Bluetooth Headphone Repair

I really like Bluetooth headphones. They are extremely convenient, especially while biking and listening to audio books. Sometimes, they break though. The last time mine broke, I decided to fix them myself by cannibalizing an old set of headphones, and a soldering iron.

First, I started watching different youtube videos on how to repair Bluetooth headsets. Basically, the kind of headset I like is the same across different brands and models. They are probably manufactured at the same Chinese factory, with very minor differences, and the same fundamental design. This was the most helpful video for me.

After I was ready to begin, I took apart my headset. While it was apart, I touched the soldering iron to the connections for the actual broken earbud. I removed it, stripped the plastic ear covers to use later, and then threw away the broken min-speaker.

Next, I cut a working headphone out from it's connection, stripped the leads, and then soldered that into the position that I removed from the previous step.

I then powered up (with everything disconnected) to make sure things worked. They worked, and I then reassembled everything, and it worked.

The number one "gotcha" is making sure you have enough slack in your new replacement headphone. Mine were too tight, and the lack of slack pulled the entire headset up, off my neck, when I was wearing it. That was pretty uncomfortable.

Notice how the new speaker wire is super short compared to the existing speaker wire - this is uncomfortable.

This was 100% not an efficient use of my time. It makes way more sense to throw away your broken pair, and buy a new one, unless you make minimum wage or less. It's like $9 (free shipping) from the link I shared above. However, I like repairing things. It's been a while since I did any electronics projects, and it was fun. Plus, I had a set of headphones where the speakers still worked, but the jack was sort of messed up. It was fun combining two broken things into one working thing.

Russian 401 Final Project - Done with Russian Language at UNM

I've had a lot of Russian friends in Albuquerque beginning in graduate school, and had a good time progressing with the language. Understanding another human language is like understanding a completely different programming paradigm - it gives you another way to view the world you're in, gives you creative ways to solve problems, and introduces you to a whole set of people you otherwise wouldn't have met. I'm not yet fluent in Russian, but have progressed a great deal since starting the UNM Russian program four years ago.

My formal Russian study officially began at UNM Continuing Education, twice a week after working a 9-5 job. I was absolutely terrible in my first class, and even though there were no grades I almost was kicked out. I started private tutoring, and improved a great deal. I'm still not as good at reading as I am at speaking or understanding. After I finished two years of Continuing Ed, I took private tutoring for a year, and then started at UNM.

I finished my final Russian assignment and submitted it about twenty minutes ago. Finishing it up was somewhat bittersweet. I'm a bit disappointed that UNM doesn't offer more Russian language classes, but I cannot really blame them. My 401 class BARELY happened, with about eight students enrolled.

I will continue studying, with tutors and on my own. After all of this study, I am finally at a point where progress alone is possible.

If I actually want to get a Russian degree (which isn't super necessary since I already have a BS + MS in Computer Science) I'll need to take 4-5 culture classes. I enjoyed history as an undergrad, and maybe I'll enjoy the culture classes too. I'm signed up for one in the Spring time, and it should be fun. I like learning about new things, that aren't necessarily only programming or business, and the instructor seems nice.

I'm very grateful that resources such as UNM Continuing Ed, private tutors, and UNM Russian exist in Albuquerque.

417 "C" Available

I have an apartment that is available, located at 417 Princeton Dr. SE. I would like to rent this out for the Spring, 2018 semester. The existing tenant said she'd like to be out December 10, 2018. Rent is $700 / month, and includes gas, internet, water, sewage and garbage (all bills!) No pets are allowed. I'd like first month's rent, last month's rent, and a month of damage deposit ($2100) down.

This place is three years old. Furnishings are negotiable. I furnished this place while experimenting with listing it as a short term rental on airbnb.com.

Please give me a call at 505-750-1169 if this is something you're interested in. Thanks!

Cooking Class with Chef Joy

A few weeks ago, Alina and I took a cooking class with Chef Joy, who is part of a business development group I attend. Joy described her idea for cooking classes. While Joy was describing this idea, I suggested a "date night" for couples, which she offered, and then Alina and I were her first customers! She has access to the beautiful Ferguson Showroom, which has about 8 super high end demo kitchens setup.

We cooked a mushroom soup, a thai chicken curry, and bourbon pecan cupcake. Everything was ridiculously good tasting, and extremely efficient to prepare.

There was wine and beer.

I am happy we took a cooking class as a date. It was a fun change, and we learned how to (efficiently) prepare tasty, healthy dishes.

Salmon Snagging with Russians

Over Halloween, I went salmon snagging with Russians at Navajo Lake - east of Farmington, New Mexico. This is somewhat different than fishing. In all kinds of fishing I've ever done, the fish bite your hook, and then you catch them on the hook that they just bit. In salmon snagging, so many salmon are swimming by at all times you jerk the hook up quickly (then relax, and jerk it again) that you catch a salmon on the side of it's body. The hook is a mean looking trifecta of heavy weight, and three barbed hooks.

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. However, my friend that always throws a project-x style Halloween party basically moved to south east Asia, and didn't throw one this year in Albuquerque. Alina (a beautiful Russian woman I've been dating) invited me to go with her family salmon snagging. I like Russian family things. Russian families invite me to eat at their house, and feed me tons of good food. Then, the dad gets mad if I don't drink at least one beer/alcoholic beverage with him (3-5 is better.) Then, they have tea and something sweet. This happens at basically every single meal when I've been a guest, with basically four Russian families. Everyone sits around, talks in Russian and English (depending on your proficiency - I understand a ton of Russian but I still kind of suck at speaking) and everyone is really nice. I grew up eating every single dinner with my family at the table, and I like that part of Russian hospitality.

 

Alina caught one fish on Saturday, and four on Sunday. 

Somehow Russian women always maintain their makeup, and hair, even while fishing...? 

You can see the blood dripping. This type of fishing is the most brutal I've experienced.

Valeriy in the foreground - salmon snagging was crowded!

The salmon are spawning, and the New Mexicans are crowding.

Valeriy.

In total, we caught thirty three fish. Alina caught five, her brother Andrew caught one, and her stepdad Valeriy and I caught twenty eight between the two of us - over two days of fishing.

I really liked building a fire with Alina's brother. By that time on Saturday night, Valeriy had already convinced me that drinking four beers was a good idea. I'm happy the fire did not burn anything down. 

This is Alina's mom, Lada, during the bloodbath of cleaning.

Catching the fish was way more fun than processing them. However, with four people hacking them up as quickly as possible, it didn't take that long. 

Lada cooked an amazing salmon dinner for us on Sunday when we returned....

... and it was delicious.

Salmon snagging at Navajo Lake with Russians was a very fun way to spend Halloween. The lake salmon tasted like a cross between Atlantic / ocean / regular salmon and trout, which I thought was really good. I'm happy that's how I spent my Halloween.