Great Grandfather

What's your Great Grandfather's first name? That's your father's or mother's grandfather. I don't know either!
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That is a whole life that went by, directly related to your existance, and you don't know jack about him - even his first name.
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How important can our life's issues be if in less than 100 years, nobody will know if you even lived?
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Makes you wonder about sweating the small stuff, or taking life too seriously.
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"Try not to try too hard... It's just a lovely ride."
- James Taylor
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Just 400 years ago, thousands of Native American Indians lined the shores of New England. In less that 100 years, 95% of them were dead with no progeny - victims of European microbes. We have virtually no record of this rich culture - even the widespread decimation is theory and conjecture. That happened in a blink of our human existance - a relative nanosecond in man's time on earth. Right in the land that we dwell. All of their issues and experiences - like they never happened.

See 1491 by Charles C. Mann

A Rat's Ass

Don't give one.

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week - 4

Can you feel the excitement? Some peeps lives will change tonight as they achieve the coveted, cherished, and richly rewarding status of being named a Nanepashemet Peep of the Week.
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Those of you who have experienced this status know of which I speak.
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Thanks for your nominations. Literally hundreds of emails received that even took a while for a mass delete. Naturally, I didn't read any of them.
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Now, without further ado (what the hell is "ado" anyway?) I now announce this week's NANEPASHEMET PEEPS OF THE WEEK.

• Emily Buttorff
• The Nurse Who Gave Me My Flu Shot
• Yang Sihamoni
• James Taylor
• Brayden Turner
• Kim Reny

For the vast amount of losers, the holiday season should be enough to shake off the dissapointment of not being named. For the rest of you chronically depressed losers, what can I say? There is still a chance in a million that you will be named next week. Don't give up hope.

Favorite Day

It's Thursday - our favorite day.
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Why?... Because Thursday is the day that we choose the Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week. I'm open to your comments for nominations up to 7:00PM EST when the life changing selections are made. Make sure that you observe the rules in your recommendations. (Annoying, Stupid, or Inspiring - not an Animal - not Dead - or automaticially in because of the gift of Lagavulin to me.)
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Good luck to all of the aspiring Peeps. And remember... most of you will still be losers after 7:00PM tonight.

James Taylor Gets it Right

The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
Any fool can do it
There aint nothing to it
Nobody knows how we got to the top of the hill
But since were on our way down
We might as well enjoy the ride
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The secret of love is in opening up your heart
Its okay to feel afraid
But dont let that stand in your way
cause anyone knows that love is the only road
And since were only here for a while
Might as well show some style
Give us a smile
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Isnt it a lovely ride
Sliding down
Gliding down
Try not to try too hard
Its just a lovely ride
~
Now the thing about time is that time isn't really real
Its just your point of view
How does it feel for you
Einstein said he could never understand it all
Planets spinning through space
The smile upon your face
Welcome to the human race
Some kind of lovely ride
~
Ill be sliding down
Ill be gliding down
Try not to try too hard
Its just a lovely ride
~
Isnt it a lovely ride
Sliding down
Gliding down
Try not to try too hard
Its just a lovely ride
~
Now the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time

Marblehead Stripers

When this video was uploaded to YouTube.com, it immediately got a lot of hits, which I couldn't understand at first.
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Then it became obvious..... We are not talking Marblehead Strip Teasers, we are talking Marblehead Striped Bass.
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Perverts!!



As much as I am looking forward to winter, snow and embarassing myself on New Hampshire slopes, it was a fun summer fishing.

Full Swing

Looks like Operation Moonshadow swingss into full gear on Dec.13. Once we close, we'll have to implement full court press, Mike Rockett style, kick ass construction of the conversion to a first class pre-school facility.

Fat Attack

Feeling fat. Really Fat. I mean PHAT!
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I've got to find a way to get on the Cybex everday. Morning is probably the best option. By the time I get home from work, I'm usually pretty bushed and Joanne cooks too good to push it off and exercise beforehand.
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In the meantime, I feel tight pants, lard ass, big gut, FAT!!!

Flu Shot

Got innoculated today. Darwin gave us free shots. A nice gesture.

Hollywood

I've just figured out how to incorporate videos onto the blog.
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Hollywood here we Come!

Bank of America

So I deposit the money for Operation Moonshadow in Bank of America on 11/17 and they hold it until 11/30, "because of the size of the check". What a scam!
~
IT"S MY MONEY.... NOT THEIRS!!!!.
~
I'll be pulling all of it out and finding a new bank as soon as this transaction is complete.

Pope's Trip

The Pope is visiting Turkey under great duress, to show respect for Islam. The Western-Communist confrontation has been replaced by Christianity v Islam. Just when you thought that the world could be a safe place, this ages old dysfunction surfaces.
~
I had hoped that the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the initial Gulf War had signaled an age when that world could be policed without huge threats and insecurities. Now, it is not major superpowers that threaten, it is small dissident have-not groups.
~
In retrospect, mankind has never had total security. There was always the chance that your village could be raided and pillaged by marauding outside forces. It is pretty much the same deal today on a global scale.

That's Lucky

Lucky Guy

Clear the Decks

Passed up the trip to Seattle to concentrate on pricing in the office. It's time to revisit the classics and get grandular on the details. Have to point the Darwinians to the Promised Land.

Days Off

The problem with days off is that you get so slammed when you go back to work. It scares me how much I disassociate myself from my job when I have a vacation or a couple of days off like this Thanksgiving break. The returning workload then seems overwhelming. For this reason, I rarely take a vacation. The pain of returning is not worth it. Even simple tasks that I normally would glide over seem like a challenge when returning from a work hiatus.
~
Screw it. Bring It ON.

Pats - Bears

Pats showed their worthyness yesterday as they beat the Chicago Bears 17-14. Brady's record is now 76-24 as a Patriot quarterback. Phenomonal.
~
Mike and Ryan seemed to have a good time in the Darwin box. No incidences.

Weekend Wrap Up

The Johnson Party was a blast. Saw Amanda and Jeremy, Ryan's Crew. I hate to name names because then anyone that I left out will send me hate email - always a downer. But there were a lot of my favorite people there.
~
This morning, I got up and took the clamps off of the floor boards on the Tender. I don't like the fit and will have to plane down one of the floor stakes.
~
Leftover Macaroni and Cheese for breakfast. I'm an idiot!
~
at 11:00AM, I will get on the Cybex for 1/2 hour then get ready to go to Gillette for the Pats-Bears game.
~
Ryan and Mike were offered the Darwin Box tickets by Frank Robinson in a transaction that I had nothing to do with. Nonetheless, Katelyn charged favoritism. Just accuse me of anything - I'll admit it and take the blame.... It's freaking easier. The game will be good though - even without Katelyn.

A Special Peep

I'm pretty sure that I have a few Brigit Pictures, but this is the only one I could muster for this emergency blog post. Shauer is a lucky bastard.

 

Saturday Night

Heading to the Johnson's for a Holiday party. I hope Jeremy and Amanda are there. Maybe Buck will show up

Favorite Winter Cocktail

I was surprised at the popularity of my favorite cocktail recipes.
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The Summer Drink - Dark and Stormies.
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The Classic Autumn Drink - Seagrams and Cider.
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Now, hundreds of you have emailed me incessantly to reveal my favorite winter recipe. If I told you to get a life, it would do no good... obviously this advise is hopeless by evidence of your pathetic attention to this blog. Also, I have to be honest with myself. Who am I to tell anybody else to get a life, when all I write about is booze, boats and blogs? Enough of this insightful introspection of you and me.
~
What was I talking about?..... Oh Yeah - the Winter Cocktail. Here it is....
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Once again, I have to establish the disclaimer that this drink in no way usurps Lagavulin, the King of Scotch as the ultimate preferred alcoholic repast. I don't want you to think that I'm cheating on the King. BTW, I've completely replenished my supply thanks to the kind folks (now POTW) who answered the bell at the Thanksgiving Eve Bash. After consuming one bottle, we have three left, which is my largest standing inventory of Lagavulin ever.
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Now for the subject at hand....
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The Winter Cocktail is as much about color and presentation as it is about drinking satisfaction.
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Take a full bodied Scotch glass, and fill half full with ice. Cover the ice with Canadian Club Blended Whisky. Fill with Cranberry Juice (stick with Ocean Spray). Garnish with a lime wedge. The lime is important. Don't make this cocktail without it.
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That's it! The Winter Cocktail - CC and Cranberry! Your urinary tract will thank you. Enjoy in moderation and stop emailing me.

Now is the Time, This is the Place

Truer words were never spoken. What an opportunity! Everything that you've done in your life has lead you to this time and place right here and now. A place of power... a time of action.

~

Carpe Diem.

Dory Alternative

I bought the plans to build this Alpha Dory a few years ago. These dories were adaptations of the Swampscott Fishing Dories, and were used for club races around Marblehead at the turn of the last century.

~

I also was very interested in building a Chamberlain Marblehead Gunning Dory along the lines preserved by John Gardner in his landmark Dory Book. The Gunning Dory is a double ender that was used for duck hunting among the islands in Salem Sound.

~

I've seen great dories reproduced out of the Lowell Boat Shop on the Merrimack River in Amesbury. As much as I'm tempted to build one of these, I still think that I am going to build a Peabod next.

~

The Dory will have to wait a year or so. I also have plans to build a canoe, but I may pass on this unless one of the kids wants it as a gift. By the time I do the canoe, I'll probably be too old to be flipping over in the Saco. Although, I'll also have a few years of rowing the Tender under my belt by then, so I could be up for it.

Moving Forward

Good progress on the tender. I assembled one side of the floorboards, epoxied the floor supports and planks beneath the floorboards, and got a finish of epoxy on one side including the mahogany gunwale and breasthook.
~
Charlie Jellison dropped by and we discussed the great news.

Trash Talk

I bet I hauled 500lbs of trash to the Marblehead Transfer Station in two loads this morning. I actually feel like I got a workout in. Not quite Richard Simmons style.
~
Granted, a lot of it was Bash Trash. But still, it's amazing how one household can generate so much waste.
~
Buck Johnson must be into something with his Ontario recycling venture.
(Note to Self. Stay on Buck's good side. He is going to be filthy rich someday and might need to buy a yacht tender.)

Feeder Count

A crystal clear day after the driving Thanksgiving Day rain storm.
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By 9:30 AM
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1 Grey Squirrel
1 Tufted Titmouse
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I'm remembering next June. A wonderful year to look forward to.

The Christmas Season

In the spirit of the season, Joanne and I ordered our Xmas gifts from the Internet this morning.

~

Joanne thoughtfully picked out the 14' EZ Loader Trailer that I have been lusting for, and I in turn ordered her the Bose Wave in a heartfelt gesture.

~

I will put the Bose under the tree.

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week - 3

Since Jay Turner, Chris Crawford and Bob Brown all showed at the Bash with bottle of Lagavulin, they are a lock on POTW slots. New Rule -if you give me Lagavulin, you are automatically a Nanepashemet Peep of the Week on the next immediate Thurs.
~
So the evolving rules are....
You must have done something annoying, stupid, or inspiring that week, you can't be an animal, you can't be dead, if you gave me a bottle of Lagavulin you are a POTW regardless.
~
Announcing...
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week Trois (that's 3 in French)

• Bobby Brown
• Jay Turner
• Chris Crawford
• Ryan Nestor
  Courtney Jellison Nestor

A very worthy list this Thanksgiving week.

Special salute to Sarah and Lauren Crawford for their tasteful and practical Scotch plates (more on this when I get AA batteries for the digital Camera.)

Lots to be Thankful For

T-Bash 06 v.1

Scorecard for the 06 Thanksgiving Eve Bash -
~ Lewdness 2
~ Debauchery 3
~ Drunkedness 10
~ Nudity .5
~ Hysteria 4
~ Wholesomeness -4
All in all, no physical violence and the lack of police indicated a successful affair.

Happy Thanksgiving

Not to Panic

I've run out of Lagavulin.
~
The day before the Bash.
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Don't worry though, the King is usually in stock at Beacon Hill Licquors in the Community Store.
~
Plus Bobby Brown is coming tomorrow, and he always knows enough to pack a
bottle with him. Bobby is such a mountain of a man.
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No Worries.

Crawford's Modest Request

Normally, I wouldn't share my recipes with the Peeps. The exceptions are the cocktalls - Dark and Stormies, the Classic Autumn Seagrams and Cider - these are recipes that can't be withheld from mankind for the good that they provide for humanity.
~
Chris Crawford has continually tried to break me - asking how I made my Buffalo Wings, how I made my White Trash Balls, etc., etc. I've always been able to dodge these questions. But now Chris pitifully tells me that he is frying his first turkey, and wants to know some of my coveted superior methods.
~
Since Chris' wife, Sarah, always dances with me at weddings, even though I am a fat middle aged white guy, I guess I owe him this one.
~
OK Chris, here are my turkey frying recommendations.
~
Don't Skimp on the Peanut Oil. You will pay twice as much for this as for the turkey, but get enough to cover the submerged bird.
~
Fill the fryer pot with water, then place the turkey in to displace the water and see the resulting level of the liquid. Take out the turkey, pat it dry, and make sure that all of the water is wiped clean in the fryer. Make sure that the level of the water is not too close to the top of the fryer pot. This is Important. When you first put the turkey in the hot oil, it will boil up and if it crests the top of the pot and falls onto the propane fuel, run. You are screwed and Thanksgiving is a bust.
~
BTW, do this all outside.
~
Make sure that you have a long stemmed thermometer. Wait until the oil is well above 350 degrees - up to 400 degrees is acceptable. When you put the turkey in the pot, the oil will cool down and it is important to keep it at 350.
~
Know the turkey's weight. Calculate 3 1/2 minutes for each pound of turkey. Before you lower the turkey into the pot, inject it with some spices mixed in olive oil. Pick your poison - make sure that the spices are savory.
~
Put the turkey into the frying basket and lower it into the pot. Use gloves or the oil will splatter you, burn you, and make you cry like a sissy boy in front of your whole family on Thanksgiving Day.
~
After the calculated time, pull out the turkey, carve it into slices and enjoy Thanksgiving with your great family.
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Some say that the fried turkey produces distinctive couch farts later on in the day. Please check with Ryan on this. His expertise in this field far exceeds mine.

A Clear Day in New York

I Love New York.
~
Great flight into LaGuardia. The temperature was in the high twenties, and visibility was crystal clear. The flight path took us low over Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. New York is an impressive examble of the current phenomonal state of modern mankind’s transformation of the environment. The infrastructure of buildings, water and land transportation from the sky looks so coordinated and well planned, while our knowledge of its actual development is haphazard, even chaotic.
~
The meeting with Cingular was as good as it gets. Total recognition of the talents and resources of Darwin. If we returned with a PO it would have been perfect, but that will come during the first of the year. All in all, Darwin has been successfully repositioned in this market and can expect significant business in 2007.
~
We caught a 3:30PM return flight and the clarity of the day allowed me to see Mount Washington as we were landing at Logan Airport.
~
I was able to extend my workout streak to 3 days in a row. Substantial strides in the Wealth and Health efforts today.

Leaning Toward the Peapod

More Visions of Matinicus Peapods. I'm also considering building a Swampscott Alpha Dory.

Paramus Bound / Bash Prep

Back to Paramus, NJ, via Laguardia Airport in NY tomorrow. Been there so many times over the past five years, and still dread it. It's just not a pretty trip. The people are great, but it is gritty Sopranos territory and the drive is very stressful through the Bronx and up the NJ Turnpike. Regardless, I've done a ton of business there, and all indications are that this will continue for the Darwinians. I'll be back in Marblehead by 6:00 PM tomorrow night.
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Meanwhile, I managed to make it to Costco tonight and put a dent in the beer and wine needs for the Bash. Got the chicken wings but couldn't find the hot sauce. Can't forget that. All three kids seem to be psyched for the event, so it is shaping up fine. Since I'll be in NJ tomorrow, I'll probably have to leave Darwin by early afternoon on Wed. to fill in the rest of the provisioning details.
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We've had some fun times in the past ten 13 years that this event has transpired. I'm looking forward to avoiding some of the past stuff though. Especially wrestling with McBurney.

Short Workweek

Should be relatively quiet in telecom due to Thanksgiving. A good time to flesh out work breakdown structures and similar pricing analysis to compare customer needs and service delivery requirements.
~
Also have to develop a project schedule for the Sundance move, finalize the P&S, and make the additional deposit.
~
Not to mention planning and provisioning the Thanksgiving Eve Bash.
~
Short workweek, but it should be hectic.

An Optimistic Assessment

No. This is not my tender. It is a picture of what I intended it to look like by now. Actually, I'm not too far behind.
~
After 4 to 6 more hours of sanding, the entire interior will be coated with epoxy twice. Then these coats will be sanded smooth - another 4 hours.
~
It will take another six hours for the seats, oar locks, and mast supports to be cut, coated with epoxy, and installed. 6 to 8 hours. Final coat of epoxy, then a light 220 grit sanding.
~
Then we start the marine varnish routine. Sand, Spray 5 days in a row.
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With the holidays and the Sundance move, we might have to settle for a New Year's Day launch. The sailing rig won't happen until the spring.

Looking to Row Soon

Nice Postcards of dories in Marblehead Harbor in the early 1900's.

Steve's Chili

Awesome chili from Steve Lewis for the Pats Games. More vindication for the talents of POTW. Plus the Pats dominated 35-0. They either look great or horrible. It was great today.

Time to Get Back on Track

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-3) at GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-5)

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Lambeau Field (72,922)

1:00 p.m. EST

Im going to see how much I can get done on the Tender this morning before kickoff.

New Light

Braeden Turner made an appearance yesterday. What a cutie! She is a fine addition and the first 2 year old to crack into the Inner Peeps Clique.

Saturday Morning

There are about one dozen common sparrows all over the Bird feeder on a crisp November morning in the 30 degree range. As soon as I finish watching them, I have to attack the list.

• Sand Tender
• Finish Cut and Assemble Flooring
• Do bank errands and pick up disposable gloves.
• Coat Interior and Floor boards with Epoxy Resin.
• Clean up Office.

There is the rumor that we may have a Kate sighting this morning as well. That could change everything.

Rev Up

Scenes from Last year's Thanksgiving Eve Blowout.

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Let's get this party started!

Planning for the next Boat

After the Herreshoff Yacht Tender is finished, I'm thinking that my next project will be a 14' Maine Matinicus Peabod. These were lobster boats at the turn of the century and popularized at Matinicus Island. They seem to have taken some inspiration from Indian canoes. The version that I'm contemplating would also be equiped with a centerboard and Sprit Sail rig.
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The issue is whether to go with a cedar strip technique such as I used on the Tender, or to try a glued lapstrake planking method using scarfed 3/8" Olkume mahogany marine plywood.
~
I really like the lines on these double enders.
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Realistically, I have to remodel the basement first, before I begin the next boat. This may make the remodeling go faster though.

Sexual Content

Just so you know, Darwin, this is as sexy as it gets on this blog. Blocking access was uncool and a karmic mistake. You are just hurting the Darwin peeps who would get off seeing Ronick in these provocative poses.