RV Troubles and Basic Manners…

SO, I have not posted a video or an update on the RV in about 10 days. The holidays have been upon us and I have been a little side tracked which accounts for part of the delay. I did get most of the cabinets done with an insert so Michelle could paint them. There are just 3 left and I will be getting those done most likely tomorrow.

In an effort to attempt to “figure out” the electrical issues (lights not working from time to time, charging batteries, and connecting to shore power) I hooked up an outlet for the RV so I would not have to use a converter for the cord. Looking at the plug, it looked to me to be a 220v plug, similar to the stove, dryer, and my welder, all of which are 220v. I got the outlet from my neighborhood “depot” store, connected it to the 50 amp 220v service that is just inside the door for the welder and proceeded to plug it in. No issues, no worries. SO I THOUGHT!

Turns out that the RV is set up on a 120v 30 amp service… I may have FRIED either the AC/DC converter, several fuses, and/or the microwave or all of them. However, I left the battery switch on last night and I woke this morning to the interior lights on. Now, I just charged one of the batteries yesterday, but it was the single battery that I thought was the one used for starting the motor.

So, I am convinced that I am chasing an electrical ghost. Maybe the battery is bad, maybe there is a short somewhere, and maybe there is damage from connecting the 220v power to the camper. All things that I am unsure of…

To be continued….

NOW,  on to “basic manners” and why is it that people don’t seem to have them…

I grew up in Florida, as a Southern Boy, I was raised to be polite until you don’t deserve polite anymore, and to use please, thank you, and yes sir, and no ma’am when appropriate. I am not sure what the problem with Palm Coast is, maybe the northerners, maybe the general “vibe” of the city, but it seems that EVERY time I go to a restaurant, Wal-Mart, the bank, the grocery store, where ever, there are RUDE people. Why is that? Does it not take more effort to be rude and impolite, that it does to be gracious and show some basic courtesy to your fellow man?

I just don’t understand, can anyone explain this to me? I am stumped!

Until later…

Steve

Video #3 for the Airstream “Land Yacht”…

Got some work done today on the RV. Got Alex (Knucklehead #2) up on the roof with me on the ladder to scrub some of the roof to rid it of the black mold & mildew that was up there. Found one soft spot above the bathroom, and also found out that the Mr. Clean “Magic Eraser” works like a champ on the roof. Actually better than anything else!

Enjoy this video…

On another note, I have been reading a book called “The ORIGIN of everyday things” and although I am sure that all of this information is available if you were to Google it, who would think to look up some of this stuff? So, along with the posts that I am going to put up for the RV videos, I am going to give you a little factoid to make your day a little more interesting.

Todays’ factoid is about the airbag:

According to the book “The origin of everyday things”, A patent for a rudimentary airbag design was issued to American naval engineer John W. Hetrich in 1953, but the crash-sensing technology necessary to make the device practical was perfected by U.S. inventor Allen K. Breed in 1968. The first car sold to the general public with an airbag as a standard attachment was the 1973 Oldsmobile Tornado, but it was available only on the passenger side. Motor giant General Motors introduced the option of driver’s side airbags in Oldsmobiles, Buicks, and Cadillacs between 1974 and 1975. In the early days, the devices were something of a liability in themselves – several fatalities were found to have been caused by malfunctioning airbags – but the major design issues had been solved by the early 1990’s. One significant breakthrough was a venting system designed to reduce the rigidity of the inflated airbags co-patented by Breed in 1991. In the U.S., all new cards have been required to be equipped with airbags since 1998.

End of your informative tidbit for today!

Steve

BUSY, Busy week…

Have you ever had a week where you got so busy that by the time you realized it, the week was over and it is Friday? That has been THIS week. I have not even done any christmas shopping yet.

I was so busy this week, I published the “RV Lifestyle” video #2 on Tuesday or Wednesday and I totally forgot to post it to post it here where everyone could find it. I am EXCITED, even though there is LOTS of work to do to the RV still, Michelle & I have tentatively settled on the flooring that we are going to use, and she has some ideas on how she is going to re-do the cabinets. I have some cleaning that is going to happen this weekend, and some waterproofing that I am going to get done. I am hoping that the weather is warm enough that working the hose and scrubbing the roof is a possibility… It REALLY needs it.

In any event, here is video #2 of the “Land Yacht”.. ENJOY!

Steve

The Joke that made Ed’s Fortune, Another Mark Twain story

Here is another Mark Twain short story. I hope that you enjoy.

Moral of the story: You never know what is going to come of the things that you do… sometimes they pan out, and sometimes they don’t. You should however GRAB AHOLD of every opportunity that rolls your way from day to day.

I hope you enjoy this little classic story, it only takes 15 minutes!

Steve

The RV “lifestyle” has begun!

To my friends and family:

Today, Michelle & I have “officially” started our RV adventure! We successfully purchased a 1996 Airstream 30′ Land Yacht class A RV. Yes, it was a deal, YES, it needs some work, but we got it home with no problems (A/C was an issue) but at such a great price, we have plenty of $$ to put into the unit and not be upside down. Check out our RV page. I will be creating both YouTube videos as well as keeping the blog updated as an on-going living journal.

We should probably set a “bug out” date that michelle and I can shoot for to be ready to go.. We will be doing some short weekend trips soon and will keep everyone updated on those trips as well.

Have a GREAT weekend, we have lots of work ahead of us!

Steve

Got the video done of the 1st day… Enjoy

The dying man’s confession…

Creepy.. Have you ever thought about what your “death bed confession” is going to be? In that same line of thinking, have you thought about how much time you have left?

Maybe I am softening with age, and maybe I am just changing with the seasons, but I look to my future, how bright and fantastic the day are to come, how quickly our lives slip away. I want to not leave any projects unfinished when it is my time to go. So I am setting a goal to finish the projects that I have yet to do. The list is long, and the time is short. I am going to make everyday count and pray that I outlive my father of 63 years.

Have a GREAT weekend everyone! Enjoy the story…

Steve

What stumped the blue Jays, Mark Twain…

As a young man, I never appreciated the English language or the satisfaction of reading a good story. I was too busy in the shop class learning to work with my hands, which looking back has saved me THOUSANDS of dollars from hiring someone to do the work that I have done over the years.

I guess, I am now learning to appreciate the classic written stories. Technology, now gives us the ability to “listen” to a good story, and appreciate it while we multi-task on other projects. My parents never gave me any specific direction on what skills I should learn in life, math, shop, english, manners. These are skills that I have had to “discover” myself over the years, when I have finally found the reason that these skills are important. Maybe that is why I am so tough on my children to help them understand the importance of these skills, without them wasting time “discovering” them.

So here is yet another Mark Twain story “What Stumped the Blue Jays”. Enjoy!

 

Steve

Mediation & Mark Twain…

Today, I had the opportunity to perform and help resolve cases for 6 families who were in eviction. 6 cases, 6 settled. I always say that I am NOT superstitious, but I find myself being picky about what tie I wear when I go to court, or how I arrange my paperwork in my briefcase. My motto is “Sometimes you’re the windshield (case settled) and sometimes you are the bug (case not settled). TODAY, I was the windshield! All but one case got resolved so the family could stay in the home, and one settled that they were moving out on a specific date & time, but in the end, I think that the right resolution was achieved for each particular case. A full 8 hour day, and I am exhausted, but I feel energized that I could help people in my community and lighten the load of the court docket.

Now on to Mark Twain.. Some time ago, I purchased some audio books that had 3 or 4 short stories from Mark Twain. Those who know me know that I am not much into “the classics” although as I am getting older, I find myself “changing” in my taste, my desire to complete some of the things on my “to do” list, and I am starting to think about purging some of the stuff that I have collected over my lifetime.

I have been listening to the Mark Twain short stories, and it is interesting how they were written. I sit & listen to them with my eyes closed trying to exercise the “Theatre in my Mind” and envision what Mr. Twain must have thought these characters would have looked like. I am, over the period of the next week or two going to post the videos I have put together for friends, family, and strangers alike to enjoy. I hope that you do!

 

Steve

The notorious jumping frog of Calaveras county by Mark Twain

I am sure that it has been done before, but I am working on my video editing skills, and testing out YouTube, and rendering video, etc for an anticipated upcoming project. I have a couple of CDs of Mark Twain stories that I would like to post for posterity purposes, and thought that this would be a good place to put them.

I have been thinking about publishing these stories into a volume of Mark Twain stories in paperback, also probably been done, but what the heck.

Enjoy!

Steve