Carpentry, Math, Angles & Angels

The contractor who recently finished the bench seat on our deck extension admitted that Math is difficult for him, and he just can't see how the numbers go together to figure out angles. He is a good carpenter however, so except for the fact that it is rare, exensive Redwood that he is working with, his trial and error carpentry does get the job done. My wife noticed that the bottom angles on the verticle two-by-twos around the railing were all cut backward, and the nails have an exposed space between the cut angle and the base wood that he was nailing into. The railing is overbuilt, so there is no worry about collapse, but gee whiz, that should have been obvious. I will add in an extra backing board here and there to compensate because to force a re-do would cost more Redwood. We can live with it and I doubt that anyone will notice *:-)

Movie Recommendations:

"Napoleon Dynamite" - Yes, see it. OC+
"Paparazzi" - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

A man called Jim passes on...

Bye Jim. You left your body, passing-on 1 hour and 10 minutes ago, at the age of 92. I really like you, and will continue to remember you as you were when I last was with you. I'd say you had a really good and full life, and that you never stopped living it *:-) Thanks for sharing yourself with us *:-) Have a safe and peaceful journey.

Movie Recommendations:

"Head In The Clouds" - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Diamond mirrors

The diamonds that I am close to catch me by surprise. Without any special effort on my part to polish or care for them, occaisonal brilliant flashes of light emanate delightfully and help brighten my day, very much like the people I meet *:-)

Movie Recommendations:

"Before Sunset" - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Healing, Grieving and Peace

Natural processes have brought some suffering into our family and we are all listening for guidance on how to help and how to be part of the healing that will be needed. May a power greater than ourselves guide us through grief to healing and peace.

Movie Recommendations:

"Touch Of Pink" - No, don't see it. OC-
"Arrested Development" (from TV) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Turkeys on the loose

Another visit this morning of a flock of 14 American Wild Turkeys {Meleagris Gallopavo}. They paraded up and down our front property line pecking at something on the ground. There is a two lane road along this property line which has a few cars in the morning on their way to work. During the "rush hour", just as a car was beginning to pass our front gate, the turkeys decided to cross the road. Why did the wild turkey cross the road? They didn't know the answer either, because they took their time, and wandered about a bit in the middle of the road, while first one, then two and finally three cars had to creep between the meandering turkeys *:-) When the turkeys finished delaying traffic, they headed up the brush covered and forested hill across from us and off to some other play place. We loved the show *:-)
Feel free to check out the link above for more turkey info.

Movie Recommendations:

"The Story of the Weeping Camel" - Yes, see it. OC+
"Rosenstrasse" - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Natural talent

A berry is a berry, a tree is a tree.
I want to know what God has made of me.

Movie Recommendations:

"Victor/Victoria" (1982) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

BSA, Baden-Powell & the learning tree

Many many memories of my experiences as a Boy Scout, a Boy Scout Leader and a Woodbadge member have occupied my thoughts in the last 24 hours. Because I love nature and the learning process I believe the original concept of the Boy Scouts as developed by Baden-Powell was the perfect way for a city boy like me to get a safe and appropriate introduction to the real world as defined by nature. I count the hours that I spent in nature within the Boy Scout system as the most truly educational of my life. Facing big hikes, big meals, big animals, big fears, big fatigue, big darkness, big water, big ice, big traditions, big camps and big trees helped me see outside my inside world and de-isolate to become a better person. Thanks to all who help me within the Scouting system *:-)

Movie Recommendations:

"Broken Wings" - No, don't see it. OC-
"Autumn In New York" (2000) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Green Mint Chips

Cool Mint...Smooth Texture...Superior Meltability...The Perfect Chip...or so the package says. We wanted to make something special for our family as a dessert, and visited 6 different grocery stores in 3 different cities today (2 per city) and finally found what we needed to create the dessert the way we know it needs to be done. A few days from now, I plan to blog the tasting results *:-) Let me know if you are interested in the brand name.

Movie Recommendations:

"The Human Stain" - No, don't see it. The actors are way pro, but the budget isn't big enough to make the story as heavy as it needs to be for balance. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Peaceful Saturday morning

Although I find the arrival of peace pretty unpredictable and inconsistent, I really appreciate it when we get a quiet, still and naturally peaceful morning. For me, it sets my favorite tone for the rest of the day, and makes it easier for me to be the person I want to be. I am grateful for all the peaceful moments I am given, thanks.
The deck-building dude mis-calculated some small elements, so we didn't get it done yesterday after all. He says he will be back on Sunday to finish it up (and also says he will have to charge more!). We really like what he has done, so we'll go along and hope the finished product is just what we want. My wife has a friend coming up today to try the deck out for some craft activities, and the weather is cooperating, so it will be good to hear what someone else thinks about what we have done.

Movie Recommendations:

"Rough Magic" - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Doing the Deck Dance

California...Sunshine...Deck...makes sense to us.
We have had our small home since 1987, and are finally getting to finish the deck, which will make the outside of the home as usable and pleasant as the inside. We hope this will free us up to have more people over and more family gatherings, especially if our children present us with grandchildren anytime soon *:-) It seems that our married life got lived a little backwards because our family was large during the early money earning years, when it was very hard to pay for anything extra, and now that we have a small amount to use for expansion, nobody lives here but us (and the cat). We are not planning to put in a hot tub however, sorry.

Movie Recommendations:

"Salon Kitty" - No, don't see it. Don't even put it in the player. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Dogs Bite, Don't They?

Our neighbor's dog is a powerful, mixed breed, black & tan female. She can be quite a normal dog and will accept treats from my wife happily, and not fight with the other dog they have when treats are given. She is very protective of our neighbor's home and property, and barks continuously and loudly if any perceived threat is around, which of course helps us too. She is very capable of jumping over the fencing they have, and sometimes when I am getting out of my truck after getting home after dark, I will find her nose suddenly right at the calf of my leg, which scares the hell out of me, since she has a record of biting people there. Our neighbors are suffering now because they know that if any serious injury occurs to a tradesman or child, they are liable financially, and they need to think about how to control or put down the dog. We wish them good vibes in making that tough decision.

Movie Recommendations:

"Red Heat" - No, don't see it. OC-
"Manchurian Candidate" - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

All day 30,000 mile check up

I will be without my truck all day on Friday. The 30,000 mile check on the truck takes all day, from 7:45 am until 5:30 pm [over 9 hours]...when I go in for a complete physical it takes 3 hours max...what is wrong here?...also, nobody gives me a wash and wax when my physical is finished before I am sent home *:-(

Movie Recommendations:

"Good Bye, Lenin!" - Yes, see it. OC+
"Marooned In Iraq" - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

What's important in a job?

I am playing professionally prescribed words-with-meaning mind games to further clarify what my ideal job is. I have a chance right now, for as long as it takes, to remain completely open to drawing to me the best job for me now. I have been continuously employed for wages since the age of 12, and it is time for me to make a choice of employment that will give me the opportunity to complete my life as close to right livelihood as possible. For today, the following 12 words describe what I believe is always important in my work:
Honesty
Self Respect
Integrity
Creative
Helping
Public Contact
Trust
Teamwork
Open Communication
Benefits
Learning
Personal Safety

Movie Recommendations:

"Iron Jawed Angels" - Yes, see it. OC+
"A Home At The End Of The World" - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

A Bit Of Mother

"I never look at the masses as my responsibility; I look at the individual. I can only love one person at a time - just one, one, one. So you begin. I began - I picked up one person. Maybe if I didn't pick up that one person, I wouldn't have picked up forty-two thousand.... The same thing goes for you, the same thing in your family, the same thing in your church, your community. Just begin - one, one, one." - Mother Theresa

Movie recommendations:

"Aria" - No, don't see it. OC-
"Ten" - Yes, see it, both parts. OC+

Lee's OC Index:

OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Pawpy likes the fire

Our cat is happy that winter is here because we use wood heat as much as possible, and she has calibrated the floor in front of the wood stove for the various temperatures that she wants to be at different times. When the fire is just started, and has not yet heated the metal of the wood stove, she lays 1 foot in front of the stove. As the stove heats up (it gets very hot after an hour or so) she gradually moves further and further across the floor away from the stove, but always exactly in front of it, and lays horizontally parallel to the front of the stove. In the morning, I find her back at the one foot distance, because the stove is nearly cold by then. Smart cat.

Movie recommendations:

"The Wedding Gift" - Yes, see it. OC+
"Owning Mahowney" - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Squirrel chatter...

Just after breakfast I sat down to work at this laptop and heard a squirrel somewhere close by chattering loudly and constantly. I looked around and hidden behind the bare limbs of the closest apple tree was a medium-size red squirrel sitting up on its hind legs and "yelling" at the black cat that was trying to sneak up on it from the ground below *:-) I got out my trusty paint ball gun, opened the window and sent a few rounds toward the squirrel which then scrambled up to the top of a telephone pole, while the black cat took off for parts unknown. There is no end to the free entertainment around here since we live in the mountains and nature still shares the space with us.

Movie recommendations:

"Super Size Me" - Yes, see it. OC's make sure to check out the DVD bonus feature. OC+

Lee's OC Index:

OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Keep the lights on...

Our holiday lights (all white) are still on both inside and outside our home. They really cheer the area up during the wet, cold and dreary days. We'll take them down little by little over the next few weeks, and by February...gone! In the small mountain communities around where we live there are some families that leave their multi-colored lights up on the outside of their homes all year long. It does make for a cheerful spot here and there.

Movie recommendation:

"Hum Aapke Hain Koun" - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC index:

OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Myers-Briggs in my brain

Last week I completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator analysis. They've improved it since the last time I took it several years ago, and this time I was able to complete it at home and determine the Type results myself. I then had a meeting with a professional, who clarified the meaning of the results, and provided good insight into how to use the information. It is amazingly accurate and interesting, and my wife and I had a good time reading over the interpretations. The professional interpreter has become saddened in recent years because too many people are using the Types as cocktail party intro lines instead of taking them a bit more seriously and using them to create better work and life situations. Since I won't be going to too many cocktail parties soon, I am a safe subject *:-) If you know your type, you can use the link I provided to get some info.

Movie recommendations:

"Matchstick Men" - Yes, see it. OC+
"A Touch Of Frost, Season 1" - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

bang swoosh bang

Lots of wind and rain, with various items outside banging against the house and the wind causing swooshes as it races itself between and around trees. At least the squirrels are staying away from the fruit trees today *:-)

Movie recommendation:

"Like Water For Chocolate" - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:

OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

I hope PalmOne comes through...(sigh)

I got a new Tungsten T5, with the WI-FI card. The software won't sync onto the PDA. Many calls to PalmOne support (India of course), and today I finally got a case ID. I guess that is a step forward. I really want to use the T5 for everything, and I am still confident that we can work it out (sigh).

I had to complain to Comcast today, our broadband provider. Our connectivity has been really excellent, but over the last month, connectivity has been getting worse and worse, both in up-time and in signal strength. I hope they reply to my e-mail and agree to set the signal strength on the pole connection higher (sigh).

KGO radio says a big time storm is on the way, with probable electrical outages again, etc. (sigh).

Movie recommendation:

"Brief Encounter" - Yes, see it (1945-46 version, B&W). OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

I am motivated to light candles.

The small candles that I light from time to time and keep close to where I am give off a vibe that I feel is friendly and help balance the lack of sunlight and lack of warmth at this time of year here in California.

No electricity again, this time for 12 hours the day before yesterday, but everything is ok.

Lee's OC Index:

"Dodgeball" - No, don't see it. OC-
"Kedma" - Yes, see it for the truth and the history. OC+
"Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle" - Yes, see it. OC+
"Hopscotch" - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

If a tree falls in the forest...

Collected brilliant beauty in crystal water drops on deodar needle tips because of rain for days and days.

Deodar (Sanskrit devadaru - divine wood): A tall cedar tree (Cedrus deodara) native to the Himalaya Mountains and having drooping branches and dark bluish-green leaves, often with white, light green or yellow new growth in cultivars. It is an important timber tree in India.

We have 3 mature ones here with us, and we have purchased a new one to plant. We find them unusual, magnificent and the squirrels love to sit on their branches *:-(

Lee's OC Index [(c) 2005] of movie recommendations:

"Liquid Bridge" - No, don't see it. OC-
"Wimbledon" - Yes, see it, for the story, the history, the love, the inspiration. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Lee in pencil sketch 

It's a good day to make a list

Lots of rain, some wind, and the power stayed on *:-)

Our neighborhood contingent of squirrels continues to challenge the fruit that remains on the trees in our yard, and I continue to chase them, so our relationship continues into 2005 *:-)

2004 is the first full year that we have succeeded in keeping the deer out of the yard...that is a big deal, and we are happy about it! We suspect that the deer in our region have used the same pathways for many many generations, and it took 5 long years of gently persuading them to change their pattern, through the use of strategically placed wood fencing 10' high. The deer are astonishing in their ability to jump, and to maneuver. We still see them elsewhere occaisionally, and we wave *:-)

Lee's OC Index [(c) 2005]:

"Open Water" - Yes, see it. OC+
"King Arthur, Director's Cut" - Yes, see it. OC+