What's Going On! · 3:34pm Apr 27th, 2019
Alright, Going Home got an update, I began a new story called Murder of innocence, there's a new original story of mine on Fictionpress called When Villain's Cry, I have begun working on a new chapter of Ballroom Blitz over on AO3, and I believe that is all.
In other news I started a channel over on Youtube called House of Ren. And I just found out that there is another House of Ren on Youtube, so I might be changing that name. But still, we adapt, we overcome, and we triumph.
I can not think of anything else creative that I have done over the past week or so since my last update. Mostly just stuff has been crazy.
And Now, if you have read down this far, A story from the life and times of Minaren.
My particular special talent is to take random things and slam them together into a greater whole with the added addition of being able to disassemble everything around me first. Thus I tend to learn best at the bottom of a crater.
So if you gave me a pile of random tubes and what have you and told me to build you an outdoor grill then odds were be fair to good that not only could I do it, but that it would be safe to operate as well. Because I do things like take proper safety measures, make sure that all the lines are sealed, and make sure that I have the appropriate specialized pieces (in other words I don't try to mix propane and natural gas parts together).
I have a cousin, let's call him Bob, who thinks he can do the same thing. His wife used to invite me over when Bob built anything new so that I could witness the testing of whatever it was. Invariably I would have to troubleshoot whatever Bob had done.
Bob also had a habit that whenever I questioned what he had done or criticised it of bringing up his mechanical engineering degree as proof of expertise. Just for clarity, I never finished college. Indeed I failed out of it spectacularly and never went back. I do however have a shitton of real world experience. So one day I get an invite to see Bob test out his new grill that he had built from scrap. He had even built a little shed to house it so that he could grill in any weather. The proper New Jersey people just chuckled, all weather is good weather to grill in Jersey. But anywho Bob turns on the propane and I immediately grab him and yoink him out of the shed.
"What the Hell?" Bob begins to say.
"Take a whiff." I reply.
Sure enough the smell of propane was overpowering.
"Bob did you use only propane parts for that grill?"
"Of course I did, what do you take me for?"
I refused to answer his question, "Are you sure that shed has proper ventilation?"
"I assure you as a Mechanical Engineer I have well thought out both those things and I am sure that the grill that I designed and built is safe."
My only excuse for what I did next is that I was tired from a long week and had had enough of Bob and his attitude. Ordinarily I would have responded better.
"Alright then Bob, if someone of your education thinks its safe then I will not stop you from lighting it."
I then retrieved the long necked lighter and handed it to him. Then continued.
"I'm just going to stand back and not get in the way of someone that clearly knows more than me. After all, you did complete your degree. I'm sure that you know exactly what you are messing with."
I then stepped back and waited, although I did make sure that my phone was out of sleep mode so that I could quickly call 911 if required to.
Bob took the lighter and walked into the shed, he then turned on his heel and walked promptly back out.
Sheepishly he looked at me, "That Propane smells pretty strong, would you mind looking it over with me. A second set of eyes would be helpful."
I took a breath and said. "Sure, go get your design and I will begin airing out the shed and start my check."
He ran back inside and when he came out I told him what I had found.
"1. your seals are leaking, not just in one place but everywhere.
2. You're orifices are of two different types.
3. This shed in no way has proper ventilation.
4. If you had continued being stupid I would have let you blow yourself up."
Looking at his design and then at me, he bowed his head.
Unrelentingly I asked, "Now, what have we learned?"
"That I shouldn't question you on things that may or may not go boom?"
"Good enough, go inside while I fix this. Confess everything to your wife and apologize to her as well."
Bowing his head he went back inside.
I for my part reexamined the grill and redid all the seals. I took both orifices and threw them in the trash. I then tasked Bob to go and buy real propane orifices. I made sure they were affixed properly. I calibrated the rest so that we got a nice blue flame of appropriate size. The shed I took a sawzall to and installed an exhaust fan and a few vents. Since the propane came from the house I also hardwired a portable propane heater to warm the shed. A random A/c Unit stored in his garage was also installed and an extension cord run to an outside plug. This took me most of the day and they took me out to dinner afterward.
So this is the lesson. Experience trumps everything. It trumps talent, it trumps intelligence, it trumps education. Skill is acquired through hard work and practice. To value anything else is foolish.
this made me cringe, Bob apparently didn't read the fuel gas code, because the requirements for ventilation are in there. Thanks for the links to your other stories, I'll check them out sometime.
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Don't be to hard on my cousin. He learned. That is one thing about him, he learns from his mistakes. I hope you like my tales. Feel free to comment as you like.