Author Archives: Joel

D&L have been working on this house for two years now. They figure they’ve got maybe another three before they move in. That gigantic pile of straw is their outside walls. For the record, most of the barn is also … Continue reading →

…as long as certain common-sense requirements are met. It’s not the DC Council’s fault that so far nobody has been able to recite the Bhagavad-Gita while hovering in mid-air. But as soon as someone does that to their satisfaction (They’re … Continue reading →

…But I am making money. In fact, if things continue as they are, which I don’t expect, I’ll need to cut back some. I’ve got two regular gigs for neighbors, which between them make me 60% of my “dog nanny” … Continue reading →

Sometimes I catch myself in what seems like a peculiarly male sort of idiocy, in which the actions available to me are either all one thing or all the other and neither is desirable. No really earth-shaking examples come to … Continue reading →

Here’s a photograph… And here’s another photograph… Aaaand…you know where this is going, don’t you? At least this time they fired his ass. I guess there are some depths of lameness that even cops can’t tolerate. I mean, c’mon. Threatened … Continue reading →

From 7:30 until 2 in the afternoon, I had what’s got to be the perfect job. It was outside in the sunshine, it didn’t involve hard labor, and it meant I got to use a really powerful machine I don’t … Continue reading →

…can have unintended consequences. After an embarrassing incident last year that could have been very bad, I’ve gotten into the habit of racking a new round into the chamber of my .45 before leaving the lair in the morning, and … Continue reading →

I got a gig with some neighbors, cutting the dead wood out of their meadow. Today I spent seven hours cutting juniper, and I’ll bet I’m not a third done. With the cutting, that is. After that I’ve got to … Continue reading →

I think it’s probable that if you’re reading this at all, you are likely to agree with the proposition that Too Many Guns (TMG) is essentially a null value – there simply is no such number. TMG=∅ This is, of … Continue reading →

Landlady and M are here for the long weekend. We got a bunch done on her project, and tomorrow we’ll be moving either to M’s Dome or The Secret Lair. I’m running out the door with fresh bread for a … Continue reading →

She wouldn’t answer the questions. Ten years ago the big complaint was the “long” census form, which has now been spun off into a “separate” form called the “American Community Survey.” Now there are hundreds of stories about census “workers” … Continue reading →

The electrical and insulation on The Secret Lair is finally coming along, making me feel better about life. I needed a bunch of little things to proceed, so I tagged along with W to town for a hardware run. After … Continue reading →

It’s just people who are ‘way smarter than you, making your decisions for you. For the good of society as a whole, sometimes the good of the individual must be sacrificed. These people have all the facts, they have the … Continue reading →

Look, I don’t begrudge Jeremy Irons his pink castle, or his six other houses or his fleet of cars. If I had his money, I’d spend it on myself without remorse. But just where the hell does he get off … Continue reading →

…About concealed carry proponents. Or gun nuts in general. They’re not necessarily my allies. No, I’m not going to mention any names or sites. I was in the wrong place, and it was up to me to know that before … Continue reading →

From USA Today: Pushy fliers may show up on TSA’s radar WASHINGTON — Airline passengers who get frustrated and kick a wall, throw a suitcase or make a pithy comment to a screener could find themselves in a little-known Homeland … Continue reading →

Never throw a lit cigarette into a pile of dry horse manure. Just take my word – details are too embarrassing.

Yup, it’s still in the dictionary: tac·ti·cal   /ˈtæktɪkəl/[tak-ti-kuhl] –adjective Of or pertaining to a maneuver or plan of action designed as an expedient toward gaining a desired end or temporary advantage. By that definition, I suppose you could argue that … Continue reading →

…when they’re not being the bane of my existence. A simple little ten-minute job. A quick Jeep ride over to S&L’s house, where they just planted a whole bunch of flowers all over the place and asked me to keep … Continue reading →

Oh dear oh dear. Joss Whedon, what have you wrought? It seems some folks have decided five years is enough to wait for another reboot of that great, abortive show Firefly. They’ve taken matters into their own hands, and if … Continue reading →