an decline

Mikey

2011-12-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

Here's a great one Filmer took of Mikey.
This is from our stay on Orcas Island.
Our cabin was well equipped.
Oh look, a wood door!

Bookshelf Hanger

2011-12-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

I did a little home improvement the other day.
We had these shelves, but their hangers were very weak.
They used small nails pushed into compressed particle board.
The nails didn't grip, and if the shelving was loaded, they slipped out.
So, I took 10 minutes and made some new hangers from metal strap stock.
I used screws for better grip.

The shelves hold weight like never before!

Boots - Before and After

2011-12-10T17:33:00.000-08:00

I've got attire all sorted out for my Wedding.
Things went exactly as planned, pretty much...
...but my mother and sister really pushed me on boots.
They wanted me to get a new pair, just for the wedding.
I didn't feel that was necessary; shoot, there's no need!
I just got a new pair a few years ago!
It is MY wedding, and I know what I want.
I want to wear my own boots.
So, I had them re-soled.

MiniMag - Update!

2011-12-06T12:44:00.001-08:00

I was able to remove the batteries!
However, I've been less successful with cleaning the housing.
The corrosion prevents smooth battery insertion/removal operations.
I've tried cleaning it with parts cleaner and rust penetrating oil.
I twisted up a rag, stuffed the housing, and doused it.
Perhaps if I let it soak in this way for a while, I'll have more success.
I also damaged the switch removing the upper battery.
I'll have to get a new one, which comes packaged with a switch removal tool.
I love tools, and this one should be handy (for next time)

MiniMag

2011-12-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

The AA dry-cell Duracells I had in my spare flashlight leaked.
They were resident in the flashlight for several years, corroding.
This corrosion fused with the aluminum-magnesium flashlight body.
Unfortunately, I can't get the old batteries out!

waiting for a taxi to napa

2011-11-22T20:52:00.000-08:00

Stockholm XJ

2011-11-22T14:51:00.001-08:00

I saw this diesel-powered Jeep Cherokee XJ downtown in Stockholm.
I'm unsure who makes this engine, but would love one in my Jeep.
This could be converted to Bio-Diesel, something I'm interested in.

Amsterdam WK

2011-11-20T17:08:00.000-08:00

In downtown Amsterdam, there are 50k dollar Jeep Grand Cherokee WK Taxis cruising around.

Fixed Parking Brake

2011-10-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

Recall the time I obtained and installed a stronger rear axle for my Jeep.When I got that axle, I had to swap mine right then and there in the driveway.Because of the rushed installation, I didn't have time to address the parking brake cable differences.Thus, I've had no parking brakes since mid-January.

You see, the axle I installed was from an older Jeep, a 1987.This new-to-me axle's parking brake cables used guides and equal-length brake cables.However, my Jeep, a 1997, is equipped with bracketry for a 3 cable system with a tension adjuster link.

Here is a quick diagram I created to illustrate the differences between the systems.

After inquiring with fellow Jeep Cherokee Enthusiasts at NAXJA, I decided it would be easiest to just install new-style cables in the drums.Unfortunately, mine had gone with the other Jeep when I swapped axles. Swapping cables requires removal of several internal drum brake components, and this is exactly the dirty job I have been avoiding for a year. In the meantime, a member of my North American XJ Association from the East Coast found himself with an extra set of cables I could use. He replied to my thread and offered to mail them to me if I paid shipping - so I did! (and I really like that my participation at NAXJA lead to this unique interaction spanning coast to coast!)

Before and After comparison photos.

The old unusable cables were zip-tied to the axle, and redundant brake line hardware remained.

I installed the new cables, removed unnecessary hardware, and cleaned up some line routing.

As you can see above, the internal brake springs on these cables were of equal length.The new spring coil on the left is slightly tighter and longer, but the material is thinner, so the compression length is the same as the old spring on the right.These worked perfectly, and they have better weather seals for the backing plates which should help keep my brake drums debris free!!

Hair Cut

2011-10-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

Rachel did the back!

KNEW KNOBS

2011-10-09T18:19:00.001-07:00

I found this old vanity in an alley in Chicago.

Upon which, the television has rested ever since.

The drawers had no knobs when the find was found.

Thus, seven or more knobless years have passed.

I had grand dreams of making knobs from stones.

These dreams perpetuated my knoblessness.

I never had time for making my low priority dreams happen.

Today I compromised and bought some, but I'm happy as can be.

My perception that only hand made stones would do clouded reality.

Because its great to have knobs at least I can use these drawers now.

Spindle Re-Grease

2011-09-25T21:50:00.000-07:00

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I hung my exhaust a bit too high.
The hot gasses heated my bumper bracket and carbon discolored it.
The heat also accelerated the deterioration of my spare tire swingarm grease.

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I disassembled the bumper to get at the spindle.

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I added a liberal amount of grease to keep the water out.

2011-09-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

My transmission cooler return line was leaking, so I doubled the hose clamps.

New 02 Sensor

2011-09-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

Uni-body tie-in brackets

2011-09-19T19:39:00.000-07:00

Rachel brought these brackets home from the USA for me ( through customs and as a carry on!)... When I installed my spare tire carrier, I had to cut two rusty bolts on my old brackets. The stock brackets can't be re-used with the bolts rusted to them. These new brackets are required to re-install my hitch and fuel tank skidplate.

A small cow 2

2011-09-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

I found him!

A small cow

2011-09-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

I like this small cow but I don't know where he is right now.

Sometimes things break themselves?

2011-09-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

When Rae and I came home from Harrison, this excellent dish Karl gave us was in shambles. I guess I'm going to blame changing temperatures, even though I've had it for years. Bring it on, Fall, Winter, Spring! You're all the same here in the Northwest.

And no match for Summer.

Harrison Lake

2011-09-12T23:24:00.001-07:00

Sewing on a new button

2011-09-07T05:25:00.001-07:00

I got into the sewing drawer today.

This shirt was missing a button.

Watch

2011-09-06T04:50:00.000-07:00

My sister got me this cool watch made of wood so I made it fit!

The saga of the Sway Bar Bushings

2011-09-05T04:28:00.000-07:00

The sway bar bushings on my '97 Jeep Cherokee were worn out! Extra play from the elongated bushings allowed the Jeep's body to shift around on the Chassis a small amount, enough to clank against the inner fender on occasion.

I bought a shiny new Dial Caliper to measure my sway bar for new bushings, as my Jeep came from the factory with various sizes of sway bars based on accessories that model year it was made. (for example, a towing package) (my last Dial Caliper was stolen when my Jeep was broken into on the street in Chicago).

Apparently I was out of practice, or couldn't figure out the unit conversion, because I ended up getting the wrong size bushings and having to buy another set.

The first pair I bought were red 28mm and came in a set with end link bushings.

The set cost me $30 dollars, and I had it shipped to my mom's in Seattle.

Plus, they came with additional sway bar end link bushings, which I could use later.

For now, I bagged up the un-used end link bushings to save space.

The bushings that fit my 97 Jeep Cherokee were blue 26 mm from my local NAPA. In the end, this worked out for the best. Because the red bushings were too big, they didn't fit in the stock bushing retainers and required installation of a weaker component. You can see that the silver 'aftermarket' retainer is not as strong as the pressed form in the black stock retainer, which has increased rigidity and a better seat for the bushing to ensure proper wear.

1/8-1/4 adapter

2011-09-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

I delivered this payload to my friend Chris the other day.

The 2011 Vancouver Hockey Riots

2011-06-16T10:04:00.001-07:00

Rachel and I found ourselves swept away in the hockey playoffs this year. Vancouver has been emanating a frantic sense of passionate excitement for weeks now while the hometown team fought its way towards the Stanley Cup. We are admittedly 'in the dark' when it comes to Canada's favorite sport, but couldn't help ourselves in being captivated by the past few month's of excitement surrounding the local team's progress.

Hockey is a big deal here in Canada. As many as 1 in 3 people wear their favorite Vancouver Canucks player's jersey on game days, an impressive show of support and a rare, almost surreal, sight on the streets. Seas of blue and green clad Vancouverites flood the downtown core to catch the game from outside the sports arena on game days; broadcast on a half a dozen theater-sized screens on the closed streets.

This is the first time in almost 20 years that the Vancouver Canucks have had their shot at the Stanley Cup, and the fans wanted it. Bad. People were near the end of their ropes as tension built throughout the playoffs, with Vancouver and Boston coming in neck and neck in the finals, tied 3-3 in the seven game series. The final game was to take place on home turf, and over 100,000 hopeful Canucks fans flocked downtown from the greater Vancouver area to see history in the making.

Only this time, the history wouldn't be something worth celebrating.

In order to get a seat at a pub with a view of the game, hockey fans had to arrive around noon. I even got off work an hour early so Rachel and I could experience the once-in-a-lifetime level of excitement downtown. Many other fans took the whole day off - six hours of drinking combined with a shut down score of 0-4 enraged the ever-passionate Vancouver Hockey fans, mostly young men, who then took to the streets. The following depicts our experience of the 2011 Vancouver Hockey Riots.

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Rachel and I watched the first two periods at home and then walked downtown to see the fabled crowds and the end of the game. It was a beautiful day. This event had really taken hold of the city's residents - the sun was shining, which is rare in Vancouver, especially this year, and yet, there wasn't a single person at our usually overflowing tennis courts..

..nor on the seawall..

..nor in the streets. The Canucks were down 0-2 when we left home. I said to Rae, "I hope we don't have to see a bunch of sad faces, I want the Canucks to win just for the general happiness it will bring to the city!" We had no idea about the kind of crowd we were about to face off with.

Then we found them. People were already leaving as we arrived, the score was 0-3. Boston. The mood was general disappointment, but not rage or anger. Most of the crowd reminded me of kids at a homecoming game, nothing more exciting than that, just on a grander scale.

We watched a few plays on the screen at Canada Place before heading to the Georgia and Granville intersection - I wanted to see what 100,000 people all wearing the same shirt looked like.

It was mostly young kids, people under 20. They were all proceeding home quietly and civilly. I assume they were dispersing early to get on public transportation before the crowds. The game wasn't over yet - but the fans knew it was over - there's no coming back from 0-3 in the last 5 minutes.

The first Police presence we saw were a handful of officers with video cameras on poles. This started to entice the young crowd a bit, but nothing you wouldn't see in a Middle School hallway. One group of teenagers jokingly chanted "riot! riot! riot!" - if they only knew...

Out of nowhere, a Police van erupted into the crowd. People had to leap out of its way. The climate was turning.

It was a SPECTACLE. Before this vehicle arrived, people were proceeding home like herded cattle. Suddenly, they had something to tweet about, and the teens and young adults swarmed the Police Van taking photos out of a sense of fear or disbelief or awe. 6 or 8 officers emerged from the vehicle, completely clad in riot gear, and immediately set off a flash-bang, whose smoke you can see in this photo. Rachel was getting a little bit scared at this point, so we decided to try to take refuge at our friend Karl's house a few blocks away.

The flash-bang had frenzied the young crowd, this was the beginning of the riot. I know now that the Police Vans had been dispatched throughout the area, responding to a flipped vehicle a few blocks away. Some fans were angry and began throwing things at the officers and tipping over portable restrooms. The oppressive and aggressive sight of the police really changed the crowd's attitude - I can't emphasize that enough - but the Police did nothing to provoke this new behavior. The police drove to the heart of these crowds to 'control' them, but the result was the exact opposite. In the distance we heard some very loud yelling and saw smoke start rising - in the same direction as our 'safe house' at Karl's.

We retreated towards Karl's down Georgia street. The smoke was a black, sooty, billowing mass; flames were almost two stories high at this point. We decided to circumvent the chaos and take a detour around the block. I was in a state of awe, I COULD NOT BELIEVE this was happening. Because of Hockey? Unfathomable.

Like I said, it was truly a spectacle. Later I would find out that this was the epicenter of the 'riot' - this one burning car on Georgia street. I had no idea we were that "in-the-thick-of-things" - after all, only 5 minutes ago the crowd was docile and proceeding home. Now, most people just wanted to get a glimpse of what was going on from a safe distance, enabling the few drunken young men breaking things and generally tarnishing the city's reputation whether they knew it or not. (my guess is not)

Garbage was everywhere. Yet, it was not a scene of utter chaos. More like a freeway accident where things slow down so people can get a glimpse and then be on their way.

After our detour, we looked back up towards the burning car. The fire department was able to extinguish it without issue, and we were almost to Karl's.

Nobody could believe what was going on. We heard countless young kids saying "people are so stupid" and "oh my God!" - the majority of the crowd could not believe what was happening before them, and was captivated by the chaotic behavior exhibited by the minority.

The game attendees hadn't even finished exiting the stadium and one car was already burned to a crisp metal hull.

Karl wasn't home, so we made our way back to the West End along the outskirts of downtown. On our way, we saw firsthand the overtaxed public transportation. This was one of the biggest problems - people hung around downtown watching the chaos because they couldn't get home. Minutes later, we saw a dozen Police vans speeding down the bike lanes and back towards Georgia followed by a cavalry of Mounted Police Officers. We later learned that storefronts had been broken and looting had began. Unbelievable.

We were relieved to be home, and took a moment to reflect by Lost Lagoon. Little did we know we had seen the spark that started it all - that burning car on Georgia Street. In less than ten minutes as we walked as many blocks, we witnessed a harmless crowd dissipating from a sporting event turn violent and crazed. The Hockey Riot would continue for six more hours and into the early morning.

spare tire carrier

2011-04-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

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My spare tire takes up too much valuable interior cargo space so I sourced a made-to-order fabricator and purchased a spare tire carrier for my stock Jeep rear bumper. This allows me to free up the space inside, and carry the spare on the back of the Jeep.

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In order to install the rear mounted tire carrier, I had to remove my trailer hitch and bumper whose mounting bolts are big, strong, and rusty; securing the accessories to the Jeep's frame rail. They have a tendency to break so in the days prior to installation I soaked them with penetrating solvent.

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One bolt broke off inside the frame on each side, rusted solid to the backing plates, forcing me to resort to my angle grinder with a cut-off wheel. I used some cardboard to safeguard the fuel tank from sparks.

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Because I broke the bolt off inside the frame rail, I will not be re-installing the hitch at this time. However, the bumper will be cleaned up and re-installed along with the new subframe and swingarm assemblies I have freshly painted red and black.

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I washed and prepped the stock Jeep cross-member for paint behind the bumper to ensure a clean mounting surface for the new tire carrier sub-frame assembly.

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Although my bumper is bent quite a bit on the passenger side from a close encounter with a boulder, it won't affect the installation of the tire carrier, so I applied a quick coat of flat black while I had the chance.

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The backing plates couldn't be removed from the slots in the frame because of the bolts I cut off. They were too tall to fit through the access slot, so I had to get creative. This kind of unexpected troubleshooting takes up a good 50 percent of the time spent on many of my projects.

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The bolts broke off in the same center hole on each in-frame backing plate.

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The tire carrier mounts with frame rail tie ins in place of the stock backing plates.

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The stock cross-member which I painted black is sandwiched by the red heavy duty steel subframe and subframe plate, both reinforcing the frame and providing plenty of rigidity to hold the weight of the tire.

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I am impressed with the quality and craftsmanship of the tire carrier, whose mounting hardware alone is a positive indicator for the precision integration of the unit with the stock Jeep cross-member, utilizing 18 bolts mounted through existing holes.

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In order to retain the stock bumper, access slots must be cut in it's face to allow the tire carrier's spindle and latch mechanism to pass through and connect to the swingarm. I measured twice and cut once.

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I applied the included templates to the bumper to locate holes for drilling. This will enable me to sandwich the stock bumper skin between the sub-frame and the spindle and latch plates.

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One more coat of textured paint for the bumper to prevent the freshly drilled holes and access slot edges from rusting.
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The latch and spindle plates clamp everything in place and provide mounting locations for the tire carrier swingarm.

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Before and After
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Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

Created in Fun with Love by Karl, Rachel, and Andy.
Can you guess who's is who's?

Phone Case Modification

2011-04-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

With complex prioritization ruling our modern existence, it is easy to overlook the beauty in simplicity and our ability to actually make a positive difference in our own lives, no matter how big or small that difference may be.

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After damaging 3 or more smart phones beyond use through various accidents, most notably impact trauma resulting in irreparable screens, I have resorted to the use of a nerdy yet sturdy plastic case for my Android. So far, so good. A small detail has been annoying me though. When in the screen protecting hard case, the phone cannot be charged. There is interference with the charging cable on the right side of the mini-USB port.

A small file and five minutes made quick work of the issue. Its funny how easy this was to do, yet how long this task was neglected - now fixed, the resultant satisfaction and contentedness, however minute, feeds a core human desire for accomplishment, to improve one's world and being through direct personal action.

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The improvement saves me time and simplifies a process I use every single day. The work was effortless yet I still avoided doing it in favor of other things for months.

Garage Door Opener

2011-04-18T23:57:00.000-07:00

This old thing needed a coat of paint!
I let Rae do the fun part - mask removal!

Capilano Lake

2011-04-17T23:53:00.000-07:00

colored pencils | sharpening

2011-04-16T23:49:00.001-07:00

sometimes i can't find my pencil sharpener.

2011-04-14T02:16:00.000-07:00

one time i had an x box that came in a carboard box that was not shaped like an x it was a cube so i put records in it until i built this bookcase and they still don't fit but at least i got them out of the cardboard box, amirite?

actually it was just record boxes in the box.
sometimes saving things feels right but its wrong.

Train to Seattle

2011-04-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

January 14th, 2011.

Rachel and I needed to go to Seattle, where my toolbox was previously left behind on account of saving space for other necessities when bringing her effects to Canada. Since such time, the Jeep had become undrivable and my Canadian work permit was about to expire. Making this journey as soon as possible was critical, so we decided to buy train tickets. Other activities required our presence in the United States of America, including the refinishing to perfection of Rachel's engagement ring and our attendance at a friend's birthday celebration. Of course, nothing is easy.

Twas a rare occasion that found us buying train tickets for our usually driven Seattle visit. What luck! To be confronted with a landslide coinciding with our planned train travel date! We had previous visions of great allure and grandeur for our romantic train ride. Alas, we accepted fate and it's peculiar workings later that fine weekend, finding ourselves half-smiling as we waited for the bus which would bring us home.

keyboard

2011-03-29T09:05:00.000-07:00

i don't know how to play.

bottle cap floor mat

2011-03-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

While attending college in Florida, I lived in a house with some friends.
I spent most of my time in the garage with my Jeep.
We had an old couch out there where Brian and I would drink beer.
I think I even made a coffee table out of our surplus microwaves.
Many a hot and humid sunny Florida afternoon was spent in the garage!
Ah, the post-graduation time of my life!

One day, I found an abandoned floor mat in a parking lot.
It is made of perforated high density rubber, the kind used in an auto shop.
I put it in front of the garage couch and fate took over from there.
We discovered the mat's perforated holes are perfectly plugged by bottle caps.
And with great haste we drank; much satisfaction came from filling the mat.

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Fast forward to today.

The shop mat still serves its purpose under our workbench in the apartment.
It keeps the cork-board floors from being marred if we drop something.
It also acts as a great catch-all for dirt, sawdust, and debris.

And that is a problem - the floors are never clean!

In a fit of weekend long spring cleaning, this proved to be the coup de grâce.
I popped each and every cap out of the mat, and put them back in.
Years ago in college, the caps went in randomly, as we drank.
It was exciting to formulate a color and quantity based design this time!

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It was actually more complicated than it looks!
And it took hours - I think we watched 2 movies while I did this.
The caps are "pressed-in" - meaning their serrated edges are seated well.
This is part of the reason so much dust and hair and dirt was trapped.
The sharp bottle cap edges attracted and held on to dirt and debris.
This is also the reason my fingers hurt typing this today.

I put the caps in 3 bags and juggled them to loosen their grip on dirt.
That actually helped!
I'm so inventive.
I also scrubbed the mat front and back a few times.
The difference is noticable in the sequence below.
There are two images of the empty mat - before and after scrubbing.

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Learning to Dance

2011-03-10T23:50:00.000-08:00

The first time I truly danced I really broke a leg.
Well, sprained an ankle, anyhow.
You see, I went to a place called Shenanigans.
I had a couple of drinks.
Dancing never came so easily!

I really didn't know how to dance before this night.
Letting go was key for me; soon I was inventing all kinds of moves.
People thought I was a great dancer.
I was actually just pretending and letting myself out.

For the first time, in my life, I understood dance.
Such a natural flow - a shame then, that culture inhibits our behavior.
Why do so many people feel afraid to dance; timid and nervous?
We should surely draw comparison of one's dance to their approach to life.
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I immediately gained further insight and inspiration towards my sister.
Being comfortable with our own movement through space and time is essential.
Perhaps I had never drawn this conclusion, or thought of this at all.
Jess enables this knowledge and ability of self to many youths each day!
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Granted, none of my skills were altogether crafted nor graceful.
But, I was having fun dancing for once and really going for it.

Then, I missed a step coming off the stage..
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Sprained Specimen - Right Foot
Control Specimen - Left Foot
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The next morning, I wrapped my ankle...
...and sought an expert opinion.
My first experience with Canadian Health Care.
I got a great parking spot!
The urgent care facility was close to my apartment.
I arrived at the waiting room at 10am on a Saturday morning.

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30 minutes or so elapsed before I was seen by the doctor.
He was all business, he seemed quite sure of himself.
An older man with large eyebrows and messy hair.

He saw me for maybe all of 5 minutes.
It was simple, really - he wasted no time.
There was no doubt I had a sprained ankle.

He gave me a prescription for basic pain killers.
Also, a voucher to get an X-ray in 10 days.
This would give the swelling some time to subside.
(too much blood makes cracks hard to identify in the x-ray)
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I was ordered to be off my feet, elevate, and ice my ankle.
Good thing I already owned a pair of crutches!

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I was immobilized, but that didn't keep me from being productive.
For over a year I had meant to repair one of my mothers chairs.
It was an extensive job, or so I thought, and I always put it off.
The chair took up space laying in pieces for all that time.
Finally, I was slowed down enough to stay in one place.
I could fix things.

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TOP DOWN CHRONOLOGY OF SPRAINED ANKLE IMAGERY

30 minutes after the injury, 1 or 2 am:
The next morning, 12 noon:
2 weeks later:
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I happened to have 6 flights through 5 airports shortly thereafter...
...the moral of the story is that life keeps on going no matter what.
And even when you're slowed down, you can learn new things.
Hard work pays in positive progress.

How to cut your own hair

2011-03-08T23:48:00.000-08:00

PCV Fitting Fix

2011-03-07T23:32:00.000-08:00

I broke my rear PCV fitting while installing my header.
The purpose of this fitting is Crank Case Ventilation.
A plastic elbow is countersunk through a rubber washer in the valve cover.
As temperatures rise in the engine, air expands and needs somewhere to go.
This hot air is vented from the valve cover to the air box through the PCV fitting.
Turns out, this is a common problem as the rubber and plastic get brittle with age.

The new elbow and grommet are easily installed by hand.
A pair of screwdrivers are all that is needed to pry the old parts out.

I drove with my Duct Taped 'temporary' fix for a week or two...
...Good ole duct tape.

The new grommet is installed first.
It is made of rubber and can be squeezed into place in the valve cover.

The new elbow is installed and re-connected to the intake manifold.
Just like new!

How to make Mashed Potatos

2011-03-02T01:31:00.000-08:00

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

2011-03-01T13:10:00.000-08:00

Primetime Paintball and Skateboards

2011-02-15T23:32:00.000-08:00

My friend James!
This is his skate shop, aye, and much more at that!
Paintball guns gear sales and service, skateboards, parts, stickers, dvds, shoes, snowboard service, clothes, accessories, odds, ends, snacks, air and waxing.

He became a business man in highschool.
Built, ran, runs, owned, owns and operates Primetime from scratch.
James makes his living living out his favorite ever-evolving hobbies.
He started with paintball gun sales and service, and never stopped!
Interest in skateboarding and lack of local support prompted expansion.
He began selling skate products to compliment his paintball inventory.
Now he quite comprehensively covers key action oriented outdoor activities.
Voila!
My friend is an independent business man for fun!
With his store's custom decks printed and pressed by a tier-1 skate company.

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Crescent City Christmas

2011-01-24T23:31:00.000-08:00

Dad and I spent the holiday together this year.

Our time twas short so we spent it with precision.
We filled our two days with a shared love for the outdoors.
Hikes were in order; mountains, seas, trees.

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REDWOODS

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Dad taught me this some time ago, now I'm a believer.
Redwoods get something like 60 percent of their water from the fog.

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Dad and his truck in Jedidiah State Park.
We love the gravel road whose shoulder becomes forest uninterrupted.

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One of us expected this photo to be taken.

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Moonroof/cellphone photo opportunity.

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The immensity of these trees is hard to capture.
As seen from the interior of the full size Dodge pickup.

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We hiked down to a river which hosts salmon.
Their annual run was over, but we imagined them!

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The trees reminded us of Lord of The Rings.

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Gllleeeahhhaaa!!!!!!

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Dad wanted me to get these Jurassic Park ferns.
He said I could use them for reference, and I will!
They will make perfect roadside foliage for a shortcut!

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On our short drive back to town, we passed through this.
A rare old covered wooden bridge - awesome!

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SEASIDE

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Crescent City extends into the ocean on this peninsula.
We ventured here to explore a wondrous shore.

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Father and Son together on Christmas!
The Pacific's infinite western horizon at our backs.

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Dad took me to an overlook where he has seen whales.
The coastline is picturesque.

____________
A stormy man on a stormy day.
Alas, the sun enters his frame from above!

____________
This time, we both expected the shot!

Snowy Thanksgiving Day

2010-12-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was a snowy day here in Vancouver.
Snowy days in the city are very rare indeed.
It has been predicted that this will be the snowiest in 50 years!
Vancouverites last ice skated on Lost Lagoon 100 years ago.
This was the first time in my 3 years here I'd seen it freeze over.

The snow excited me, very much.
Both because of rarity and reminiscence.
I took the long way to work on purpose!
It was fun to drive on the snow, very fun.

____________
___________________
_________

What a view, what a day:
- to see the snow from home!

____________
___________________
_________

What a view, what a day:
- to see the snow from work!

the making of: Tiny Trees

2010-12-22T23:43:00.000-08:00

Are you my mother?

2010-12-04T18:29:00.001-08:00

game nights

2010-11-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

Some Wednesday or Thursday nights, I go to game night.
We eat chips, drink pop, order pizza, and play boardgames.
They are nights of rules and objectives friends and learning.
I have strengthened my creativity, prediction, logic and tactics.
These nights are a welcome respite from modern entertainment.

Bald Eagle

2010-11-27T09:32:00.000-08:00

There is a bald eagle out my window right now.
2 bald eagles, actually - I can hear them chortle.
I saw them each land atop my favorite tree.
How wonderful is it to live downtown.
And see bald eagles out the window.

Garage

2010-11-25T23:48:00.000-08:00

This is where the Jeep sleeps.
What a beautiful photograph!

camera FYI

2010-11-24T13:52:00.000-08:00

FYI, my only camera is quite used.
It is dented, scratched, and the screen is broken.
This is awesome, though; because it truly liberates my photographs.

I never 'check to see if its a good shot' - because I can't.
Nor do I 'care very much about it getting scratched' - because it is.
I am enabled, worry free, to take pictures while rock climbing.
Or whilst performing dirty, oily, mechanical work on my jeep.

There isn't even a view finder.
So, I don't worry about composition beyond a general sense.
This often makes for intriguing shots, because they are never perfect.

The camera has held up to my use and abuse for years.
And it still performs flawlessly.
However, a puff of smoke is emitted every time I use the flash.
This is quite comical.

It did take a while to decipher the menus without a screen.
Unfortunately, I can't take macro shots any longer.
I have managed to figure out how to turn the flash on or off.
That has been enough for me, though.

Today, cameras like mine are a dime a dozen.
Just as common are high end DSLRs.
It makes me feel good when people ask me what camera I use.
This query underscores that a camera doesn't make a photographer.
The photos make the photographer.

All of these things make a hybrid photographer of me.
And that is exactly the type I'd like to be.

Old (wait for development to view, aka, download from card)
New (take a million pictures because they are free)

Kyles Imaginary Billboard

2010-11-24T00:31:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, my highschool art buddy Kyle posted an interesting article.

Click HERE to read the article.

It describes a piece of art near the US/Canada border.
The art has been installed at the crossing I most often use!
I happened to be heading to Seattle the day after I read the article.

The timing and mixture of these great things excited me.
An old friend, a creative piece of art, and synchronicity.

The proximity to the border puts this art in a high security area.
It is not possible to stop anywhere near the art at all.
That fact coupled with the darkness meant I only got one good shot.
The US border agents were quite serious and alarmed.
They wouldn't let me exit the vehicle for a photo.

I totally forgot about the art piece when returning to Canada.
It was early in the morning and I was concentrating on getting to work.
There was instant significance and impact for me as I glimpsed the art.
It forced me into a reaction of dedication and focus to get a better picture.
I approached the Canadian border at a suspiciously slow speed.
Construction workers on the US Border Facility heightened the interest dramatically.

This is truly a remarkable piece of art.
It should be a monument for its human affect.
It invokes curious thought and powerful language.

Framing a living background, the art changes as your own perspective shifts.
I contrasted the art to our society's lust for consumerism shouted by billboards.
Imagine how much more wondrous a drive from place to place would be without ads.
Our travels would imprint meaningful memories upon us about the geography.
We would notice architecture, landscape, colors, and crops.
Seasons, scents, and scenery would all be more vivid.

Indeed, this was one fine billboard, the greatest I have ever seen.
Natural beauty is infinite and always in motion.

Thanks for the inspiration to seek and document his experience, Kyle!

4.0 Header Installation

2010-11-22T20:11:00.000-08:00

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

remove Airbox
cover Throttle Body
remove Electric Fan
reduce tension and remove Serpentine Belt
remove Power Steering Pump
disconnect Fuel Line at Fuel Rail

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

Swivels and Extensions required for Manifold Bolts
many hard to reach Manifold Bolts

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

Exhaust Manifold (Header)
Header cracked almost entirely around one tube at the Collector

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

Header removed

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

Injector Wiring and Sensors labeled for ease of re-assembly
Intake ports [] and Exhaust ports () in Cylinder Head

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

Gasket surfaces prepped through scraping, sanding, conservative use of solvent

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

spray new Gasket with Copper High Temp Adhesive Sealant

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

Cylinder Head prepped
Copper sprayed Gasket resting on alignment pins

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

APN Header
new Brass Hardware

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

Installed

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

Swivel Head Gear Wrench required
apply Dielectric Grease to all electrical connections on re-assembly

________________________________

_____________________________

______________________

Get Grease on Shutter so remaining photos are ruined

________________________________

_____________________________
______________________

Tiny Trees Growing on a Tiny Mountain

2010-11-21T22:43:00.000-08:00

Suit Jacket

2010-11-18T23:35:00.000-08:00

Recently, I gave this powder blue jacket to Scott.
It was a licensed reference prop from DefJam:ICON.
Used to model proper gangster attire for the game.
May it live on in my memory here, and here alone.

Last Season's Championship

2010-11-08T23:19:00.000-08:00

Kerry and Mike and I saw Scott play hockey!
He did a great job out there on the ice!

#89!

Light Bulbs

2010-11-07T18:07:00.000-08:00

I was replacing light bulbs recently.
(so was Rae! our lives are synced!)

One bulb was broken in an overhead light.
(I coerced it's remains from the outlet with pliers!)

Good thing I always have some nice safety glasses handy!
(better than glass in your eyes.)

double booked

2010-11-06T17:59:00.001-07:00

It seems like my whole life is double booked sometimes!
There is always something to do, somewhere to go.
Each day is made up of making decision after decision.
Its nearly always multiple choice questions on life's tests.

Never a dull moment - I always have plans.
There are so many things I want to learn and see and do!
However, I do like the idea of putting up my feet a bit.
I can't help but feel like I'd be wasting time, though!
After all, our lives are made only of time.
There is so much to do!

VOIDED

2010-11-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

Norman returned rent checks after the new company took over.
I VOIDED them, and for some reason, thought it remarkable.

Kerry + Elsa

2010-10-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

Kerry and Elsa were married this summer in Chicago.
Elsa made these awesome coasters for her guests!
That wasn't the only awesome thing about their wedding.

Of course, it was beautiful, and lots of fun.
A big part of the fun was their photo booth idea.
On one side of the reception our photos were taken in sequence.
Kerry and Elsa had a bunch of fun props to use in the photos.
(like stuffed parrots, funny glasses, and cowboy hats..)
Then, then photos were printed out on the spot!

We had the idea to spell E-L-S-A with our 4 frames.
Amazingly, she ran into frame unknowingly at the end!
Watch our excitement grow in the photos..
Elsa saw us from across the floor, and ran over!

Congratulations to Kerry and Elsa!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

I signed up for trick-or-treat-ing visitors this year.
There was a poster downstairs in the Willowstan Park lobby.
A little girl has been growing up down the hall from me.
The poster said her and a few tiny friends were going around tonight.

I signed up on the poster because she is too cute.
When I first moved here, she was such a little one.
These days, shes talking to me and doing art and knows the alphabet.
My how much things change in 3 years!

Solving some last minute problems at work made me run a bit late.
I ended up not seeing any trick-or-treat-ers after all.
Perhaps I got home too late and missed them.
I was disappointed, which surprised myself.
It was still fun to make the sign - I think I'll leave it up a while.

I had borrowed the treats from work's snack cabinet anyways.
I better bring them back... ...I have enough cavities.
Leaving work, I wished I had some apples or fruit to give out.
But I was rushed and improvised the best I could do.
Snack cabinet.

It is actually a good thing the trick-or-treat-ers never showed up.
This mask is pretty scary.
This image or memory could have been quite harmful!
I looked in the mirror and scared myself.

I miss Karl

2010-10-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

It really sucks watching your friends get let go.
In retrospect, I wish we would have communicated more.
Why wasn't Karl helping out up here?
He would have been a huge asset.

Why didn't I ask him to work with these tools?
Why didn't he ask me about the engine?

Hindsight.
20/20.

Fixed Tangents

2010-10-27T19:56:00.000-07:00

I am glad I can do pre-viz animation and get paid!
Fun stuff - I guess I am a jack of all trades, king of none.

Grizzly Beer

2010-10-27T00:44:00.000-07:00

I found a box of crap from college.
It yielded many treasures.
Like a single bottle cap.
(just what I needed for my floor mat)
Also, a complete book series on wizardry.
Informative motorcycle pamphlets.
Unimportant newspaper clippings.
A swimsuit calendar.
A CINEFEX or two.
Rebate checks.
Unpaid bills.
Loan info.
Goodbye.

Eye Glass Repair

2010-10-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

Mom buys lots of cheap seeing glasses.
She has a pair just about everywhere - for convenience.
In her car, in the bathroom, in a jacket pocket.
They help her see close up.

She has been using these non-prescription glass for some time.
At least two or three years now, I believe.

The last time I visited her, I was sent home with some.
You see, Mom struggles with eye glass repair.
(remember, she needs aided for seeing close up)

Being cheep and everywhere makes damage just around the corner.
Some of the ones I brought home simply needed new hinge screws.
Others were smashed or stripped or sliced beyond repair.

I had just the visual acuity and mini-tool set to do this job justice.
It feels good to do work for someone you love.

Ring Bore

2010-10-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

I like to use this large janitor style key ring.
It enables me to use a single ring for all of my keys.
In isolating a key for use, the remaining keys slide away.
The selected key is glorified in isolation.
The unused keys cower in passive respect for the one in use.

I had to modify my Wyoming bottle opener, though!
The large key ring requires a larger than stock bore!

Drilled June 28th, 2009
(note the screen wasn't broken on my camera.
I was able to toggle 'macro' mode.)

lego music

2010-10-18T20:17:00.001-07:00

wow.

Steering Stabilizer

2010-10-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

A steering stabilizer is basically a lateral shock absorber.
It attaches to the axle and the drag link.
All modern trucks are equipped with them from the factory.

Bump-steer occurs when your tire hits something and turns.
For instance, running over a curb on one side.
Steering stabilizers minimize the tendency for your tires to turn.
This keeps the steering wheel from being ripped from your hands.

I installed a new steering stabilizer after upgrading my steering.
This will aide in combating a phenomenon called bump-steer.

Parts, Pre-assembly/Installation:

Black poly bushings are pressed into the shock eyelets.
I used a hammer to start them, and a C-clamp to seat them.

A bracket is clamped the drag link with 2 U-bolts.
The shock is bolted to the axle to determine bracket placement.

The shock is now bolted to the bracket.

Steering stabilizer is installed.

STOP WORK started

2010-10-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

Why does destruction sound so scary?
As I walked down the stairwell to work..
..I heard sledgehammers on the other side of the wall.
The concrete shuddered with each swing.

Apparently, they got their permits.

STOP WORK, make friends.

2010-10-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

Change Hurts, Change is Good
My building was sold this July.
We now have new managers, new methods.

I am so sad to see Norman go.
Norman was a wonderful friend and building manager.
He was by far a friend before anything else.
When I rented my space, he went with vibe.
We talked about it, and felt it, as I applied.
He said 'I can just tell about people'...
...Norman built a community here.

All of my neighbors are wonderfully unique.
This is true of all people, I suppose.
Anyways, my building is a kind and friendly place.
For 10 years, Norman built this consciousness.

But that era ended with the new owners.
They are 'improving' things.
Change is hard and difference is different.
But not all change hurts.

You see..
..we have had new energy efficient lighting installed!
This is excellent (I even wrote a thank you card)!
Ultimately, though, the new management style is..
..abrasive.

I have embraced this reality.
I strive to make the best of it.

The new guard is the old guard.
Where compassion once reigned supreme..
..cold calculation now designates.
Norman was young, and all about community.
John, the new manager, is older and more rigid.
John is very nice, though, and I like him a lot.

I will describe the new changes some other time.
And document my reactions and reflections.
I need time for perspective first.

The short version:
My building was sold, and the future is different.
I used to write rent checks to 'Churchill Property Group'
Now they are written to 'Chartwell Construction INC'
It is scary to write to a construction company.
They are replacing windows and renovating kitchens.
This is good, but already I miss the quaint past.

Recently, the City of Vancouver posted this out front.
It is a Stop Work order, for failure to acquire permits.
The City Inspector noticed new interior/exterior constructions.
These included new windows, dry wall work, and plumbing.
It is interesting how this information is posted publicly.

I'm not sure how to feel about it.
I want confidence in the new owners of my building.
There is a militaristic ordinance vibe in manager-to-tenant interactions.
If they would only show such diligence in how they run their business!
i.e. permit acquisition..

So, I embrace the new rigidity, in all its hypocrisy.
Making friends makes life easier.

Skate

2010-10-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

The Skate3 team wrapped up deveolpment this summer.
They have now moved on to other projects.
There was a bunch of reference materials laying around.
Reference for a skateboarding game is.. ..awesome.
It comes in the form of skateboards and wheels..
..t-shirts, bearings, and many other awesome things!

I was able to score some good loot:
* 3 sets of trucks
* 2 decks
* 1 set of wheels

(thanks to my friend karl on the team)

Kerry is my only true skateboarding friend here.
I decided to give him a new deck and trucks.
He recently got married, lets call it a wedding gift.
So, Kerry came over and we drank a beer while setting up.
Fun!

New gear ready for set-up.

My new board is signed by Professional Skateboarder Colin McKay.

I didn't hesitate to slap on the new grip tape right over his signature.

Gripped, ready for wheels and trucks.

Set up and ready to skate!

designing the Post-Materialist age

2010-10-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

A long time ago, I ripped this page out of a magazine.
I recall a fondness for the background design.
Forgotten to me, was the meaning of the text.
Today, while using this page to decorate a package, I re-read it.
I am glad I did, as it is very inspiring and profound.

The text describes a future unbound by consumption, sounds perfect.
A transition to such will be tough in my opinion, as we are built to consume.
Almost every living thing is built to consume.
Our lives and societies are built around corporate consumption on all fronts.

Against these odds..
..our contributions and attitudes towards society will mold our future.

Here is what the page said:

"De Stijl, Bauhaus, constructivism and Dada ... Heartfield, Dumbar and Kalman ... Design has long stood at the forefront of aesthetic and political change. But after the Second World War we became entangled in the thicket of consumer capitalism and lost our way. Our magazines decayed into toxic mindscapes - noisy, fractured places ruled by ads. We designed millions of glittering, short-lived products to spend eternity in the purgatory of landfills. We championed consumption, aestheticized and validated waste and constructed false emotional glows around brands. For 50 years we glorified corporate power and kissed corporate ass. The marketplace became the soul of our profession. Now facing a warming planet and precarious future, a new generation of designers is stepping beyond that sorry history to forge our professions path into the future.

Do we still have it? Can we invent a new magazine aesthetic and transcend the death of print? Can we design sustainable products and rid our cities of waste? Can we cultivate new sensibilities for our post-materialist age? There are hints of this new aesthetic in Kenya Hara's Designing Design when he talks about 'a future without artifice,' 'whispered value systems' and creating 'vehicles of thought and feeling.' There are clues of it in Jean-Marie Massaud's mission to create 'a new art de vivre' and inspired examples of it in Banksy's (and other street artists') heady mix of politics, design and the intimacies of everyday life.

The first steps in the fight for the soul of our profession are to boldly rise against the obnoxious billboards springing up in our cities, to combat the antidemocratic viruses invading cyberspace and to resist the corruption of our identities and brands. Our century will be a time of tremendous ideological clashes, paradigm shifts and meta-meme warfare on all fronts. As designers, we must be the advance guards - positioning ourselves at the forefront of mindscape. We must nurture it and care for it and make sure that there will always be wilderness, diversity and freedom there.

for the wild, Kalle"

Mikey-bot

2010-10-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

Mikey gave me this robot.
I think he thought it was useless.
Sometimes it is hard to get rid of useless things.
Mikey and I often exchange these useless things.
It is time to take a stand!
Stay away from useless!

ENGAGED!

2010-10-09T10:38:00.001-07:00

My lack of updates is due to overwhelming excitement!
Rachel and I are getting married!
The whole world should know!

I have been looking for the perfect ring for her for ages.
At least 6 months now - its true!
Rae and I have known we were made for one another since we first met.
We mutually exchanged our vows through what we call an electric excitement!
It could be felt in the air the first time we made eye contact.
The rest, is, and always will be, history!
I feel like the luckiest man alive.

More about her ring, later!

cabby found!

2010-10-05T21:47:00.001-07:00

thank goodness!
my sister's car was stolen a week and a half ago..
..thankfully it was found and impounded.

ACN

2010-09-17T10:28:00.001-07:00

Andrew Jackson Klein even FOX knows its bad..
ACN Investigation
www.youtube.com
Investigation of ACN (American Communication Network) A scam? Most likely.
17 hours ago · Comment · LikeUnlike · Share · See Wall-to-Wall

*
*
*
o
Rachel Reed oh dear
15 hours ago · LikeUnlike ·
o
Scott Russell I appreciate your support...
12 hours ago · LikeUnlike ·
o
Andrew Jackson Klein
scott! i am your friend! i care about you and all of my friends e.
since i am also kerry's friend, i feel the need to speak my mind.

it just doesn't seem right to me. everyone is entitled to their opinions, and just as you have the right to ...participate in this system, i have the right to find it distasteful and contrary to my core belief system.

i won't condone an organization which clearly practices extortion, for
greed is a major factor in the basis of our deteriorating global economy, and i do not intend to support the degradation and devaluation of unconditional love for those whom i share the world with.

IN MY OPINION, our existence as human beings is devalued through this type of system, which is only a solitary example of the lack of human compassion found in many standards of our day to day lives.

i feel that we should help one another: an ideal which is seemingly contrary to the practices of this corporation - a corporation which intentionally takes advantage of monetary idealism; which, sadly, is nurtured by our modern societal constructs.

i find the general message of the presentation i witnessed to be:
"don't you wish you made a little more money? just fuck 100 people out of theirs, and you can have some of it."

this does not align with my desire for global positivity and togetherness.See More
8 hours ago · LikeUnlike ·
o
Andrew Jackson Klein e. = equally.
8 hours ago · LikeUnlike ·
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Scott Russell You're entitled to your opinion, but you don't have your facts straight.
36 minutes ago · LikeUnlike ·
o
Lou Diamond Phillips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP-y4UKWYUw
4 minutes ago · LikeUnlike ·

Indy and Gypsy

2010-09-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

Rae took me for a ride!
We went to Kickapoo Stat Park in Illinois.
It was a perfectly sunny breezy day.
Rae rode an old man of a horse named Indy.
My horse's name was Gypsy, and he was the boss.
Our guide was a sun worn retired woman named Mac.
We're going to go again, for sure!

Jestoni

2010-09-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

I helped Rae get her internet rebooted today.
I used the online support feature - it was quite odd.
Check it out:

intellectual value

2010-09-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

Any mental stimulus which requires current engagement while also speculating future engagements is excellent for your intellect.

Why I can't get rid of my Rockerverb 50

2010-09-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Listen to this awesome recording.

It contains sounds which epitomize why I never went through with a gear change.
The guitar
(remember a while back when I was contemplating a gear downsizing?)

(which lead to further considerations...)

This is the guitar tone I love.
This is why I can't downsize!

Gretsch Duo Jet + Orange Rockerverb 50 + Marshall 4x12

Iguana Mail

2010-08-16T00:29:00.000-07:00

TLC Oil Tools

2010-08-13T19:35:00.000-07:00

More Stickers

2010-08-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

New Necktie

2010-08-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

Kerry gave me a new necktie.
I like it quite a bit!

Bouquet

2010-08-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

Jessica made me a beautiful bouquet!

Bikes!

2010-08-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Rae and I had SO MUCH FUN on the seawall on bikes.

Crying Sky Studios

2010-08-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

I rented a room to play with volume.

Stickers

2010-08-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

Paint

2010-08-06T10:13:00.001-07:00

My grandfather used to paint all of the ceilings.
They looked great.
I want to paint the undersides of my cabinets!

I think i will!

Collander

2010-08-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

A colander is a bowl-shaped kitchen utensil with holes in it used for draining food such as pasta. Conventionally, colanders are made of a light metal, such as aluminium or thinly rolled stainless steel, but some colanders are made of plastic. A colander is pierced with a pattern of small holes (or slots in plastic colanders) that let the liquid drain through, but retain the solids inside. It is sometimes also called a sieve or a strainer.
_______________________________________________
Okay, great!
Now we know what a colander is.
Mine needed to be easier to access, though.
_______________________________________________

So I got out my secret box of hooks:

I selected the perfect hook for the job:

Hook fitment on colander handle? - Check.
(note coconut shavings and drill bit from previous experiments)

Screwed it.

Hung it.

Shadow Splendor

2010-08-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

I got a new plant some time ago.
The first morning after bringing it home..
..I awoke to certain splendor!
Shadow splendor!

Coconut

2010-08-03T03:41:00.000-07:00

I wanted to drink the milk.

I had to pull a 'BP' and drill a relief well.

This allowed air to replace the volume of escaping milk.

It tasted like coconut milk.

Home Made Pizzas

2010-08-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do with Rae!?
Make and eat pizza!!

Hand Made Wine

2010-08-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

My neighbor makes his own wine!
He gave me a bottle the other day.
Rachel and I drank it while making pizza.
It was quite potent.
What a kind gesture!
I'll have to write him a thank you.

I've created a monster!

2010-08-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

Yeah!
And all she wants to do is lulu!
What a wonderful nice princess monster.

The Knot

2010-08-01T17:08:00.001-07:00

Today I untied an old knot,
The time of tying long forgot.

Ernst attempt seldom applied,
I had never really truly tried.

This small victory I share with you,
Approaching problems vision renewed!

the airport

2010-07-27T08:50:00.001-07:00

its hard to deal with saying goodbye.
i can usually hold it together..
..until i see her disappear.

earlier that morning..

wash

2010-07-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Jeep was still dirty from NWFest2010.
It felt good to wash it up real nice.
I like scrubbing it with the brush.

Last week the ambient temperatures were getting quite hot.
I think it was above 25* Celsius for a week straight!
I could smell a mixture of power steering fluid and singed dirt.
Rae said it smelled like pancake batter when we drove around.
HA-HA, so, I made sure to clean the engine bay as well.
It is safe to power wash as long as you don't use soap.
(and avoid the distributor)

I am always impressed with how good my Jeep looks washed!
Even with the dents and dings, it cleans up nice.

helicopter

2010-07-20T21:51:00.001-07:00

my beloved Jeep

2010-07-12T23:33:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report no damage from NWF2010.
My Jeep Cherokee performed flawlessly!

At one point, however, my exhaust must have got hung up.
I noticed it looking a bit crooked back at camp.

I simply rotated the exhaust back into position and tightened the clamps.

spring cleaning

2010-07-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

Look at all of this stuff I got rid of!
I recycled, donated, and threw away.

Two Tall Stacks of Stuff.
A Bunch of Bags of Stuff.

art in a box

2010-07-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

indoor painting

2010-07-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

Rarely, I paint something on my workbench.
In this case, a box I was mailing to my mom.
I open the window and set up a fan to paint.

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