I think Bill Babcock got it right!
Entropy--there's a word.
I do have one conclusionary comment--that about not having enough time to
complete all of the projects before the reaper takes us along. Secretly,
we all know that and this obsession to fill every nook and cranny with
sub-assemblies, and painted parts, and swap meet finds, is just a way of
insuring that our heirs (if there be any) or the state conservator/executor
(if there are none) goes absolutely insane trying to figure out what to do
with all this stuff after we are "gone". Ah, sweet revenge on those who
never properly appreciated the true value of the things we collect and
treasure in our lifetime.
I just spent the better part of two months loading four (4) forty cubic yard
trash containers. My father-in-law, spent thirty years collecting wood
bits--doors, lumber, windows, engineered trusses, you name it, and left it
behind when he moved from the homested. A couple of more trips to the
dump and we'll have it ready for the realtor.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Babcock <BillB@bnj.com>
Cc: fot@autox.team.net <fot@autox.team.net>
Date: Tuesday, January 19, 1999 4:34 PM
Subject: RE: What the heck am I Doing???
>This all has nothing to do with sanity. You've simply been trapped by
>basic thermodynamics. The natural tendency of the universe is that order
>descends to randomness. It's entropy, pure and simple.
>
>There is a simple truth--that the greatest pleasure is in starting a
>project. When you first tear into it, pull stuff apart, put everything
>into dozens of poorly labeled boxes. You are in tune with the universe,
>turning that ordered thing into random parts. It's easy, you're
>coasting downhill.
>
>That's the fun part.
>
>Then comes the part when you have to flog yourself to complete what you
>started. You're fighting the basic forces of the universe. Turning
>disorder to order. it's hard, no fun, it's all uphill. And you know, as
>soon as you finish, the universe is going to start working to screw up
>all the work you did.
>
>That explains my garage:
>Vincent waiting for a few more parts, a tune up, and some final
>assembly.
>Goldstar with the front end disassembled, waiting for powdercoating.
>Clutch assembly apart, waiting for one more big whitworth nut.
>TR3 up on jackstands, waiting for longer wheel studs and new spacer
>plates.
>Corvette with intake manifolds off, waiting for me to care.
>Maserati needing everything.
>And a motley set of other half-completed bike projects.
>
>I figure in order to complete them all, I will have to live to 103
>
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