Home Brew by Thanksgiving

Meagan bought me a home brewing kit for my birthday. My birthday isn’t until end of November but we both figured that it would be nice to be able to drink the home brew on my birthday, and so I got my gift early. I got a Better Basic brewing equipment set (w/ glass carboy) and a Caribou Slobber beer kit all from Northern Brewer.

Last night I boiled the wort and put it into the primary fermenter. The original gravity was 1.052. This morning when I woke up, about 10 hours after sealing the carboy, my airlock is bubbling like crazy. I’m beginning to worry about blowing the seal and making a mess. I wonder if I should put a blow-off tube on the carboy for the next few days (see the air lock bubbling). UPDATE: I’m told that if the Krausen (the foam at the top of the fermenter) does not reach the airlock, I shouldn’t be worried. (p.s. thanks to Aaron @groundrocket for advice on steeping specialty grains).

My amber beer should be ready by Thanksgiving, just in time for my parents visit.

Home Improvement on San Pedro

Meagan and I both agree, our recent home improvement landscaping project is not professional quality, but as a first try it’s pretty good. There are definitely things we would do differently, like adding edging or building up the base more.

Including the shovel, axe, tamper, brick pavers, paver base, paver sand, sandstone, mulch, flowers, potting soil, and patio furniture we spent around $500 (and many, many hours of labor).

You can't see the stump here.. But it WAS there.

Meagan Loves Leveling

Yes, we bought a tamper.

Our goal was entropy.

Searching for Entropy?

Ixora Flowers

Webster is not an LOL Cat.

Picture Me Crying – My Manuscript was Rejected

I’m trying not to be too dramatic about my rejection notice, but I did feel quite deflated when I found out my manuscript was rejected. It’s been nearly a week since I heard, now I’m mostly optimistic about the future of the paper.

The paper was reviewed by two experts, I was dissapointed it wasn’t three. Of course, the editor also reviewed my paper, but probably cursorily. Reviewer 2 encouraged a revision and resubmission and Reviewer 1 didn’t make a final judgment, but from a reading of the comments it was probably a reject.

To give you some background about the study, we asked students to predict their exam scores and gave them extra credit for being correct, we were measuring their metacognitive abilities. We hoped that with time and practice making predictions, their metacognition would improve. Good metacognitive abilities are associated with improved grades. In short, we were trying to help students know themselves.

We submitted the paper to Applied Cognitive Psychology because it was applied. We collected data from students in a traditional classroom — we thought this was a real strength of the paper. Reviewer 2 commented that we need to address this quasi-experimental aspect, and provide a justification.

A major comment from both Reviewer 1 and the Editor was our lack of a control group, or a group that made predictions about their exam scores and DID NOT receive extra credit for accuracy. This is a valid criticism and one that we are addressing this semester by collecting another semester’s worth of data, no small endeavor.

So, the paper was rejected, but I’m not sweating it. When it’s all said and done the paper will be even better and we’ll resubmit, probably to the same journal.

Stump Removal Ideas?

Meagan and I moved into our new apartment in late May. We were mostly gone for the month of June, but when we returned to Texas we decided we would do a few home improvements, we will be living in the same apartment for 3 years. We have a small fenced in backyard that has a small cement pad outside the patio door, definitely not enough room to set up chairs and have a grill. Therefore, we decided we would lay down a few cement pavers and make a new and improved outdoor living space. I started digging out a 10′ x 5′ area in mid-July and have been working on it in spurts.

The digging itself is a pain. I have to dig down around 3 inches so I can pour in sand to level the area and then put the 1″ pavers on top of the sand. The dirt, if you want to call it that, is hard as rocks in Texas. It didn’t help that we had been without rain for weeks on end. We got a few days of rain and I tried to dig the following day with some success. The digging is 90% complete.

On the other hand, there is a stump that is about 8″ in diameter that has become the bigger issue. The stump would have to be extricated. First, the shovel was handy so I just started hacking at the stump, this didn’t last long.

Shovel vs. Stump –> Stump hands-down winner

Then our neighbors suggested we just burn it or use M-80s to blow it up. I’m clean out of M-80s but I thought the fire idea was brilliant, the path of least resistance, and fires are awesome. So I dosed it with gasoline and lit it on fire, the flames lasted approximately a half hour but did little damage to the stump.

Fire vs. Stump –> Stump is without a doubt the winner

For the month of July we housesitted for a family, they had an bow saw hanging in their garage so I thought I would use that. But first, I used my drill and the largest bit I have to bore several holes into the stump. I sawed and sawed and sawed, but to little visible success.

Bow-Saw + Drill vs. Stump  –> Stump Wins (albeit looking a little worse for wear, charred and full of holes)

Today, while I was waiting for an oil-change at a local big-box store I looked around for an axe. The store had every other tool, spades, hoes, post-hole diggers, rakes, but no axes. I explained this to the man behind the automotive counter and he suggested going to Tractor Supply Center for my axe need. I went to TSC and purchased a 2 1/2 lb. single bit, hickory handled Michigan axe, a beautiful specimen. Surely, the stump could not withstand this onslaught, I thought.

Before going home I went past a local equipment rental store, I decided to pop-in and see about a chain-saw too. I had a chain-saw rented ($40.00/4 hrs), until the salesperson realized my purpose. “Why not use a stump grinder?” he asked. He added, “You would ruin the chainsaw if you used it to get a stump out.”

I had no idea a tool existed specifically for stump removal, I’m beginning to think I’m in over my head with this project. Those of you who don’t know, stump grinders are beasts of machines, all for one purpose. I didn’t get the rental rate because I don’t have anything to transport the machine, I am sure it would have been expensive. The axe would have to work.

After chopping for 30 min, the axe has been the most effective. The stump’s status now is: charred, full of holes, saw-marked, chopped, but most importantly, 20% extricated.

Axe vs. Stump –> It will be marathon battle, but the axe WILL be the victor.

If you have a better idea for my stump problem, please share.

p.s. I’ve looked online and found a few organic removal options, such as the application of nitrogen, but this is too slow.

Drapeau de la France

I changed my custom header today to the colors and arrangment of the French flag. I was able to find the RGB values of the flag and used powerpoint to create the image for upload.

I aslo created an American flag with RGB values with all the stripes and all the stars. Wikipedia has a nice page on the flag and includes the exact dimensions of Old Glory, rest assured mine doesn’t match up. It was tedious work, and probably all for naught, but I’m happy I did it. Heraldry is a provocative thing.

Adventitiously I noticed the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico has suggested a 51-star alternative:

My first real celebrity contact? Mythbuster Adam Savage

When I created my account on Twitter, I didn’t know who to follow. When I signed in, I saw very few messages and was discouraged by the social networking site. After awhile, I asked Google to tell me who to follow. I got several suggestions and now I follow people like Lance Armstrong, Johann Bruyneel, Rainn Wilson, and Adam Savage of the Mythbusters. I of course read their updates and as you might imagine I was interested in the tweets of Lance and Johann during the TDF. I am also amused by Rainn Wilson’s musings.

Reading their status updates was akin to being a voyeur, but a sanctioned voyeur. It wasn’t until I made contact with Adam Savage that I became more than an observer.

I’ve seen celebrities before, but never engaged them. In 2001, friends and I went to Omaha, NE to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Foo Fighters. As we checked into our room at the Embassy Suites and were waiting in the lobby, John Frusciante walked in, his face buried in a chinese take-out box. Anthony Kiedis walked through the lobby going the other way singing “American Band.” Then we saw Chad Smith in the Bar with Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. After the show we went to Foo guitarist Chris Shifflett’s room where he and Flea, and other fans, were sitting in a living room area discussing “Office Space” and not drinking. None of the fans spoke, we all just listened.

Most notably though was when I saw Leonardo DiCaprio at the Villa Borghese in Rome, Italy. The Villa Borghese was used by Cardinal Scipione Borghese and family as their home in the city and to house their art collection, which includes works by the famous sculptor, Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Leo wore a “Gangs of New York” hat and had a large entourage. As he toured the gallery, he emulated the famous sculptures. In front of the David (below) he crouched down to mimic the pose. At Apollo and Daphne (also below) he actually touched the delicate marble leaves, a big no-no. I didn’t talk to Leo though, I’m pretty sure his entourage would have dropped me.

On Twitter though, people can converse with the celebrities they follow. Yesterday, Adam Savage tweeted:

Please RT!Life expectancy in countries with Universal Healthcare vs. the US. http://bit.ly/yHnEM

The web-address links to a figure of several countries with Universal Health care and their life expectancies. Savage’s point was that people in countries with universal healtcare live longer.

I responded:

@donttrythis As a mythbuster, are you sure you can trust that Universal Health Care CAUSES increased life expectancy?

@donttrythis I apologize if that came off as snide. Universal Health Care sounds great, but I’m not sure it will make us live longer…

Now today, Savage has responded, but not to me directly. Does that mean I talked to a celebrity?

Okay okay. I totally agree correlation /= causation. AND I won’t post another graph w/o documentation. If the Public Option goes away …

Apollo & Daphne (G. Bernini, 1625)

David (Bernini, 1624)

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Training Metacognition

I submitted my first manuscript today to Applied Cognitive Psychology, a peer-reviewed journal. The title of the submission is Training Metacognition: How Incentives and Feedback Influence Exam Predictions

There is certainly no guarantee it will be accepted but I have a good feeling about it. After a dozen iterations it is pretty well polished and I think our conclusions are sound. I’ll update with news as I get it.

So far the status online is “under review” with Dr. Robert Belli at University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

Mexico is for lovers (Respete el límite de velocidad)

A Wedding Every Spring

What appears below is my recollection of the week leading up to Meagan and I’s wedding and the day of the wedding. I’ve been thorough for my own sake. It would be easy to forget a day or two of happenings when so much happened, I want to prevent this from occuring.

It would be great to hear your recollections,  so, please, please, please add them in the comments.

The Wedding Week

The week in South Dakota leading up to Meagan and I’s wedding was pleasant. Sunday I went walleye fishing with my dad at the Platte Creek recreation area and realized one of my favorite things is watching the prairie grass blowing in the wind. Being on the river in the early cool morning is so quiet. Later a good old friend and I made first contacts in a over a year. Wednesday for my bachelor party, Mike had arranged camping and rock climbing in the Palisades State Park. Other than a racoon eating a few of our tortillas it was a wonderful time. Rock climbing is so exciting. Thursday, we had a suprise birthday party for my mother. All 10 members of our immediate family were there. Finally on Friday, we had a rehearsal at the winery and ate at Mexico Viejo in Vermillion for dinner. Robbied hosted a poker game which I attended but lost badly. As we played in Robbie’s three-season room it began to rain, hard. Given our wedding was to be outdoors the next day I was quite concerned.

The Wedding

Meagan had spent the previous evening in Sioux Falls, so I arrived alone in Vermillion about 10:30 and went directly to the winery. The venue was quiet, I had no idea what to do. Ryan came down the elevator and said he was going to the USD bookstore so I went along. Later we met with my parents at their hotel room and decided to get lunch at Mr. Smith’s Bakery in Jones’ Food Center (some of the best sandwiches on the planet). On our way Jones, Meagan called and asked me to meet her at the Winery, we had to make the decision, was it to be an indoor or outdoor wedding?

A year ago, we planned for an outdoor wedding but also had a contingency plan. The week prior to the wedding was absolutely beautiful, sunny, clear, light breeze, and warm, but looming in the 10-day forecast was a 70% chance of rain for our wedding day, 6/6/09. When I met Meagan at the Winery about 11:15 we had to make a decision, it had rained all night and into the morning but it wasn’t currently raining, although it probably could have started any second. It was also a brisk 50-something degrees, it felt more like a Fall day than a late Spring day. Despite overcast skies and the possibility of rain, we decided to carry on with the outdoor ceremony.

Meagan left for the salon again and I stayed at the winery to help with the preparations. My dad and I finished setting up the chairs and Gary brought truckloads of decorations (e.g. flowers, vines, etc…) down the hill to the ceremony site. Meanwhile, my Mother, Meagan’s grandmother and other relatives kept busy with the indoor decorations.

Around 2:15, I was standing on the front deck of the winery and saw Meagan and her Mother enter the parking lot. I knew I wasn’t supposed to see her so I went inside and up to the room where we (the groomsmen, fathers, and I) would all be getting ready. As we got ready, the photographer’s assistant snapped photographs (I’m sure they’ll be some of the dullest photographs on record.)

Afterward, the men all migrated to the 3rd floor deck where we could view the Missouri River Valley. It was passed on that Meagan was ready and would be coming out shortly. I stood in waiting, oh the anticipation. She walked out of the French Doors and looked stunning, it was wonderful to see her and know the day had finally arrived. The photographer said we matched perfectly, perhaps she was referring to our coordinated clover accessories, her sash and my tie, but maybe she was referring to our Gestalt. I think the latter, Meagan and I make a good team.

After pictures on the 3rd floor deck, we went down to the cermony site for pictures with the bridal party. When we were done with pictures we returned to the winery and stood near the back door. Now the ceremony starts, mostly everything went as planned. The music was nice, and the readers Shannon and Meagan’s grandmother Marge did a great job. Each reading had infinitely more impact on me standing with Meagan on the day of our wedding compared to when we chose them.  The one thing that went awry was our candle lighting, I was able to light the candles but they almost immediately went out. What can I say, it was windy.

Following the ceremony and receiving line we took family pictures and went to the reception area to take a picture of Meagan and I fake-cutting the centerpiece cake. The dinner was good and included: dinner rolls, lettuce salad, rice pilaf, mixed vegatables, pasta salad, turkey, & roast beef. Of course there was cake for dessert.

Following the dinner we were introduced as the new married couple and danced to Phil Phillips and the Twilights do Sea of Love. Meagan and I had taken a few dance lessons  and were comfortable doing the foxtrot. The dance went great, we definitely made mistakes but we were both enjoying it. Then the bridal party dance to Eli “Paperboy” Reed’s I’ll Roll With You and finally the Mother-Son, Father-Daughter dance to Bobby Darin’s Mack the Knife.

People  were slow to get to the dance floor but within an hour or so the dance floor remained populated until the very last dances. We all danced to an interesting song by MGMT and at one point all of our friends and family (that were still there) surrounded Meagan and I while we danced to Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places. Periodically the DJ instructed the circle of people around us to take a step in. It was really nice.

As we exited the winery, our friends made a line of sparklers for us to walk through (a total surprise). I’m still not sure who was responsible for that…

Gift opening occured the next day. Meagan and I were both pleasantly surprised by the generousity of our friends and family. We received many thoughtful gifts.

Thanks everyone!