We were driving on the Felbertauern Strasse, a scenic alpine road in Austria known for its beautiful views and its tunnels, when the weather turned foggy and chilly. We stopped for a bit at a place called Rasplatz Elisabethsee to have a look around, and we were treated to these wonderful views of the mountains … Continue reading A snowstorm in early autumn
This is a 1960s Libelle watch with an Ancre 17 jewel manual winding movement. Not much is known about the brand, but these watches are likely Italian-assembled with Swiss movements. I bought it NOS from a small store in Italy and had it checked and lubricated at my watchmaker's. https://youtu.be/Rp_EJ2cXHV0
I've worked on a few upgrades to our family computers in recent months: my 2008 MacBook Pro, my mom's 2007 iMac and my own late-2013 iMac. This is the tale I'd like to recount for you now, because it's something that I've had to deal with since last autumn (october of 2018), and I've just … Continue reading An upgrade to my late-2013 iMac
This is a 1970s Tressa Automatic wristwatch with an Incabloc 25 jewel movement and date function, serial number 81272. I purchased it in the autumn of 2016 and had it fully serviced by my watchmaker. This watch keeps incredibly accurate time and is very sturdy, in spite of its currently low market price. It has … Continue reading A 1970s Tressa Automatic Watch
This is the fifth video in a new series where I talk about the people, experiences and things that have helped me in life. Who knows, perhaps they'll help you as well! In this one, I talk about how learning English well has shaped my experience as an immigrant to the United States, about how … Continue reading Learning English
This is a 1950-60s (more likely 1950s) MuDu wristwatch with a 25 jewel Doublematic movement. It has a fairly unique metal mesh band that clasps securely around the wrist. It was gold-plated but most of that has worn off. I've had it cleaned, serviced and polished and it looks pretty good now. I've also had … Continue reading A 1950s MuDu Doublematic Watch
There's a forest near the village of Pelișor (where we're restoring the fortified church and parochial house through our NGO) that we love to visit. It's the same forest where I took these other photos. It's a welcoming place with lovely trees, mostly oak and beech, where we can walk undisturbed or sit down and … Continue reading A spring outing to the forest
In a TED talk given a few years ago, a scientist named Allan Savory puts forth an interesting proposal for reversing desertification and climate change. After having worked in the field his whole life, the solution he found is an unlikely one: grazing livestock. They are commonly thought to destroy the land and contribute to … Continue reading A research-based proposal for greening the world’s deserts
This is a 1950s Elton Automatic wristwatch with a 25 jewel Autorotor movement. I purchased it in the winter of 2017. It has a matching metal band and gold plating that has pretty much worn off. It's a watch that's been worn a lot, both by its previous owner and by me, because it's quite … Continue reading A 1950s Elton Automatic Watch
As is my custom, I've put together a gallery of photographs from this past spring, all taken in our garden at home. They'll take you from the first snowdrops and late frosts of spring to the roses, foxgloves and ferns of early summer. Our garden is a source of joy and relaxation for us and … Continue reading Spring in our garden
