the mousepad

The Mousepad

pastimes and hobbies

I am a geek, computer and otherwise. I like to use and reuse things until they are no longer worth fixing. I like using plain, minimal technology, like a neat little Eee PC netbook. I also tinker with Coleman stoves and lanterns.

When I get too pasty and vitamin D deprived I go outside and do some geocaching with a GPS, sometimes on a Suzuki DR650 dualsport motorcycle or an electric bicycle. Sometimes I make homebrew from whole grains on the back porch.

I timeshift TV with TiVo and MythTV, and audio with podcasts. I also do a lot of scanner/radio geek stuff, and linux geek stuff. I have put some notes online for the linux-curious. Some of my geekiness is microblogged on identi.ca, which is a kind of open-source twitter.

life stuff

Here are some books that changed my life and my things on my lifelong "to do" list.
I learned that I love to teach; it is rewarding, challenging, and people tell you each week what kind of difference you made in their lives. I learned that I prefer to work with civil people who are self-aware and at least nominally educated. I choose not to associate with the evangelists, the abusive and the incivil. I learned that a good wife and a good dog, productive work, and a running car are very nearly all I need to survive.

Misc

You can read about the origins of the whole mouse theme. And here are some words I like.

You can if you are not a spammer. My public key is here.