Harmonograph

Work has returned after vacation--as i knew it would, but as a result of vacation, I seem to have misplaced by work verbiage truth translator---that part of my brain which translates stupid workplace verbiage into common terms---this part of our brain's automatically translates bossspeak from "I really want to know what you think" into the true message of just shut up and do what i tell you to do.

 The workplace verbiage truth translator keeps us out of trouble--but without it, emails full of workspeak positivity--and motivation have me shaking my head trying to figure out what the fuck is going?

"what the fuck is this person saying--i have no idea".

I had previously taken my workplace verbiage truth translator for granted I'm afraid---something i will never do again....i am spending this week desperately searching for it---leaving me helpless at the hands of co-workers advising "We are behind the power curve on this" and so on....without my work truth translator I am like Helen Keller at a Presidential debate.

I am very interested in the 10,000 year clock project from the long now---you could say that this is a great deal of money down the toilet that could be used elsewhere---but i do believe that this project is the Stonehenge of our time---this project is based on building a huge mechanical clock that works on a principle of tracking time over cosmic lengths is a first since it is a mechanical object---not digital, or electric or dependent on an outside power source.....

The clock is being constructed over a very long time frame and will reside in a man made cavern in Texas---if one is willing to hike for a day to reach it---it will be accessible to anyone. You can even help keep it running by winding it. The design is incredible--proven by an 8 foot test model---I have provided links to articles on the clock when explain the concept much better than I ever can....Leaving something standing for the ages is an important part of mankind--which creates mystery and joy...the Builders of Stonehenge and Gaza knew this---we need something physical bigger than ourselves to create awe for those in the future.

the 10000 year clock

My Omax watch is in and is working perfectly--keeping excellent time and is comfortable to wear, easy to read and operates with perfect timekeeping for $22.00. It is however Chinese and not eastern European as i first thought------

it doesn't wear, feel or appear as a cheap watch at all.

The book "The Strange affair of Spring heeled Jack" was OK...just OK--- nothing special. I can't really recommend unless you are a total steam punk head.  The book on shaving was a total disappointment--nothing there...

The homemade cigarette concept is in full fledged usage. We have given up store bought cigarettes for more than a month now....

My safety razor and blades are in and will be tried out this coming week---

Currently reading: Roadside Picnic--by the Strugastsky brothers. A Russian SF novel written in the early to mid seventies...which has become the basis for the computer game STALKER.
The premise revolves around an Alien visit to earth during which time the aliens make no contact--they apparently camp or repair their multiple ships and just leave---with huge piles of their junk and contaminated zones remaining where their ships landed. A society develops around these alien dump sites of Stalkers who enter these very dangerous zones to recover alien artifacts. The concept is excellent, although the book is extremely Russian in that the main character RED describes the world as if he is in conversation with himself---a sort of tiring writing method to read---but still interesting....I can't recommend this for everyone---but it is something different both in writing style and in story line.

"An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself."

Albert Camus