Reading - 2020 into 2021

I've recently finished reading the Lightbringer series, by Brent Weeks. Several book comprise the series: The Black Prism, The Blinding Knife, The Broken Eye, The Blood Mirror, and The Burning White. 

Before the Lightbringer series, I read the The Last Druid, by Terry Brooks. The supposedly last in the line of the Shannara novels. And before that was working on The Once and Future King, by T.H. White. The Once and Future King has been heralded as a cornerstone of Fantasy literature, but I've only made it a quarter of the way through.

Also read the book Creation Unfolding: A New Perspective on Ex Nihilo, by my friend, Dr. Ken Coulson. An excellent book that presents a perspective that reconciles some of the disparities between scientific perception and faith.

Trucky Truck

Recently purchased a 2015 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport, four door, four wheel drive. We're Sending the Prius on down the line. We've had the Prius for eight years, and changed the traction battery on it in 2018. But it will be nice to have a four wheel drive vehicle again.

Spin Cycle

Trying to improve my cardio, so I purchased a used spin bike off of craigslist.

Very happy to have an exercise bike with the cold weather coming.

Pain in the Neck

For approximately the last five years, I've had substantial neck pain. I've changed chairs, mattresses, had an MRI, physical therapy, and been on prescription muscles relaxants. 

However, the cause of the neck pain was never fully clear. Recently, when the pain was quite intense, we resolved that I should go to a chiropractor that used x-Rays. It was immediately clear from the standing profile x-ray (as apposed to a horizontal MRI of just a few vertebrae), that my neck was too straight. There should be a curve to your neck, and mine was not behaving appropriately. I later googled this, and there is a term called 'Military Neck' which seems to describe it. So I've embarked on working on my neck posture, and though sore, it seems to be helping so far. I purchased a blue neck alignment pillow, which makes me happy, though will have to see about its efficacy.

In the mean time, you can see my Halloween costume photo this year (or x-ray rather). 

ePebo Vacuum Brewer

 20 years ago, I purchased a Starbucks Barista Utopia vacuum brewer (when they were on closeout from Starbucks). It was a great coffee maker, I nicknamed the coffee volcano, but was used pretty heartily for making several pots of coffee a day for me and my roommates, and eventually wore out. 

Bodum (who manufactured the Utopia back in the day), have another electric vacuum brewer, the ePebo. It was (probably) on closeout, so I purchased us a new coffee maker at 50% off. Also, our trusty drip maker finally gave out.

George Foreman George Jr. Rotisserie Coffee Roaster

 

After using the Popcorn popper method for a while, I wanted to upgrade to a drum roaster. I had intended to use a drum on a barbecue. However, my daughter and I were at the thrift store and saw a nice rotisserie for cheap, so I have been using that to work on my home roasting. It wasn't shedding the chaff, so I merged it with the popcorn popper, and now it's roasting nicely. The video above shows the second crack for a dark Ethiopian yergacheffe, with a photo of the results below.

Acts of the Apostles - Bible Study

This year our small group from church has been working through Acts of the Apostles. We just finished last week. Some of our meetings were virtual through video teleconferencing software so that we could meet during the COVID-19 lock down.

FCBC Life Group Acts 2019-2020