journal features

plumbers in my place

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Vancouver, 2002.01.10

The plumbers needed access to my apartment today. They had to get access to the front hall closet, of all places, because that's where the valves were installed that led to the apartment next to mine (I'm told the hot and cold water pipes come up in the walls inside my unit, oh joy).

Needless to say, something went awry in the closet after they'd been and gone, and the closet made a quick upgrade to shower stall. Nothing like the sound of running water to get your attention at four in the PM.

They quickly fixed it but I was glad I'd removed my few things.

rand()m quote

One day you will take a fork in the road, and you're going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go one way, you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and get good assignments. Or you can go the other way and you can do something [...] for yourself. If you decide to do something, you may not get promoted and get good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won't have to compromise yourself. To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That's when you have to make a decision. To be or to do.

—John Boyd, US Air Force