If it's Broke, FIX IT, darn it.

[Simon of the Playa]

If it's Broke, FIX IT, darn it.

what does this mean?


To me, it's a reversal of the old Reagan Credo (remember him? he doesnt, but thats another story to forget) "If it aint broke, dont fix it"

that statement seems contrary to the evolutionary process anyway.

I fix things. I find or obtain Old, Unwanted, Obsolete things, and i fix them.

I had a pair of boots, that i burned at the 2007 temple i had had for over 20 years....I LOVED those boots...i repaired them many times, resoled them twice myself with everything from staples to bubble-gum.

you see, when you fix something, you INVEST your precious time and energy, and yes, LOVE into that object, you infuse it with yourself, you bring it back to life, you make it "Better than it was"

it is now a PART of YOU.

you are much less likely to succumb to the disease of easy consumerism and the "throw away" model of business we now are surrounded by.

the sense of accomplishment and pride after successfully repairing something and watching it work or using it for work or play is immeasurable.

How many times have you done this in the desert? the Macguyver factor out there is very high because you are FORCED to adapt, use what you have and MAKE it work.

it is truly being out of your comfort zone when Necessity becomes your Mother.

thats when we learn. Thats when the rubber meets the road. thats the pioneer Spirit that BUILT this Great Nation, but it is a way that we have lost in our luxury of vast product choice.

Fix it, Darn it.

im talking about socks here, not all of my e-socks, but real ones...

take a needle and thread and darn the hole in a sock. Wear them again.

and again

and again.

this is our way to sustainability, people, we have more than what we need, its all around us in junkpiles and warehouses filled with misfit toys.

save them, save us.



now tell me, and the rest of e-playa what you have saved, either out there or here, in defaultia.

pictures too would be nice.



c'mon, theres a little MacGuyver in all of us, just waiting to get out and improvise.

[jkisha]

That's a great post Simon. And I've experienced that feeling you describe. However often times life and limited time prevent that from happening when it's so much more convenient throwing out the old and buying a new one. Plus, in this age of technology, new is often better; so why spend time fixing something that could be replaced with something not only new, but better?

Other than fixing something until I am able to replace it, I'm afraid my contribution to sustainability is limited to recycling.

Though I commend you for your efforts and enjoyed reading your post.

JK

[pinemom]

I fixed the wires on my vibrator!!! Have been for years!!!
Electrical tape!

[robrob]

good post.

i went to a lumber yard near my house, and got a bunch of scrap pieces from cut 4x4s. After cutting them down to the right size i painted them fluorescent colors and made a human size blacklight jenga to take to decompression tomorrow.



And while I totally agree with the sentiment about reuse and repair, i have a hoarder mom, so i am pretty strict about using stuff immediately or getting rid of it; i can't stockpile random "stuff" hoping to use it later :/[/img]

[Simon of the Playa]

it's so much more convenient throwing out the old and buying a new one

what will it feel like when your boy toy says the same about you?

[ygmir]

I took two trucks, both old and broken,

This one was a truss setting crane truck
(crane hanging in later pic)


This one, Army M35A2



took the crane from first




put it on the second






and, with some TLC, made a working tool






is this to much detail?

[Fire_Moose]

Wait, Simon, you infuse shoes with yer love? weird...

[theCryptofishist]

I won't make the joke about taking a broken man and turning him into a husband.
I won't make the joke about how I was broken and could have been thrown to the curb.
In a broad sense, I perfer the broken to the fixed, well, if it's been broken 20 years.
When I was a kid we had cheap toys from Japan and Taiwan. Now I see that they were stylistically much more amazing than that lead-infused crap from China, as well as often being more durable. And Japan and Taiwan don't have to make anything cheap if they don't want to.
I mostly repurpose.

And I am going to have to think about this.

[teardropper]

Damn, nice truck Yg.

OK. I used to patch my jeans. But lately, by the time they get a hole, they are so thin there is nothing substantial to sew to. I wonder if I'm able to wear them longer now, no holes till they are real worn, or if the material is different. Do they last as long as they did in the very olden days?... you know--pre-iPod?

[Boijoy]

Damn, nice truck Yg.

OK. I used to patch my jeans. But lately, by the time they get a hole, they are so thin there is nothing substantial to sew to. I wonder if I'm able to wear them longer now, no holes till they are real worn, or if the material is different. Do they last as long as they did in the very olden days?... you know--pre-iPod?

You can still wear them, you just have to wear festive boxers too.

[jkisha]

it's so much more convenient throwing out the old and buying a new one

what will it feel like when your boy toy says the same about you?

LOL

(how cynical)

But unfortunately, everything(one) does have an expiration date.

JK

[jkisha]

I took two trucks, both old and broken,

This one was a truss setting crane truck
(crane hanging in later pic)

This one, Army M35A2

took the crane from first

put it on the second

and, with some TLC, made a working tool

is this to much detail?

A project like that is so far beyond my skill set and ability to comprehend that I don't even have words. Which is why I will never have an art car at Burning Man.

Admirable that you have that know-how.

[pinemom]

I took two trucks, both old and broken,

This one was a truss setting crane truck
(crane hanging in later pic)

This one, Army M35A2

took the crane from first

put it on the second

and, with some TLC, made a working tool

is this to much detail?

A project like that is so far beyond my skill set and ability to comprehend that I don't even have words. Which is why I will never have an art car at Burning Man.

Admirable that you have that know-how.

No mine in pictures would have been WAY to much detail but yours, Ygmir, is impressive!

[jkisha]

I took two trucks, both old and broken,

This one was a truss setting crane truck
(crane hanging in later pic)

This one, Army M35A2

took the crane from first

put it on the second

and, with some TLC, made a working tool

is this to much detail?

A project like that is so far beyond my skill set and ability to comprehend that I don't even have words. Which is why I will never have an art car at Burning Man.

Admirable that you have that know-how.

No mine in pictures would have been WAY to much detail but yours, Ygmir, is impressive!

LOL How true.

JK

[Simon of the Playa]

it's so much more convenient throwing out the old and buying a new one

what will it feel like when your boy toy says the same about you?

LOL

(how cynical)

But unfortunately, everything(one) does have an expiration date.

JK

not necessarily john, thats what fresh stem cells are for....

[motskyroonmatick]

I took a non running broke and abused golf cart and returned it to life and release it every year on playa to help a burner that can legitimately use it.

I had the awesome experience of figuring out what ground loop circuitry is all about. Learned to read and trace wiring diagrams to find and correct multiple problems. Then once I had it running well and all painted up I made a hand control for the throttle and brake. I readjusted the entire throttle linkage and governor control so that it would run at slow speeds well and added a horn and CB 2 way radio. It has been an excellent project.

Otherwise most of the years I am at the burn I run my own repair camp where I repair many things for nice people. Come at me with your entire camp pressuring me to do fab work that you knowingly did not do pre Playa and you get kicked to the curb. Be nice and your need will be attended to in the order in which you came.

Playa repairs are awesome. I love the feeling of getting burners back on playa with whatever contraption they made and brought to use. Nice to get people back to where they should be.



There there was the time I blew a trailer tire on the way to the burn, chained the axle to the frame and limped in to the burn at 20 MPH. Then at the burn mounted a new tire by hand on the rim using dish soap and improvised tire spoons. Many thanks to the guys that helped me and that one random stranger that said that is how they do it in Baja all the time.

[Simon of the Playa]

http://www.politicolnews.com/new-tooth- ... -fillings/

[jkisha]

it's so much more convenient throwing out the old and buying a new one

what will it feel like when your boy toy says the same about you?

LOL

(how cynical)

But unfortunately, everything(one) does have an expiration date.

JK

not necessarily john, thats what fresh stem cells are for....

I have no retort, other than I can't wait until they get the kinks worked out of that technology.

JK

[jkisha]

http://www.politicolnews.com/new-tooth-gel-replaces-fillings/

Wow! Wonder how long to market and I can only imagine the cost. Is that covered under Obama Care?

JK

[Eric]

Darning socks & such, not something I'm good at.

I tend to reuse in other ways- my outerwear clothes are close to 99% used. The only new pair of clothing (except underthingies & hats) I can remember buying new in the last decade is two pairs of jeans, and that was because I couldn't find any I liked at 4 different thrift stores. Every suit (40+), every tie (90+), every shirt, every other pair of pants, all my drag, half my shoes, half my hats.... all from thrift or vintage stores, and worn for years.

Probably 75% of our furniture is reused as well, and all of our plates & glasses (we're Gay gay, we like our vintage dinnerware..)

When the cuffs on long sleeve shirts get threadbare, I have them turned into short sleeves. I have a couple that the collars are wearing out on, I've got them set aside while I decide if they'll work collarless.

When I don't need something that's still in good shape it either gets donated to a charity or it goes to a clothing-swap for friends.

Yggy- you're truck is brilliant. I bow down to you. Piney, you too!

[Simon of the Playa]

Every suit (40+), every tie (90+), every shirt, every other pair of pants, all my drag, half my shoes, half my hats

you have CLOSET SPACE?!!!!



in SAN FRANCISCO??!!!!!

[Eric]

Every suit (40+), every tie (90+), every shirt, every other pair of pants, all my drag, half my shoes, half my hats

you have CLOSET SPACE?!!!!



in SAN FRANCISCO??!!!!!

We have a long hallway to nowhere that's filled with boxes of rarely used drag and suits, plus closets, plus a storage unit in the basement. Still not enough space (figure a couple hundred shirts in there as well, as well as dozens of jackets), but we have more than a lot of people I know.

I only keep about 5-6 suits at the ready, if I need another one for an event or an outfit I prep it then; and the hats stack, though they look like Bartholomew Cubbins was here. The shoes are kind of a nightmare between the Hubby & me. We might as well be Imelda Marco's, we've got to have close to 50 pairs, crammed under dressers and the bed and in closets.....

Keep in mind that I have friends who have apartments with entire drag rooms in them and mine looks rather pathetic. I can, however, come up with an outfit for just about anything....

[ygmir]

see,
I'd love to find a place, I could get a used tux and formal wear.
Our little town doesn't have such a place, and, my size seems never to be found, when I've looked in "big city" shops.

[JStep]

I polish my leather shoes and boots. Modest, I know, something everyone used to do. Now a days common practice is trashing the dinged up leather and buying new.

My wardrobe is probably 30% thrift. Again, modest, but more than the average.

5 years of my life was spent buying almost nothing except food and living out of my backpack. Not much, but it helps.


Great post. I hope I can learn to embrace the RRR and DIY ethic more and more.

[jkisha]

Every suit (40+), every tie (90+), every shirt, every other pair of pants, all my drag, half my shoes, half my hats

you have CLOSET SPACE?!!!!



in SAN FRANCISCO??!!!!!

We have a long hallway to nowhere that's filled with boxes of rarely used drag and suits, plus closets, plus a storage unit in the basement. Still not enough space (figure a couple hundred shirts in there as well, as well as dozens of jackets), but we have more than a lot of people I know.

I only keep about 5-6 suits at the ready, if I need another one for an event or an outfit I prep it then; and the hats stack, though they look like Bartholomew Cubbins was here. The shoes are kind of a nightmare between the Hubby & me. We might as well be Imelda Marco's, we've got to have close to 50 pairs, crammed under dressers and the bed and in closets.....

Keep in mind that I have friends who have apartments with entire drag rooms in them and mine looks rather pathetic. I can, however, come up with an outfit for just about anything....

I hope we don't end up seeing you on that TV show Hoarders!

JK

[moonrise]

see,
I'd love to find a place, I could get a used tux and formal wear.
Our little town doesn't have such a place, and, my size seems never to be found, when I've looked in "big city" shops.

Try contacting the wedding formal wear shops in Reno, Vegas, any big city...this is how casino workers save a LOT of money...these shops re-sell the Tux shirts and pants (sometimes coats w/tails etc) after just a FEW rentings! They will mail it to you if you know your size!

As for the vests and jackets, those are not as available at the formal wear rental places (but a great selection of all vest sizes w/great fabric patterns are available at Burli*gton Coat Fact*ry ..only $15 for a great vest, bow tie set!..they have big sizes also!) I wear about 8 bow ties sewn over the logos if old casino uniform formal wear!

~~I also gave a guy one of the cotter pins off my carport to fix his clutch~~

Sotp, You are correct, there are mountains of things piling up in USA...due to the older generation passing on.....Estate liquidators have emailing lists...

"Obtanium" free or found things for burningman... "The Pier" art installation will have tons of this and when I have a chance I have a photo of a pile quickly growing, old boats and you name it!.....we need old weathered lumber! Deck planks! go see "the Pier" thread please!

[moonrise]

I took a non running broke and abused golf cart and returned it to life and release it every year on playa to help a burner that can legitimately use it.

Life changing gift...I cannot thank you enough! 50, 999 +1 = 51,000.
Motz, I could NOT have joined in 2010 without your extreme generosity!

(I still need time to express my feelings on Gift Thread, the HELP Golficus Carticus and injured me with 4 cans of gas and your efforts provided to countless, injured, tired, ice toting, you name it, burners...mindblowing! )

[wraith]

It is -so- worth the effort to do this kind of thing. I've got a pair of boots like this, worn them 12 years now, just had to have them re-soled last fall because the welt stitching finally started to give out beyond my ability to fix myself. Still wearing 'em.

As far as jeans go, I think you're right teardropper. Every pair I've had fail in the last couple years has turned out to come apart in mid-fabric instead of at the stress points like pocket corners, and is too thin to really hold a seam. I've opted for re-using the denim out of them for other projects, probably going to make a set of panniers for my bike for next year out of the couple pair I've got falling apart now.

I wish I could get more decent thrift clothing, but I'm a really big guy, and stuff in my size doesn't often make it long in the thrift stores around here.

[motskyroonmatick]

(I still need time to express my feelings on Gift Thread, the HELP Golficus Carticus and injured me with 4 cans of gas and your efforts provided to countless, injured, tired, ice toting, you name it, burners...mindblowing! )

Your Welcome Moonrise! It is an easy gift for me to provide and I'm happy that Golficus Carticus was so well used. It is especially great that you turned around using a gift to gift help to others. Now that's a great return on investment!

[moonrise]

(I still need time to express my feelings on Gift Thread, the HELP Golficus Carticus and injured me with 4 cans of gas and your efforts provided to countless, injured, tired, ice toting, you name it, burners...mindblowing! )

Your Welcome Moonrise! It is an easy gift for me to provide and I'm happy that Golficus Carticus was so well used. It is especially great that you turned around using a gift to gift help to others. Now that's a great return on investment!

Yes! The absolute best! Thank you from us all! She NEVER gave up, nor I, you and WE!

And Ygmir found/gifted us crazedlist(dot)org! If you try it you must have firefox! I need to install that and give it a try since craigLOOK(dot)com left us without even saying goodbye! Why! oh Why! We did everything she asked and then she left us without explanation! I know she would roam and search the whole nation for 250 miles++++ but to leave so suddenly, it was if she was court ordered to go on vacation! Man that gal could shop! Saved burners money, when down on our luck, could make us a buck, maybe her sister is almost as good, she's sitting below us, in the hood, let's hope she too won't stop! or leave us with no rhyme or reason, it's time to shop, for it's the off season!

crazedlist(dot)org....take her for a spin! She's a keeper!

Thanks for fixing us up with another WIDE spread search engine yggy!

yes, I suck at rhyming and reason but I'm tryin and that ain't no lying!