Four Things I'll Try

A Friday Hodgepodge

It's time to review the web portion of my to-do and someday/maybe lists. I'm also pressed for time today, so I guess I'll blog it.

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1. Following this link reveals what looks like an app meant to guide the overly deskbound through a nice, short break. It's Stretch15, a "free 15 min daily stretch routine to help desk workers avoid aches and pains," and I found it at Hacker News, where the peanut gallery gave the creator feedback.

I am favorably impressed from that and am inclined to give it a try later on today.

2. I like me a good podcast, but I often find myself wishing I had a transcript. Enter YouTube Transcript. Dump in the URL of a video and ... wow! ... you get an instant transcript, as I just learned with a short, favorite clip of mine.

And this transcript is paired with the video, allowing you to listen through interesting parts or check the transcript.

As with any automatic transcription, there will be errors, but this might save lots of time. In my workflow, I have to save things locally since I don't always have Internet access. I've automated this and a side-product is that I also produce a notes file that already has the URL in it. Now, if there's something I really want to go back to, but I don't have a chance to note when I heard it, I stand a chance of finding whatever it is quickly the next time I'm at a computer.

Chalk up another one for to-do lists and regular review.

3. Moving from to do to someday/maybe, I see a Hacker News thread about little-known accessories people use with their computers. Many deal with keeping hands and feet cool or warm as I recall, and when I first looked through, I found a document camera that might solve a couple of completely unrelated problems for me.

If you want a rabbit-hole to explore that has the prospect of ideas you can use later, I can think of worse places to go.

4. And here's one from the real world and after I'm done for the day. The last time I visited the local beer emporium, I found an intriguing beer from Boulevard Brewing, Rye on Rye.

As the name suggests, it's a rye beer aged with charred rye whiskey casks. The store helpfully included its excellent Beer Advocate rating of 94 next to the price, so I looked it up and bought a four-pack.

Here's the description from the above link:

Image by LSDSL, via Wikimedia Commons, license.

Why Rye? This assertively flavorful grain is more often associated with whiskey than with ales. Even in that arena, it has largely been eclipsed by corn and barley, the sources of bourbon and scotch. But when we procured some seasoned barrels from our friends at Templeton Rye, we asked ourselves, "Why not?" Why not brew a rich, tawny rye ale, then mellow it in the warmth of charred oak rye whiskey casks? Two kinds of malted rye provide spicy sweetness, giving way to notes of caramelized wood and the citrusy tang of Perle, Magnum, and Saphir hops before easing into a dry, lingering finish.

Things are getting better, but the pandemic-era shortages had really put dent on the variety of beers I could find, including wiping out entire shelf categories where I go. (I haven't seen a German Eisbock for a couple of years now.)

It's nice to have something unusual to try again.

-- CAV