The Toolbox

Hubby has his shop where he can do his hobbies of choice, that involve power tools, saws, planers, drills, and a log splitter. There are so many other tools that he had to have a new seven-foot-tall tool chest.  Now mind you, the man already had three other large tool chests.  However, this monster of a toolbox is the perfect accessory for any man’s cave.  On the outside, it is just a tall and wide toolbox. Being a normal woman it did not occur to me to “check out”  a toolbox.  The manufacturer counts on this fact but disguises the box’s perks behind its gray metal doors, in case.

Oh, and perks there are!  The Monster Toolbox has a quality surround sound stereo system, installed inside.  Music while you work, I get that.  Pretty darn fancy, for a toolbox. I thought, but I did not say.  He uses his tools and his shop every day, so he is entitled to his toys.

One of our boys let it slip about the refrigerator, also installed in the Monster.  At first, I was jealous, then after thinking about it for a day or two, I became grateful.  That way the menfolk**, can have their own bar and snack items there in the man cave – did I mention the snack storage?  This provides a large decrease in the trafficking of dirt, sap, and orange soil into the house while foraging for sustenance.

Notice there are speakers on both sides. They can fan out for better acoustics. Why does one need this feature, on a toolbox?  I don’t hear any music. Only power tools, chainsaws, and hammering.

** I say “menfolk”,  but this cave gathering encompasses my daughter, her family, two sons, and their families.  Even my doggie likes to hang out there – they must stock her treats in the Monster.

I did not label the snack section – no one will tell me where it is.  I bet my doggie knows exactly where.

♥  TTFN  ♥

Football Season 2020

Player #15 hauls butt with the ball!

The first disappointment was the canceling of all the Junior Football league games.  You wouldn’t think that little kids playing football would be exciting to watch, would you?  Well, you obviously do not have a grandchild on a team. #15 (above)  happens to be mine.  This kid has played on defense, quarterbacked one season, and is a terrific running back because she is determined and the fastest runner on her team.  That’s right – I said ‘she.’  She loves football and did not care if she was the only girl on the team. She started at the age of six.  Fearless.

But I need to gripe about professional football now.

The second thing was the sudden canceling of the NFL pre-season.  I don’t think the big-wigs understand the purpose and importance of those four games.  Usually, by the end of the preseason, everyone, meaning the refs, players, coaches, cameramen, and fans, is practiced and prepared.  Now we are dealing with this learning curve during the real season.

To fans, it isn’t only the 4 extra games to watch.  We learn about the new guys & the rookies. Who plays what position. Who makes the final cut.  It is not fair to the players at all

The stupid stuff is usually all worked out during pre-season.  The refs get the new (and old) rule changes down, the cameramen actually film the game more than the sideline players and cheerleaders.  Only the commentators stay the same throughout the season- spewing stats that even the most hard-core fans don’t care about.  Blah, Blah, Blah.  Not even shutting up during the plays or talking over the officials to be heard.

It is so depressing to see the stands empty.  Cardboard cut-outs are a cute idea, and I love the “celebrities” attending the game.  But what about the stadium noise?  It would be so nice to not have to listen to that racket for a change.  Guess What?  We don’t have to!  Except someone keeps pumping out a canned version of crowd noise.  This is so ridiculous, it’s embarrassing.  To make matters even more annoying, the cheering sounds coincide with the other team doing awesome things.  The home team gets booed.  HEY!  At least get that right!

I vote to remove the phony crowd noise altogether – it’s noise pollution no one wants.

Who’s with me on this?

Someone, Please Send Me a Clue

November is rapidly approaching and I am not enthusiastic about any of my ideas or former drafts.  I read through 300 writing prompts yesterday and none of them prompted me to write.  Not one.

I am so ready to move on to my next novel – I spent way too much time writing and re-writing my last one and I have learned my lesson – I need to create a detailed outline – and follow it.  I had an outline for the Involuntary Tourist, but I did not follow it closely. Then I  decided to change some things around and got totally lost.

The premise and the story were so exciting to me that it kept me going until the end. Ten years is a long time to be excited about something.

Now, I am excited about nothing.  I am finding that I have become impatient with my brain.  I want to have at least a month to develop my idea into a tight outline, so I’m ready for November.  I have a screenplay in the works, that I like, but I want to do something totally NEW and FRESH to me.

I have a ton of drafts, notes, and research done that is sitting around in my filing cabinet – like dust bunnies I am trying to ignore, but they won’t go away.  I have thought often about pitching them into our wood-burning stove during the winter.  Of course, I never do it.  After all, those ‘almost’ books are like children.

I do not perform well under pressure.  I need to stop trying so hard. The best ideas come to me when I least expect them.  Truth be told, they usually happen in the shower or on the pot.  Not glamorous, but there you have it.

I will keep you posted.

 

♥  TTFN  ♥