Back in the Saddle

So, a tremendous length of time since I got some of my projects documented. I feel that I need to shift more from a consumer of awesome internet ideas and projects and start producing some documentation that could be useful to others. Here are a few of the projects I've been working on that I'll start pulling pictures and thoughts together for - so quick, easy and useless and other more of a labor of love that I hope will help others with problems that I've had to solve.

1.  Raspberry Pi Garden Control - complete with PyScripts to monitor the temperature (via Weather Underground API) to push through algorithm to determine that level of water needed for the day.  Also dabbled in a web-service and web-interface.  Resulted in these awesome guys:



2. As part of my upgade of my son's power wheel - I destroyed a 12V battery pack for my Milwaukee tools... but not to worry, found the cell that was bad, replaced for $4 and we're back up and running - with different batteries for the power wheel.  I'll show you what I did and the inside of the 12V pack which uses 3 18650 batteries - which are slowly becoming my favorite form factor.



3. Remodeled the pantry/laundry room so we could have a bit more space - the wife loves the results (it was a moth's day gift) - I'll talk about the design and how (surprise!) the room wasn't square! #kbhomes
   
   
   
   
4. As usual, I cannot help but bend Microsoft Excel to my will for various tasks - I do believe that 1 piece of software has been and will continue to be one of the most important software tool sets in the history of computing (right up there with PhotoShop & AutoCAD).  I think it is amazing that you can use the same software to manage your finances, compute complex tax calculations, create 2D woodworking plans, track car maintenance and power the word.a.bot logic!  I'll start posting about that stuff too.  In the mean time - I've submitted an entry to the 2014 Excel Dashboard Contest over at ExcelForum.com - winners will be announced next week and I've been notified that mine should be up on ExcelTips.com before too long.

Those are just a few categories I'm going to get documented and up here.

Let the contribution begin!