ivyskeep

A Spanish-style house (there aren't many in this particular suburb) is newly for sale, asking $1,799,000.

In January 2018 it was for sale asking $1,500,000—it sold for $1,710,000. So they aren't asking for much more than they paid.

Both times, a recent remodel is claimed. But the main change seems to be that the current owners had it staged—and the photos are less dark. A lighting fixture or two, maybe a retiled shower, the Tesla charger and probably the washer and dryer; otherwise it seems basically unchanged. Looks like the same windows, maybe even the same kitchen appliances. It's a small house on a street of small houses, but it's been enlarged to 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

soemand

Thanks for the kind music recommendations earlier — genuinely some great finds. It even sparked a chat with my manager today about how the mass‑market music scene in Canada acted as a gatekeeper for so long, shaping what people heard and what stayed hidden. Funny how a few good tracks can open up a whole conversation about culture and access.

soemand

I’m looking to shake up my playlist with something wonderfully odd or delightfully unexpected 🎧✨

An ask, consider posting in the comments your quirkiest, strangest, most fascinating music recommendations—I’m hunting for sounds that surprise, confuse, or completely captivate.

Current Music: You tell me!

soemand

Did you know? In traditional maritime terms, usually cordage more than 1 inch in diameter or circumference is called a "rope," while anything smaller could be cord, string or twine. Fibers are twisted or braided to keep it together and hold a greater load of tension. Rope is one of humankind's earliest inventions, long before the wheel.

From a facebook post I took from a local boatbuilder, and TIL.

soemand

Warm and wet start to the day. Guaranteed that any remaining snow will have ceased to be.

weofodthignen

It's basically flat here; streets slope almost imperceptibly towards the Bay. In a demonstration, a guy was inline-skating along the bike path on the street that runs beside the railway line, with an (ice) hockey stick, dribbling a rubber ball. Close enough to a rink.

soemand

In light of the recent shenanigans involving Denmark, though a photo from when I lived there for a few years. The entrance to the Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen and a certain frozen statue.

soemand

A small victory today: I finally secured the procedure to tie up in the harbour. It’s not cheap at 80 $/day, but the gated access and better facilities make it worthwhile. I’m aiming for a week in August or September to enjoy some proper salt‑water sailing and get more offshore experience with my boat.

soemand

A muddy, unseasonably warm day can feel strangely heavy. The wind pushes across the yard like it’s in a hurry to leave, and the soft ground seems tired of holding on to winter. With the temperature climbing to 7 °C, the last scraps of snow are slipping away, shrinking into nothing by evening. There’s something a little lonely about watching them go, as if the season is fading before it ever really had a chance to settle in.

weofodthignen

The dog has adopted my blankie—a sign of the chilly nights, I'd set it aside for her months ago but she rejected it. Luckily I have a second one for myself.

The orange tree has resumed dropping oranges. There were 3 today, 2 intact that I will have with my cereal tomorrow, and one sufficiently smooshed that I fed it to the compost monster.

soemand

This is my radio that I use to listen to the world. Bonus, it’s our emergency radio with batteries on the ready for power outages.

soemand

I had completely forgotten about this old workaround until today, and honestly, it's a lifesaver in my loud office workplace. Since my iPhone doesn't allow me to charge and listen simultaneously without a bulky dongle, I finally remembered I can just tether it to my computer via a USB cable. By opening iTunes, I can access my entire library of 2,000+ tracks directly from the phone while it stays at 100% battery.

The real winner in this setup is my Etymotic IEMs. In our noisy workspace, their passive isolation provides an epic level of noise reduction. It's actually more effective than active noise cancellation (ANC) because it blocks out office chatter and high-frequency sounds.

I'm finally back in my high-fidelity bubble.

weofodthignen

I was reading yesterday's Sunday San Francisco Chronicle. That's one weird city. They're worried not enough people are using public transit, so they're doing things like having musicians with "strong social media followings" play live on ferries during the evening commute. That would drive me right to an alternative means of transportation. I can imagine people who don't share the booker's taste and who refuse to drive making creative use of drinks. Or blasting something very different. But the reporter acts as though this is a marvellous perk of buying a ferry ticket and says everybody was grooving. San Francisco.

soemand

A pot of curry only gets better after a night or two in the fridge. The spices settle in, the flavour deepens, and by the time you reach the last portion it feels like a small victory. I finished mine tonight, wishing there were just one more bowl tucked away in the back.

soemand

It's disheartening to see the current folk scene in my hometown faltering. I'm feeling vaguely annoyed by these new releases that seem to lack both musical depth and lyrical wit. We have such an incredible legacy of artists here; the raw talent exists, yet the output feels uninspired. I truly hope our local songwriters rediscover their creative edge soon.

soemand

Rainy spring day near Naples. A few years ago.

weofodthignen

PG&E saw fit to cut the power. To the person I was talking to on IRC - sorry, not my fault.

Now I have a very large assemblage of pdfs to track down and reopen.

soemand

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has today resumed shortwave radio broadcasts into Iran following the imposition of an internet blackout by the Islamic Republic. Working with several commercial vendors, RFE/RL’s Persian-language service Radio Farda is once again providing an alternative to state-controlled media. Radio Farda reaches 6.5 million Iranians inside the country each week across digital platforms.

For no reason, thought I’d share this old school means of getting around internet blocks. Never underestimate the ability to get information when you have a cheap Chinese radio and a bunch of AA batteries.