Our new barn is the result of an evolution. The idea began as a large shed to house small tractors and equipment so the workshop/garage's floor space might be freed for Cog to service tools such as chainsaws and lawn mowers, as well as room to build things.
The shed concept morphed as we made frequent stops in nearby towns and even along country roads to inspect various sheds and barns. We considered their size and shape, their special features such as a second story or unique windows and in particular the building structure. We were interested in things like the size and style of the roof overhang and the different types of siding.
After weeks of research and examination of various building plans, Cog proclaimed us ready as we’ll ever be and we priced, purchased and took delivery of the majority of the building supplies he would need. Weather permitting, throughout the winter Cog worked diligently and many modifications were made along the way. While I’m sure Cog will make the time to churn out a technical piece about the building concepts and process, here is the down and dirty unveiling for those of us less savvy in the area of construction. Continue reading The Multi-Purpose Barn→
Sometime after oh dark thirty it will begin, the previously cocked trigger suddenly released to wreck havoc throughout the world’s financial system. Like an intricate and interwoven design made entirely of standing dominoes, all it takes is a slight disturbance to knock one off its base and start the cascade of toppled consequences running down the line.
With the benefit of hindsight it will be seen that the trigger itself was not the killer. Instead, sometime later, a specific projectile will be (most likely falsely) identified as the blunt instrument which tore economic flesh asunder and quickly bled the system of ‘liquidity’ faster than a slash to the femoral artery. Too late to make a difference, tourniquets will be applied to stem the red tide. Sadly, all it will accomplish is to extend economic life long enough to enable a final frenzy of looting before the bloody end.
There was a fascinating piece in The New Yorker recently about a man who, in the 1960s, bought a motel just so he could spy on his guests. He had always been captivated by other people’s private moments, by how differently they behave when they think they’re alone. He admits he also wanted to see them have sex.
The article is fascinating for many reasons (check it out here). But perhaps the owner’s most interesting discovery was that human beings are quite typically miserable on vacation.
Alain de Botton has written about this phenomenon: that our vacations never actually resemble the week of bliss and relaxation we expect them to be. In his short documentary The Art of Travel, he describes the hilarious—and all-too-familiar—way in which his long-awaited Mediterranean cruise unfolds as a parade of mild disappointments, even though there was nothing particularly wrong with any of it.
