You can smell the snow

Ok, so its a rather STRANGE movie, but every time I smell snow in the air, I recall that scene. (I was only three when this came out, and found it during my early teen years, I was fascinated by it, as well as slightly horrified but some of its ‘taboo breaks’,,, but, Anywhoos, It IS quite a strange movie,,,,)

And its coming.  Not out of the north, but out of the West by southwest, and that usually means we are In for some serious shit, and not just ‘some snow’.   But I may have already talked about that (I know I did: ICE, lots of ICE,,,)

Mama and Grizz are out in the yard doing the zoomies, getting worn out so they can sleep.  I know they know the weather is going to be bad, and it’s funny to see those two ripping across the yard, but how do they know they are going to be pent up for most of a day before the snow melts enough that kitteh-paws are not in danger?    Instincts?   Seems we left some seriously good tools when we came down from the trees.   (or is that one of those things that would have hindered our brain development?   Metaphysical questions without answers, but as Heinlein stated ‘Such beautiful questions,,”)

Bottle is cracked, a few in me, but not enough to make this ship list in the winds.   Just enough to blunt the edge of the sawtoothed issues I have had all day.   

And I ain’t even mad, haven’t been even when things blew up.   Not that the rest of the crew would have noted I WAS NOT angry: they don’t know that when I am cussing, even loudly, I am irritated, but not mad.  NOW, when the language goes full formal english, with no curse words,,,,    DIo is on the verge of going postal,,,,

And if I go quiet,,,,

yah, thats when you are standing at ground Zero with a “Welcome to Paducah” sign, just begging for an asswhoopin’.  (don’t ask, it worked as a visual,,,  LOL)

Snow,,,

Not snowing yet; its still around 40 degrees out.   But come midnight-ish, about 2 hours after the precip starts up, the temps are slated to take a dive off the back end of the C-130 and do the HALO thing: NO slowing down till they are almost on the ground.  And I have a kayak that needs to go sledding,,,,   WHeeeeeeee!!!!!   

alright, just a little shift of gears here (CRUNNCHHHHHH,,, Griiiiinnnnnddddddd.  CLUNK!)   I pulled out the Erg tonight and had two peices fall of it.  Nothing critical, but some of that wood has split from all the tensions and stresses I put on it while using it.    Not a full rebuild, but. I am going to have to beef up certain parts of it.   

And thats a good thing!!! I am working the bugs out and refining the product.   I found a place where I can get the sprag bearings (Not perfect match, but I won’t need a perfect match if I am going completely from scratch) a whole lot cheaper than I found replacements for what I have on the machine now.   As in, I can buy 4 new for the price of ONE replacement unit.   And flywheels?    I found that using the Golds Gym plates work quite well as flywheels (and I have a lathe that can turn them so you won’t even know what they ‘were’.). Just need to machine the hub for a ‘Romeo and Juliette’Kiss’ press fit.  If ya aren’t familiar with this concept, let me explain. Ferrari uses aluminum blocks and heads and the valve faces in the head are titanium.   but the two don’t mesh well for simple press fits.   SO, Enzo (frickin mechanical GENIUS that he is/was (is he even still alive?). ,,,) uses ‘Romeo and Juliette'(symbiotic robots), Romeo heats the heads to a certain temperature (I think 600F) and Juliette dips the valve face in liquid nitrogen, and then the two ‘KISS’.  The parts are initially machined to zero tolerance and when they are fitted in this way, they are essentially, ONE.   Of course, I don’t have the means to be THAT exact, but if I turn 1/1000th OVER on the shaft, heating the wheel will give me the opening I need and boom, perfect fit and balance, no welding needed.  I have done similar when I was making my ‘chucks’ for my end mills, only the hole was 1/1000th over that of the cutter shaft, and they are close enough that they will ‘POP!’ when you pull them apart quickly.  Add a little 3 in 1 oil to them and you can’t pull them apart by hand: ATmo keeps them nicely together.  (and its been some time since I tooled up anything,,,   )

What’s the point Dio?

I have been reaching the conclusion that I MUST make a move from the J.O.B. and have been making inroads to that point, but I also think if I could make these Erg’s, I could sell them as welll,,,  Not a mainline production kind of thing, but something to supplement other incomes and NOT be dependent on some SCAMALIA for my livelihood: and that is exactly how I feel things are at the J.O.B.   (HT to Sarah for such a fantabulous word that totally sums up some real world sitiuations,,,, Such as mine.). I feel that there is a certain amount of manipulation in ‘whats available’ and what work I am assigned, not so much to keep me working but to keep me at a certain weekly pay amount so that I am never quite ‘getting ahead’.    Granted some of that may just be me reading between the lines and there really is a ton less work to be had, but I am the one that turns in the hours at the end of the week and I KNOW I am on the short end of the stick,,,

ANywhoos,,,  I see one small chance at something that I CAN make well, and have the means to be able to make a few of them up front without gouging my meager funds too much.   IF and thats the deciding factor, They sell ok, well, then I can either post on some social media places for selling them ( I intend to list them on FakeBuk marketplace at first, just to see what fish bite,,,). and I can make them pretty quickly, WELL, and will figure out the shipping angle or what not as needed.  All BIG ‘IF’s”

But if you don’t buy a ticket, you can’t Ride/Win,,,

And I will keep that weather eye open for any other opportunities as I might find, even if it means shifting one J.O.B. for another for a short time.

(ease in the clutch, let off the accelerator, and ease into the next gear,,, SMoooooooothhhhhhh)   

What really bothers me the most about the last two days is not that I have been in the dumps, but that I have (other than a crappy J.O.B.,,,) ZERO reasons for being that way.   I am not broke, (borderline most weeks, but the bills are getting paid and I eat rather well for a bachelor). I have things I do that I enjoy, hobbies and others, (KAYAKING!!!!!!  LOL). I have done things that few people do, albeit not as successfully as I would like, BUT, so few ever actually get off the couch to chase that dream and I have done so repeatedly every 5-7 years.  I have had the DREAM JOB of a touring audioGeek, I have mixed and met and rubbed elbows with rockers from my formative years, and made a damned killing doing it.  I have published two books independently, and while they may not be best sellers, I see some royalties most every month ( last month was a whopping $0.01. WHOOO-hooo, we’s gonna be RIICCCHHH!!!  Rolls-eyes,,,)

I chase dreams, and sometimes even capture one.   I capture more than you would imagine, because I do one thing 99% of people don’t.   I focus on THAT ONE GOAL, I pursue it, and I don’t quit.    

Amy told me during our break up “you are too intense”, and looking back, I can see how that was a problem for her.   I get INTENSELY FOCUSED when I want something.    More like a guided missile is focused on its target.   Outside influences are a nuisance, and the target never wavers, 

SO, 

Whats got me down?   

WInter,,,,,

My targets are ‘on hold’ in most all circumstances,,,,   

My sleep is getting screwed up from some allergen that I haven’t identified and obliterated yet, and thats not helping, but the real reason I am down,   

WINTER.   and in one way, the holidays.   Not many people are really looking at hiring on this late in the holiday season since in most cases, after the holidays is a major slow-down.   (not a 100% true, but a reliable point in production and service industries.) 

WINTER.   

I can smell the snow,,,,,,