Cool and damp, but maybe clear? Maybe not clear but not raining either. Yesterday started overcast and ended sunny, so it’s possible either way. I’m hoping for clear so I can do the stuff I haven’t been able to do.
Truck problems persist. Something is badly wrong, and I’m hoping it’s the alternator. That is on top, easy to get to, and relatively cheap. I need the pickup running for so many reasons, but mainly to move stuff around.
I did some errands, and some troubleshooting, and messed around. More of those same things on the schedule for today.
No further progress on the BOL work. Frustrating to be dependent on others. Yeah I know, I’ve been reading about the issues, and they’re not just happening to other people. They are real, not theoretical, and they suck when they happen to you.
Busy week and weekend coming up here at the Casa De Nick. Swim team is starting up with nightly practice, Girl Scout weekends are on the calendar, and all the normal stuff is happening too, AND the work at the BOL needs to keep moving forward. It’s a bit challenging.
But, hey, no one said it would be easy. Or cheap.
And in the wider world, the chip shortage will continue for at least another year, according to industry sources. Standing up new fabs takes time, and it takes some of the chips that are in short supply. Electronic Design magazine has several articles on the issue in this month’s issue, and there is some fascinating stuff there. Like that it takes about 6 months for a chip to move through the build process, or that 70 countries are involved in a typical chip, either through materials, or processes, or design and execution. I’ll link the article in the comments if I can find it online. As a note too, based on my habit of watching how thick or thin the trade mags are, we’re in trouble in the electronics design and manufacturing sector as the magazine is down to ~30 pages. The more general Machine Design magazine is 32 pages this month. MD used to be hundreds of pages 10 years ago but has really slimmed down since wuflu has been ravaging the world economy. ALL my trade mags are thin, some are VERY thin.
If you need it, or will need it, get it. Don’t wait, as it probably won’t be available later. If there is something you must have to live, or do business, or conduct your daily activities, make sure you have a spare, and repair and maintenance parts. Seriously, I’m behind the curve on some things and it sucks. We might be very close to the point where suddenly everyone is buying anything just to grab onto something they hope to use or trade or sell later. That truly will be ‘panic buying’ and it will kick off a major slide downward on the slippery slope. Get your ducks lined up.
And stack all the things.
nick
bonus points to anyone who identifies the movie quote in the day’s title…