The Contraption 2009

[LeChatNoir]

Damn, unjon…

Hope you get to feeling better. You gotta get those joints greased up and get back to it, goddamnit. Don‘t make me come kick that walker out from under you.

I had to run to the local steel supplier today. More farm supply than steel, and he never has the bulk stuff I need. But when I need just one piece of something, he usually has it so I like to give him business. Besides, A trip there means I get to go interact with one of the many local characters that reside in these parts (of which I am certain that I am likewise labeled… everybody is, after all, somebody’s weirdo). While there, I spied a junked compressor with crankshaft and case still intact and had to fight to keep from snagging it and starting another project. So after having tamped back that urge, steel in hand I then head back to the shop and remember that I needed to stop and get some canned cat food.

Damn it.

I don’t feel up to stopping at the grocery, it’s just too much of an investment for the moment, so instead I decide to stop at the small shop a few miles from my place and get enough to hold things over for a day or so. Like the Farm/Steel place, this is another small business that is equally full of local interest. Not a quaint little boutique shop, really, but more of a raw, no-nonsense kind of place where you can get a gallon of milk, minnows, and a made to order sausage biscuit or hamburger (depending upon the time of day, of course). And what’s better, here in central Kentucky, this place is run by a Jordanian fellow. Go figure.

But not only is he a small business owner who I like to support, he’s my friend and that makes it so much the better. This is a place where, if he needs something welded or fixed I generally do it and trade for lunch. Sometimes two lunches if it was a big job.

So in I go and canned cat food I grab. The last of the few cans actually, but then turn to put one back out of the thought that someone else might need just that one can and now I’d be making them run all the way into town because of my pure, capitalistic greed. But then I went back and grabbed it again because I’d have been at odd numbers and it takes two cans at time to feed all these beasts and sometimes disappointed cat guilt overrides disappointed shopper guilt because… well… it just does sometimes. That and the cats know where I sleep.

Oh, now I forgot to mention that this place, despite it’s small, rural back-in-time appearance, does not take debit cards at all. Cash or local checks only please. The owner tells me its some sort of “waiting for the right hardwareâ€

[ibdave]

LeChat, That was so nice to read with all the rest of the world in a tissy.. Nice way to end the night... Thanks my Friend.. Thanks.....

[Dusza Beben]

Well put Le Chat. I am truely sorry for your loss. I haven't had a "real" shop for years but I still have my shop cat. Macassar is 12 years old now and can be a royal pain in the ass but I know it is going to hit me like a ton of bricks when he goes. He's a Visa cat. Everywhere you want to be! On the keyboard, in your chair, on your side of the bed, you name it! I had been a diehard cat hater for years (largely due to an extreem allergy to them in my younger years) until a brother and sister team of cats changed my ways. When Halcyon moved in with me she brought along two cats, Rita and Tigger (they named themselves). They were without a doubt two of the coolest cats I have ever met. We were concerned about how Rita Tigger and Macassar would react when Florida (Friday)was born as some cats freak out when a kid enters the scene. We had both of our kids at home and during both births Rita and tigger hid in the basement and Maccasar was next to or on the bed. Irregardless, NONE of the cats would have anything to do with the kids. We felt bad that the kids didn't have a pet of their own so when Friday saw a stray kitten outside a reastaurant we had dined at and begged us to bring it home we bit the bullet and upped the cat count to four. Needless to say, the new kitten, Kelly, would have nothing to do with the kids either! But a strange thing happened. When Kelly entered the picture little miss Rita became the most kid friendly cat you would ever see! Letting the kids carry her around, dress her up and pull on every appendage, purring like crazy the whole time. We lost Rita and Tigger two years ago and for the kids it was like loosing a parent. Not long after their passing Macassar himself (who up to this point could only be petted by me and sometimes Halcyon) turned into a softie and even lets Maxon torture him with love from time to time. The grief comes in waves my friend. I'm not sure the waves get any smaller with time, but they do get farther apart.

If the tail shadow was not a goodbye and a sign of "I'm alright" then I don't know what is.

DB

[karine]

I just will miss Salem soo very, very much.
I thought I'd sing tonight a little bit...

* * * *

Some glad morning when this life is o'er,
I'll fly away.
To a home on God's celestial shore,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).

I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).

[unjonharley]

I just will miss Salem soo very, very much.
I thought I'd sing tonight a little bit...

* * * *

Some glad morning when this life is o'er,
I'll fly away.
To a home on God's celestial shore,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).

I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).

Guy's, I know how much you miss your fried and pal Salem.

It's been a year and I miss my Tyger. His ashes sit on the nite stand waiting to be with me when I go. And I tear up when I think of him.

Rust-T-Fur helps a bunch. He has worked his way into my heart. Every thing I plan is planed around him. I tell him every day I love him..

[bigbluedoggy]

Wow... LCN, Karine, Mozy, Captain... there's gonna be a big hole in the playa for me this year without my friends. I'll do my best to keep the sand warm for you all for next year. I must confess, I've come close to throwing in the towel myself this year, but there are many folks counting on me to pull off Destiny Lounge one more time. And one more time it is likely to be, as next year I may be looking for someone else's dream to join in. Time will tell.

[gyre]

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/steel ... _1561.html

[sktELEMENT]

Can somebody in simple terms explain to me what the Contraption even is? Give me a reason to care.

[unjonharley]

Can somebody in simple terms explain to me what the Contraption even is? Give me a reason to care.

Some crack pot blacksmith put a bunch of junk togeather, drug it across country and drove it around the playa.

It's called Agru/steampunk art. It's design come from many ideas of people that give a shit.

[gyre]

[LeChatNoir]

Can somebody in simple terms explain to me what the Contraption even is? Give me a reason to care.

Hi sktELEMENT,

If you're really bored or just a glutton for punishment, you can start at the beginning and know more than you ever wanted to about it.

The Beginning

But be warned, I don't have my tagline for nothing.

[unjonharley]

BUMP!

AND The Great Or. Steam Up is this weekend. Now for some real punk.

I know you never looked at the disc I gave to some of ya. Now may be the time to look. Just to see what your missing.

6$ for seniors. That and my(poor mans segway) makes a good deal.

[unjonharley]

Hey LCN, You doing anything with that pile of rusty junk corn binder??

[Captain Goddammit]

Hey LCN, You doing anything with that pile of rusty junk corn binder??

Wow that description fits you to a tee!