The Pacific

Just finished watching "The Pacific" produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
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Warfare reached its most vicious apex in that conflict.   The intelligent weapons of the future will be much more targeted so that the overall scale of slaughter will be reduced.
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The sacrifices and horrors endured by the veterans of wars for the overall welfare of our country are beyond comprehension.
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I vastly prefer to watch this series by myself, because it's always embarrassing if someone catches me with tears in my eyes.

Tuna Lips said...
Ise thinks that tearin' up is occuring due to the stench youget to reekifyin' whilst in the privacy of yer own cellar. Open a window.

Pram Processing

After some intensive cleaning of the spray gun, I did get the first coat of polyurethane top coat on the interior of the Pram.
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I'll give this coat a good sanding in the morning, then spray another coat.  It will probably take four coats, but I think that it is going to be worth it.  With 16 hours recommended between coats, this job won't be done until next weekend.... given that weather and Nanepashemet Telecom don't get in the way.
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Before I put the Pram down at Village Wharf, I definitely want to fit it out with a mast and centerboard for sailing.  The rudder can be borrowed from the Tender.  Shouldn't be that big of a deal because I have a sheet of 3/8 inch okume marine plywood that I bought from Boulter Plywood in Somerville a couple of years ago that I will laminate and epoxy for the centerboard, and the 8 foot  mast will take a glue up of whatever 3/4 inch spruce that I have lying around.
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I'll have to make a custom tiller to use the Tender rudder on the pram though.
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By Memorial Day, we should be sailing around Salem Harbor.

Spray Gun Delay

Naturally, when I went to use my Fuji HVLP spray paint gun yesterday, I found that I hadn't cleaned it since last fall when I sprayed the last coat of marine varnish on Katelyn's Adirondack Chair.
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Huge mistake...... which sent me into an intense session of self loathing.  What kind of asshole doesn't clean out his spray gun????   I guess you now know the answer to that question.
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Anyway, today, I'll eventually spray a coat of Interlux Polyurethane Top Coat paint onto the interior of the pram.  After a little heavy duty spray gun maintenance.
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When I finish that by late morning, you can bet I'll be cleaning the gun

What's Up for the Weekend?

So many of you irascible, irritating and as well annoying Peeps have emailed me with your pathetic questions regarding my weekend plans this morning!
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You just have to get your own lives, and stop this insidious practice of living vicariously through mine.
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This is almost too much to bear sometimes, and I have to draw deeply into my Mountain of a Man reserves to find an appropriate copeing mechanism.
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It's a burden that I accept.  "To whom much is given, much is expected."
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Anyway....
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I plan to work on the interior fit out of the Pram, and get it all painted for launch on the Village Float next week.  Taking a break from FreshAyer since Joanne and Kathy Peabody made the trek yesterday afternoon.
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What's up with you?

Pisc said...

Thanks for the POTW props.

I got a call from the 206 area code, a gravelly voice on the other end. William Hillegas has resurfaced. Sends his regards, he is in Lancaster. We oughta get him up here for a few laughs.

POTW Week 19

 Last week, there were no Peeps of the Week chosen.... for the first time in four years.
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Does that mean anything?
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How the hell do I know????

Announcing....

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 19th Week of 2010

Kathy Peabody

The Guy with the Beard at the Boston Beer Company

Art Kreiger

Ben Aquinno Orichi

Maria Rowen

Patrick Piscatelli

I can't be blamed because I only do what the voices in my head tell me to do.  And nobody told me to pick the Peeps last week.  We'll have to begin a new streak.

Special Glasses

On the way home from Sturbridge today, I stopped at the Samuel Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain and picked up some Boston Lager specialty glasses.
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I swear that the Sam tastes better in these glasses.
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The Brewery was packed with people taking tours and I had to wait in line to buy the glasses.
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You have to love a business that produces a product which people will pay to see being made.
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I didn't take the tour, but I probably will go back one of these days.  The location of the Brewery, right in the middle of triple decker residences in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood, in a refurbished brick brewery building, is impressive in and of itself.
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Plus....I saw one of the bearded guys  who appears in the TV commercials.

Maria Rowen said...

Wow...Can you imagine a career in beer? I wonder if they 'toast' all day long...Personally, my passion and my palette are more poised for the purple pinot...but I could be persuaded to take a tour...purchase some beer glasses or perhaps some beer goggles...*_*

Tuna Lips said...

Lotsa dykes in that JP neighborhood. I likes dykes. We on the same team. Like to get me a triple decker dyke sammich.

Maria Rowen said...

Throw in a slow pitch softball game and a soft swirl from J.P Licks and you got yourself a perfect day...

Tuna Lips said...

Missy Rowen, now thats what Ise talkin' 'bout. You git yerself a parade with tanks and them baton twirlin' nymphs, and its the heart and soul of this here U-S-A!

Hatched

Maybe I spoke too soon.
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Sometimes goose eggs hatch.
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I got calls from the Building Departments in North Providence and Johnston, RI saying that my permits were ready and that I could pick them up.   So I feel a little foolish about whining.
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As for the zoning hearing, I still got my ass kicked and nothing can cure that.  Although my client is resolved to follow this through to the bitter end.  And judging by the condominium residents, the end will be bitter one way or another.
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Tomorrow, I have a sit down with the Sturbridge Town Administrator, Town Planner, and DPW Commissioner to see if we can sort this out.

Goose Eggs

Thanks for all of the calls and emails asking how my permit work went yesterday.
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It still is mind numbing why you would give a fart about this, but I'll answer your irritating inquiries anyway.
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I got Skunked. Pummeled. Goose Eggs.
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I needed an additional engineering report in Peabody.  The Building Commissioners in North Providence and Johnston, RI wanted to hold the applications for a while, and we got hit with a buzzsaw of opposition from condominium residents at the zoning public hearing in Sturbridge.
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The hearing in Western, MA lasted until 11:30PM and the trip back to the North Shore through Boston was replete with detours due to highway repairs conducted in early morning hours, so I didn't hit the sheets in Marblehead until 1:30AM in the morning.
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That's a long day to come up with nothing.
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I'll try again today.

Immigration and Single Malt

Politicians in the Massachusetts cities of Boston, Springfield, Worcester, and Lawrence are voting to boycott the State of Arizona because of its crackdown on the enforcement of US immigration laws.
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Am I missing something here?
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Massachusetts mayors and city councilors are protesting the enforcement of the law in Arizona?
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Things must be really good in their own Massachusetts communities for their focus to be on the people of Arizona.  How would I boycott Arizona anyway?  Refuse to drink Arizona Ice Tea?  Mayor Thomas Mennino of Boston is threatening to cancel contracts from Arizona based companies.
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Kids are getting shot in Dorchester drivebys, Tom.    I wouldn't spend a second researching who is headquartered in Arizona if I were you.
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This foolishness will ultimately be great for Arizona, because of all of the people who will book Arizona vacations in order to aggravate the boycotters.   I won't be going to Arizona though.  If I can muster a vacation this year, I'll be heading to Scotland for a single malt scotch distillery tour.

Maria Rowen said...

Who cares about the driveby shooting of a 14 year old kid shootin' hoops in Dot when the likes of Willy Lantigua from Lawrence can use Arizona as a platform for personal politics? How do these people get elected? I am not really looking for an answer to that question. Maybe it's time for a little break from all this boycotting...maybe it's time for a double single...Slainte!

Permit Granted

Tomorrow, I have permit work to do in Peabody, Sturbridge, and North Providence, RI.
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I know what you are thinking..... "How does he accomplish so much in just one day?"
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It's true that it is damn impressive, but really it's just an average day for a Mountain of a Man.
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Truth be known, I enjoy getting Building Permits for my telecom clients.  It ties me in with the type of  people in the municipal offices that I started my career with years ago.   Straight forward, friendly people with no pretense or corporate doublespeak.  It's refreshing and fun work, and I feel very comfortable doing it.
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Too bad it's only a small part of our business.  But then again, I like building the sites too.

Ivy Issue

President Obama is nominating Elena Kagan, Dean of the Harvard Law School, to be a Supreme Court justice.
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I have no knowledge of her, but it looks as if Obama is reaching back to his experience of people when he was a student at Harvard.
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That's his prerogative as the President... but the older I get and the more experienced in business that I become... I have grown less and less impressed with people who have emerged from this prestigious university.   I'm not saying that I am biased about all people who come from Harvard... there are always exceptions.
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But, there is an aura of entitlement and an inability to get things done in many of the people that have come from Cambridge.  Give me a UMASS alum any day if you want someone hungry who will put the work in.
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Yes, it's true.... I would accept the President's nomination if he was inclined to appoint me to the Supreme Court.  But,  I wouldn't have a chance in Hell of getting the Senate confirmation.

It's Aways Something

Between hectic activity at Nanepashemet Telecom today, I was able to get the final coat of bottom paint on the Pram.  Tomorrow I'll tape off and paint the accent strip between the botton paint and the top coat at the end of the gunnels.
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Then, just as I thought we were in cruise control, and I was headed a much needed session on the Cybex stationary bike, I get this chickenshit email from an unfortunate who is hopelessly challenged by simple facts.

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I had to counter his BS  by pointing out some simple truths, but this killed the Cybex workout, because I had to view a property in Central Mass and ran out of available afternoon workout time. 
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It's always something.