Redbud Winter.

Well, I was planning on doing some casting on my days off this week, but, Mama nature has other plans. Redbud winter is kinda like the Dogdays of summer in reverse. Temps are down, rain is up, skies are greyer than hand washed laundry, and of course, the cat is pacing the floor wanting to know what the hell happened to the sun.

Of course, its typical weather patterns for this time of year. Just glad as hell I don't see snow today. (knock on wood)

I have no political fire today. Hell, I am thinking that I am done when it comes to anything 'politics'. They win, for now. I say that yet I know that within the next month, some jack-knob on the hill is going to do something stupid to get my Ire up and I will post about it.

Fact of the matter, I am withdrawing my consent as much as is possible. I have been working on it for sometime now; its almost time to finish the job. I found out that I don't need a permit for the septic system if I am not tying into the electric grid. (don't ask me what the logic here is, its purely politics and taxes so logic hasn't a thing to do with it) That makes my world that much simpler and simple means cheap; cheap means I can apply a little more throttle to my plans. The one downside, if you want to call it that, is that getting insurance on my house. I don't know if I can get it since I won't have any inspections or certificates or any of that shit. IF I do get it, it may be outrageous in price too. Then again, I may not want to even bother with it at all. That is something that can wait for now. I have some time to dwell on it and figure out what I want to do.

I find it funny that I can build a house, without all of the trappings that Regulations insist upon, better and cheaper than one built 'to code'. I won't have all of the bells and whistles that most people insist upon in a newer home but the way I see it, I don't need all of those bells and whistles. My home is a place to keep the weather out, and my privacy in. Somewhere to sleep, shit, study and occasionally eat. (granted I will eat there more than occasionally but more grilling out than cooking in.) The majority of my 'living' will be done outdoors or in my shop. Why would I want a 3000' sq/ft McMansion with a gourmet kitchen? Why would I want to budget for 1000KWh/month to keep the danged thing comfortable? Its not a matter of being able to afford it, I would find a way. The point is why would I WANT TO? LOL I guess I am just a cheap bastard in the end. I hate spending money on anything that doesn't have a highly defined and dual function in my life. Heck, even in my tools, I prefer dual function. I hate fixed blade knives for the same reason(though I own several). Give me a Gerber multitool or a Swiss Army knife and I will go far. Fixed blades are ok but a multitool really gets the job done.

Now, for those that get a little frustrated with my writing style, My apologies to you but too bad. I don't always have a defined subject in my head. I rarely have a set of notes about what I want to write about. Most times, I sit down at the terminal and just start tapping away until my sub-conscience sends feelings of relief to my conscience. I wouldn't call it therapy. More of a way to unblock my creative outlets. 9 times out of 10, I send off a post then go work in the shop for a few more hours. Its like my sub-conscience is telling me to get out of the way while it works on something. I haven't the gumption to write fiction like Mayberry does, but I can vent. (besides, tried it in creative writing and bollixed the shit out of my 4 or 5 attempts. I know better now.) Even now, I am venting so bear with me while I seem lost in the torrent.

Bill Nye posted today about feeling lost in the deluge of crap that seems to be raining down on a daily basis now. I understand exactly what he means. I have to follow up on that with the commentary that those teaching us what it means to be American were also mis-informed. The real Americans were slaughtered in the battles of the Civil War. Since then, we have been coddled and preened to be 'gentle Americans'. Even those that volunteered and fought in WWI and WWII were softened by progressive ideologies. Granted, not nearly as much as what we have been subjected to, but it was started well within the middle of the 1800's. Starting about the same time as the FedReserve, Education started its downward slide to False Self-esteem. There was a time where your standard 8th grader could outperform a college graduate of today. There was a time when the 8th grade was sufficient for the average citizen and to continue on into 'Higher school' was your step towards going to colleges or universities (and there was a difference in the two.) Now, we find Senior College students that struggle to read. We have Doctors that haven't the first clue how to balance an Red/Ox reaction(so how do they know if there will be complications by cross prescribing any medications?)
Now, children are taught more about "rising up" or "being fair" or how everyone is "special" more than they are taught anything worth the time and money spent on them. A person who is taught to think doesn't need someone else to lift their self esteem up. Those that know how to think for themselves don't have a need for 'public opinion' since they see it for the shallow thought it really is.

A person that learns how to think for themselves is a lonely person in this world now.
I know I feel it most days.

I think Bill is feeling it now.

Here is thinking about the rest of you out there that feel the same way.