Booked it, A fuzzy light, Bring on the branches

by Duf 3D Printing, Anything and Everything, Home Improvements

So a week or so ago my dad reached out to me pitching the idea of my coming up there for my birthday next month.  The reason was this will be my 50th year on the planet, something I would honestly be fine let pass by like any other day.  Anyone that knows me knows that aging is something I typically have no interest in celebrating. However in this case it was more about the appeal of getting to hang out with my family and the animals for a couple days.  It’s also fun to expose myself to true winter-like weather for brief periods of time.

I was amazed at how cheaply I was able to secure a flight via Spirit Airlines who evidently recently started flying Fort Myers to Pittsburgh.  My TOTAL fare was something like $98.  Not only is it cheap but it’s a direct flight with no layovers.  Now of course there is a catch.  Spirit nails you heavily for luggage fees, even for carry on items so it is likely my total cost will be more than double the base fare, but even so, it’s still affordable.

I also seem to be making some headway into getting my insurance claim upped to more closely match the estimates I have received.  The adjuster I talked to on Tuesday said they would agree to pay the difference in their initial offer and my estimates but I had to send them signed contracts for the work on the roof and the pool cage.  It was another annoying hoop to jump through.  I was further annoyed when they said the supplemental checks would have both my name and the contractors name on them meaning in total there would be three different checks with each check requiring a secondary co-signer.

I guess I can understand why this practice exists.  Putting both names on a check is a way to cut down on fraud from individuals that would otherwise cash the check and never do the repairs or do them in a half ass way to save money.  On the other hand I feel it is my home, my insurance policy that I pay the premiums for.  I would rather be cut a check that I deposit in my account which I dole out funds from as I see fit.

I am off tomorrow for Veterans Day.  Just like last year I am going to consume that day high up in the trees, doing my hated annual chore of branch trimming.  The task takes a greater physical toll on me each and every year. I feel both dread for the work but anticipation for it’s completion.  If there is one bright spot about Hurricane Irma was it did some of the branch trimming for me ahead of time and even removed several trees from the equation altogether.

I ordered another 3D printer, a Dagoma Neva.  It is a delta 3D printer, a different type than either the FlashForge Finder and CR-10 I already own.  After fighting with my CR-10 for over a month the Neva, which I just happened to stumble across on a 3D printing YouTube video, was very appealing.

It makes 3D printing extremely simple with a single button on the unit.   The circular build area is larger than the Finder with a 7 inch by 8 inch capacity.  The print platform is stationary so there is none of the bed leveling hassle that plagues many 3D printers.

I initially will of course play with it at home but I have ideas of bringing it to the office so I can be extra productive, creating 3D objects as I do my normal 8-5 duties, we’ll see.