Category: One a Day

Priorities

While it’s not necessarily a new revelation I am finding the need to sort out my priorities. Primarily in the area of what I want to spend my time on each day. This has become even more of an issue as I am not currently working. Obviously some time has to be spent on a job search, some time spent with The Peanut, some time spent on house projects, and some on other personal things, such as tackling Breath of the Wild or working out. Continue reading “Priorities”

Maximum Effort, Minimum Consideration

In any job search there is one thing that the company spends so little time considering, but on which the applicant spends so much time, effort, sweat, blood, and even the sacrifice of a small rodent. That would, of course, be the résumé. Continue reading “Maximum Effort, Minimum Consideration”

“I Would Be Remiss”

I attended my first political debate today for the mayor of University Heights. I arrived early and took a seat. After the debate began I quickly realized that I was in the wrong room. In the first 27 seconds of the debate there was no petty name calling, no sexist, racist or otherwise bigoted remarks. I therefore quickly and quietly made my way out of the room in search of the correct one.

Ultimately I was left the way I feel all debates should leave one: swayed, but still in need of research.

Over the course of the hour and a half long debate I did come to one major realization: no mater how civil a discourse, the phrase “I would be remiss” is the civil way of throwing a giant middle finger to your opponent.

Zoom Zoom

If there’s one thing that this last trip to St. Thomas has shown me it’s the need for a stand alone camera. Whether that be a point-and-shoot (which would be optimal for said trip) or a full blown DSLR. Ultimately it will no doubt end up as both. Though I have actually been impressed with the way phone cameras have evolved, my main complaint is the lack of optical zoom. Digital zoom is, for the most part, worthless.

Flower and I took a point and shoot with us to Greece and even though it wasn’t top of the line, the pictures it produced were significantly better than the ones we took on our phones. It also helped that it was waterproof so we could take it swimming in a cave.

Of course if/when I do got the DSLR route my biggest problem will be what to get.

Improved

When it comes to home improvement/repair projects there is a small debate as to what I will do myself or hire someone for. Usually it comes down to either the time required or the complexity of the project. Just as an example, I’ve had painters come in for every room that we’ve had painted. Not because I can’t do it, but because every surface of this house had wall paper on it and the time required to strip, wash, patch and paint the walls meant that it would likely never get done if I was doing it myself. I know this, because until I had painters come in the master bedroom hadn’t gotten done.

Other things, such as plumbing, depend on the task.  I had a plumber come in to splice in shut off valves at the shower, bath tub and another sink. Primarily because, while I know in theory how to braze pipe, I haven’t done it enough (or ever really) to be able to do it adequately. There are some things, such as the furnace and AC, that I’ll likely always have someone come in and inspect/repair just because they’re critical components and it’s much easier to know that they’re working properly.

It’s rather nice, though, to look around and see everything you’ve done to make your home a little more yours.

Elementary Tarantulas

Back in the day, like most children, I spent a number of years in elementary school. The director of the primary wing had a number of tarantulas that he kept has pets to the delight and/or terror of the other boys. I recall boys who were too terrified of his pets to even go in his office. They were never used to scare or threaten anyone. On the contrary, I imagine one of their purposes was to show that they were not, in fact scary and help to face fears. Continue reading “Elementary Tarantulas”

Burnination

Being a life long city boy I’m always a little impressed when I come across people who heat their home with wood burning furnaces. Well, I should say people who aren’t Amish as if your Amish that’s expected. What impresses me is not so much that people still do it, but that you can store enough wood to be able to heat a house through the winter. At my last job there was a guy who had a combination wood/gas burning furnace. He would burn about a cord of wood a season. He primarily used wood, but would switch it to gas if it was going to be extra cold during the day or he was going to be away. That’s the other aspect that I wonder about: how to keep your pipes from freezing. Obviously in that case he had a backup. Does everyone who has a wood burner also have gas or oil? I don’t know. I’ve never looked into it.

I picked up a load of firewood from a friend today. I’d asked him before if he knew where I could get a good price without buying a whole cord, which I would have been unable to store. He told me just to come by his parents place and take what I wanted. So I took a CRVs worth. I only have the little fire pit, but that should be enough to get through the winter, depending on how bad the winter is. If it’s not mind numbingly cold I’ve found that a snow covered camp fire can be fun. Hell, two years ago Turkey Fry was entirely outside and the fire pit was going all day. My mother also had a tree taken down and the wood saved so I’ll have some wood for next year too.

Of course this means that I’m going to have to finishing building the wood box I keep meaning to build. We always seem to decide to have a fire the day after it rains. Guess I have my project for next week.