my journal: various subjects, opinionating, CW at times
The title explains itself.
If you're interested in the ramblings of a middle-aged man with chronic conditions who, at times, sees things a little too clearly for his own good, then read on.
Sometimes I get political, but it won't be all the time.
I don't mind comments in general but if you're going to differ with what I write, that's fine--as long as you can explain your position clearly & reasonably. Rants, shouting & general incoherence will be ignored or flagged, depending on the situation. Try to remember that not everyone else in this world holds your beliefs.
Every so often I may post art or snapshots of projects I'm working on.
If you're still interested after reading all the above, great. (I do wonder at how much time you have on your hands, though)
Hi. Hi.
I understand. When one suffers greatly one usually wants to find some kind of meaning behind it...that goes double if one is religious person. Humans have a basic need for meaning. Viktor Frankel discovered that when he was in one of the camps during the Hol0caust.
@Helgafy Having said that, I must also add that Lewis's statement is a bit too black-&-white. It would've been better if he had worded it as "suffering can be a tool for spiritual growth". It works like that in some cases, yes...but by no means is it true for everyone who has suffered greatly. Much of my twenties was an exercise in various kinds of anguish & misery; I've also had the misfortune to meet quite a few misbegotten subhumans of whom several were definitely sociopathic. While I've certainly changed as I've gone through life, would be quite a reach to say any of that experience has made me more spiritual or religious. Nor am I the only example.
Am lying down today....thinking about the great tree-cutting job. It's occurred to me that I might be going about this the wrong way. Wouldn't it make more sense to get acquainted with the saw here at home & bring it to the property after that? It would certainly be a safer alternative. 🤔
@slowdecline48 You could make sure you read the manual good. Maybe take the blade off and put it back on. To make sure you have what you need with you should it pop off while you're out there. Did you get a extra bar too?
Too bad I live so far away lol. It would be cool to help you out
@mytwistedsoul Didn't get an extra bar, but I do have a 2nd chain. Probably should get a bar. And wedges...I don't have any wedges. Do wooden wedges work for felling? I have a few small planks of exotics sitting around...maybe wedges made from those would work?
Of course RTFM. I downloaded a few good vids from Youtoob a couple nights ago...am also pulling out the two books I have on the subject. One of 'em is by a guy who runs his own woodlot, so he knows more about cutting trees than most
@slowdecline48 Wooden ones are ok for smaller trees. It's better if they're hard wood though. Wooden ones can sometimes split. You don't want steel ones because if you catch one with the chainsaw you risk breaking the chain and it could wipe towards you and cut you and it can kick back Hard
You'll want to make sure you've got a sledgehammer or a good axe to hammer the wedges in too
Of course, I have an axe & sledge already. Thank you for the tips...right now I'll take any wise counsel I can find. I do have steel wedges but they're for splitting a log with a sledgehammer...probably not the best for keeping a saw kerf open in a standing tree.
@slowdecline48 You're welcome. I'm glad I could help :)
Hi.
Tomorrow you start your work with the trees. Here is a Bible verse for you;
Psalm 91.4: "He will cover you with his feathers,and under his wings you will find refuge;
I've altered my plan somewhat, folks. Here are my thoughts:
It doesn't make sense to start felling trees right away, even the small ones. ("Small" meaning anything with a trunk under 10"/24.5 cm. in diameter!) What I'm doing this week is prep for it: using the saw on stuff at home...got at least 150 lbs. of scavenged wood sitting around, probably a fair bit more than that by now. Mostly water oak logs/branches. So any prayers will still be useful. I figure if I get hurt now then I'm closer to an emergency room here; if I don't then I will have a little experience by the time I get to my property & so won't walk in as a total FNG.* On top of that, all the bark will be off the logs here & I'll have a couple roughed-out pieces to be made into tool handles, cane shafts, etc. later.
Still need a pair of chaps. The idea of felling & cutting trees with only a helmet & boots seems rather stupid.
...I've been silently beseeching the great Flying Spaghetti Monster for help. (Plenty of people pray to Jesus, but most people pay no attention to the FSM)
Also need to do a few little things like putting handles on certain tools, including the files to sharpen the saw's teeth with. (It makes sense that they're sold without handles, but it does add to my busywork) Much to do now. If I go to the land now I'll be going in mostly unprepared. Not a good move. So I'm giving myself a week to get up to speed.
...been nervous enough about this whole thing that I started stress-cooking a couple nights ago just because I couldn't sleep.
*FNG = short for F***in' New Guy.
@slowdecline48
Well - then I guess you have prayers done for you whenever you're doing your tree-job. Good luck to you whenever you do it!
I'm awake, strangely enough.
Gonna get something to eat, reading the manual again as I scarf. After that, it will be time to fuel & oil the saw, start it up for the first time & remove the bark on all the raw wood I have sitting around--after I unstack it & bring it outside.
Might have to do it in stages...I could trim the two long pieces, too.
May the FSM protect me from harm with his holy noodles.
...that is, as soon as I figure out how to get the godda.mpusnuttedf*ckeduplimpc0ckedmuthafu€kin thing to start up.
Scratch that last comment.
Apparently, the way to start one's chainsaw is to do what the manual says, yank the starter cord a lot, try yanking it with the off-on switch (I think it's also the choke) in on and off positions, then say "phuck this" & leave the saw alone for about a half-hour...then try again.
That's what it takes to start it when the engine is cold. Or so it seems.
It is more likely to start when you do not have a helmet on. There is no logical reason for this; it's just what I've learned so far.
But once the thing is running...Moses in a Cadillac, you can do plenty with it.
Next up: basic maintenance & sharpening the chain. Gonna read my references again for this.
So far the score is in my favor, because my limbs are still attached & I didn't go to the nearest emergency room.
@slowdecline48 😂 Yeah this sounds about right! There's usually a lot of creative cussing involved. Once it's broken in it should start easier and of course it starts easier once it warms up. Glad no er trips were involved
At some point I'm gonna hafta sleep here...& do laundry!...
My right hip is b*tching already & I'm lying down...when I wake up, it & my lower back will be like undisciplined toddlers.
If you're keeping up with the news, folks, realize that good info is hard to find these days--especially in legacy media. To wit:
[CW: political talk, my opinion, unmusical violins]
(Be aware that the Times, in particular, has been anti-Israel for decades even before Nikole Hannah-Jones took over as editor/shot-caller.)
On a more personal note, my study on chainsaw usage sans amputation also involves screenshots of any comments that show unusual knowledge or savvy. This guy--whoever he is--sounds like he has a philosophy of machine tools similar to my own:
"The LCLY Team" refers to the family behind the Lumber Capital Log Yard channel on YT. It's entertaining, their two daughters are cute, they know their business well & freely share their knowledge. Good people.
Quite a few people seem to think it must be great to be an artist...such people have inevitably never picked up a pencil. Or if they have, they doodled when they were little & outgrew it soon enough in their lives.
It has its perks, for sure. There are times when creating is joyful, or a way to contentment. But the artist's path is not always smooth...no more than any other path through this world. Depending on what kind of art you're into & what you want to do with it, your path may have many rocks & sinkholes in it... Or if life gets demanding enough, the path may grow faint...so faint you might lose it for a while. I have but I've always found it again.
What really sucks: when more than half your life is gone, your creative power is still going but not like it once did...& you see artists less than half your age who are doing more & achieving more than you ever will.
It sucks harder than an over-the-hill p0rn actress.
As I type this I am lying down crosswise on the bed, facedown, arms & head dangling to the floor...cellphone in one hand.
Got lower back pain this morning...into the rear of my hips. Phuck.
I know why... Was sitting a bit too long after I woke up early last night because I was depressed.
Note: this never happens after I've been sitting while working on something, particularly if it's a project in polymer clay or hemp twine. Plenty of moving around & getting up when I need to. "Active sitting" =/= passive sitting. I'd say that in many situations, active sitting > passive sitting...for physical health, at least.
This does not help my confidence re the work to do this week. If I go there with back pain, it will slow me down & might interfere with situational awareness. Not good at all...esp. re the saw & the trees.
I might work kneeling when it is safe to do so...this would be only after a tree is already on the ground & there is no danger of it rolling towards me suddenly. Work on an upslope whenever the ground isn't flat... Gotta watch the branches, too.
Also need to start the saw again. It can't just sit around with fuel in the tank.
But before I do that: rest...just a little. Just enough.
May god rot whoever invented tendinitis.
Also discovered today that someone else in CupsLand is a piece of trash.
If you're following this journal then no, it's not you.
...*smh* I swear, some people are wastes of perfectly good protoplasm.