Neanderpundit

I am watching a National geographic special the wife tivoed for me, and I’ve just decided to cancel my membership.

Time was, Geographic was men. I mean MEN. Thor Heyerdahl. Sir Edmund Hillary. Men writ large, men who grabbed life by the balls and pulled as hard as they could, dragged themselves up the sides of steep cliffs or onto balsa rafts and went literally where they might die. Men who risked life and limb and came back with a smile on their face, emaciated, undernourished, and wrote books that I yearned to read. Men who wriggled into caves carved out of cliff faces on Easter Island and confronted people from ancient cultures- and killed them when necesary. Men who climbed into tin cans of dubious construction and broke barriers, or pushed the envelope of flight, or depth, or speed. Men who stood eye-to-eye with the most fearsome creatures on the planet.

This wasn’t about testosterone, it wasn’t about showing off, it was about doing things because you wanted to do them. About battling with yourself.

Now, Geographic is talking about being sensitive to the fragile ecosystem of something or another. Fuck them. Give me back some Men.

Oh, and ladies, there have always been a lot of women doing those men things right alongside the men, so cut me some slack, I know you’re there too.

No, not Prime Ministers, or even afternoons- I’m talking about Preventive Maintenance.

Just pulled a major on the Exploder. Tuneup; air filter clean and resoak (k&n Filtercharger) Fluid change on front/rear differential, fluid change on transfer case, fluid change on engine and transmission. Also did front shocks and front brakes, and as soon as I can. I’ll do rears. Greased U joints and front upper/lower balljoints. The exploder has been making grumbles lately about accelerating, and i suspected the differential fluid had become acidic, which it had. Fortunately no harm had been done.

Just got out of the shower, where I discovered the ONLY portion of my anatomy not anointed with some automotive fluid or another was my nether regions.

All synthetic fluids, top quality gas charged shocks, all done with more care and caution than anyone else could ever muster. Total cost $120. And I got a lot of stretching and exercise in the balance. I HATE letting other people touch my truck.