Quiet Please

I like to have a nice quiet place to get some computer work or studying done where the distractions are minimal. Not everyone wants this, needs this, or has such a place This isn’t always the same “work/study space “ some might have in mind. Don’t get this confused with some place to play video games or work on you next music project. It could be at the library (if people still a actually go?)
On a train, in your car, at your kitchen table, you bedroom – whatever works for you.
I’m kind of partial to “workshop “ type setup. A place to fix things that aren’t broken, or break things that shouldn’t be fixed. A halfway decent work bench, some decent lighting, and a few handy tools make for a nice workshop even if it’s in a run down worn out Hockey shed in the swamp. It is what you make of it…..especially if you actually make most of it yourself.
It’s Spring, but Winter still has it’s clutches holding the north fast in swirling snow and ice. (How these tree frogs can be so active when it’s still kind of cold is a mystery to me)
So close to May and still snow in the air. Howling wind, driving rain, and powerful storms swirl across the land. The ground is soggy – mud is a common theme. Thus the swamp designation.
Deep within said inner sanctum the wind is but a faint howl in the distance (actually it’s the insulation that quiets the wind noise). Thunder claps muffled slightly as an old radio’s speakers crackle with each flash of lightning. This is Spring? It feels more like late October than mid April. At least the bitter cold is no longer a frosty issue. The temperature is cool and damp, reminisced of a scene from an Wild Western cowboy story setting.
(One where it rains a lot.)
The generator is prepped in case the power should fail, and the glow of the display monitors light the room.
The room is cold, but dry and pleasant, exactly what you would want for a small work shop. A hot cup of coffee only enhances atmosphere adding a certain pleasantness.
This will have to do as my fortress of solitude away from the noise of Fake News and political nonsense where one can still watch some playoff Hockey in peace.
Isn’t that what a workshop is really for ?
Sure I can putter around and work on a random project here and there, but come on – we’ve all learned to multitask. (Watch Hockey and listen to Baseball)
It’s good to have a small space to hunker down and really concentrate on getting some work done. Something productive like rearranging all my hockey sticks by curve and brand. Stacking pucks, or wondering why the hell I threw my old CCMs out – they were still good. The blades were a bit bent, but who noticed that?
With a few old Linux laptops you can watch the game, and review player stats – sort of a Hockey command center. It’s all good until the power goes out, or the Internet connection fails.
All your tech, now virtually useless unless you decide to drain your battery power and operate in crisis mode. You know you must remain calm.
The power will come back on.
The old radio still works (it’s really just used for local weather updates)
You could start up the generator, but wouldn’t that noise drown out the game. Plus that would Probably draw attention to some “non-hockey” fans more interested in actual survival than what’s going on in the third period. “you got a generator?” Nope – just working on my lawnmower over here.

Oh my goodness, what if there’s another overtime.
There are always headphones, but that won’t help much if the Internet is down. If cell service is down, I’m really in for it.
This is the moment you’ve been prepping for. This is why you brought that extra box of Ho Hos.
Maybe you should have bought some Twinkies like a true survivalist, but they haven’t tasted the same since they came back on the market.
Ho Hos always taste good.
So you pop a Ho Ho in your mouth – don’t even chew it. What would be the point?
Then it hits you! Of course, OTA television! The sad frustrating replacement letdown to the good old analog days.
Find a “old” …not too old television and rig up a Stone Age Antenna.
You’re probably not going to pull in the CBC Hockey Night in Canada, but you can try.
Oh yeah, I guess I would have to start the generator to power the television. (Mental note:
Look for a battery powered television that works with digital signals)
If all else fails you can always try to get some actual work done. Actually “working” in a workshop just sounds wrong.
I hope lighting doesn’t hit the Koho I’m using as an antenna mast. That would not be good.
If there truly is an apocalyptic event coming, I hope it’s in the off season.
Of course it’s always some type of sport’s season.
I guess I could always re-read another Linux manual.
Wait a minute – that’s not such a bad idea.
It’s a perfect night for a little lite reading.
It’s stopped raining and all the swamp critters are making all kinds of weird noises.
The power is on and I just remembered…..my team already played earlier today.
Well, I’m here now, I might as well be productive and get some work done.

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