Category Archives: Hobby

Inter Colonia song

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AI is getting better really fast. My latest test is a generated song using suno. The style is a mix of a football song combined with a splash of sexuality, and it worked. Inter Colonia, Alan’s team, mixed with droplets of sweat sliding down someone’s blouse. The result sounds amazing.

Lyrics (spanish)

[Verso 1]
Si quieres de esta vaina me avisas (eh)
No tengo compromiso de una cita (eh)
Las caletas están dentro de la guisa (eh)
Ley seca siempre fue pa la noticia (eh)
Gotas de sudor bajan por mi blusa (eh)
Y me das una manguera pa la tusa (eh)
Si me crees muy complicada abusas
Pero yo de eso ya estuve muy cansada (eh)

[Puente]
Inter Colonia
Inter Colonia
Inter Colonia
Diez puntos

[Pre-Coro]
El enemigo me pide la cuenta
Cuando me ve papi puro comentario eh-eh
En qué barrio conseguiste eso
Pensé que éramos del mismo vecindario

[Coro]
Si no quieres fuego (ugh) (fuego, fuego)
No mires mi juego (no, no, no)
Niñas que no juegan
Inter Colonia lo ganó (wow, wow, wow)
Vas perdiendo cero (ugh)
Mi equipo primero (ugh)
Lo hago de nuevo (ugh)
Inter Colonia lo ganó

[Puente]
Inter Colonia
Inter Colonia
Inter Colonia
Diez puntos

Dell arrived

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She arrived! My new Dell laptop. A Latitude. So far, I’ve noticed that it’s nice and fast, much quicker than my old Dell, but contrary to my expectations, it’s not faster than my MacBook. Starting up and shutting down takes more time, and a restart takes much longer than the Mac. Normal software runs comparably, nice and fast. Games like Minecraft (the only one I’ve installed) do work, but they’re a bit choppy. It’s not a super-graphics-intensive game, but on the Snapdragon, it runs disappointingly. A local AI runs super-fast, much better than on the Mac.

I did notice that the laptop got faster after I cleaned up all the preinstalled Dell software. I only left the dell-updater, and the rest went to the trash.

Dell, v2

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It’s almost 10 years later. My old Dell still works well, but it now shows some flaws. The battery only lasts a few minutes. The charger is broken and the power cords are visible. The plastic frame around the screen has partially disintegrated, leaving behind a strange greasy residue. It’s not possible to upgrade to Windows 11 because I’m missing some modern components. A few drawbacks, but as long as the computer hangs by its power cord, it still works perfectly. Nevertheless, I found it time for some refreshing new hardware.

Dell Latitude!My new Dell (arriving soon):
Name: Dell Latitude 7455
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
Memory: 32 GB
Harddisk: 512GB SSD

Why Qualcomm?
I initially had some reservations about getting a Qualcomm processor. They are more expensive, and quite new, which means they may not perfectly compatible with some hardware or software. I worried that it might be harder to get things to work properly, and if I needed to troubleshoot issues myself, it could take a lot of time or effort. However, since I don’t use my laptop for gaming and I don’t require many external devices, I thought I should be okay.

The alternative is an Intel or AMD processor. These would always work, are cheaper, and fast. Normally, they would be the logical choice.

Intel and AMD produce X64 CPUs based on a CISC architecture (Complex Instruction Set). This means that these processors have high speed during numerical tasks, but slower speeds for data transfer. In contrast, ARM CPUs, such as those used in Snapdragons, are based on a RISC architecture (Reduced Instruction Set). This implies that these CPUs have lower bus bandwidth, but are fast for simple tasks. Apple has been using a RISC architecture with its M processors for some years now.

When I bought my first MacBook, it came with an M1 CPU, and this initially required quite a bit of extra effort to install emulators and get stuff to work correctly. I was impressed with the performance when I got my MacBook. Two years later, I’m still happy to see that the AI reacts much faster than an Intel machine. This made me reconsider my initial doubts about Qualcomm processors and think they might be worth considering for their future potential. So, I decided to give it a try.

Why Dell?
My shortlist had two laptops on it. A Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and a Dell Latitude. The Microsoft machine looks really promising, but I was unable to configure one easily with 32GB memory, and it had a glossy screen, with I viewed as a minor negative point. The Dell was easier to configure, but was a bit more expensive. The screen was not quite as good as the Microsoft one, but it was not glossy which I see as a plus.

I found out online that the Microsoft laptop is build really well, better than the Dell, but I remember that my old Dells were all very well build, at least the Latitudes are very sturdy machines so I just went with my experience. After a few days spend sleeping on the issue it was clear to me that I would be happier investing in the Dell, so that’s what I did.

Why 32GB?
Memory is expensive. It is like a small harddisk, but as fast as lightning. If you have enough memory your computer will be fast. Previously my Dell laptops were all bought with the maximum allowed memory, and I would buy an extra memory strip together with the system, so I could double the memory myself once I received the machine. Even after years of operation this resulted in fast and responsive hardware.
My new system cannot be upgraded after buying the system, so I had to get the maximum amount of memory right away. Right now the minimum about of memory seems to be 8gb, but the normal amount is 16GB. By doubling this I should have enough for a couple of years into the future. I think AI applications like it when you have lots of memory available.

Why 512GB?
Harddisks are essential to store loads of data, but being realistic, the harddisk in my laptops are used for the operating system, and for a couple of applications. The rest is temporal storage for backups, projects, etc. Long term storage is done on external harddisks. Only looking at my photos I have way over 2TB already (starting storing my digital images since 1994). External harddisks can be used on any system and a copy can easily be stored in different physical locations.

What else?
I got a Dell with a 14″ screen. A small screen makes for a smaller laptop, which is easier to take with you. A small screen usually means that you do not get a numerical keypad, but I never use the keypad anyway, so there is no loss there.

When?
My new Dell is produced in China. It is on its way right now, but the estimated arrival is in March. Almost one month waiting impatiently. That is probably the price I am paying for living in paradise on an island.

Disclaimer: A few days after deciding on the Dell I took another look at the Microsoft store, and found that getting a system with 32GB memory was possible, but at a price much higher than the Dell. I guess it confirmed I had made the right choice.

Alan’s Milano

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Alan's Milano!Over 2000 little pieces, two instruction manuals with over 400 pages, without any helping hand! Alan has been working days to build his newest lego set. The Milano. The spaceship used by the Guardians of the Galaxy to move around. The result was really nice, and because his room was already filled to the brim with lego sets we even got him a nice display cabinet!

November ’24

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We started this month with a couple of days all-in. Bad for my weight/waist, but good for morale. Once again it was a pretty standard month, with only a few notable events. We had a couple of barbecues. Alan enjoyed a few minutes of fame. We made some homemade yogurt (which I ended up eating myself because nobody liked it) and a couple of very tasty cakes with apple in it. All in all November was a nice and quiet month

Coconut insect hotel

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I continue to see new creative projects which I can realize with a simple coconut. After making a drinking cup, a cookie jar and an orchid pot I now recreated a project I already did in the past, but now with a coconut as an important part. My new project is a coco insect hotel. I made an insect hotel without any coconut in the past that is already hanging on our outside wall for a couple of years. Sometimes insects hang around, but it is not a very popular/busy object.

The ‘old’ insect hotel requires that the insects fly. Flying is the only way to arrive and that probably limits the usage that we see. The newly created coco insect hotel is created in a similar way, but I will not put it on the wall, but instead simply place it among the plants on the dirt. This way the insect hotel can serve a much greater amount of insects.

First step was cutting a cocunut in half. This is getting easier every time now that I’m getting some experience. With the coco cut open you need to remove all the white inside. I use a dull knife to cut the white ‘meat’ in small strips which are easy to remove. After drying the empty coconut I sanded the edges and that was the coco part. All done. Now I get some reed, and cut this into small pieces of around 4 cm each. I used two types of reed, new fresh green reed, and older dried up light brown reed. The fresh green reed was easier to deform, so it made it easier to fit inside the coco. Before putting the reed inside the coco I sanded it a little to take away any imperfections. I mixed sizes so that different insect could find different sizes rooms in our hotel.

I put some paper inside the back of the coco, so the reed does no go in to the coco all the way to the back. The paper fills up the back part, and after filling up the front with the pieces of reed I could align the pieces a little by pushing the a bit deeper into the paper, or by pulling them out a bit.

Fujin

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Since a couple of years I like to browse Kickstarter to see if I can find any fun projects to support. Kickstarter is a platform where you can take a small risk and you can help someone or some organization in developing something new. The idea is simple. If you have an idea, but you dont have the money, you make a plan to create something, calculate what it will cost, and publish it on the site. People who like your plan can pay first, and if there is enough interest, you make your product and send it to the people that supported you. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. When there is enough interest you get the money, and start your development. Normally it will take a long time, and there are almost always delays. There is also a risk. If you did not calculate everything well enough or thought everything through, maybe you fail, and the money disappears. I bought a couple of things through Kickstarter. A robot, a thinket, a super nice towel, a stress relief toy, some books, and the last thing to be delivered on my doorstep was a Fujin.

Fujin wrist!Fujin is the Japanese god of the wind, but also a mechanical watch. The watch was developed as a kickstarter project, and it somehow got my attention. I never wear a watch, so it was an atypical project for me, but the project kept revolving in my mind. Eventually I decided to just take a gamble, and go for it. I made my pledge almost a year ago, and the watch has finally arrived. First thing I noticed is that it arrived in a really big box. It got me all excited, but since it arrived a few days before my birthday I made the choice to wrap it up, and let my kids give it to me. It will be a great gift for myself.

Finally on my birthday I got to unpack the Fujin. It’s a beautiful watch and it fitted my wrist like a glove. I was very happy. After using google translate to read the Japanese instructions I was able to set the correct time, and ever since it just works great.

Model: S-Meister, Fujin SM-DVBK-P-KS
Movement: Seiko Epson YN71
Case: SS (BK), size: 42mm, thickness: 14 mm, lug width: 22 mm
Face: Platinum leaf
Cover: Sapphire glass
Strap: Cordura Nylon, 9 cm including buckle / 7.7 cm for belt only at 12 o’clock, 12 cm at 6 o’clock

Fuji nightstand!The watch is heavy and big, you are easily reminded you are wearing it, it transmits a feeling of quality. The size of the watch was one of the things that worried me. I though a too big of a watch was uncomfortable, and would maybe look to much like I was calling for attention, which I wanted to avoid. In the end the watch is quite sizable, but it is an acceptable size, and it looks pretty good on my wrist, without being overly big.

The watch face is created basically a black area covered by a very very thin layer of platinum. This super thin platinum foil really does look a bit like something representing the wind, so that’s really nice. The watch face has a hole to see the inner workings of the watch, and it feels like looking at the watch’s heartbeat. It is only a small piece of the movement you can see, but it is amazing seeing extremely small pieces moving around so fast you can hardly make out what is moving around.

There are three dials. One very thin dial for seconds, and two dials with little points that light up in the dark for the minutes and the hours. The dials look really nice, and the glow in the dark feature helps for reading the time when you are in a darker environment. During the day the silver dials, on top of the platinum foil can be a bit hard to read. You need to look well so see the dials and know the time, at night or with low light it is much easier to tell the time, thanks to the little dots of illumination.

The back of the watch is also made of sapphire or maybe its just glass, I’m not sure. It shows you a different part of the movement, and it shows the way the watch generates its energy by using your movement to move a big piece around which I suspect charges the watch. The watch can be charged using the crown, or by simply wearing it. The little book that comes with the watch explains that wearing the watch for around 8 hours a day is enough to keep it running for 24 hours.

The strap is black on the outside, there is a very small black leather part where the holes are located for fixing the buckle. The inside is made out of a light brown leather, and feels comfortable. The strap is a bit though when new, but I feel like it will adapt to my wrist in time, and I feel like the materials used will be comfortable for using every day.

The only down-side of the watch is that is can be difficult to read the time, and for a watch that is obviously a pretty big inconvenience, but still I am very happy with my very first mechanical watch. It looks great, and its weight and size make it feel like something important is on my wrist.

Coco orchid

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Coco orchid!Step one was a coco box with coco cookies. It was a great project, the cookies taste great and the coco box was a nice decoration. Still, I had the idea that we could improve the concept. After some mind-storming the coco orchid project was born. There are three parts. A coco that we use to hold the plant. A base to hold the coco, and a pretty mini orchid to provide some stunning beauty.

1. Cut/saw the top of the coco. Clean the inside and let the coco dry.
2. Smooth the edges of the coco, and smooth the outside and the inside with some sandpaper.
3. Lightly oil the inside of the coco, with a little bit of oil, to make the coco a bit more water resistant.
4. Make the base, cut a piece of plastic from a bottle, and wrap it with brown wool. The brown wool combines well with the color of the coconut.
5. Buy a mini orchid, and transplant it into the coco. Add some additional material to surround the base of the orchid to it does not move around, but there should still be lots of air/space around the roots.

Enjoy!

Mini orchid: 16 euro, coconut: 1.50 euro, water bottle: 1 euro, a ball of brown wool: 1 euro. Total: 19:50 euro
Enjoy a beautiful orchid every time you come home: Priceless!

Coco cookies

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Coco cookies!Super easy, super tasty and super fun to make. What else could you ask for.

Ingredients:
– A package of cookies
– Condensed milk
– A package of coconut powder

Step 1: Throw all the cookies into the blender and mash them up into a fine or semi-fine powder.
Step 2: Mix the cookie powder with a part of the coconut powder and the condensed milk. Mix it all up, and then make small balls of the mix.
Step 3: Roll the balls through the coconut powder and lay them all out on a big plate. When you have all the balls place the plate in the refrigerator. After the balls have turned more firm in the fridge they are all done!

Extra (will take a lot more time preparing):
– Buy one or two coconuts to present your coconut cookies in style.

Use a saw to cut the coconut in half. Use only the part without the three marks, and try and give this part the ideal size you prefer. One of the three marks can be easily pushed in, push a hole in this mark to get all of the liquid out of the coconut. Once drained saw the coconut in half carefully. Take out the white insides with a spoon, and leave the coconut a white so it can dry. Now you need to make the inside and the edge smooth using sandpaper.
You can leave the outside a bit rougher if you like, but it will make the coconut more difficult to clean. I smoothed the top two centimeters of the outside, so it will be nice when using the coconut for drinking. In this case we will not drink from the coco; we will fill it up with the coco-balls we created. The perfect presentation.

Costs: Cheap package of cookies: 1.20, condensed milk: 2.50, coco powder: 2.00, two coconuts: 2.00. Total: 13.97.
Homemade coco-balls presented in a fantastic coco-cup: Priceless

Tide clock!

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Tide clock!I bought the mechanism for a tidal clock. Basically a regular clock, but instead of showing the hours it will indicate the time it takes to reach high tide and low tide. We love visiting the La Laja beach with low tide, so this is a perfect ‘thing’ to place on the wall. I only bought the mechanism, so I will need to make the entire clock myself. I could have bought a finished product directly, but I did not like the versions that were available. I thought I could do better myself.

A tide clock is specifically designed to track the motion of the tides, which are influenced by the Moon’s position relative to the Earth. A tide clock typically completes one cycle every 12 hours and 25 minutes, reflecting the average time between two high tides or two low tides.

  • Get the tide mechanism. Note that there is only one dial! There is only one dial needed to indicate the water is going up or going down. There is no need for a dial indicating minutes or seconds.
  • Get a regular clock. Try and find a cheap one where you can more or less easily disconnect the plastic front panel, and disconnect the clock mechanism.
  • Dismantle the regular clock. Remove the mechanism and remove the backplate. We only need the outside frame and the plastic front cover.
  • Create a new backplate, and put it in the clock. The backplate has the term ‘High tide’ on top. Then to the right a countdown to low tide. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. At the bottom we have the text ‘Low tide’ and on the left of the backplate we have a countdown to high tide from the bottom to the top. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
  • Place the tide mechanism in the clock, and the tide clock is finished!

Costs: Mechanism 3.47, Clock: 8.50, Paper/decoration: 2.00. Total: 13.97.
Having a beautiful homemade tide clock on the wall: Priceless