Wastelands of Suburbia

A place where the cast-off ephemera of the last four generations comes to rest, and is discussed fondly....Like junk, or the injection-molded minutiae of history? Welcome home...Junkyards, yard sales, roadside oddities, thrift stores and more-your memories are deep inside the box, so keep shaking.

Monday, November 26, 2012

And still...No Rest For The Wicked.

A few years ago, I eluded to the notion that I'd been incommunicado for some time here due to a few things. The largest of those things has now been completed, and I am able to get back to some things I've been ignoring-like this very blog.

Essentially, for the past few years I've been producing a low-budget feature length film. While it has been a fun project, and an exhausting one at times, I won't go into it here, since this blog was never intended for that kind of thing, DIY project or not. You are more than welcome to go here to get a better idea of what I've done. I know this sounds cold and calculated but it's not-I had an absolute blast doing it, I learned a lot about myself and about others, not to mention the film-making process, and I wish to continue along that path if possible. I want, however to keep that in one section of my life and my DIY, tool, junkman, etc. parts in another-at least at the moment. Maybe one day I'll merge all this stuff and then I'll post it here. It would be like talking about work on here-even though this is work I LOVE.


In the time it has taken me to make the film, some things have been done, but much has gone undone, and I'm in a position where some of the projects I had hoped to complete will have to be scrapped, in the interest of stuff that HAS to be done, versus stuff I'd LIKE to do. My home renovation needs to be kept at Priority One, as I'm not sure if I will be staying or not. I've been hoping for the last few years to move in with my girlfriend an hour away, a process that has frustrated us both. Long story short I'd like to have the house as ready to sell as possible, so I need to get myself focused on fixing some of the stuff that has been held off for some time.

Gaw, this sounds depressing-it's NOT! I'm loving life more than ever, and I'm taking small bites towards getting ahead again. And things HAVE gotten done-I just haven't had as much opportunity to blog about it as in previous years. So let's start with something simple:





A nice little magnetic knife rack-ignore the unfinished back splash. I have found that these little things can be ridiculously expensive for some unknown reason. Prices on kitchen and chef-oriented websites show them as much as $60 and higher! Enter Harbor Freight Tools, aka The Happiest Place On Earth. Two 18" magnetic 'tool holders', for things like screwdrivers, pliers, etc. were available at $4.99 each. I needed two, because to hold the knives this way, the additional magnetic grab was needed, otherwise they'd fall in the direction of the more weighty handles and point towards 11:00. I'm not sure at this point I won't put a few inches between the two, but for now, other than the annoying decal (telling me loudly what they are, thanks much), I like they way the work. I may also find some kind of either a) fancy end caps or b)new hardware to make the screw-mounting a bit more subdued. a few painted wood trim plugs may be all I need to fancy it up.
(NOTE:) Since installing these, Harbor Freight has begun to manufacture them sans annoying label on the mag strip. Get you some.