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Thread ID: 121384	2011-10-23 21:22:00	A Life-Lesson Learned A Long Time Ago ---------------	SurferJoe46 (51)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1239465	2011-10-23 21:22:00	Ruminating: definition: thinking or remembering something that has caused electrons in one's head to fuse together in a way that makes recall of thoughts, actions or incidents come back to the forefront of today's mental activity . Usually associated with a rite of passage, just before someone dies . I remember that my Uncle Ronnie bought me a drum . Not a really expensive one - just one that he knew I would beat at all hours of the day and night and keep my parents and anyone else in the neighborhood awake . Uncle Ronnie was cool and a renegade - my mom told me so . I liked Uncle Ronnie . Oh yeah - I was about six years old at the time and the drum make a hellish racket . I liked that too . Enter Uncle # 2 - my Uncle Kenny and he noticed the pained look(s) on my parents and the neighbors putting rags dipped in oil on their torchesticks and getting shovels and pitchforks for when the sun went down . Uncle Kenny: "Do you know how a drum works?" "No", I answered, thinking that Uncle Kenny was about to become the next-smartest and nicest uncle I had at that time . After all - he was gonna tell me a secret that is reserved for scientists and other grown-ups who walk around with a smirk on their faces, obviously 'cause they KNEW what makes a drum work . "Well - it's inside! That's where the noise comes from . Wanna see it?" he asked, handing me a knife . Holy mackerel - of COURSE I wanted to see it! I eagerly took the knife to open it up, not on one end, but both ends . There was nothing inside . Nada! Ziltch!Zero! But somehow, I figgered, the noise maker got out and escaped . I must've blinked at a critical time when it left 'cause the drum never made a sound from then on . I can die now - realizing that I had TWO really great uncles! .	SurferJoe46 (51)
1239466	2011-10-23 22:54:00	You remind when I was kid, and watching and fortuitously learning from many of my uncles doing car engine overhauls, repairs, and welding. I grew up very young around their car and engine repairs. Some acquired skills from the army and air force as mechanics/engineers. Money was scarce for us to buy cars, but not my will to learn at such a young age. I felt I had to. They (my uncles), are all mostly gone but I get flashbacks to them when under a car doing repairs. I stop, lie there and think - Oh yeah -my uncle Syd, Rob, showed me that - I was under a car with them removing a oil pan or something, so long ago. Most kids got covered in mud back then, when playing - me was oil. Still like oily hands today. For odd reason I have keep containers of used oil, like what we used to do. But they left me a huge wealth of knowledge, tools, and skills. Certainly paid off today for me and other family/friends. Like when I grabbed what I thought was a sherbet stick, but was a hand valve-paste grinder. I was only about 8. I use to roll wheel/clutch bearings for toys. Attempt to tow a gearbox, chain block, or diff on my trike. Get told off from my parents, but let me use real sockets/spanners as my toys as well. Saved them money since I did not want toys. Then later actually learnt to help remove real engine components when about 12. Today when I swap a head gasket, clutch, or alt/-s/m overhaul, I think of them. I can't not think of them. Too many too name. My uncle Ike, a former army engineer, could build/fix anything, boats, trailers, garage, etc. But was also wise, - made me wise, it's like a acquired skill or something, not only know how to do it, but think of various approaches. He told me never make shortcuts, do whatever else that may need fixing in proximity of your initial repair, and improvise, and stop and think. Yes today still do that, but always with a thought to those that taught me. Heck even visit their graves now and then...	kahawai chaser (3545)
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