My Mentor

I could learn a lot from my dog.

Maybe its just the breed but Belle is a genuinely happy creature. She does not seem to get upset or down. Everything is as it should be. She goes with the flow. That is probably because she doesn't know any better and has no sense of the future and little memory of the past except where food is concerned. On Maslow's scale she is living in and for the physical needs and those are all met. So she is absolutely happy.

But it is more than that. She really wants to make everyone around her happy too. If you pretend to be depressed or sad she will bring you her toys. A soggy stinky chew toy with the stuffing coming out may not be your idea of fun but it sure is hers. How can you be down with great stuff like that to play with and a friend who is more than willing to play with you in the mix.

When there is nothing going on she naps no need for entertainment. The trainer in her class calls it a default down. When there is nothing going on the dog learns to lie down calmly. Well she does that but some times she goes well past a calm lie down and sprawls as far as a small beagle can and naps. The theory being, I'm guessing, that someone will wake her or make noise when the action starts again. And again she is perfectly happy.

She hasn't a mean streak in her make up. She is not possessive about food or toys. She will forget herself and get rough but that is just playing. If she thinks she has hurt you she will back off and be more gentle.

The only thing that brings her down is if she does something wrong and gets scolded or punished for it. Scolding is as good as punishment because she seems to be hurt when she thinks she has not been good. And she will do whatever she can think of to get back in your good books. Physical punishment just makes her scared of you. And if she does get in trouble all is forgotten and forgiven in ten minutes or less. She does not forget what she did wrong she does learn, slowly some times, but she forgets or forgives you for being angry with her.

She's not perfect there are things she does that she shouldn't and we are working on those but, yep, I could learn a lot from my dog.

Randy

Computer Desk Continues

Well I got the shop cleaned out and it was not as onerous as I expected. It was a lot of little stuff all over the place. But then I have always believed in a place for everything and everything all over the place. Dad's old jointer (and the term is jointer no matter what this spell checker says) is up and running. It works just fine. I will have to make up some feather boards for it and my table saw but that will only take a few minutes.

I spent one entire evening last week going through the cut list and making up a checklist just to make following the plan easier. There is so much to think about that seemed to be the only way to keep it straight. I also don't want to scribble all over the plan because I may want to reuse it or loan it out to someone. My friend Glenn at work is quite interested in seeing how this turns out.

The plan for today is to bring in the lumber from the garage and get all the rough cuts done. Then comes the fiddly part making the parts cutting dadoes rabbets, tenons all the stuff Norm makes look so easy. It's fiddly because you have to do the set up, then test the cuts and fit, re set up and on and on. (Also not shown in Norm's half hour show too many garage words probably.) Norm shows you that it is done because he will usually show the last test where everything fits, and there is no need for garage words. Depending on how far I get today there may be a second post of this scintillating story tomorrow. I know you can hardly contain yourself. If things go well there might even be pictures but that is a big might.

Well I have a busy day ahead so that's it for now.

Randy

Computer Desk Part Deux

Well I took the plunge on my project. As it turns out I should have made the desk as soon as I got the plans it would have been cheaper by half. The reason I could not get Mahogany last time out was the Tsunami two years ago. It virtually wiped out the supply. Yesterday I was able to get it but it was costly. Nearly a thousand dollars for all the wood. When I priced it out originally it would have cost about 600 bucks. So apparently procrastination has a price.

The idea of using Pine went out the window when I saw what they had in that department. There was wood, lots of it, full of holes and so twisted and warped that it wold have cost 3 times the price just to get enough straight stuff. I also looked at oak. It was cheaper than mahogany but I only have 2 x 10 joists in my house. I also like the look of Mahogany better. So that's my choice.

The next step is to set up and get Dad's old joiner working. It has to be nearly as old as me but I don't think it has that much mileage on it. He gave it to me when he was downsizing a lot of years back. Since they have downsized one more time since then I really should get it set up and running properly. So that is the task for the week, clean out the shop and get the joiner working. (Ok maybe clean out the shop is the job for the week. Getting the joiner working might be next week.)

I reviewed the tape of the New Yankee workshop where Norm made the desk. He skips over some parts where the plans are a bit unclear. It is like he is saying "You should know how to do this if you are any kind of wood worker at all". But I re-read the plan for the 500 th time and I think I can understand it now.

Heart Pine is recycled old growth pine which is why I couldn't find it at the local Totem Lumber store. The reason Norm has a zillion bucks worth of tools is a) because PBS buys them for him and b) he needs them to dress recycled lumber and c) to make everyone who watches him jealous. The reason he can finish a project like this in half an hour is because he has a zillion bucks worth of tools. Take his big industrial belt sander, he was able to surface sand the entire desk top in one pass. He did say that it could also be done with a belt sander and a random orbital sander but it would take longer. Yeah right, he left out the part where it would take more "garage words" too. Oh, "garage words" a term coined by my Aunt. Her husband is a an old car buff and when he is working on them and the wrench slips off the nut he will sometimes use what my Aunt calls "garage words". I don't think I need to provide examples.

That's all I know for sure today. I will keep you posted.

Randy

Computer Desk

I have had a project in mind for some time now. It is a computer desk. Looking around my workspace here I think it is time I did more than think about it.

The desk is a New Yankee Workshop project. Norm's plan call for the creation of a pedestal desk in which the components CPU, Printer fit inside the pedestals. There is space for paper storage cable runs across the back etc. All that you see is the monitor. The keyboard and mouse fit in a false drawer, there are drawers for storage of... well junk really. There are hidden drawers for CD or DVD storage (and probably more junk). All and all a very nice design.

My workspace looks like the dog's breakfast, and she would have to be terribly hungry at that. I have cables everywhere, equipment scattered here and there, filing on top of that and well you get the idea. But my desk is really not much more than a table with one small file drawer. So I can be forgiven. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

I have made a few tries at this project before but have not had much luck. The last time I went looking for wood for it there was nothing available in Mahogany which is what I wanted to use. The plans call for Heart Pine which is impossible to find here. I will try to find something in pine or fir this time and maybe I will have better luck. Those woods are pretty soft so I may have to modify the plan to address that problem. Also the original plan is for a tower. I will have to rework the measurements to handle a desktop. I also have a scanner that will have to be accommodated some how. A few little modifications here and there. Hey that's why they call it a plan, it's not carved in stone, there are always solutions to every problem.

If I can find suitable lumber I should be able to find the rest of the hardware I need at Lee Valley Tools. (Actually it is just a great excuse for going over to Lee Valley). Should I get this project underway after a couple of false starts now, I will let you all watch my progress here.

Building the desk will be one thing getting all this mess cleaned up to move it into new digs will be a project on its own.

The New Yankee web site is http://www.newyankee.com/
The Lee Valley tool web site is http://www.leevalley.com/
Check them out they are pretty good woodworking and hardware sites.

Now where did I put the furniture polish?

Randy

New Years

New Year's Eve. A time for looking back and for looking forward. I guess we will continue our new New Year's tradition. For the past few years now we don't wait up till midnight. Oh yeah we watched the new millennium roll in, it was after all Y2K and I am in the IT business, but that was a requirement. And we stayed up for 2001 just in case the new millennium technically started then, and it would be a few years until a person could do that again. But after that it did not seem so important to see the New Year in.

We're not party types. In fact we are early risers so partying late is definitely against the grain. If you are not out partying it up let's face it in the 500 channel universe there is really nothing on New Year's Eve. They assume that everyone is out not home watching TV.

I enjoyed the new year's parties we went to don't get me wrong, some of my fondest memories were from new years parties. I remember dad going to a party at the town hall in Holdfast. He was going to do the "old waltzeroo" and if falling on the ice in the main intersection of town was the old waltzeroo he did. And speaking of dancing I remember Nancy starting a conga line when the DJ played "Locomotion" at the hall in Erinwoods. That was practically a rite of passage as everyone got in on the train.

Then there was the year that two friends of ours resolved not to dis each other. The resolution was made mere minutes before midnight. This couple Jerry and Pinky could not be in the same room without putting each other down. And it was a battle royal of one-ups-man-ship to watch after that. But having had a few they decided that it was a rather poor way to get along so they resolved to stop it. They got their last digs in just seconds before midnight then the truce began. Then the "compliments" began some that could be interpreted as no quite complimentary. Then the first insult struck. "Way to go Pinky, that resolution lasted a whole 6 minutes" and the resolution were over and everything was back to normal.

So unless it is an important year, our new tradition is to get a good night's sleep so rather than forcing a late night. And what a good tradition it is. The new year looks much better a few hours later when you are rested. It is not so dark and God willing not so cold. And all the drunk people are at home an not on the road. It is so peaceful and quiet. A relaxing breakfast and the year is off to a grand start. Yep I like our new tradition. And since we have Belle now and it is her habit to get her last walk at 8:30 and be off to bed by 9:30 (so she will be ready for her first walk at 5:00AM) we might as well join her.

Happy New Year!
Randy