Get off my LAWN! "Grumpy Old Farts"

[alaskaleftybass]

Sorry for your loss, but it sounds like you already worked out the grieving process and you and your sister had a very realistic view of life and death, and you were prepared to handle it. That is such a great accomplishment in this short path of life we're on.

You both saw more of the world than I ever could wish for -- it's a blessing to be able to do that. It's funny, I had started on rhythm guitar and for years as a youngster fronted my own bands. But I could never find a good bass player. Then my dad was transferred to Sitka from Wrangell, and I met a new bunch of musicians. The two guitarists in the band kicked my arse but still liked my style and asked if I would mind trying bass. It was like throwing a duckling into the pond-- I knew instinctively that I found my permanent musical "forever home."

I lost my brother 10 years ago this year. Now I smile and laugh thinking about all the fun times we had while we traveled on the road as a touring band. If it brings any comfort to you, I still talk to my brother and believe he hears me. He also was my best friend.

 

[ric426]

I saw the demo in person. Like you said, the cartridge and blade have to be replaced. That's a quick process. I liked the heavy duty construction of the professional model. It reminded me of old industrial solidly built saws. I'd still want to test my machine. I'd consider the experiment part of the cost of buying one.


If you like cutting edge technology, check this router out: Invalid Link Removed.

I have a love/hate relationship with technology. I can't afford most of it though, so it's usually a moot point. I'll pay extra for a table saw that's less likely to take a finger if I really screw up, but not for a self-correcting portable CNC router that automatically compensates for my lack of skill once I've transferred a pre-defined shape to it via a data link.

I'm not sure how I feel about the Shaper Origin. On one hand I can see that it's a cool device that would be great for someone trying to run a woodworking business with deadlines, etc., but it saddens me to see another technological marvel making the years of practice it takes to develop real craftsmanship irrelevant and unnecessary. It makes me feel like once they finish developing a self propelled Shaper Origin, the main role of the human will be to take it out of the case and hit the start button.

I've been working on learning to hand sharpen bench plane blades and chisels. Last night I was looking at getting some quality sharpening supplies and balking at the prices. I realized that it would be cheaper to get one of the more popular electric sharpeners that makes sharpening quick and almost fool proof, but I just can't bring myself to do it. At least not until I know I can do it well by hand. I wonder if I'm a fool for that or not.

There's no question that robotics and CNC have made new things possible, but what was lost in the process? The skilled trades are hurting because no one wants to work as an apprentice to learn a skill, when they can get a job sitting at a keyboard and monitor. Where does the woodworker end and the programmer begin? I guess after being an IT guy for 30 years, I've turned into kind of a retro-grouch. I feel the same way about auto-pitch correction, or a flawless bass line played by a sequencer vs. an imperfect one with played with some soul by a human who's put in thousands of hours of practice to get to that skill level. I'm torn between an interest in technology and the feeling that we lose something intangible with every new development.

Sorry for the rant. I guess I'm just a grumpy old fart...
Damn kids...

 

[ric426]

Hey, Spank,
Sorry you lost such a good friend and sibling in Gail. Sounds rough, but I'm glad you found your way through it all. You have a lot of great memories to look back on when you think of her, and I'd bet that that's what she'd want you to focus on. You were fortunate to have a sibling who was also such a good friend.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I have a love/hate relationship with technology. I can't afford most of it though, so it's usually a moot point. I'll pay extra for a table saw that's less likely to take a finger if I really screw up, but not for a self-correcting portable CNC router that automatically compensates for my lack of skill once I've transferred a pre-defined shape to it via a data link.

I'm not sure how I feel about the Shaper Origin. On one hand I can see that it's a cool device that would be great for someone trying to run a woodworking business with deadlines, etc., but it saddens me to see another technological marvel making the years of practice it takes to develop real craftsmanship irrelevant and unnecessary. It makes me feel like once they finish developing a self propelled Shaper Origin, the main role of the human will be to take it out of the case and hit the start button.

I've been working on learning to hand sharpen bench plane blades and chisels. Last night I was looking at getting some quality sharpening supplies and balking at the prices. I realized that it would be cheaper to get one of the more popular electric sharpeners that makes sharpening quick and almost fool proof, but I just can't bring myself to do it. At least not until I know I can do it well by hand. I wonder if I'm a fool for that or not.

There's no question that robotics and CNC have made new things possible, but what was lost in the process? The skilled trades are hurting because no one wants to work as an apprentice to learn a skill, when they can get a job sitting at a keyboard and monitor. Where does the woodworker end and the programmer begin? I guess after being an IT guy for 30 years, I've turned into kind of a retro-grouch. I feel the same way about auto-pitch correction, or a flawless bass line played by a sequencer vs. an imperfect one with played with some soul by a human who's put in thousands of hours of practice to get to that skill level. I'm torn between an interest in technology and the feeling that we lose something intangible with every new development.

Sorry for the rant. I guess I'm just a grumpy old fart...
Damn kids...

The technology is slick. I see the router as something that willl improve with later generatiions. I have concerns about their vision algorithms and how calibrationis performed. How does it process differentt sized bits. I’d want to review the technical documents.

What I like about it is that I don’t have room for a CNC. This would allow me to do things that I can’t now. And with more accuracy and precision.

I do a lot of hand work using saws, planes, and chissels. Mostly because of space considerations. I use sharpening jigs, stones, and diamond pastes on lapping surfaces. There’s something about doing it by hand but machines are faster and more consistent.

I fear that these type of skilled trades are mostly dead. There will be small pockets of exceptions. Nobody wants to train for any skill that a machine can replace down the road. Companies want to hire skilled CAD people these days.

When companies moved offshore, the millrights that made and maintained the machines were retired. Those skilled workers are dying off and new workforce is not being trained. Even in construction trades, there are shortages. They are always trying to recruit.

Not too long ago companies had typing pools and filing clerks. All that is gone. No more mail rooms. Anything note core to the company is farmed out to third parties.

Check out Lee Valley Tools, they offer a lot of sharpening related products. As you said, costs add up.

 

[lowplaces]

Happy Holidays GOF's !

The Christmas They Need

How many children have been cheated
Out of the real Christmases they’ve needed
Those ones that some of us recall
With two Grandpas and two Grandmas

Mommy and Daddy both were there too
All the women fixing all of that food
Aunts and Uncles filled every room
So much love filled an afternoon

And after dinner we got so excited
Presents under the tree Grandma lighted !
Wee folks got toys and the teens got cash
Smiles were not lost as the cameras flashed

We never noticed what the old folks got
Much too busy with Our presents they brought
Most are gone and their recipes perished
They made the Christmases I’ve cherished

I guess all I want this Christmas day
Is a family somewhere to find a way
To give a Christmas like mine used to be
To a child or two... the Christmas they need

Charlie 2004

 

[rust_preacher]

Regarding skills in the music trade, I know a luthier who does the work or my gear. He used to teach luthiery in a school with a class entrance of up to 40 students. He said he quit because his conscience would not let him train 40 people to enter a job market with no openings. There have been a few successful new entries to the local guitar market from that school, but 40 a year is overkill in most countries. I bet they learn to use a router though.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Happy Holidays GOF's !

The Christmas They Need

How many children have been cheated
Out of the real Christmases they’ve needed
Those ones that some of us recall
With two Grandpas and two Grandmas

Mommy and Daddy both were there too
All the women fixing all of that food
Aunts and Uncles filled every room
So much love filled an afternoon

And after dinner we got so excited
Presents under the tree Grandma lighted !
Wee folks got toys and the teens got cash
Smiles were not lost as the cameras flashed

We never noticed what the old folks got
Much too busy with Our presents they brought
Most are gone and their recipes perished
They made the Christmases I’ve cherished

I guess all I want this Christmas day
Is a family somewhere to find a way
To give a Christmas like mine used to be
To a child or two... the Christmas they need

Charlie 2004

I have fond memories of family gatherings.
The food and folks dropping by to say hello.
It’s the simple things in life that are important.
Take the time to enjoy them.

 

[lowplaces]

I have fond memories of family gatherings.
The food and folks dropping by to say hello.
It’s the simple things in life that are important.
Take the time to enjoy them.


View attachment 3236766


View attachment 3236767

Agreed, I sure miss the earlier days.

Not sure how it is with others but once my grandparents passed away everyone started scattering around and having Christmas dinner at different places.

I just tried to alternate from year to year. Where I couldn't make it last year I'll make sure to stop by this year.

I'm in the Christmas spirit early this year for some reason. Usually takes about 3 days before Christmas to get into the spirit.

I guess I'm getting old and sentimental

 

[GonePlaid]

Agreed, I sure miss the earlier days.

Not sure how it is with others but once my grandparents passed away everyone started scattering around and having Christmas dinner at different places.

I just tried to alternate from year to year. Where I couldn't make it last year I'll make sure to stop by this year.

I'm in the Christmas spirit early this year for some reason. Usually takes about 3 days before Christmas to get into the spirit.

I guess I'm getting old and sentimental

78 degrees and scattered showers(normal for FL)today. Not exactly Christmas-y.

 

[lowplaces]

78 degrees and scattered showers(normal for FL)today. Not exactly Christmas-y.

I spent Christmas week and New Year's Eve in Sarasota Florida one year back in the early 80s.

Kind of a culture shock

 

[beans-on-toast]

It was blistering cold tonight as we trudged down to a department store to see Santa. Wool hat and scarf, lambskin gloves. Warm coat with the hood up. Still cold. It isn’t even January.

It reminded me of this:

Invalid Link Removed

 

[mikeoso]

It was blistering cold tonight as we trudged down to a department store to see Santa. Wool hat and scarf, lambskin gloves. Warm coat with the hood up. Still cold. It isn’t even January.

It reminded me of this:

Invalid Link Removed

I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked, and the door I opened wide.

 

[BadExample]

I have had a difficult month and a half. In October, my older sister Gail, who was my best friend too, passed away after a brief illness. She was 80 years old. I would talk on the phone with her every few days. I spoke with her right before the surgery that she never awoke from. We always talked straight about life and death and had no fear about it. Our last words were "I love you and no matter what happens it's on to the next adventure!" That's how we lived our lives.

My original drinking buddy, we helped each other survive through a few marriages for the both of us, getting sober around the same time over 30 years ago and then having some big adventures like the jungles of Costa Rica, bumming and snorkeling through the Florida Keys, witnessing a shuttle launch,a first class Caribbean cruise with my new family. Just to name a few.

She loved the beach, so on her own she traveled to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, one at a time. The ones that you see in the travel magazines.

She was a research chemist, just her thesis short of a PHD in organic chemistry. Then she found her true passion as a Chemistry teacher. No kids of her own. Just me, her kid brother.

Gail started me on my music career. When I was 14 years old (in 1964) she took me to a juke joint on the beach apyly named 'The Beachside Cafe". It was a Sunday afternoon in the summer and a band was playing on the deck. Tommy and the Peppermint Twisters, from Brooklyn, NY. A soul band, decked out in sharkskin suits a with the skinny neckties on a summer afternoon at the beach. Funky.
But what impressed me the most was the sound and feel coming from that P-bass plugged into an Ampeg B15.
That did it for me. It helped that the bass player was tall and cool in his shades and had the moves.

10 years later I was playing regularly at that same club as part of the circuit our band was playing on. I was tall, I had some shades but no suit and lukewarm moves but still pretty damn funky.

Please know that mourning my loss is mostly over and I celebrate my sister's life and her legacy of true generosity of spirit that she showed to others all of her life.

Sorry to hear about that, Brian. Must have been a rough time. Best to you.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked, and the door I opened wide.

I noticed that error as well. Shame on them.

 

[GonePlaid]

I spent Christmas week and New Year's Eve in Sarasota Florida one year back in the early 80s.

Kind of a culture shock

I can't recall how many times we went to the beach in Miami Christmas day and New Year's.

 

[mikeoso]

I noticed that error as well. Shame on them.

I hadn't looked at the link...was just quoting my favorite couplet.

 

[12BitSlab]

Mrs. 12BitSlab and I have returned from our cruise.

28 years ago today my father died of colon cancer. He fought in WWII winning 5 Bronze Stars and 1 Silver Star.

The Axis powers couldn't defeat him, but the U.S. government did. I grew up 3 miles due East of the Fernald Nuclear Plant. During the 60's and early 70's, they used to release radioactive, uranium dust into the atmosphere to reduce the pressure in the plant.

The upside is that the Soviets had fewer nukes than we did. The downside is that the Fernald Plant killed more Americans with nuclear radiation than the Soviets ever thought of doing.

My father, mother, maternal grandmother, and paternal grandfather all died of colon cancer. I'm just waiting my turn.

I know this isn't bass related or amp related. I just wanted to point out that a true hero of WWII died because a government that was saved by Veterans couldn't care less about them.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I lost my dad in 1994 to colon cancer. It's amazing the strides medicine has made since then. You should be checked regularly by your doctor to make sure if you are a candidate for it, then you can stay ahead of it. Best of luck to you and I hope you enjoyed your cruise.

 

[BadExample]

Jeep ignition keyswitch froze, found out 6 hours ago. Youtube said easy peasy. They failed to mention it has to be switched to "on" to release the tumbler assembly. About ripping apart half the steering column, 4 hours heat lamp and every spray lube known to man, I could turn the key. After cleaning and removing all the lube(s) with hexane, relube and an hour off for lunch, the key turns like new. Now to put it all back together while praying for no collateral damage.

Many youtubes say to beat the key with a hammer, no joke, that's their fix. Not going there. The tumblers are not the problem. It's the part the tumblers release. Fits in a keyway and looks like the grease monkey key that goes into a keyway on a shaft. It was not pulling in well.

 

[BadExample]

I lost my dad in 1994 to colon cancer. It's amazing the strides medicine has made since then. You should be checked regularly by your doctor to make sure if you are a candidate for it, then you can stay ahead of it. Best of luck to you and I hope you enjoyed your cruise.

That sux bro. My mom was inches away from that a month ago, both her brother and sister had it and it took her sisters life. So that gene is strong in us.