October 8, 2024

Yesteryear
One year ago today: October 8, 2023, cactus buds.
Five years ago today: October 8, 2019, a proper job.
Nine years ago today: October 8, 2015, I said no.
Random years ago today: October 8, 2014, fantastically average.

           Wilford was on duty at the club, so I stopped in. I was the only customer. We talked about music and some details about my distant past as it determined my music today. Not so much the music as the organization. Without that, I’m just another flunky and Polk County is already full. I’m beyond disappointed how little work my band has found, but it’s actually more than any other startup band around these parts. There are no small clubs left with any entertainment and the few medium-size clubs are usually Friday or Saturday only.

           Now, he understands why I started a duo that plays upbeat country classics only. Solos are boring, trios are a headache, and anything larger is a nightmare. I was tempted to list us as a budget wedding band but not after I looked into the details. It’s become just another racket, heavy on the backing tracks and big on the Broadway tunes. Plus, it was noted these bands seem to have arrived here from someplace else.
           Here’s the first quality outdoor pic from the deer cam. It’s Mrs. Red and a lot of background clutter. The resolution is adequate for viewing but a number of quirks have emerged. It will stop and reset with a noticeable gap. Although it had no trouble picking up the rat indoors, out here the sensitivity changes and it misses many small birds. I’ll need more experience with the unit. There were no squirrels today.

           It’s dawn and dead calm. Erie quiet and all the birds have left. Maybe I’ll stock up a few more things even if these storms fizzle once they hit land. Hmmm, 76°F, that’s cold for here. I’m staying put this morning, so I finally pirated the movie “2012”, which was known to be a string of clichés based on the Mayan calendar. I want to see special effects, so I’m okay with the lack of plot. Special effects that always find famous landmarks are best. And face it, there is just something inherently satisfying about watching New Yorkers getting blasted, burned, or trampled.
           Light and calm, and this movie is what I wanted. Disaster everywhere, buildings collapsing, explosions, earthquakes, mass casualties, and the acting itself is a major tragedy. Loved the airplane takeoff scene. They didn’t take off, the ground fell away.
           Medical bills. Twenty-six states are tabling legislation that limits how hospitals record and assign patient debt. Colorado has banned putting unpaid medical bills on a credit report. True, I was wiped out by medical bills between 2003 – 2005, but this legislation would not help me ont bit. I didn’t owe anybody money. Today, a third of the US population has some form of medical debt. That tells you the problem is the hospitals, not the patients.

           Grabbing the camera manual , I found the reason for the short videos. They are 10 seconds, not 15. The other interval settings are for the time BETWEEN still photos when the subject remains detected. The shortest interval is 5 seconds, meaning in a sense it may work for time lapse. In the video mode, it takes ten second clips only. Here is the bird whose name I never recall, with the yellow breast. He’s toward left center, there are hard to see, I repeat I need experience setting up the shots, as the camera has no viewfinder.

Picture of the day.
Alpenhorn music festival.
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           This is not my week. Now Festus Tuesday is canceled this afternoon for some kind of downtown meeting. The unusually cool weather had me making up a big pot of rice must in case and I decided to build a somewhaqt heavier duty box. That’s the blog focus today for several reasons. Top of that list is it took me only one-quarter of the usual time to cut and fit the pieces. (This is only the rough work.) The entire savings is experience and that includes the use of the tools, now that I have most of them. No jumping for joy, this is still twice as long as needed to make any money at it.
           This panel shows the carcass only, this required maybe 45 minutes including walking to the neighbors to use his table saw. He’s cutting more of his own wood now that the saw is oiled, maintained, and has the best blades available. Let’s peek closer at the process for the less obvious features. The sides are now cut in pairs, eliminating even the slightest visible amount of variation. It took many mistakes to learn this. And I mean pairs, that’s two pairs cut separately on perfect square alignment. I now check before every job. This view is the box sides only, the top and bottom are good-one-side plywood to save weight.

           This is the raw, unfinished with all the thick cuts done, now being dry-fitted. The left panel shows the shape and size, that is solid ¾” lumber that will be conditioned and stained a light cherry finish. Just visible are the panel slots which still give me woes. These are the channels cut into the sides for the “floating” bottom and lid. These are wisely the first cut, sliced into the entire length of the lumber before measuring out the remaining dimensions.
           The middle panel shows the precision of the cuts, using this style of rabbet joint. The longer pieces have the notch because they are most visible. Measurements are now taken with calipers and the tightness of this fit shows the results. While I want this box to look nicer than usual, these are still storage boxes so this remains my most-used joinery. The corners are reinforced in a number of ways, usually countersunk screws which may or may not be cosmetically capped.
           The right panel shows a mismatch on the panel slots. I will have to determine the cause, since I no longer clamp a cutting guide, but brad nail a template directly to the target wood and it works 95% of the time. That is, it can’t move, yet this shows the cut in one corner is out by it’s own full width. I’m beginning to spend more time on the box interiors, including ways to scent the wood, at least while the box is new. I’ve had success simply sprinkling nutmeg or clove oil inside for a couple weeks, but I’ve heard of people using wine, which I know how to make.

           Note the box depth. This is the maximum depth I can normally work with. However, the success with the large gas chain saw box has me encouraged. It has lasted being stored outside for years. I had to make some built-up lumber with my biscuit joiner. That’s an easy tool to use once you figure out the trick to making matching cuts that are not exactly dead center. Maybe if the hurricane lets me I’ll make some more tool boxes. Anything is better than the plastic cases they come in. Have you ever tried to coil the cord back into those things?

           More damning camera footage is posted daily of the FEMA helicopters rotor-washing the volunteer aid stations. Many claims of damaged vehicles and properties. One was a Chinook, that’s Army issue hardware. I’m surprised nobody is taking potshots at them. Possibly the government people think people don’t them enough already. The entire savings is experience and that includes the use of the tools, now that I have most of them. This panel shows the carcass only, this took maybe 45 minutes including walking to the neighbors to use his table saw. He’s cutting more of his own wood now that the saw is oiled, maintained, and has the best blades available.
           Let’s peek closer at the process for the less obvious features. The sides are now cut in pairs, eliminating even the slightest visible amount of variation. It took many mistakes to learn this. And I mean pairs, that’s two pairs cut separately on perfect square alignment. I now check before every job. This view

ADDENDUM
           One truly disgusting aspect of American life is how actors think their political opinions matter. One of the worst is De Niro, who has declared that if elected, Trump will come after him. Here is a sampling of the comments, you can guess which one is mine.

o Yeah, right. I'm sure he is #1 priority on Donald Trump's list of people to prosecute.
o Classic case of suffering from main character syndrome.
o Hey Robert, Alec Baldwin has a part for ya . . . just stand still a moment.
o He’ll find you in the woman's clothing section.
o Delusions of relevance.
o If De Niro was on fire, Trump wouldn't piss on him.
o Nobody is looking for him. Not casting directors, and not President Trump.
o The level of narcissism is off the charts!

           But the truly funny event has to be Florida’s DeSantis ignoring a call from Harris. Says she’s done nothing to help around here for years and is now just trying to bolster her failed campaign.

Last Laugh