Date:         Tue,  1 Nov 94 12:28: 7 EST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         psellers@ha.osd.mil (Pete Sellers)
Subject:      RE: generator article (another viewpoint on electricity :)

Wow ... look at this! Did I hit a nerve or somethin' ...

Even as I'm typing this response, I can see other messages are coming in!

If this continues we're gonna' have to do another count to see if I can get 
in the league with Ric and Joel ;)

Seriously, thanks for all the responses.

Trying to respond to some of the items ...

I try to keep the gas tank on the generator as empty as possible while 
traveling, then, I try to keep the cap on tight. I also load the generator 
in the back and under almost everything else. I have not been able to 
detect a smell while in travel mode.

I will look into the existence of a silencer.

I admit that many of the things (including the 'frig could be used on 12 
volt). Maybe I paranoid ...

I have a fear of draining the battery and not being able to get the van 
started. Love may be abundant in the younger generation but certainly not 
patience ... when they want to go home ;(

In a truly 'perfect' world, where things happen as "as they should" or in 
an 'imperfect' world, where things happen as the patriarch (or matriarch) 
decrees ...

I would not have a (or very little) need for the generator since most of 
the things that it is used for WOULD be left at home.

     OR

The patriarch (matriarch) would decree that we are going to be "so busy 
with FUN things that we will have no need for those toys" ...leave them at 
home.

*****    Now    ****   back to the real world.

I sometimes feel a bit guilty when we're in campsite(s) and the generator 
is running and I look at our neighbors and sense that they'd rather the 
generator be turned off (I get it turned off as much as possible and during 
the quiet hours)!!  I adjust my feelings by considering the following ...

I'm fortunate to be part of composite families; this is not the first 
marriage for either myself or the smartest person in our household.  We 
both 'donate' to the next generation from our past lives. The members of 
the next generation on both sides have contributed to the size, warmth and 
'frequent activity' of our close, but extended, families.

We are extremely fortunate (I consider us extreme) in that, so far, all the 
members of the second generation "get along well with each other".

Sometimes they even want to do things without the first generation being 
"old fuddy-duddys just getting in the way".

The third generation members have openly and completely accepted each other 
(they unanimously don't like and don't trust anyone from the previous two 
generations).

One common activity that we have mutually agreed to participate is camping 
and outings. Each member, who cares to, has contributed to the rules, 
locations and activities we take on.

Having an extra CD player, cassette player, radio, game-boy, or whatever is 
a small price compared to the togetherness we try to share.

I'm learning about things and music(?) groups (???) I may never had been 
able to. With a peaceful attitude we can comment about sound(s) being a bit 
too loud or other things.

We take a boat out to go fishing. We take group walks through the woods. We 
sit around a camp fire and cook s'mores.

We spend time, ... alone, together, and in varied clusters ... we talk! 
It's okay for one generation or the other to 'attack' another generation or 
be aligned with one or the other generation. We know who get's called 
'weird' and why. So far, very few of our conversations have turned hostile 
or 'mean spirited'.

We find that we have reference points for other conversations when we 
return to our respective homes.

We KNOW what we can get for each other, for gifts ... that will be liked by 
the recipient.

Is it far fetched to attribute all that to a generator? Maybe ... maybe not 
but, IMHO being able to be plugged in (when they want to) sure seems to 
make communicating and cooperating a lot easier. It's definitely  more fun 
to have them along. In our recent 5,000+ mile trip we took a 5-year old and 
a 6-month old, overall the travel with them was pleasant (a few tense AND 
terse moments). The 5-year old tried to contribute to the ease of the trip!

Being in a large metropolitan area, it's nicer to get out in the woods, 
even if we have to take an extra inducement along ... rather than worry 
about and plan for how to avoid, the crime and circumstance. Some of the 
youngsters friends now ask if they can join us! ;)

(Dad has gotten a little smarter in his old age and
Grandpa comes up with some 'kinda okay' ideas)

	 :) :)	:)

If I ever offend anyone with my noise and generator, sorry
for then ... now ... and the future. I'm trying to keep a family together 
and 'doing' stuff like hanging out in the wood, etc.  Some of them may even 
join us in the "Vans ... trek".

Hope some of this makes sense to someone other than me!!!

* * * * * * * * * * 
Pete Sellers
"Constant And Never-ending Improvement"