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Right now I'm waiting for a bunch of stuff to turn up from various places around the world so that I can recommence my jet engine development work.

While that's going on, the workshop will be getting a spring-clean, albeit six months out of season.

Much of the "stuff" I've accumulated over recent years will be looking for a new home and so I may publish an inventory of things that I'm looking to rehome in this column.

There's a vast array of things that any geek would be proud to own so keep your eyes peeled for that because most of it will be totally free if going to a deserving new home.

As well as a huge swathe of drone-parts and even some ready to fly drones, there'll be numerous other tech-related bits in the inventory.

Anyone who wants to pick stuff up or pay for shipping and who will promise not to resell the stuff (although you will be able to give it away) could be in for an early Christmas.

Yeah, I could have a big garage sale and make perhaps a few thousand dollars out of this trove of bits but I really think that it's far better to simply pass such stuff onto a new home, where it will be used or at least appreciated, is the better option.

Over the years I've given thousands of dollars worth of stuff away and mostly those who receive it honour the concept of gifting. There have been occasions where I've been disappointed to see that someone has simply gone straight out and thrown their gifts on TradeMe rather than honour the promise not to sell but those times are few and far between. Most people are honest, ethical and get the concept of gifting.

One of the goals here is to make sure that stuff doesn't end up in landfills and thus we avoid waste. There are things that you might not actually buy but, if you're gifted them, you'll find a use for and that is good.

Chances are I'll also go around the local schools and offer then a selection of stuff that might come in handy in their technology classes and maybe even drop into the "Men's Shed" and see if there are some more engineering-related bits and bobs they'd find useful.

Over the next few months, having space to work will be more valuable to me than having boxes of stuff that I *might* use some day in the future. Priorities!

Now for something completely different...

I see many of the journalists about to be made redundant from TVNZ, NewsHub and other places are running around with a "woe is me" mantra on their lips. They seem to believe they're owed something and have even made the bold claims that the nation will suffer if they're not given a job.

Sorry... I don't buy that.

To those affected... if you think you're so important, wanted and essential to the nation's functioning democracy then pool your resources, your money, your time and create your own news entity.

Surely, based on what you've been saying, the public will support you and you will propsper. Unless, of course, you're perhaps not as important as you purport to be and you don't have the courage of your convictions.

Otherwise, I guess the ranks of "PR consultants" will be swelling enormously in coming months, as former journalists use their ablities to spin tales for any corporate willing to cross their palm with enough pieces of silver.

Who knew that journalists would be so good at spinning a yarn based only loosely on the facts :-)

Carpe Diem folks!

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