Red Mosquito

i started today with a little bit of trimming of this tree

it's a neighbor's tree, a type of cherry, that grows diagonally into my yard

it drops little berries this time of year into my pool which is a pain in the ass

i know he and his wife hate the tree (but it's expensive to take it down)

one thing led to another today and what began as a modest trim culminated in a 5-hour murder session

i could feel my shoulder was ok

and i wanted to stop the berry drop

so i went for it

i whipped out my 19-foot, 3-piece, italian made extendable pole pruner/saw and i went to work

progressively de-limbed the thing

except the one mega main-line trunk/branch

it was too big i thought

would be too dangerous

cannot go for it. think about yourself, think about your life

i got to the end, nearly removing every branch from the tree, and i had a think

i realized the angle where i could likely cut it safely

it was already like 4-hours deep into the session. probably the worst time to go for it.

but i went for it

the saw cut like butter. my heart started pounding. keep breathing. keep going.

as i broke through the middle i could hear the first crackles. i kept sawing

it started to break, i had estimated where it would hinge and land and it did so. Timber! and a lound thud

as I removed the last connecting piece of the now upside-down trunk-branch, nearly 20 feet tall, began to fall over

Spalsh-down into the pool! I had not thought this far ahead

it wound up being perfect, because the limb was heavy af! probaly like 200 lbs

the water was the perfect pillow to land it, like an astronaut returning from space

as i sought to retrieve it, i realized, the water was helping it float

ancient log rolling instincts kicked in and I managed to get the massive beast out of the pool

then i went to work with the lopper and handsaw

made a massive pile of brush

put it out front

now all that stands is a large trunk and a handful of token branches

your move, neighbor - ready to pay to remove the rest (finally?)

or do we let this giant barren log trunk stand tall as a monument to your sloth

jk he then apologized that i had to spend so much time trimming. he hates the tree too (hopefully he takes the rest down now)

soundgarden rules

96583UP wrote: Sun July 26, 2026 9:46 pmancient log rolling instincts kicked in and I managed to get the massive beast out of the pool

Hell friggin' yeah, man. Dudes rock.

nothing like pulling a giant piece of timber out of the water with all your strength

David Goggins was probably watching and jorkin' it.

Didn’t realize Paul fucking Bunyan posted among us.

i could see where being a tree-cutting guy is addictive

Picked up Halti harnesses that go over their snouts for the dogs. These things are pretty amazing at keeping them more chill on walks. The kid was even able to lead one down the block tonight.

At jiu jitsu last night we were drilling single leg takedowns and one technique we went through was while you have control of one of your opponent's legs - you drop down to the ground and kick out their other leg. This went well while drilling - but then I tried it in a live roll (with the guy to the very left of the photo) - I dropped down onto my left side - kicked out his foot and he just dropped right on top of me and now my left shoulder is absolutely rooted. Can't lift anything with that arm, holding my arm out straight is a struggle and painful.....even just leaning forward makes my shoulder scream out.

Time for a MRangI

Hope it heals quick rangi

Day 14 post op. Everything is going according to plan. My walk is more Fred Sanford than the average human but is I rebuild the strength and cardio it will get better.

Doing my regular 10 exercises and added standing balance exercises too (think DUI walk one foot in front of the other minus the walk)

Dressing was changed today and unlike October when I saw it I did not pass out. Yay me

Haha! Score!

A nice aura migraine to start hell month. I knew I shouldn't have tried to work today.

Nearly got into a fist fight with a drunk asshole at 3 AM in the middle of the street during a torrential downpour. Very cinematic setting but all I did was embarrass my girlfriend and get the inside of our Uber all wet. OH WELL

Jorge wrote: Sat August 01, 2026 12:51 pm Nearly got into a fist fight with a drunk asshole at 3 AM in the middle of the street during a torrential downpour. Very cinematic setting but all I did was embarrass my girlfriend and get the inside of our Uber all wet. OH WELL

I don’t think that means she was embarrassed

I forgot to wear a belt.

Jorge wrote: Sat August 01, 2026 12:51 pm Nearly got into a fist fight with a drunk asshole at 3 AM in the middle of the street during a torrential downpour. Very cinematic setting but all I did was embarrass my girlfriend and get the inside of our Uber all wet. OH WELL

What was the fight about?

Dev wrote: Sun August 02, 2026 4:01 am

Jorge wrote: Sat August 01, 2026 12:51 pm Nearly got into a fist fight with a drunk asshole at 3 AM in the middle of the street during a torrential downpour. Very cinematic setting but all I did was embarrass my girlfriend and get the inside of our Uber all wet. OH WELL

What was the fight about?

A very drunk asshole started babbling loudly at us while we were waiting for our car outside the venue. It was pouring rain, and we were standing under the awning over the entrance while this guy was a few feet out in the street getting absolutely soaked. I could barely understand what he was saying but he got really antagonistic when I brushed him off. You could tell he was three sheets to the wind but I was in no mood to entertain his bullshit and he was making my girlfriend nervous. When our Uber arrived we started getting in and the dude got closer and started yelling at my girlfriend something about being careful around me. I felt a bit of a cortisol spike and got in his face and told him to back off. He wilted like a flower and I was feeling good about it until I realized I had stepped into the pouring rain and gotten soaked. Our driver gave me a bunch of shit about getting the inside of his car all wet

Sounds like it was someone who knows you and your shady past.