For Want of a Tool

My "work" consists of producing intangibles, or possibly tangibles 2 or 3 steps removed. Thus, I really do like producing things that I can taste, touch, see; basically just be able to stand back and say looky at what I did.

So today, it was a mix of intangibles and tangibles.

Intangible: I got what we call an R&R. Not a rest and relaxation, but revise and resubmit, which is supposed to be a good thing. In fact, one of the two reviewers said publish as is, but the other reviewer wanted to be all snotty and academic, suggesting so and so's theoretical framework. So, I had to find so and so, and figure out a way to incorporate it into my manuscript. That's what I produce, manuscripts and lectures. Oh, the intangibles. For the curious, it's about the interaction of race between citizens and police officers, and how that interaction affects perceptions of legitimacy.

Almost tangible: I worked with a student who is working for the Department of Drug and Alcohol Services (in a sore need of a name change so it does not sound like a place to go to get drugs and alcohol). This student is putting together a survey to assess the situation in which DUI offenders got busted. There is a possible value here, since it could lead to information to help program administrators improve DUI offender programs. The frustrating thing is that I'm the one the students come to for this kind of stuff, even though I am only a lecturer. That is, someone who is only expected to teach. I like teaching, and I certainly like working with students doing research, but in a rational word... ah, I ain't going there.

Moving on

Tangible: Pasta sauce. I spent thirteen years working in a kitchen (before I got all educated and stuff), but I still love wielding a knife and making a big pot of sauce. I might have gone a bit heavy with the serrano peppers, but the house smells yummy, and I just always feel good after all the ingredients have gone in the pot. Now, if I just had the kitchen help I used to have in the old days to clean up the mess I made.

Yet another tangible: I replaced fork on the dirt machine. Okay, I dig the technology they got going on the bikes these days. Up to a couple of years ago, I had a complete stiffy, front and rear, mountain bike. Yet, that stiffy made my old joints stiffy, so I got me a complete cushy, with brains front and rear. Damn cool stuff when it works. But, my brain died up front, and now the fork does not lock out all by itself. This is where I don't dig all the technology on the bikes these days. It's finicky and wallet busting. So, off with the high tech, and on with a loaner. It does have this do-hicky manual lever you hook onto the bars to lock out the fork, but come on, how lo-tech. Probably is a bit more reliable, though.

It should have been a fairly straight forward swap, but apparently not all headset races are created equal. I put on the loaner fork, and I could not get the headset adjusted properly. I pulled it out and looked at the race on the old fork and the race on the loaner, and low and behold, they were different. Now, on my headset someone used their brain to design the race, cuz all you had to do to remove it was to gently pry at the split in the race and slide it off. On the loaner, it had to be knocked off. Old school headset thinking. Come on people, the bearings don't run on the bottom headset race anymore. Screwdrivers, Swiss Army knife, butter knife, and then a socket extender were all used to get the damn thing off. Oh yeah, a hammer. It's all together now, so it's time to test the work on a treacherous, rocky descent.

The big question is: Do I attempt the rebuild on my fork? I found a manual that shows how to take it apart, and I can buy new seals online. I'd feel manly if I fixed it all myself. I'd feel like a tool if I screw it up. Hmm?