Television

Although television was invented in the 1920's it didn't really catch
on until after WW II. I was about 12 when my family bought our first
TV set. We quickly came to the same conclusion reached by Newton N.
Minow about ten years later: that TV was a vast wasteland. My little
brother was the only one in the family who watched the thing on a
regular basis.

Never having caught the TV-bug, I've never noticed its lack. Several
years ago our kids bought us a big TV set. Color. All solid-state,
except for the CRT. Every now & then we use it to watch a movie one
of us has bought. Or to show a video we've made. A video is a dandy
way to show someone how to do something, such as assembling a VW
engine, or making a part on the lathe. But I'm still learning how to
edit all the bits & pieces. Creating a really good video is a lot of
work.

In a way, it's kind of funny. Fifty years after seeing television for
the first time, I've finally found a use for it :-)

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I've been lucky enough to have live a full life, doing things I enjoy,
such as exploring old mining sites, or the cave paintings down in
Baja. Or making a new stock for an old rifle. Or building tiny steam
engines that really go. And yes; doing a bit of flying, building
crazy engines, carving propellers and lotsa stuff like that.

One of the most surprising aspects of living that kind of life is the
number of people who ask: 'When do you find the TIME?'

The reason I'm surprised at that question is because we're all given
the same amount of time. There isn't any 'finding' involved. But
people ask that question then stand there with an expectant look on
their face, waiting for me to explain my 'secret.'

"Throw away your TV set," I tell them.

That usually gets a little laugh. They they say, "No, SERIOUSLY...
where do you find the TIME?"

Now it's my turn to laugh. Because my answer WAS serious. Throw the
damn thing away. Or turn it to face the wall. Get back into the
habit of living your OWN life instead of being 'entertained' by
watching someone else live theirs. (And yes, I consider election
'debates' and 'news' broadcasts to be entertainment.)

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Yesterday, Saturday the 29th of November, 2008, I got to spend a
little time in the shop. That's the first time I've been able to do
any work since I was diagnose with cancer on the 14th of June, 2008.
There were half a dozen jobs waiting for me, suspended in time. Most
of the jobs over-lap to some degree, in that working on one leads to
another, or the work was suspended waiting for a part to arrive. Or
waiting for a part to be made... Over on the milling machine were
three jobs waiting their turn and the mill is waiting for me to finish
a simple jig that needs a bit of welding.

I didn't do any real work yesterday or today. Oh, I put a few things
away, took a picture of a pilot drill, promised for a fellow who'd
never seen one. But it was mostly re-discovering tasks that have lain
dormant for six months, trying to recall their sequence; taking a few
notes whilst sitting down. Moving the chair -- and sitting back down
-- when needed. It still hurts to stand up. Sitting down helps keep
the pain at bay.

I'm trying to make videos of some of the jobs. The video camera
records up to half an hour on a chip, then you replace the chip or
down-load it onto a disk. I've got eight chips and about 40 disks.

When the job is done, the video for that job gets edited together on
the 'big' computer. That's where you add titles and graphics and
background music and do the voice-overs, turning the slices of
captured video into something other than a vast wasteland... which is
what made me think of Mr. Minow... and of all the folks who wonder
where I 'find' the time to do... whatever.

-R.S.Hoover

On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:04:19 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:



Now it's my turn to laugh. Because my answer WAS serious. Throw the
damn thing away. Or turn it to face the wall. Get back into the
habit of living your OWN life instead of being 'entertained' by
watching someone else live theirs. (And yes, I consider election
'debates' and 'news' broadcasts to be entertainment.)

that is the sagest, wisest advice ever. ...and it works.
now if I could just shorten the 3 essential hours on the net :-) I'd
be set.


When the job is done, the video for that job gets edited together on
the 'big' computer. That's where you add titles and graphics and
background music and do the voice-overs, turning the slices of
captured video into something other than a vast wasteland... which is
what made me think of Mr. Minow... and of all the folks who wonder
where I 'find' the time to do... whatever.

-R.S.Hoover

persist Bob. you are doing the very best illness recovery work
possible.
judging by the progress to date you *will* recover.

Stealth Pilot

"Throw away your TV set," I tell them.

That usually gets a little laugh. They they say, "No, SERIOUSLY...
where do you find the TIME?"

Now it's my turn to laugh. Because my answer WAS serious. Throw the
damn thing away. Or turn it to face the wall. Get back into the
habit of living your OWN life instead of being 'entertained' by
watching someone else live theirs. (And yes, I consider election
'debates' and 'news' broadcasts to be entertainment.)


Sounds like a John Prine song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPsCdx_DcbE

Mike Proctor wrote in news:Ls_Yk.8988$c45.502
@nlpi065.nbdc.sbc.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPsCdx_DcbE

LOL!!! There is at least one other John Prine fan out there. I thought I
was the only one. lol.

Mike

On Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:14:28 GMT, Michael Casey
wrote:

LOL!!! There is at least one other John Prine fan out there. I thought I
was the only one. lol.


There's a few of us...

-Dana
--
No trees were harmed in the transmission of this message. However, a rather large number of electrons were temporarily inconvenienced.

Oh heavens no. John is my kind of idiot.

Highflyer
Highflight Aviation Services
Pinckneyville Airport ( PJY )

"Michael Casey" wrote in message
.247...
Mike Proctor wrote in news:Ls_Yk.8988$c45.502
@nlpi065.nbdc.sbc.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPsCdx_DcbE

LOL!!! There is at least one other John Prine fan out there. I thought I
was the only one. lol.

Mike