All I Want for Christmas...

Flatter, sleeker black dress shoes
Golf stand bag
Brown v-neck sweater (just like my other wool sweaters)
A work shop
Acoustic-electric guitar
Wrinkle free, non-shrinking khakis or slacks

World peace

Who's Crafty?

Recently Ashley blogged about how crafty I am (I prefer the term handy). That reminded me that I've never bragged, I mean blogged, about my projects.

This past spring, three nights before the annual Boy Scout Pinewood Derby competition, I decided to craft a scale model 1973 BMW from an official Pinewood Derby kit (actually it took 3 kits). Here's how I built my official rules-conforming car:

1. Drive to Hollister to take measurements on the real car that will serve as my model.


2. Create scale model drawing of car (top / side) to be used as template for wood cut-outs.


3. Drive to local hobby store and purchase: 3 pinewood derby kits; 1 spray can of white primer; 1 spray can of red acrylic paint; 1 bottle of silver acrylic detail paint, 1 bottle of flat black acrylic paint, 1 bottle of paint thinner, 3 paint brushes


4. Drive to local paper supply store and purchase 5 sheets of full page label paper (peal-off sticky paper).


5. Cut out copies the scale pattern and glue them to blocks of wood.


6. Cut out basic car pieces: fenders, passenger cabin, roof.


7. Glue fenders to body.


8. Shape body with belt sander and wood file. Sand.


9. Shape passenger cabin with belt sander. Sand.


10. Shape roof with belt sander. Sand.


11. Prime components with white spray can. Let dry until next morning.


12. Apply first coat of red paint with spray can. Let dry until evening.


13. Apply second coat of red paint with spray can. Let dry until next morning.


14. Create decals with Microsoft PowerPoint.


15. Print decals onto white label paper using color printer.


16. Paint wheels with silver paint.


17. After car paint is dry, glue roof, passenger cabin and body together.


18. Paint bottom of car black. (In retrospect this should have been done after priming and before painting the car)


19. Apply decals.

Race day. My car wasn't fastest.
But I could tell the Boy Scouts were totally jealous.

Nit Picker

Ashley is on the couch sleeping with Charlie right now, helping him take the much needed afternoon nap that he refused to take alone. It's an uncommon moment of silence, but a very typical act of selflessness by Ashley.

She is the ultimate unsung hero and the reason our home is such a happy one. When she cares for Charlie, buys emergency supplies, pays the bills or cleans the house she doesn't toot her own horn. She helps out because help is needed. She says kind things because it makes people feel good. It's just what she does.

I'm not as good at being nice and helpful as she is. I'm not a cold-hearted meanie, but I am a great nit-picker. Ashley doesn't give me much material to work with, but I am guilty of fault finding way too often. For example, just a couple hours ago I gave her chided her for not charging her laptop. I said something like, "You know, if you don't want your laptop to die so often you might want to plug in the power cord." It's a pretty tame remark as most of my criticisms are, but I don't think hundreds or thousands of these over time is going to get me or her anywhere.

It wouldn't be so bad if I also doled out compliments as frequently as I do snide remarks, but I don't. Compliments aren't second nature for me, rather they are usually conscious attempts at doing the right thing. And I don't think I'm alone in this. I think most people find criticism easier than praise. I also think that criticism is the easy way out.

Fortunately I live with someone who does things the hard way and I'm hoping it rubs off on me. I think she hopes it will too.