The Tacticool Toolbag Primer (Revisited)

I make my living fixing stuff. I love it. I love what I do. If you would have asked me 15 years ago if this would be my profession, I would have told you "No way in Hell, Jack!" Honestly, it's crazy how things change.

Tools are a passion of mine. Growing up in and around my Dad's garage, especially when I was told to clean the dang thing, I looked at a lot of tools and learned about them and what they could do. By being around my dad and brother fixing stuff I learned through osmosis and sometimes instruction on how to repair or build things. These guys built skyscrapers. There is nothing they could not handle, and they always had the best tools for the job.

I may very well have become an iron worker if my dad encouraged it, or would have joined the military if I wasn't dissauded at a young age. But as life has it, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. The life of a preparedness-minded maintenance dude agrees with me.

Anyway, above is my emergency response bag. This is the one I have at home. I have one at work that is nearly identical with some minor differences. At either location, I can handle 85-90% of maintenance problems that arise. Everything from electrical to plumbing to carpentry to whatever. Usually, there's a tool in the bag that will do the trick.

I got the idea for the tacticool electrician style bag from our excellent HVAC guys, who have to climb on roofs and other places every day to do their job. We all have tons of tools, but the essentials are left in the bag for when duty calls. Excitedly, I put one together at work and then began building one for home about three years ago. The contents are, in my opinion, essentials listed below for your consideration:

1.) Hexnut drivers (Standard). You never know know when you'll need one of these. I keep these on hand because they are solid and keep me from running to grab the ratchet set too often.

2.) Screwdrivers. An obvious must. I prefer Klein Long Shanks. These are #2. At work I also have tiny small #2s for the occasional tight spot. And tiny regular and philips screwdrivers for opening electronics, repairing glasses, and what not. Also included above is an awl. It's the pointy thing next to the screwdrivers.

3.) Volt Tester: It tells you if an outlet or wire is hot. Above is a red GB instruments product. It works, sometimes. In the future I will purchase one by Fluke, because I simply don't trust the GB.

4.) Multimeter: Reads voltage, amps, etcs. As one electrician told me, always double check with the multimeter to see if a wire is hot, even if you've used a volt tester first. You just never know.

5.) Tape: I keep electrical tape on hand, as well as white and yellow tape for water and gas plumbing respectively. I don't carry plumbers putty in the bag, simply because if I need that, I usually need a whole bunch of other stuff, and I keep that in a seperate dedicated plumbing tool box. Also good to have if you are working with gas is some of the gas-bubbly. It's basically a liquid that you put on a fitting, and if it bubbles up, you know you have a leak.

6.) Safety glasses: The ones above are tinted. It's good to have a couple laying around. Don't risk jacking your eye if you can't find them. That's why it's good to have more than one, especially when working with wood.

7.) Wire Strippers: A necessity if you are working with wire. Mine are Kleins

8.) Drywall saw: When you need it, nothing else suffices. Similarly, I keep two box cutters in the bag, in case one gets misplaced.

9.) Extra screw driver: Just in case. Has multi-sized heads.

10.) Mini-Crow bar/nail puller: Perfect when you need to bash something. Or get out a nail you can't reach with a hammer.

11.) Hammer: An absolute must. I prefer a 16 ounce Estwing. Well-worth every penny, especially when you gotta do a lot of pounding.

12.) Spark igniter: I keep one on the bag in case I need to access a torch. I don't use it much, but it looks bad ass hanging there.

13.) Pliers: Sidecutters, Diagonal cutters, and needlenose (both long and short, if possible). I like Klein's. Channelocks are good too.

14.) Adjustable Wrench/Channelocks: I grew up just calling them Channelocks, because that's what my dad and brother owned. You need 2 different sizes. 12 inch and 8 inch. That should handle most issues related to plumbing, unfastening, or what have you.

15.) Flashlight: Duh. Sometimes you will need to see in a place where it's dark. I have a simple mag lite in the bag, although I should probably eventually switch it to an LED maglite.

16.) Metal File: Especially handy for plumbing with copper, or working with any type of metal for that matter.

17.) Adjustable mirror: These things are like two bucks at Autozone. They are very handy for inspecting unaccessible spots. This is the most recent addition to the bag.

18.) Tape Measure: Another essential. I also like to have a small level in the bag, but right now it's on my framing belt.

19.) Wood chisel: At work I also keep a metal pin/chisel as well for the unexpected, but for home it's just not practical. Has many good uses.

20.) Screw Tackle Box: This thing is great and keeps commonly used items organized. I always keep plenty of wire nuts, self-tapping metal screws, washers, and drywall screws in minel. I also have a miscellaneous section with a a hodgepodge of oddball screws, nuts and nails. You just never know when you are going to need something, and there is a special victory in not having to run to your shed or Lowe's to grab it when you find it in your bag.

One last thing: You need a good solid, 18volt cordless screw gun. I carry it seperately, as well as a small "bit" book, that contains multiple bits and drivers. Definitely a must have at some point. I am among the masses who needs to upgrade

My final advice is to not skimp on your tools. As for me, I had a few already, bought the bag, and then dedicated $20.00 from each paycheck to load it up until I was satisfied. I didn't take long before I was ready to rock.

Other tools make there way in and out of the bag as needed, but the ones listed above are the ones I view as essential to have on hand. A tool bag such as the above is also nice because it's easy to carry into battle and you can see what you've got at a glance. Stuff falls to the bottom from time to time, but if you love your tools the way I do it's refreshing and inspiring to reorganize.

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog

Knee Deep...

I've been MIA from my usual haunts this week, as I've been standing knee deep in insulation--blown-in AND batts--at work, not to mention rest of the debris. We are doing an office retro-fit and I am everything from day laborer to project manager on this job, from dawn to dusk.

It will be good to get this one out of the way. There's been a lot of build up over this project, and once it's over, life as a maintenance guy, I hope, will become somewhat normal.

Anyway, I wanted to post up and say yo, what up.

Peace Out, homies.

--Nick-Dog

Hitting the Spot

I've had it in my mind for a week or so that I would be returning to West Va. for my birthday, specifically to Lost River State Park.

What I did not intend until the last minute was going the long way, and by long I mean roundabout. The scenic route. The one you take only when you get lost or are going somewhere else. Yes, that would be the route I took.

I gave the map a cursory look on Google, but neglected to zoom in. The road Atlas I looked at while at the truck stop was little better. In fact, I thought I had gained clarification. Only when I stopped to ask for further clarification just short of Orkney Springs did I realize the breadth of my (mis)adventure. I recalled a certain unmarked fork in the road, where I zigged instead of zagged and chose the path less traveled. We nearly turned back, but my intrepid and understanding wife, wanting me to get it out of my system and have a good birthday, convinced me otherwise.

I'm glad she did. I enjoyed our return to the park immensely, despite the length of the trip. The cool thing is we got to see parts of Va. we've never seen, much of which was simply breathtaking and some of which was reminiscent of "The Road." The stretch of 42 from Woodstock to Basye is one to remember for sure.

Anyway, Lost River is my favorite state park, an isolated oasis of tranquility and beauty. It is way the hell out for sure, but worth it in spades. I can't say enough about this place, and many others in West Va. So in keeping with the spirit of keeping a place like this unknown and unsullied, let me just state for the record that West Va. sucks and Lost River is the place where unwashed rednecks hang out with banjos.

Godspeed,

--Nick-Dog

--

In case you haven't noticed...

The world is circling the drain.

Greece goes belly-up and the DOW drops a grand? 1.5 trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see. Bailouts here, there, and everywhere. Here a trilion, there a trilion. What the hell is a billion anymore, really? And we are supposed to be pissed about CEO bonuses?! Give me an FN break.

If there was an event to signal that the light has gone from hazard yellow to "Oh shit!" red, it was the Greece/Dow plummet. At least for me. Either way, the fact is that every first world economy in the world is in the red, and the world is starting to notice. Our own country is bankrupt. The full faith and credit of the United States is presently a fiction that others choose to believe so things can chug along as if nothing is wrong, but the fact is that the system is so corrupt that eventually the only way left to go will be a systemic collapse.

Combine the above with the fact that terrorists are still on the hunt and hell bent on destroying America, and our problems don't get any smaller. If you've ever been at sea, this is the moment you say to yourself, "We're in the shit!" You realize that you are in the middle of the rough sea, with no end in site in any direction. Yet you chart your course nonetheless and weather the storm as best as possible.

This morning, even the local conservative radio host, Christ Plante, who is awesome, was asking the question, how are you preparing for the seemingly turbulant times down the road? I wish I could have listened to the whole show, but the bottom line is that people are taking notice and taking matters into their own hands. One caller in particular said "I'm making sure my guns are clean and I've started my first garden." That's a good indicator of where we are at present.

Friends, now is the time to get your shit together, if you haven't already. Now more than ever. Now is the time. Once the economy collapses, that's it, there's no hitting the reset button and no turning back. Right now, in other places in the world, a collapsed economy is the daily reality, along with corruption, starvation, oppression, and disease.

People who say it can't happen here should remind themselves of ancient Rome before the fall, or of Byzantium, when the empire struggled to maintain its borders against their enemies (some of whom we are fighting now, mind you). While times may change, the human predicament most certainly does not. Barbarism is not bound by place or time, and extended times of peace and prosperity are the exception rather than the rule.

A new dark age looms on the horizon. Now is the time to overcome.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Some good news...

I looked again more thoroughly at the gun laws. It appears that the law I cited about shooting within 100 yards of a road was either a) an older law that has since been overturned/re-written; b.) in reference to a state law that allows individual counties to outlaw shooting up to within 100 yards of the road.

So this means I can shoot on my property.

I will still further research this and perhaps make an anonymous phone call to the county or to the sherriff.

This makes me very happy, as I sorely missed looking at the .22 hanging above my door and feeling like I could go out and shoot.

Also in good news, I finished the book project I've been working on. More about this later, if it actually gets published, but this means I have some money coming my way to spend, in part, on guns.

I would like to purchase a scope for the rifle (.300 WSM) and a new/newly used shotty. My budget scope is a Leupold VX-II for about $300. I need to do a little more research, but I
don't really see a need to shoot out farther than 500 yards (at this time). I could easily spend 2 or 3 times that amount, but it's hard to justify right now.

If I go this route, which seems probable, I am looking for an 8-shot Mossy Persuader, with the butstock. Something very tacticool. An end of the world pump gun. This will round out my arsenal nicely.

(Also on the docket is a .22 Marlin 60, whenever I can find an old school one around here. I will snap it up when I find it.)

Peace Yos,

--Nick-Dog

Severly F'n Pissed

Above, 10 acres in West Va. for $29,000, about 1-1.5 hours from here.

Yes, that's right. Here's why:

"Don't start! Tell him if he does it again I'll call the law!"

This was the response I received, shouted from somewhere on my northern neighbor's property, from the crackle of a the Marlin Model 80 .22 rifle.

Unfortunately, the law is on her side. In VA, you need to be at least 100 yards from the road to discharge a firearm. I was initially advised by my other neigbors, who are actually closer to our house, that it is ok to shoot on the back 50 since "no one around here really cares." Heavy D, however, who lives to the north is now suddenly upset by my occasional shooting.

These are the same people who shout all the time outside yelling at their kids/relatives/whoever for the whole damn neighborhood to hear. And now duddenly, my May Day salute is offensive.

There is a diatribe of expletives that wish to spew forth from my mowth/fingertips, but I will spare you the details. You see, it's not that they had a problem with me shooting that bothers me. It's that the manner in which the threat was delivered was totally disrespectful. If she had come over and said, "Hey Nick, I know we live in the country and all, but I am really uncomfortable with you shooting here, could you please stop?" I would have been more than cool and would have appreciated the vote of confidence.

That and they have had plenty of opportunities in the past to address me about their concerns. So, WTF? Now it's a problem? Passive aggressive doesn't fly with me. Not one bit.

"Then stay the hell away from my pears" is how I should have responded. Yes, they have confessed that they pick pears from our trees, occasionally.

So anyway, you can imagine that I was pissed by being corrected in this fashion. As so often is the case, it's not what you do, it's how you do it. Writing this out for the world to hear/read makes me feel better.

I am now dead serious about taking action to buy cheap rural land in west va, on which to hunt, zero my rifles and hang out as I see fit. There are no ranges in my locale to speak of, except the Izaak Walton League. But you have to be a member, you can't take friends, etc. In fact, most ranges out here tend to fall under the members only category. It's kinda gay, but understandable.

So anyway, that's my beef. All I needed was an excuse to bug out to West VA. Now I know I have one.

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog

My Wilderness Instructor Belt Has Arrived!!!!

Yippee Kai-Yay Muthas!!!!!!

I finally received my much needed, much desired Wilderness Instructor Belt. It is THE SHIT. Tensile Strength over 4 ton+Made in the USA+Bad ASS=EPIC WIN.

I love my new belt. I shoulda bought this long ago. Well worth it in every respect. My gun is happily situated on the hip, and my Corona is happily situated in my mowth.

Over and Out, Suckas!

--Nick-Dog

Further Thoughts on Renovations

A look at old houses.

As you may know, I've become something of a construction enthusiast over the past couple of years, analyzing various homes in terms of their potential vs. their problems. I get juiced when I see a project in the works on an old home, especially an old country home. Beautiful houses are not made for magazines. They are made to be lived in.

Here's some thoughts on evaluating an old home. It's just a list of things I'd like to keep in mind before looking at a home as an investment. I just can't help it--I really dig real estate.

Ok so you think you've found your new home/project. You like what you see. First thing to really evaluate is the foundation. I recently did a walk through on a rehab in Strasburg. A really pretty house with gorgeous refinished original wood floors, new drywall, electrical tidied up, new appliances in the kitchen, steam heat, wood stove, etc.

And then I walked downstairs. The basement was dark and dank. I could see the moisture on the walls and the rust on the pipes. Bad sign. This doesn't mean walk away, but it spells trouble for the future and this issue will have to be addressed. If you really like a home, you have to be willing to live with it's foibles. If you are going to try and pass it off as a flip, then well, you need to make sure the rest of the house is so nice that the people who buy it are willing to overlook the basement.

In addition to mold, moisture, and rust. Look for cracks along the walls and floor and evaluate the plot of land the house sits on in terms of drainage. If it's on flat land, as this one was was, flooding of the basement may be an issue. French drains and a sump pump are really the only solutions, the latter being the back up plan.

BTW, the house was originally on the market for $99,000. Asking price for this newly renovated dwelling is $167,000. They did a nice job. I'd say it's worth about $150,000 tops.

2.) Planning your renovation. Maybe the wheels are spinning and you can see massive potential in the house. This is good, but the voice of reason, the skeptic in you must win the day. I mean if you are already looking at a potential fixer-upper, you are already an optimist. When you are planning renovations, even off the cuff however, the realist in you must carry the day. Think it will cost $1500? Double it. Think it will take you a month? Consider it three. Think you will realistically work on the place after your 9-5 and on weekends? Cut that time in about half. Now you are getting a more realistic picture, if you are like me, who has to learn the hard way.

3.) Assess reality, not fiction. Look at the whole picture. If a home is out of whack, you need to love out of whack homes. This means that if you see the ceiling drooping, or the floor sagging, or the wall out of plumb here and there, that's what you'll be working with unless you decide to delete old walls to add new ones. When you work with the imperfect, life is always harder and the project will take longer. In some ways, the results will seem more natural in the end. It just depends.

4.) That brings me to my next point. Don't expect everything to simply come together in the finishing touches. It's still going to look out of whack to some extent if it's an older home. You just don't want it to look ghetto.

5.) My final point is to start with a plan, not an idea. Yes, yes, I know, ideas spawn plans. But before you break out your tool box, know exactly what you are going to do each and every step of the way. Have a drawing. With details. You don't have to be an architect, but a drawing does so many thing an idea in your head does not. It organizes your efforts and gives you a realistic "picture" of the final product. Some people even build models. Whatever gives you your vision, don't start unless you have a drawing, and one that includes not just placement of furnitures and built ins but also tracks your plumbing and electrical.

There are many more items I can add, but this will have to do for a moment. The house shows all get rendundant after awhile. At somepoint you just say F-it and whip out the hammer.

Peace Yo's,

--Nick-Dog

Hitting the Reset Button

Time for a new post.

Last weekend was a supreme occasion for me. I woke up early Sunday morning, checked out Netflix and clicked on watching Conan the Destroyer. I haven't seen this movie in years, but it was a superb way to begin the day and, crazy as it may sound, put a whole bunch of things in perspective.

First, the movie. Arnold in his prime. The dude is massive and imposing, and the point is duly made throughout the film that he is the strongest mofoe anywhere. He's brutish and thugish and has no compunction lopping off heads at will. I love it. You just can't get this level of vintage brutality these days.

Many prefer Conan the Barbarian. Indeed, it is a more intense and dramatic film. The soundtrack is the arguably the greatest that has ever been produced for any movie at any time. And there's some wicked battle scenes. The Destroyer is good, nay, very good, but not quite the first film in all its epic originality. Some people call this stuff campy. I call it great.

"Time enough for the earth in the grave."

Watching this film was so much fun, I can't tell you. It was like hitting the reset button on my life. A little Conan puts it all into perspective. Seeing him blast that camel on the top of its head with a clenched hammer fist made everything feel better. I can't describe it any better than that.

"Oil the Sword. Feed the Horse." Words to live by, my friends.

Peace Out, Homies.

--Nick-Dog

Smithwicks & Slugs

On St. Patty's Day, I found myself at Walmart aquiring a 6-pack of my favorite Irish brew. I also added a couple 5-packs of rifled 2 3/4 12 gauge slugs to the basket. A perfect combination, but it had me thinking: every time I stop at Walmart, I am going to pick some 12 gauge slugs or buckshot. It's an easy way to stockpile ammo without feeling the hit to badly. In a time of crisis, you have what you have and that's it.

Sun Tzu--or someone bad ass--once said, "The great general is not the one who wins 100 battles, but avoids 1000."

I mentioned this recently when talking about my own modus operandi with a fellow martially-minded person. The art of avoiding trouble is every bit as important as learning how to exit or neutralize trouble when it occurs. I find if you think ahead you can avoid all but the realisitically unexpected events, such as Billy-Bob and Tyrone skulking through your backyard with a pocketful of xBox. At that point, one should be so ready that the surprise is on them.

Being ready. Vigilance. Alertness. This is what seperates the warrior from the wannabe. The warrior lives by intention, not by luck. He welcomes luck, but strives to not be dependent on it. Instead he is aware. He who is aware can win many battles by seeing them before they happen, and cutting off his enemy at the pass. Whether it's avoiding the critique of a cranky boss or the jerk-ass driving 25 in 5mph zone, being aware in the present moment can be the difference between a good day or bad one, between business as usual and ending up in the hospital.

We should never underestimate the importance of our own awareness. It is the most critical skill of the warrior, one that needs to be continually refined, practiced, tried-out, honed, lived, and polished.

There are many stories repeated by students of O'Sensei, the founder of Aikido, who told his students to try and surprise him, if they ever found the opportunity. Despite many of them trying, even while he slept, none of them suceeded in doing so. He would stir from his slumber, sensing their intentions. Or walking down an alleyway alongside the dojo, he would feel them waiting behind a corner and change course. Such is the mark of a true master.

The most important skill of the warrior is a supreme awareness. But when that fails, start blasting.

Over and Out,

--Nick-dog

Talking Shop

(The Mazarrati of Saws: Wenzloff & Sons, Dovetail and Carcass saws from www.wenzloffandsons.com)

I've been spending my free time reading up on wood and wood working. It's been an inspiration for me to get my ass in gear and work on making our mini-barn into a small shop.

The first thing I did was purchase a JET bench tablesaw. I don't have room for anything larger, so this will have to do. I plan on building an outfeed table for it, but for now, as I get the place into the semblance of order, it's in the box.

Next I ripped out the prexisting cabinetry and counter top. There was no salvaging it. The cabinets had no back to them, allowing mice to make their homes in this thing and making storing your goods securly (from mouse dung) an impossibility. Now I am in the process of installing 1/2 plywood panels along the walls to insulate from varmints. I am using screws so I can add insulation down the line if I so choose, but right now my main concern is keeping mice at bay.

Now that I have a single wall basically done, the next step is to build my first bench. My current plan is to create a base cabinet on either side with an interior shelf in which to store my power tools and other goodies. It will not be a perfect or glorious bench, but it will get the job done. An 18th century wood workers bench would be cool and all, but right now I simply need a clean, functional location to build and repair stuff.

For the woodworker, there are two types of shops: plugged and unplugged. I've been tuning into the posts and podcasts over at Logan Cabinet Shoppe for the latter. As for a more commercial endeavor, www.thewoodwhisperer.com, is a great site too.

As romantic as a traditional, hand tools only shop (for woodworking) sounds for some, for me it is impractical albeit cool. Not just because of time, I suppose, (and my general impatience) but also because non-stop handsawing and similar motions aggravate an old injury I have in my right shoulder muscles. I guess I could learn to be left-hand dominant, but that's another story.

Anyway, my hope is to use this space for projects around the house, but also to produce furniture for the home that will stand the test of time. Not the MDF shit we all have in our houses. And yes, possibly the occasional Etsy sale in my wife's shop.

I'll also have a location where I can clean the gun and meditate on the art of the warrior. But those thoughts will have to wait until a subsequent post.

Peace Out,

--Nick

A Dios "Pariah"

She served me well.

I have finally parted with it, after my 3rd post. It was only a few miles short of 265k miles on the clock when I signed over the title. Can you believe that?! Wow. And I got $1600 for it, basically sight unseen. The buyer didn't even take a test drive. In a word, I got away easy.

Honestly, I think the car was about to explode. No, seriously. I have treated it well and took care of it, but with that many miles you simply never know what's going to happen next.

That said, I wish them the best. Me, I'm happy as a clam. I get to graduate to the Jeep Wrangler as my daily driver and look for a new vehicle for my lovely wife. And I no longer have the Mustang to worry about. It's crazy, but even though I was pretty confident in that car--more confident than most--it's a weight off of my shoulders. I guess subconsciously I was worried about it more than I realized.

I delivered the car just north of the District, driving through some of my olde haunts in the process. Even though I am happily bugged out to the country, I thoroughly enjoy the feeling of being in midst of D.C's non-K Street precincts. There's a pretty lively beat, even if you do have to roll up your windows. And while I took 2 buses and 2 trains to get to Vienna, the western most point on Metro orange line, I enjoyed the thrill of the adventure and the fact that I didn't have to drive to navigate through the city on my way back.

To be sure, I love country life, but it is a fitting swan song for my car to have made its final race with me through D.C. Thank you, "Pariah." You've always beens good to me...except that one time before New Year's. But it was probably for the best anyway.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Going to Seed? WTF!

You know, it's been a strange week. A really strange week. I have to ask myself if I am losing it or what. Almost.

First, my wife gets some fabric and I actually feel some sort of excitement over it. Yeah, seriously. Maybe it's due to the mad success of her Etsy shop, or just to the fact that gnomes are inherently cu..., I mean interesting.

Secondly, for the first time in my life I am excited about seeds. Garden seeds. That is, organic, heirloom garden seeds. I am barely a gardener, though I've been successful with Bonsai. But when our neatly packaged seeds arrived from Etsy, I was overcome with inexplicable glee. Not because they will serve as the basis for my anti-Obama survivalist garden, but because they are seeds qua seeds. Real seeds that offer power to individuals to feed themselves, year after year. Very cool!

Also strange is that I have firmly commmitted myself to sell my Mustang. Even though it's only a "car," this war horse has been a HUGE part of my life. When everything went to shit long before I met my wife, at the end of the day it was me and my Mustang heading off into the sunset, flipping the bird to our enemies. Defiant and stylish, this car has been a boon. I could not have asked for a better car, but now with 263k on the clock, it's time to move on and pass the torch of Black Mustangdom to someone who has the time and the cash to bring it to its proper glory.

That and the fact that we are heading for continued and even more difficult economic times. A gratis car project sounds cool and very American, but only if you have the extra cash and a home speed shop. I have neither and cannot justify the expense, when looking at all of our house/property plans. I cannot see restoring a car for 5 another years or more. I don't know if I'll even be interested in something like that. Probably, but the timing will have to be right.

The flip side of all of this is now I will be driving the Black Jeep TJ, and that my friends is a good thing.

The final element of my crazy week is the mania, which has gripped this house. I can't escape my crazy kids at any hour of the day except four in the morning and even then I am pushing it. I am waking up at 3 and 4 AM and not able to fall back asleep. I guess this is what happens when you have so much to do, but no where near enough time.

Hopefully, when Spring comes this will all change and everyone will be peacefully playing in their respective dens. But I am not counting on it. Not in the least.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Apocolyptic Winds at the Weekend's Precipace

When it gets windy, there's whispering and howling on our front porch. Tonite it's been screaming as we endure the up to 60-mph wind gusts. It is an eerie sound, and I am brought back to the movie, The Road, despite my complete desire not to go there. But if I do, I want more shotgun shells and a cool shotgun bandolier/scabbard for the weapon.

Who am I kidding? I want thay anyway.

I've been following the political-economic situation uber-closely for months. Probably too closely. I should probably spend my time being more productive. One thing I cannot quite get over is how back in late 2007, the media kept asking the question "Are we in a recession? (x1000)" when the average American was living way high on the hog. They were trying to do their part to fabricate the crisis we already in, not that we needed any help. But you hear what I'm saying. The economy was hopping, but they wanted Armageddon on Bush's watch.

I just wanted to get that off my chest. Moving along...

I am ready for Spring, whevever it decides to come. And speaking of springs, we have opted to invest in a Berkey Water filter soon in hopes that we will actually be able to drink our own tap water without grimacing. This means that my monthly jaunts to the spring down the road will now be only occasional, providing that the Berkey works as it should. I love the trip and all, but it's very time and gas consuming. It's also a therapeutic excuse to escape and go back to nature and was highly enjoyable. I may end up going back more often than I think, if I get withdrawl or something. We'll see.

Ok, this is just an early morning post to get the day started. I am a master procrastinator and should be finishing up my book, which = another shotgun and several cords of firewood. On that note, I better get going.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Timber Frames

I am presently reading The Timber Frame Home by Tedd Benson. This book is terrific, but not light reading. Benson is a part-poet, designer, and builder who argues convincingly about the awesomeness of timber frame homes: their sturdiness, architectural appeal, and longevity. He introduces the novice to the numerous facets of design and nomenclature, and in doing so, brings the craft to life.

Presently, I am dreaming about adding a modest addition to our house, which will increase our home's living area and give us room to grow. Our house is cozy and we love it, but eventually we'll need more space. I am planning now so that we can work towards something that is not only functional, but hopefully beautiful.

The other side of this is that one day I would like to build a modest-size, cabin-syle house from scratch as an investment and then sell it. It would be small in scale, but beautiful. In fact, it is much easier to build from scratch than to work with an existing, imperfect structure, but that's another topic. A couple of custom houses and I think I could retire comfortably. But to be honest, I don't know where I'd find the time.

Speaking of which, I think I better get something done on our house...

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog

Wintry Musings

When it's all said and done, this has been a great--and I mean fantastic--winter.

There's something really special about being in the snow plastered mountains, particularly the Snow Covered Blue Ridge. I mean the mountains are excited. I had that feeling passing through Markham on I-66 on my way home two Thursdays ago. Their anticipation, if you can call it that, was palpable, even as the weathermen continually upped the snow fall amount by the hour. Anyway, my point is, the place is renewed, the way being bathed in snow can only renew you. Sounds weird, maybe, but if you ever played in a thunderstorm you know what I mean.

Out here we don't get a lot of snow, usually, so when the storm of the century arrives, it's really a major event. I also feel more settled into our home than we have ever been, and I am excited for our following years here. As we complete the infrastructure, it will be easier to kick back and enjoy the seasons. Maybe it's the snow, but I love it here and feel more a part of this place and this area than I ever have been. And that's saying something.

The last couple of days, despite the cold, which doesn't bother me that much provided I'm bundled well, I've made sure to get our snow dog out for a walk. She is more excited than I have ever seen her, too. I mean, this is the weather she was meant for and she just wants to roll around, snuggle, and worm her way into the powder. It's great to see her in her element. These dogs have an inner spirit that is so pure and true it's awe inspiring. Huskies are high maintenance, but it's because they are so completely alive.

This morning I had a particularly challenging time starting the fire. Last night, I had it cranking. All the lights were off, and sitting in front of this thing looking out the window to the sky, I could see most of O'Rion with his tell-tale belt sparkling through the tree. It was a supreme moment, and one of the reasons I love life in the hollar.

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog

Snowpocolypse 2010

So we've been getting slammed by the snow. Somewhere between 24-30 inches from the initial storm. As I write, the next storm is making landfall, bringing us another 8-20. We'll see. Mother nature is relentless this year. The Farmers' Almanac predicts snow every 4 days for the month of February. So far, they've been right. That feels kind of eerie, to be honest.

I've been snowed in as a consequence, since the Fed Gov't is closed and I run on its schedule. My main concerns have revolved around keeping us well-supplied and warm, not to mention dug out. This last includes the roof, which was a Herculean task even for a house as small as ours. Knowing that there would be roof collapses around the region due to the snow, I did not want to be on that list. I burned a lot of calories in the process and am grateful for my neighbor and his tractor for assisting with the driveway.

VDOT has done a great job with the main roads and with our road, though I believe someone in the neighborhood works for the state. That may have helped. The town's roads are still in piss-poor condition, making trips hazardous and slow.

Guns: I picked up some 2 3/4 rifled slugs yesterday, as part of my committment to keep the shotgun well-supplied, in addition to another box of .22. I will be purchasing a bandolier or two for shot shells in case I need to leave in a hurry. I have some money coming to me soon as well, and am considering creative ways to allocate it. I have an AR build I need to finish and need a scope for the rifle. Other considerations include an additional shotgun or Glock or Marlin Model 60. Given the recent re-appearance of .223 on the shelves, I am leaning towards finishing the AR and stocking up. So many guns too little money. Maybe I'll just buy a chainsaw instead.

Wood: In a month or two, I will be investing in 4 cords of hardwood for next winter. Four cords seems to be about right for a winter, with some to spare. I've found an awesome wood-source via craigslist and I've been really pleased so far, especially with the Ash. If I let it season an additional year, so much the better. It's one more thing off my mind, and if the SHTF, I'll be good on wood for a winter.

Garden: One of things that will be center stage this spring will be the focus on a garden of raised beds relatively close to the house. We are turning to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds for our supply, as Southern Seed Exchange associates to closely with the left for our liking. Baker Creek is on the front line of fighting large corps. and providing people with the tools they need to maintain their own self-sufficient garden. Getting our garden mostly right this year is truly key. Once we've established a good mode of operation, it will be easier to continue from year to year. But right now we are starting from ground level to get this thing up and running. I look forward to it.

Chickens: Our other goal this year is to add chickens. The coupe may need to be re-worked, but I am largely confident in chicken ownership. I am considering a new .22, which I mentioned above, to keep out predators, such foxes and bobcats. An AR might do the job just as well, though.

There are other house projects after the bathroom on the horizon as well, but the above is the main focus. Once this stuff gets done and it's more just a matter of maintenance, it will be time to celebrate and continue on from there.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Anthems

I wanted to post up something a little more positive than my last post, and it's about Anthems or theme songs.

I have been expanding my appreciation for country in recent weeks and have been basically waiting for "Bonfire" and "Out in the Backwoods" to come on the radio.

I am not a full-blown twangified hick, although Clare is certainly worried I'm heading in that direction. I just like to rock out and hear things that resonate with things I hold dear: guns, knives, fire, trucks/jeeps, and life in general "out in the sticks." I mean, when a song begins with the lyrics "Rifle in a gun rack hanging in the back glass/ buck knife on my belt..." that pretty much has my complete attention right there, and sums up how I want to be set up in general...

I like country, but bluegrass is my absolute favorite and preference in the americana department. I mean, I could really get into some serious bluegrass, preferably on some dude's cabin porch out here, but I'd likely have better luck finding a bonfire.

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog

MFL 2010

This past week went by steadily, but looking back on it, it's a blur.

My dad came out for the MFL, which took forever to start. We started walking early through the crowds, as our legs were stiffening up as we waited for over an hour for things to get underway. We were at the foot of the ascent up to Capitol Hill when the March met up with us. We joined in just behind the front-line banner carriers as people shouted down Roe.

I think it was a really good experience for my dad to see this political action first hand, as he is a Knight of Columbus and the Knights are greatly responsible for assisting with March's organization and pro-life activities in general. For me, it was just another march. I surprised an old acquaintence by saying hello and fortuitously met up with the group from Holy Family, where I work. I kept an eye on my dad, let him wander as he chose and kept the trip on track flawlessly. Skill and the grace of God made everything go like clockwork and we were some of the first ones out after we did our due diligence in front of the Supreme Court.

A couple of observations. First, each year the march is more and more made up of young adults. The older pro-life leadership has failed to overturn Roe, but their persistence in action has effectively passed the torch to the next generation.

I worked for the pro-life movement for two-years in the area of education and inspiration. I have personally witnessed the great deal of in-fighting amongst pro-lifers, to my dismay but I suppose not to my surprise. Each organization says they are or represent the grassroots, that they have the answer or way to overturn Roe, but yet cannot unite except at the March. This is where each of them tries to make their presence felt in such a way as to show that the March is their enterprise and they are leading it, or are essential to it being 'the true march.' Not all groups act this way, the best do not, but the majority act as if it's their show.

So, as I waited and waited for the walk to ensue, I saw various representatives of said groups purposefully scutter to and fro in the vain attempt to seem important and have presence. But knowing a bit of each of their stories first-hand I remain unimpressed, not because of their intentions necessarily, but because of their weaknesses. Were they there for themselves or for the cause?

You see, in the off-season these .orgs have to raise money and seem important to stay afloat and do their 'work.' My experience has been that the 'work' is often the battle over territory, power, influence, and money amonst pro-lifers. They vie against each other for the pro-life pie--the pro-life donor--and yet somehow remain influential amongst their enemies.

Every organization has to survive, but in the world of pro-life non-profits there is little if any peaceful coexistence. To call it 'cut-throat' would not be an exagerration.

Anyway, so seeing these people, brought these grim recollections to mind. The fact is, the power of the pro-life movement is with education and with the youth, not any particular association, although I would certainly agree that each has their place. The fact that there is a march and one increasingly filled with young people is a testimony to the power of the message and the Holy Spirit, not to any one group.

For my own part, I was happy to stand to be counted but be the gray man. Change begins with the individual, not with a group. History is almost always made by the minority. While the March is a damn important event, it's even more important to be an agent for God on the homefront. I would financially and personally support a local CPC before most .orgs.

And with that I leave you with my reflections, for whatever they are worth. Change begins at home.

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog

Poised to Strike

What's up, peeps?

Sorry for the lack of consistent updates, but as I intimated in previous posts, I've been hella busy. I have had my shoulder to the wheel since the beginning of the year and "have filled the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds of distance run." So you'll excuse me, I hope, if I am temporarily inconsistent with my ramblings.

I have spoken with some of you about the need to be prepared, here and there. Preparedness is about being centered and stable, not being a bunker-dweller. I realize that sometimes I may come off as the latter, but in my own mind, I consider preparedness is a lifestyle that acknowledges that the S can HTF at any moment, and it's best to be as ready as possible.

The key to handling any conflict is awareness: Knowing your enemy before he knows you. Seeing conflicts and conflict patterns before they happen. Going with your gut and making calculated decisions based on your intel and an honest/realistic assessment of all situations. This is hyper-dramatic sounding, perhaps, but the art of staying safe and protecting your kiester isn't magic. It's a skill, and it's something that has to be consciously developed and practiced on daily basis over time.

Being prepared is about developing good habits that will aid you in a crisis situation. If the S has already HTF and you're running to the store to fill your cupboards and gun safe, you're too late. On an individual level, it's about putting your gun on and off the same way every time. It's about being organized personally, so that if the alarm sounds in the middle of the night, you are already in the best possible position to handle that situation: your boots, car keys, clothes for the next day, gun(s), and every day carry items are at the foot of your bed, ready to go. In 60 seconds, you have all of your absolutely essential shit already there and you aren't caught off-guard. You are in a position to help yourself and others.

On a national level, it's about seeing the interdependence of the numerous systems we rely on to live our daily lives, and knowing that if any of those systems fail signficantly or goes away, our own lives and those around us will be severely impacted. With the present administration and state of affairs in the world, the crisis looms large, but all is not lost.

I have so much to say on being prepared. It's been on mind since I made my first gun purchase in Sept. 2008. What can really happen? Where is our country headed? What can be done? Am I ready to handle a crisis event in my own life? And so on. Yet there are many who say it better, or articulate my own thoughts.

I don't know what the future will hold. My gut tells me the roller coaster has only just started, and that it's best to have one's shit together sooner rather than later. Check out the www.thesurvivalpodcast.com if you are looking for ideas to do just that. I am scrambling to put life on the homestead in order myself, but honestly I need to do that anyway, whether or not the SHTF.

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog

The Proper Way to Catch a Shark

A short one.

I had an interesting dream last night. I was fly-fishing for the first time out here on a Virginia creek, possibly nearby Passage Creek. Within moments, a hostile 6ft shark took the bait and I reeled him in. He was pretty viscious and wanted blood. As he came to shore, I was several feet away, pulled out my Glock 17 and emptied most of the clip into the shark's head, leaving an extra few in the magazine for possible future hostiles.

The moral of the story? It's always good to carry.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Wood Heat

It's a thing I love to talk about and learn about--heating with wood. Some might call it pyromania, but it's always been my dream to have a hearth and heat with it. It's a most natural inclination, perhaps, and I believe it's the most satisfying.

I just got back after seeing "The Road," so this blog-post is partly an attempt to focus my mind on something other than the movie's disturbing portrayal of TEOTWAWKI. If you are seeking a movie that's depressing but very well done, check it out. After watching it, I think I need to purchase more shotgun shells.

Anyway, woodheat. This is my second season of heating our house entirely with wood heat. This year, we've turned on the furnace mostly for convenience's sake, and at that only a handful of times. Our propane furnace is efficient, but propane is wicked expensive. Hence we try to avoid it whenever possible, using it only as a back up.

Wood: In some ways, a wood heater is only as good as the wood you feed it. I am presently burning our seasoned reserves, and the differences between seasoned wood and unseasoned wood are stark. With seasoned wood, you increase your burn times immensely, in addition to your heat output. There is also less ceocrete (soot) to worry about forming in your chimeny. Seasoned wood costs more, but you'll get more from it.

I've been heating entirely from scavenged wood. In the fall I began taking a chunk a day from work, splitting and stacking it in the present pile area. Works well, but it takes a while when all you have is Mustang trunk. Ideally, I would have split and stacked all the wood I needed for winter back in the early days of Spring. Nine months or longer is the ideal seasoning time, and the longer the better. Anyway, I was not able to make it happen back in the spring, but this year, now that life seems a little more normal, I'll be making it happen.

Stove: I have a used Jotul F3 woodstove. It's sweet except that it's made for a combustor, which I don't use. The combustors burn up excess emissions on these models and were known, supposedly, for clogging quickly. I have followed the previous owner's recommendation of not using it and the stove works fine.

That being said, while it is a pretty stove, I wish it had a larger fire box. I would like to load it up at night and not have to worry about waking up to feed it. So the bigger the box the better in terms of loading frequency and heat output. If our stove was any larger in our current space, it would take up the whole room and make it a suana. When we add on, God-willing, in the years ahead, we will move the present stove into our living room and purchase a larger version of the one we have for the addition. I will purchasing one to be set up without a catalytic combustor.

Chimney, Flue, & Draft: Sounds like the name of a 70s band, or an English law firm. Anyway, it's critical to make sure your chimney is installed correctly. I don't know much about the process, except that your chimney, like the exhaust system of the car, directly impacts your stove's efficiency and the amount of draft and/or pull you get from it.

This year we have been far more successful, I think, about working the woodstove. That is to say, adjusting the flue and level of draft coming in. Slow burning coals is the goal. Wood selection certainly helps in that regard, but basically it's something for which you acquire the feel for one's particular setup.

Chainsaw and Axe: When I purchase a saw, it will be a STIHL MS390 Farm Boss with a 20" bar. I have one on loan from work, so I am not in dire need. While any saw will do, chainsaws are touchy beasts and have to be loved and used frequently so the engine does not develop issues. Chainsaws are easily the most dangerous hand tool out there, with some 50,000 accidents occuring every year. I follow these main rules when sawing:

1.) Do not cut when I am tired (most chainsaw accidents occur at the end of the day);
2.) Do not cut with my body directly behind the saw;
3.) If I feel uncomfortable for any reason about cutting, I calmly stop and reassess the situation. Sometimes I just walk away.

I have heard wood splitting be called everything from a "pain in the ass" to "soul-building." For me it's mostly the latter. I love splitting wood. It's great exercise and gets your mind off stupid crap. My personal axe is a light, flanged head True Temper with fiberglass handle. Thing works great for my style of splitting and is an essential tool out here on the homestead.

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog

Snow Preps

(The view from our yard after the 2009 Blizzard.)

Well, we were plastered with 22 inches of snow this past weekend. It was gorgeous and amazing to behold, and fun to go play in. My play consisted in shoveling out my walkway, deck, and top of the driveway. Below are my wintry thoughts and reflections on being prepared for serious snow.

1.) Shovel. I purchased a new industrial grade shovel at Lowes before the storm hit. It's not a snow shovel at all, but a fiberglass square shovel made for shoveling loose debris. This makes a whole lot more sense to me for my situation and is a lot more functional year round for tasks other than snow shoveling. Because of it's smaller size, it's also much more versatile, as in handling the 3 foot snow drifts in front of my driveway.

2.) Tractor. Wish I had one. My neighbor came over with his Kubota with front-end loader, to push the drifts back from the corners of my driveway so the snow plows wouldn't plow me in. What took him 10 minutes would have taken me 10 hours. It's on the list of nice to haves down the road, along with that diesel Ford truck.

3.) Snow vehicle. I have a Jeep Wrangler 4x4 equiped with new 31 inch mud tires. This thing kicks astroids in all kinds of inclement weather. Storms, snow, whatever. Though it's not very spacious inside, it gives us an edge if we need to bug out. God-willing, after tax time, she'll be paid for and be my permenant BOV.

4.) Heat Source. That is, other than electric based. Even my propane furnace has electric controls, so we'd be screwed if we lost power and didn't have a wood stove. It happened last year for a couple of hours, during an ice storm and temps in the single digits. Luckily, I was able to get a fire started.

5.) Wood, that is, if you heat with it. It is critical to protect your wood and make it accessible before a big snow. I spent the first hour of the blizzard hauling 3-4 days of wood into our enclosed porch. Walking for 80 ft. through 2ft snow drifts to gather wood sucks and should be avoided at all possible.

6.) Generator with fuel. Damn, I wish I had one. Had we lost power, having a generator would allow me to run my furnace (that is, if it was a hardwired genny back up). I am considering investing in a propane back-up for that very reason. It would also give the ability to run the well (for which I would like a bison hand pump).

7.) Chainsaw with treated fuel, bar oil, and extra chain. Again, I wish I had one. I use the one at work for all my wood cutting, but in an emergency, a chainsaw is an unbeatable tool to have to deal with fallen trees or emergency demolition. And, of course, cut your woodstove wood.

8.) Food and water. This should probably be at the top of the list, but this applies for all emergencies, not just snow.

9.) Ice pellets. I bought a bag of this stuff for the walkway to our vehicles. Hopefully it will work well and last for the duration of the snow melt.

10.) Plenty of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. There's nothing like a warm beverage to boost morale and warm up your spirits after time out in the cold. Before and after shoveling, a hot beverage makes your labors seem less cumbersome than they were and helps you relax and warm up quickly. When you are warm you are able to work better and less prone to injury.

In closing, I would like to say that the ability to keep up with a storm as it's falling is critical to making it a fun event instead of a crisis event.

Peace Out. Merry Christmas.

--Nick-Dog

157th Post

Can't believe I've put up that many, but I am glad that I have.

I skipped a week since I've been busting a move on an editing project I'm tackling. I am about 10 yards away from the goal line at this point, in the final minute of the game, but you know how long that takes. I am looking forward to finishing this behemoth because it will free me up for all the stuff in life that has been on the backburner.

Yesterday, we spotted a red fox bound through the yard as the snow continued to fall. It was awesome. Right outside our kitchen window and then *shoom*, off into the forest behind our shed. I'm sure he had lots of tricks up his sleeve. He was freakin beautiful. Not the kind of animal I'd want to shoot or hunt, just the kind I want to admire. I'll save the guns for the bobcats.

I've been obtaining a greater appreciation of the versatility of the shotgun lately. I think this comes from my reading at www.wethearmed.com, www.madogre.com, and Martin's Blog. (I know I should be working, but sometimes you need a break). You can just set them up in so many different ways to do a variety of things, including handle SHTF. Two Remington 870s and 2 Glocks and you have plenty of firepower and reliability to take care of most situations.

That's going to be my standard advice for SHTF gun questions and discussions from now on. Two and two. If you can't defend yourself with this stuff, you probably need to reevaluate your plan. I recall watching a video of an Arizona home-owner repelling 4-5 armed thugs, one of whom had an AR, with a shotgun. If you need more than that, you are probably defending the castle wall against an onslaught of zombies, or taking the castle.

Right now I am running a Maverick 88, which was given to me as a wedding present. It's a great gun, especially with the 18.5 in HD barrel. I have it set up with 2 3/4 00BK. It's not very tacticool, but I have 100% confidence in it's reliability. I'm considering purchasing another one for redundancy before buying some 870s. Having two of the exact same setup is a powerful way to go, IMO, and makes for a good armory.

Ok, over and out. I have work to do.

--Nick-Dog

More on Staying Prepared

Staying prepared. Just a couple of comments today because I am under a deadline.

Two things I have done to increase my overall preparedness, that have made my life better/easier overall:

1.) I put together a preparedness journal stating my own personal goals, it charts my progress on projects that I have a round the house. I call it a preparedness journal, but really it's more like a Captain's Log. If I have a brilliant idea, or question about something meaningful that I don't want to forget, or simply a goal I want to achieve, like cleaning the shed, I write it down. There's just so much stuff to keep track of these days, I now have to write things down if I want to accomplish anything, or I forget or feel overwhelmed by it all.

More on that: As I've mentioned previously, life flies by so quick, before you know it another day as passed. If one hasn't been diligent about his or her projects, suddenly you ask yourself where the week has gone and what have I really accomplished.

Looking back over your journal, where you've crossed out things that need to be done, projects that you've planned for or that have come up, it's a lot easier to note your progress and chart your trajectory. There's just a sense of much reduced anxiety and aimlessness. You see where you're going and where you've been. Much like a ship at sea, if you have no focal point on the horizon, but land behind you, you look back every so often to a point you've picked out and line it up with your stern. You keep your eye on that point every so often to make sure you are on course.

2.) Making sure I have a knife, multitool, and flashlight on my at all times. (When I am not at work, I add a sidearm to this list) Everywhere I go, I keep these essential tools with me, not in a 72-hour bag I rarely use. I purchased a Maxpedition M-2 (shown above) belt pouch, which Clare jokes with me is a fanny pack, though it's not. It's about the size of a mid-level digital camera case, and it has been invaluable. I keep all my daily carry gear in here and there's lots of room to spare, as in for an extra magazine, matches, a bit of medication or first aid items. This little buddy seams to be built to last and has been an awesome purchase.

I just want to emphasize how life gets easier when you have the tools you need on you or close by. Now that it's daylight savings time, I can't tell you how helpful it is to have an LED flashlight on hand, or at work to have a coouple of knives and a flashlight with me at all times. Life become easier, and what used to be a pain in the arse, becomes easily manageable.

Having appropriate tools also makes you less likely to skip a step in looking out for your safety. I am especially thinking of a flashlight. Having a flashlight at night as you are walking to the wood pile, or to your car, gives you an advantage, psychologically as well as physically. The last thing you want is a critter sneaking up on you nearby, especially if it's a vagrant or your own cat who's trying to stalk you. :)

Peace out yos.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Inspiration vs. Perspiration

"Just do it."

I often spend oodles of time looking for the inside scoop. Too much time. Speaking for myself, there comes a point when you should just be aware of the main points, make an informed decision, and move forward.

That can be hard to do, with so many distractions pounding it's way into our daily lives. Whether it be through entertainment or work, it is easy to become sidetracked, distracted, and even uninspired to take command and do the stuff that should and needs to be done. Even when at home, family life has a way of taking priority--as it should--over the best laid plans.

Sooner or later, however, a moment of opportunity presents itself. You have the time to do "it," whatever "it" may be. After days of rain and cold, the sun begins to shine once again. One has the time, but does one have the will?

Doing what needs to be done when it's uncomfortable or not-entertaining in some way, determines how much we can truly accomplish. If we remain complacent until the angle of the moon and the sun meets our perfect standards, chances are we will be waiting for a long time.

So let me finish this rambling post with a thought: sometimes it's simply time to get off our ass and get to work.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Back on the Mat

(Me training outside in Reno in October 2004)

After more than a year hiatus, I returned to the dojo to train in earnest and watch a nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt) test. I also was able to see the new dojo for the first time, and it is truly awesome.

It felt good to launch some people and scream while swinging a heavy stick at people for an hour. My nerves are still tingling from feeling totally alive out on the mat. As I have taken my place in my new life in Front Royal, I felt I duly took my place in the new dojo, which had been inaugurated by the visit of Saito Hitohiro Sensei from Iwama Japan two weeks ago. It was really just amazing to be a part of this place and be standing in the fulfillment of many, many long hours of planning and hard work.

For those of you who don't know, back in May 2002 I joined Aikido in Fredericksburg as an enthusiastic and devoted young martial artist, aspiring to be the embodiment of martial grace and strength gleaned from long hours of hard training. My sensei had only recently moved from Reno, where he was sensei of many years, to Fredericksburg, VA, with the intention of building a world-class dojo on his own property with quarters for uchi-deshi (live-in students) and plenty of space besides for training. An East Coast Iwama headquarters, if you will.

I followed the group from the time it rented a dusty corner dojo as part of a quasi-martial arts co-op in a deserted mini-mall, training once in the parking lot at night because someone had locked the door. To training in a moldy big box gymanistics stadium/roller rink, which had the most irritating boom box music playing for the pom-pom group.

To retrofitting an industrial complex into a serious albeit temporary training space, which is where I took my black belt test. Indeed, I had always wanted to be a part of the core group of a dojo start up, and this dream of mine, like so many others, was realized.

My life then moved away from active Aikido training for awhile, but today I know my training and presence in the new dojo was my re-initiation to the serious study of the martial ways. I won't be down there often enough to sign up for a monthly membership, but often enough that I can begin to hone my own skills and take the journey to nidan myself in a couple of years and to places beyond.

I am looking forward to it and some better health in the process.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Accomplishments de Weekend

I expanded my pantry by 50% or so with the addition of new homemade shelves. It took forever because it just always does around here. But now I can breathe easier, as our mud room/furnace room/craft room/pantry is more organized with items no longer living haplessly on the floor.

I also replaced an outlet in the process, organized the entire pantry, and took stock of our stores. In the process, I found several items that were at large and others about which I had totally forgotten, such as preserves from some place up in Niagra that was given to us over the summer. Cool.

Lastly, I purchased the special 20th Anniversary Issue of Backwoods Home Magazine, whose website is now in the links section here at the Update, along with The Survival Podcast. Both are excellent resources for everything you need to know on prepping for SHTF or homesteading. Well worth the look.

I just wanted to vent here that I feel so much better now that the new shelf has been built and in play. It's been on my mind for a long time. The place just feels better with most of the crap of the floor in it's own proper place, and that's what were going for here. Organization.

So that's it from me for now. 2 posts in 2 days. Peace out, yos.

--Nick-Dog

Creating a Good "End Game"

Ok, I know it's a been nearly 3 weeks since you got an Update. I just haven't been inspired to write a post. I've been mostly in absorption mode, focusing on my own trajectory out here in the back country. Well, it's not that back, being within an hour and 10 from D.C., but far enough. Another hour and 10 and you are on the fringe of civilization, Walden style.

In chess, you have various stages of the game: the opening, the middle game, and the end game. Masters and advanced players orient their entire strategy from the first move to a successful end game. If they win in the middle, excellent. That's good too. But generally speaking, getting up a pawn and obtaining a superior tactical position, one way or the other, is where victory is found.

This has had me thinking about my own "end game," in life that is. When all is said and done, what does that "end game" look like? What factors are it contingent on? What am I gaming for? Is the result I am dreaming of obtainable now? And so on.

I've got a lot to say on this topic, but if I lived the way I've seen others do, by age 65 I would own jack shit, be up to my ears in debt, and need to work until I was 75+ just to continue keeping up with my lifestyle. That's not retirement, that's slavery.

I plan on owning my own house, being mortage free, and relatively self-sufficient by age 45, if not much sooner. I don't want to wait until I am 65 to retire. Hell no. WTF is that? Seriously. Are any of you juiced about working yourself into a grave? I think it's important to give of yourself throughout your life. That's different. Hopefully, well before 65 you are only working to be a contributor and because you enjoy it, not because you need to to avoid collections.

But becoming free of this mindset doesn't just happen, however. One must live differently and make savvy financial choices and sacrifices now. An early retirment is built now. An excellent quality of life is built now. It's not a free trip to cloud 9 just because one has turned 65. Do the things you love now, before you are too damn old to care about doing them, if God forbid, you are destined to be that crochety. Give a shit today about your future, before it's too late.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Finding an Edge

(Photo from Toolmonger.com; planes by Steve Knight)

I've been spending a significant amount of time this week learning the finer points of carpentry and joinery at the level of creating wood furniture, such as tables, cutting boards, case etc. It has given me a deeper appreciation for the amount of effort, time, and skill that goes into making a custom piece of furniture. Of course, you can bang some 2x4s and plywood together and have something functional, but it would be crude.

What got me started on this path is a combination of things. As a maintenance guy I have to fix or replace stuff all the time, and what I discover is that such and such a thing is meant to break because it was made like junk to begin with--essentially some kind of saw dust and glue (MDF) with a veneer on top attached by a few screws. Mass produced garbage.

Even a lot of high end furniture, if it wasn't built entirely by hand, is a kind of MDF with veneer, albeit of a higher grade than the wal-mart variety. Most of your modern cabinetry, same thing. I've seen "custom" shops at home shows sell cabinetry that is just MDF with venneer but market their product as hand-made. Huh? If it's not wood, it's not wood. Fake wood is not wood. Sawdust and glue is wannabe wood and doesn't count.

Anyway, seeing the lack of quality out there and the attached price, I'd rather spend the money and the time at this point to make my own custom furniture, than pay somebody else for most things to buy a piece of crap. I want my furniture to last generations, to feel permeneant, not fake.

So quality and affordability are definitely motivating factors for me, notwithstanding the cost of tools, which gets expensive once you start purchasing things like jointers and planers. That said, once I make some stuff and am confident in my own products, I will begin to sell them and pay for those tools. Besides I need to find an edge as a maintenance guy.

Right now, I am still somewhat at the level of learn on the fly, jack of all trades . I can do a lot of the basics confidently at work, and even at higher levels of proficiency in some areas, but I need a more thorough grounding in a trade on which to build. Fine woodworking is it for me. I want to get to log cabin building, honestly, but I do not have the capital let alone the time and equipment to do more than study how cabins are built. I am not sure which I'd like better, fine wood working or log cabin building, but what I do know is that I'd like to put my wood furniture in my log cabin.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Driven

This morning, I drove to work under the cover of a bright full moon. I was focused and on my way to work early to handle an electrical problem, and thank heavens, or the creator of Heaven rather, that it was solved with the flick of a breaker.

That said, I began to reflect on my thoughts over the weekend regarding the future and even present demise of the dollar. I am not an economist, but I know enough about liberals and failed states to understand that you cannot create money out of thin air, bury yourself in debts that you cannot repay, and expect to become or remain fiscally solvent.

What happens to an individual in America when they borrow what they cannot or will not pay back? Their credit rating tanks and banks will no longer lend to them. They are destroyed financially from the perspective of the lender and it usually takes years to repair the damage.

Well, guess the hell what? The federal government does not have a credit score per se, but has over $53 TRILLION DOLLARS in unfunded obligations, a.k.a., social security, medicare and medicaid. Does the federal government ever intend to honor this debt. NFW. It just won't. Perhaps they are trying to tank the currency intentionally so that they can pay the debt off in worthless dollars, but it would destroy the country in the process.

Obama Breadline America is not something I am looking forward to, but is inevitable to my mind on our current economic trajectory. China has done more than saber-rattling with other countries to discuss moving away from the dollar as a reserve currency for the world. Now they, our biggest enemy, are plotting with the arabs to trade oil in a currency other than the dollar, which is bad for the U.S. in terms of its financial and political dominance.

My point: we are screwing ourselves royally. Most Americans do not realize that we are sitting on a powder keg that is about to blow our asses into the sky in 53 trillion different ways. We need to claim back our individual liberty and the spirit of rugged individualism. Not just in the political arena, but the way we live our lives every day.

I am not a shill for the tin-foil hat crowd. Empires have risen and fallen since the dawn of history. We simply cannot take America's greatness for granted. The time is long past for complacence. The "shining city on a hill" will only remain glorious for as long as we are willing to preserve it and stay driven in our vigilance to keep it bright.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Morning Production

Well, it's been a darn fast week. I woke up extra early yesterday and beat the Koreans to the spring and the sun to the horizon. Out in the middle of nowhere, between VA and WV, I was glad I was packing heat. It can be eerie when you are out there alone. Last time, I was with companions and nearly accosted by a baying dog. Luckily for him he was more bark than bite.

Still, the spring itself is a naturally peaceful place and still flowing well, given the lack of rain in recent weeks. I finished quickly and just sat down to roll out as the next patron rolled in. The early bird gets the spring water, or something like that.

The parts counter at Chrysler opened at 8, and I had all the water delivered and put away at home by about that time. I had to order a small contact terminal for the center high-mounted brake light over the tire on the jeep and install it to pass Virginia's draconian inspection procedure. It came, but without the rubber grommet I needed to mount it in the hole. Fortunately, for me it was early. My red tag was about to expire and the inspection shop I went to stops taking vehicles at 11:15. I had 3 hours--plenty of time for some coffee and mechanical work.

I went across the street from Chysler to Napa Auto Parts and came away with a 10-pack or so of small rubber grommets that I thought would work. After I came home and had a cup of coffee with my lovely wife, I started my second and went to the shed where I parked the Jeep.

The challenge? Getting the wires that had falled into the fenderwell somewhere back into their respective holes. Having worked with electricians, fishing wire is not foriegn to me. So I fished the pilot wire through their holes, checked the other terminals to see which was black and which was white, and go to work connecting the pilot wire to the lost wires and fished them back through.

I used two rubber grommets to achieve the right space, actually, closed the gate, tested it and shizam, the light worked. And with plenty of time to spare. Victory!

The mechanic even asked me how I did this, so I figured I saved myself some significant coin. It's stuff like this I enjoy doing on my Jeep, where I actually have a clue, the time, can break the rules a bit, and achieve the desired result. It was even more fun with the caffiene and being so near all of my tools. (I usually have to drag them across my property because I am working on the upper driveway, where it's flat).

I got all this done by noon and spent the rest of the rainy day inside, watching Robin Hood (the version for T.V. from 1991--I've always wanted to watch it) and doing some serious study of chess with Jeremy Silman's book, How to Reassess Your Chess. So far it's excellent and I am really enjoying it. Playing online or general is great, but at some point you need to take the time to study the game if you really want to improve. It's just amazing that I was able to do this today, considering the mayhem that generally ensues around here.

In general, I just like it not to be under the gun so much these days by projects around the house. There's still plenty to do, but the urgency is less because things are getting done and ungodly apple pies, made from our trees' apples, are being consumed.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Twi-lite Musings

This evening, we had clear skies and a rosy sunset, my absolute favorite. It was just fabulous to be outside, tinkering around, watching the sunset, the cat, my daughter run around with her balloon, and the transplantation of our zebra tomatoe plants. Wow, life is truly sweet today.

So much to talk about. This morning, I woke early, did some bokken work and stretched before my children came to join me in the living room. Once I was able to escape outside, I tackled the relatively simple project of stapling two new screens up on our porch where the other screens had been ripped. My main concern is my adventurous daughter climbing and then spilling off the porch, scathed or unscathed. It had been on my mind for months to do this, but I never seemed to be able to get around to it. Now that it's done, it frees up energy for other things and I can breathe easier.

We hit the farmers market, which had been picked pretty clean. That's what happens when you go late in the day, I suppose, but I was really just tagging along. When it comes to the pantry, my lovely wife has all of our bases covered, pretty much.

We then ventured over to the Front Royal flea market, one of the better all-around flea markets out there. I mean, you can still find sweet deals there. Over the years I have found all sorts of wonderful, neat items, such as Spanish swords and block prints of the surrender of Granada.

Today, I came across a scoped Marlin 336W lever-action in 30-30. As mentioned previously, this gun in the SC version is one that I want, I'm just not paying $375 for it. There's lots of these guns out there, so supply is not an issue. I will bide my time and save, as much as I would just love to have one "today."

From there, we soon ended up at the Ole Time Festival of Edinburg, VA. We visited some llamas, toured the old mill/musuem, and checked out crafts and shops. I also discovered Murray's Fly Shop!

Earlier this year, I experienced what could only be called the "call of the fish." Without even knowing "why" exactly, I wanted to be fly-fishing for trout on rivers and creeks. It was like waking up one day, and boom, you just know you need to be fishing. No rhyme or reason. Just boom. That said, I actually want to have a clue about what the hell I'm doing, so I have been wanting to take fly fishing classes locally at a reasonable price. Well, now it seems like I have found the right place to begin!

I have also discovered another amazing place, this one online, called the Wood Whisperer. Notwithstanding the cheezy-ass name, this is an awesome resource for serious wood work for both the advanced and beginners. I want to take my knowledge of carpentry to the next level, and this seems like a great location to do that. It's what got me back outside today in the shed, making it a more organized space where my tools are actually accessible. They used to be, but you know how it is....

Over & Out,

--Nick-Dog

Bug-Out Chic

Weekend Accomplishments

So we went down to Charlottesville this weekend to check out the Heritage Harvest Festival. As noted in the video, with the exception of the view, the event was a serious bust. There was one or two decent booths, but the emaciated liberal eco-scum that inhabit environments like this appalls me. They say they believe in sustainable farming, but are the same drones who support Obama and his draconian energy policies, which will drive farmers out of business.

Notwithstanding the above, the view was breathtaking; the weather, superb. A great day for a tea party.

On Sunday, I spent a leisurely afternoon building shelves in our utility room to accommodate and showcase our canned goods. It turned out a lot better than I thought it would. I seriously enjoyed my time with the jigsaw, getting into the rhythm of notching the shelves. I got lucky with my template on the first shot, obtaining a mostly tight fit between the supporting beams on the wall. Frankly, it was just kick ass to be outside in the shed, cutting wood on a cool, sunny afternoon.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Hero

I just wanted to make a quick post to salute representative Joe Wilson, R-S.C., for giving the Obama the proverbial middle finger during his Castro-esk health care pep talk. "You lie!" was his actual comment, but it definitely had the effect of the bird.

Representative Wilson later called to apologize, saying "his emotions got the best of him" and that his comment was "inappropriate." You know what, it was perfectly appropriate. Screw propriety. The country's future is on the line and we are supposed to be concerned about ettiquette and offending Obama? Ettiquette be damned. The representative represents the people, and that's how the people feel.

Welcome to the tea party Comrade Obama. You are a damn liar and have sounded this country's death knell with your reckless policies.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Amish Driveby

Doesn't happen often, but when it does, it looks cool. :)

I am enjoying the long weekend, with today being sort of "Labor at home" day. I am in between putting up pieces of drywall in the eternal bathroom renovation/rebuild project. I have already succeeded in giving myself a haircut, and we are prepparing to can a slew of seckle pears from our tree, which has produced wonderfully this year.

We are trying to get our stock in order and trying harder to make use of the produce from our fruit trees. We are also planning in earnest to do some serious planting in the Spring for our garden. Actually we have two, an herb/vegetable garden and a purely vegetable garden, the latter being a large one. Because the deer and groundhog sacked the plants away from the house, I will be building a fence in the future in addition to clearning our raspberry patch.

There's lots to do, and complicate that with renovating a house at the same time, it makes it difficult to prioritize, let alone find the cash. So many projects too little time.

I wanted to get this off my chest: I recently had a run in with one of the county inspectors for my work. He was damn rude to me, and so I filed a respectfully written complaint with his HR department. Within 24 hours I not only had a response from the county's HR dept, but also I had his boss calling me on the phone to apologize, explain the situation, and beg to give the guy another chance. I think this will be the last time the haughty inspector screws up like this. Sometimes the pen is mightier than the sword. That's why I train with both. :)

Anyway, one point I drew from this experience is how some bureaucrats take themselves so seriously, are so into their codes and so forth, that they cannot be plainly spoken with about a point of concern. No, you have to go to the supreme boss at HR, file a complaint, make the guy scared of losing his job (if you are lucky enough to have them take you seriously) and so forth, to get his attention. Imagine if this was a faceless bureaucrat for government run health care, making the decision about whether or not your son or daughter dies. This would be a nightmare scenario to say the least.

Pres. Obama, you are not my doctor, comrade.

Finally, I just wanted to include in this update that I have been listening to www.thesurvivalpodcast.com. I really enjoy listening in and have been especially getting into his recommendations for year round gardening. I just can't read a book on gardening--to damn boring for me right now--but I can listen to someone passionate talk about it, especially while I wash the dishes.

Alright, over and out. Enjoy your Labor Day, yo's.

--Nick-Dog