Paying Attention

I need to spend more time in the shop. I know that may sound a little disingenuous of me seeing how little time I spend. But, here is the thing I never fail to learn.

No matter how small or how insignificant of a project or task I learn something.  Not only does the lesson relate to the work but to life in general.

Take for example The 9 plant stand I recently completed for Reba is an example.

First, I learned patience. I say patience because I have a problem with trying to get to the end result without the taking the steps in between. The end result is almost always disastrous and usually means trashing what has been done and starting over again. When I first started I as pushing the material and tools trying to make them do it quicker. Let's just say the scrap bin has grown. I was pushing a little bench top table saw and band saw into cutting wood faster result a kickback on the table saw that was painful and a broken band saw blade all because I was inpatient. Of course I blamed the equipment and not the operator. But when I came back and was in a different frame of mind, more patient, the table saw cut like a hot knife through butter and the band saw, well I will keep it a little while longer since it did a pretty good job of cutting out the plant stand tops.

How does this lesson translate to life? Well be patient. Quick trying to make people and situations bend to your will for it will not turn out right. Instead work with what you got. Figure how the tools and situations you have can be made to your best advantage in the end it will be all right.

The second thing I learned was pay attention to detail. When I choose my materials, western red cedar, I was careful to choose few knots as possible and to cut around knots when possible. Overall it came out pretty good. But again pay attention to detail. When I began assembly I didn't pay attention to the orientation of the grain on the 9 little table the plants sit on. Result a pronounced grain pattern that go every where and to me is distracting. On the on the next one, and yes there will be another, I assure I will pay attention and align the grain pattern up for a not quite so busy look or least haphazard look.

How does this apply to life? Simple, paying attention to detail, while it may seem compulsive at times it will and can save you money and time if not your life. Paying attention to detail can keep you from being hoodwinked by the less scrupulous. Paying attention to detail can make you  aware of your surroundings and hopefully keep you from being blindsided by life.

Books and Projects and Movies

I enjoyed working with the western cedar so I am looking for a project that use of western red cedar would work. The biggest problem I see with it is the fact that it is a soft wood. So how I use it will be important.  Maybe a cedar and pine books shelf.

Books- well since I finished the last James Lee Burke “Feast Day of Fools” I started the second book of Craig Johnson “Longmire Series” the first chapter has caught my attention.

Movies- not a whole lot but Reba and I recently finished watching the History Channel’s “The Hatfield and McCoy’s” min- series. These were extremely violent people who as portrayed didn’t take things lightly. Watch it if you can it is worth it.

Sometime you don't get to do what you want. But then that's lie. Today for,ecpxample I am setting with my wife in a local ER. The reason because a professional didn't listen to my wife when she told her that when ever she had a catered used on her it almost always caused a kidney infection. Well being the professional she didn't act proactive and result here we are in the ER on Sunday waiting on urine and blood test so she can get a serious antibiotic for the resulting kidney bladder infection.

My problem with professional anything is that they forget to listen to the folks that their actions effect. I know already they will tell us it wasn't connected the catheter and the infection. But experience say's different. In the end all i am saying is that no one should become so,self assured as ap professional so often does that they forget to listen to theeople who has experienced it. This goes for politicians or docs, or engineers.

Projects - Books - movies

Well hope the photos come throug but it show me actually finishing something. My wife's 9 pot plant stand

Read Preston & Childs book "Gideon Corpse" a great book that's about domestic terriost. Where I swear it seems like a book for how to do.

Also reading James lee Burkes book "Feast Day of Fools" a really good book set in contemporary times in south west Texas. If you are easily offended by language don't read it but it is good involving psychopath killers, shady goverment security contractors, in general just good reading.

 Well enough for now

What is a sustaiable economy

Here is a question for you. What is a sustainable economy? That is a question that I have been pondering of recent. Is it an economy that does not suffer from boom and bust cycles? Is it a global or local economy? This is what I am asking but I am not just asking but I have some ideals of my own. Ideals built on the concept of how many McMansions do we really need in our society to make it a viable economy.

One thing I keep hearing that bothers me a lot is that as soon as the housing market get back on track then all will be all right.  But it was overbuilding of over price homes and selling of unsustainable mortgages to finance them that got us where we are today. It would seem to me that to repeat what we were doing that got us into the pickle we are in now will only lead back into the depression we are in right now.

So instead of talking about loaning money to potential homeowners and financing more whatever then maybe we should instead talk about what we really need to get us back on to a even keel.

First I believe is to listen to what some of what president Obama has spoken of. Startups that realign our manufacturing sector with what society really needs that help meet our future energy needs and I don’t mean more drilling.  While natural gas meets some of our needs it doesn’t answer all of them particularly with the current drilling practice of fracturing that endanger our water supply. Rather let us delve into more efficient wind, solar and geo-thermal energy. But let us not leave it to the fat cats to do rather let us make energy a public own consortium. Own by the public and benefitting the public that uses this energy and needs this supply of energy. If left to the fat cats the elite then they well benefit and we will still pay for it and not have any say about it.

One of my history profs to help us understand the reason for boom and bust of 1929 said it broke down to this how many refrigerators do you need to build before you saturate the market. That overbuilding and overreaching and financing led to the 1929 crash. Bottom line every boom followed by a bust in the 19^th, 20^th  and 21^st century has been the result of over speculation of how many of anything we might need and the use of slavery of consumer debt to wring from us every last drop of our humanity.

It is time we question our priorities and as to what makes a sustainable economy.  To stop allowing ourselves to be manipulated for the benefit of the big corporations and the elite 1%.

Projects- reading-movies

I have not been physically able to spend much time in the shop due to problems with my arthritis. But even so I have been in the shop even if but for a short spurts of time. The one thing I have been reminded is how much I love the smell of fresh cut wood. Since I am using western red cedar for Reba’s planter the smell of cedar has been refreshing out in my shop.  One thing though is that I have decided to sell my little Delta band saw as it just not able to do what I need. So I think I will sell it and buy a used scroll saw with the money.

Reading still in progress Craig Johnson “The Cold Dish” and Joe Bagenat collection of essays “Waltzing at the Doomsday Ball” both excellent books in their own area of mystery and commentary.

Movies have been focused on AMC “The Killing’ 2^nd season and it has been riveting in it’s political intrigue. For fun though NBC series the “Grim” and Fox “Fringe” have been great. My youngest paid for his mother and I to accompany him and his kids to see “The Avengers” and I must say it was very good. Well worth the price.

Gear

Recently I bought a Rothco “military map bag” to hopefully use to carry my ipad. Well I am not disappointed. It fills the need nicely. With room to carry my ipad, book, and magazine as well assorted other items in a compact bag that doesn’t scream look at me. Well worth the $12 I paid.

Right now I also saving my nickels and dimes to see about buying a point and shoot range finder style camera. Amazon has a Olympus pen that appeals to me for less than $300 with the 14-40 kit lens. I will take me awhile but it will be worth it.

Well enough for now

Class warfare

I just finished reading Chomsky article on Salon and in forced me to stepup and comment.but you need toread his essay to get the full effect as to my thinking Here is a link.

http://www.salon.com/2012/05/08/chomsky_jobs_arent_coming_back/

Simply put it is in the best interest of the plutocracy (the elite) not to bring them back. Instead a fearful workforce is a controllable workforce. Chomsky's article succeeds in explains the how and why we must fight back but then questions if we ever will be able to.

I have been once agai laid low by arthritis and my shop time has suffered. But I am getting stronger with the new meds and hope to be back in action soom. I have been reading Joe Bageant collection of essays and once agai urge all to buy "Dancing at the Doomsday Waltz". This author now long gone diffentively had an understanding of the working poor white that everybody who wants to understand why they so consistently vote against their best interest needs to read. Also started Craig Johnson book "The Cold Dish" it is proving to be a very good read. Finally here is a food for thought question. How many refrigerators, new cars, suits of clothes we need or rathe what makes up a sustainable economy?

Here we are again.

Didn't we just elect a president? I am having a hard time of accepting that we have to start right away. Worrying over who is being elected. When the reality is that there is little difference in who is elected. In fact about the only reason I vote so I feel like I have a right to complain when my candidate absolutely forgets their promises. Well I will vote for the President and I am hoping that since he can't run again he will step up Projects- books - movies Project have been on the back burner due to health issues, mostly it is my back. Arthritis seems to be moving Fromm my knees and hip to my lower back. Buu I am learning to live with it and will get back out into the shop. My wife has asked for a plant stand and I am planing on building it and giving it to her for Mother's Day.

I have been reading Joe Bageant "Waltzing At The Doomsday Ball" and I it has been worth it. Strongly recommend it if you want to know how the white underclass so often. End up voting against their self interest. Well hopefully the next blog will be sooner.

Quick post or Comment

Made the mistake of watching a TV reality show called "Repo Games" only confirms what my Daddy used to say "that some people are dumber than Dirt". On the other hand I saw it for what it was meant to be. One to make us feel superior to the poor dumb a#$ that were playing the game. Second the failure of our nation education system. If you have 30 minutes of your life you want to waste then watch Repo Games. You will come away shaking your head thinking how a show like this can become a form of entertainment.


On NPR this past week there was a article on the employment rate of the young and how it was significantly lower in parts of Europe. They particularly use Germany's apprentice system as a example of a country getting it right. It is well worth you taking the time to look up this article on NPR Morning Edition and listening or reading the transcript. It is something we as a nation should be thinking about.
http://www.npr.org/2012/04/04/149927290/the-secret-to-germanys-low-youth-unemployment

When you consider the US obsession with reality TV like "Repo Games" and the success of Germany's education and apprentice system you find yourself understanding our country slide into third world status. The proletariat writer Joe Bageant was all too right in his accusation of the educational systems as a failure on purpose. After all it is easier to keep people in check when they don't understand anything but what you tell them.

Projects - Movies - Books

Project wise not much this week other than focus on continuing sorting out the truck. Locating supplies I need for it and tips on how to proceed with the repair to the body damage. Although part of me says don't rather make sure it is mechanically sound but cosmetically unattractive therefore unnoticed by folks who might be tempted to steal it to strip it. Food for thought.

I am getting materials for the laptop desk and hope to get started on it next week.

Movies I have watched was  English version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" extremely disturbing show as I knew it would be from reading the trilogy. The deprivations of mankind on women and the corruption of our government with the excuse of for the good of the government makes it even more so.

Books I have started James Lee Burke's "Rain Gods."  and as usual his understanding of the southern underworld is strangely disturbing in realizing that this actually exist and while the names have been changed to protect the authors hide the truth is still apart of the story. Good read as usual.

In Books I have ordered the collection of Joe Bageant's essays from Amazon called "Waltzing at the Doomsday ball"

I will post a review after I get it and have a chance to read it.

Up coming projects

Everybody has a dream ideal of what they want to do with a shop. For me it needs to be able to do a variety of projects. But basically it will be set up for woodworking. But I want it able to undertake mechanical project that are within my comfort range as well as electrical and metal projects that are part of the whole ideal of reuse and re purposing of dumpster diving and sidewalk finds as well as from scratch work.

One of the things I intend to do in the near future and over the next year is cosmetic and mechanical improvements on a recent purchase of 1997 Dodge Dakota. Essentially I want to repair body damage and repaint the truck black as well.

I also recently completed a remote caddy. Is it me or does it seem as the more media components and TV are made the more complex the remote. I would try a universal remote but I am afraid these smart controls would only make me feel dumber.

My next wood work will be a laptop tray to use at my favorite easy chair. I am looking at a design similar to what Woodworking for engineers web site has done.
















Here is hsi excellent web site
http://woodgears.ca/projects.html

So with the projects that I have in mind it is the reason I said the shop I setup will be combination of primary woodworking but capable of mechanical work.

To my family who may or not read this blog. Think 110 V welding rig and a small cutting torch for my upcoming birthday. Feel free to go expensive.

I am still haunting Craig's list and pawn shops for a mortise machine, bench top planer and joiner. Eventually I will find one at the price I am willing  to give.

Well with that in mind I guess I better get busy.

A quick note

A recent survey of Europeans on whether they would like to immigrate to the US . The majority said no mostly because of the health care policy and our economy that they felt favored the rich over the working class.

Interesting isn't it that we are no longer the country of choice for immigration in Europe.