I think most of us could benefit from this prayer. Of course, i think that these words might have been better edited for the children’s book this is a scan from.

Today’s garage sailing brought home some more project material. I think that this one will be a winner. I still need quite a bit more raw materials to make it though. It is another table (can you ever have enough horizontal surfaces?) made from children’s toys. I’ll probably use a similar approach as i did with the wooden block table to use these letter blocks to make a tabletop.

Any words in the image are purely by chance. We could play this screen like a game of Boggle. Which reminds me of a little lyric “I’m the king of Boggle, there is none higher, i catch eleven points off the word ‘quagmyre’”

My latest project to frame will be a collection of simple like art that features just a bit of color. I have been thinking of one of those frames that you see a collection of family pictures in – you know, with the various rectangles, squares, and circles. Here are some likely candidates. Can you tell that i’m using the computer that has a scanner attached?

Ryan tore this off of a box he received at work some time ago. I interpret them to say “forklift drivers beware of falling scales ahead.” What do you think it means?

Here are some old Coke ads from the “Tiger High-Lights” from an Ogden, Utah’s weekly high school newspaper from the 40’s.

Once upon a time, while returning recyclables i found some re-useables. I found the picture below in a July 29th 1966 issue of the “Petersburg Press”.

The same issue has an ad that simply reads “Beachcomber Inn re-opening starting this week end”. Also this shippet…

Mrs. Ragna Welde entertained members of her family and several of her friends at the Rustic Inn last Sunday Evening. The occasion was Mrs Welde’s 86th birthday. There were 25 in attendance. Gracing the table was a special floral bouquet of red roses and white mums.

My very good friend Ryan Welde is turning 30 this year. So i figure Ragna could have been his great great grandmother. Seeing as Ryan’s sister is the florist in town it really is neat that the paper mentions the flowers at the party.

I have long heard about the legendary customer satisfaction of Patagonia and The North Face. Stories of a zipper or snap breaking and the owner receiving an entire new garment always seemed exaggerated to me. Well, i had finally tired of the zipper of my TNF Rolling Thunder luggage not functioning well. I was worried i’d start losing socks when i sent my bag through for inspection, handling, and delivery. I had to send it in for repair. All it needed was a new zipper. The bag had wear but worked just fine otherwise. For the $200 original purchase price i was willing to pay $40 to ship it to California to get it fixed. My bag returned a little while ago. They sent me an entirely new one. This happened to me with my Wiggy’s sleeping bag and my Solomon hiking boots. You do get what you pay for. I have had that pair of Solomon boots (including the original and the replacement pair) for 11 years now. Granted, i only wear them for heavy-duty trips. I have only had one blister while wearing them – and that was a 13 mile day that we hiked from 12,000 to 6,000 feet. I didn’t know i had a blister until i actually looked at my foot that night.

I travel quite a bit. Even more with my position as the incoming president of ARPA. My recent flurry of flights has inspired me to note some of my least favorite parts of travel. Other people.

My first big gripe involves carry-on luggage. There are many offenses in this category. You have people that bring on 4 items instead of the maximum 2. You have people that bring on enormous bags. You have people that board the plane as early as possible and then put all their crap in the overhead bin so nobody else in the row has any storage space.

Then you have people that travel while ill. I know this is not always preventable. But there are some things that can be done. Teaching children to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing would be a nice start. Perhaps at some point the teens and adults that don’t could follow their lead then. How about taking some powerful medication and a sleeping pill and not subjecting the rest of us to your phlegmy hacks.

Armrest hogs. If i get scholiosis it will be from leaning away from armrest hogs or obese passengers. Show some courtesy and share. Most people passed kindergarden right?

I dislike the halo of anxious boarders that develops around the gate when they announce first class and mvp passengers may board. These people are the ones that get on, collect all the blankets and pillows, use all the overhead space and then act all put out when you need to get to the seat next to the window and the have to get up.

Recliners. I think seats should be fixed and not recline at all. I was on a long flight once upon a time and someone suddenly reclined during the meal and i had sushi on my lap for the next 8 hours. No, i have not ever wanted it since.

Sobbing children. Isn’t there some sort of prescription you can get? The A-Team somehow always managed to make B.A. sleep through their flights why can’t we give children a shot of something 30 minutes before take-off?

I wish people were a little smarter about travel. Imagine how fast a plane could be loaded if we boarded planes starting with everyone in the window seats, then middle, and finally aisle.

I know – i seem to be more and more intolerant of other people. I’m starting to sound like Ed Anger.

Wear your seatbelt or join the dark side.

For some reason all Burger King’s have this flooring. I saw this freshly mopped floor while waiting for my chicken sandwich order during my trip to Anchorage. Are you calling me a liar? Here’s further proof.