Not Necessarily the Pairing I Expected...

So today I noticed that - according to Amazon - The Portable Dad is "frequently bought together" with Steve Harvey's new book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment.

Who knew?

What I'm geeked for now is a double-booking on Oprah or Ellen. He'll teach people how to act like ladies and think like men, and I'll spackle.

Now that's good television!

To Repair or Replace?

Sometimes the toughest call to make when something breaks is whether to repair it (or have it repaired), or to replace it.

Usually it's not hard. In many cases, whatever broke can't be fixed (a window, for instance) or can't be fixed for less than the cost of replacing the item. (Many electronic devices fall into this category.) In an equal number of cases, the repair is cheap and easy and getting the thing fixed is the only logical option.

One of the reasons I wrote The Portable Dad was to make the point that things can be repaired instead of replaced. Repairs can be cheaper, equal or better in quality, and are the ultimate form of recycling.

Every now and then, though, it's tough to know which option is the better choice.
Had that happen recently with my old BMW. A failed nut let a bolt come loose and tear up my transmission. I took the transmission out, and thought the damage could be repaired and had a welder have a go at it. That cost $60.

I put the transmission back in and it leaks. The welder reattached the bit that broke off, but the bolt had done other damage as well that he wasn't able to fix. Unfortunately, there was no way to know that for sure without reinstalling the tranny and trying it out.

The problem with that is that installing a transmission is a damn lot of work, and because the repair isn't good enough I'll have to do it again and install a second-hand transmission I bought for $310. The $250 savings made the repair attempt look like the better option, but given the amount of work involved and the fact I knew leaks were a possibility it probably wasn't. (I hadn't priced the replacement transmission before I had the first one repaired. I should have.)

So here's some factors that will hopefully help you make the right choice in similar circumstances:

• Never compromise safety. Tires are a good example. Most punctures in tires can be repaired, and the repair is as strong as the rest of the tire. Cuts or punctures on or near the sidewall, however, aren't as strong, and your tire can fail. That can put you into a ditch (or the path of an oncoming big rig.) If the repair to anything isn't as safe as replacement, replace.
• Compare the cost of repair vs. replacement, and get more than one repair quote if possible.
• Factor in your time and effort.
• Consider any deadlines you may have. Sometimes buying new stuff is the only way to get a job or assignment done on time.
• Remember that old does not necessarily equal inferior and new isn't always better.
• And finally, realize that every once in a while, no matter how well you consider all your option, you'll probably still make the wrong choice. It's life, it happens.

Next Up - Television

Being interviewed for television is something I've done a few times now. If you stay up late and watch the right cable channel, you can see me in a rerun of the Dominick Dunne's Power Privilege and Justice episode "Tailspin" talking about a triple-murder-for-hire case I covered.

Not long ago, Discovery Investigations drove up to my office to interview me about the same case. (If I look oddly blue in that episode, it's because my office was about 40 degrees that morning and I couldn't turn the heater on because it's too loud...) Bay Area viewers also may have caught Diane and I on a episode of "In Wine Country" a couple of years ago. That was fun - we got to take the host on one of the Calaveras County Wine Country bicycle tours we led back then.

Being an in-studio guest, however, will be a brand new experience.

I'll be doing that on Monday to promote The Portable Dad on Sacramento & Co., an ABC 10 morning talk show. (Kristen will be back from Disneyland then, so I'll have both regular hosts!) The cool thing about a how-to book is I get to do stuff rather than just sit still. (It's a good thing, too: My sister's dog Molly sits better than I do, I'm afraid....)

Anyway, it should be fun. 9 a.m. Monday if you're in the Sacramento area.

A 20-20 Car

Spent my birthday today trying to restore some life in the paint of my 1974 BMW 2002. The last 35 years haven't been kind to the original paint (or bodywork, for that matter) but it never hurts to try. With old and faded paint, you'll never get it back to showroom new (no matter what the ads promise), but with the right goop and a lot of elbow grease you can achieve a 20-20 paint job.

What's that? Paint that looks good 20 feet away on a car going by at 20 miles an hour.

Here's about 20 feet away standing still - what do you think?

A First Top-25 List!

So The Portable Dad just made its first top-25 list: the latest Reader's Digest "Book Titles to Die For."

Look for it down at number 20, just between "Slinging Doughnuts for the Boys" and "Mona Lisa's Pajamas."

Just Like Playing with Blocks

There are few things I like more than an easy, free project. This qualifies.

My backyard has quite a slope to it and a couple of different levels. It also has chunks of granite strewn about.

Chunks of granite + changes in elevation + a little work with a pick + a bit of carrying and stacking = a decent-looking retaining wall. The original idea was to build a raised bed planter there (which would have been less easy and free), but it doesn't get enough sun.

Best part? It has the Gus Sleep Spot Seal of Approval!