The Telephone Registration System TEX

Hearing the voice of TEX brings back some memories (e.g. "the class you selected is full, and all others like it are full").  We were still using this system when I went to UT in the 90's.   I recall having to buy a course guide book at the Coop, then charting out contingencies and backups for the inevitable situation wherein the class I wanted was full.  This was more of a problem at first, but things were much easier once I was able to register for upper division classes.  

I was elated when in law school registration was done by walking up to a desk and telling a person which classes I wanted.   

Austin Bike Map

 

The weather was great yesterday, so I pulled the hybrid bike and took it for a spin around central Austin.  I have found that the next 2.5 months are typically good times for afternoon rides; after mid-June, I usually shift to nights and the occasional morning.   

If you are new to bicycling in Austin or looking for some new street routes, check out the interactive bicycling map from the city.   Routes are not only mapped out, but rated on levels of comfort/danger vis a vis traffic.   This is a useful map.  I used a previous version about 10 years ago when I started to ride again and wanted to find good routes for getting around town.  

If you are curious about the bike:  that's my Trek 7.3 hybrid/fitness bike from 2012.  I use it for cruising around downtown and central neighborhoods.  It's also good for errands and trips to bars/restaurants/etc.    I don't know how the current iteration of this bike is holding up, but I've been happy with the 2012 vintage.   

February 2021 Austin Residential Real Estate Market Statistics.

 

Visit ABoR.com/MarketStatistics for more information and a full press release from the Austin Board of Realtors.  The above statistics compare February 2020 to February 2021.  Keep in mind, there was a winter storm disaster with resulting impassably iced over roads, power blackouts, and water shortages during this month.

Visit us at Floyd Real Estate, LLC, if you are thinking about buying or selling property (residential, commercial, or land) in the Central Texas area.   We would be happy to advise you on your real estate related needs.  

Floyd Real Estate is a Texas real estate brokerage, TREC Lic. #9003790

Power Inverter to Tap Yard Tool Batteries

Do you have 40v Ryobi yard tools?  Great.  It turns out you can pull power out of those batteries in a blackout (or, more positively, whilst camping) with the 300w power inverter for 40v batteries.

A month ago, I was enjoying day 3 of the "rolling" blackout in my neighborhood.  After the blackout, we decided to add a few items to our disaster kit.  During the blackout, one of my brothers had stopped by (in his 4x4) in order to drop off a few chargers.  Included in the charger bundle were a couple of Ridgid 18v batteries with USB charging adapters.  These were great for our phones (and better than running the car to charge them) but unable to help the laptops.  

We decided it would be good to be able to tap power from the tool batteries I have out in the garage.   One of the battery systems I have is the Ryobi 40v for my mower and weed eater,  thus the procurement of the above mentioned/pictured power inverter.   I wouldn't have bought this and a 40v battery on their own, but since I have 2 (and probably more soon) 40v batteries at the house the inverter seemed like a good accessory to add to the mix.  It would be frustrating to deal with another blackout and not be able to use all of the batteries in the house as reservoirs of electricity for our electronic devices (and, I will probably pack this on my next camping trip).  

Below is a chart of what it will and will not power, as well as how many phone/tablet/laptop recharges you can get from each size battery:

If you have another brand of yard tools with interchangeable batteries, check to see if an inverter is available.  I checked and EGO has them.  Other systems may have them as well.  

Austin Recycle and Reuse Drop-Off Center is Open Again

Dead Electronics, Headed for Recycling

You may not know this, but you can recycle all sorts of household items in Austin.  These are things you shouldn't put into the curbside bin, but the city is happy to take off your hands.   The Austin Recycle and Reuse Drop-Off Center had been closed owing to COVID, but as of March 9th has been re-opened (you must now schedule an appointment).  I have taken many old TVs, printers, and other office items (even an ancient photocopier) out there and found the process to be quite easy.  

• Check here for a list of accepted items.

Fly the Windy Skies

Last time I was in the Pine Springs campground in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, I thought this was going to happen while setting up my tent.   It gets windy out there!  As I said in the previous post, if you go to Pine Springs be ready to deal with the inability to stake down your tent.  Also, you should probably weight it down before it gains lift. 

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Everything You Need to Know to Hike Guadalupe Peak - The Texas State Hig...

Check out this informative video about hiking to the top of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas.  I made it to the top back in 2007.  I had planned a return trip to the top during my last trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, but I ended up spending my hiking day on the Bowl Loop (with side trip to the top of Hunter Peak) which ended up being a great time.  I'll post about that hike at some point, in addition to more about my trips to the park.

In case you are heading out that way now, here are some tips:

• Pine Springs campground is first come/first serve.  Also, the tent sites are hard (too hard for my stakes).  Come prepared to tie your tent down to rocks.  
• Pack in all of your food.  The park's gift shop may sell a few snacks, but the nearest places to Pine Springs campground where you can buy actual food are Van Horn and Carlsbad.  If you are on the western side of the park, there is a store (with pizza) in Dell City.
• Drink lots of water.  This is the desert and your body will lose a lot of water even when it is cool outside.
• Download the Hiking Project app, if you haven't already.  It works offline, so when your phone is in airplane mode or in a no service area the map will still tell you where you are.  
• Don't expect to find electric outlets.  In addition to using your car's charger, bring charging packs if you have them.  

That's all I have to say for now, other than I highly recommend a trip out to this fantastic part of Texas.  

Gus

 

Gus, Our Pyrador, and His Mr. Bill Toy.

It's hard to believe we've had Gus just a little over 6 months.  It's also hard to believe that the dog you see above was a stray back in July.  He has definitely settled into life at our house (and I'm fairly sure that he is enjoying it).   He's turning 2 this month, and while he has filled out to (what we think) is his full size we don't see him slowing down any.  

Gus is a Labrador Retriever/Great Pyrenees mix (aka a Pyrador) we adopted from Heart of Texas Lab Rescue in August.   He was a stray for an undetermined amount of time; long enough for him to be skinny and lethargic by the time the HOTLR volunteers rescued him.  Now he is the happy, furry, energetic 110lb beast you see above.   As I mentioned in a previous post, he's my first rescue dog and we can't be happier with him.  

Also, I think we hit a home run with the Mr. Bill toy.  It screams "On No!" when your dog bites on it.  Gus' was very entertained by the screaming while it lasted.  Unfortunately, it lasted about 3 days before he removed the noise box (which I had to throw out b/c of it being a choking hazard).  The (now silent) toy is still one of his favorites.  He gets a kick out of throwing it in the air and catching it.  

Trivia

 

Looking for  some fun on Thursday night?  Look no further than our Floyd Real Estate series virtual trivia night.   You can RVSP and get tickets links through the event page.   It is free to play, but we ask that you put a dollar amount on your fun and give it to the Central Texas Food Bank.  

COVID Dining Rules in Austin

 

Check out this article from Eater for a breakdown on the current rules for bars and restaurants:  What Are Austin's Rules for Indoor Dining and Bars Right Now?

Remember, while bars in general have been ordered to remain closed they can be open if they serve food from their own kitchen or a food truck.  Star Bar, for example, is open because there is a Via 313 trailer out back (and if you haven't tried it: their Detroit-style pizza is delicious).  

Pictured above is the dry-aged grass-fed New York Strip (Oscar style) from ALC Steaks.  That will probably be my first dine-in order after I get the vaccine.  

January 2021 Austin Residential Real Estate Market Statistics

 

Visit ABoR.com/MarketStatistics for more information and a full press release from the Austin Board of Realtors.  The above statistics compare January 2020 to January 2021.

The residential market continues to be on a wild upward trajectory.  You can see the data above from January, but nothing about these trends has stopped in February.  Competition amongst buyers is brutal, with multiple offers and single family homes typically going for well over asking.  It's the same story as last month: people keep moving here, there isn't enough inventory (.5 months is wildly low), and interest rates are low.   I do think that COVID concerns kept people from listing in 2020.  Once COVID concerns abate, the next questions will be: (1) are people deciding against selling because they don't want to have to compete in this extreme seller's market, (2) how many people will decide to stay put (and thus not list their home) because they have refinanced at historically low interest rates, and (3) will the emigration from California tech hubs continue at the current pace?  Also, what will become the new standard for close-to-Austin?  Lockhart and Elgin, for example, are being casually discussed as suburban areas by my clients (and clients of other Realtors I know).  Lockhart may seem far out to a longtime Austinite, but I recall when going to Cedar Park was like driving to another town.  Finally, what are we going to do about building more housing?

Visit us at Floyd Real Estate, LLC, if you are thinking about buying or selling property (residential, commercial, or land) in the Central Texas area.   We would be happy to advise you on your real estate related needs.  

Floyd Real Estate is a Texas real estate brokerage, TREC Lic. #9003790

Texas Winter Storm Power Failure

 

Think from KERA public radio has a good episode about why Texas lost power and water services last week.   I listened to the podcast while I was walking Gus earlier.  He was definitely glad to be out walking and not huddling under blankets like last Wednesday night.  Listen to the story.  Apparently we were quite close to the grid being damaged to the point that blackouts could have lasted for weeks.  

I also checked out the Texas Tribune's in-depth coverage of the failure to protect the power grid from extreme weather.  

Trivia: The Creative Fund

 It will be happening on Thursday night at 7.  Buy your tickets for the Zoom code.

[update: it was a fun night.  We had five teams play and it was quite competitive.]

Winter Storm Follow-Up

 

My Street, About an Hour Before the Blackout

Last Monday I woke up to the realization that the "rolling" blackouts which started at 2a weren't so rolling and that my car was trapped in the driveway.  Today I woke up to sunshine and the news that my part of the neighborhood no longer has to boil water.  That's quite a turnaround.   

Austinites: I hope you have running water back at this point.  If you do not, the Statesman has an ongoing list of places to get water.  Also, check my Twitter as I have been retweeting water related updates (and follow those sources, as I'm not updating all of the time).  

Austin Realtors: ABOR has a winter storm recovery checklist you can reference.  

Trivia Fans: Floyd Real Estate trivia night is still scheduled for 3/4.  Stay tuned to this blog and I'll update on whether The Creative Fund's trivia night will go forth on Thursday or will be postponed.  

Thawed Out in Austin

 Last week was quite unpleasant.  We lost power in the neighborhood for 77.5 hours (so much for the "rolling" blackouts we were told to expect).  My house (a 1950's pier and beam; fortunately re-insulated in May) was down to 41 degrees inside on Thursday morning right before the electricity returned.  At least we had water the whole time (many people I know lost it at some point) as well as natural gas.  We had hot water and could cook on the gas range, but the central heat didn't work without electricity.  Add into this mix the fact that Austin is not equipped to clear icy roads, thus our cars (RWD sedans) were unable to go anywhere until our street was sufficiently melted on Friday.  

Fortunately, I own ski and cold weather camping gear.  I also have a lot of camp lighting.  All of these things made dealing with the blackout better; however, we're buying more equipment to handle the next blackout that occurs (I hope never, but of course I'm sure it will happen again).  I'll probably post about such things here.

Next time I need gas, I'll be filling our cars up at Sonny's market/Exxon at the corner of Lamar and Lamar Square.  They were about the only place open (in walking distance) on Thursday; the snacks I procured from them were a huge morale booster at the house.  Shake Shack and Southside Flying Pizza were up and running Friday, and Maudie's was back in operation yesterday.  They too provided a huge morale booster (especially Maudie's with those tamales smothered in chili con carne).  

It will be interesting (and probably infuriating) to read the post mortems on the power grid failures.  Everything I've read/heard points to the conclusion that the blackouts were - if not completely preventable - at least much worse than they would have been with adequate planning and preparation.  Sadly, none of this information has thus far been surprising.  Good times.  At least it's 75 degrees and sunny today.  

[Note: If you are looking for updates on where to find water, check out my Twitter at @wdfloyd.  I recommend following some of the links I have retweeted, as I'm only retweeting sporadically.  Also, breweries and restaurants have been giving out water, so check the linked article to see if water is available at one of the listed places near you.]

Trivia: Floyd Real Estate Trivia Returns March 4th

 

We'll be back (virtually) on March 4th.  I'll be hosting.  Fundraising plan needs to be finalized but it is probable we will ask for donations to the Central Texas Food Bank (as we did for much of 2020). 

Follow the Floyd Real Estate trivia page on Facebook if you are into following Facebook pages.  I'll also post the registration link on this blog.

Can Humans Live in Zero Gravity Like in The Expanse?

Whether or not you like The Expanse, there is interesting information in the above embedded video about NASA studies regarding living in zero gravity.  Also, apparently bacteria can thrive and grow stronger in zero-g.  Great.

Top Gun 2 EXTENDED SUPER BOWL Trailer (from 2020)

I am still eagerly awaiting the release of Top Gun: Maverick in theaters (yes, I realize this may still be a long wait).   The YouTube algorithm reminded me of this, when it served up the above embedded trailer during a search for unrelated videos.  It's an extended trailer from the Super Bowl last year.  The reason I've posted it is because at the end there is some cool/interesting content related to how the actors trained for their roles and how the aviation scenes were films.  I hadn't seen it before, thus I posted it in case you haven't either.  

Meteors

(Blurry) Photo of Meteor Crater in Arizona

 

I came across this interesting list last week:  Meteorite Impact Craters in the United States 

Many of these impact craters are now filled in, covered up, or otherwise unable to detect without having done some kind of geologic surveying.  A glaring exception is the Barringer Crater (aka, Meteor Crater) in northern Arizona (shown above, in a photo from a point and shoot camera I bought in 2006).  I went there on a whim back in 2008 when I was in the Flagstaff area.  The crater was much more fun to visit than I anticipated (though not on the level of the Grand Canyon, which I also visited on that trip).   

The crater I have "visited" more recently is the Sierra Madera Astrobleme.  I used the quotes there because said visit involved driving to Big Bend National Park on US Route 385 (which runs through the 8 mile diameter crater).   The cool parts are visible from the highway, but on a private ranch.   Thus, it's a cool road trip anomaly to encounter on the way to Big Bend (a place I'll write more about in a future post).  

Do you like the idea of owning rocks which have traveled through space?  Earlier this evening I read that starting on Tuesday Christie's will be auctioning off 72 meteorites.  Thus if have some spare cash lying around, you can potentially get your hands on a meteorite without having to wait for one to fall on your property.   And if you do buy one, consider letting a museum display your new meteorite (at least from time to time) so that the general public can enjoy getting to see it.     

       

Trivia Fun for 2021

 

Virtual trivia is coming back in 2021.  Here's what's on the calendar so far:

• Creative Fund Trivia Night
• Tentatively scheduled for 2/25.   

• Austin Young Lawyers Trivia Night
• Scheduled for 3/25.
• For AYLA members and sustaining members.  

A Floyd Real Estate Trivia Series event is in the works as well.   Stay tuned for more information.

December 2020 Austin Real Estate Statistics

 

Visit ABoR.com/MarketStatistics for more information and a full press release from the Austin Board of Realtors.  The above statistics compare December 2019 to December 2020.

Note that the median sales price is up 18% from last December.  You can expect this trend to continue until 2021.  Inventory is low, and lots of people are moving here.  

Visit us at Floyd Real Estate, LLC, if you are thinking about buying or selling property (residential, commercial, or land) in the Central Texas area.   We would be happy to advise you on your real estate related needs.  

Floyd Real Estate is a Texas real estate brokerage, TREC Lic. #9003790

Entertainment Recommendations

Desktop Rocinante

TV:

I'm still enjoying The Expanse season 5.  Who knows?  Maybe tonight's episode will be terrible and I'll have to change my mind, but so far the season has been great.   So, watch it if you are caught up with Season 4.  The Expanse is on Amazon Prime streaming.   

Movies:

Last year I rewatched Collateral, the 2004 Michael Mann movie which stars Tom Cruise as a hitman and Jamie Foxx as the cab driver forced to drive him around (not spoiling this: it's in the trailer and the movie is 16 years old).  I was recently reading about movie when I came across review of Collateral in Esquire, which I think reiterates why you should watch this movie.  

Watch Collateral, and if you enjoy it then watch/rewatch Micheal Mann's finest movie: Heat.    

Podcasts:

I listened to many episodes of the Night Owl Podcast in December.  It's a podcast about ghost stories/the paranormal in Austin.  Whether you are into the paranormal part or not, the local history stories should be quite interesting to anyone with curiosity about Austin's past.  

My favorite stories in the series have been about The Tavern (where I used to host my trivia nights) and The Clay Pit.   Once you are going out again, both of these places are worth a visit (The Tavern is a fun bar, and the food at Clay Pit is great).  Moreover, both of these restaurants are in cool old buildings which are worth checking out.  

Expanse Season 5

I did a little Christmas binging of the new season of The Expanse (one of my favorite shows currently in production, along with Better Call Saul).  I'm enjoying it a lot so far, and as usually I strongly recommend this show.  I would say more, but this review already did the work: Ars Technica on Expanse Season 5

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I highly recommend reading The Expanse book series in addition to watching the show.  I've read seven of the books, and I'll be starting book 8 soon.  

While I only recommend the books to people who enjoy sci-fi, the show is one which I think people who don't normally like sci-fi will also enjoy (not unlike the 2000's reboot of Battlestar Galactica).

Gus

The Gus of August

The last part of this year has been quite busy and exciting.  You may have noticed a distinct lack of posting.  This is in part related to having adopted Gus back in August, an exceptionally busy real estate practice (on the brokerage and law firm/fee attorney fronts), and the intensification of some of my creative projects.  

About the dog:  Gus is a fantastic Labrador Retriever/Great Pyrenees mix (aka, a Pyrador) we adopted from Heart of Texas Lab Rescue back in August.  Gus has been great and (I think) he enjoys living with us.   I know we love him.  If you are in the Austin area and thinking about a Lab (or Lab mix), visit the HOT Lab site to see many cool dogs looking for good homes.  

Stay tuned.  I plan to be posting more in 2021.  Also, I've been considering moving over to a Wordpress site.  Blogger is great, but from time to time I think I need more customization options.  We'll see, but obviously I'll post instructions on how to find any new blogging project.  

And, of course: Happy Festivus!

In My Car (For Scale)

 

November 2020 Austin Real Estate Statistics

Visit ABoR.com/MarketStatistics for more information and a full press release from the Austin Board of Realtors.  The above statistics compare November 2019 to November 2020.

Visit us at Floyd Real Estate, LLC, if you are thinking about buying or selling property (residential, commercial, or land) in the Central Texas area.   We would be happy to advise you on your real estate related needs.  

Floyd Real Estate is a Texas real estate brokerage, TREC Lic. #9003790

The Expanse – Season 5 Official Trailer

This seems like important information: Season 5 of The Expanse will be available on 12/15.  

Speaker Series | Rental Issues in a COVID 19 World

Trivia Night on August 8/26

I have another online Floyd Real Estate Trivia Night coming up on 8/26.   Form teams of 1-6.   There will be 5 spoken rounds comprised of my typical choices for categories.  The Zoom room opens at 6:30, with the game lasting from 7-9.

Register at Eventbrite.  As with previous online trivia nights: tickets are free but we ask that you quantify your fun and donate to the Central Texas Food Bank accordingly.

Can Wild Parrots Solve Puzzles?

Food: Grilling Steaks and Scallops

Grass-Fed Ribeyes and Scallops on the Grill

I'm sitting in my home office with a couple of prime T-bones (which I just picked up from Central Market) in the fridge.  Tonight I'm keeping it simple with just the steaks; however, last month I grilled up a 1/2 pound of scallops to go with my grass-fed ribeyes (also from Central Market) and the results were excellent.  

• For the steaks, I used a pretty basic Montreal seasoning with a little extra kosher salt and pepper.  If you haven't tried grass-fed yet, I highly recommend it.  It provides a different texture than grain-fed beef, but the flavor is rich and delicious.   While they rested, I melted some of the Lewis Road Creamery garlic and chive butter over them.  I highly recommend the seasoned butter as a finishing move for your beef.   

• For the scallops, I used a recipe from the grill manufacturer.    

• I served the steak and scallops with roasted asparagus.   

Separately and in the aggregate, all of the above were a hit.