As I sit here today on the day our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independance from England my own birthday only three days away, I ponder the decision I made just over a year ago to make the Oak Grove area the home of the GifNet.US observatory.  Yes, I have gone slightly eccentric, lol!  Not that I believe anyone is reading this any way.  But I am once again trying to write here.

First, today marks the day Louisiana officially becomes the 28th state in the nation to enshrine in law Constitutional Carry for all voting citizens.  What does that mean?  Those citizens that have not been convicted of a felony can conceal carry a weapon with no training or permit required at the age of 18.  There do still remain some gun free zones.  No weapons are permitted within 1000 feet of a school, Let’s pray our resource officers are up to the task. No weapons are permitted where alcohol is served, This is obvious, lol.  I would recommend anyone feeling the need to conceal carry, review the new laws; as I will to ensure that I am in full compliance with the law.  I will not use initials.  Fuck Joe Biden and anyone else thinking they can take my weapons from me and that is all I care to say other than I have not been in the news cycle in close to three weeks now and I am lot calmer.

I am sitting at home alone, shopping on Amazon, actually.  Pam is with family.  I’m a truly grumpy fuck, my really close friends will understand what’s up in my head and why I’m alone.  I am fine, just alone, :).

So, what does all this mean.  So, here I sit.  I’ll be 62 in three days, I’ll be able to retire, though with insufficient income to cover my expenses because I now drive a 23 Mustang and a 22 Bronco Sport instead of a 17 F-150 and a 17 Fiesta.  These are the vehicles I plan on driving until they cannot be driven any more.  Let us hope they last. The Bronco can tow 2,000 pounds, I just purchased a 5×8 trailer, so I can tow about 1,500 pounds.  Definitely not the F-150 I was driving but it does the job that I need, and the Bronco is a nice ride.  I may still end up with a truck but that is for a later time.  Because of this decision, I have to work until at least the Mustang is paid off and that is now for about five years, however the loan is a zero percent interest loan, so once things settle down, I hope to get that paid off sooner than later.

Just bought my standby generator, Westinghouse 12500-Watt Dual Fuel Home Backup Portable Generator, Since I drive an electric car, figured I should have a standby generator that can charge the damn thing at least the same speed as a charger I have for it.  So, the Westinghouse has a NEMA 240/50 Amp outlet on it.  Hot damn, GifNet.US is finally starting to come online now that the ghost is gone.

The garage and shop is built.  No power yet though but the electrician should be calling tomorrow.  Be needing one 240/50-amp circuit and 3 120/20-amp circuits.  Three outdoor light fixtures, one on front of garage, one on back and one by side door. ## interior light fixtures, three light fixtures in garage, one on back wall with 120 electrical outlet, Rt wall has 120/240 outlet left wall 120 electrical.  Three light fixtures in the shop, each with an electrical outlet and the AC/Heater gets a dedicated circuit.  The observation building itself will have a dedicated circuit as well.

The latest acquisition, the NYX-101, the mount with the ED80, will be configured for its first light in AZ mode for EAA.  The first PC that was used as an imaging PC has been brought back out and will be used again.  I have ordered a vixen rail that should be here sometime next week. I ordered a VESA mount plate with 100mm and 75mm bolt pattern and 1/4-inch hole in the center, unfortunately the PC does not have standard mount points on it did not think of that.   I also added a QHYCCD 266MM 26 MP camera to the collection, looking forward to its first light, though that will be some time down the road I suspect, probably in the fall.  This completes the camera and mount collections from G.A.S symptoms.  There is one telescope left and the G.A.S. shall have run its course that started in December of 20, lol!  Looking for something to shoot in the 750 to 1000mm range, a 120mm to 140mm depending on the configuration.  I’m also considering a HyperStar for the C8.  Those two acquisitions then things consolidate before any new gear.

I’ve been on PTO from work since the 1st.  I return the 9th. I went in briefly and made sure that Angie had what she needed to invoice the client and haven’t checked in since.  Getting work to almost back to the point where it’s automation again.  Slow process while managing to escape the cuts and rough times at TP while dealing with incompetent IT and DP.  The long hours that started the beginning of the year are over for the most part.  My co-worker Angie has been struggling as well, I can feel her pain too.  All our lives are hell right now at TP, we lost another 40 with two on our account directly now, one of them a VP, totaling 90 so far this year now. I struggled for the longest time, waking up in the middle of the night screaming names in hatred (yeah, for real).  Don’t do that anymore but still having issues with sleep.

The headaches are coming more and more frequently now, pretty much every day.  I’ve been with the docs at the VA now for well over a year now.  Started trigger point therapy, that helps immediately with the symptoms but slowly fades over time.  I schedule those as needed.  Done that twice now, last time was June 12th.  And now I’ve started Botox treatment every three months. My next treatment is July 26th.  I’ve applied for an increase in disability rating on headaches end of April, I had the nurse interview almost immediately.  Haven’t heard anything since.  We all know the VA takes forever; we’ll see how long…

Clear Skies,
Chris