What I learned January 5, 2014 Day 45

After 65 years of learning to get along with others, I am finally learning how to fix objects. Installing ed lights, in my galley, over the chart table, in the engine room and above my bunk has been a success.

What people who have been doing this stuff all their life fail to realize is it takes more than knowing how to twist which wires together to complete the project.

First you have to know how to strip the insulation off the ends of the wires. Do you know the name of the tool designed for such a task?

Second, you have to know which wires can be twisted together. Not all black insulation goes around negative wires. Sometimes, as in the LED directional light over my bunk, the black is the positive wire. The white insulated wire is the negative. That was learned through trial and error along with a phone call to my electrical mentor Capt. Rick.

Third, one has to learn how to drill a hole. I know it sounds ridiculously simple. Most drills are heavy which can make them cumbersome. Although the pink, supposedly meaning an object's company donates to the breast cancer foundation, is a bit over used, I found a small pink cordless drill that fits in the palm of my hand to be a great learning tool.

After practice drilling holes into a spare piece of wood, I easily to screwed in the light fixtures. Oops, it only fair to mention that before drilling I had to visit my friendly folk at Home Depot to figure out which type of drill bits would fit my mini trainer. For $18 I found a nice set of drill bits with a thing a ma jig that fits in the end of the drill bit.

Walla kazam, see for yourself. I installed the directional light above my bunk and the engine light using said techniques.

O.K. so I am bragging. Brag I must. After what I consider an emotionally charged month of negative ions filling my head, I accomplished something useful.

Now, you go out and do something you have never attempted before. Learn the operational definitions, practice the new skill and pride yourself on a job well done....