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Date:         Fri, 3 Dec 1999 08:33:42 -0800
Reply-To:     Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Subject:      (F) Re: Husbands, Busses and Obsession
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>To: Airsucker79@aol.com >From: Doktor Tim <doktortim@rockisland.com> >Subject: (F) Re: Husbands, Busses and Obsession

>At 09:06 AM 12/03/1999 EST, you wrote: >>Hi folks, I know this might seem like an odd question, so I waited till >>Friday. Here goes: Is there a point where a wife/s.o. should start to worry >>about their husbands/boyfriends love of VW busses becoming an obsession? I >>ask this for several reasons: 1) How much time is too much time to spend >>working on a vehicle that has already had everything rebuilt, and runs well? >>2) Is it manditory to "tweak" things on a regular basis? 3) How many >>accessorys does a Delux ' 78 Westphalia camper need, anyway? And the Big One: >>Is my husband the only one who looks at his westy and gets "excited"( I've >>seen him actually running his hands over the bus and drooling...Strange, at >>least in my book...) Please don't get me wrong. I love my husband, he really >>is a great guy, and I love the camper too, but on occasion, its almost like >>its the 2nd woman. Hope that doesn't sound too silly.

Well, Nikki, in my experiance all apes have a propensity to become obsessive about a lot of things. Boyapes tend to get very obsessive about girlapes, and vise versa, and can't live without them, we are so warm, hard, soft and fuzzy in all the right places for each other. So obsessions are a two edged sword.

If he is so obsessed with the Van that he forgets to eat, do be concerned. If he forgets to eat and sleep, intervein when he passes out 'cause it could lead to his not breathing. If your heading to bankruptsy primarily for the expense of "pop up BOZOS" for the more-betta-ultimatly-accessorized-whiz-bang Van, or remedial treatments for physical recovery after collapse, give him a financial ultimatum. Seize the checkbook and don't give it back to him until he accepts the reality of the cost of his obsession to your union.

Recently, someone on the list suggested an application of K-Y Jelly for the Vans. If you see him heading toward the garage with this in hand, do distract him. Can you say, "Opportunity knocks?".

Do not charge to unwarrented obssesion any regular maintenance inspection. That protects your finances. The knowledge he gains by experiment with das mashine can have some universal applications as well, and will mean he becomes more and more able to resolve many problems that you would otherwise have to hire a spezialist for. His skills will increase through the years and his developed abilities will enrich you to a greater degree over time unto your retirement, at which time he will be a practical electrician, plumber, carpenter, mechanic, black box diagnostician, relay revolutionary, terminal technician, tool user extraordinare, with maybe even a patent or two in your mutual name. Certainly good enough to eliminate 90% of the need for $60 per hour spezialists to fall into the hands of through out your life, and the least desirable in retirement.

Do try to entice him to plan to be obsessed yet again with you again for a whole day. I know spontaneity works with me as well as planning, as far as prior commitments will allow.

This maschine obsession will come with, as with all obsessions, a measure of good and bad. It's the ratio of good/bad that must be determined. Consider, it was the obsession of Einstein to know the truth that lead to his mind experiments. His wife was not please with her end of the log when he was busy fanatically at thinking about twigs so small they could not be seen or measured but only infered. She shared a love of knowledge with him, but was shut out by his tenacity to pursue long hours of thought, calculation, speculation, experiment, confirmation, redundant proofs, etc. She was left to perform all the lumber lugging requirements for the family. With some very very good which came to us all, some very very bad came to her. Oh, yes, and also the Japanese, but that wasn't Sir Alberts fault. He spoke with pacifist ideals all his life, and abhored war in any form with a true passion (obsession) for apekind. Just another example of more of very very good in his obsession ratio.

But just as Einstein shut out so many for the luxury of uninterrupted concentration, he would hit road blocks, and know to let the subconscience take over, by taking a walk and focus on less mundane activity, like smelling a rose or watching children play. I give you "Sir Albert the Kid". Read it to das kinder.

SIR ALBERT THE KID ------------------

By inspiration a thought comes to mind of the great, the one and only, Albert Einstein.

The look of wonder?, of unknown?, on his face Seems out of context for this particular place.

A school yard, not the lab, the scribbled black board, With kids on jungle bars and mingling as a hoard.

What does he see that gives this impression, By scowl or brow, a look of vexation?

Pulling in focus with a narrowing view, I see some kids with a task to do.

"Excuse me young man. My name is Albert." By thus he finds out this one is Robert.

His turn is next so Bob is excited. He feels Ted will miss so he is delighted.

"No fair, Ted." Bob says as he leers, "You try an' cheat and I'll box your ears."

Ted takes the hint and sets up more proper, takes his best aim and sends off a whopper.

"Ohh!!" goes the croud, including now Al. "That one was close,", Bob says, "only missed by a mile."

Ted's shoulder drop as he step back, shoves his hands in his pockets and kicks the bike rack.

Bob take a breath, as I told you before, His turn is next to service his chore.

Now Al's a quick study and this game is quite simple. To get all the marbles, get Big Blue in the middle.

Now Bob bears down hard, lets the shot fly with abandon, at once passes wind but misses by an eon.

Chuckles, laughs, chortles, total loss of compose. Everyone ranks Bob and pinches their nose.

Al's havin' fun. He can hardly stand. Then sudden hush, recompose, approaches the one known as "The Man".

"How did they know?" Al thinks to himself, then hears a sound unique to itself.

The kid's aren't too worried. "The Man" must stand in line. Five shoot before him, five more segments of time.

Stanley and Helen, Goober George and Hairy Harry, All take their turns as well as Weird Larry.

Al's mind is racing waiting for the next shot. Steelie Dan, "The Man", now finds himself up.

Dan is rightly feared 'cause he wins a lot. He drops his bag with a practiced steelie plop.

Down on one knee, in the bag go his fingers. To great effect stirred steelie sound lingers.

He picks one, decides not, throws it back. Fingers stir, ringing sounds, more effect.

Dan has learned best how to give art to illusion. Poker faced, with aplomb, he doth select to conclusion.

Al is impressed, can appreciate will, anyone who masters the art of detail.

Dan looks things over, figures his best line. Summonds up concentration, shoots the shot twice in his mind.

Twixt forefinger and thumb, three or five turns always give it, then seat it within the rote thumb nail divot.

Down with right knee, found the left foot. Hand in position, relaxed, ready to shoot.

As Dan takes the last moment to merge Big Blue with mind, Al takes note of the proposed line and it's sine.

In an instant ball bearing tracks the circumference by pi. At diameter by half hits Big Blue dead center, no lie.

Everyone is amazed, not just skill recognized. Big Blue has full parted into four fraction size.

"Holy Cow!! What's that??" shouts Bob of Vapors Spent. All look at Al's shinning face, light it's content.

"God bless you, kids!!", Al exclaims without thought, "You've solved the riddle." the one he could solve not.

"The Man" is despondend, feels his frustration rise. He's won all the marbles but destroyed the best prize.

Al skips around, palms a coin to Sir Dan Gives Dame Betty a hug, goes to Sir Ted, shakes his hand.

Goober the George, Larry of Weird, and not least but last, a pat on the head of Sir Harry the Hairy and Sir Robert of Gas.

Are not kids with marbles compelled by instinct to draw in the dirt several circles concentric?

Only children seem to see simple Truth, profound, Except in the rare case when a genius looks on.

God bless you Sir Albert, for taking the time to play with the children, to inspire me to rhyme.

Feedback appreciated. copyright doktortim@rockisland.com

T.P. Stephens aka Doktor Tim Surveyor, Mechanic, Poet, Philosopher San Juan Island, WA


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