a bit of time, a bit of money, and bits of dead things... who could ask for more!?
Well, things have finally calmed down to a dull roar at work. While we are still shipping out amazing quantities of plumbing parts and supplies... most of them are now going to our regular customers ( Lowe's, Ace hardware and such) rather than straight to Japan. And while our work-place is still offering as much overtime as anyone can take, they no longer seem so desperate for people to take it.
So, while working the 50-60 hour weeks I was for a time took a lot out of me, it was a good thing I did, because it meant I had some extra cash when my mom gave me another present! You see, my mother has an amazing ability to give me really cool presents, which end up costing me either time or money, or both! Like the time she gave me a new bathroom, which is chronicled here Plumbing wars, part 1., and here Plumbing wars part 2.. And several months ago, she gave us a new kitchen floor... which is still sitting in my basement waiting for the once-in-5000 year alignment of the stars called “Copious spare time”, during which I shall install that floor.
This time however, it was nothing as major as a bathroom, or a floor, it was a large flat screen TV. Very cool! But you see, I am very much a “if it ain't broke, don't fix it” kinda guy. I had been using the same largeish CRT television for years, and was very happy with it.
So, once I had the flat screen up and running, it seemed a waste to me to have a television which was capable of displaying an HDTV image, and not use it. So, I upgraded our satellite TV account to include the HD signal. That's an extra $10 a month. Then of course, I had to get a wireless router, because the new TV could be hooked directly to our laptop computer and display the image, but my computer with the cable modem, is upstairs. So I purchased a wireless router, and then of course, a Blue-ray player, and of course Blu-ray disks are more expensive than standard DVDs. And of course, with the new TV and disk player, had to come an upgraded Netflix account, etc. etc.
So much of the extra money I earned with working all the overtime I did, went into purchasing electronics and ungraded services. But now we have a huge flat screen TV which talks to my X-box, the Blu-ray player and the laptop... all of which securely talk to the wireless router. And while I can say that the HD picture is better than the old picture I used to get... the only real advantage I can see is that I can now play Pandora downstairs ( and I of course, had to pay for that service too... once Pandora started running that bane of the human condition.. advertising!), and that Marti no longer has to climb the stairs to my study to watch stoopid YouTube videos.
I might consider the large HD screen to be an advantage if Lawrence of Arabia was available on Blu-ray... which it's not. Until that happens, I refuse to watch Lawrence of Arabia on anything other than a theater screen... which means I don't see it very often at all! Which is a shame, it's a great movie. The only other benefit to this huge new HDTV is that now commercials about amazing life saving products like This miracle of modern science that you absolutely must have, can now invade our living space in a much larger, louder, brighter and more highly defined format!
So... um, yeah... life is better now? Yes? The jury is still out on that, but life is now definitely more expensive! So yes, this is me bitching because my mother gives me nice things! I'm a Gemini, I can do things like that.
However, in addition to having had a small bit of spare cash; which went to electronics, I also have had, wonder of wonders... a small amount of spare time! Not a large enough amount of this mystical substance to count as “copious”, but some small amount.
This has resulted in me actually getting a piece or two of art done. So, I managed to finish up This project. I have no idea what it is, other than it is what happens when I have a couple of bantam chicken wings, a cow vertebrae and a bit of spare time.
A slightly closer image of the.. art thing.
I am also working on a long neglected piece involving 3 coyote skulls, and shall post pics of that when I am done. Another project I'm working on is expanding my carnivorous plant gardens, and getting them ready to move outside for the spring/summer/fall season from their winter place near my back porch glass doors. I also set up another batch of mead to replace the one I had to dump down the drain a few weeks ago. And with the warmer weather, it is now time to start practicing with my fire toys again.. snake and rope dart, and of course breathing... and try to get back the skills that have atrophied over the winter.
Joanne, Riley and I also attended a concert by Gogol Bordello, which was great fun. During Gogol Bordello's American Wedding song, some guy from the audience decided to get up on stage and propose to his his girlfriend; and while Gogol Bordello did slow down the song and drop the volume.. they never really stopped playing. And yeah, the energy that Eugene (the lead singer) displays in the American Wedding video, is pretty much what he is like on stage for 2 or so hours. He keeps his roadies busy picking up knocked over mic stands, dropped or tossed aside mics, bottles of wine etc. etc. During the opening band's set, Eugene ran out onto stage while they were singing a song with the title ( I think), of “If you don't like Bob Marley, then stay the f*%ck away from me!” It was an amusing duet, and I think the warm up band is used to this kind of stunt, for they took it right in stride.
So, yeah... I've been having a bit of fun, doing a bit of art, and working far too much! But over all, life is OK right now. I would be happier if the lives of many of my friends diddn't seem to be taking downwards turns tho, which many of them seem to be! But who knows, perhaps I can even use a bit of my time to help them out... helping friends is one of the best uses for spare time I can think of!
So, while working the 50-60 hour weeks I was for a time took a lot out of me, it was a good thing I did, because it meant I had some extra cash when my mom gave me another present! You see, my mother has an amazing ability to give me really cool presents, which end up costing me either time or money, or both! Like the time she gave me a new bathroom, which is chronicled here Plumbing wars, part 1., and here Plumbing wars part 2.. And several months ago, she gave us a new kitchen floor... which is still sitting in my basement waiting for the once-in-5000 year alignment of the stars called “Copious spare time”, during which I shall install that floor.
This time however, it was nothing as major as a bathroom, or a floor, it was a large flat screen TV. Very cool! But you see, I am very much a “if it ain't broke, don't fix it” kinda guy. I had been using the same largeish CRT television for years, and was very happy with it.
So, once I had the flat screen up and running, it seemed a waste to me to have a television which was capable of displaying an HDTV image, and not use it. So, I upgraded our satellite TV account to include the HD signal. That's an extra $10 a month. Then of course, I had to get a wireless router, because the new TV could be hooked directly to our laptop computer and display the image, but my computer with the cable modem, is upstairs. So I purchased a wireless router, and then of course, a Blue-ray player, and of course Blu-ray disks are more expensive than standard DVDs. And of course, with the new TV and disk player, had to come an upgraded Netflix account, etc. etc.
So much of the extra money I earned with working all the overtime I did, went into purchasing electronics and ungraded services. But now we have a huge flat screen TV which talks to my X-box, the Blu-ray player and the laptop... all of which securely talk to the wireless router. And while I can say that the HD picture is better than the old picture I used to get... the only real advantage I can see is that I can now play Pandora downstairs ( and I of course, had to pay for that service too... once Pandora started running that bane of the human condition.. advertising!), and that Marti no longer has to climb the stairs to my study to watch stoopid YouTube videos.
I might consider the large HD screen to be an advantage if Lawrence of Arabia was available on Blu-ray... which it's not. Until that happens, I refuse to watch Lawrence of Arabia on anything other than a theater screen... which means I don't see it very often at all! Which is a shame, it's a great movie. The only other benefit to this huge new HDTV is that now commercials about amazing life saving products like This miracle of modern science that you absolutely must have, can now invade our living space in a much larger, louder, brighter and more highly defined format!
So... um, yeah... life is better now? Yes? The jury is still out on that, but life is now definitely more expensive! So yes, this is me bitching because my mother gives me nice things! I'm a Gemini, I can do things like that.
However, in addition to having had a small bit of spare cash; which went to electronics, I also have had, wonder of wonders... a small amount of spare time! Not a large enough amount of this mystical substance to count as “copious”, but some small amount.
This has resulted in me actually getting a piece or two of art done. So, I managed to finish up This project. I have no idea what it is, other than it is what happens when I have a couple of bantam chicken wings, a cow vertebrae and a bit of spare time.
A slightly closer image of the.. art thing.
I am also working on a long neglected piece involving 3 coyote skulls, and shall post pics of that when I am done. Another project I'm working on is expanding my carnivorous plant gardens, and getting them ready to move outside for the spring/summer/fall season from their winter place near my back porch glass doors. I also set up another batch of mead to replace the one I had to dump down the drain a few weeks ago. And with the warmer weather, it is now time to start practicing with my fire toys again.. snake and rope dart, and of course breathing... and try to get back the skills that have atrophied over the winter.
Joanne, Riley and I also attended a concert by Gogol Bordello, which was great fun. During Gogol Bordello's American Wedding song, some guy from the audience decided to get up on stage and propose to his his girlfriend; and while Gogol Bordello did slow down the song and drop the volume.. they never really stopped playing. And yeah, the energy that Eugene (the lead singer) displays in the American Wedding video, is pretty much what he is like on stage for 2 or so hours. He keeps his roadies busy picking up knocked over mic stands, dropped or tossed aside mics, bottles of wine etc. etc. During the opening band's set, Eugene ran out onto stage while they were singing a song with the title ( I think), of “If you don't like Bob Marley, then stay the f*%ck away from me!” It was an amusing duet, and I think the warm up band is used to this kind of stunt, for they took it right in stride.
So, yeah... I've been having a bit of fun, doing a bit of art, and working far too much! But over all, life is OK right now. I would be happier if the lives of many of my friends diddn't seem to be taking downwards turns tho, which many of them seem to be! But who knows, perhaps I can even use a bit of my time to help them out... helping friends is one of the best uses for spare time I can think of!