A Dragon and a Lighter

Posted on July 15, 2022 by David Crampton

I found this lighter among a bunch of stuff on my counter, and I knew I’d had a history with it, but I couldn’t remember anything about it. For whatever reason, I immediately wanted to repair it, and get it burning again. During this process, not only did I uncover old memories, but I learned a whole lot of new stuff about it.

First and foremost, the bottom of the beautiful dragon case has MADE IN CHINA stamped across it. So, from the get-go, I assumed that the entire lighter was a knock-off. It was still worth repairing, and so that’s what I was going to do.

As far as the problems with the lighter, I know I’d fiddled with the wick, and sure enough, it was pulled apart and splayed all over the flame’s chamber. After watching a bunch of lighter restorations on Odd Tinkering, I figured I would have to replace the wick and refill the fluid, and then give it another shot. After a suggestion from Honal in my stream‘s chat, I managed to pull up the wick and trim off the mangled bit, rather than replacing the whole thing..

I took the lighter completely apart, which led me to discover that there were two flints sitting in the spring, rather than one. The second one, upon release from its prison, shot off to forever reside between my floor boards. Goodbye, secondary flint. I barely knew ye.

At this point I was able to pull the wick up pretty easily, and clip the top off with craft clippers. I was also able to buy some lighter fluid from Marcus Market nearby. I put it all together, and it worked again! It lit in the first couple of spins of the wheel, and stayed lit, even in the wind!

Dragon zippo lighter with lit cigar resting on it

Next came the real test – lighting a cigar. It singed the edge evenly, and lit the tip of the cigar evenly and quickly. It’s a good lighter, and it works!

As I was taking some photos, I discovered that there was some etching on the lighter itself. It was the manufacturer stamping from Zippo! While the case is definitely a knockoff, the lighter itself was genuine. Now I had even more questions about the lighter’s history, and how it had come to be in its present state, and how it had managed to come into my life.

About a week later, I re-learned why I’d been trying to fix this lighter in the first place, which had ended with me mangling the wick. It wouldn’t light. It acted like it was completely out of fluid. I must have thought that either the fluid was being prevented from being brought upward, or that the wick wasn’t close enough to the spark wheel to light.

So, with the patience of middle age (ha!) and access to the internet, I googled how long I should expect lighter fluid to last in a Zippo. The consensus seems to be anywhere between one week and one month, depending on regularity of use. The more often the lighter is used, the longer the fluid lasts.

The lighter hadn’t been broken. I had used it rarely, even then, so the fluid was just evaporating away. My expectations that it would last longer was the actual problem, not the wick. Well, now I have a beautiful working wind-proof lighter, part Zippo, part knock-off, AND the knowledge to take proper care of it.

Sealed Drinkware

Posted on May 13, 2022 by David Crampton

I have drink ware that needed to be sealed. And for the love of cheese, I was going to do it right this time.

The middle mug, after it was stickered, was covered in a layer of nail polish clear coat, on Ace’s suggestion. It worked well for a little while, but the stickers eventually soaked up water while in the sink being washed. So I consulted with some of my crafty friends for advice.

Enter Mod Podge Dishwasher Safe. The kids and I picked it up from a Michaels, and when I decided to start wrapping up projects, I pulled it out of the bag. The sealant went on very easily, and the glossy finish dried shiny and smooth. I did three coats, and let each one fully dry before I started the next.

Before you follow my lead, there’s a bit of a gotcha. Because of course there is. This particular formulation of Mod Podge requires 28 DAYS, that’s right, a LUNAR MONTH, to fully cure and be top-rack dishwasher safe. So now my mugs and Ace’s water bottle sit on top of the refrigerator, awaiting their release back into rotation.

Soon, my pretties, SOON.

Wall of You Accomplished Something, Actually

Posted on May 6, 2022 by David Crampton

So, I do this thing where I talk down about myself. I do it a lot more than my friends and family would like. Sometimes, they get irritated enough to remind me how much they dislike it.

At the same time, I have these certificates, from things I’ve accomplished in my life. Eagle Scout in the BSA. Graduated high school with high honors. Published my own first novel. Donated hair to be used in wigs for kids with cancer. I always felt that putting these up on the wall was a form of bragging, so I never did.

After a recent reminder about my self-deprecating habits, I decided that hanging these certificates on the wall would be a form of self-affirmation. I would put them on a place where I would see them every day, and thus remind myself that I can have, and have had, a positive impact on the world. Enough of an impact, in fact, that someone gave me a piece of paper to remind me.

So I did. I framed them and hung them in my bedroom, on the side of the room where I always get off my bed. They cannot be avoided, and I think that’s a good thing. My friends and family are to credit for this, and I love them for it.

Take that, brain!

Penguicon 2022

Posted on April 15, 2022 by David Crampton

After many long years, I am finally making another appearance! I’m heading back to Penguicon, and they’ve put me on some panels! So, if you want to see me in person, or if you want to hear me read from one of my works, this is where to go! Here’s my schedule:

Friday, April 22
- 5:00PM – From Fan-fic Writing to Writing for Publishing
Saturday, April 23
- 12:00PM – Author Reading
- 3:00PM – So, you want to start a YouTube channel?
Sunday, April 24
- 12:00PM – Playing around with myths and lore

Hope to see you there!

Writing Journal

Posted on March 25, 2022 by David Crampton

The first writing stream was a resounding success.

Stepping back and using a cold eye, the streaming measures were very good. There were more than average viewers for most of the stream. Chat interaction was nearly non-stop. Jokes made during the stream kept going in the Discord server, increasing activity there.

Okay, now I feel a little dirty. Let’s focus on the writing. After I’d finished the first draft, my Alpha/Beta Readers had given it back with two major edits needed. I’d been meaning to get back to this piece and address them. I’d put it down to step back and come back to edit with fresh eyes, but I, uh, didn’t come back to it.

We tackled the first edit, and we nailed it. We identified where details could be added, which details, and in what way. In an hour and a half, I had a (nearly-complete) blueprint of how that section needs to look. All I need to do is fill it with words.

But, let me tell you, I was nervous as hell. I was about to publicly display unfinished work that, by definition, was flawed and needed improvement. I had let it sit for so long, and would have to confront that perceived failure. Despite the voiced interest, no one could have shown, and I’d be editing into the void. I’d worked myself so much that I went to the local cigar bar to center myself, to put myself in the moment, and to let myself calm down.

Turns out that, in the end, it was a success. And I’m going to do it next Tuesday. I just hope that there’s less deep diving into the particulars of vampire feet.

Ace of Hearts

Posted on February 25, 2022 by David Crampton

Ace is one hundred per cent a Gemini. She loves to try all of the things, but has a really hard time deciding which thing she should try. She was the first to step up and try sushi, Thai food, and Indian food. On the flip side, she takes ten minutes to decide what she wants from a drive-through menu, and once that decision is made, it will immediately change, while you are speaking the order. At least once.

She discovered a love of spicy food, and rivals me in her spiciness! The spicy ramen bowls weren’t spicy enough, so on her request, I picked up a pack with the red label that has the angry chicken on it. We were DECIMATED. None of us regretted it for a second, and it was because of Ace that we tried it.

She’s got a creative streak a mile wide. She paints, she draws, she does creative makeup, she makes bead chokers, necklaces, and bracelets… even bath bombs! The more glitter, the better!

She absolutely loves gaming on the Roblox platform. Her favorite is obbys (obstacle courses), specifically the timed tower ones. Tower of Misery is her all-time favorite of these, and it’s baffling to see how she can be so precise with the tools the game gives her. I’m blown away every time.

I hesitate to mention this, because simply speaking its name may summon it into being. Ace loves… shopping. It doesn’t have to be for anything in particular, but makeup, stuffed animals, and slime give bonus points. You better have a good reason for not letting her push the cart in the grocery store, or making her sit in the car if there’s a makeup aisle or a toy aisle wherever you are.

Ace’s hugs are legendary, and as her Dad, I am lucky enough to be one of the most frequent recipients. When she wraps her arms around you and squeezes, you feel all the good feels. I love my baby girl, and will always be proud of her.

MonkeyLinkMega

Posted on January 28, 2022 by David Crampton

Bruh.

Bro. My guy. My dude. Twelve years old, and schooling me on fighting games, slang, and ESPECIALLY rhythm. Quick to point out that he knows more than me about the Nintendo Switch – and he does – and that things are much better now than when I was a kid – which they are.

Monkey is a gamer. Fortnite, Smash Bros, Dead by Daylight, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Warframe, Dauntless, Roblox, Minecraft… if it’s competitive, he’s in there, at the top of his lungs, making it happen.

He’s joined the video game club at his school to spread the digital gospel, and is making them in class, to write a few verses of his own. He likes to stream with me, especially if he gets to teach me one of his games, like Totally Accurate Battle Simulator. (Da Vinci tank for life!)

When things get serious, he wants to be in the know. He likes to be informed; he likes to be involved. He’s stepped up countless times when his mother has needed his help, and is vigilant for me not taking enough care of myself. He learned how to make my coffee, even though he doesn’t like it, just to help out. He cooks with me, too, and makes some serious pesto sauce.

In a couple of months, he’ll be old enough to samurai slice CoryxKenshin’s like button with his own account.

I’m proud of him, and I love him, and my world is better for him being in it. I hope he always remembers that.

A Better Way

Posted on December 11, 2021 by David Crampton

The consumer nightmare of Black Friday is not something I enjoy, participate in, or really, condone. From the perspective of the kids’ mom, it’s an opportunity to get the kids Christmas/Yule gifts that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. Heck, it’s a way to get stuff for the house that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. And for a long time, we were living so very paycheck-to-paycheck, that I couldn’t argue that.

This year, I had the opportunity to head up north, and spend the weekend with my parents and my brother, instead. I jumped on that like Captain America on a live grenade. I spent the drive listening to my still-way-too-far-behind podcast list, and stopped for Halo Burger on the way. It had been WAY too long. They put actual olive slices on their olive burgers, and not some mostly-mayo might-be-one-piece-of-olive-in-it sauce. AND they will swap out any beef patty with turkey! So I had an olive turkey burger with a side of tater tots, and it was all of the yums!

(Just a quick note here, I am fully vaccinated and wear a mask at all times when I’m in public, unless actively eating or drinking. COVID-19 is still out there, so there is still reason to be safe. At the time of this trip, Michigan had the most cases of any state in the U.S., so you bet your butt I was being as safe as possible.)

When I arrived, the catching up began immediately. We swapped stories, complained about nonsensical TV commercials, talked a little bit of tech, and groused a bit about our various medical conditions.

The next day involved a trip to Suzie’s Brews, some writing, some hanging out with my brother, my sister-in-law, and nephew, and most of all, a birthday dinner for my mom!

My Dad had purchased some truly ridiculous steaks, and we grilled them out in the snow. 1.5 inches thick of tender, marbled steak goodness. We slowly cooked it to medium while Dad and Brother quietly disagreed about flipping often or flipping sparingly. I sipped coffee, breathed in the smell of cooking steak, and just relaxed.

If you know me, you know that relaxing is a challenge to me. Hilariously ironic.

Dad left his on the grill for a bit longer while we let the others rest to somewhere near medium-well. They were AMAZING. Just as good as the conversation, the times spent with my nephew, and the family history that was all around us. The drive back the next day was a little harrowing, as there was some snow and ice, but I made it back okay.

What’s the lesson here? Is it that if you skip Black Friday, you can have great relaxation time with family and high quality steaks?

Maybe.

David M. Crampton

Writery Goodness