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Today is very strange. And not just because of April Fools.
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I let my home automation platform (NUC + Ubuntu + Home Assistant on Docker) slip on updates for a very long time. This morning, I decided to go scorched earth and rebuild it all with Proxmox and Home Assistant OS. I have regrets. We’ve forgotten how to use a house that is not smart. It’s so dark.
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CLOSED CAPTIONS DRIVE ME CRAZY. there. i said it.
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👊🇺🇸🔥
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  • Catchin a good whiff. Smells like home.
  • The La Sal Mountains, coming back up through Moab
  • One more look back at Monument Valley
  • Headin home

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January Reset. No Gluten. No Alcohol.

I've been dealing with some minor, intermittent skin issues for years. It's been treatable, but last year the eczema came hard, spread further and was a little gnarlier... so I started seeing a dermatologist and allergist. They tested for chemical allergies, environmental allergies, had me change everything that I put on my skin or clothes and none of it helped. I suspected a food allergy or something, but the allergist disagreed, and wanted me to come in weekly to get shots. Yeah right.

Despite everything else they suggested, things got worse toward the end of the year... peak gluttony season.

In December, we did an "advent calendar of beer" from Confluence, so I was having at least half of a craft beer every day for nearly a month - probably my longest consecutive drinking stint ever, haha

Combined with all the heavy food and parties, I sorta ... read more

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Hi, I'm Derek Brooks

I'm a 43.66 year old midwestern American who enjoys engineering, traveling, partying, and extremish sports.

Most of my life's latest happenings are on this page, but you can also check out what I'm up to today and what I did yesterday.

If you'd like to know a little more about me you can check out my bio - and don't forget to check out my photos!

Last seen in Des Moines

Latest comments

broox: i only have 1 for 2 floors and it works just fine for both

bj maldonado: sickkkk. totally worth the price too. does it work across two floors? or would i need one per floor?

broox: i have one for my fans and it’s great!

bj maldonado: aha! i was looking into these but wasn't sure which brand was gonna be good and consistent. adding to list!

broox: ohhh. dude if the remotes are rf you can make them smart very easily. check out the bridges at bondhome.io

bj maldonado: along those lines: any recommendations for smart home ceiling fans? my house is old and electrical is wonky. there's no switch that controls the fans. just remotes. 🤣

broox: yea, our lights are based on a combination of time, presence, motion, sun position, and current lux. e.g. if i walked into my office during the day, but it’s dark and cloudy, bright light... (more)

ian dees: a friend picked up one of these things: www.home-assistant.io/voice-pe/ it's a google home mini but the text to speech, ha manipulation, and speech to text happens locally. so far it's real... (more)

broox: nice. what will you use for mics? i try to use voice (or any manual) controls as little as possible, but i definitely find voice handy in places like the kitchen.

ian dees: not yet, but i'm looking into it more as google assistant is getting ignored for gemini. we mostly use it for kitchen timers and turning lights on or off, so i'm thinking it'd be fun to do a... (more)

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