Random

New Year’s Resolutions

by

I like the number 3.  It is one of my favs along with 2 and 5.  I am finding it hard though to like the number combination of 2013.  On the unexplainable side is why I don’t like it.  I know it has the obvious “13”, but I don’t have beef with that number.  Thirteen has not proven itself unlucky in my life. On the plus side, 2013 has a “2” and a “3”.  Multiply those numbers to get 6.  Which is the same number you get if you add 2+0+1+3.  And without further ado, I’ll end my most neurotic post introduction by moving onto my 6 resolutions for 2013.

1. Read more.

I’ve already started doing this and I’m smitten.  I was a readaholic as a child and apparently all it takes is just one book to get back into the habit.

2. Document.

Essentially what I mean by this is to take lots of pictures and write down lots of words.  I’m hoping to kill two birds with one stone by blogging about my reading (as well as other things).  I already have plans in place to use my phone during my commute to help with writing.  Gotta love that text to speech.

3. Exercise more.

I don’t want to become old and immobile, so moving around now should help my healthy later. I am active, but I don’t have an exercise routine and I need to build cardio into my schedule.

Since resolutions 1 through 3 require me to do more, I need to do a little less somewhere else.  So…

4. Watch less television.

I already watch little television, but it is my go to after a long day of work.  I’m hoping to replace this habit with reading.  Or exercising.  Maybe a Pilates class is in order? I know I said cardio earlier, but relaxing exercise may be more realistic. Oh, and of course, writing/picture taking.  The inspiration for this resolution stems from the following chart.

I don’t want my leisure time mostly spent on watching television.  That thought depresses me immensely.  Reading, writing, and moving around make me happy.  Happiness is queen.

5. Spend less time on the internet.

What I largely mean by this is spend less passive time on the internet.  No absent minded pinteresting or pogo-ing for this girl.  No searching for one thing and not knowing how I got to an unrelated site two hours later.  I am going to work on structuring my internet time for the purposes of creation, not consumption.

6. Dream bigger. 

I am finding the older I get, the lamer my innermost dreams become.  Travel the world somehow morphs into live in another state…temporarily.  Really?  I am going to let the dreamer inside me speak freely.  And when she gets braver, maybe she’ll blog about it.

Here’s to 2013.  Here’s to possibility…

∞ Jessica

Making it Easier to Donate Money Directly to NASA

by

Currently, NASA allows or direct donations  however, as you can see in the next link, it is complicated to figure out to whom make the check out and mail to.

I think we should campaign to get NASA listed on a great site called Pay.gov.  Pay.gov allows everyday people to donate directly to United States government agencies. One example is to help pay down the national debt. <via NPR>

By making it easier for citizens to donate to NASA, we won’t raise enough funds for a mission to Mars, but even if a conservative estimate of 1% of working Americans (134.8 million people according to wolfram alpha)  donate just 10 each, we would have we would have 134,800,000 * 1% * $10 = $13.48 million dollars. That’s not a lot compared to the cost of a space mission, but it is a small help to a struggling agency that should be the jewel in the crown of America. NASA has generated a good return for investment in the past and there is no question that investment in science and technology helps strengthen our nation’s economy and morale which is needed in this time of economic uncertainty.

Moreover, an investment in NASA is an investment in the future of our nation in terms of future engineers and scientists. NASA has achieved some of the greatest feats ever accomplished in the history of mankind. Landing men on the moon, as well as increasing our understanding of our place in the universe with missions like the Mars rovers, a multitude of space telescopes, and planetary probes have all served as inspiration for people who strive to be the best the world has to offer.  They are inspired to pursue man’s long passion for exploration and curiosity.

NASA has helped develop technologies that improve and even save lives every day such as MRI machines, and many other fantastic technologies. This neat site lists a new innovation from NASA every time you refresh the page. NASA has a positive impact on the world as a whole. It should be funded as such.

Lets get NASA listed on Pay.gov, not because it is easy, but because it is worth the effort! The way to do it is to get this post seen by someone who knows someone in charge at NASA who can suggest it to them.

Related links:

Neil DeGrasse Tyson in Forbes.com

Measuring Return on Investment of Government Programs

Installing Kayak Foot Braces Using Your Head

by

A few years ago, we got a deal on some low-end recreational (Old town Otter, now replaced by the Old town Heron model) kayaks. Instead of opting for the model with all the bells and whistles, we got the base models. For years we were fine with them paddling on flat water (lakes and such). We’ve been using the kayaks a lot lately, and getting more into small rapids (in which foot braces are incredibly helpful).

I researched online for the best foot braces out there. The Old Town foot brace kit is $50!  That price is ridiculous. I settled on Harmony Slidelock foot braces. Everywhere I could find them online they were $33 per set. Just by chance, a friend of mine flew to Florida for work and happened into a great kayak outfitter store, Canoe Country.  He was able to get me the exact same Harmony foot braces for $16 per set– half price! They have great prices on dry bags too. I had to buy some neoprene washers from the hardware store, but they were very cheap. Overall It was a great buy.

Once I got the foot brace kits, I had to figure out how to mount them in the kayaks. The first step was to sit in the kayak and hold the braces against my feet to see what felt comfortable. Remember to wear your water shoes and life-preserver during this step so the braces will be the correct distance. I neglected to do this. Mounting position isn’t critical since the braces are adjustable, but try to at least keep them even with one another.

I mounted the braces by looking at pics online of my kayak model with foot braces and tried to use a little math to figure out the distances from major features on the kayak. I measured where I wanted them to go, and drilled a 3/8” hole in the kayak. This was worrisome for me because I wanted to make sure everything was perfect. I don’t want to ugly up my boat with a bunch of holes in the wrong place, etc. Drilling was very easy. The Otters are made out of a single layer linear polyethylenethat machines like butter, though it is very strong and generally deflects anything that might try to scratch it. I suggest using a knife to cut a small starting hole before using the drill bit to prevent it from wandering. I should have angled the drill to be perpendicular with the mounting hole on the foot brace, but I didn’t think about that until later. Once the first hole was drilled, I screwed in the first screw just until I could feel it penetrate the inside a little. On the inside, I placed the neoprene washer on the end of the screw before aligning the mounting hole of the foot brace. From the outside to the inside, it is mounted like the image below. This will keep the boat water tight.

To align the second hole, I held the brace up inside the boat to the approximate place I wanted it to be, then used a bright laser pointer from the inside of the boat to help me find where to drill the second hole (this was my friend Daniel’s genius idea). It worked great! The foot brace needs to bend a bit to be able to screw tightly to the side of the boat, so don’t worry about that when installing them. After the first brace was installed, the second one went in much quicker. We just mirrored the measurements and it was a breeze.

After installing them on my boat, it was time to install the braces on Jessica’s boat. Now, this wasn’t visible on mine, but her kayak had some spots from the mold that shows where the standard foot braces should be mounted. These holes didn’t match up with the new braces I got, so I just centered my screw holes to be along a line that connected the visible dots on the boat. Once again, I drilled the lower hole and screwed that in (with the neoprene washer) and used the laser to help me find the correct spot for the second hole.

The next day, we went on a two-day kayaking/camping trip. We paddles 16 miles down the Uwharrie river! Those foot braces made navigating the rapids a breeze and increased the overall comfort of the overall trip. The next step will be to add a seat pad and maybe even some knee padding. Future plan also include kayak sails, and a keel of some type as well. Keep checking for updates on trips as well.

 

 

 

Review and Deal Alert: Coleman Kayak Cockpit Covers and Spray Skirts:

by

Dick’s Sporting goods has Coleman brand cockpit covers and spray skirts on clearence for what seems to be the Coleman Rebel. We picked up two cockpit covers for $5 each and two medium spray skirts for $5 and $15 from different locations. These don’t seem to be available anywhere online, and you can’t really call store to check for them but get them if you can! They fit our Old Town Otters perfectly. These Spray skirts feel a bit cheap and aren’t made for hardcore kayaking, but at the very least they keep the paddle drips out of the cockpit and when they start to fall apart we can make our own using them as a pattern. The cockpit covers seem to be of a slightly better quality and do the job of keeping creepy crawlies out of the kayaks while in storage.

Protected by CleanTalk Anti-Spam