︎ zazen bozo ︎


︎︎︎ July 5th, 2023 ︎︎︎


I’ve used our barn largely for storing old wood and junk I don’t want out laying around. It had some pretty strange bits of construction inside until today. I think they kept hay in there? Potentially some animals? I’m not sure. 

The construction of the barriers in the barn, not the barn itself, gives me serious concern about the mental stability of whoever made them. 

There are design decisions that cannot be explained away by lack of skill or frugality. The man who toiled in this barn, the man who abused it, maimed it, desecrated it, was clearly insane. 

When I work around the house I often consider whoever might see my work in the future, wether they’re just appreciating it, or in a position to replace or improve it. Generally I do my best to make their job not so horrible. I do not always succeed. 

Some times lack of skill or frugality demands a less then stellar approach that will come to bite the future owner in the ass. In all liklihood the ass with bite marks in it will be my own as I raise my fist to the heavens and curse my younger self. 

While I do my best to treat my future self with respect the gentleman who modified our barn seemed to have a strange disdain, and even hatred for whoever would end up buying his barn. It’s almost as though he laid down traps for my benefit. 

No span was done with a single 2x4 but rather several not just nailed, but also screwed together. Certain components would use maimed and distorted framing iron, but only asymetrically, and with a mix of drywall screws and framing nails. Heavy steel mesh was used with many dozens of U-staples nearly every 4”. Layers of plywood and hardboard were either attached with a single screw at some random corner, or 20. Boards were attached with screws only to have that attachement covered by a scrap of 2x4 nailed over it with half a dozen framing nails so that it was nothing but splinters.

The wall that divided the barn in half was two 4”x4” posts alternately lag-screwed and framing iron connected to a joist. They did not touch the ground. The wall itself was made up of about 10 completely unique pieces of scrap wood screwed and bolted and nailed to the floating posts with absolutely no logic to their attachement, angle, or length. 

There was a ladder held to the loft by two drywall screws.
It floated 6” above the ground, but he had driven two lengths of rusty rebar into the ground and attached it to the legs of the ladder with turns of thin gauge wire, several drywall screws, and staples.

This man was not well.
I’m just glad he spent most of his time in the barn, and not the house.

Bozo