Elizabeth and I both totally dig our bodybuggs. It’s a fantastic tool.

The problem

But, one of the things that we don’t like is that the bodybugg web application is a walled garden.

There are no APIs to get data in or out, and no way to easily share your data.

As Hugh so succinctly puts it:

A solution

So, I created bodybuggTweet.

bodybuggTweet is a bookmarklet that makes it easy to share your bodybugg stats in Twitter.

You just drag the boorkmarklet to your browser’s toolbar, then you simply click it to share your bodybugg stats.

Your tweet looks something like this:

Easy as pie.

Now you can share your calories consumed, calories burned, calorie deficit (or surplus), and even the number of steps you’ve taken.

Check it out at  http://bodybuggtweet.com

It’s still a work in progress, so any and all feedback is welcome.

Leave a comment here, or on Twitter @bodybuggtweet

In the fall of 2008, we decided to screen in part of our back deck, turning it into a screen room.

The Contractor

Our contractor is Mark Hesprich. Mark’s done a few smaller projects for us before, including:

• Crown Molding in our office
• Crown molding in our guest room
• Installing french doors in our master bedroom

This was a larger job, but we have the utmost faith in Mark and his guys. He didn’t disappoint. We love our new screen room!

Before

Here’s how it looked before we started:

Footings

First up was digging up the existing small footings, and replacing them with larger ones that would support the weight of the screen room

Framing

Roof

Tying into the existing roof

Tarpaper

Ceiling

Speaker wires

Ceiling

At some point, we really need to cut that limb…

Siding

The siding is now painted (but the tree limb remains):

Wiring is for lighting (ceiling and exterior), as well as speaker wires (for the volume controller)

Ready for screens:

The screens are going in:

Shingles:

Almost there:

Speaker template:

Cutting out the holes for the speakers. Its a great relief to cut the hole and find your speaker wire exactly where you expect it!

Speaker in place:

Volume controller and light switches installed:

Ceiling fan installed:

Dog door #1

From the screen room to the back porch:

Dog door #2

From the screen room into the house.

This door is from Hale Pet Doors. Its pretty bad ass. It has double flaps, 5 magnets per flap, weather stripping, locking Lexan security door, and a carpeted tunnel.

The security door is side load. A top load wouldn’t work because of the interior window molding.

with the security panel in place:

Complete!

We’re thrilled with our new screen room. Mark and his guys did a great job.

We recently finished up a mini makeover remodel of our guest room.

• Paint the walls, ceiling, and trim
• New crown molding
• New custom made window valances (made by me!)
• New window blinds
• Replaced the door hardware
• Slipcover for the chair
• New bed (headboard & footboard)
• Art

Way Before

The way it was, before we purchased the house. Builders beige carpet & paint everywhere. All fixtures (lighting, doorknobs, cabinet pulls, etc.) were all brass.

Before

A few years ago, we painted the room a bright blue with a faux glaze to give it some texture. The color was a bit overwhelming. Notice that we also carried the paint up onto the ceiling to give it a fake tray ceiling look. The armoire was big and bulky, and hid the large 27″ CRT TV. It was time for all of that to go. We sold the TV. We still need to sell the armoire.

Paint

We painted the walls and ceiling. Color: Dovetail, from Sherwin Williams. It took 2 gallons of primer and 5 gallons of paint to cover the blue and get into all the nooks and crannies of the textured walls.

We painted the trim as well. Color: Ultra Pure White, from Home Depot (Behr)

Crown Molding

We purchased the crown molding and painted it. I then had my contractor Mark install it. I then puttied the nail holes and touched up the paint.

Its amazing to me how much crown molding changes the look of a room. The molding itself was $140. Mark charged us $125 to install it. $265 total (not including paint). To me, that’s pretty cheap to radically change the look and feel of a room.

64 feet of 5 inch crown molding. Painted, and ready to be installed:

installed:

The contrast of the white against the gray paint really make them pop.

Blinds

I also installed faux wood blinds, as you can see. Custom cut to your size, free of charge, at Lowe’s. Typically they come with more slats than you need. Its easy to remove the extra slats, and that gives it a cleaner look when the blinds are down.

Window Valances

I built valances for the two windows. Super easy. Build a 3/4 box using 1×6 pine. I then use 3″ crown on the top, and 1/4 round molding on the bottom. Lots of putty to fill the gaps. Prime and paint. As my Dad says: “Putty and Paint hides the carpenter that I ain’t.” They really “class” up the windows. Again, molding makes a big difference. And the contrast of the white against the gray paint really make them pop.

Slipcovers

We already had a chair (technically a chair and a half), and the ottoman. Their flowered pattern didn’t work with the room, but a simple slipcover does the trick.

Slipcover for the chair and ottoman, purchased from Stretch and Cover:

Bed

A new bed (headboard, footboard,and side rails). Purchased from Big Lots. The bed is normally $200, but we signed up to their Buzz Club, and got a 20% coupon, bringing the price down to $160. Cheap! Perfect for a guest room.

Art

We took some of our vacation pictures, saved them as Black & White, and had them printed using RitzPix. I upload the photos, and they’re ready for pickup in an hour. Prints are only 6 cents each on Tuesday & Wednesday.

We purchased frames from Aaron Brothers, and used the 40% off coupons that show up in the Sunday paper every week (also available on their website and by following them on Twitter).

A large picture of my niece and nephew looks perfect in this room:

Other Furniture & Accessories

We already had a dresser, two nightstands, the lamps with white shades, and the vase with lilies.

I also replaced the old brass doorknobs with simple nickel finished ones.

Makeover Complete

We’re thrilled with how the room looks now. It’s clean, simple, and sophisticated. And besides installing the crown molding, we did it all ourselves.

I’ve written about the Power of Surprise in the past, and specifically referenced Andy Nulman.

Andy commonly discusses the power of surprise – where ever they happen.

Now he’s using that same power to promote his new book – by giving a bunch away!

I’m looking forward to his latest book, whether I get it for free, or if I don’t make the cut, be sure I’ll be buying it.

So Andy, if you’re reading this – love your latest Pow move!

If I make the cut, you can email my book to:
Gary Sherman 7744 Yaupon Drive, Austin (in the great state of Texas) 78759

Rock on.

Elizabeth and I went to Oaxaca over Thanksgiving, and had a wonderful time.

We thoroughly enjoyed Oaxaca. We saw amazing things, ate great food, and the people were warm and welcoming.

There’s a bunch more pictures on flickr.

Here’s a few highlights of our trip.

Cooking Class at El Naranjo

Andrew Peterson is the chef/owner of the restaurant, and he does a great cooking class. We went with him to the market, and we peppered him with questions – mostly “What’s That?’ (over & over). He gave us lots of information about the different chiles, the spices, as well as the plethora of fruits & vegetables. We bought fresh vegetables, spices, meat, and fish. We tasted chocolate, cheese, and a chocolate milk (of sorts). Then it was back to the restaurant, where we spent the afternoon cooking. We made a couple of salsas, an aqua fresca, a black bean soup, estfado (an almond mole) over chicken, and a dessert. Andrew is super knowledgeable, and made it a fun experience. We snacked on the fresh salsas, as well as chipillinas (fried grasshoppers) while we cooked the rest of the meal. We then enjoyed some wine, and ate the dinner that we had all prepared. It wasn’t a busy night in the restaurant, so Andrew hung out with us, and we shared some mezcal and talked for a few hours. Not only did we gain knowledge about traditional Oaxacan cooking, but we gained a friend as well.

Visiting the villages

We entrusted Roberto Gavida as our “personal car and driver” – and we enjoyed our time with him. We booked him for 3 days, and visited many villages, and sights. We saw a bunch of amazing chuches, artisans (black pottery, woven rugs, woodcarvings, potters, the famous Aguilar sisters), the Tule tree, Mitla, Monte Alban, and markets. We also got a private tour of a small, but highly regarded mezcal factory (Mezcal Mistico). We sampled a bunch of different mezcals, and learned a lot from Eric, the owner. This was definitely not your typical tourist tour.

Roberto is super knowledgeable, and we were glad we chose him.

Archeological Sites

We visited Mitla first, which was pretty cool. Later we went to Monte Alban, which is amazing. It was surreal to walk through this city that is thousands of years old. Its also fascinating to see how advanced they were, especially in astronomy and other sciences. It was one of the more “touristy” things we did, but I would highly recommend it.

Food

The food in Oaxaca was amazing!

Don Juanito is a little taqueria, and their pozole was excellent. We just kinda stumbled into this place, and it ended up being a great find.

In the market at Zaachila, we had bbq goat and bbq sheep tacos – so good!

La Biznaga is one of the more popular, hip restaurants. The food was great, although the service was a bit spotty.

We had dinner one night at Los Pacos. We had the entire restaurant to ourselves. They bring out samples of 6 kinds of mole, so you can try them all. I ended up ordering a combination of a few different moles. Delicious.

And of course, the dinner we made during the cooking class at El Naranjo was fantastic.

Lunch at Mercado 20 de Noviembre is an experienced not to be missed. They hand you some chiles and green onions, and you pick your meat from one of the meat vendors. They then cook everything up for you immediately. The old ladies will sell you as many delicious tortillas as you want, and the young girls will sell you salsa, guacamole, radishes, pico de gallo, etc. Wash it all down with a couple of cervezas. All for about $10 US. Crazy good. This is Mexican fast food at its finest.

Mens Health recently had a good article on eating in Mexico, and he described eating in the market much better than I ever could.

I am the most popular person in Oaxaca, Mexico, and all it took was a fistful of green onions.
I’m standing in the Mercado 20 de Noviembre, this southern city’s central market, being buffeted by catcalls and charcoal smoke. “Oye guapo, ven aqui.” “¿Vas a comer? ¡Come con nosotros!” To the dozens of people selling fresh meat and tending live fires, the onions in my market basket mean just one thing: I’m here to eat.
Now it’s just a matter of where.
Everyone has an opinion. A man in a Def Leppard shirt flexes his biceps. A young girl grabs my hand. A woman my mother’s age whistles seductively. I go with the musclehead, who puts away his guns and uses a giant cleaver to chop off a few pieces of air-dried beef called tasajo, plus a chunk of chili-rubbed pork. He tosses both onto a wood-fired grill and then buries my onions and a few chile peppers directly in the embers before fanning the flames.
While the meat sizzles, a tiny, old woman with skin like a sun-dried tomato sells me a stack of warm tortillas from a wicker basket. Then she snatches the fan from the brawny butcher and takes over the cooking. She calls out to a crew of young girls in aprons, and a cascade of condiments materializes before my eyes: a pile of fresh radishes; a bowl of thin, burgundy-colored salsa; a scoop of guacamole from a mortar the size of a bathtub. “Listo,” she finally declares when she sees a nice char on the beef. It’s lunchtime.
All of this costs less than 10 bucks for two people (cervezas included) and tastes as good as anything I’ve eaten in months. This is how real Mexican food comes together: quickly, fiercely. Each ingredient is simple, fresh, and assertively flavored. And the aftermarket upgrades are left to me. Want more heat? Take more green salsa. Want to cool it down? Try a slather of guac and a squirt of lime juice. More texture? That’s what the raw onion is for, senor.

One of those great vacation moments

One afternoon while out with Andrew from El Naranjo, we ended up at this little roadside stand where they sell grilled chicken that is so freakin’ good. We just stopped to get some chicken to go, but before you know it, the husband and wife who own the place brought out cervezas with the chicken, as well as tamales, some kind of fruit that we hadn’t seen before, as well as some fried wheat pinwheels. They made us sit at the table, and they sat down with us, just to enjoy the conversation. When we asked about the fried snacks, they brought us back into their kitchen, and showed us how they were made. They have 10 kids, and they were so happy to just talk with us, and show us how they cooked. I tried to give them money for the food, but they refused. They would have none of it. They made us promise we would come back to see them if we returned to Oaxaca – no problem there. This was just one of those super vacation experiences, when you go off the beaten tourist path, meet real folks, and bond over food.

Hotel Casa Pereyra

We stayed at Casa Pereyra.  is a very cute little place, just a few blocks west of the Zocalo.
Passing through the door, you’re welcomed into the courtyard, filled with plants, flowers, and a fountain.
We stayed in room #4, right off the courtyard, which has two floors. The downstairs has a small kitchen (sink, stove, oven, microwave), and a living area.
Upstairs, a full size bed, sitting area, and bathroom. There’s also a set of double doors that open to a Juliet balcony overlooking the courtyard.
There’s free coffee available in the courtyard every morning, along with 2 bottles of bottled water in the room every day.
They also have free wireless internet access. Because its in the heart of the city, it can be a bit noisy at times. And on a couple nights, the band next door player until 10:00 at night – and they were LOUD! All in all, a good place to stay. IIRC, it was around 75 pesos/night.   Update: 750 pesos/night.

Mezcal Mistico

We visited Mezcal Mistico in Tlacolula. The owner, Eric Hernandez makes some great mezcal, and we toured his “factory”, which is completely old-school. A big old fire pit in the ground, a horse that goes in circles turning a stone wheel to crush the leaves, a still that looks like something a country moonshine maker would use, and open topped barrels for aging. He then let us taste half a dozen different mezcals that he makes. The first one was like rocket fuel, but they got better as we went on. I liked the aged one, and we walked away with a bottle of his finest. This is the real deal – no tourist show here. Eric is passionate about his mezcal, and it shows. This was a very cool place to visit.

More pictures

There’s a bunch more pictures on flickr.

We have a roof!

Pics on flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsherman/sets/72157607767629335/

We’ve started the project of turning part of our back deck into a screen room.

Pics are on flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsherman/sets/72157607767629335/

Framing started on our Screen Room

Jack chasing a gecko

Originally uploaded by gsherman

Jack chased a gecko up the tree. Jack knows he’s there, he just can’t quite get him.

I just received a Monster® iSoniCast™ Wireless Audio Bridge for iPod, and after just one day of use – its a winner.

It’s priced at $100 from www.shopallmonster.com. Direct Product Link

Here’s a picture of the base, and the transmitter connected to my iPod:

A picture of the receiver, showing its simple connections:

The iSonicast allows me to use my iPod as an input source to my home stereo.
No big deal you say – its easy enough to run drop the iPod into a dock, connect the dock audio output to a stereo input, and you have music. Yes, and this is how I used to have it connected.
The issue is that then I’m on the couch, and my iPod is across the room sitting in the dock. So thats why you use a remote – either the Apple remote, or something like a Harmony. And this is exactly what I used to do – use my Harmony remote to control the iPod.
But, the control was limited. I lost the great UI that the iPod itself brings to the party.

One of the gret things about an iPod is its interface. Easy to browse and scroll music, make playlists on the go, etc.

With the iSoniCast, I get both. I still get to use the great iPod interface, and it plays through my stereo.

The iPod has a small transmitter that fits into the base of the iPod. This transmits the sound in the 2.4 GHz range at 4Gbps to the base. The base receives the signal, turns it into an analog signal which is sent through the cable into the stereo.

It’s simple to hookup.
1. Connect the output from the iSoniCast base to a stereo input. The iSoniCast comes with a 7-foot cable for doing this.
2. Connect the power adapter to the base and plug it into an AC outlet.
3. Connect the transmitter to the iPod

That’s it. 2 minutes of work.

Now I can sit on the couch, or even outside on my back deck, and control my music.

I haven’t fully tested the range yet, but I will soon.
It seems to drop the signal if I was walking around my backyard with it. But as soon as I stopped and stood in one place, it seemed to regain its connection just fine.

Using the transmitter did seem to drain the iPod battery quicker, which I would expect. Although some of that may have been by my constant scrolling through the music collection looking for songs. More on this later as I continue to use it.

Bottom line: Great piece of equipment. I love it.

Elizabeth saw this post from a fellow Austinite, and immediately went Ooh! She forwarded it to me, and we started in on this DIY project.

Before:

After:

It was a very simple project to do, and now finding the right spice is super easy. This pantry is adjacent to the counter where we do most of our cooking, so the spices are more convenient to get at than before. (and when I say “where we do most of our cooking”, I really mean “where Elizabeth does most of the cooking”)

Alton Brown has a similar setup in his Good Eats kitchen, but his tins are secured to the back of cabinet doors by velcro. I think this setup is much cleaner looking, and easier to use.

Materials

• Two magnetic dry erase boards (ours are made by Quartet, and can be found at any office supply store). Our pantry door is narrow, and the larger board would have been too large, so instead we used 2 medium size boards. One is 23″ x 16″, the other is 16″ x 16″. These boards come in a plethora of sizes, especially if you look online.
• 20 3-packs of Kamenstein Magnetic Storage Tins.
• 3M double-sided tape. I used the mounting brackets that came with the white boards, but also used double-sided tape on the board edges so that there’s no movement of the board.
• We already had a Brother label maker, but we did need to purchase another roll of labeling tape.

Mount the boards to the door, label the tins, fill with spices, and place the tins on the board. That’s it. One of the simplest projects you’ll ever do.
OK, the labeling took a little while, but my wife lover her label maker, so I think this part was kinda fun for her.

Storage Tins

The Kamenstein canisters are a great quality, and the lids fit very tight. Be careful if you drop them though, as they do dent easily. The entire bottom of the canister is a magnet, which helps hold them tight to the board. They also have 2 different size openings, so you can shake the spices out if you want.

I was worried about how secure the canisters would be. I envisioned opening our pantry door, and finding a mess of assorted spices at my feet. But – no worries.  Everything holds very well. We open and close the pantry door all the time, and the canisters don’t budge at all.

Credits

Special Thanks to Lance Vaughn – all we really did was copy his project.