Orbital Owl @Zuph@octodon.social

Hello World #introductions

I'm Brad, 31, he/him, in the US Midwest, and an engineer working on cool space hardware.

Stuff I like and am good at:
- Electronics
- Embedded Programming
- Cooking
- Hiking
- Tabletop Games

Stuff I like and am getting better at:
- Knitting
- Sewing
- RATS RATS RATS
- Web Programming

Stuff I want to do:
- Start a commune with all my friendos
- Fully Automated Luxury Gay Space Communism

I love used books for the bits of ephemera found inside. Someone used their 2001-2002 National Geographic membership card as a bookmark in this book. I quit reading the book because it was terrible, but now I'm using their card as a bookmark in a better book.

Half of my pins fell off my bag on this trip, and even though I didn't lose any of them, this is less than ideal.

Now how are people going to know I support direct action or enjoy witchcraft and rats?

Today's mood is just picking up the candle and tossing it in the fire, with the promise of a much easier week if all is successful.

Which is also to say, if anyone knows of any self-supporting, hinged-base 20m antenna towers that can handle a 3 sq ft antenna load in a 90mph TIA/EIA 222 wind zone, hmu

Right now I'm excited about: The notion of starting a grassroots WISP with my little extended network of friends.

One of my friends is living at one of the highest points in the city, and pretty centrally located to all our other friends, but we'd still have to build at least a 20m antenna tower, and her property isn't big enough for a guyed tower.

Add on to that, I'm not too keen on tower climbing, and there are not many self-supporting, hinged-base 20m towers available 😞

I'm headed to Phoenix for work next week, and while I wouldn't exactly wish that giant expanse of suburban hellscape on anyone, I look forward to absolutely demolishing some Tacos and getting a sunburn on the top of my head.

Every time I see someone post a picture or a recording of some beautiful woodwind, it makes me deeply wish I had the time to pick the Clarinet back up.

eat the landlord class

The second largest city in my state has such a density of cool stuff. The Restaurant Supply store jam packed with unorganized used equipment for CHEAP? TWO Yarn stores? A cool witchy book store above a cool record store? And everything is (slightly) more walkable?

Where I'm at has its advantages, but dang.

(Very much wish there were a rail connection between the two, would make daytripping much more appealing)

Yaupon is not native where I am, and somewhat marginal to my growing zone, but I'm gonna plant a bush or two this spring and see what happens! I'd love to grow my own (caffeinated) tea, and so much the better if it's native to areas relatively nearby. (And lord knows that the changing climate is only going to drive it further north).

Today I'm excited about: Yaupon Holly (Ilex Vomitoria)!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilex_vomitoria

This little bush is native to the American South. It's the only known North American native to contain caffeine. Indigenous folks made tea out of it. It's related to yerba mate.

It's been "rediscovered" by white folks, and you can now buy the tea. It's quite good- mildly floral, somewhere between chamomile and mate in my experience. (As an aside, I'd love to know of any indigenous folks selling this as tea).

I have a blood test this morning which requires a 12 hour fast, which is something I do regularly following sleep, but of course I had dreams all night about accidentally violating the 12 hour fast requirements, or missing the appointment, etc etc etc 😅