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A while back I proposed a welding project to Mrs. Groovy. I wanted to replace some dying shrubs around the house with concrete blocks and then weld some scrap metal country frogs to sit atop those concrete blocks.
Surprisingly, Mrs. Groovy didn’t veto the project and I received her blessing. (Sometimes her majesty takes pity on the peasantry.) So I proceeded to remove the dying shrubs and make the requisite number of concrete blocks. Here’s a picture of one of those concrete blocks.
Now it’s time to start welding the scrap metal country frogs that will sit atop our concrete blocks. Midjourney did an excellent job of visually representing what I hope to produce. Here’s its interpretation of a scrap metal country frog playing the banjo.
But I ran into a problem. The bison welding project did a number on our garage. By the time I was finished, a healthy layer of soot had attached itself to every square inch of surface space in our garage. It took me days to give it a proper cleaning.
Needless to say, I don’t want my country frog welding project to befoul my clean garage. But how do I stop that from happening? Cutting, welding, and polishing metal is an inherently dirty process.
Then it hit me. If I create a mobile welding tent, I’ll be able to confine the messiness of welding to a shielded workspace and spare my clean garage. So I went online and ordered four 6×8 welding blankets. I then constructed my mobile welding tent by combining some new lumber with some old lumber—and wheels—from the salvaged bison cart. Here are the results:
Is my mobile welding tent perfect? No. The space is a little cramped, and the wheels rarely go where I direct them to go without a fight. But the damn thing works. It keeps the soot confined. I’ll now be able to complete my country frog welding project without befouling my clean garage.
I brought up my latest adventure in welding because I think it’s a nice parable on life. I don’t have an elite mind or body. I’m as pedestrian as the next person. But whenever I try to do something, I usually get 80 to 85 percent of the way there. And on some occasions, I get 100 percent of the way there. The point is, whatever I focus on, and create the necessary atomic habits, I eventually improve. And this is the main reason why my post-40 life has been much better than my pre-40 life. Pre-40 years old, I was an idiot who complained. In order for me to be better, other people had to be better first. Post-40 years old, however, I’ve been an idiot who tries. I stopped worrying about others and just focused on getting a little better at something important. And the truly remarkable result of this flip in mindset was an unexpected discovery. It turns out, I didn’t need others to be better to improve my fortunes. The politicians and cultural elites of my post-40 life have been just as pathetic and venal as the politicians and cultural elites of my pre-40 life, if not more so. But by becoming a chronic trier, I was able to create an island of functionality within a sea of dysfunction.
Now a couple of questions: Am I a freak of nature? Or will just about anyone eventually improve his or her life the moment he or she stops being an idiot who complains and starts being an idiot who tries?
I say I’m hardly a freak of nature. I also say the real divide in this country isn’t between the haves and have-nots. The haves aren’t hoarding success. The real divide in this country is between the complainers and the triers.
Update on My Book
The Groovy Guide to Liberty is moving along a lot slower than I thought it would. That’s partly due to my editor. She’s a pain in the arse. She wants my prose and arguments to make sense and be free of partisan flapdoodle. The nerve! But it’s mainly due to my inadequacies. I thought I knew the meaning of liberty. But when it came to actually articulating that meaning, I was utterly flummoxed. It turns out that a guy who’s been reading and thinking about liberty for 40 years still had a lot to learn.
The good news is that I fought through my inadequacies, and I should have my opus on liberty done in February or March of next year. And since the completion of my opus is on the horizon, I’ve been trying my hand at cover design in Midjourney. Below are the two leading contenders. One’s a Mr. Groovy-inspired cover. The other is an Abraham Lincoln-inspired cover. Let me know which one you like better when you get a chance. Peace.
Definitely the Cat!
Thank you, Jeff. I appreciate your feedback.
Honestly, I cannot decide which one I like better. Yes, Mr. Groovy, the cat is basically your trademark. But the Abe Lincoln pic is pretty cool too. Maybe switch the acoustic for a Stratocaster or Les Paul to up the cool factor a notch or two? I do prefer the font used with Honest Abe to the one used with the cat.
I love the groovy catch-phrase – “stop being an idiot who complains and start being an idiot who tries.” I will remember that for all my future conversations with chronic complainers.
Love the cover feedback. I’ll specify the Stratocaster or Les Paul and see what Midjourny produces. And thank you for your kind words. The newly minted Groovy catchphrase is pretty cool. Hope all is well on your end, EG. Peace.
I thought I’d like the cat the best, but I really like the Lincoln playing the guitar one the best. It made me chuckle.
I’d thought I get some more love for Lincoln too. I tried to put a bandana on his head, but Midjourney hasn’t been cooperating. I’ll keep trying, though. It’s more than likely going to be a cat cover, but there’s something about Honest Abe jamming on a guitar.
I just got back from a NYC/Long Island weekend. Saw a bunch of high school friends. A couple of them I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. Anyway, we got to talking about travel, and none of them have been to Australia. But after my glowing review of your wonderful country, I’m sure that will change. Hope all is well with you, FDJ. Peace.
Def the cat!
The cat it is! Thanks, TM.
The cat is “on brand.”
And Lincoln… well, he did free the slaves, but he also enslaved the republic of these united states (plural) to the imperial USA (singular). Sure, Wilson was much worse, and FDR pretty much had the hammer and sickle flying over the White House, but Mr. Lincoln took the first giant step on the road to centralized government. Not an unequivocal Liberty exemplar IMHO.
Truer words have never been written. Nailed it, my friend. And your comment reminded me of a book from years ago that I never got around to reading:
Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men
Just ordered it from Amazon. Thanks to you, I have a nice reading assignment. You’re awesome, Steve. Stay well.
Mr. G,
Truly enjoy your astute take on life, liberty and the pursuit of freedom (financial and otherwise).
I’d go with the cat.
You’re making me blush, my friend. Thank you for your very kind words. My gut says the cat. Now if I can just get Midjourney to have Mr. Groovy’s sunglasses reflect the Statue of Liberty, I’ll be set. Peace.
Forgot to mention: this post is one of my favorites. Really makes me think. I like to think that I am one of the triers. But the favorites are stacking up!
Thank you, Dale. I really appreciate your kind words. Peace.
I assume you are wearing a respirator when you are working on the metal projects. Please start doing so if you haven’t.
I like the cat the best.
I couldn’t agree more. And I am. It’s not fun, but absolutely necessary in a confined space. And thanks for the cover feedback. I’m leaning towards the cat too.
Cat 100%!
Thanks for the feedback, MO. The cat’s getting a lot of love.
“The real divide in this country is between the complainers and the triers.” Best sentence in the post. Nailed it.
And, for the record, I love the cat!
Can’t wait to see the frog…
Thank you, sir. Experimenting with some really thin sheet metal a neighbor gave me. It’s amazing how easy it is to burn through it. But I’m getting better. There’s that trying parable again! Hope all is well in the World Headquarters. Give my regards to Jackie. Peace.
As usual you’ve hit the nail on the head, Mr. G. I was just telling my son last night (who’s feeling a lot like an idiot as he battles his first college classes as a high school student) that as long as he continues to move in the right direction, that he’s doing fine.
We all have seasons where we’re the tortoise and seasons where we’re the hare. And yes, we all need the occasional rest. But in the end, choosing to keep moving forward, to keep trying, is what matters. If you’ll choose to never give up you’ll eventually accomplish what you want to accomplish.
Much love to you both!
Thank you, LB, for your kind words and wisdom. Yes, life will be pretty good as long as you choose “to keep moving forward, to keep trying.” And if you go the opposite way, and have a lot of quit in you, life will be pretty dreary. You’re the best LB. Hope all is well. Love and peace.
I prefer the cat
I’m leaning that way too, JDF. Thanks for the feedback.