How'd it go today?

Roll kleenex up in a pea size ball and stuff it in your ear hard. Make sure it is big enough to stay sticking out some. ( Might need tweezers or needle nose if not) I do that under my muffs when sawing. Kleenex is enough when lawn mowing and some tractors. An old race driver told me he used to stuff cigarette filters in his ears. Never tried that.

I'm not too cheap to buy ear plugs. I can't stand them after about 15 minutes. Tried all types and kleenex wins.
 
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Here is my update on my attempt to educate people about how to extract a fallen climber from a crevasse during glacier travel. Some of you seemed to enjoy the diagrams that I shared and my desire to get alpinists to transition from mechanical progress capture systems such as the the Ropeman or Microtraxion and “devolve” so that they can use the superior option: a prusik and a pulley. This relatively primitive system will slide when shock loaded and it will eventually grab the rope once forces subside, assuming that the prusik is well dressed and used with a viable pulley. A mechanical options may allow you to possesses a pulley and cammed/toothed progress capture all in one, but it will de-sheath or (if it’s cold enough/if shock is strong enough) break the rope at as low as 4Kn which is 899lbf or 408kgf.

Oh, this is what I did today…keeping in theme with the thread!



It’s hot as hell in Arizona. The forecast this week is 100 degrees F every single day, seven days out. I have no doubt that it will only continue to get hotter. We will see 115-120 degree F days regularly pretty soon, like a bad tic, and I have no idea how I will continue to make climbing content for my channel. I need some flood lights and a headlamp (already have the latter); time to do some night climbing. But even nights will eventually see 100+ degree F temps during this stint of the year. I wish I had a garage or some sort of indoor climbing facility with air conditioning. When (if?) I make my millions, that will be a priority. I’ve got dreams!

In the words of Thomas Jefferson, I have the inalienable rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!” He repurposed the phrase “the pursuit of happiness” from John Locke. Jefferson, and fellow patriot and former president, John Adams died on the same day, about five hours apart, on the Fourth of July, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence (which Jefferson wrote 75% of). Quite the coincidence. We now call this day Independence day.

Sh!t. I’m on a tangent again. Initiating rant termination sequence…

***beep, bee-boop, beep beep boopity-beep***

:::Rant termination complete:::
 
Thought of moving? I'll reserve judgement of "dry" heat, but I'm 99.23% certain it sucks pretty hard. I'd rather be dead than live in the tropics.
 
Roll kleenex up in a pea size ball and stuff it in your ear hard. Make sure it is big enough to stay sticking out some. ( Might need tweezers or needle nose if not) I do that under my muffs when sawing. Kleenex is enough when lawn mowing and some tractors. An old race driver told me he used to stuff cigarette filters in his ears. Never tried that.
I will have to try this one! Only issue I see is the fact my sena won't output loud enough over a second set of ear pro, makes doubling up a real pain
 
It's official. Humanity as we know it is destined for a takeover by a superior species.

We have finally met an adversary we may not be able to defeat...and they are hoofing their way over the border from Canada in large numbers, as we speak, with zero passports, background checks or credentials! This sh!t storm of even-toed ungulates threatens national security and they may devastate crop density and wildlife populations as they will readily eat just about anything; not just the meat, but the bones as well. Just one of these formidable beasts can take down a fully grown, white tail deer. They are so intelligent that large groups of them will dramatically shift their circadian rhythm (biological clock), going from existing as diurnal to nocturnal, in order to avoid being caught or killed by humans who attempt to hunt them during the daytime.

Haha, I'm being somewhat dramatic, but the reality is that this hybrid species might someday make bacon and tenderloin out of mankind. I wouldn't put it past them; as soon as one of them figures out how to consistently start a fire, and once they realize that they can absorb more nutrients more easily by cooking their meat, we're all going to be thickly sliced, smoked with Applewood or Hickory, and sold by the pound! Hehe :lol:

 
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crawled around under my bucket truck all day with a spray bottle full of simple green and a garden hose cleaning oil leaks up, and fixing them hopefully
also set idle back up so it doesnt rattle the windows out of the doors, it would barely start without throttle and if you put it in gear it would rattle so bad its not even funny, now no rattle till its in gear and even then its minute
also go the kickdown cable fixed so hopefully im not doing 15MPH in 4th up these hills again, fresh passenger side steer tire last week, getting the other outrigger rebuilt (not the one that sprung a leak last time), then I gotta do all 4 holding valves on the boom, which is simple (just a cartridge, about $125 each and 30 seconds each to swap)
then I might add a backup camera to the truck, ive still got a nightmare wiring issue, really need to pull all the wires out and re wire the whole truck, also replace steering column (wont start? wiggle steering wheel, no brake lights? wiggle the wheel, headlights working for once? cant have that wiggle the wheel)
its coming along, I might actually get some money out of it in a few years, or pimp it out and keep it, restore it more or less, its a solid truck with almost zero rust on frame, the body has a bit tho
 
went to my first concert last night, finally got my hearing back 100% around noon today
got the other outrigger off the truck, now the 4th or 5th time ive had an outrigger out, thats off being rebuilt, still dont want to keep the truck long enough to replace hoses but the orange jacket is gone on a few and its just white strands, no structural damage but im sure its well past due for a replacement, ive got to rebuild the crush cylinder and reversing valve on the chipper, and fix a dripping oil tank thing on the bucket truck (no clue what it does, 1992 GMC topkick, 3116 CAT, tank under driver door step, approx 10" DIA, 18" tall, one hose comes off the oil pan, and if I remember the other one goes to the air compressor), had about a gallon less oil than it should have when I drained it last week, so I know that tank isnt holding more (atleast I hope)


I feel great for once, I really needed to spend some money and do something non work related, hung out with a friend and head banged my struggle away, I gotta do this more often!
Who’d you see play?
 
It's official. Humanity as we know it is destined for a takeover by a superior species.

We have finally met an adversary we may not be able to defeat...and they are hoofing their way over the border from Canada in large numbers, as we speak, with zero passports, background checks or credentials! This sh!t storm of even-toed ungulates threatens national security and they may devastate crop density and wildlife populations as they will readily eat just about anything; not just the meat, but the bones as well. Just one of these formidable beasts can take down a fully grown, white tail deer. They are so intelligent that large groups of them will dramatically shift their circadian rhythm (biological clock), going from existing as diurnal to nocturnal, in order to avoid being caught or killed by humans who attempt to hunt them during the daytime.

Haha, I'm being somewhat dramatic, but the reality is that this hybrid species might someday make bacon and tenderloin out of mankind. I wouldn't put it past them; as soon as one of them figures out how to consistently start a fire, and once they realize that they can absorb more nutrients more easily by cooking their meat, we're all going to be thickly sliced, smoked with Applewood or Hickory, and sold by the pound! Hehe :lol:

Superb bit of clickbait, all the best clichés.
 
Superb bit of clickbait, all the best clichés.
Why thank you, sir! Much obliged. I put my heart and soul into that "clickbait"...for about 10 minutes. Creating entertaining and enticing bullshit in rich text form is somewhat of a talent of mine. I seek to enlighten, but with as little light as possible. Are you picking up what I'm putting down? Perhaps you're smelling what I'm stepping in? See? If you fill the void with nonsense, the reader or viewer will cometh (just look at TikTok).

I'm giving a TED talk in 69 sols (Martian time, where a "sol" is approximately 40 minutes longer than our day on Earth; more specifically 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds) at a currently undisclosed location just south of Ibiza, Spain. You were probably so swept up in the convolution of "sols" being my time metric that you nearly forgot that I'm a tried and true, time tested, testosterone and dopamine fueled artisan of hand crafted bullshit. Don't look right now, but you just got served...copious quantities of questionably qualitative and quantitative quantum era bullshit. How was my alliteration? Done. No sequels. I think this is the part where I drop the mic, but since I was too cheap to get the $5.99 2-year warranty on Amazon, I think I'll just gently place it right hither. I hope nobody steals it...I'm uninsured.

I'm not insane; I'm special and I have many needs, however, I am not special needs...atleast that's what ChatGPT told me...and it's not like AI lies or anything. Okay, seriously, I'm done misdirecting and making jokes now.

Remember when I said I was done joking? That was a joke.
 
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Helmets are good for the mosh pit as well as stage diving.
I gotta go back when drowning pool or someone else cool is there, the mosh pit was decent but no crowd surfing, or stage diving that night!
not sure if I mentioned or not, but I got caught up in the mosh pit (circle pit in the middle of a crowd of ~300 people) trying to get front row to measure decibels with my phone, yeah im that kind of nerd, phone mic capped at 95DB, checked my chipper today, 92DB, perhaps the phone isnt so accurate
 
Been reading Sean’s daily column lately.
Today’s story reminded me of who and what we all can be and do for one another:

Helpers

This hotel does an okay breakfast. Not great. But edible. If you don’t mind eating, for example, linoleum.
The hotel’s flagship dish is a premade omelet that looks and tastes like industrial plastic. The biscuits are hockey pucks. The gravy is not unlike commercial adhesive. And the sausage—I know from experience—will turn your bowels into stone.
This morning, the lobby is full of people waiting to eat. Everyone is hungry. Everyone is fussy. They are grumbling and murmuring like the Children of Israel. I am among them.
We come from all walks.
There is a girl’s softball team, clad in uniforms. There is a group of workmen, wearing neon vests and boots; they look like they could eat a whole cow.
There is a gaggle of business guys in nice suits, dragging roller bags. These men are constantly thumbing away on their phones, wearing Bluetooth earbuds, and having animated conversations with invisible people.
A group of young men in ultra-tight cycling attire, wearing jerseys covered in corporate logos even though nobody pays these people to ride their $32,000 cycles.
And there are three Mennonite families, dressed in dark colors and modest clothing.
Enter Carolyn.
Our entire dining room experience is managed by one woman. She is a meek woman. Older. The mother of six. She lives in North Alabama. She drives 45 minutes to work every morning. She works doubles shifts most days.
After she works the breakfast shift, she cleans rooms and does laundry. She makes her living cleans up our mess.
Carolyn is a woman who looks like your grandmother. Sweet face. Small stature. Slightly bent from the decades of hard work.
She sees the crowd of people waiting in line for breakfast, and she realizes that this is all her fault. She is behind schedule this morning because her daughter is pregnant, and Carolyn was at the ER all night with her daughter, making sure the baby was okay.
This morning, Carolyn is no match for us, the multiplying herd of angry customers. She is in the weeds. She has nobody to help her. And this morning’s crowd of hungry water buffalos just keeps getting bigger.
And that’s when it happens.
A young woman from the Mennonite family notices that Carolyn is having trouble. She approaches Carolyn.
“Ma’am,” asks the girl, who is probably 14 years old, “is there anything I can do to help you?”
The 14-year-old girl is soon joined by several younger girls who also want to help. These girls are maybe 8 and 9 years old. All Mennoninte. All dressed in dark colors and simple fashions.
“I could use some help,” says Carolyn. “Yes, please.”
The little girls move into the kitchen like a small army. The girls have soon taken over the kitchen. In a few moments, 8- and 9-year-olds are carrying steaming hotel pans of sausage, eggs, and gravy.
Then the girls’ mothers get involved.
Soon, the whole dining room is being tended by Mennonite women, who are refilling coffee urns, taking dirty plates, sweeping floors, and stocking the buffet.
The mass of hotel customers courses through the food-line like a military offensive operation. They wipe out the whole buffet. But the Mennonite women are not fazed. They keep restocking. All the customers are satisfied.
And when breakfast is over, the Mennonite women are cleaning tables, polishing floors, and washing dishes. After a while, the dining room is vacant. And only a few young Mennonite women are left, wiping down tables and taking out the trash.
That’s when it occurs to me.
The Mennonite family has not yet eaten. They have worked. They have waited on everyone else. But they have not eaten themselves.
Carolyn realizes this and apologizes profusely. She is so embarrassed. The hotel is slap out of food.
“I am so sorry,” she says.
The Mennonite women shower Carolyn with “don’t-worry-about-its and it’s-okays, and they tell her “We’ll just go get breakfast somewhere else.”
Carolyn walks into the dining room and looks around. The room looks spotless.
“I don’t know how to say thank you,” Carolyn says to the 14-year-old.
“And you’ll never have to,” says the girl
 
Did my usual dumb stuff at work, then helped Mike mill the oak log. It turned out nice. It wasn't a perfect log, but the slabs have a lot of character that can be made into some nice stuff. It was a good time. Running the mill's easier with two people pushing.

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Forgot. Boss called while I was on the milling gig and said to take tomorrow off. Extra long weekend!
 
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Pretty easy day at work. A good sized white pine to flop and clean up. Then off to some estate to clean up standing dead and dead fall in the woods. Some of the guys whined about that. I enjoyed the mindless and easy work for a change. What a great way to finish my work week. Chiropractor got me all tuned up for my long weekend. Now I’m making sure the vehicles and trailers are ready to roll as soon as the kids get off the bus tomorrow.
 
I have a kumquat seedling started, and I went outside to figure out where to put it. Not really sure. I'm running out of room; especially spots with full sun. Found this enormous tulip poplar leaf from a tree I cut a couple years ago. Big boy...

IMG_20230526_114840098_HDR.jpg

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kumquat...

IMG_20230526_123717788.jpg
 
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Busy morning of finishing up packing. Then shortened the grass when I got here. That took a while. Got a nice cool shower and then cooked burgers and dogs on the grill. Now we are all just relaxing by the fire as the air cools down and the sun is setting. Trees block the view of it but it’s still nice. The land owner is supposed to roll in about 11 pm. Doubt I’ll be awake for that. It’s been a great day😎
 
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