Joe Panfalone, you inspire me, man. I loved your Alligator blog the other day…it made me think of another alligator analogy, straight from the desk of Senior Chief George Cooper, the saltiest old sailor I ever knew:

“When you’re up to your neck in alligators, it’s easy to forget that the initial objective was to drain the swamp.”

I want to clean my garage so bad. I have, in fact, started on this gargantuan project several times this summer. But I’m easily distracted. I start clearing off my corner workbench, and I find my long-lost can of Nevr-Dull. Then I remembered I had an old brass lamp in the basement, and I got in touch with my inner old sailor. The lamp is still in the basement “awaiting assignment,” but it sure is shiny.

Then, I found a part I needed to replace on my van’s rear window washer. Try as I might, I couldn’t manipulate the little part back into the hole from ground level, so I got a small stepladder from the basement (there’s a nice, shiny brass lamp on a shelf down there), but that didn’t help. I think there’s a broken tab on the part, which is preventing it from staying in place, so I’ll have to go get another one. Probably from the dealer. And when I see the price, I’ll probably convince myself to continue doing without a rear window washer.

A couple of diversions later, I’ve got a stepladder, my shop vac (hey, I had to clean the sawdust up…long story), and a few boxes bound for Goodwill in my garage. My wife STILL can’t park her car in there, but I swear there’s a little more room than when I started.

This weekend, we celebrate Labor Day with an extra day off work (which I always find funny, but fully appreciate it nonetheless), and, barring a perfect storm of diversions, or an impromptu Cub Scout project (hence the abovementioned sawdust-related long story), Regina WILL be able to park her nice shiny new car in the garage. At least until spring.

So…what is your initial objective? And what are your alligators?

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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