"Endnotes" - January 22, 2021

[tim1217]

As long as we're sharing...my Marantz system from the mid 70's I still use almost every day. 6100 turntable, 1060 amplifier and Imperial 3 speakers.

[JAQT]

Question: How do you upload an avatar? When I try, it says it has to be 19 KB or less. I have tried cropping photos from my iPhone, but the smallest I seem to get is 88 KB. What am I missing?

Hey! Your avatar is up! Good job!

[hunkra]

Finally made it to shore, not without needing at least two major bouts of resuscitation. Please, I need a drink anyways?! Initially, I thought my swim to shore would be quick and painless as I saw the mechanism right away... but I got caught in a vicious riptide. Thanks to my resuscitating angel.

[cpelster]

Question: How do you upload an avatar? When I try, it says it has to be 19 KB or less. I have tried cropping photos from my iPhone, but the smallest I seem to get is 88 KB. What am I missing?

Hey! Your avatar is up! Good job!

I think I made it way to difficult! Much like my WSJ Fri crosswords!

[RichA2]

Still in the bar, and it does seem crowded this weekend, but Isaac is playing the coolest music! I should be focusing on the meta but instead I’m humming, and nodding to the music. Some of us are off our stools and moving toward the dance floor!

At least I’m in good company on the ship. I can’t even see my way to the lifeboats, much less to shore.

[DaveKennison]

Ashore! Recently, I seem to be encountering fog banks that make it impossible to see which way to swim to find the shore and that don’t finally dissipate for a day or two. But, as my mother used to say: All’s Well That Ends Well!

And, after reviewing some of the comments above, I find myself intensely curious about the “shortcut” some have mentioned ... .

And I think it just dawned on me what the “shortcut” has to be! We’ll see ... .

Yes! I’m actually glad I didn’t see the “shortcut” first, as I would not have trusted it and I’d have gone nuts trying to find the “real” solution ... . So, as I said earlier: AWTEW!

[Bob cruise director]

What does one do during a global pandemic? Spring cleaning in the winter of course . . . we've been cleaning out attic/basement/closets/etc for a couple of weeks now, and what did I come across? My Pioneer stereo system (with turntable) that was packed away in original packaging, and in MINT condition. Bought it in 1977. Just HAD to bust it out - - along with the three large boxes of albums. Hooked up the original JBL speakers I still had tucked away, and WOW - - it was amazing to hear the difference between vinyl and today's digital versions. Had to crank up some oldies - - Doobie Brothers; Clapton; Steely Dan; Flying Burrito Brothers; Eagles - - really took me back! Not a good day for getting rid of stuff, but I'm okay with that.

The stereo system was gone a long time ago but we have a milk carton of albums from the 60's sitting in the basement. We are still torn between my wife's spring cleaning every year and sentiment.

Wait for your basement to flood--that will make the decision for you

Totally safe between the dehumidifier for the summer and the perimeter drain and generator for all other weather conditions, we got it covered.

But we still don't know what to do with them

[Bob cruise director]

I think you missed me. But I also don’t know if I posted that I solved.
[/quote]

You did post. Another miss.

[Inca]

I did the grid on Thursday.

First thing I noticed did not pan out and I knew it wasn't the path. As I usually do lately, I put the puzzle away until this afternoon. I still couldn't make heads or tails of it.

I was starting to feel really bad. I know that lately I am not so "determined" to solve, especially if I feel the puzzle is not in my wheelhouse at all and will likely require way too much uninspired googling to please me (e.g. last week). But, this week I was certain that I should be able to solve.

While I listen to very little music, I had the feeling from the clues that this puzzle wouldn't require too much of that. So it was driving me crazy that I didn't even get to step one. Therefore, I had to roll up sleeves and get to work, stop being lazy (which I really am when it comes to solving these) and do some of the things that I usually resist. Go where I usually don't (and neither does Mike Shenk usually go there either, BTW), and also actually download Joe Ross's excel file (I usually try very hard to just solve this by staring at the online version without highlighting, without notes, etc....but thank you Joe for the opportunity to be able to play with the puzzle without having to print it). And, there it was!

RE: the 2 paths. I guess I was one of those that took the shorter route and I believe most meta veterans would probably go that route (although there truly are no probably-s when it comes to metas). But when I didn't like the missing piece, I knew it had to be there (this is a Mike Shenk puzzle after all) so I looked and found it rather quickly. And, I don't think it will be difficult to succinctly print the answer in the corner of the Monday puzzle. As you can see, I tend to be rather wordy, but I do believe the explanation can be made more concise.

Anyway, I'm glad I didn't have to wait until Monday and then bang myself upside the head.

[tim1217]

The stereo system was gone a long time ago but we have a milk carton of albums from the 60's sitting in the basement. We are still torn between my wife's spring cleaning every year and sentiment.

Wait for your basement to flood--that will make the decision for you

Totally safe between the dehumidifier for the summer and the perimeter drain and generator for all other weather conditions, we got it covered.

But we still don't know what to do with them

You can send them to me...I'll pay for shipping and handling!

[rolias]

OMG, just got on dry land. I give it five stars for sending me down a rabbit hole for the longest time.

[HunterX]

The stereo system was gone a long time ago but we have a milk carton of albums from the 60's sitting in the basement. We are still torn between my wife's spring cleaning every year and sentiment.

Wait for your basement to flood--that will make the decision for you

Totally safe between the dehumidifier for the summer and the perimeter drain and generator for all other weather conditions, we got it covered.

But we still don't know what to do with them

"Totally safe"? Used to have a house in Bucks County, PA where the power went off regularly and the lightning hit too many houses each year. We had a floating slab with drain tile in the channel, two indoor sumps, drain piping around the backyard to an outdoor sump pump, and a Generac generator that automatically kicked in each time the power went off. (Plus a lightning rod system.) We finally felt comfortable finishing the basement. Less than a year after I moved out, a big storm hit, power went off, the Generac failed, and the waters did rise. Destroyed the basement.

I moved to a condo on the 29th floor, not just for the great view, but the lack of flooding risk. I've now had my laundry and a bathroom both destroyed by floods from above! (And there's nothing quite like stumbling out of bed at 3:30AM thinking you feel a strange urge to relive yourself, only to find it was caused by the sound of a stream of water coming through the light fixture above the toilet.)

[OGuyDave]

Done and done, with seven hours to spare.

Nice to visit here every now and then!

TFTXWD

[mflaminio]

Could use a hint as I am close. Won’t enter my answer.

[matty_p]

boharr pointed out that my "shore" was in fact a sand bar and now the tide's come in. Swimming back to the ship with a clue and some frustration, but grateful for the guidance.

[BeTheLight]

Went down a pretty deep rabbit hole for a while, but finally made it to shore.

[TomAndDenise]

Finally ashore. Denise, my better half got there before noon on Friday. Of course, it took me a little longer and my nose still hurts.

[TomAndDenise]

Finally ashore. Denise, my better half got there before noon on Friday. Of course, it took me a little longer and my nose still hurts.

[EVJ]

Ashore! Was gone for a bit. Came back and looked again and it jumped out at me. It was hiding in plain sight on my worksheet. I never went down any rabbit holes. I marched through the elegant steps in order. I’m just a very slow solver! This calls for a hot toddy as it is only 21 degrees at my beach. Good luck to all!!

[Colin]

finally if you have made it this far, we had an International Space Station lunar transit not too far from my house at 4:35:52 last evening. The seconds are necessary because it takes less a second to cross the moon so I got this composite. Totally lost to trying to find it by eye

Awesome shot of ISS Bob! The ISS (with or without Dragon) inspires me as to what is possible through collaboration, so I watch it pass over NJ regularly. The NASA email service is really cool for advance notice of quality sightings. But I’ve never seen anything as cool as your lunar transit. I did see it miss a plane by inches one night though