Reasonable Query

So often, my peeps ask me, "When you look out of your window at Darwin Partners, what do you see?"
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It's a reasonable question and, since I am patient and amiable by nature, I am always happy to respond.
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After all, there are no stupid questions. There are only stupid people who ask questions.

Building Permit Granted

Got the permit. Someday I'm going to tell my grandson how his grandpa stood there and took it like a man. Course, his inheritance took a major hit over this project. Time for a scotch... maybe even a Lagavulin.

Another Run

Eric Rumph and I are meeting with the Bob Ives of the Marblehead Building Department at 4:00 this afternoon. Since the New Sundance School site project is technically moving along under the residential renovation permit that I pulled, and other efforts that we can undertake, we are making progress, but I have to get the change of use permit which entails the requirements of a public building, namely handicapped access.
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I really hope that the permit phase is behind us by the end of the day.

Buried with Paper

It's amazing how much crap gets mailed to me. And then I keep most of it! My initial emotion is always that I may need the information, so I better not throw it out. What a sickness this is!!! A couple of months of this behavior causes my home office to look like an archealogical dig.
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No More! For now on, every piece of mail will be either filed or thrown away.... every day. The criteria for keeping something will be if I owe money, or can immediately make money. Otherwise, it gets tossed.
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Magazines will be held for one week, then gone. (except for Wooden Boat and Fine Woodworking). I am going to clear the decks for action.
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Let's see how long this resolution lasts.

All Fired Up

Captain Mike Porter of the Marblehead Fire Dept. has restored my faith in humanity. Thanks for the fire prevention plan approval Captain Porter! I was beginning to feel paranoid, plus I thought that everyone was out to get me. Operation Moonshadow is back on the happy path.

Thanks for the Inspiration

"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26
times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed
over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
- Michael Jordan

Thanks to Balzac for this great insight by basketball legend, Michael Jordan.

The interesting fact is that we have unlimited strikes at the plate... we have unlimited downs to make a touchdown. We just have to keep stepping up to the plate and take our swings. You won't be remembered by the number of swings you took, only by the hits that you made.

So... just keep running plays.

Common Sense

Common Sense has left the area, and has been replaced by rules, regulations, and bureaucracy. It would be nice if you could hire competent professionals and say "Protect the Town, Do what's Right, use your good judgement".
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But the system dictates that competent professionals must say "There is nothing I can do. Despite the inapplicability of it all, the law is the law."
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You have to wonder if the sturdy Marbleheaders who rowed Washington across the Delaware would be satisfied with this type of response.
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Have you checked your pay stub lately? We are unbelievably accepting of the huge levy that the government exerts upon us. I doubt that our forefathers, who wouldn't stand for a tax on tea, would admire our acquiescence.

Big Push

Tomorrow we will try to alleviate the curb cut and handicapped access issues, and get the Sundance building permit.

Coquina

Plans are available to build this beautiful 18' Herreshoff "Coquina" Cat Yawl.
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I'm still building the Matinicus Peapod next though.... no matter how good the Coquina looks.

AFC Champions.

Not the Pats. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts deserved the win and the trip to the Superbowl, primarily by their defense, but Manning is the real deal.

The Patriots played very well to stay with the Colts, who just seemed to be relentless on both sides of the football. It was a great season.

My only problem is Tony Dungy thanking the Lord for the win. I think that the Lord is probably neutral with regard to who wins a professional football game.

Sunny and Cold

Ten Degrees in Boston. No Snow. Weird winter.
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When I was a kid, I loved the snow. I guess you never get over that basic emotion. But now, snow costs money. Plowing at Sundance. So I'm happy both ways this winter.
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Pats at Indianapolis tonight. I'm not going to predict a win, but I never saw the Patriots get this close without going to the Dance. The Bruett's invited us over to watch the game, but I don't know. The chances of losing are slim, but it would be embarrassing for Greg to see me weeping like a girlyman.

Jeremiah Johnson

A 1972 film starring Robert Redford and depicting "Liver Eating Johnson" who carried on a twenty year vendetta in Wyoming against the Crow Indian Tribe who had killed his wife.
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Easily my favorite movie ever. I must have watched it fifteen times before tonight. The soundtrack is great if you like acoustical music like I do. Very simple, brutal, survivalist theme. I've often wondered why I like this movie so much, and have developed a few theories, which I don't think I am ready to share with you.
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"The way that you wander, is the way that you choose.
The Day that you tarry is the day that you lose.
Sunshine or Thunder, a Man will always wonder,
Where the fair wind blows.
Where the fair wind blows."