... and in our spare time...

We're always looking for projects to keep us off the streets.  It's not enough to be working full time jobs in radio/education, plus freelance writing/freelance sound design, or dancing/playing trumpet.  We also work on side projects: create an arts center, make a better race car, cure cancer, you know, the usual. 

Way back in the late 90's I had bought this book, Make Your Own Working Paper Clock, by William Smith Rudolph. You must admit, it's an intriguing and romantic-sounding project.  In the introduction, a personage no less than Isaac Asimov advised ordering multiple copies of the book -- "since your second clock, constructed with the experience you gained with the first, will be better than the first; and the third will be better still. Best wishes. Enjoy!"

Apparently it takes a rocket scientist to do this. But with the hubris of youth, I figured I'd only need one go at it.

Undaunted, I got to work, getting as far as part 37.  Then it went into my closet and stayed there until I moved from my apartment in 2003, when I threw it away in a frenzy of downsizing of worldly goods. I wouldn't need THAT ever again, I reasoned.

Well, a few months ago, when my watch-obsessed husband and I were investigating gears and opening mechanical clocks, I mentioned the paper clock and he was intrigued. 

"Can we still get the book?" he asked with a trace of excitement.

"Yeah, I suppose," I said warily. "I could order it on Amazon."

"We could really get it and put it together?" he asked.

"Yeah, I suppose," I replied, "But if we get this, you'd have to promise me you'd put it together with me? I mean really promise. For real. I'm not kidding.  We could do it over the holidays, but you have to promise you'd do it."

Well, dear reader, I ordered it.

So began the saga of making a paper clock -- again. It became our project for New Year's Eve 2005 -- our way of ringing in 2006.

Will there ever be a third time? We know so much more now.

Says Ike in his introduction, "Best wishes.  Enjoy!" 

Yeah, right.  Damn you, Isaac Asimov...

 on to the TOOLS ==>