This system was built with Codex GPT-5-3.

Monthly Build Log

The Goal

I wanted two pages:

1. Monthly Build Log
   A curated, visual timeline of finished and in-progress work.
2. Backdated Prints Archive
   A long historical list merged from old exports and scraped data, with filters and source links.

The core requirement was accuracy: one real project should appear once, even if it showed up in multiple places with different names.

The Hard Parts

1. MakerWorld blocking and metadata mismatch

MakerWorld pages were Cloudflare-protected from server-side fetches, so direct scraping from the host failed. In practice, this meant extracting data locally and importing it into the site data pipeline. Also, MakerWorld “times” were often interaction times (or ambiguous), not always reliable publish dates.

2. Printables “Make” titles were sometimes garbage

A chunk of older Printables makes exported as titles like +1, +4, etc., which are not usable as project names. That required placeholder detection and fallback logic so bad titles didn’t pollute the archive.

3. Duplicate detection is messy in real life

The same project might exist as:

• A 3MF filename
• A Printables make
• A Printables upload
• A MakerWorld rating
• A manual entry
  …all with different titles and slight date differences.

What I Built

Every source is normalized into a common entry shape:

• title
• timestamp
• source links
• merge keys

Then entries are merged by:

• canonical URL keys
• source IDs (model/make IDs)
• normalized title keys (strict + loose)

Loose title logic strips noise words like platform names, “make of,” etc., so obvious matches merge even when titles differ.

Explicit alias and override support

Some duplicates are too human to solve with pure fuzzy logic, so we added manual aliasing and URL-level title overrides for known edge cases. This cleaned up recurring mismatches without risking broad false merges.

Placeholder handling

The log detects and handles placeholder titles (+1, numeric-only, Model #…, etc.).
For MakerWorld unpublished placeholders, it hides those entries entirely in the backdated list.

Better labeling and badges

The script standardized badges and added a Designed rule based on source semantics:

• Entries from Printables Make are not treated as designed by default.
• Entries from Printables Upload or explicit authored titles can be treated as designed.
• We moved Designed placement to improve readability across desktop/mobile layouts.

Filters that are actually useful

Backdated archive now supports filtering by:

• All
• Printables
• MakerWorld
• Cults
• 3MF
• Designed

Counts are integrated directly into the filter controls so the top section is compact and practical.

Mobile cleanup

A lot of effort went into responsive polish:

• better wrapping for long titles
• no overflow in hero/filter rows
• consistent badge placement
• cleaner hierarchy between date, title, and source badges

Why This Matters

Most personal maker logs fail because data quality collapses over time. This project solved that by treating the build log like a small production system:

• ingestion from multiple imperfect sources
• normalization
• deduplication
• explicit exceptions
• UI tuned for real-world readability

The result is a log I can trust and maintain, not just a pretty page.

What’s Next

• Fill missing titles for older Printables make IDs via targeted enrich passes.
• Add admin UX improvements for faster manual corrections.
• Keep expanding the monthly log while auto-merging into the historical archive.

If you’re building in public, this is the real work behind “just keeping a build log”: data cleanup, source trust, and repeatable structure. The UI is the easy part.

Monthly Build Log

What It Does

The tool lets you:

• Enter up to 14 contacts
• Use either an external number (123-456-7890) or a short Tin Can number (400790)
• Upload profile photos
• Set up to 4 speed-dial contacts with custom icon badges
• Add “My Phone Numbers” and an emergency 911 area
• Generate and download a letter-size PDF ready to print

It also supports lightweight profile links (?profile=…) so you can come back later and edit your entries.

Design Direction

I wanted the printed output to feel kid-friendly and clear:

• Big names and numbers
• Strong contrast
• Profile photos with rounded corners
• Spacious cards for easier scanning
• Tin Can-inspired color palette and framing

A lot of the work was layout tuning for print behavior: margins, clipping safety, spacing rhythm, and making sure output stayed readable across different contact counts.

Technical Notes

Built as a single index.php app using PHP + GD.

Key implementation details:

• PDF is generated from a rendered canvas and returned as a downloadable file
• Phone normalization for external numbers (auto-format to dashed style when possible)
• Image-path + file-upload support, with fallback avatar behavior
• Speed-dial rendering logic adapts to selected count
• Row reordering in the form via up/down controls
• Mobile-friendly form improvements, with a “desktop is best” hint

Tradeoffs and Lessons

• Browser/server font differences are real in image-based PDF workflows
• Print-safe margins matter more than on-screen pixel perfection
• “Simple” form interactions (like reorder UX) can be the fiddliest part
• For family tools, convenience features (like saved profiles) need clear privacy messaging

Why I Made It

This is part utility, part experiment in “small software with a real use.”

One page. No account required. No app download. Just a printable contact sheet that kids can actually use.

If you want to try it, you can use the live generator here:
https://mvmp.cc/tincan/

Questions or feedback: m@mvmp.cc

Because the existing twist shifter takes up some of the handlebar, you’ll need to replace the grips as well. These are about the same size and come in fun colors: (Amazon) (Ergon Ga3)

Once you have the parts, you just need a few hex keys. Put the bike in 8th gear and ideally off the ground.

Remove the cable from the derailleur with a 5mm and pull the cable through all of the attachment points.

Loosen the old handlebar grip and twist grip shifter with a 2mm and take them both off. Thread the new cable through the same points, tighten everything back up, and tighten the cable to the rear derailleur under tension. You should be all set!

For all three options below, I use wheel straps on both wheels like this from QuikrStuff or this from Nite Ize. I’ll also use a cable lock for one more layer of security. QuikrStuff also has wheel locks but they often don’t align quite right with these larger bikes.

Tern HSD

Good fit. Feels secure. Shorter wheel well means it sits better on the tray.

Tern GSD Gen 1

Decent fit, nearly meets the middle of the rear wheel. Feels secure.

Tern GSD Gen 2

Slightly iffy fit, barely grabs onto the rear wheel due to the integrated lower decks / Sidekick Wide Decks. Definitely use wheel straps. I’ve done this many times and haven’t had any problems.

Materials:

• Urban Arrow Seatbelt Harness Fidlock Buckle
• 1.5″ Black Webbing
• 3× M6 x 12mm 20Pcs Flat Head Hex Socket Cap Screws Bolts
• 6× M6 Stainless Flat Washers
• 3× M6 Black Acorn Cap Nuts or M6-1.0mm Black Zinc Plated Nylon Lock Nuts
• Tern Captain’s Chair

Instructions:

• Attach the captain’s chair to the HSD/GSD following the normal instructions
• Wrap the top ends of the shoulder straps around the bars over the back end of the captain’s chair. Drill holes in the webbing where the existing hole overlaps. Stick a bolt, two washers, and nut through to secure each side. I criss-crossed the two straps so they wouldn’t come undone over the sides.
• Cut a strip of the extra webbing about 2′ long and wrap it around the middle of the captain’s chair base.
• Line up the webbing strap with the existing base strap of the harness, folding the base strap over each side. You’ll end up with 4 holes (harness / new webbing belt / new webbing belt / harness). Drill three new holes and stick a bolt with washers through it all.
• Tighten everything and you’re done!

Thanks to this post on Reddit for the idea!

We never actually made it to a roaster in Geneva – instead we stopped during a connection in Bern. But I thought about that shirt for a long time and wanted to find one when we got home.

No luck finding one for sale, and in efforts to recreate it, it felt right to learn more about the original “thing&thing&thing” shirt design.

In 2001, Experimental Jetset designed the ‘John & Paul & Ringo & George’ t-shirt for Japanese label 2K/Gingham. Full details here

It’s unclear if the “correct” typeface is Helvetica (the design was featured in Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface, after all) or Helvetica Neue Heavy (as described in correspondence posted on fontsinuse.com)

I went with Helvetica Neue Heavy and put together this design – now available for sale on Spreadshirt

We love our Yoto! But for long trips I wanted a MP3 player backup as an alternate to load all of our content and not worry about bringing dozens of cards. And on our last big trip the Yoto mini had a SD fail, so a cheap MP3 player would serve as a backup too.

I narrowed down the many Amazon listings to 5 players under $50 and bought them all to run some tests. Here we go! In no particular order, rankings and reviews below.

For each player I loaded 10 Ladybird cards and a few music albums by Tycho. All new players are USB-C and have Bluetooth. I didn’t test any photo, video, or recording functions. The iPod was purchased from eBay.

Note: This of course requires that you have the MP3 content – this is why I generally try to buy files from Audible or Libro.FM and make MYO cards.

1) DODOSOUL 128GB $34 – Bad file management

Pros: Very solid metal body. Good form factor and physical power and volume buttons. Has a mini-SD card slot to expand past 128GB. Internal speaker is loud and can easily be disabled. Easy to read Now Playing screen.

Cons: No USB-C file transfer! Lots of weird ._hidden file issues when you copy files from a Mac. Lots of manual cleanup required, makes the file structure a mess! Doesn’t seem to support album artwork.

Includes: White earbuds, USB-C to USB-A cable, small lanyard, micro-SD card reader

Result: Returned

2) Phinistec Z6 96GB $40 – Overbuilt and heavy

Pros: Built like a tank. Maybe that’s actually a con? Much larger than the rest of the options here. Has a Line-Out jack – that might be helpful to some? Easy to read Now Playing screen.

Cons: Metal body and glass back feel very heavy. Glass back seems like an accident waiting to happen. Just feels overbuilt in general. Built in 32GB + 64GB Micro SD card = 96GB. Somewhat awkward to split files between internal and external storage.

Includes: USB-C to USB-A cable, micro-SD card reader

Result: Returned

3) Majority 64GB $40 – Fake “wheel” is frustrating to use

Pros: Shows album artwork and is easy to read. Physical power and volume buttons are nice. Now Playing screen is useful and easy to read. Solid build and feels good in-hand. External speaker can easily be disabled in settings.

Cons: Circular navigation buttons aren’t actually a scroll wheel and can feel non-intuitive to navigate. I want it to click like an iPod but it’s a touch-sensitive button. Folder view is non-alphabetical and nearly useless. Artist and Album views work fine but require correctly organized MP3 tagging.  No Micro-SD card included. Built-in USB-C transfer is VERY slow. Switching between card and internal storage is somewhat awkward – you can’t view both at the same time.

Includes: Black earbuds, USB-C to USB-A cable, small lanyard

Result: Tried for 3 weeks and returned.

4) AGPTEK A02X 32GB $30 – Too cheap and flimsy

Pros: So small and light! Album artwork works properly and the Now Playing screen is easy to read. Locking on/off button.

Cons: Built-in USB-C file transfer is very slow. The software interface is SO JANKY and is hard to use. Feels like the cheapest of these by far. I might accidentally snap it in half? Does not come with a Micro-SD card.

Includes: USB-C to USB-A cable

Result: Returned

5) Innioasis 128GB $45 – Nearly perfect but very hard to read track info

Pros: The color and shape – it’s a lovely iPod knockoff. Feels great in the hand. USB-C file transfer is fast. Supports “Audiobook” file format which is just MP3 files that keeps your place as you listen/turn off the player. Very handy for longer Yoto story content! 

Cons: No Micro-SD expansion slot. Any files with album artwork are nearly impossible to read – for some reason the Now Playing view puts the artwork in the background and foreground and the text is completely illegible on top. This would be so easily solved if you could turn off the background display. Dealbreaker for me since it’s SO HARD to read the track info. (Manually removing all embedded album artwork is an option but who wants to do that?!). No way to view Albums by Artist – if you click on Artist it shows all individual tracks.

Includes: Black earbuds and USB-C to USB-A cable

Result: Returned

6)  AGPTEK 64GB $46 – Best of the Amazon options

Pros: Buttons make sense – while not a iPod scroll wheel, the up/down/left/right are logical and easy to use. Physical power and volume buttons are nice. External speaker can easily be disabled in settings. Built-in USBC transfer is slow but works fine. Folder view works well to navigate nested albums.

Cons: Album artwork doesn’t always display properly. No Micro-SD card included. Switching between card and internal storage is somewhat awkward – you can’t view both at the same time. Now playing screen has too much data and could be simpler.

Includes: Black earbuds, USB-C to USB-A cable, small lanyard

Result: Keeping for now!

7)  Apple iPod Nano 3rd gen 8GB $30 – Well designed and reliable

Pros: Navigation is well designed and all makes sense! No internal speaker. Very lightweight.

Cons: 30-pin dock connector requires a special cable, but you can buy a USBC version. Very limited storage size, no Micro-SD expansion. No bluetooth. Can be difficult to sync music files. Album art can be difficult to display correctly.

Result: Keeping for now!

——-

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from the above links

It’s a fairly simple process, but unfortunately you do need to break 4 tabs on the screen to access the SD card. This is likely why the unit is not user-repairable, and does not fall under Yoto’s “Right to Repair” documentation. They only provide instructions for the full sized Yoto Gen 2 here. Thankfully the screen goes back in place without the little tabs – I’m not worried about it falling apart once reassembled.

My player had a 16GB Sandisk card. I used a 64GB Lexar card from Amazon. You’ll also need a small Philips screwdriver (P00) and some sort of small flathead to pry (I used 2.5mm). Both come in the lovely iFixit Mako driver kit.

Teardown instructions:

Before you start, use Yoto’s instructions to format the new card as FAT / FAT32 here.

Use a very thin flat head screwdriver to pry out the two orange knobs on the front. They require a bit of force to remove. Then use a pair of pliers to grab the nuts and unscrew them. Set them aside with their washers and knobs somewhere safe. (If you happen to lose one of the washers like I did, here’s a 3D printable replacement)

Peel off the silicon feet – they’re just sticky.  Unscrew the 2 Phillips head screws from under the feet pads and put them somewhere safe. These have flush/flat heads.

Use a very thin flat head screwdriver to gently pry open all around the edge. You might have to do some scary feeling tugging to get the top part. Be as gentle as you can but it came apart after some careful maneuvering to get the latches undone with the screwdriver as a lever. You’ll want to push the bottom side out to get the clips away from the top.

Now you will see the battery pack. Maybe this is replaceable to fix the recall issue? No idea, that’s another project. There are two screws, one on each side. These are raised Phillips head. Unscrew them and put them somewhere safe, preferably labeled so you remember which goes where.

There are 4 more screws under the pack that willneed to be removed. Be careful with the battery so you don’t damage it. You may want to unplug it from its little socket. Mine was glued on so I completed the remaining steps with it still attached to the board.

The SD card slot is underneath the screen. The screen unit itself unfortunately it held on with 4 small plastic bits that go through the board. I had to cut off the tiny bits that went through – use an exacto knife or your small flathead screwdriver. Once those 4 bits were removed, the screen and holder easily came off.

Underneath, the SD card is in a hinged case. Use a fingernail to gently push the top of the casing back to unlock, then lift. Remove the SD card and replace in the same orientation, making sure the notches match up. Close and slide the hinge top forward to lock it.

Replace the screen. and put it all back together in the opposite order. Be aware that the screen holder will no longer be completely attached since you broke the 4 little tabs. Be careful reassembling so that it lines up correctly with the front panel. Same for the speaker.

Screw it back together. Replace the battery pack. Slide the back together, replace the feet screws, washers nuts and knobs, and silicon feet. You may have to finish with a factory reset – I didn’t have to.

Of note: The files on the previous SD card do not have extensions, but are nested in folders per-card and are playable as MP3 if you add “.mp3” to the filenames. It’s an interesting way to get to the files themselves if you’re inclined. 

I also added a walkthrough on iFixit

Thanks to initial instructions from Reddit to get me started!

I purchased a 1UP 2″ 2x Super Duty rack in May 2022 to use on our Subaru Crosstrek to carry our Tern GSD ebike, road bikes, and kids bikes. It worked ok, but I never loved it. It was hard to adjust between the 4 bike sizes, awkward to install to the car hitch, hard to lock, and hard to pull the release to lower.

I learned about the QuikrStuff Mach2 and saw that it fixed most of my complaints. I purchased the base rack, waited a few months, and got it in October 2023. It mostly solves my issues! I then purchased an addon tray, 4x locks, license plate holder, and ramp. Thankfully it all shipped within a few days – no waiting for return customers!

Thankfully I was able to sell my 1UP on Craigslist for nearly what I paid a few days later. Here are some quick comparison notes.

Price for 2x 1UP 2″ 2x Super Duty Rack: $1165

• Super duty 2” $460
• Addon tray $295
• Ramp long $159
• 4x locks $24 each, $96
• License plate $56
• EZ Pull $99

Price for QuikrStuff $1762

• Mach2 2” $699
• Addon tray $499
• Ramp $249
• 4x locks $59 each, $236
• License plate bracket $79

Lead time

• QuikrStuff: 2-3 months for the base rack purchase. But anything after that (addon trays, accessories) ships within a few days.
• 1Up: In stock, ships same week.
• If you can plan ahead, the QuikrStuff wait isn’t that bad

Weight limit – single bike

• 1UP Super Duty 75lbs
• Mach2 120 lbs
• Both work fine for my heavy Tern GSD ebike (Photo)

Addon tray install / storage

• QuickrStuff Mach2: no tools, comes with a lock and matching key. Takes 20 seconds to add/remove. No bolts! But see complaint below. You can add trays in the future and they’ll match the keys by default. Very easy to fold and store
• 1UP: I only had the two bike model, so I can’t compare addons. But I much prefer having one tray always live on the hitch, and to add the second one if/when needed. Much easier to lift and store the one tray than the heavy combined unit.

Lock matching

• 1Up won’t match old locks. Such a weird, shortsighted policy! https://1up-usa.com/product/wheel-lock-1-4-turn
• QuikrStuff matches keys from your order history.

Single finger pull adjustment “easy access pivot trigger”

• I spent 100 on the 1UP EZ Pull accessory and it still didn’t work well – it required an awkward crouch and tons of jiggling. Always was a hassle.
• The Mach2 is so easy by comparison – a single finger latch. Automatically extends with addon trays as well so you never have to reach under the car.

Tray adjustment, tool free

• I no longer have to carry around a 1/2” wrench with me
• Easy to change between ebike, road bike, kids 20” bike

Ramp

• Much easier usage than 1up. Just look at the instruction manuals. No hardware changes needed. It costs more though, and feels overpriced for what it is.
• https://1up-usa.com/product/v-style-ramp $122
• https://quikrstuff.com/product/ramp/ $249

Improved hitch / hitch lock

• Much improved tension system, feels much more secure
• Here’s what they have to say about it: https://quikrstuff.com/ufaqs/how-does-the-new-quik-rack-mach2-compare-to-the-old-quik-rack/

Now, onto the QuikrStuff complaints and my “hacks” / improvements

1. Ramp doesn’t come with end covers (Photo). You can buy 2 of them from QuickrStuff for $15 each. Seems a little cheap on a $250 rack purchase.
2. Ramp doesn’t come drilled to support the license plate bracket accessory. From support “The ramp doesn’t really obstruct the license plate from the view of traffic coming up behind you. If you are standing directly behind the rack it does, but from 15 feet away at car height it is visible“. So I purchased a set of SAE Drill & Tap Bits from Amazon, made a hole, and bolted on the bracket holder accessory. You can buy extras of that from QuikrStuff for $15.
3. The no-tool arm tighteners usually don’t align right when you tighten them down. You have a 25% chance of doing it right on the first try – it’s annoying! The support reply suggested marking the bolt head in nail polish – not a great solution. Usually you try to tighten it randomly, fail, and then turn it 90 degrees to try again. I’m not really sure you save much time here over the 1UP bolts and 1/2” wrench.
4. Related to the above issue, sometimes the long gold arm tighteners hit the bike frame and can’t actually be tightened down – there’s just not enough clearance (Photo). This happens often with my Tern GSD cargo bike. My “no-tool” solution so far is to use 5/16-18-Inch Stainless Steel Wing Nuts instead of the gold arm. (Amazon)

Overall, I still love it! These minor issues are still better than what I had with the 1UP rack.

Update 2025 – I made a new post with photos showing the Tern GSD Gen 1, Tern GSD Gen 2, and Tern HSD carbo bikes

I posted that video to the Tern GSD Facebook group and a Tern rep asked to use it in an upcoming promotion – why not! They kindly mailed me a wooden GSD model that was a blast to assemble.

I hoped to share the model with friends, but Tern doesn’t sell the wooden model – it’s a promo-only item. So I did what any reasonable person would do and scanned each piece, created digital model files, and 3D printed the entire thing in custom colors for all our friends with bikes

I experimented with printing loose pieces as well as carded/flat pieces in a custom frame to best emulate the pop-out-of-wood feeling like the original model. I don’t love the extra plastic created by the frame, so I’ve mostly printed loose versions and stuck them in a manila envelope with instructions and a color-coded keychain.

How can I get one?

• You can download the files for free on Printables (GSD / HSD). If you don’t have a 3D printer, check with your local library!
• I also have printed a few on-demand for people from Etsy (GSD / HSD)
• You can download the Christmas tree ornament piece for both bikes at Printables.

Here are some filaments that I’ve found to be a good color match:

GSD Paint colors / Filament Names (names from Tern touch-up paint)

• Beetle Blue – Inland Light Blue PLA / Polymaker Aqua Blue PLA
• Dark Sage – Reflow rPLA Matte Sage / Polymaker Muted Green
• Dragonfruit – Bambulab Magenta PLA
• Tabasco – Hatchbox Orange PLA
• School Bus Yellow – Polymaker Savannah Yellow Matte PLA
• Forge Grey – Polymaker Fossil Grey Matte PLA
• Rhino Grey – Polymaker Fossil Grey Matte PLA
• Blue Grey – Polymaker Stone Blue PLA

HSD Paint colors / Filament Names (names from Tern touch-up paint)

• Red – Bambu Lab Red PLA
• Blue – Bambu Lab Cyan PLA
• Tundra – PLA MAX Blue Gray PLA
• Tarragon – Polymaker Muted Green PLA
• Dune – ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Beige
• Limon – Polymaker Lime Green PLA

————

Here are a few neighbor / friend photos of their bikes

We love our Yoto player, but it uses an easily broken and easily lost proprietary puck charger that’s $25 to replace. No thanks! The mini model uses USB-C and has the same 5V input as the larger model. Our charger broke a few days ago, so I decided to add USB-C charging before a trip. Works great so far!

Mount vs cable: I decided to use a mounted female usb-c port, but you could also leave a long female end dangling out the end, or even a long enough male cord which you could plug in directly.

Existing charger: I wanted to leave the puck-charger wired and working – so I connected the USB-C in parallel with the existing charger.

2 pin connectors: I didn’t want to cut any wires inside, so I bought matching male and female connectors to attach to the existing Yoto connectors. Works great and can easily be un-done in the future if needed.

Want to do it? Here’s what you need:

• JST-PH 2.0mm 2 Pin Connectors – male and female ($8 for 20, $0.40 each)
• USB C Male to Female Extension Cable ($10) OR you could get this one for $2.58 on Aliexpress OR this style for $7 might work well.
• 2x M3 x 12mm screws ($13 for 360, $0.03 each)
• 2x Solder seal wire connectors ($9 for 120, $0.07 each)

Total cost: $11. Cost if you use a spare USB-C cable and cut it in half: $1

You’ll need these tools:

• Small phillips screwdriver (PH1)
• Drill and various sized bits
• Hex key for M3 screws
• Wire cutters
• Heat gun for wire connectors

Gallery / Instructions:

That leaves a smoke alarm sensor like this from Abode, which is not a smoke alarm itself, but listens for other smoke alarms – specifically a UL 217 / T3 beep pattern. Does the Nest Protect do that?

Chat with Abode Support: “The Smoke Alarm Monitor detects the (T-3 tone/beeps) sounds produced by your existing smoke detector & when triggered, it transmits an encrypted wireless alarm signal to the abode Gateway and activates the gateways siren (pulsing sound). If the Nest sensor emits T-3 beep it will work.” (Screenshot)

Abode Support message: “I just verified that our system doesn’t work with nest products.” (Screenshot)

Reddit post 2/21/2020: “Yes, it will be picked up by the abode smoke alarm monitor (assuming it’s placed nearby). The alarm is standardized so all fire alarms sound about the same and I can also personally attest after burning something in my oven and setting it off (Nest protect went off, abode called to see if I was ok).” (Link)

Reddit Post 3/1/2020: No clear answers (Link)

Google Support Post 12/5/2021: No answers (Link)

So, maybe?  Maybe not? 

I purchased one to find out for myself.

And it works! There are beeps before/after the spoken part of the Nest warning that must be the T3 pattern.

In a real-world test (burned newspaper) the Nest Protect system went off and Abode triggered about 10 seconds later. I disarmed both, and then received a call from Abode Monitoring confirming if everything was OK and if the house was on fire. Screenshots below.

I’ll send this to Abode to confirm that their system does in fact work with Nest Protect.

Photo Gallery – Camping at Kirby Cove

Sourdough FAQ

Where is the starter from? 

I took a workshop from Sour Flour in June 2014 and got the starter from them. They said something like their starter was 7 years old and from Costa Rica if memory serves. Now the starter’s name is Puff.

What recipes have I used? 

I read Tartine Bread and Flour Water Salt Yeast to start, then found some good videos like this from Food52 and lots of time browsing /r/sourdough. I put together this adapted recipe, mostly based on Tartine with a few changes. It works well! Example images below. I’ve also made baguettes, english muffins and focaccia using the same starter. 

Where can I buy bread flour?

I’ve had the best luck with restaurant supply stores – get a 25lb bag for $15! Try gocheetah.com as well.

How do I feed / maintain my starter?

I follow a 10/50/50 ratio. Keep 10g of the original starter and toss (or use) the rest. Add 50g water and 50g flour. I normally use bread flour, but AP works just fine. Mix it all up and leave it on the counter overnight to get bubbly. If you’re baking often you can leave it out all the time and feed it every 2 days or so. Otherwise stick it in the fridge and you can go weeks between feedings.

Mission Bicycles Sutro – $1450

The Sutro comes with integrated hidden cabling, an 8-speed alfine internal hub, and hot track bike looks. On the other hand, at 24lb and $1450-1700 as spec’d, it seems pricey and pudgy for what it is. I’m tempted to buy the frameset alone for $400 and build it up myself.

Base Urban RD 1.0 – $1400

This bike drops the integrated cabling of the Sutro, but adds a greaseless belt drive and disc brakes, as well as cool cromoly tubes. I actually thought the disc brakes were a selling point, but after test-riding a bike with them the other day, I’m not convinced they’re any better than cantilevers. $1400ish from Australia.

Schindelhauer Ludwig VIII/XI – $2000

German belt-drive fan Jörg Schindelhauer specializes in classy fixed, singlespeed, and internally geared bikes with tight welds, chrome and leather accents, internal cables, and European track lines. Expect to pay for it, though- this 8-speed, 24lb Alfine Ludwig runs around $2000, but prices range from $1750 for the fixed-gear Viktor to over $4,000 for the Rohloff-equipped Ludwig XIV.

Spot Brand Ajax / Acme – $2000

The spec list is similar to the Base Urban bike- Alfine, belt drive, and disc brakes- but adds a carbon fork, flat bars, and chainguard. The $1500 Ajax comes with 8-speed Alfine and a matte black finish; the $2100 (what a jump!) Acme has a polished silver frame and 11-speed Alfine.

New: Lekker Amsterdam Elite NuVinci – $1200

Dutch designed, Australian-made with a NuVinci N330 & Gates Belt Drive. Only three frame sizes, but still plenty appealing with a price tag under $1200.

New: Priority Continuum Onyx – $1100

New: Marin Presidio 3 – $980

New: Breezer Beltway 8 – $1099

Upcoming: Mission Bicycles Stinson Commuter

Outfitted with a Shimano Alfine 8-speed internally geared drivetrain and Gates carbon belt drive. Ships in November. Kickstarter price of $1800. Full retail of $2300.

SNOO uses 2.4Ghz and WPA2 security. eero primarily uses 5Ghz with a hidden 2.4Ghz fallback and WPA2 PSK AES. This sounds like it should work, but it doesn’t.

SNOO doesn’t support mesh networks and shows each eero base/beacon as separate networks / duplicate SSIDs. No other device in the house does this, and eero was very surprised to hear this. Screenshot below (sheep / sheep’s clothing networks)

From SNOO customer support: “We have had known issues with snoo not connecting to Eero routers due to the mesh network. We have had a few customers were successful with connecting. However, if they become disconnected, they can’t get back online.”

Even if the secondary beacons are unplugged and you connect to the base station directly, you’ll then see a “Wrong Password” error even if the password is entered correctly. My guess is this is due to SNOO not fully supporting WPA2 PSK AES.

If you think you’ll find a quick fix by disabling your password entirely, you’d be mistaken – the SNOO app requires a password even for networks without security.

From SNOO customer support: Unfortunately, snoo does not support open networks.

While not using the SNOO app is an an option, if you have a mesh network setup and a high-end smart bassinet, I’m assuming that’s not ideal for you either. After some back and forth with both eero and SNOO, I decided to purchase a secondary “dumb” 2.4Ghz router for $20, the D-Link N 300. We now have a secondary “snoo” network which works just fine alongside our eero.

Ugh. It’s that time of year again. Thankfully we only found nine new pumpkin beers this year, because I don’t know how we would have managed if we’d found a jackpot.

Pumpkin Pie De Brettaville – Almanac Brewing Co: 5/10
Tastes like apple cider vinegar spritzer.

“Rumpkin” Imperial Pumpkin Ale in Rum Barrels – Avery Brewing: 8/10
Very sweet. Complex. Drinks like a fall cocktail.

“Pump[KY]n” Bourbon Barrel Aged Ale with Spices – Avery Brewing: 6/10
Too sweet. Not balanced.

Basic Fish – Ballast Point: 7/10
Pumpkin spice gose containing lactose; good dose of spices but not so much pumpkin. Tangy and drinkable!

Funkier Pumpkin – Boulevard Brewing Co: 7/10
Kinda of sweet with allspice notes in the back of your throat at the finish. Not particularly pumpkiny but good.

Los Vivos y Los Muertos – Jolly Pumpkin Brewing: 7/10
Made with lime and pumpkin, yet somehow subtlely sour. No overt pumpkin flavor but very drinkable. Good with spicy food.

Oakdale Pumpkin Ale – Laughing Monk: 6/10
Clean. Sweet. Very spiced. Pumpkin forward, poor finish.

Pumpkin Ale – Tap Room No. 21 / Rivertown Brewing Co: 3/10
Smells sweet. Tastes bland. Like off brand cola.

Pumpkin Milk Stout – Belching Beaver: 5/10
“One of the best stouts I’ve had in awhile”, but not really pumpkin or pie spiced

14 in 2011 | 3 in 2012 | 15 in 2013 | 9 in 2014 | 5 in 2015 | 9 in 2016

Pumpkin Ale – Alaskan Brewing: 6/10 

Average pumpkin beer. But sweeter than the norm!

Sour Pumpkin 2015 – Almanac: 7/10
(Draft.) Toasty flavors with a nice sour kick. Not particularly pumpkiny or spicy, but very drinkable (for a high proof sour).

Pumpkin Falls Ale – American River: 6/10
Great paired with a fall-ish quinoa bowl. A little sweetness, a little spice – solid.

Pumpkin Down Scottish Ale – Ballast Point: 3/10
This is BP’s Piper Down Scottish Ale brewed with pumpkins. Maybe the regular Scottish ale tastes good but this tastes like cough syrup. No pumpkin flavor at all. Hardly drinkable.

Funky Pumpkin Sour – Boulevard Brewing Co.: 2/10
Strangely tastes like ginger ale to start, then on the finish shifts to a lackluster nothingness of flavor.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale – Brooklyn Brewery: 4/10
Below average. Gets worse as you drink it.

Black Pumpkin Oatmeal Stout – Buffalo Bill’s Brewery: 7/10
Surprisingly good for Buffalo Bill’s! We all liked it.

The Dapper Skeleton – Burnside Brewing Co: 6/10
Smoky like mezcal, but not particularly pumpkiny. Nice spice/heat level if you’re into that. (Max abstains from rating.)

Red Betty Spiced Pumpkin Ale – Central City Brewers + Distillers: 6/10
Nicely spiced. Drinkable. Creamy.

Patrick O’ Pumpkin – Central City Brewers + Distillers: 4/10
Dark and heavy – good if you’re into that. (Serious bonus: Hilarious comic back story on their website!)

Punk’ In Drublic Imperial Pumpkin Ale – Coronado Brewing Company: 3/10
Malty, somewhat bitter. Not pumpkin. Didn’t want to drink it.

Night Owl Pumpkin Ale – Elysian Brewing Company: 5/10
Overwhelming cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. Drinkable.

Pumpkin Lager Beer – Lakefront Brewery: 7/10
Pumpkin flavor, somewhat sweet.

Pumpkin Ale – Laurelwood: 4/10
Your average pumpkin beer.

Barking Pumpkin – Magnolia: 5/10
Drinkable brown ale. No trace of pumpkin.

Engine 45 – Mendocino Brewing: 4/10
Boring. Not enthused.

Pumpkin Ale Seasonal – Mendocino Brewing Company: 5/10
Our 50th pumpkin beer! Unfortunately, this starts nicer than it finishes. Some pumpkin spice flavor, but the finish is medicinal / cleaning products. Probably the cocoa nibs?

Imperial Pumpkin Sleigh’r – Ninkasi: 4/10
Dark. Strong. Not worth drinking.

Schadenfreude – Parallel 49: 4/10
Some say this tastes like cherry cough syrup. Others beg to differ and think it’s a decent malty pumpkin ale.

Crooked Tooth Pumpkin Ale – Phillips Brewing Company: 6/10  Lovely pumpkin flavor

Crooked’er Tooth Barrel Aged Pumpkin Ale – Phillips Brewing Company: 5/10
Heavy ginger notes – good, but too big of a flavor.

Pumpkin Batch – Samuel Adams: 5/10
Drinkable, hoppy on the finish. Not much pumpkin flavor.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Smashed Pumpkin – Shipyard: 5/10
We were skeptical about trying this because we’ve been sadly disappointed by Shipyard’s two other pumpkin offerings. As a pumpkin beer, it’s over the top and just too much at 12%. But the incredible bourbon notes and high proof make great sparkling cocktails. (Just add a little bourbon, fresh apple juice and lemon juice – woo!)

Pumpkin Pedaler – Stormbreaker: 7/10
Solid pumpkin beer, with a sweet finish.

Pumpkin Lambicus – Timmermans: 7/10
Our first European pumpkin beer comes from Belgium! It tastes great, like a slightly sour cider. Very drinkable. No pumpkin at all.

RATE CHECK!

Great Punkin Ale – Renaissance Brewing: 8/10
Accidentally bought this ale again because we thought there was no way we’d had a pumpkin beer from New Zealand. (What an incredible find in 2013, no less.) Nice and dark with great pumpkin flavors, we upped our rating by 1 to an 8 this time around!

14 in 2011 | 3 in 2012 | 15 in 2013 | 17 in 2014 | 25 in 2015 | 9 in 2016

Dark Pumpkin Sour – Almanac Beer Co: 8/10
Max abstained from this tasting because he doesn’t care for sour beers in general. Great flavor, though not very pumpkiny. It was flat and full of sediment though, so it seems like we got a dud bottle. Will try again and revise! Edited (original rating 6/10): Kristan’s second bottle was a perfect sour. The first bottle was indeed a dud.

Fermentation Without Representation – Epic & DC Brau Brewing Co: 6/10
Kristan liked it more than Max. Good, but not great. Low pumpkin content.

Gore’d (draft) – Avery Brewing (Boulder, CO): 8/10 (7 base points + 1 pumpkin point)
Smooth, well balanced beer with a light nutmeg and allspice aroma. Not a strong pumpkin flavor – more towards pumpkin pie spice.

Gourdgeous – Hangar 24: 6/10
Good imperial porter. But it’s not a pumpkin beer. Molasses beer, maybe….

The Great Pumpkin Ale – Steamworks Brewing Company: 7.5/10
Strangely we found our second Canadian entry right after we drank the first. Same great label info in another pretty design. But onto the beer! It contains several spices, none of which is overwhelming. The style is not too heavy or too light. Overall a solid beer, that’s just not quite as good as its B.C. neighbor.

He Said (Tripel) – 21st Amendment Brewery / Elysian Brewing: 4/10
Too strong, not pumpkiny, not even really spicy. Bland strong beer. Really wanted it to be better.

He Said (Baltic Porter) – 21st Amendment Brewery / Elysian Brewing: 4/10
Better than the Tripel in that the style seemed more “fall”, but we ended up using most of it to put out a campfire.

Pinchy Jeek Barl – Anderson Valley Brewing Company: 8/10
Wow! If this is what happens when you age beer, I can’t wait to age beer. Or cocktails. Or cats. But seriously, this was some great beer. Maybe not great pumpkin beer, but great beer. And that 8.5% was appreciated.

Pumpkick – New Belgium Brewing: 8.5/10
Smooth, drinkable. A little tart, presumably from the cranberries. Very good!

Five more from Southern CA Whole Foods

Pumpkin Ale – Bootlegger’s Brewery: 4/10
Max didn’t like this at all, but Kristan drank most of the bottle. But she agrees, it’s not great. There’s a taste that we can’t place that reminds Max of cleaning products.

Pumpkineater – Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company: 8/10
Our first Canadian pumpkin beer! Amazingly drinkable for an 8.2% beer. Not particularly pumpkiny, but a nice spicy flavor and a full body. Good with friends given the liter bottle! Great label design with a lot of info- maybe that’s a Canadian thing, but we wholeheartedly agree that IBUs, color, hop variety, etc. should be on bottles!

Saranac Pumpkin Ale – Matt Brewing Company: 5/10
Somewhat flat, not very flavorful.

Smoked Pumpkin Cider – Tieton Cider Works: 2/10
Reminiscent of orange soda. In a bad way. No discernible pumpkin or spice or smoke.

Superstition – Black Market Brewing Co: 5.5/10
We couldn’t decide if we did or didn’t like this one, but we did manage to finish 22oz. Neither pumpkiny or spicy, Superstition had a caramel flavor with vanilla notes on the finish. Not bad, but unexpected for a pumpkin ale.

Treat – Midnight Sun Brewing Co: 5/10
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a porter.  Unfortunately, one with no discernible pumpkin or spiced flavours.Maybe we’re just sick of pumpkin beers at this point — this was our second to last taste for 2014.

Trickster – Midnight Sun Brewing Co: 4/10
Bitter and one dimensional

Witch’s Hair Pumpkin Ale – Twisted Manzanita Ales: 9/10
Fantastic! Somewhat sweet, but very drinkable for the ABV. Good pumpkin flavor, some spice elements as well

14 in 2011 | 3 in 2012 | 15 in 2013 | 17 in 2014 | 25 in 2015 | 9 in 2016

Filmed in Whitefish Montana on July 4th with a DJI Phantom 2 Vision+

Two more videos: my first “dronie” and a flyover during our engagement party.

• Ritual Roasters – Seersucker Espresso, Sweet Tooth Espresso
• Martha & Bros – House Blend
• Philz Coffee – Julie’s Ultimate
• Blue Bottle Coffee – SFMOMA Blend
• Four Barrel Coffee – Friendo Blendo Espresso

Purchased Locally, Roasted Elsewhere

• Northbound Coffee Roasters – Tiger Rose Espresso (Puchased at Stanza, roasted in Mt Shasta, CA)
• Handsome Coffee Roasters – Dandy Espresso (Purchased at Rainbow Grocery, roasted in Los Angeles)
• Barefoot Coffee Roasters – Boss Espresso (Purchased at Rainbow Grocery, roasted in San Jose)
• Quills Coffee Co – Black Smith Espresso (Purchased at Stanza, roasted in Louisville, KY)

Purchased Elsewhere / Online

• Verve Coffee Roasters – Rafael Lozano Espresso, Holiday Blend 2012 (Santa Cruz, CA)
• Blackcoffee Roading Co – Vinyl Espresso (Missoula, MT)
• Kuma Coffee Roasters – Nombre de Dios Espresso (Seattle, WA)
• Caffe Fiore – Espresso Blend (Seattle, WA)
• Madcap Coffee Company – Third Coast Blend (Grand Rapids, MI)

Inspired by this Reddit post

And so it continues for the third year running. We’re at a whopping 32 and we’re not done yet!

The Great Pumpkin Ale – Cambridge Brewing Company 6/10
Claims to be New England’s first pumpkin ale, which, having just seen the plethora of pumpkin ales in New England, seems to a bit unlikely given that the brewery’s only been around since 1989. Nevertheless, the ale is good, with a hint of pumpkin flavor and a delightful lack of the “pumpkin pie spices” that seems to characterize most pumpkin ales. Edited: We tried this again in 2014 and once again rated it as a 6 — without checking what our previous rating was first. Consistency!

Pumple Drumkin Spiced Ale – Cisco Brewers Inc 6/10
Light, good beer. Little pumpkin taste

Roadsmary’s Baby – Two Roads Brewing Company 4/10
Darker beer, somewhat spicy

Fat Jack – Samuel Adams Brewery 4/10
Nothing special here

Imperial Pumpkin Ale – Weyerbacher Brewing Co 4/10
This bottle cracked when opening which may have skewed my opinion slightly. Decent dark beer, faint spice, reminiscent of chai, but not really pumpkin.

Pumpkin Ale – Long Trail Brewing Co. 8/10
Light, crisp. Pumpkin aftertaste

Imperial Pumpkin – Long Trail Brewing Co. 5/10
Dark, caramel, higher alcohol, not very pumpkin

Jacko Traveler Shandy – The Traveler Beer Co. 6/10
An enjoyable drink, very heavy on the lemon flavoring. Too sweet to drink more than a glass.

Fall Hornin – Anderson Valley 9/10
Yum! Medium bodied with strong pumpkin taste

Great Punkin – Renaissance Brewing 7/10
Dark, full bodied, rich pumpkin pie spice taste

Pumpkin Porter – Alaskan Brewing 2/10
Terrible smokey/ashey aftertaste (approx 4.5 seconds after). Doesn’t taste like pumpkins. Tastes like bad beer.

Pumpkin Porter – Red Hook Brewing 4/10
Better than Alaskan. Not ashy. Not really pumpkiny.

Pumpkin Patch Ale – Rogue Farms 10/10
Delicious with lots of pumpkin. This is what pumpkin ales should taste like.

Heirloom Pumpkin Barleywine – Almanac Beer Co 8/10
500lbs of heirloom pumpkins makes for a strong and spicy barleywine. Yum.

Maverick’s Pumpkin Harvest Ale – Half Moon Bay Brewing Co. 7.5/10
Pumpkin pie aroma, sharp mouthfeel. Decent beer overall.

14 in 2011 | 3 in 2012 | 15 in 2013 | 17 in 2014 | 25 in 2015 | 9 in 2016

The tasting continues for 2012!

Our rating scale relates to the pumpkin beer as a whole. We rated the beer itself on a 1-10 scale and then added or subtracted based on the overall “pumpkin-ness” of the beer.

(Imperial) Pumking – Southern Tier Brewing (7/10)
Crisp IPA with a strong pumpkin aroma and initial taste. Light color, standard head. “Bewitched and brewed with pagan spirit”.

Fruit Crate Pumpkin Ale – Hermitage Brewing (4/10)
Brown ale lacking pumpkin flavor or spice. A nice change from the typical pumpkin lager, but disappointing overall.

Ace Pumpkin Cider  – The California Cider Company (3/10)
Vaguely interesting at first, but the novelty wears off  quickly midway through a six-pack. Too thin, too sweet, and pretty bad overall.

14 in 2011 | 3 in 2012 | 15 in 2013 | 17 in 2014 | 25 in 2015 | 9 in 2016

Lomo LC-A / Sold

The LOMO LC-A (Lomo Kompakt Automat) is a fixed lens, 35 mm film, leaf shutter, zone focus, compact camera introduced in 1984. The design is based on the Cosina CX-2.

Fun and solidly built russian 35mm camera. Example photos. Bought from Lomography for $250 in 2006.

Diana+ / Sold

The Diana camera is a plastic-bodied box camera utilizing 120 rollfilm. Most versions take 16 photographs per roll in a non-standard format of 4.2cm square using a simple plastic meniscus lens, although some are capable of 12 6 x 6cm exposures. Originally marketed as an inexpensive novelty gift item, the Diana was later used by professional photographers to take soft focus, impressionistic photographs somewhat reminiscent of the Pictorialist Period of artistic photography, but using contemporary themes and concepts.[1] Ten years after the Diana disappeared from the market, another inexpensive box camera of similar concept, the Holga, would also become the camera of choice of some professional photographers.

Great 120 format camera. Here are a few example images I’ve shot.  Bought for $50 in 2007 from Lomography

Lensless Camera Company Pinhole 4×5 Wood Camera (75mm Wide-Angle Focal Length) – Sold

From the Lensless Camera Mfg. Co. No need to load these cameras in the darkroom: simply use cut film holders or Polaroid backs like those used with lensed cameras. If you prefer, do it the traditional way, load the film in the darkroom using the back that comes with the camera. The standard camera is made from 1/2 in. 9-ply Baltic Birch plywood, walnut stained with a polyurethane finish, with vertical and horizontal tripod mounts. Using 4 in. x 5 in. format 400 ISO film or #52 Polaroid, exposure time in bright noon-day sun is about 4 seconds.

Sheet film and polaroid backs are awesome and a great way to learn about longer exposures. Here are a few examples of images shot with this guy. Bought for $75 from Freestyle in 2006

Polaroid 545 4×5″ back – Sold

The Polaroid Land Film Holder #545 is a film holder for 4×5″ large format view cameras. It can be used like a common film holder, clamped between matte screen frame and camera, but it is much heavier. That’s because it’s used with Polaroid’s special 4×5 enveloped instant film sheets. The film holder doesn’t take the common Polaroid film packs. It’s just usable with single sheets of that special enveloped instant film which was available until ca. 2005 . Ca. 12 different variants of that film were made, with film speeds from ASA 50 to ASA 3000 for black and white positives on paper, and in a smaller speed range for color positives on paper, and one version for making black and white negative and positive at once (the negative needing an extra fixing bath).

Works with the pinhole camera above. Paid $60 in 2006

Manfrotto 732YB Camera Backpack – Sold

Versatile camera backpack designed to hold a tripod, SLR body, a lens or two, and a  15″ laptop. The camera pouch is removable and the bag converts to a shoulder/sling bag.

Sells on Amazon (with a tripod) for $145.

Exporting the 65mb iTunes Library XML file seemed like a reasonable start, but the file was too large to actually do anything with. Excel crashed. Numbers crashed. Even Google Docs didn’t know what to do with it.

Trying to split the file didn’t work well either, as even TextMate could barely handle the file. Sure, I could have done some command line kung-fu, but it was late and I’d never dealt much with XML files before. So I turned to Google.

After a dozen failed searches, I came across a Java applet from a few years back called Super Analyzer. It charts library growth as well as a multitude of other fun things. Here’s a few examples of what it turned up from my library:

Download PDF (55MB)