You Gotta Fight, For Your Right, To Repair Things!

Gen Xer here calling on the Beastie Boys to intro my next entry. As a tinker I pride myself in being able to fix just about anything. I have a few different methods. Use schematics and manuals provided by the manufacturer. Use schematics and manuals provided by others like iFixit and YouTube videos. My own experience read trial and error. Because I enjoy fixing stuff, I hardly purchase things new and just buy used or reconditioned items knowing that I’ll make an attempt to fix it myself eventually. If I’m successful, I’ve gotten a few more uses out of it before it completely craps the bed and becomes spare parts or if I fail, I now have experience diagnosing and tearing something down and I didn’t lose too much money in the process. 

This ability and desire to take things apart, repair them, and extend the life of things became a useful skill when I was laid off from work and did freelance repairs on electronics of all sorts. That’s become complicated as makers of the products we use begin to lock down their gadgets and devices with firmware, and parts needed to complete the repairs. Tolerances have become very tight when it’s comes to these powerful and portable devices. So repairs require a little more finesse and and a lot more skill. Now you could take it to an authorized repair location and pay a premium for their expertise, parts, and some sort of warranty on that repair but you also run the risk of being up sold to another product. Whether or not it’s intentional to buy something new because it’s less expensive than fixing it makes for a lot of waste and discourages the potential for a learning moment.

If you get the chance to talk to a lawmaker remind them that we should be able to repair the things we buy with our hard earned money. We are not asking for unlimited warranties or products that last "forever". We just want the chance to access and service our stuff and get as much use out of them as we can. The longer we can use something, the more money we have to spend on other stuff like books, travel, and charitable giving. Plus you're keeping trash out of some landfill from your non recyclable thing and the packaging that comes with buying a replacement.

Dear Seattle

Dear Seattle,

I have arrived. I hope you don't mind, I brought a few of my things and North Carolina heat. I apologize for the heat and promise to do my little part to be a friend to the planet. I've gotten my bearings and with the help of a very nice stranger have finally unpacked. I'm waiting for furniture to arrive, but I'm content with my cot and makeshift furnishings. I appreciate that you've cooled down quite a bit so much so that I've been exploring Eastlake on foot and keeping tabs on my new favorite brunch places. 

Next, I think I'll use public transit to explore the other parts of the city because having a car is cumbersome without a parking permit, and let's face, y'all need to work on your parallel parking skills. But your skylines are gorgeous as are your shores. Don't worry a bicycle is on order and I'll be cruising your streets soon. I do already have a favorite chain, Dick's Drive-In. It is comparable to In-N-Out burger. Fast counter service, straight forward menu, well-paid employees, and lines all the time because it's just so good. Don't ask me to pick a favorite, I love you both.

I know where Mt. Rainer is at all times and I do hope to visit the Cascades eventually. I need a break from your meandering mountain roads. Driving from NC was easy until I got to ND. I was tempted by those speed limits to zoom, but cautioned by the construction and elevation changes to slow down enough to enjoy the drive. I must say you smell different than any city I've lived in or visited. I'm having a hard time describing it. It's not salty or peaty, but dewy maybe. No, not dewy now I'm implying mold, and that's not right. I'll figure out how to describe it properly after a few more weeks. Thanks for having me here. You won't be disappointed.

Sincerely,

Bouaketh

Spring Cleaning

My spring cleaning comes at the end of the season, academic year, and when I change jobs. Yes, there are three. This round of cleaning is all of those plus a pack and move. Strange thing for instance of cleaning is the sifting and sorting is for a season that never was, a virtual academic year, and an almost two-year stop in Winston Salem.

As I contemplate and prepare for this move I revisit many memories. One such memory is triggered by each of these tokens: a happy little turtle, Woodstock pez dispenser, and a jade elephant.

The red and green turtle was given to my by one of my AP biology students when I taught high school biology during my first huge career shift. I would substitute teach to help pay bills as I worked to figure out what I was going to do for work, and attend to my passion of volleyball, teaching and learning. The student thanked me for helping him get a 5 on the AP exam, and said he was excited to be the first in his family to attend college. He said, "Slow and steady wins the race, coach. You'll figure it out, if anybody does it will be you."

The Woodstock pez dispenser was given to me as payment for changing a tire for an amputee. I had not asked for payment, but I had just finished changing a difficult tire on a hot an humid day. He gave me the pez, a bottle of water, and a business card good for artwork from his tattoo parlor. I don't have a tattoo. I have never thought of getting one. I don't even know what I would get. Anyway, I lost that freebie like 5-6 moves ago, but Woodstock still greets me at my desk to remind me how good you can make other people feel.

The jade elephant is the newest addition to the collection of desk friends. This student athlete had a hard time navigating college dealing with personal struggles, and coming back from injury. On her trip to Thailand she thought enough of me to bring me back something. I think of Waffle House when I look at it, that's a story I'll let her tell you.

Bye Winston-Salem, it's been fun.