I must be jinksed.

What do I start lately with all that has gone a stray for me? How about getting my other eye operated on, for one. Waiting for the other cataract to be removed is getting to be a night mare. Just sitting around doing nothing isn't any fun. Hard to read, and to know what I really see. What is in focus and what isn't.

OK, that the way I see today. Now lets move on to the my desktop computer. It's motherboard and power supply failed. So I replace the power supply, no problem. And I got a motherboard of Gigabyte. The one I purchased would utilize my processor and RAM. Good, right? Got it and installed it. Seems OK. When to reinstall Windows XP Pro, from my OEM's pristine copy, it failed every time. It skipped the installation for any Network stuff. So I took the CD back to the OEM here and he burnt a new copy. It worked. Fine, right? Booting. Wait, where it the NUM Lock switch in the BIOS? That was like trying to pull hens teeth. After several phone calls to Gigabyte's help desk, the finally told me how to get it. It's not in the manual.

After all of that you would think everything else should be running. Well it was for the shorts time. The on-board sound quit. It's under a three warranty, right? Right. The has no problem setting up with a return label and everything. Fine, except time. Two weeks before the Thanksgiving. It comes back the day after and I am sick. For six days I am flat on my back and didn't eat for four days. No fever, no running nose, no sore throat, no chills, but a small cough.

Let's not go into the local clinic here. Thank you very much. But after a few days of felling better, I reinstalled that motherboard back into my box. The weather out hasn't been that nice to get out anyway. Booted it up and an error message, 'SCSI card not seated.' OK, reseated it. Nope. OK, put it in the other slot. Naw, that didn't work either.

So now you are up to date. And I haven't left the house yet.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Somethings are better, yet others got worst.

I had cataract surgery on my right eye. Now things don't look like a bucket of beer. Well at least in the right eye. Color is brighter and I don't need to wear glasses for that eye. Well I can't read too well yet, and it looks like glasses will be required. Wait and see.

I was scared because I was just sure I would lose my site. Well I didn't and I feel much better because of that. But like I said, 'I can't see to read'. So if I miss spell, well that is the price of reading my work. At least you'll be lucky to read anything I write.

Now just waiting for the left eye.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

You haven't seen an improvment?

Things have gotten done, but it doesn't look like it. There has been interferences. You know the kind that just make stop and think. Like reading random blogs. This one guy just noticed that GM was selling Hummer to a Chinese heavy equipment company. Yet China has got all of the paperwork in place. I had to ask, which part was he upset with, GM selling Hummer or a Chinese company buying it? Of course, he couldn't answer, but neither was he aware of what American are purchasing. Do we have a choice? I think not.

So there is the other thing that is either stupid or unreal. This woman was arrested because she poked another woman on Facebook. It appears that a woman got an injunction against the first woman from any communication. So is the first woman naive or just plain stupid. She has little respect for anyone but herself. How many other people fit in this league?

Another think that has caught the eye of the public, Ralph Lauren advertisement of a woman who appears very skinny. Unreal skinny. So a blogger posted the picture and talked about how skinny she was and the possibility of why Ralph Lauren group would even consider using this photo. Ralph Lauren legal group decided to sue the blogger for copyright infringement. But as people discovered that the photo was photoshoped. Therefore, the advertisement wasn't real. So the Ralph Lauren dropped there suit.

So what else could take up my time? How about the Science Channel. Time. It takes time to watch.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

What if you don't feel like it?

This is another one of those times when things all around me are either broken or I need to add something to something. So many things are breaking and I have to stop what I'm doing and fix it. The water hydrant stopped working. How could that be? The guy put the bottom of the valve in a bucket of small gravel. Well a root pushed a small rock into the drain hole and after I took that out, which took me three days of rain to dig it up, it still didn't work well. Slow. So I went and got a new on, but it was a foot taller. Now we don't have to bend over so far to hook it up. So when I put it back, I used a five gallon bucket without anything it and wrapped it in that landscaping fabric.

So what else could happen? How about the sound card quit on my desktop. It is the one that I watch about two hours of internet per day. So I download the files, and they play them over the network with my laptop. Two days later the motherboard dies. It is just two months our of warranty. My luck.

So next I decided I would do a little Photoshoping. Found these plug-in, and it looks like painting. Right? Well is something I shot off the front porch. Amazing what I can do. Now I have to consider purchasing those plug-ins. What do you think?

I managed to pickup a couple of outdoor lamp shades. I want to put two lights in the front yard and one in the back. But running the wire will require more than I think I can do because of the digging. Plus the backyard light needs to come off a three-way-switch. I just hope the wire runs that way. You see this house is a penalized construction. The outside walls have Styrofoam between two sheets of OSB. And on top of that I will have to go into the crawl way and poke a hole into the foundation to put the wire through.

Also I need to run conditioned water out to the workshop so I can put in a bathroom. I even put a pump on the water heater because the hot water takes for ever to get warm in the far bathroom. There isn't any insulation or heating loop.

Oh speaking of the TR6, the frame is stripped and sitting in the back. Maybe the crows will eat the crap off the frame and I won't have to have it blasted. Too much to ask.

There is probably more stuff that needs to get done, but why bother?

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

What a vacation I had.

My wife's brother-in-law won a time share in Winter Park, CO. It was on the third story of a 18 time-shares building. Do you know what Colorado needs, oxygen. I was breathing hard every time I climbed those stairs. We even brought the pots, pans, and other food items. Her brother-in-law always stops at some grocery store and buys more food than we can eat in four days.

Of course I took my camera. I take pictures of what I like. One of the things that my brother-in-law and my wife's niece wanted to do was drive some go-karts. So I took pictures, but something I did caused them to be over-exposed/trashed. Can't figure what I did wrong. But if it is possible, I can do it. Anyway, most everything else came out OK.

After that karting thing, we went up Pikes Peak on the COG Railroad. Nice ride. Are you aware of how cold it is up there. About 30 degrees colder, and windy. That is when I discovered a lack of oxygen. It is a fun place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

For some reason my brother-in-law always wants to eat or stay at least one night at one of the most expensive restaurant or hotel. The Broadmore is out there. So we had dinner there and a $150 bottle of champagne from New Mexico. Who would have though anything from New Mexico would cost that much?

Well anyway, they were on there way to the airport and the return car rental company, so they had to fill up with gas. For what ever reason, the driver left the keys in the ignition. Went to the bathroom and the car locked its doors. Took for ever for the rental car company to get there. Then just as they got to the ariport, brother-in-law realized he left his cell phone in the rental car. Back they went to get it.

You guess it, the plane left without them. So there next choice was a flight to somewhere and connect to their finial destination. They got home six hours latter than scheduled.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

I am have...

It seems that I want to know more than I am allowed to know. Why do people lose interest in where there money goes to worrying to where there money is coming from? Trying to keep your dollars circulating is what I believe in. But banks has taken some of that circulation away from me. Banks were some of the best place to put your money. Then in the 60's people started investing is all sort of places. Money market places was a good place for a long time. People started investing in the stock market. And was that a wild ride. I should know I saw some pocket change evolve into a sizable investment only to watch it drop. I got while I was ahead.

Now why isn't the place to invest money the same? Why are houses costing so much even when they have been foreclosed? I would think that only the money the bank was losing would be the worth of the house, especially since people aren't buying houses. Anything to get there money back isn't the same as it was when I was younger.

People aren't watching where there money goes. They buy things that sends the money overseas, and that money really returns. But we have few choices since all we want is to save money. To save money, you got to put it someplace where you can get it back. Overseas isn't an answer.

I have had this overseas problem for years. As an autoworker, I would operate machines that came from overseas, because they were cheaper than American made machines. I remember getting laid-off in the 60's and I kidded people that the workers laid-off before me got jobs driving cars off boats from Japan. I don't think I was kidding that much.

What do I do now? I am retired and have nothing in site that I think would help. What do I have that would change this trend?

Buy what you build. Buy your neighbor's products. Invest in America. Invest in yourself.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Not having to think about is wonderful.

Quality is something that should be taken for granted, don't you think? This is something that where I worked was talked about 20% of the time. 'Do it right the first time.' That was posted the most about quality. But quality you never think about it until it fails. Take breathing for example. Most people don't have to think about it and just do it. But of others, may require a little help.

I have had a few failures lately that is causing me some turmoil. I have finished replacing my fence, with the help of my wife and neighbor, who redrilled the post-holes. Too a lot longer than I would have though. After each section I would come in and get a drink and relax. It was hot out there. Now that the fence is done, what do I do with the leftovers? I have another idea. You'll have to wait for that one.

Just after the fence was done, my garage door opener died. Can't just get a replacement, but change everything but the track. Switches, sensors, and all remote openers. That sucks.

I have several tools that require tuning up. Some of it requires a machine to do the work, while other just a little tweaking by hand.

With all of that in mind, I need to get ride of the gravel around this house. It sucks but keeps you from walking in the mud when it rains. Problem with that, it allows weeds to grow. Unless the ground is lightly moist the weed are next to impossible to pull.

Therefore, I have been thinking about a machine that would scrape the ground up, run the dirt/weeds/gravel over a screen of sorts which would allow the dirt to drop out and the rest would collect into a bucket or something like that. Problem, what do I get to pull this little machine? How wide to make it? How much do I need to mechanization do I need to come up with? You get the idea, don't you?

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Is my data worth it?

I purchased a network storage device the other day. It failed after three weeks. Warranty, yeah right. But what about the data? Well maybe the power in the unit itself failed and the drive would be alright.

Good luck. I don't have any good luck left. I have had so much bad luck that nothing would even think about going right. So much trying to get back the data easily. It appears not.

Ok, first let me say that the Maxtor Central Axis in a 1TB Seagate drive. First I called Maxtor to find where to send the drive back for warranty replacement. I asked about getting the data back and was told take it to a third party, have them give you a receipt and send it with the drive back to them and all would be well.

Funny how things work. The place where warranty isn't the same company that deals with data recovery. Go figure. I have been trying for two weeks to get the data back and just now I am being told, if they can get the data off the drive, they are going to have some place to put it. So they said that they would contact the warranty place, get another drive to put the data on and send me that one.

That would save some steps with the warranty location.

I have since purchase another Maxtor Central Axis and am using it for my current backups. I will use the other that the data recovery company is putting the data on as a second backup that will be stored off-site. Note: if you don't have your data backed up in more that two locations your data isn't backed up. Trust me on that.

You know all of those documents/taxes/forms/receipts and other letters that you have in filing cabinets, what would if you lose them? You only have that one copy. What would you do if you lost your documents? Think about.

I did hear from on of the guys that I worked with, he was scanning all of his documents.

I hope my data is worth it.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

I am not the only one who off.

A friend asked me to hang a storm door for his hothouse. The storm door was smaller than the opening but several inches in both directions. So I took the door and a couple of 2x4s and made a frame for the door. Everything seem to be working quit well. But the 2x4s split easily. More work gluing the splits even if you drill a pilot hole. Now that is done.

So now is the time to hang the door. Remember I said that were several inches, well the opening wasn't plumb nor was the 4x4s straight. The header was too low. After cutting off at least an inch, the door frame need a little room. Taking a saw and cutting the tight spots soon gave relief to get the door in the opening. I didn't have near enough shims so I left it nailed in place. I'll let him to get some shims and he can screw it home.

Speaking of using something in a little different manor. This same friend got a chance to get some aluminum storm windows from a house. These windows we installed on the inside of the house, and turned on there side. So the other day he placed two of these windows into a wall of his hothouse. The other day, he thought he had a micro-burst, because the windows glass was blown out of the wall. Now mind you the wall has no roof, or any other walls. This was a free standing wall and not all of the wall was covered. Just like hanging the windows from a clothesline is the best way I can explain it. This wind broke 3 out 4 glass windows. One screens was bent. I just can't explain what happened.

I have been working on different thing for weeks now and have gotten very little done. I hope that changes soon.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Now what am I going to do?

Just be fore writing this, we had a micro burst and it was one wild thing. Dust everywhere. You could see 50 feet.

So much for that and now for the real reason why I am written this one.

There are some things I can no longer get at any local, 'Brick and Mortar Store'. They aren't carrying products that I have been buying for a few years. Even the 'Store of Stores', Walmart, doesn't carry some of these items any more.

Ok, head to the net. Shop on line. Buy and have it shipped. But wait, shipping cost. Many of the on-line stores have a limit and if you spend enough money, shipping is free. How many items does it take to have free shipping? I won't be buy any shaving shop for a couple of months. Well maybe I should have bought other things and not all just one item. Can't wait to see how they package it.

I wander if I will see the day when many of the old product that we have bought over the years are no longer available to purchase locally. We even look for homes on-line. Build your car on-line. Find you spouse on-line. Babies?

I am living near a very small town, I have gone to the hardware store here and only found what I wanted six out of 40 times. What is the use to try to shop locally?

I remember where I live as a boy, we were only 30 miles from the big city and every body would travel up there because of the choices.

I am losing my choices. No wait, I have choices but it isn't going to be easy to kick the tires.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Another reason why I don’t like WIRELESS.

I found an article that someone sent me about people using a wireless device that gets the ‘security code’ from a key fob that is used to lock and unlock your car door. Example, you are stopping at a rest stop along the highway, you get out of your car and use you key fob to lock your car. That sends a signal to you car to lock the doors. A person sitting at this rest stop with this wireless device captures that signal and then uses to unlock your car’s doors and steal valuables inside your car.

There is a way to avoid this, to lock your doors manually. Push the button on the door or use your key to unlock or lock the car. Is this new to you? That way the person with the wireless device might save the code to use it later. (Although, as I understand some cars change the code each time it is used. Don’t ask me; ask your car’s manufacture.)

Along these same lines, I have heard of a similar device that allow people to sit in areas like coffee shops and scan the area for ‘credit/debit cards’ that have RFID tags in them. Therefore, that can capture that information/data on the chip and use it to steal your identify. I don’t know if these wireless readers can change or corrupt the data on the chip, but that could cause other issues when people try to use them as they were meant to be used. Like opening doors or gates or something like that.

With that said I have a problem with people who use wireless devices these ways, and the people who condone their usage.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexic0

Sick and nothing to about it.

A week ago I got up and everything felt good but something inside my head said I wasn't well. Guess what, I wasn't well. My lungs were congested and that was all at that time. A couple of days later my wife gave something for it and it knotted me out for about half an hour. Then I really felt bad. Somehow now I had a cold on top of the congestion. If one isn't bad enough then maybe two would be better. That wasn't right or better.

Would like to see something better, I would like for my wife just let me be. She always want me to take something. He heart is in the right place but for the wrong things.

You see there are somethings I don't like. One of they is taking liquids for colds or sore throat. It is something I have never like because I never so any good from the liquids. Another thing is lotions or ointments. To me it doesn't seem clean. The only thing that doesn't make sense is my body itch. If I scratch more than three strokes then I am liable to have a sore shortly. That is they only time I put on a lotions and only one that I got over eight years ago. It still works. Another lotion or ointment is a sun screen. Out here in New Mexico the sun will burn me in a heart beat. So I wear it. The bad part is the wind blows the dust or enchantment and that sticks to the ointment. Now that makes me fell dirty. Yuck.

OK, so now after eight days I am getting better but not to the point of doing anything. I have projects to do in the shop and I need to check on my fence materials. And that is well over due.

Do I need to say anything else. I have discovered that the base on my router is not concentric with the chuck. That has cause problems like you wouldn't believe. Why do I have to get all of these thing that aren't just right. Lucky I guess.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Relax. Enjoy something different.

Every now and then, which is most of the time, I need to relax and take my mind off any current activity. It seems that a lot of my work turns up mistakes. Mostly in my math. Either cut it too long or too short. Never seems just right. So I have to take some time off and hope my thoughts get reorganized. Maybe even find a new method to get something done.

At the moment I am watching 'The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies Series'. It is truly amazing there life and where thay all end up for the winter. Other place is ted.com. This is really a cool place for me. Thinkers from all over give there talks about what they are doing. Everything imaginable it taking place all over the world. It just lift up my spirits and boy do I need that.

Take some time to rejuvenate your spirit.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

You too can save money and stimulate the economy.

I have this idea to same you money and at the same time stimulate the economy. Buy American. If it isn't made in America, they you don't need it. But if you think you do need, make it your self. Who knows, maybe your neighbor might want one too. If you think you have a better idea, let me know, otherwise, try my way out. There is something else that would stimulate the economy, the people who you do business with should use tools made in America.

I know that it is hard trying to find anything made in America, but you just got keep looking. We, America has lost a lot of jobs to other counties. Could these jobs come back? I can see why not. And if you use the bottom line, price, as criteria then we need to look deeper. Example, one guy operating a drill press in one shop gets paid so much. Another guy down the street does the same job but gets paid much less than the first guy. And I don't know why that is. How can that be? I don't want to go there on that subject. But all things being equal, yes jobs can return to the U.S.

Have you noticed these custom cars shows on TV lately? Well somebody is putting good money to these cars to be made. There is a whole bunch of show or podcast about woodworking. Many people have made many items more than once. They made it for themselves and others, like friends or people who paid for these items. Have you notice all of these crafts shows? They too are items made by Americans for Americans.

Well that take care of the small talk, now for the big thoughts. Where do you invest your money? I hope my money is someplace make more money.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

What am I going to do now?

With all that is going on with the rest of the world, I have desions to make. What am I going to make next.

I have two projects, or more, in the works. The first is a cabinet that goes under the side table of my table saw. I need this because I don't have a drawer large enough to store my tenoning jig. I also need some place to keep the different saw blades I have. That will come later because I have figured out just how to each blade drawer looks. There will also be three or four drawers for other stuff.

I got the case of the cabinet made and now working on the drawer for that tenoning jig. The drawer from is 3/4" plywood and the sides and bottom is 1/2" plywood. I am trying to make half-blind dovetails. They require some experimentation to get the fit just right or at least close.

The instructions for the dovetail fixture is quite extensive. It looks like it will require about two sets to experiment with. One other thing, the instruction suggest measuring the height of the router bit to its bushing collier. The problem with that is, the bushing collier doesn't ouch the jig and therefore, the measurement doesn't work. This measurement is the starting point.

OK, the other project is 'Jack Stops'. These items are an idea that I have had for some time now. What they are is a device that went the lever is down a shalf sticks out and lift the item/cabinet up just enough so the cabinet doesn't roll. Lift the lever and the cabinet rolls. I need to test the strenght of its lifing capables.

If this 'Jack Stops' works, then it might be a product that could be sold along with wheels or casters. Now that would be a blast for me to come up with something people would like to use.

By the way, TV sucks lately. Things are going on that I can't explain. Like '60 Minutes' sound was garbled. And no PBS, about 'Skunks' was missing the naration. I heard everything else but the people talking. Even one commerical was with voice naration. Isn't anyone paying attension to there work?

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

The you are told.

Just another day but it isn't. Being a diabetic I have always been told about losing something, sight or feet. Always heard that through the faminly all of my life. And with a lost of fealing in my legs I would expect something like that. I have had a few accidents lately, one being a pinched nerve in my right leg. The other accident was I cut my right index finger to the bone with my bandsaw. Now that was stupid and a daytime nightmare. I knew better. Dumb.

But today was different I have always worn glasses since I was eight. I can remember going to a basketball game and I keep asking my aunt what the score was all the time. That is when they discovered my vision was sharp. So I have has glasses these many years. I have had them break and just about everything that could happen has. And in the last twenty years I have has the best of luck with then.

Now thing are changing with my vision. So I got them checked. Highway signs are out of focus and I have to be very near to read street signs. 'Is this where I turn?', not know were I am going. Today I find that I am getting cataracts. They are in the early stage, before any surgery can be done. Before much more happens, what am I to do? Oh, other don't have there vision, and I don't think that will stop me much. I can find other outlets. It just something I wasn't prepared for.

Anyway, there you are. I am sitting here trying to cry in my beer, not quite. But I am concerned about being able to see the mountains, sunsets, and my wife. Rain too would be nice to watch.

Well there you have it. Now what I can do is a wait and see. Time will tell. Over all, I am happy, and at piece of mind. Strick that last part. I still don't understand why people allow a step from there porch of there house into there house? Why isn't the floor of one the same as the other? OK, someday I get over that one.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Bloging this.

Lets see if this makes sence. Bloging is like an out let. Or is it, bloging is like an let out. I guess it depends what side of the fence you are stand on. Your view migth be clouded an any number of things. Your frame of mind would keep you from seeing things around you. Could you say for sure that what ever happens is right?

There is many things going on all around us today and trying to draw an conclusion it getting harder. Thing are happening that don't make sense to us but we don't know what has happened to cause this action. We can't be everywhere to see what the causes of others actions.

Maybe that why this blog is my letting out ideas in my mind that I don't know what to do with them. I have has some bad luck lately, most is my own fault. Other things at actions that I read in the paper, TV, and the internet.

For example, MacWorld, I used to be a place where people who Mac's and have a mind set around it operating system. If this is one of the last MacWorld, then these people who have attended in the past have lost interest in Mac's or in Apple. So that doesn't leave much. The people will find another outlet to find there interest in other.

Technology, in my mind, is addictive. Learning of things you can do with technology has made most thing a lot easier, but at what cost. We have thrown away so many things that either doesn't work, can't be repaired, or a lost of interest.

Is there any things that I have missed? Is the technology leaving us out of touch?

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

It is another New Year.

I got up this morning and I just new it was a New Year. But am I going to do about it? I need to make some wooden gifts for friends and relatives. Not for anything special, but just because they are what I consider my friends.

I have learned from the past year, I need to get a GPS device for the car. I got lost so many times I have lost count. Trying to find a house that is five minutes away from a major intersection has taken 45 minutes to find. And in the dark it get's worst. Your headlights don't shine up to see the street signs. Also when people have an accident, they often take down street signs or highway signs. Turn where?

Now I must do most of the things that I have been putting off for years. Time is catching up with me and if I am to get other things done I must get other things done. Make since? At least I know what I need to do. I would like to learn to program in Visual Basic.

I have to finish getting that little Triumph TR6 stripped and rebuilt. I going to make a driver out of it. At least I have found a great web-site to help and support me as long as I send them pictures. Other friends are supporting me by asking when do you think you will have it done.
How does three years sound? And that may be pushing it a bit. But it keeps me off the streets.

Oh yes, I need to replace my fence. It is just wood logs without the bark. I have found a source for the logs, and they should be delivered soon. I must make a fixture that allows me to make flat spot on the logs to mount the cross logs. That is taking longer than I imaged. I got a neighbor to help me redrill/dig the holes for the post. As I pull out the old post, I will stick a new one back in. Just less than 100 post are needed. This fence should last another ten years.

And one other thing that is just more than one item, electrical work. I need a three-way switch between the back door and the shop. I also need a light between the two. I need, maybe, lights that show the drive-way. What I have there now is solor LEDs. Not quite bright enought. I also need to add a light to light the way to the front poarch. These lights need to be something that looks like the turn of the century.

It that isn't enough, my wife will come up with more.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico