Clearing the Cobwebs

Since my IRL BFFs are taking a family vacation, I've had the time to do real physical labor. Biking, Grilling, Movies, Parties and Road-Trips turn out to be my KRYPTONITE. I've discovered something about work. Doing work that is not enjoyable and is physical is very therapeutic. Sure, I work, and although it's labor, I am a knowledge worker which very, very rarely requires any physical exertion. Sure, I bike, and that is physical labor that requires exertion, but it is enjoyable. There is a guilty pleasure associated with it. When you complete physical labor that is not enjoyable, there is a sweet pleasure at completion that has you looking for more.

As this post does have a theme, I've footnoted all the interesting things that happened that don't play into the theme.

It started with easy work on Friday cutting my lawn.

Saturday, I had to take my truck in for it's 30k service(1). Before-hand, I stopped by Advanced Auto and AutoZone to order the rebuild kit for my Honda del Sol(2,3). While waiting on the truck, I test drove a Pontiac Solstice(4).

I had to go to Mom's house next to cut her lawn, but found that someone she hired to cut limbs off a willow tree 3 weeks ago hadn't return to clean up the mess. I had to go buy an axe to finish the job and haul the limbs. It took me about 20 minutes of work before I finally learned how to swing an axe safely and effectively. Six hacked willow branches and two landfill trips later, I was finally able to start cutting her lawn.

Sunday I woke up energized from all the physical labor! I trimmed my bushes first thing and sawed three lower limbs off of my front yard Charlie-Brown tree(5). Then I purchased a bristol brush, telescoping pole and some house wash. I considered buying a pressure washer, but that turned out to really be overkill for a house my size. It was the right decision as it took very little effort to brush the mildew from the siding. I started measuring for a planting bed, but then the clouds moved in.

I'm still energized, which is a good thing because my garage has to be cleared to start work on my little red sports car.

Clearing my to-do list has really focused and cleared my mind. So literally and figuratively, I've found that I'm clearning the cobwebs from both my surroundings and my mind.

(1) - I got a quote from Nissan 3 weeks ago at $479 so I was shocked when the bill came to $592! I questioned it and they said, "Whoops! We made a mistake.". Now let's think about this. If I hadn't known that the service would cost me $479 beforehand, I wouldn't have questioned the $592 cost. Which made me wonder...how often does this happen? I'm going to submit a BBB report on this.

(2) - While emailing a friend, I challenged myself to rebuild the engine and clutch before the start of Jazz on the Lawn on May 9th.

(3) - While waiting for my truck, I scanned the Honda Certified Service Manual. It's amazing! 2,000 pages of complete blow-outs of each engine component, specs (torque, tolerances) and step-by-step instructions on disassembly.

(4) - It has a heavier feel than my del Sol. It also has a 3 feet by 10 inch trunk... I prefer having my nimble two-seater over a roadster. To be sure, I stopped by Saturn to look at the Saturn Sky. It's the exact same body style, but when I mentioned this to the salesman, he said "No, they are completely different.". As this pissed me off, I started pointing all the details on the car of how he was wrong. And then I asked about the trunk size where he confessed they were the same.

(5) - Cutting the bushes into ornamental umbrellas, while anesthetically pleasing, has turned the rest of the plant into a MONSTER. I guess all of the water, nutrients and energy that was going to the lower branches is now redirected to the top. I'm hoping to replicate the effect on my Charlie-Brown tree.