No Rain Delay

It's another miserable, drizzly, 40 degree day today.  Perfect weather to powerwash the  pressure treated planking on my deck.  That will take me the better part of the morning.
~
After that, I promised Mike that I would take some measurements to fabricate a  replacement of a sliding door in his South Boston Condo.   Those two projects will account for most of the day.   In the meantime, I probably should clean up the mess in the kitchen before Joanne gets back from North Conway.
~
By tonight, it will be time to settle in, pay some bills, and do some proformas.
~
Sunshine would be nice, but it is not required today.

Lauren Rathbone, former POTY said...


We were in North Conway this weekend for the Tuckerman Pentathlon, and I thought I saw Mrs. Nestor downtown when we were driving by. It must have been her. We had 5 inches of snow up there on Saturday.

Dissing Dissent

Lots of heartburn out there from guys like Obama and Clinton regarding the Tea Party dissenters.
~
What I don't understand is.... why don't they respond to the arguments?  Instead they just poo poo....  Saying that they are "amused" or warning that the dissent may cause another "Oklahoma City".
~
It's dangerous if you don't give dissenting opinions respect.   That's what will ultimately cause the explosion... not the dissent itself.
~
If you don't like what somebody says and you simply attack them for saying it.... that is a particularly wrong strategy that will motivate and empower those who are striving to be heard.

Pisc said...
Well said. Word like arrogance and fear mongering apply to the hoighty toidy so called progressives.
I love using the term so-called as it was a common modified used by the American Civil Rights activists in rightly mocking some of the catch phrases of our country, such as "justice for all" etc.


Now, I find myself on the right side of the same phrase, the so-called "representative government", the so-called "Bill of Rights", the so-called "Free Press".


The individual American is the engine of this nation. The arrogance of this government, to deny the power for good that this recipe has been. We fight wars over this stuff, but we get it right. And then try to get it right when it goes wrong. Duh. I mean, how arrogant to think that their is a formula to life beyond work hard, defend your own, and hope for luck. That ensure justice, unless you are looking for it from someone else. Pompous pricks, these Libs.


And another thing. A principled disagreement with the administrations position is de facto racist. I call bullshit.

Earthquakes and Vocanoes.

Earthquake in Western China yesterday, volcanic eruption in Iceland this morning... are these geological events happening with more regularity?  Or do we have instant access to events everywhere in the globe so that things in China and Iceland are immediately observable.
~
I think it's the latter.
~
I hope it's the latter.
~
Because if it isn't the latter, then the Mayans are on to something.... and we could be screwed.

Pisc said...

Volcanos erupting cool the earth. Its science, though it seems too simple. Al Gore's Global Warming/Carbon Credits gamut is going down the sh*tter. Guy is a pickle sniffing pansie.

Maria Rowen said...

Non-fiction or fable… Whether it is the mystery of the Mayans or the roadmap of Revelations…if the grid goes down…peeps need to prepare. So…line up the Lagavulin, stockpile the soup and top off the tins of tuna. Buy batteries, books and cartons of Cottonelle because 12.21.2012 could be the day that never ends…

Excellent point on the Cottonelle, Maria.

Doug Maxfield said...


You tube 'final countdown on the kazoo'. I nominate this version as the anthem for end of days.

Good Health or Else

Kelly Light, a Nanepashemet Peep with her head on straight, passes along this little gem of a notice found in her Doctor's office.
~
Welcome to the future.   Health care brought to you with all of the logic and efficiency that government bureaucracy is noted for.
~
Good health to you.

Raise Some Cash

Just so you know, I think that this real estate slump is about to end.  At least up here in the Boston area.  Course this is not based upon empirical, economic data... just my base feeling.  I've been helping some friends look for a home in Central MA, and the good ones are getting scooped up within a week on the market.  Nanepashemet Real Estate buyer's brokers are on the case.
~
True, these are reasonably priced homes, in mint condition, and in an up and coming market around Route 495.   But since when have you had to rush to put in an offer on real estate?
~
There are some real bargains out there, buying from people who have been hanging on during this slump and are getting desperate.  Now is the time to raise cash and buy some real estate.  Within a year, things will be heating up.

Pisc said...
Not so sure. Money will become more expensive before the year is over. The Fed has to move the inter-bank rate - gas prices are going up not because the economy is cranking along, its because the dollar is increasingly worth less. In order to shore up the dollar/fight inflation, the cost has to go up. I think people are rushing to move property before that happens. When that happens, fuggedaboudit.

More Meaningful Masters

Phil Mickelson winning the Masters was the best thing that could happen to Tiger Woods.  If Woods had won, and he certainly was in a position to do so, the backlash and reaction would have been acute.  Mickelson grabbing the spotlight was a nice diversion from Tiger.
~
Mickelson looked awfully good.  And I always like it when a lefty golfer wins a golf tournament.  But the added story... that he was preoccupied this year with the cancer that his wife and mother were both battling... stands in sharp contrast to Tiger's battle with a sex addiction.
~
So maybe those who are inclined to follow professional golf can back off from the Tiger topic, and embrace a more "healthy" situation with Mickelson.

Tuna Lips said...

Truth be told, most rite minded fellers would prefers to embrasify them blonde trollops with the ponderus hooters like Woodsy done do.



Pisc said...
For the Bruins fans out there, could not have happened to a nicer guy.
http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/04/10/matt-cooke-suffers-one-punch-knockout-by-evander-kane/




TommyO said...


Could not have happened to a nicer guy.
The first right sent him down, the right on the way down kept him down. Kane was certainly Able.
- OZone

Migration on Hold.

With the fence done, the messy woodpile at the side of the house was scresaming to be moved.  So I completed the wood rack and saw jack under the deck and moved half of it yesterday.  After a visit to FreshAyer this morning I will complete that project.
~
Then a thourough raking and clean up will be in order.
~
I uncovered and moved the Tender and the Pram yesterday as well and each will need a fairly serious overhaul of all surfaces to be ready for the season.  The Appalachian project will be put on hold until these boats are ready to be launched for the season.
~
But that will only take a few weeks and the migration of the backyard from Appalachia to New England will continue.  The problem is that everytime one component is finished, other parts emerge to be intolerable.

POTW Week 14

It was a nice turnout at the charity auction last night that Melissa Sherwood coordinated at RockStar Fitness in Marblehead. 
~
My friend Harvey Rowe did a great job describing how the event would help the "My Brother's Table" soup kitchen in Lynn where Harvey has done such inspirational work.  And my friend Mike Rockett really revved up the bidding, and literally put his money where his mouth is.  Another great job.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 14th Week of 2010.

Mike Rockett
Harvey Rowe
Sarah McCormack
Norm Sherwood
Stephany Connolly
Tom McMahon

It's nice when something that you drag yourself out for turns out to be such a fun time.

Goofy Golfer

Once again our thoughts turn to Tiger Woods....
~
He comes out after a harrowing 6 month ordeal away from his craft and shoots 4 under in the first round to be tied for 3rd in the Masters.
~
That would have been a great step in his re-entry after embarassment and scandal.  That should be the story of the day.  No more.
~
But then he allows a Nike ad to run with his dead father's narrative and a contrived baneful look on his face.
~
Jeez Tiger... you went to Stanford.  I thought that was a good school..... but you are freaking stupid.
~
Just swing the club.  None of your perverted personal life is any more than gossip and voyeurism to us.  Why the hell do we need to see you pretending to listen to your father speak from the grave????  You have completely lost your way.

Tuna Lips said...


This here feller bangin' the next door neighbors daughter and not so much as a barn burnin', well, the end of civilezatin' as we knowd it caint be far off. Before that happens, I does want to git my hoe-down on like he do whith them adult movin' picture show hore-type starlets. So much to get done.

Woodpile Delay

I had planned to move the woodpile from the side of the house to underneath the deck by this time of the week.  But like most plans, other factors caused some changes.
~
The first was that pesky virus that overtook Joanne and I at the beginning of the week.  That killed Monday.  Then I had to make up the work at Nanepashemet Telecom on Tues and Wed..
~
But during that time, in considering that a lot of the wood that I would be moving won't fit into the wood stove without being recut, I decided to make a cross jack chainsaw horse first.  Then I have to make a wood storage rack out of pressure treated lumber that I salvaged from a telecom shelter that we demolished.
~
So when I move the pile, it won't be transferring one mess to another mess.
~
My primary project for the weekend was to paint the pram, but the woodpile delay will push this off to next week.
 Former POTY, Tom McMahon said...
Yes, I know you hate being called big. But this video is why you should love it. Play it between the 5:12 - 6:15 time period.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdE1C6NaT5Q

Have a good one Big J.,
McMahon

No Nukes unless Necessary.

The US has announced that it would not be using it's nuclear weapons against countries that do not have them.
~
This appears to be a plea for countries to resist a nuclear bomb development program.
~
It won't work.
~
Crazy regimes will continue to try to have nukes and we will find an excuse to nuke them if the occasion exists.  What we say now has no bearing on future actions, so I wish the conservative talk shows wouldn't get so freaking strung out.

Spring Season

Trees are budding.  Tomorrow the temperature is set to go to the eighties.  The Red Sox are playing the Yankees tomorrow.
~
So Spring must be here.
~
After this, there is only one more Spring to go.

Project Management Success

Wayne Murray, a good PM at GD from my memory, asks the following question on LinkedIn.

What is the key to being a successful Market Manager/Program Manager in todays Commercial Wireless environment?

I know that I sound presumptuous, but I really feel confident with the answer here.

You need the following elements to be a successful project manager.

• A solid knowledge of the contract work breakdown structure resonating through the market organization as well as the market customer staff.
• Production metrics tied directly to the WBS and staffed by competent professionals who are enpowered to make decisions at their staff level. 
• Metrics must reflect reasonable contract monetary milestones.

If you can line up knowledge, metrics and competence along with a healthy customer contract, you will hit program goals and achieve customer satisfaction. 

If any component is missing... the compensatory strain will ultimately affect the project.   All of these components must be looked at continuously and tweaked as necessary during the project.  That includes staff changes and contract modifications.

I have walked away from projects where the components cannot be lined up.   Better for the customer to throw stones at you at the beginning based upon an untenable situation than to slog through and with a project that cannot work and hurt your company and career... all the while screeching "I told you so".

Nobody listens to "I told you so" when a project has gone to hell.  Memories are short and corporate careers are being protected.   Take the hit up front and project your company.  Negotiating the right contract terms is 60% of project success.

Tuna Lips said...

Ise finds horse wippin' the non-acomadatin' dirt peoples is an efacaseshus way to gettin' er done. Kernel Sartoris learnt me that, back in Chickesaw County days. Kill the monkee and the hens get to layin' eggs right quick.

Give Us Barabbas

Happy Easter.
~
One of my favorite holidays because it signifies spring and rebirth, and the ultimate hope.  Plus there are cool Easter movies, like "Barabbas" and "Ben Hur".
~
They just don't make actors like Anthony Quinn and Charlton Heston anymore.

POTW Week 13

It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day.  Mike helped me to finish the fence, and the back of the house has officially moved from Appalachia to the North Shore of Boston.  Once all of the trim is painted it will actually look really good. 
~
I'm concerned about the water table though in the backyard since the willows have been cut down.  It's like the Everglades back there.  So maybe we are moving the house from Appalachia by way of the Everglades.
~

Announcing ....

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 13th week of 2010

Ben Martin's girlfriend who is from RI but I can't remember her name.

Ben Martin

Craig Murray

Mike Nestor

Rakesh Goel

Tommy O'Shea

Tomorrow is Easter.  And I will give an appropriate amount of consideration to the day, since I'm a cultural Catholic and believe in the divinity of Christ.  But I'm also going to try to move the firewood storage from the side of the house to the underside of the deck.
~
Then we'll be concentrating on getting the pram and the tender ready for the season.  Hopefully the back will dry out.

Bird Seed Generosity

The other day, Stevie Lewis asked me how the action at the Feeder was.
~
It dawns on me that I have been keeping this to myself and not sharing the daily Bird Feeder goings on with the multitude of you Peeps yearning to know any insignificant thing imaginable.
~
So it does seem a bit selfish on my part.
~
Anyway.... over the last two days, numerous Blue Jays, Sparrows, a House Finch, Chickadees and a male and female Cardinal have been observed partaking of my bird seed generosity.  I've also seen Robins and a number of Mourning Doves in the general vicinity.
~
This should cover the Feeder report for the time being.

A Bit Below Par

I bought Joanne a Motorola Cliq Android phone for her birthday.
~
It has a GPS, Camcorder, Camera, Email, Internet access, all sorts of cool apps..... plus you can use it to call people.
~
She looks irritated and confused.  This could backfire.  Like the time I bought her a TV for Christmas, or a kitchen stool for a previous birthday.
~
Even though I'm a Mountain of a Man, it's clear that I'm below par as a gift giver.
~
This is proof that even I have flaws.  I just can't dominate over every facet of life.  In some areas, I'm just like the rest of you.... or maybe even worse.

Kerry D'Orio said...

Mountain of a man..your memory is failing. The way I hear it is the stool was for mothers day! Tisk-tisk.
Some men never learn...

Silver Lining

The rain has stopped, but it is still plenty soggy.  We finally did get a little water in the basement, but not enough to cause damage.  If it wasn't for the hard working sump pump, though it would have been a whole different story.
~
I feel bad for anyone affected by flood.  It can be so messy and debilitating.   The only blessing is that all of this rain in March wasn't snow.  In that case, we would have been literally buried  with up to ten feet, and completely shut down.  So, as bad as it is, it could have been so much worse.
~
Isn't that the case with most of the adversities that we face?  Things can be better, but they can be so much worse.

TommyO said... 

I hear ya my brother, as I vac'd and pumped water for hours on end the other night, all I had to do was turn on the TV to see the thousands of folks a lot worse off then me. Didn't feel so bad.

Aquaponic Pricing

If I were to build an Aquaponics System for someone... a system ready to add fish and plants....the below spreadsheet would be the breakdown for a 2 waterfall, course with 3' deep 4'x5' irregular, stone lined pond, that is connected to a 4'x8' hydoponic vegetable platform.
~
This is the way that I would construct my final price.  But you wouldn't see this breakdown. 
~
You would see a one page sheet that says....


Complete Aquaponic System with two waterfall course, 4'x5' Pond capable of keeping Koi four seasons and adjacent integrated hydroponic growing system.
$5,000.00.  Payment in full upon completion.

So for $5,000 you would be ready to relax to a soothing waterfall, watch your  fish, and harvest hydroponically grown plants and vegetables.

It hardly seems enough.

Shroud of Turin

Lots of news today about a 3D recreation of the Shroud of Turin.
~
It is not a painting, but a sort of phtotographic negative that scientists have used all types of state of the art dating scrutiny.  Evidence continues to point to an origin during New Testament times.
~
If the Shroud is fake, then I would say that it is the most ingenious piece of artwork ever created.
~
I tend to believe that the Shroud is the real burial cloth of Jesus.
~
But it doesn't matter.  We don't need an artifact to legitimize the existence of Christ.  He has made his impact on the world... whether or not his crucifixion was imaged on his burial shroud.

Frank Iacono said....

Thanks John--wonderfully stated.

More Rainfall

It's raining again here on the North Shore of Boston.  Really soggy.  Flood conditions anywhere near rivers and ponds.  It is the wettest March on record here, but I luckily haven't had any water in the basement like in previous years.  Probably because this precip is all rain with no ice damns that ultimately caused my basement leakage.
~
But the sump pump is getting a good workout.
~
The rain doesn't have me depressed.... a Mountain of a Man doesn't let a few drops get him down.... but it would be nice to get a little sunshine in the mix.  Plus, I'm interested in seeing if the backyard stops being a swamp since the fallen willow trees wil not be absorbing this moisture.

Weekend Progress

I appreciate all of the calls and emails asking how the fence project came out.  It does disturb me a bit that you are so obsessed with my weekend accomplishments, but such is the circumstance of a Mountain of a Man.
~
So to satisfy your pathetic obsession, please note that the fence came out fine.  I dug all of the post holes, leveled and poured the concrete, then cut and  installed the fence rails.  All that is left is to install the picketts, which shouldn't be heavy lifting, but still will require a little attention to detail.
~
I was pretty much done by 4:00, showered and went to dinner, with Katelyn and Mike, who were in town to see the grandkids as well as Stevie Lewis and his beautiful wife Jill. Joanne and I took them to the new restaurant that was the former Flynnies... has a wierd name that I can't remember... but the food was good.
~
Next weekend is Easter, and Mike said that he would come into Marblehead to make the pickett nailing short work.  It's supposed to rain Monday, Tuesday and Wedsnesday, but I still hope to get the shingling done before Mike gets here for the picketting job.
~
In the meantime, maybe I can get the Nanepashemet Warehouse sign carved and installed.

Pisc said...

Seldom does one comes across a topper like ______from back in the Needham days. Anything you have seen or done, he had seen a bigger one or climbed a higher one. In my current position, I have met an equal to the Topper. The same generation, same middling position in the organization but self-perceived C level executive talent, same ability to stultify a conversation, its uncanny. I need to sharpen my wit for the next round of topping. Pat -  Are you saying that someone is topping the Topper?  Hard to believe.

POTW Week 12

It's sunny and cool in the thirties.  A perfect day for some FreshAyer and post hole digging.

ANNOUNCING....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the Twelve Week of 2010

Harvey Rowe
Lindsey Kepnes
Michael Murphy
Linda Hewitt Murray
Jean Bubon
Will Nestor

Let the fun begin.

Project Appalachia Status

Today, after a very productive morning at Nanepashemet Telecom, I got out into the backyard and took stock of what remains to be done in completing the transformation from Appalachia to New England back there.
~
Still shingling to be finished, but the focus now is on the stockade fence.  I stabilized the portion where the willow tree had crashed through, leveled the post, and put some concrete mix into the post hole to mix with the rainwater.
~
Repaired the fence railings by using the Kreg Jig to screw some new support boards in.
~
After a visit to FreshAyer tomorrow morning, I will try to dig the last two post holes and install the railings.  Then it's just a question of installing the pickets, which I will hopefully complete on Sunday.
~
There's still a chance that I can get the shingling details done before April, but unlikely, since the Nanepashemet business is starting to really pick up lately.  But as long as we have reclaimed the backyard and painted the house trim prior to fishing season starting in late May, everything will be on track.

The Last Thousand Days

Some time tomorrow, it will be 1,000 days until December 21, 2012... which the Mayans have predicted as the end of time.
~
So is this our last one thousand days???
~
How will you spend these last precious moments?
~
I suppose that if you really believed in this doomsday stuff, you  wouldn't care about going on a diet, or learning to play the guitar, or paying your taxes....  among other things.  Probably doesn't make sense to buy a lottery ticket, or cut the grasss, or shave.
~
You still should treat people right, because the Mayans didn't say anything about the afterlife being cancelled... and you don't want a lot of people pissed off with you in the hereafter.   Or at least, you don't want to piss off more than you already have.
~
One good thing is that phoney liberals and their wacky bullshit won't bother me as much.  Don't care if they win the elections if they don't have any more time to screw things up.
~
I will continue to Blog though.  Blogging is Life and Life is Blogging.... and we still have 1,000 days to go.

Second in Line

Joe Biden is a heartbeat from the Presidency.
~
If BO keeps on smoking and gets lung cancer or something, this loose gun on deck gets to have his finger on the button.
~
Dropping the F Bomb to the President on an open mike was the latest gaffe among many.  My favorite is when he tried to curb the economic panic during the Presidential campaign.

~

"When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened,'" Obama's running mate Joe Biden, told the "CBS Evening News."

~

Except Republican Herbert Hoover was in office when the stock market crashed in October 1929. And the television wasn't invented.

~

So Joe just reached in and pulled this one right out of his ass.   Brazenly inventing the facts.

~

Maybe he's not an idiot. Big Maybe. But he is the Vice President.

~

Loyal Dems will point to the gaffs that Sarah Palin has made.

~

But the difference between Palin and Biden is that Sarah says stupid stuff when she is chided by A Holes like Katie Couric (ugh!!!). Joe says stupid stuff off the top of his head on a regular basisl with virtually no provocation.
~
I know that a lot of people had strong feelings about our last VP, Dick Cheney... but Joe Biden truly scares me.

Maria Rowen said...


Maybe a well placed f-bomb can be very effective, but in most situations, ‘it’ belongs in a back room. As a matter of fact, Biden belongs in a back room. Maybe it’s just too much to expect respect and common decency in our highest-ranking, elected officials. After all…Fox News reported this morning, following the signing and the ‘say-it-ain’t-so-Joe-swearing, Obama thought it might be a good idea to have the following three letters put on a t-shirt…BFD…yup…it sure is…

Get a Grip

So for Kerry, Will, Tyler, TommyO  and a couple dozen others to name a few, who were asking what we did this weekend.... yada , yada, yada....
~
If I wanted you to know... don't you think that I would have freaking told you????
~
Sometimes, you have to live your own lives.  Sure, my life is fascinating and inspirational, but yours doesn't have to be so humdrum.   If you looked deeply within, you might even find something interesting in your own dull existance.  It could happen.  It's not so impossible.
~
OK.  Maybe I let you down a little.   But a Mountain of a Man needs a little privacy once in awhile.  Even if it's only for a long weekend.
~
The chances of it happening again soon are slight, so you can take the panic level down to a manageble decibel.

Tuna Lips said...

From the sounds of it, ye did a whole lotta nuttin'. Bully fer you. Sixer of PBR, some pork rinds, wire hanger to scritch at the mange betwixt my shoulders, and the clicker control is all Ise needs fer when yeh get down to brass tacks.

Staying Strong

The United States of America is the strongest nation in the world... by far.
~
Our American economy is so huge, at a Gross Domestic Product of $54Trillion per year, that it is larger than the next four largest national economies  - Britain, China, Japan and Germany - combined!
~
Our American Navy controls the oceans of the world without question.   Nothing moves between countries unless we tacitly allow it.
~
The spirit of individual initiative and ingenuity that has produced this unprecedented national strength can be attacked.  It can be compromised.  It can be a subject of self loathing apology.
~
But it can't be destroyed.... or even derailed.
~
Not even close.
~
We'll fix this health care fiasco.  We won't let the system bloat, decay, and erode like the other socialized systems.  We'll find a way before this ill thought out, abortion of a reform, ruins lives.   And we'll see the political pendulum sweep out the self loatheing hacks at the same time.
~
American Strength will prevail.

Not Healthy

If the National Health Care bill was so good for us, then why would it be such a btterly contested fight?
~
You would think that if we really needed this, it wouldn't have to be force fed along party lines.  It would be obvious that a huge national expenditure was needed to take care of a problem that everyone clearly saw had to be solved.
~
The US has a health care policy..... that by some analysis is the best in the world.  Emergency rooms are filled with giving care to those with no insurance .  Our hospitals and physicians lead the world in the development of cures and treatments.
~
Should the system be tweaked so that people don't fall through the cracks?  Absolutely. 
~
But this bill is not about health care.  If it was, Congress would be working  in good faith to put together a health care policy that identifies the shortcomings and comes up with some good faith fixes.
~
The fervor and zeal to tip the health care industry upside down and force massive change in a headlong rush betrays the real motive behind this bill.   Surely some Democrats feel strongly about the need for health care reform, but this is really about political power.... and forcing your will upon others.
~
It is the political nature of this bill that is so abhorrent.

Maria Rowen said...
"These are the times that try men's souls" (Thomas Paine). Today has been a trying day but the revolution begins again...to the peril of the progressive poison of this POTUS. This is still America...

A Little Sun

I took advantage of the first nice 70 degree day by hitting the beach ... and getting a very uncomfortable sunburn on my shoulders, neck and face.  It's weird that you don't feel like the sun is burning you until it's too late, and you can't move without a decent amount of pain.
~
As a Mountain of a Man, I naturally can handle a sunburn fairly easily... but I tend to wonder how lesser men put up with the discomfort without wincing and whinning like little girlie boys.

POTW Week 11.

This has been the longest lapse in Nanepashemet Blog Posts in a long time... maybe forever.
~
For those of you who depend on this daily, I do feel badly for you and your pathetic addiction to this illogical, nonsensical rant.
~
There was an excellent reason for the gap in posts, and I actually considered telling you what it is... but I don't think I will.

ANNOUNCING....

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 11th Week of 2010.

Ben Wallace

Robby Doyle

Will Murray

Tom Holmes

Tommy O'Shea

Dr. Anthony Costonis

I'll try not to let this thing drop again, so don't make a big thing about it.

Maria Rowen said...

The 'up and down' - 'un-official' peep-poll indicates no 'big thing' on the long lapse of posts because of Bret Baier...But...pathetic peeps still prefer the Mountain of a Man - four to one...word...!

More D and R Difference

Katelyn sent me this story which further differentiates the tendencies of Democrats and Republicans.
~
A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below.She shouted to him, "Excuse me, can you help me?
I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."


The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot Air balloon, approximately 30 feet above a ground elevation of 2346 feetabove sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude."

She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a Republican."

"I am," replied the man. "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."


The man smiled and responded, "You must be a Democrat."


"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You've risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise that you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but, somehow, now it is my fault!

Tom Holmes said...

You NEVER Disappoint me! EXCELLENT!!!!

Democrats and Republicans

The problem about Democrats and Republicans is that they are both right.
~
Democrats say that "it take's a village."
~
Republicans say "let individuals be free to take care of themselves."
~
So if you are competent and independent, the Republican side is right.
~
But if you need the help of others and can't get on by yourself, the Democratic side is right.
~
According to the needs and abilities of the individual, both sides are right. Sometimes government control is necessary... and sometimes freedom is the only stimulis required to solve issues.
~
It makes no sense to only take the side of independent, self sufficient people when some people legitimately need the help of others. Some people need the whole freaking village, and you have to accept that.
~
I'm so confused.

POTW Week 10

Former Peep of the Year Lauren Rathbone once again proves why was chosen as a POTY when she asked if she missed anything by not seeing the Peep of the Week choice last week.
~
The POTW wasn't  there because the Peeps  were never picked,  Lauren.  But I'm happy to act retroactively.

ANNOUCING.... Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 10th Week of  2010.

Lauren Rathbone
Will Crawford
Tyler Gill
Lisa Panakio Rowe
John Tierney
Brian Butler

Nice Catch Lauren.

Angling Toward Aquaponics

The steady rain this weekend put a damper on my backyard projects.

~

But I had a lot of other stuff to fill the gap.  The Grandkids were over which always fills the time, and I had a real estate showing in Central Mass for some of the SuperPeeps who I can't name so that I don't jinx the deal.   And while I was out there anyway, I squeaked in an unplanned Fresh Ayer visit.

~

Then Tom Holmes turned me on to the concept of aquaponics, whereby a fish pond environment is exchanged with the water from hydroponically grown vegetables, and both the fish and the plants benefit from the exchange of nutrients. 

~
So I spent a good deal of the indoor down time reseaching pump systems  on the Internet and thinking of how this aquaponics system could come together.
~
All I was originally thinking of doing was making a backyard waterfall and Japanese water garden... then the thought of adding fish and growing hydroponic vegetables started to make some sense.   I think I'll make a run at it this summer.
~
Thanks for the idea Tom.  I'll send you some Tomatoes.

Lauren Rathbone said...

How come no peeps last week. Did I miss something?

Water Management

I'm waiting for the Grandkids to come by, and I'll be spending some time with them.   But I'd love to get some fence pole holes dug before this three day rain storm hits.  The  backyard  will be soggy and muddy for weeks after that soaking.
~

Since the willow trees in the back have been gone, the water table seems to have risen considerably.  Apparently, the huge willows sucked up a tremendous amount of moisture that is no longer leaving the soil.  Even with the trees, the water table in the backyard was only two feet down or so.

~

Maybe, I'll have to dig a shallow well and install a pump to use for watering this summer.  With a Japanese pond and Coi Fish to follow.  
~
That would be the ultimate evolution.  From Appalachia, to a Japanese Water Garden!  I should start digging for the electrical conduits, but it already has started to rain.
~

Weekend Outlook

It's an overcast and rainy outlook for the weekend.  That might slow the evolution of the backyard from Appalachia to New England.
~
I've been making progress though.
~
All of the trim has been installed and shingling is half done.  All I have to do on the house is finish the cedar shakes, then paint the trim.
~
The next priority will be to fix the stockade fence, then build a wood crate, then move and organize the wood pile.  After that, the backyard lawn and plantings will have to be attended to.... but that gets pushed out to May.  I'm going to get a painting contractor in shortly to do all of the trim around the entire house.
~
If all of the house stuff is done by the end of March, that will leave April to get the Pram and the Tender refurbished and ready for an active boating season this year.  We'll get the WhaleEye in in May and start reeling in the fish and lobsters.
~
That's the plan for this weekend.


Tom Holmes said...
I am Impressed... You Truly ARE a Mountain Man!

pisc said...
Got a call last night from a guy who built my house. He is in Sousa Baranowski for the rest of his life for murder. For what its worth, he is a guy who has nobody, and we communcate with him and keep a few bucks in his account up there.


As my pop, a Navy corpsman, later to become and MD and professor at no less than Yale University said to me when I told him this, hoping for affirmation for being a good Catholic: "we all could be in prison Pat. It's no trick to be free."


Maybe that is why we see eye to eye, Johnny.

Moaning about March

March is the worst month of the year for weather in Boston.   The temp keeps creeping over 50 degrees and the warmth of the sunshine makes you start to yearn for spring, then a quick cloud cover coupled with drizzle at 38 degrees puts the winter chill right back into you.
~
Plus, even though I'm basically a Northern guy, and the cold weather  never really bothers me, you finally get bored with it, when it's raw and rainy but not snowing.
~
When my ancestral trust fund kicks in... or when I hit the Powerball Lottery... whichever comes first, I'll be heading for some tropical outpost for the entire month of March.  Until then I'll be slugging it out with the March weather, getting as close to bitching and moaning as a Mountain of a Man can get.

Baa Baa Pelosi

In a remark at the 2010 Legislative Conference for National Association of Counties, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi urged the passage of the health care bill saying: “But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy. "
~
BTW, the bill is 2,700 pages long.  She would have been a great politician during the Cold War.....  For the Russian Communist Party.   She must truly believe that we are Sheep.
~
A highly incompetent remark from the Democratic Leadership.

Pisc said...


Just do what I tell you to Pelosi - these remarks are heard by everyone, and everyone gets it. The onus is on us to tell our representatives that we do not support the proposed legislation and, moreover, are deeply disturbed by the attitude that the majority party is taking given the clear intent from the people that this bill is not just antithetical to our desire, but very,very destructive. The patrician posturing and blatant arrogance that Ms. Pelosi and her comrades are showing toward us, the great unwashed, is completely antithetical to the principle of government "of the people, by the people and for the people." I'll save you the google search. Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. LIncoln being the first ever Republican president.

This latest surge is the Dem's Pickett's Charge. We must stop this, in the near term, to postpone the vote until after their recess. Barry wants it by date X (for the tenth time), a date conveniently just prior to his going abroad, to avoid the uproar here, to avoid the press, and, in his wettest dream, to gloat to the Socialist scum he wants to impress. Pig.

Pisc said...

Great trip to the Bass Pro Shop last night. Getting the tackle ready for a big year. DId you know that the license that I/we need to simply surfcast is put on us by, you guessed it, the Feds. NOAA. ********ers.

Painless Dentistry

Back from the Dentist and waiting for the novocaine to wear off.  I'm a big fan of novocaine.  I'll take discomfort over pain any day.

Scattering to the Exits

What's with all of these Democratic Congressmen who are leaving Congress?
~
It seems like the Democratic majority is imploding into itself.  They have the power and the votes to make a change, and are unable to do so.  We know that they can throw rocks, but now that they have the tools, they can't build anything.
~
Am I being too critical here?  Patrick Kennedy, William Delahunt, at least two others in the past two weeks.  All of a sudden, they don't care too much about change.  Change is good as long as they don't have to be the ones to put in the time and effort to effect it.
~
You would think that someone with the leadership skill of Speaker Nancy Pelosi could stem the tide of these costly resignations.
~
And Obama seems to be wallowing in rhetoric and ineffectiveness.  All of that executive experience at the Chicago ACORN agency doesn't seem to be kicking in.
~
It is approaching mid term.  The light in the room has been turned on and it seems like there is quite a bit of scattering to the exits.

Census Takers

The US Census was first formed because there had to be a way to count citizens in order to allocate Congressional seats to the States.
~
That's it.   Count the heads and determine the population of the States.
~
Now, we're informed by the United States Department of Commerce that  the Census is required so that each community can receive its fair share of government funds.   And in order to determine the "need" the Census delves into all sorts of questions that have nothing to do with a head count.
~
Sorry, but I just become less trustful and more jaded as I get older.  We are losing our freedoms as the government seeks to learn every part of our private lives though its taxation and "census" systems.  Our rights to privacy and our ability to lead our own lives as we deem fit within the reasonable boundaries of law are under attack.
~
The Founding Fathers would have revolted under our present government.

Attitude

It wasn't too long ago when the Japanese were viewed as producing a superior automotive product.  Their manufacturing processes and work ethic were held to be models for the US.   But now the Toyota fiasco really debunks this myth.
~
The Toyota recall problem doesn't seem to go away.  These weird instances of random acceleration with no operator control could tip the entire Japanese auto industry.
~
Most of you who know me, know that I'm a Ford guy.  Can't imagine not driving an F150 Pickup.....
~
Henry Ford's quotation, "If you say you can, or you say you can't... you're right!" has always been a source of inspiration.  Every problem can be solved.  As long as you maintain the proper attitude and don't defeat yourself by quitting.
~
Course, personally, Henry Ford held reprehensible views.  So I'm not a fan of him per se, but I live by his quotation.

Trip to West Virginia

Since the trees in my neighbor's backyards have blown down over the past year, the back of my house has gained a lot more visibility.
~
Being a Mountain of a Man generally consumes a lot of time, and I don't always fit in the more mundane tasks such as finishing the last part of shingling jobs, or fixing hanging gutters, not to mention the proper storage of ladders, turkey fryers, lobster pots and such.
~
But now that the back of the house is clearly visible from Tidewinds Terrace, I decided that a little maintenance might be in order.  Basically the front of the house is in the North Shore of Boston, but the back of the house looks like Jed Clampett's West Virginia Appalachian Homestead.  The only thing missing was a rusting auto chassis in the yard.
~
So I took advantage of a late winter thaw this weekend, cleaned out all of the trash, shingled the back of the garage, fixed the gutter and made a huge dent in relocating Appalachia to New England.  My plan is to get the entire backyard back to the NorthShore by April.

Tuna Lips said...

Sounds like some perty good camerfloddgery for a home brew cookin' tank.

Moving Forward

It's my daughter, Katelyn's, Birthday tomorrow.
~
Don't look back, Kate.
~
The best is yet to come.


lindsey kepnes said...
pretty pic!!! happy bday kate!

Maria Rowen said...
From presidents and politics to babies and birthdays...a lot for the peeps to unPack this week in the land and sea of NanePashmet...so...time-out for the tuna, a bloom for the doom , enjoy-everything-Ethan and kick-it-Katelyn...nothing but the best...for the best...

Taking the Lead

In my lifetime, I have memories of the following Presidents

Eisenhower

Kennedy

Johnson

Nixon

Ford

Carter

Reagan

Bush

Clinton

Bush

Obama

Of these, my feeling is that Carter was the most inept.  Even with his disgrace, Nixon had laudable achievements, particularly in opening up relations with China.  I pray that Obama doesn't eclipse Carter, but there seems to be the distinct chance.

Frank said...
Nice pic of Carter...where did you get that one?
That picture of the dentist's office...would that be Dr. Danny Levy's office by any chance?

POTW Week 9

Sometimes people are so transparent that you feel like saying to them, "Have your fun, you're not fooling anybody and you will shortly get your assed kicked as usual."
~
But Being a Mountain of a Man, it's sufficient to say nothing at all.

Announcing...
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the Ninth Week of 2019

Paul Perocchi
Ethan Nestor
Alex Watts
Jeremy Johnson
Mark Vona
Doug Maxfield

Let the kicking commence.

Costly Scheme

If you think that your scheming and manipulation will get you anywhere... let me clue you in... it will ultimately get you into court.   Get out your wallet.  It's going to cost you.

Phophets of Doom

I hate doomsday prophecies. They are nothing but a source of power and control for the prophets.
~
And for those that use scientific data to back up your claims, you can find data to back up just about anything. Just ask Al Gore. Some people just make up the data to fill the gaps, scare people, and gain more power.
~
This whole debate to ban recreational bluefin tuna fishing has this same hypocritical taste.
~
From my perspective, as a middle aged, slighly overweight, white guy, I've see the environment drastically change in my own lifetime... for the better.    Never saw Deer, or Raccoons, or Turkeys, or even Hawks when I was growing up in Greater Boston forty or so years ago.  Now they are downright commonplace.  I've seen Bluefish come in, leave, come back, then leave again.
~
Call me naive, but, I'll bet the Bluefish come back.
~
And I don't need some self important, controlling environmentalist to file legislation to make that happen.

Frank Iacono said...


The ONLY reason deer/raccoons/hawks are commonplace is BECAUSE of Al Gore's prophecies! Get it right!

Tuna Ban

Now the Dems are stepping up the pressure to ban Bluefin Tuna fishing.
~
A number of friends in this area will be drastically affected.
~
Since I hardly ever hook up, it really won't have much of an impact on me.   But for my friends who have vastly superior fishing skill than I, this ban should be strongly opposed.
~
Every serious fisherman that I know, including Doug Maxfield and Mark Vona, are meticulous about meeting fishing standards.  They wouldn't dream of taking a Striped Bass from Stellwagen or going over quota on Bluefin, because they respect the regulations.
~
Now, since Japanese and Mediterranean fisherman have overfished the stocks in their areas, the Obama administration supports a ban which will remove this fishery from law abiding Americans.  We in New England are not the problem.  Why don't you use your brains once in awhile????
~
Killing the recreational charter tuna  industry in New England won't save the Tuna. Not that they need to be saved.  Just pay attention to solving Global Warming and leave us the hell alone.

Misplaced

Somebody downloaded my photo of the Bachelor Skank.   Could you please return it?
~
The other thing that seems to be misplaced is all of this Obama stimulis money.   Where the hell is it?  When I hear things like it was applied to municipal budgets to save jobs, it just seems like we were really scammed.
~
If I was Obama, I would make grants and loans of stimulis money to small business with the stipulation that it be used solely for the purpose of creating jobs or investing in capital projects.  Give it to small business entrepreueurs who have demonstrated that theyknow how to create stuff from nothing.
~

Maria Rowen said...

In the case of the misplaced photo...something smells fishy. The misplaced stimulus -- a secret slush fund. Now...if Obama was you, he would be...good-looking, charismatic, smooth-talking, experienced, served in an executive capacity, held a real job, and had a record of success...(file under:fish story)

Crisis Averted

Thanks for all of the emails inquiring about my health.  And for all of you who sent flowers, that was just a bit over the top.  Althought the roses were beautiful.
~
I have beaten back the bug and will be operating on all cylinders today.
~
The crisis is over and you can rest assured that this Blog will continue to support/taunt you in your everyday humdrum lives.

24 Hour Bug.

I'm hopeful that this is a 24 hour bug, which would put me with about 9 hours to go.
~
Being a Mountain of a Man, I can tough it out, although I feel bad for what a lesser man would have to endure.

Novovirus

I wasted some of my precious Earth time last night watching the season finale of  "The Bachelor".
~
Don't know if this is purely coincidental, but I had intestinal issues all night and feel really nauseous  this morning.
~
There is a chance that I caught that novovirus that is going around from my grandkids, but I think that my body is reacting to watching that sappy ass show for so long.

Maria Rowen said...

Tea and toast today for the Mountain of a Man. 'T' no 'a' for the peeping peeps and Burberry scarves for everyone!

LEC said...

In the Nanepashemet Telecom Pantheon, which is higher, executive vice president, or senior vice president?

Winning at Winter

The Winter Olympics closed with the Americans winning a record 37 medals.... more than any country has ever won in a Winter Olympiad.
~
So we are getting better at Winter stuff as a Country.  Just a bit more proficient with snow and ice apparently.
~
That's enough of a reason for the Dems to put a halt to this Global Warming of theirs.

Pisc said...
If we had won the gold in hockey, Obama would have apologized.

Business Wisdom

After 30+ years in business, I have this wisdom to impart to you.
~
If ever you hear someone say to you....
~
"My Word is My Bond"... or...."You're part of the Family"....
~
Know that (A) you are being lied to, and (B) you are about to get screwed.

Tuna Lips said...


I reckon anytime someones says Ise parts of the family i oughta have the right to do some breedin' with his lady folks

Sunday Cedar Shake Shingling

Waiting for the temp to crest 30 degrees, then I'll resume the shingling job on the back of the house that I started yesterday.  There was substantial progress made yesterday and my goal is to complete the back of the garage before the US-Canada Olympic Hockey Game starts at 3:30PM. 
~
That gives me six solid hours of shingling.  I can almost smell the cedar now.

Unspeakable Question

So I'm down at Feng Wan House on Atlantic Ave. in Marblehead, picking up some Chinese take out for Joanne, Mike and Katelyn,  and I run smack into Brendt D'Orio sitting at the sushi bar with his Trophy Wife Kerry and his oldest brother Eric.
~
Normally, this would be a very agreeable chance meeting.
~
But then the unspeakable happened....
~
Brendt asked me why he was chosen as the Peep of the Week!!!!
~
You can imagine my consternation, concern... and yes ... fear, as Brendt broached the question that threatens to tear at the very fabric of the Universe.
~
I played it cool though.  And acted as if it was no big deal.
~
Then, the Irascible D'Orio offered to buy me a Mai Tai if I told him the reason.
~
I'm not going down for no Freaking MAI TAI!!!!
~
But I kept my composure, as is befitting of a Mountain of a Man, picked up my "ORDA FO NESTA" and calmly left  a highly stressful situation handled in the most proficient manner possible.

Brendt D'Orio said...

SORRY JAY. RUNNING INTO SUCH A MOUNTAIN OF A MAN LIKE YOU GOT ME STAR STRUCK. THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT REALLY WENT TO MY HEAD.

Apology Accepted Brendt.

Kerry " The Trophy Wife" D'Orio said....
That or a couple of Mai Tais. Brendt is a total Aqua Donkey...Jay on the other hand is an Aqua Stud :-) 

Bad Weather Push

With some partly cloudy skies and a few rays of sun this Saturday morning, it's time to start fix the gutter in the back of the garage, and trim out and shingle the back of the house.  My goal is to get this done now before the good weather starts so that we can devote this summer to some serious activity on the water.

POTW Week 8

You gotta love customers who ask you to go the extra mile to get everyting done on time, which you willingly do, but then they take their non-chalant, sweet ass time in getting payment out to you.
~
I want my stool to be right next to theirs when we do our stint in purgatory.  It'll be nice payback time.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 8th Week of 2010

Sue Sue Raiche
Lindsey Kepnes
Dawn Baldisarri
Grady Butler
David Henderson
Lou Panakio

I always let my subcontractors know what the payment situation is.  To do otherwise is just plain lowlife.

Pisc said..
You said stool.

Conversation Topics.

Politics and Religion. You can always get a rise out of people sooner or later when you venture into those areas. I like it when it is fun and light hearted, but it can get out of hand quickly. You have to know when to back off.
~
As long as people don't feel threatened, they'll provide some fun banter, but you never know when you will hit a nerve.
~
So it's a risky game.

Maria Rowen said...



Anyone can hit my nerve anytime with a topic of conversation that is religious or political as long as it is provocative. Save me from the loose-lipped-lingo of boring conversation...there must be an 'App' for that. Welcome back!

Tuna Lips said...


That Mary Magdalin was one classy hoor.

Back

I suppose I owe you an explanation for the lack of Blog posts this week.
~
You probably think that something really bad is happening.
~
Or that I'm involved in some big scheming plot and haven't had the time to contribute to this pathetic publication.
~
No matter what I say, you won't buy into it, so I'm not going to tell you anything.
~
Suffice to say that I'm back, as rough, tough, hard to bluff, and damn good looking as I ever have been.
~
So You'll just have to deal with it.

Jonathan Cainer said...
One person is locked in a cell. They cannot go anywhere or do anything. This person, though, has great imagination and an open mind. They are willing to learn and prepared to believe that anything is possible in the fullness of time. Another person can, within reason, do what they want, when they want. Their movements are not restricted nor are their resources too tightly limited. This person is full of opinion and prejudice. They only believe in what they can actually see. Which one is the prisoner?

North Shore WaterMan

Doug Maxwell. Peep Extraordinaire, has come out with his own blog, NorthShore Waterman, and I highly recommend that you visit it often for its thoughtful insights.  
~
Naturally, it doesn't rise to the level of our own Nanepashemet Blog, but then again, it's hard to reach the pathetic yet inspiring levels that this blog has attained.
~
Well done Doug.  May you  soon aspire to the heights of Blog superiority where Nanepashemet, and Harvey's Thoughts  now reside.  We are happy to receive you.

Spartacus

If you enjoy a good Gladiator yarn once in a awhile like I do, Spartacus will  hold your attention.  The series has been dragging a bit and I hope that they move into the historical reenactment of the slave revolt that the real Spartacus led.

~

This beats Curling, and it's way better than the Luge.


Pisc said.....

POTW Week 7

Watching the Olympics and getting a bit annoyed at the Bobsled competition.  I really like the speed skating, kind of like the nordic and alpine skiing, tolerate the figure skating, but sorry.  The Luge and the Bobsled just seems to be a bit on the stupid side. 

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the Seventh Week of 2010

Pat Piscatelli
Maria Rowen
The Sudanese Lumber Clerk at Home Depot
Brendt D'Orio
Michael "Murph" Murphy
Emily Angardia

Even Curling is better than the Luge.

Shelving Update

Both shleving units were finished by 4:15PM today and by 5 O'clock I had finished a refreshing Guinness and was mixing a Classic Winter Cocktail.
~
The key to the successful completion was a big break that I caught at Home Depot, when a guy with a thick accent asked me if I needed any help with the plywood.   I had just seen him aiding a customer with a cut at the panel saw, so I asked him if he could cut 4 panels into thirds at 16 inches a piece.  He said sure and then noticed that I was pulling plywood from the $33 pile and that the $25 stock was just as good.  Man... this guy saved me big time so I gave him the last ten dollar bill that I had as a tip.  He almost didn't take it.  
~
I asked him where he was from, and he said he came here from Sudan, 8 years ago.   What a great guy.
~
Then when I was struggling to get the plywood into the truck, an old guy who said he was a lobsterman from Nahant gave me a hand.
~
These two guys made a huge difference.  I didn't have to drag out my table saw and wrestle with ripping the plywood to size.  It was already done by the time I got back from Home Depot.
~
The only drawback was that they didn't have any Kreg System Screws.  This jig system is a huge time saver to make strong butt joints, so I called Gilbert and Cole in Marbleheadto see if they had the screws and picked up two boxes there.   Exactly the amount of screws that I ended up using.
~
So here I am.... finishing the first of a couple or three Classic Winter Cocktails, having completed a very functional shelving system for Nanepashemet Telecom.   Hope you had a good day too.

Tuna Lips said...

Hire yerself some Mexicans and git strait to the drinkin'. Jeez ahmighty, does I has to do everything round here?

Warehouse Shelving Saturday

It's 8:30 Saturday Morning.  We've already been to FreshAyer yesterday afternoon, and the grandkids aren't over this weekend, so  I've pretty much mapped out the Day with my plan to make two 4'x8' Utility shelving systems to try to organize some of the clutter in the Nanepashmet Telecom warehouse.

If you know where the warehouse is, don't think that you can be dropping by to say hello, because I'll be way too freaking busy  from 9:00AM to about 11:30 tonight.

Heavy Duty Warehouse Plywood Shelves.  Self Contained and Movable

Work Breakdown Structure  /Hours

1 Buy and transport 6 - 3/4 plywood sheets  /  1.
2 Set up Table Saw and Radial Arm  /1
3 Rip 4 Sheets into 16" wide 96 long  /1
4 Cut tops and Bottoms on radial Arm  /0.5
5 Assemble Sides and Tops with Kreg  / 1
6 Angle clamps
7 Set up Compressed Air Nailer  / 0.5
8 Nail Back Panels to sides and tops   /0.5
9 Measure and Cut internal shelves /0.5
10 Measure and Cut Spacers from leftovers / 0.5
11 Assemble Shelves and Spacers with Kreg /1
12 Transport Shelving to warehouse /0.5
13 Load Shelves /1
14 Shower and have a few Winter Cocktails / 5
Total Hours 14.5

Apology Accepted

Tiger Woods apologized to me today.
~
I accepted.
~
Not sure why he had to apologize anyway.  So what if he was wayward with his Putter.
~
Don't care if he is a good Buddhist.
Don't care if he divorces his wife.
Don't care if he screws 100 hot models a day.
~
I will only be pissed if he stops showing us what perfection with a golf club looks like.
~
Who cares about anything else!!  I mean, Tiger.... get over yourself.  People have their own problems.  Nobody really cares Jack about your personal issues.  So Stop acting like your hornyness is so freaking important.
~
I accept your apology, Tiger.  Now... Cut the shit and start swinging a club.

Business Acumen

Sometimes in business, you make money by refusing jobs.
I think I just made some money today.

Tuna Lips said...
Likes sometimes ye save yerself a penersillen shot by downin'' them last three er four tekilla shooters. Good on ye, Cooter!

Maria Rowen said...
Then sometimes...when you mix business with tequila...you end up needing a shot of penicillin...no lime required.

Execellent exchange between the two Mega-Peeps.

Seal Sighting

Joanne and I saw a seal today in Marblehead Harbor down on the floats at the Boston Yacht Club.  He (or she... it's so hard to determine with seals) was just hanging around the float, then struggled to get on and lie in the snow for awhile.  Just stretching and yawning.
~
If I was an Eskimo, I'd have a hard time slaughtering seals.  They are just so friendly looking, and move so gracefully in the water.   I suppose if my kids were hungry, and I had a handy harpoon, I'd get over that.
~
I took a picture with my Blackberry, which I'll upload later.

Maria Rowen said...

How lucky for you and Joanne! According to the Native American legend of animal totems, the seal is a symbol of balance, intuition and discovery of inner voice (crystal-cure.com). Native Americans believe all animals we encounter are physical and spiritual guides enhancing our essence and existence. Next time you see a skunk, hold your nose but don’t run away...Well maybe you should run...

Lucky for the seal too.... that we weren't Eskimos.

Maria Rowen said...


Lucky for us all you weren't Mr. and Mrs. 'Beppe' Bigazzi...

Go Figure

OK.
~
I'm not going to make a big deal out of this.
~
But why do Men's Figure Skaters always Flame away in their outfits????  
~
And don't be calling me a Gay Bashing Homophobe or anything. 
~
Those who know me best, know that I have no problem with you based upon which side you putt from.  That's your personal business and it doesn't bother me as long as you don't make a big freaking exposition out of your preference.
~
I just don't see why you wouldn't wear athletic clothing in an athletic event.   The sequins and satins are a distraction.  I want to see you do a triple loop SowCow, and I'd rather see you do it in sweats or a gym suit.

Yesterday is Here

I've been spending a bit of time on Facebook lately.  Lots of contacts from long lost classmates, neighbors etc.  Tons of nostalgia.  Maybe the Internet will ultimately bend time.  Keep the past constantly in the present. 
~
I look at pictures of my classmates in the 1959 1st grade class of Highland School, Lynn, MA and I recognize each and every one.   Like it was yesterday and fifty years never happened.

Stupid Sexist Luge

Do you know what is even stupider than the Men's Luge????  That would be the Women's Luge.   There is a different starting point for the Women's version, so they go a little slower.
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So, not only is the Luge Stupid, it is also Sexist.  Stupid, Sexist Luge.  Maybe they have a special woman's luge sled, with strategic seat padding or something.
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Why shouldn't the women be allowed to hurtle themselves down the ice track as fast as the men?

Maria Rowen said...
We women don't usually need extra padding in the seat area. The rest must just be physics…you know P=F*v… and the men lugers weigh more…Where is Georgia again? *_*