquid bread” because that’s what they made it from: bread soaked in water. The wine I made using bread yeast turned out OK, so maybe… Nah, I’ll try reviving some.
Oh, crap. I just opened my eyes to the mess that is my desktop. *sigh* I thought I had that thing completely cleared off in October?!? This is getting ridiculous. I need room to set up a new printer, build some shelving to stand ON the desktop, etc. Saturday, after the car? Hope so. If I really wanted to put the pressure on myself, I’d take a pic of my desktop and post it, but I’d never. Coward, that’s me. *heh*
*yawn* Can’t keep eyes open. Clocking out, folks.
I’d wondered what was happening in TWC central… this place has been quiet. But then, I figured David does have a life outside of his blog… like some of the rest of us.
One of these day’s I’m going to have to start home brewing. I’ve thought about it for some time, but I enjoy beer so infrequently that I sometimes wonder if it would be worth the trouble. You’ll have to let me know how this season’s comes out.
I’d forgotten about those books, I used to read her stuff when I was little ;).
Perri, search on “beer” here @twc. “Georgy Porgie Molasses Beer” is pretty good. I tried it with the mostly original Washington Mt Vernon recipe last year, but this year I think I’ll hops it a bit with some Saez.
Mama Duck, yep, Amy Dacyczyn published some very good stuff on tightwad philosophy and practice.