Rydell.com (Page 2)

Review: Raleigh-Durham International Airport Observation Park

On a recent trip to visit Duke, I was tipped off to a new tourist attraction. A little park and observation deck right next to the airport. The observation deck faces runway 23R. Unfortunately a big building obscures a bit of the runway where planes touchdown. There are some little

Hymns

Gospel Library App Hymns

The Gospel Library app can show the hymns for your local unit on its home screen when you load it up on Sunday. This is actually pretty neat.

Space X

Another SpaceX Launch at Sunset

Previous post here. We watched the launch on March 18, 2024 from Salt Creek Beach. There was a rainstorm about 90 minutes before but everything cleared up nicely and there was a great sunset. The launch time was 7:28pm. 27 minutes after sunset. We could see the 1st stage

Review

Review: Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza

We have been deprived of Papa Murphy's in Orange County for many years. But I was able to have it again recently (on Pi day!) and it is terrific. Review: 3.1/3.14

Review

Review & Notes: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Nathalie Stutzmann and Haochen Zhang

I went to see the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Nathalie Stutzmann conducting and piano soloist Haochen Zhang at Segerstrom Concert Hall on March 7, 2024. Notes: 1. Promenade circle seats over the stage were nice. I had an excellent aerial view of the pianist. I could hear everything very well.

Review

Review: Velvetiser Hot Chocolate Maker

Facebook & Instagram conspired to show me ads for this thing until I needed to have it. I convinced Kari to give it to me as a gift and I got it for Valentine's Day. It is great. We have some of their expensive hot chocolate packages with

Review

Review: Taco Bell Cheesy Chicken Crispanada

I tried the cheesy chicken crispanada. Very crunchy outside. Seemed like it was manufactured and not made in the store. While I admire that Taco Bell made something that wasn't like everything else they make, it was not good. Review: 2/7

School

Local school has changed its mind about the importance of attendance?

From an email from the local high school: As we move into a long weekend and quickly approach Spring Break, we would like to take a moment to emphasize the crucial role that regular school attendance plays in your child's education. Attendance is not only a legal requirement

Girl Scout Cookies

Are Thin Mints an example of shrinkflation?

The boxes of cookies are getting more expensive. But are they getting smaller? In 2024 the Thin Mint boxes are 9 oz. The sleeves definitely look shorter but I found a picture of a box in 2020 that was also 9 oz. And on the Girl Scout website I found

Rituals

Daily Rituals - Quote I like

"Many people view their habits and routines as obstacles or, at the very least, obligations to get through. Making the morning coffee, driving your kids to the next activity, preparing the next meal—we often see our routines as chores to be completed. But these are not moments to

Big Sky

Getting the maximum mileage at Big Sky

I calculated the way I could get the most downhill mileage for skiing at Big Sky. I added the lift time plus how fast I could normally get down the run and looked at the downhill mileage. Ramcharged + Pacifier looks like the maximum mileage opportunity. I didn't factor

Christmas

xLights Around the World 2023

We participated in the xLights Around the World (XLATW) project again in 2023. xLights is one of the more popular sequencers for synchronized Christmas light shows. We use Vixen for our house but I appreciate the community aspect of the XLATW project so I do keep a setup of our

Big Sky

One million vertical feet with Slopes

I have tracked my skiing over the last 7 seasons with the app Slopes. This week I made it to one million vertical feet tracked. The key stats. 42.6 MPH was on Horseshoe. The longest run 4.7 miles was from Lone Peak to the base via Liberty Bowl.

Review

Review: Beecher's 'World's Best' Mac & Cheese

We picked up this frozen box of mac & cheese for just under $20! It claims to be the "World's Best." The Beecher website lists all the awards it has won: * 2023 Daily Mail, #1 Best Frozen Mac & Cheese * 2023 Tasting Table, Best Frozen Mac

Review

Review: Connect A Desk: Mobile Laptop Harness & Desk

Nathan Fielder is definitely on to something with this style of laptop holder. Fletch got me one for Christmas and it is great. Definitely will come in useful while setting up Christmas lights in 2024. Works perfect with a 14 inch Macbook Pro. A 16 inch does not fit in

Review: Hamburger Habit Hotdog

Tastes a little like the dog from Cookout. Nothing too special though. Review: 5/8

Cameras

iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Sony A7 III

Is it worth carrying around a big nice Sony vs using an iPhone 15 pro max? Yes. But barely.

Review

Review: Cheetos Pretzels

These caught my eye at the Dollar General. I thought they were going to be very good. The picture makes it look like it will be a big nice cheeto with a pretzel inside. That is not what it is. It is just a pretzel with some cheeto powder on

Women be shopping

My popular Youtube video

Once or twice a year I get an email about a new comment on the video I uploaded 14 years ago. A clip from Nutty Professor. I usually laugh because the comment is usually the same. Then I watch the clip and I laugh again. Someone else uploaded the clip

Christmas

Full Hammond Lights Christmas Playlist

Click the artist name for a link to Youtube or a site with the music for sale. Ira Glass / Intro from episode #728 - Lights, Camera, Christmas Ukulele Christmas / We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Over the Rainbow Allison Crowe / O Holy Night (Excerpt from Luke read by Henry

covid

The pandemic is over

I have been waiting for in-n-out to start putting the straws in the drinks again. I knew that would mean the pandemic is officially over. Today it happened.

Christmas

Update on RGB Christmas Spheres

Previous post: https://rydell.com/rgb-christmas-light-spheres-pauls-balls/ We made 20 of the spheres. 18 have been hung in the big tree in the yard and they look great. They don't like being 40 feet away from the controller without plenty of f-amps or data boosters along the way. Some

RGB Lights

Adding more lights to RGB light/pixel tester

Because these instructions are sometimes hard to find. Here they are. Turn the lights off with the remote. Then hold the Menu button for 5 seconds. Then you can press Mode + or Mode - to change the number of pixels. You can also adjust RGB order. Press R until it

Halloween

Intersecting Holidays

Can't wait for Christmas.

Christmas

RGB Christmas Light Spheres - AKA: Paul's Balls

Our tallest tree in the front yard has never had lights on it. This year we have a plan to decorate it. Topiary Art Works makes a metal sphere for growing topiaries in. They call it a Wire Globe 20" Diameter. The nice thing about this sphere is that