Re: A "To Do List"

One of my downfalls is the actual completion of the project. Everyone has their strong points and weak points. For me, areas of strength has always be planning, and accumulation of resources, while project coordination comes in behind and lastly would be execution. Often; like many other pack rats, I find myself with an accumulation of a mountain of gear with often sit for long periods doing nothing. This is why I love to help other people so much! I get to plan and acquire, without having to be responsible for the execution!

For some time, I just assumed that I was "lazy", then I realized that I don't really mind the work, since I will readily work all the time...sometimes till the wee hours of the morning. It's the impetus of action that I have trouble with: therefore, in order to resolve this when there's something that truly needs to get done......I make a list. For me, when "the list" gets created; it's like Moses and The Tablets! I start working through it and don't quit till it's done. My wife found this to be a very useful tool for her when we both worked at Texas Tech. I just gave her permission on my Outlook via the Exchange server, and she could just put items on my "Tasks List" and keep track of the progress (or lack thereof). It worked out great! Things got done, and she didn't have to nag me. As long as it was still there on that tasks list and not crossed-off, I felt compelled to do it.

So; what does a Frugal Propellerhead put on a tasks list for himself over a summer? Firstly, you have to look at it in terms of the philosophy that I'm espousing as "the Frugal Propellerhead", meaning that if I can do it myself and save money, then that's the best course of action. Therefore, I'm VERY rarely if ever going to hire out to get something done, even if I've never done it before. After all, isn't that what the Internet is for? I just did one of those elevated flower beds by building a retaining wall using those "landscape blocks", by watching some YouTube videos. Anyway on to the list:

The Audio/Video System

• Install the "in-ceiling" speakers for the rear 3 channels of my home theater rig in the living room. The speakers are there, the wiring is run and sitting up in the ceiling; I just have to get those speakers in. Not as easy as it sounds since the ceilings are 10+ feet there and I'll have to crawl through the attic to get to where they need to go!
• Install the porch speakers. The wiring is run, but the kicker is that I also have to install a volume control "in-line" that I roughed in when the house was built.
• Connect the 3-gang A/V panel on the wall behind the huge A/V cabinet so that the above 2 items can be connected.
• Finish the A/V computer that's pretty much finished with the exception of the video capture card that will allow it to work as a DVR, as well as connect to the network and allow it to access content stored on the server.
• At that point; my intention is to go ahead and hook up the "secondary monitors" in the system. One is an old Amdek RGB monitor from an Apple II that'll allow me to see the on screen items displayed by the receiver. The other will be a to-be-purchased, LCD TV which will function as a monitor for the A/V computer as well as a secondary TV in the system. It looks like a 19" wide-screen will work in here just fine which works out very well since that's the smallest generally available commercially. So a used one should be easy to find most anywhere from swap meets, to pawn shops.
  
• Oh yeah, almost forgot, that I need to get my $8 Goodwill find, the Onkyo cassette deck installed in the system as well.

Computers

• Complete the last few items so that Josh can migrate to his new gaming computer! I'm really kind of irritated that this isn't done yet, but all I've got to say is that....it's been a rough month!
• Finish the last couple of items on my main computing system. Meaning, I need to build the little shelf to elevate my monitors, which should be a quick little project. I also need to either fix or replace the integrated amp that was the hub of the "archiving" part of my system.
  
• The last bit of "setting up" to get everything working well with on the home network and the Windows Home Server.

Other Stuff

• The rest of my son's "loft" conversion: build the reading/lounging/storage bench, build the train/lego table, build the book/storage case and finish the details of the bed like the little shelf to go on top of the posts so he will have somewhere to put his light, clock and other little boy stuff. Yup, I know, there's a lot of "builds" in there, but hey....at least the bed part is done.
• The rest (especially the other front) of the flower beds, at least one of which will require the landscape stone build-up.
• Fix up random stuff on our travel trailer.

Sounds pretty ambitious doesn't it? But there it is, it's all stuff that has to be done (preferably before we go back to school)!