Whoa! Didja get the numbers off that truck?!?


October 20, 2001 - 10:23 a.m.

How to do-it-yourself

One of the major things I learned from my Dad was a strong DIY skill. I never knew any different. He raised five kids on straight commission, and we weren�t a wealthy family by any means. I always figured his projects were a way to save money. It helped that one of the lines he repped was a company that made power tools. He bought the samples from them, and I have two of them now. The drill press is serial number 39.

So, as a public service to my readers, I will relay the wisdom he imparted to me, unto you:

�Hold the light higher God damn it! Over here!�

�Where�s the God damn ball pien hammer?�

�$%^#@*!!!�

Okay, now here�s the stuff he didn�t yell at me, but showed me by example:

Believe that you can do it; prior experience is not a requirement.

Study how the person did it before you.

Carefully take it apart. Peel it like an onion. Arrange the parts carefully so that they can provide a diagram of how it will go back together.

Treat springs with caution. If they let go, they�ll destroy the careful diagram of disassembled parts you�re creating.

If it�s mechanical and it�s broken, the broken part will show itself.

Electronics is the exception to this rule.

You�ll usually discover that you took things apart unnecessarily, but that�s okay. You�ll know that the next time.

I�ve fixed a lot of stuff I knew nothing about, using this method. I�ve approached several jobs with nothing but common sense and a screwdriver. Most jobs are nothing but hard work. But like my father, the desire to save money is the primary driver.


I made a fantastic discovery at the local library yesterday. They loan out music CDs! Now I know I�m probably coming late to the party, but this was a neat discovery for me. In amongst the Lawrence Welk and Yanni CDs, I found a Joe Walsh �Best of� collection. Also I found Neil Young�s Harvest album, which was one of the first albums I bought in high school. And the true find: Spike Jones & his City Slickers Musical Depreciation. The cover art shows him with his band, blowing a note on his trombone, firing a starting pistol in his right hand. It's cartoon music. Of course I�m ripping them and burning my own copies.

Next up, books on tape.







the last one -*- the next one


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