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Mar. 2nd, 2008

Portrait, Duncan

Promoting Domestic Tranquility

mood: relaxed
The laundry is done and put away; the dinner dishes are washed and drying; the trash is ready to go out to the curb in the morning. I've just hung out at home today.

Over the last couple of weeks work has been a continual battle to complete our annual budget submission - and, while it's not complete, I think I can see the end of the tunnel. Hopefully it is not the headlight of an oncoming train. I should be able to complete the project in the next week, assuming that my management leaves me alone to get the job done.

Yesterday I went down to my friend Valery's home and we finished the first go-round of cleaning out her basement. Save for the stuff left to go through in one corner (and that was moved there as we cleaned) everything is up off the floor, there is open space on the storage racks, and we are ready to move on to the next phase. It was work but relaxing in its own way. Today I spent on me - catching up on all the stuff backed up during the week - and finishing three books. I am ofter reading a couple different books at any one time, and today I wrapped up a couple of short ones.

Weather is still cold, but the sun was out all day. I suspect spring will be arriving shortly - but not soon enough for me.

It's been a weekend of rejuvenation - I just hope I can keep it up next week.

Posted at 06:39 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Feb. 24th, 2008

Portrait, Duncan

Happy Happy Birthday

mood: happy
With all proper felicitations, Happy Birthday siobhan 1214!

Posted at 08:21 am | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Feb. 7th, 2008

Portrait, Duncan

Many Happy Returns!

mood: chipper
Happy Birthday m_streight!

Posted at 04:42 pm | | Leave a comment | 1 comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Sep. 20th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Sunsets

mood: contemplative
It took me a long time to stop and notice the beauty of the world around me - a skill I still need to work at - but I've always marveled at sunsets.

Today's was beautiful - the sky directly overhead was covered by a cloud bank but the sky to the northwest was clear - so when the sun began to set it turned the clouds to shimmering gold, while the sky was a brilliant blue - it was like looking at a beach from high up - the gold of the sand and the blue of the water. As the sun continued to set, it all turned pinkish...

It reminded me that for all our skills, all our knowledge, all our technology, all our pride, God's handiwork cannot be beat for beauty and simplicity.

Posted at 08:50 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Sep. 16th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Sojourn in the Kingdom of the Mouse

location: Home!
mood: tired
music: None
I survived my conference in Florida; at times, I was in doubt.

Perhaps you have heard the term, "Death by Powerpoint" - the unending parade of computerized briefing charts delivered by people who have no public speaking skills and convey at best a partial picture of reality. It was three and a half days of death by powerpoint, punctuated by frenzied phone calls and flying cattle cars.

Flight down wasn't that bad - except for the child who carried on the entire flight without successful intervention by a parent. There was even an empty seat in my row, which relieved the squeeze. Now, considering that baggage retrieval and transit to the hotel almost equaled the flight time, I wonder whether I should be complaining. At least the shuttle I was on did not stop at EVERY hotel between the airport and my destination - only three.

Shades of Green, where I was staying, is actually a part of the Army's Morale, Welfare and Recreation system - you can't stay there unless you have some sort of DOD connection. It's not a bad facility, but it was never intended for the business traveler; it caters to families focused on the Disney experience. If you like Disney, Shades is great - Disney buses leave on the hour; if you have wheels of your own, you can go where you want. If you don't like Disney, and don't have wheels, it's a prison. The room TVs don't even carry ESPN - you have to go to the sports bar for that. Not that my TV worked that well.

During the conference there were a number of frenzied phone calls from the office - gee, when you send key personnel off on conferences, it's difficult to have them fix your problems immediately! At least the managers involved were reasonable and rescheduled what they thought they had to do until next week.

And to cap things off, at 0403 hours Friday, the hotel fire alarms went off (and boy, they worked very well!). Everyone was rousted out of bed and out to the tennis courts while the fire department checked things out. They had rolled silently - no sirens - guess they didn't want to panic anyone. Kind of made Friday a long day - for the first time in a long time, I even managed to nap on the flight.

I survived and escaped. Given that they do these conferences about every three years, it might be my last there.

Won't be too soon.

Posted at 12:17 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Jul. 4th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

And the Camp Bed too!

mood: chipper
While finishing work on my new workshop, I've been building a new camp bed for Pennsic. Today I mated the legs with the head and foot boards and fabricated some pegs to hold the bed rails in place. It's all done now.

I'll be honest - I build camp furniture like the Russians build tanks - they work, they hold up to heavy use but they don't necessarily took pretty. After 300 miles in the back of my truck, it's not going to look pristine anyway. But it will work.

This was the last major pre-Pennsic hurdle, and I'm thankful that it's done!

Posted at 02:34 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Portrait, Duncan

It Is Finished!

mood: happy
The paint is drying on the last piece of trim on the last new countertop in the new workshop in my Little House. I declare it finished.

Now all I have to do is take some pictures, get them developed and share.

Then I get to work on the backlogged projects.

Yay!

Posted at 08:24 am | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Jun. 14th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

News from the Workshop

mood: productive
music: Roxy Music - Avalon
I suppose that's what I can call it now. Work on the Little House's workshop is entering its final phase.

Sunday I put together the last of the three cabinets I'll be using; the other two base cabinets will be redirected to the cellar workshop - they make better tool stands than parts of a desk. Took me less time and effort than I thought it would, so I had time to try and find substitutes for shelving - the cabinets have odd sizes and are melamine-covered particle board. Had some success and put a plastic drawer unit in the bottom of one and use it to hold fabric; fitted a shelf on top of that.

Monday was the day to leave for Chicago, but before departing I placed an order for a double-leaf work table on casters - more particle board and melamine - that they promised within 7-10 days. Out in Chicago I used my spare time to imagine the end-state of what I wanted, and what had to be done to get there. Big laundry list.

Hit the ground running this morning and dug out some plastic storage trays I had stowed away and used them in the one cabinet to provide both useful storage for papers and small stuff and as supports for another shelf. Moved stuff around to new locations and consolidated. Made a trip out for a round of errands and returned to find the UPS guy had delivered the work table - good thing I waited until the last minute before ordering it. Started to assemble it, once I made sure all the components were there. While the glue was drying on some of the subassemblies, ran out and tracked down a six-drawer stack of plastic bins for storing fabric. Oh, and I put the curtains up too. Looks nice. At the rate things are going, it should be finished inside a week.

I'll start working on staining the camp bed over the weekend, assuming the weather doesn't put a damper on things. I'm tired, but it's a good tired. I'll have to try and organize a wrap party sometime after Pennsic, or maybe the early fall. All good renovation projects have them...

Posted at 06:58 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Portrait, Duncan

The Chi-town Shuttle

location: Back Home
mood: amused
music: Dick Dale and the Del-tones
Got back from my conference in Chicago late last night; seems there's only one PM flight from Chicago to Newark on Wednesdays - and fortunately, I had a seat on it. Conference had its good and bad points, but overall, it could have been worse. Some good may actually come out of it. But the story is all about getting there.

Flight out on Monday wasn't bad - weather was beautiful, no delays - no hassle getting my bag. Then the problems start - I'm supposed to meet three other guys and share the rental car that one of them is getting. Hop the shuttle to the rental car place - either the bus had no shocks, the driver liked potholes or both - bone-rattling to say the least. Get there - early - and wait for the rest of the guys. One shows up, then another - who advises that the guy who is supposed to get the car will be at least an hour late. He finally gets there, and we start going through the rental process - and they give us an "upgrade" - turns out to be a Chrysler Sebring convertible. Four guys in a Sebring - two of them tall, one of them (me) a bit rotund. Can you say sardine?

But we get on the road nevertheless - in the middle of a Chicago rush hour. After going several miles in the wrong direction, we finally start in the right direction - the one everyone else is going in. Suffice it to say it took us a while to get to the hotel. We even missed the first half hour of the open bar! Not that it mattered that much to me, but the other fellows seemed miffed.

For dinner a few of us (that is, 18) decided to go out for famous Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Note to all concerned - do not walk in to a Chicago pizza palace with a party of 18 without reservations or calling ahead. And I found that Chicago deep-dish pizza isn't all it's cracked up to be, at least for my tastes.

But the night ended on a high note - an experience I never thought I'd have. Rodney, the fellow who was driving, had been ribbed about the convertible. So, for the ride back to the hotel, he cranks the top down, we ramp up the stereo and making sure that the rest of the bunch see (and hear) us, we go cruising back down Higgins Avenue... I never expected that. It was a weird feeling.

Chi-town - gotta love it.

Posted at 01:05 pm | | Leave a comment | 2 comments | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

May. 24th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Alignment, alignment...

mood: amused

Your Score: Lawful-Good


80% Good, 26% Chaotic



Plane of Existence: Mount Celestia, "The Seven Heavens". Description: Countless paladins and saints have ascended here. Notable Inhabitants: Angels and Devas.

Examples of Lawful-Goods (Ethically Lawful, Morally Good)

Aeris "Aerith" Gainsborough (FFVII)
Superman
The Tick ("Lawful Stupid")
Abraham Lincoln
Sherlock Holmes
Phileas Fogg
Captain Picard

A person with a lawful good attitude believes in the use of authority and rule of law to bring good to the greatest number of people. Her/His actions support the status quo and s/he uses systems and organizations to achieve good goals.

S/He will keep his/her word and value truth.
S/He will avoid the use of poison and use violence only when authorized to do so or in self defense.
S/He may or may not be disciplined, organized, emotionally restrained, caring, compassionate, and peaceful, but s/he believes that these are admirable qualities.
Respects law and order and is willing to suffer limitations on individual freedom for the benefit of the group.
Puts moral principles before material considerations.
The lawful good person will be a very faithful member of a group, but if the laws of the group clash with the ethics dictated by his or her moral alignment, the lawful good person will probably leave that group and look for a group more closely aligned with his or her ethics.
The lawful good person is an active advocate of his or her beliefs.

Lawful Good "Saintly"
"Crusader"

A lawful good [person] upholds society and its laws, believing that these laws are created to work for the good and prosperity of all. He is both honest and benevolent. He will work within the established system to change it for the better, and strives to bring order to goodness that other good-aligned [people] might pool their resources to better the world. A lawful good [person] combines a commitment to oppose evil with discipline. Most lawful good [people] live by a strict code of honor, or by the rules of conduct set down by their deity. They will generally selflessly act by these codes even at the cost of their own life.

Lawful good combines honor and compassion for the innocent.

A knight/paladin who always follows the orders of his superiors is an example of a lawful good [person].

Other Alignments and Tendencies (Tendenices are what you would more often sway towards; esp. for Neutrals):
0-39% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Evil
0-39% Good, 40-60% Chaotic: Neutral-Evil
0-39% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Evil
40-60% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Neutral
40-60% Good, 40-60% Chaotic: True Neutral
40-60% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Neutral
61-100% Good, 40-60% Chaotic: Neutral-Good
61-100% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Good</i>

Link: The Alignment Test written by xan81 on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Posted at 05:46 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

May. 23rd, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Yeah, I could see that...

location: Home
mood: curious
DIV id=testResultInfo>

Your Score: Jimmy Stewart


You scored 16% Tough, 0% Roguish, 71% Friendly, and 14% Charming!



You are the fun and friendly boy next door, the classic nice guy who still manages to get the girl most of the time. You're every nice girl's dreamboat, open and kind, nutty and charming, even a little mischievous at times, but always a real stand up guy. You're dependable and forthright, and women are drawn to your reliability, even as they're dazzled by your sense of adventure and fun. You try to be tough when you need to be, and will gladly stand up for any damsel in distress, but you'd rather catch a girl with a little bit of flair. Your leading ladies include Jean Arthur and Donna Reed, those sweet girl-next-door types.

Find out what kind of classic dame you'd make by taking the Classic Dames Test.

</div>
Link: The Classic Leading Man Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Posted at 08:22 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

May. 6th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Gathering Pace

location: Home
mood: content
music: Ancient Future - Planet Passion
I hadn't realized that it was more than a week since my last post... guess that comes from being too busy.

Not that work has anything to do with it. Things there just seem to be in a holding pattern. I suspect something will break loose next week; senior management's been out of the office too much and the mid-tier's been too busy playing golf; do I sound jaded? You betcha!

But outside of work, I've been busy. A week ago Saturday I went over to New Brunswick to the NJ Folk Festival and Cooke College AgField Day with my friend Valery - she's a Cooke alumnus. Nice to spend a leisurely day in the sun - at last the weather is nice! On Sunday broke out the lawn mower and gave the grass a once-over - a week later, you'd hardly notice.

Camp bureau's finished. Floor of the kitchen in the Little House is stripped and out in the trash. Window installer is due on Thursday. I hope to acquire the materials for the new floor this week, and begin to lay it once the new windows are in - unless I have to do some serious touch-up on the painting. Finding the time to do a new camp bed for Pennsic is looking more likely.

Still a lot of things I'd like to do - but I keep plugging away. Monday's 'To-Do' list is already sketched out, and the basics of Tuesday's are as well; we'll see how things go and what has to carry over. The forecast for the weather seems propitious.

Seen in the big picture, life is fairly good. I'm going to try and not let the details bother me.

Posted at 08:18 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Apr. 26th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Light at the end of the tunnel

mood: confused
I can almost see it -

Work on the Little House is moving into the home stretch - waiting for new windows to arrive from the factory for installation; getting up the last of the old vinyl floor and preparing to put down a new one; putting tools, paint and other materials away. I can almost envision what it will look like.

The camp bureau is fabricated and about 40 percent stained; three or four more days at an easy pace. If luck holds, I might even be able to fabricate a new camp bed to go with it.

All things to the good - but something keeps nagging at me - why? Isn't there an easier way of doing things? Do I really need so much? I'm not certain why I keep thinking that way. Something I'll have to wrestle with.

Just as long as the light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming train...

Posted at 08:49 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Apr. 22nd, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Nickel Jobs

mood: content
music: Renaissance lute music
I've forgotten to whom the aphorism is attributed, but it has always stuck with me: "Time, once lost, can never be regained".

It applies to many things of life, but today I'll apply it to a day of rest. I really didn't do any major projects - that was yesterday. Today was a day of rest and recuperation; except for the "Nickel Jobs". My father used to describe the little things you do with five minutes here, ten minutes there - that in the end speed things along. So today was a day of nickel jobs.

Sanded the pieces of the camp bureau - that took maybe twenty minutes - the biggest job for the day. Weather-stripped and reinstalled the attic trap door in the Little House - that was about ten minutes. Put the snow shovels away and got out the garden hose - another ten minutes. Did the rest of the laundry - each load was only a few minutes to put in the washer, a few minutes to put in the dryer, and time in between for other things. Put away project materials that were no longer needed; prepared for staining the camp bureau - getting out the materials and equipment for that; pried up more of the floor in the Little House; got the trash together. A whole raft of little things.

I even found time to get out of the house and do some shopping for ACME projects; and finished two of them for future delivery. And I didn't push myself.

Could I have made more efficient use of my time? Certainly, but then I'd be a machine.

The enemy, I find is television. It's not bad when the weather is rainy - like last weekend's monsoon. But on beautiful days like today, I can't fathom someone who would sit all day and just vegetate. Of course I watched some television today - but more I listened to it while working on some of the nickel jobs. There's nothing wrong with multi-tasking.

Tomorrow's "To-Do" list is already made out; we'll see how well I can keep this up.

Posted at 08:03 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Apr. 21st, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Success!!

mood: tired
I was able to get the material I needed for my new camp bureau - marine plywood is still worth its weight in gold, but it is the best material for the purpose. The table I made for Pennsic 17 is still going strong and showing no sign of wear.

I was able to layout, cut out and and fabricate all the pieces; and they fit!!! I still need to sand the pieces - that is on the docket for tomorrow; and they will need to be finished - but that can be done over time.

I was able to even do the clean-up and put the tools away.

Now there's a bottle of Advil calling my name...

Posted at 03:33 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Apr. 20th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Week's Wrap Up

mood: exhausted
It took me three hours to get home today. Some fool rolled a truck on Route 287 near the turnpike - that's just my route home. Closed all lanes; a ten-mile back up when I turned off the traffic report. Tried to bypass through New Brunswick - guess where everyone else was trying to go? Ended up circling New Brunswick and went half-way to Trenton to pick up a viable route home. Just a capper to the week.

We've had an audit team in this week, and it's been extremely stressful on my management; I actually haven't had any direct interface with the auditors. We did badly; very badly; then, of course, so has every office the auditors have been to. 11% success rate across the Agency - we went down in flames. I guess if you paint so bad a picture to start with, any improvement will look marvelous; what it does to morale in the interim doesn't seem to matter.

But at least the Sun came out today - actually, it came out yesterday afternoon. Maybe it will stay - I certainly hope so. I've got too much outside work hanging fire for decent weather for it not to. If things go right, tomorrow I'll fabricate a new camp dresser for Pennsic, and then the grass looks as though it needs its first mowing. Yeesh.

Life goes on.

Posted at 08:48 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Apr. 19th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

Hate the color - fairly apt description

location: Home
music: St. Georges Canzona
you are turquoise
#40E0D0

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well.

Your saturation level is higher than average - You know what you want, but sometimes know not to tell everyone. You value accomplishments and know you can get the job done, so don't be afraid to run out and make things happen.

Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.
the spacefem.com html color quiz

Posted at 08:46 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Apr. 17th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

When the roll is called up yonder...

location: Home
mood: pensive
music: Overcast in A
Thirty-three young people are dead today that shouldn't be; victims of a gunman haunted by who-knows-what demons. There seems no answer; good people massacred without explanation. I can't explain it; I won't try.

But it calls to mind the disciples asking Jesus about the workmen killed in the collapse of the tower of Siloam. They ask him if that was some reason that the workmen deserved to die; He answered no - sometimes terrible things happen to people. He goes on to explain that such tragedies remind us that we never can know for certain when our final day will come, and that we should live prepared, and ready, each day, should it be our last.

I've often pondered it. One day, I know not when, I will go to meet my Maker and be judged. In a practical sense, I've tried to make all the reasonable preparations, and tried to cover all the eventualities. In a spiritual sense, I can only try to do what is right and just, and seek forgiveness when I fall short. I believe in the life eternal, and pray that I shall find it in the end.

Tragedies like Virginia Tech remind me that I cannot put off to tomorrow making things right between me and my fellows, between me and my Lord. Rather that talk-the-talk, I must walk-the-walk; and that's not easy.

But He said it would not be easy - but that He would be with me; and so I believe.

Posted at 08:24 pm | | Leave a comment | 2 comments | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Apr. 16th, 2007

Portrait, Duncan

mood: gloomy
This is another one of those interesting results...


You scored as D'Artagnan. You are D'Artagnan, the brash Gascon who embodies the high ideals of the Musketeer. You are sometime your own worst enemy, but your motives are pure and your character is unimpeachable. You are destined for great things and passionate (though often ill-fated) love.

</td>

D'Artagnan

75%

Mercedes

65%

Athos

60%

Aramis

50%

Richelieu

45%

Porthos

20%

Edmund Dantes

15%

Rochefort

10%

Which Dumas character are you? (pics)
created with QuizFarm.com

Posted at 10:20 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Portrait, Duncan

Square by Square

location: Home
mood: drained
music: Capella Monacensis
My current renovation project - revamping the kitchen of my "Little House" is coming into the home stretch. Painting's down to the door trip and touch-ups; there's always touch ups. I have to fabricate new 'utility' countertops - particularly one to cover where the old kitchen sink was. I had an estimate Saturday for a couple of replacement windows which should be complete in a couple of weeks. It leaves one major task - replacing the floor.

The existing floor is 'peel and stick' vinyl squares. They've been there 30+ years and are beginning to break up in spots, so they need to be replaced anyway. But I know only one way of getting the old floor up: pry each square up piece by piece. Despite breaking up, the adhesive on these tiles is still quite good - I can manage about five or so square feet before my knees give out, or the arms ache too much from prying. But I estimate I've got about a fifth of it done, maybe as much of a quarter if you put it all together.

I figure every square I get up gets me a day closer to completion. Since the jobs been a year or so in the works, and a couple of years in the planning, I want to get it done; just not sure when. With winter still hanging on, at least the competition from the 'outside' jobs is minimal.

Posted at 02:12 pm | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

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