I bought a guitar last week. It is a Martin DX1 acoustic with an electric pickup. I have wanted a guitar since I was a kid. I played on my dad’s guitar back then. My grandfather had a classical guitar. He took lessons and was pretty good. I dropped an Ovation acoustic years ago and that resulted in 9 stitches above my eye. I was never very good. I knew a dozen chords at one point but about 4 these days. I’m working through the lessons on JustinGuitar.com and I just ordered his beginner songbook. I’m at the point now where my fingers are not hurting when I play for more than 10 minutes. If you are interested in guitar, I highly recommend checking out that site.
Category Archives: Personal
New day, new theme, new resume. What?
Hah. There! This morning I decided that the neglectful attentiveness to my blog ends today. I’ve decided that in the past and it seems to take hold for a while.
I read an article this morning that suggested everyone should post their resume as a page off of their domain name (if they have one obviously). I’m happy with my job but I do want to be the top “Bill Blevins” found in search results and I thought…, “Oh, that will be easy” and, “I do have a current resume handy” and “That probably won’t take much time or hurt much.”
In the process –you know how that goes– I decided to switch WordPress themes. It’s only a click of a couple of buttons, right?
That decision will probably cost me a whole Saturday soon cleaning up the mess I’ve made.
The biggest thing missing though is my cool real-time weather sticker from my home weather station. Something like this, only smaller to fit in the right rail:
So, there it is. For now.
I do really like this theme.
Blue line on 42″ LG plasma HGTV

The mostly persistent thin blue line on my 5-yr-old LG plasma TV.
Well, I’m going to try and repair my LG Plasma HGTV. The model number of my LG Plasma is DU-42PX12X.
Here’s the story…
A few weeks ago, my 42″ LG Plasma HGTV began to occasionally display a thin blue line on the right side of the screen. It would appear for a while, then disappear for a while. We are now going on about 5 weeks and it is always on the screen now. It is about 1 inch wide and is about 6 inches from the right side of the screen.
Of course, the first thing one does these days when something like this happens is to hit Google.
Apparently, after reading only a few blogs, I have been lucky. Many LG TV’s purchased in 2004-2005 had this problem after only a couple of years and most of the blog posts are from a couple of years ago.
I got away without the problem for 5 years.
After checking out only a few Google results, I landed on a blog post that had very detailed instructions on how to fix the problem. The comments on the post were lengthy and most people who followed the instructions sucessfully fixed their TVs.
So, this morning, I ordered a LG Electronics / Zenith “Hand Insert PCB Assembly” – part number 6871QCH038C from partstore.com. The part should be here by next weekend.
I’ll update this post when it arrives and let everyone know the outcome.
UPDATE: Transplant surgery on the 42″ LG Plasma HGTV was a success, fixing the 1″ blue line running down the right side of the screen.
No More Mowin’… ‘Cause It’s Snowin’

My Radio Flyer Wagon
I’ve begun a project to rebuild my early 1970′s era Radio Flyer Wagon. Thus far, it has been photographed and disassembled. I haven’t been able to find an image of a Radio Flyer Wagon like this one online yet. I did find a similar wagon but the wheels were different. I was, and still am searching for a source to buy an original style stencil to repaint the logo. I may have to have a Radio Flyer stencil made here locally with someone cutting a pattern based on my photos. Stay tuned for followups as the project progresses.
The Blevins Family – Thanksgiving 2009
Pet Peek could solve Southern Hills fence problem
I’d need at least 100 – two for each pup, installed every 10 feet. Heck, if we install enough of them the neighbors won’t be able to see the massive fence!
Hat tip to Mark. Source: http://www.petpeek.info/
Welcome to Southern Hills in Fairport, NY

November 14, 2008
Mr. & Mrs. Blevins
6 Brackley Circle
Fairport, NY 14450
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Blevins,
In the 20 years since our community, Southern Hills, was developed, we have enjoyed a proud tradition of family oriented community, full of friendly neighbors, and with lots of children and pets enjoying each others company while respectful of each others properties. It is with this proud tradition in mind, that we, your neighbors, are so disappointed with your choice to install such a massive fence.
As you may have noticed, Southern Hills is largely void of fences. The ample yards and the beautiful rolling landscape create a lovely “park-like” setting that has come to identify Southern Hills. Any fences that have been installed are typically small and/or close-set to the house. Usually as small yards for pet safety. Of course, many others have chosen to use invisible fences for pet safety. The stark contrast created by your fence, however, creates a disruption to the Southern Hills identity. Especially a stockade fence, which creates isolation, and gives the impression that you don’t wish to be part of our community. This fence divides our once-beautiful open area in the dozens of back yards bordered by Cannock Drive, Kirkby Trail, Brackley Circle, Chenin Run and Chardonnay Drive.
Neighbors spoke with you as you were considering installing your fence, and shared the community view on fences. Still others felt strongly enough to create and sign a petition, which we have attached to this letter. [Download the .pdf file of the letter and petition.] In the spirit of maintaining the proud tradition of Southern Hills, we respectfully request that you remove this fence. If you are unwilling to consider this, please at least landscape around the fence to soften its stark appearance.
We hope you will view this note and petition in the manner it was intended, as candid and honest feedback from neighbors who care deeply about their community. Most of all, we are hopeful you will act on this feedback.
Sincerely,
Your Neighbors
cc: Jim Smith, Perinton Town Supervisor
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Southern Hills Petition
FREEDOM KNOWS NO FENCES
We, the undersigned neighbors of Southern Hills, hereby protest the installation of a stockade style fence at 6 Brackley Circle. The Southern Hills neighborhood has a proud 20+ year tradition, built upon respect of each other, our families and our properties. Throughout these years, the Southern Hills neighbors have enjoyed the bonds of community, while free of the bonds brought by fences or boundaries. Each of our neighborhood members has taken great pride in their properties, attentive to details of lawn and garden, yet open for all to enjoy.
The undersigned neighbors of Southern Hills, respectfully request the immediate removal of this fence.
Steely Dan Concert
We saw Steely Dan last Friday night at CMAC in Canandaigua, NY. Great show!!


