February 29, 2020

Yesteryear
One year ago today: February 29, 2016, American banks suck.
Five years ago today: February 29, 2012, triple the price.
Nine years ago today: February 29, 2008, yes, forced evacuation.
Random years ago today: February 29, 1492, printable copy.

           I’ve only a brief few comments on the past four years. This morning I took the dogs back to the field behind the church and salvaged around ten more posts. Only one was actually 8 feet, the other long pieces have been trimmed to 7 feet. I picked out a couple of the better short pieces as well. This should become my prototype raised vegetable garden. And remind me never to leave home again without some sort of battery operated cutting tool.I got a few of the fence panels as well, because they are an actual 6 inch width where usually you get 5-1/2.

           Shown here is the template I created for the new bird feeder. I intend to spend this whole day doing little else but put together a mockup from this free wood. The cold spell is over tomorrow so maybe I can pick up some more pieces. This is what passes for excitement when the Reb isn’t here. Remind me to get someone to look at my transmission. That odd aroma is still there, yet it is not low on fluid. It has to get me back to Florida.

           This is my first Leap Year Report from the other side. By that, I mean I am now officially retired and on the much-feared fixed income. My entire planning was based on the arbitrary age 65 which was the standard when I began paying taxes. I will have to wait longer, but consider myself properly over the hump because in the end, I took every one of my “pensions” early. I may soon have no reason not to go back to work or do some small business. So, what has changed since 2016?
           There is no format to what I consider in this report, but this time the changes have been social, which includes music. I can easily point at what got worse. I attract nobodies. I know I’ve mentioned this before and wrote it off to how other people did not plan ahead and wound up useless and boring. I know the only way I could ever prove to the world I’m not exaggerating or imagining is to set up a camcorder and record it. The reason I never have is because experience tells me nobodies can tell when they are being watched and begin to behave. So I’ll never have proof.

           I swear, if I park in an empty lot, the next three cars that arrive will box me in. If I take my coffee over to the farthest corner of the shop, the next flabby-armed old lady will sit next to me. I often go for a beer to update this blog and sure enough, some dimwit who doesn’t know a thing about computers will interrupt me and ask what I’m doing. On and on, and I’ve already allowed that I notice most when it happens over when it doesn’t. Why? Because it is never Taylor or someone else with brains, talent, and looks. Hell, if that was the case I’d be bragging instead of complaining.
           Next is music, I’ve wasted another four years without finding a decent guitar player. I was always concerned about appearances, I wanted to sound as best I could on stage. Now, I don’t care any more. My solo act was always a worst-case backup plan and I’ve finally told myself that is the level I should best concentrate on if I want stage time the rest of my life. Because as I age now, I don’t see the guitarist situation getting any better. Musically, my biggest era was 1992 thru 2002, the period where there was no blog. Sorry.

           If you have 40 extra minutes and would like to swear at Bernie first, watch this video on reclaiming computer gold. The voiceover may drive you up the wall and the process uses chemicals commercially available, some of which you may have around the house. Too bad I didn’t know this could be done back when I was at the computer shop.

Picture of the day.
Sauna with MP3 player.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Ever notice when you go on-line for instructions, there is never a video for the model that you have? My brad nailer is an Arrow ET200, but the package says “Nailmaster 2”. In the end, I had to take it apart and clear the jam myself. The only on-line post had no pictures and was millennial-grade. (It actually said 1) open front assembly, 2) remove jammed nail, 3) reassemble. This is why I quit posting instructions years ago. Quality could not compete with the number of posts hits all the idiots out there could generate with SEO. Paying them by the click only made things worse.)

           Here is the knock-apart model. I cannot remember how I built the first unit that went so well but took two days. This time I will standardize on six pieces and separately test designs to keep out the bigger birds. I have no recollection how I cut the angles for the roof pieces because all these pieces are too big to fit under the throat of my chop saw or fit in a miter box. I will try to find what day that was in this blog. I recall it was already a few years old when the cardinals began feeding.
           Nope, I gave up searching. The blog search algorithm can’t filter. Thanks, Google.

ADDENDUM
           If there’s a reason I recall today, it might be an unexpected twist. I focused on singing harmony thirds because they make sense. I reviewed some of the recordings, which is how I monitor progress and I sang an entire song in harmony that was not thirds. I did not realize it at the time. Since it wasn’t thirds, it must have been fifths. I realize most harmonies are some mix of these tones. I just didn’t have any idea I was doing it until today. This is how I learned everything about what singing I can do. No learning curve. Weird.

Last Laugh