As much as I had been anticipating it, vacation thus far has been somewhat anticlimactic. Started off Monday with a rousing day of arguments with Pinklady. Plus, it was day number five without any sun. No fun on either count. And even though I said I wouldn't, I went ahead and generated this massive and completely ridiculous lists of tasks. It's sitting right here by my elbow. I've actually gotten a few things on it done. Given, that is far and away not the point, but I suppose that's better than not getting any of it done. Tomorrow marks the halfway point of this vacation, so I've still got time to get things done. But the thought that then occurs is whether or not these are actually things I should even be trying to get done right now. Glancing over the list, I have to say that the answer is yes. The main impediment to getting things done is, as usual, me. I'd much rather say that having lunch with the folks today and going to see a movie tonight is just going to cause such catastrophic damage to my day that it wouldn't be possible for me to accomplish anything. Plus, when you figure that I'd rather be sitting here typing this than doing anything on that list, that kind of puts it in perspective, don't it?
CHAPTER TWO: Weight Loss
I can actually see the floor in the southwest corner of my garage. Not a big deal by most people's standards. Made me feel a bit better though. Finally just got tired of all the clutter and mess out there. Seems like I'm heading more in a direction of wood carving and 2D artwork right now, which has had me wondering what the point of keeping all the stuff in the garage is. The pack rat in me thinks I should keep everything. It will all have a purpose at some unknown time in some unknown way. So, stuff piles up. Then the piles start breeding. And then you've got little piles running around and settling down to become big piles. I just can't stand it anymore. There's so much crap, I just can't get to anything I may actually need to use. It makes me not want to be in that space, and, unless I'm in the space, there is no creativity going on there. I feel like I'm slowly drowning in the very materials I want to be working with.
I thought about this situation for some time. I hate to be dismissive of all the people who have taken their time and effort to save things for me, and in some cases, to bring them to me. That effort is representative, in my opinion, of some degree of encouragement for what I do. And for that I don't want to seem to be ungrateful. But that, combined with my low level of production has put me in a position where I can no longer be functional in the space I need to be using. After chasing it around for a few days, the first idea I had resurfaced as being the only realistic approach to the problem. It was time for a purge.
As of yesterday evening, I had hauled off over 600 pounds of scrap steel over to DIMCO. I've got piles of aluminum, copper, and a whole bunch of stainless steel that also needs to go over there sometime soon. I took a big load of stuff over to the folks to go out with their garbage and recycling. I don't doubt for a second that this process will be repeated at least two more times in the up coming week. But now, I can see the floor in the southwest corner of my garage. It's a good feeling.
This is not to say that everything is going away. I am still going to keep some basic stock material around. Just maybe about a tenth of what I had before. Just trying to clear the decks a bit. Restarting with a cleaner slate. All that good stuff. If I can get that done, all that remains is to do the work.
CHAPTER THREE: Sugar Mama?
The worst thing thus far during my time off occurred Wednesday morning. That was when I went to KMA with Pinklady. Thought it was going to be a regular checkup. Instead, Dr T came back with a diagnosis of diabetes. Wonderful thing to hear right before your 40th birthday. So, it's off to diabetes ed for her, and I, on Monday morning. We are both so not happy about this.
CHAPTER FOUR: The Last One For The Year. No, Really.....
I have figured out something very simple. If I spend most of my time at home, I don't spend a lot of money on stuff. It's when I start just wandering around out in the world with no real purpose that I start finding all kinds of neat sparkly stuff to spend money on. Kinda like when I was standing in Barnes and Noble the other day with all three seasons of Arrested Development in my hand. And, they were all 40% off! OOOOOOO! must ......buy......on.....sale..... So I was then wandering around the store with these DVDs in my hand looking for other ways to blow some cash. Then that voice in my head popped up to remind me that not only had I seen all these before, I already had DVDs in my collection that I hadn't watched, AND the last thing I needed to be doing was finding more ways to park my ass in front of the TV. Grudgingly, I put them down and left the store with nothing but a mocha.
My strength of will was not so strong at Borders. They've soaked me for about $120 in the latest and most up to date Battletech rule books. I'd really like to blame this one on Trotz. I mean, what else was I supposed to do when I meet someone who also plays, but has a different ruleset than I do? I've been playing since '86, and I love the game, so I'd really like to think this will be my last capital investment in anything for that system. On the other hand, I do think it will be the last new game of any sort that I buy for myself this year.
CHAPTER FIVE: The Results
Once again, the last poll resulted in a dead heat. So, I think I'm just going to pursue a new project, and y'all will just have to wait and see what it is. Got two things going at the moment, but things have kind of been on hold whilst I proceed with the purge, which will also need to happen in the inside studio space as well.
CHAPTER SIX: A Walk With Monty
In an effort to combine my need for exercise with my want to watch TV, I have been starting my mornings with a brisk walk on the treadmill along with an episode of MPFC from the 16 ton megaset we got last year. I never actually watched all the episodes, so I opted to just start over at the beginning. And, with each one being about half an hour, it's a good way to time one's workout. I do still intend to get some more riding in before the season ends for good this year.
LONGITUDINAL WONKINESS
- Off to St. Peter's Barn Sale on Saturday. Hoping to find some used games for a steal.
- The weather, since Tuesday, has been freaking GORGEOUS!
- Lots of rain=growing grass=me mowing the yard today
- FYI: today is national 'Talk Like A Pirate Day', and no, I am not making this up. ARRRRGH MATEY!
- Big Bri is still MIA.
- Kittyluv wasn't quite able to hit the trail like she wanted.
- Dhawk is somewhere east of Tahoe, but that's all I know.
- For some strange reason, HVAC contractors really like the Miscanthus I have planted at the end of the driveway.
- No new murmurs regarding the reunion. That reminds me, I really do need to send back my reply thingy.
- Bluegirl has a pretty icky bump.
- Had some good Indian food yesterday.
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