What's on your Mind Thread - 2023

[Margret]

It was not designed to go to more than 1300 meters, and they were well below that. The Titanic is at 4000 meters. Ocean pressure caused it to implode, so fast that they would not have even had time to register that anything was wrong. What utterly ticks me off is that one of the mechanical engineers brought up several safety concerns, and was fired for his pains. This was probably avoidable.

I checked on that lawsuit. It came in response to the company suing the former employee for leaking trade secrets to the government, and both suits were settled out of court, which means that there's no way to know how it would have gone in an actual trial.

Since the company was complaining that he'd leaked their trade secrets to the government, it sounds like he tried to go over their heads after he was fired, which implies that he was telling the truth about what happened. The fact that both suits settled out of court probably (IMO) means that neither side felt certain about winning in an actual trial, and the former employee was willing to settle because he didn't have deep enough pockets to continue. And all of that is speculation. There really is no way to know how it would have gone in an actual trial. But after the amount of money the Coast Guard just spent on a rescue attempt I expect there to be some new legislation requiring safety standards for tourist excursions.

Margret

 

[Margret]

I’m sort of gobsmacked by all you’ve been through, and how even-keeled you remain! Please keep us posted on your healing progress. I’ve never encountered a tatter, (tattist?) always thought it was a mysteriously Victorian thing. Someone out of the blue yesterday just handed me a guitar, so I’m envious you know how. (If I can plink out a chord tonight, looking at the crib sheet, it will be a moment of joy).

I'm in therapy. It helps. So do antidepressants.

A person who tats is called a "tatter," and there are many active tatters today, though some of the best patterns are very old. Tatting works by tying knots that slide on an underlying thread. Picots (pronounced pee'-coes, emphasis on the first syllable, singular: picot) are the main thing that makes it look lacy; they're produced by leaving a space between knots which turns into a small loop when the knots slide together.

There are two ways to tat: needle tatting and shuttle tatting. I've done both but prefer shuttle tatting except for the rare case where I want to put something together in such a way that there's no room for a shuttle. You can probably find some good videos on YouTube.

Guitar suggestions:
1. Cut the fingernails of your left hand as short as possible. You want to use the tips of your fingers to press the guitar strings down just above the fret, and fingernails get in the way.
2. Don't overdo it, especially at first. You need to build up callouses on those fingertips.
3. Find a good teacher. If the first teacher you find doesn't work out for you, find a different one.
4. Practice in front of a mirror. Bending over to see your finger position makes it more difficult to get your fingers in the correct position.
5. You're better off dividing your practice up into small chunks, about twenty minutes at a time. Then take a break for at least an hour before you go back to it. That gives your mind and body time to consolidate what you've learned. Three twenty minute practice sessions will give you a lot more bang for your buck than a single hour long practice session.
6. If you have a classical guitar (acoustic guitar with nylon strings and no pick guard), don't use a guitar pick with it - the pick can damage your instrument.
7. You can find good guitar tuning apps available for free for either Android phones or iPhones. Get one and use it. And while you're at it pick up a free metronome app. When you're working on a specific song a metronome is extremely helpful. Once you have the chords down you set the metronome for a very low speed and play in time with it. When you can do that easily you increase the speed just a tad and continue practicing. This way you can gradually get up to speed.
8. It's easier to tune up than down, so any time you're uncertain, loosen the string a bit (to lower the pitch) and then tighten it gradually.
9. Don't be afraid of finger picking. It sounds a great deal more complex than it actually is, and can give some really spectacular results.
10. When you're having trouble with a song, record your practice sessions. That way you (or your teacher) can analyze it later. It's also a good way to remind yourself how far you've come, a couple months or years down the road.
11. Have fun with it.

Because you hold an acoustic guitar against your body (trying to hold it away from your body can actually cause you to injure yourself), acoustic guitars are very sensual instruments. You hear your guitar both through the air and through bone conduction, the same way you hear your own voice. Once you get a few chords under your belt, find a chord progression that you think is especially pretty, and end your practice sessions with it. This will leave you with good feelings, no matter how much difficulty you were having in the practice session.

Margret

 

[maggie101]

im mad at my city bus ! they dont come all the way to my apartment and im forced to use a cane every where i go just so that i can ride the dang bus .... im not a happy camper

I will use metro lift soon. They will come to my apartment
Not sure if it's also in your area. You are lucky that you can use a cane to walk. I am stuck at home because of on going epilepsy

 

[maggie101]

It worked well for my dad! It fixed his eye that got the wine cork slammed into it too.

My mom had it done. She said it made a huge difference

 

[Margret]

~ I am overdue for cataract surgery on one eye. People I know that have had the procedure rave about the results.

" I'll be seeing you ... " "'​

Count me among those people. I had both of mine done about 10 years ago. I can now read without glasses; which is extremely convenient. I still need them for driving, though.

Margret

 

[Margret]

It was not designed to go to more than 1300 meters, and they were well below that. The Titanic is at 4000 meters. Ocean pressure caused it to implode, so fast that they would not have even had time to register that anything was wrong. What utterly ticks me off is that one of the mechanical engineers brought up several safety concerns, and was fired for his pains. This was probably avoidable.

I just ran across this news report about it:

Margret

 

[strider rose]

maggie101 i dont have metro here in this small city just a city transit that runs locally

 

[Lari]

M's pacifier was next to her in the car seat down by her lap. She managed to pick it up and get it to her mouth.

How do they grow up so fast????

 

[maggie101]

maggie101 i dont have metro here in this small city just a city transit that runs locally

Maybe in the future. Or move to Texas! It's only 100•° with a heat warning

 

[strider rose]

maggie101 i am from texas originally and do know how hot it gets

 

[Margret]

M's pacifier was next to her in the car seat down by her lap. She managed to pick it up and get it to her mouth.

How do they grow up so fast????

By being properly loved and cared for.

Congratulations.

Margret

 

[Margot Lane]

Yah, but: what if your cat wants ALso to play? I think he likes the sound. Keeps rubbing (And knocking over) the sheet music prop. Maybe I get him a drum kit.

I'm in therapy. It helps. So do antidepressants.

A person who tats is called a "tatter," and there are many active tatters today, though some of the best patterns are very old. Tatting works by tying knots that slide on an underlying thread. Picots (pronounced pee'-coes, emphasis on the first syllable, singular: picot) are the main thing that makes it look lacy; they're produced by leaving a space between knots which turns into a small loop when the knots slide together.

There are two ways to tat: needle tatting and shuttle tatting. I've done both but prefer shuttle tatting except for the rare case where I want to put something together in such a way that there's no room for a shuttle. You can probably find some good videos on YouTube.

Guitar suggestions:
1. Cut the fingernails of your left hand as short as possible. You want to use the tips of your fingers to press the guitar strings down just above the fret, and fingernails get in the way.
2. Don't overdo it, especially at first. You need to build up callouses on those fingertips.
3. Find a good teacher. If the first teacher you find doesn't work out for you, find a different one.
4. Practice in front of a mirror. Bending over to see your finger position makes it more difficult to get your fingers in the correct position.
5. You're better off dividing your practice up into small chunks, about twenty minutes at a time. Then take a break for at least an hour before you go back to it. That gives your mind and body time to consolidate what you've learned. Three twenty minute practice sessions will give you a lot more bang for your buck than a single hour long practice session.
6. If you have a classical guitar (acoustic guitar with nylon strings and no pick guard), don't use a guitar pick with it - the pick can damage your instrument.
7. You can find good guitar tuning apps available for free for either Android phones or iPhones. Get one and use it. And while you're at it pick up a free metronome app. When you're working on a specific song a metronome is extremely helpful. Once you have the chords down you set the metronome for a very low speed and play in time with it. When you can do that easily you increase the speed just a tad and continue practicing. This way you can gradually get up to speed.
8. It's easier to tune up than down, so any time you're uncertain, loosen the string a bit (to lower the pitch) and then tighten it gradually.
9. Don't be afraid of finger picking. It sounds a great deal more complex than it actually is, and can give some really spectacular results.
10. When you're having trouble with a song, record your practice sessions. That way you (or your teacher) can analyze it later. It's also a good way to remind yourself how far you've come, a couple months or years down the road.
11. Have fun with it.

Because you hold an acoustic guitar against your body (trying to hold it away from your body can actually cause you to injure yourself), acoustic guitars are very sensual instruments. You hear your guitar both through the air and through bone conduction, the same way you hear your own voice. Once you get a few chords under your belt, find a chord progression that you think is especially pretty, and end your practice sessions with it. This will leave you with good feelings, no matter how much difficulty you were having in the practice session.

Margret

 

[JamesCalifornia]

I'm in therapy. It helps. So do antidepressants.

~

 

[Margret]

Yah, but: what if your cat wants ALso to play? I think he likes the sound. Keeps rubbing (And knocking over) the sheet music prop. Maybe I get him a drum kit.

Ah! Well, that's a different problem. In addition to tatting, I make temari balls. (Google "temari balls" and click on "Images" for lots of pretty pictures.) Temari balls start with some kind of core ball, something you can push pins into to use as markers while you work. For my balls I use styrofoam in the center. Then you wrap the ball in a fairly thick layer of thread, which serves as your fabric when you embroider the ball. One technique is to start by cutting the styrofoam ball in half and hollowing out a small sphere at the center, into which you put a bell. Then you put the two halves back together and rely on your "fabric" thread to hold them in place. What you get is a temari ball that makes pretty tinkling sounds when moved. Unfortunately, it also makes pretty tinkling sounds while you're wrapping the thread and embroidering the ball. Pretty tinkling sounds that sound a heck of lot like a cat toy.

I began a small tinkle temari a few years ago for Christmas. I can generally dissuade Jasmine from playing with my threads or yarns, but I was unable to even finish the initial wrapping of the tinkle temari. For a while I was taking it along to work on during meetings of my computer club (it wasn't loud enough to disturb the meetings), but then COVID hit and we began meeting virtually, and that was the end of that temari.

If you're serious about learning to play, you'll need a proper music stand anyway, so get one, along with some of that Dollar Store drawer or shelf liner that keeps things from sliding. It comes in big rolls, looks like a rubbery mesh fabric. Cut the shelf liner to a size that will fit under all three legs of the music stand, and use two layers, offset a bit so the legs don't just go into the holes of the mesh. It won't keep a cat from pushing the stand over, but it will prevent the stand from sliding (and once the stand crashes to the floor a time or two the noise should discourage further attempts to push it over, but protect your floor - the edges on the stand could gouge it). Use the extra shelf liner to make it easier to open jars, or under area rugs to keep them from sliding - it's incredibly useful stuff.

Regarding music stands, there are 2 kinds. Earlier I was talking about the kind that folds up and goes into a convenient carrying case, because this is what I use. I'm a member of a club that gets together once a month or so to sing and play fun music, and a portable music stand helps. But there are also music stands that are, um, less portable, and therefore less vulnerable to feline interference. This is one of those: Model 48 Symphony Music Stand - Black (each) | Sweetwater (click on "More Details" to see the picture).

It's also more expensive than a portable stand, but you may be able to find a used stand of this sort, perhaps from a school. It's worth looking, anyway.

The other option is to find something to distract the cat. Maybe a cat video? There are several good ones on YouTube. Or perhaps some catnip during practice time? Or, of course, practice in a room you can lock the cat out of.

Margret

 

[kashmir64]

What caused it to implode?

It was not designed to go to more than 1300 meters, and they were well below that. The Titanic is at 4000 meters. Ocean pressure caused it to implode, so fast that they would not have even had time to register that anything was wrong. What utterly ticks me off is that one of the mechanical engineers brought up several safety concerns, and was fired for his pains. This was probably avoidable.

Also, it was made of carbon fiber. Unlike steel or titanium, which bends and gives a little with severe pressure, carbon fiber shatters.
Even Josh Gates refused a trip to the Titanic on this vessel claiming that it was unsafe and the risk was too great.

 

[maggiedemi]

I do like toners and acne medication with salicylic acid best.

I got a toner today, but maybe I got the wrong kind because it just made my face as shiny & oily as ever. It is a witch hazel & alcohol toner. Should I have gotten the salicylic acid one instead? I did get a salicylic acid face wash. It's called oil free acne wash I think.

 

[Lari]

I got a toner today, but maybe I got the wrong kind because it just made my face as shiny & oily as ever. It is a witch hazel & alcohol toner. Should I have gotten the salicylic acid one instead? I did get a salicylic acid face wash. It's called oil free acne wash I think.

Is it orange? That's my husband's go to if so.

 

[maggiedemi]

Is it orange? That's my husband's go to if so.

Yes, the face wash is orange. I don't think it's helping with the oily face yet, but I'll keep using it.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

We got our foyer, halls and living room painted this weekend. I am LOVING it. The color we chose for the foyer and hall blends really well with the main color in the living room (which runs though the kitchen/dining room too). The blue we put over the green is amazing. It brings out the warmth in the wood grain of our furniture too. I think I have a rug picked out; but I'm going to have to watch for a sale because I don't like the current price online. I saw it in the flooring store so it may be better there too.

The flooring will be installed in one week! I am excited. I am a little anxious about getting everything ready in time. And not looking forward to hanging in my bedroom with 2 kids and Mooch all day because they need access to every doorway in the house for this and we have nowhere else to go. But man I am ready to have it DONE!!

I got a toner today, but maybe I got the wrong kind because it just made my face as shiny & oily as ever. It is a witch hazel & alcohol toner. Should I have gotten the salicylic acid one instead? I did get a salicylic acid face wash. It's called oil free acne wash I think.

I find Salicylic acid works best on my acne. I'm not sure anything reduces the oil though. Definitely stick with oil-free stuff but use a moisturizer for hydration. Oil isn't hydration and products for oily skin can strip the moisture from your skin and actually make you produce more oil. I had to ween myself off Proactiv after years of use. I thought that might be making me more oily. I think diet can contribute to a degree; but you're already vegetarian right? Also drinking enough water is beneficial.

DH used the orange wash from Neutrogena I think. It didn't work for my acne. We have Clean & Clear at the moment but DD itches from it so I'm the only one using it. I've also used plain Dove bar soap in a pinch. CeraVe products are great! Cetaphil is good also. Sometimes it's trial and error finding what works for you unfortunately. Neutrogena made my favorite moisturizer but i think they stopped making it so I'm on the hunt for a new one. I found out some are considered "mattifying" meaning they help disguise the oil you produce. Some also have a better texture for oily skin. It's really good to use some SPF on your face daily so I go for a moisturizer with one included. At night I use one without that DH has from CeraVe.

It can take a few weeks of use for me to tell if a product will work for me for acne. And some things take longer. I'm not sure how often you wash your face; but twice a day is probably the most anyone should use products like that. I only use toner and things once a day. Overdoing it can backfire and make things worse.

 

[susanm9006]

We got our foyer, halls and living room painted this weekend. I am LOVING it. The color we chose for the foyer and hall blends really well with the main color in the living room (which runs though the kitchen/dining room too). The blue we put over the green is amazing. It brings out the warmth in the wood grain of our furniture too. I think I have a rug picked out; but I'm going to have to watch for a sale because I don't like the current price online. I saw it in the flooring store so it may be better there too.

The flooring will be installed in one week! I am excited. I am a little anxious about getting everything ready in time. And not looking forward to hanging in my bedroom with 2 kids and Mooch all day because they need access to every doorway in the house for this and we have nowhere else to go. But man I am ready to have it DONE!!


I find Salicylic acid works best on my acne. I'm not sure anything reduces the oil though. Definitely stick with oil-free stuff but use a moisturizer for hydration. Oil isn't hydration and products for oily skin can strip the moisture from your skin and actually make you produce more oil. I had to ween myself off Proactiv after years of use. I thought that might be making me more oily. I think diet can contribute to a degree; but you're already vegetarian right? Also drinking enough water is beneficial.

DH used the orange wash from Neutrogena I think. It didn't work for my acne. We have Clean & Clear at the moment but DD itches from it so I'm the only one using it. I've also used plain Dove bar soap in a pinch. CeraVe products are great! Cetaphil is good also. Sometimes it's trial and error finding what works for you unfortunately. Neutrogena made my favorite moisturizer but i think they stopped making it so I'm on the hunt for a new one. I found out some are considered "mattifying" meaning they help disguise the oil you produce. Some also have a better texture for oily skin. It's really good to use some SPF on your face daily so I go for a moisturizer with one included. At night I use one without that DH has from CeraVe.

It can take a few weeks of use for me to tell if a product will work for me for acne. And some things take longer. I'm not sure how often you wash your face; but twice a day is probably the most anyone should use products like that. I only use toner and things once a day. Overdoing it can backfire and make things worse.

Your paint choice sounds perfect. Nothing worse than putting it on the wall and hating it (yes, I have done that more than once). Once the flooring is in and things settled we do need pictures.