Damn, you do good machinery...

I am mildly autistic and a flashing light can do that to me for a minute or two sometimes. Older I get the less it happens I've noticed. nothing needing a dousing for sure.

Pistons panging, clamps a-clanging, springs spranging,
It's the last laugh: Mink Trap. -Music Meister (Paraphrased)

I'm like that with boobs

Me too.

So they do get the deer in the headlights look as well then?

I really couldn't tell you. I live in CA where ferrets are "Outlawed" as pets, and I've only held a pet ferret once... In Washingtion.

Aww I feel sorry for you, it seems after a lot of lobbying here they finally allowed South Carolina to sell ferrets as pets, it used to be you could own them legally but you couldn't buy, breed or sell them here, had to go to North Carolina. They do however still outlaw the owning of a pet skunk I do believe. Though if it weren't for Rabies and the Enviromentalists folks could still own things like wolves, skunks, foxes and other assorted wildlife. I recall the stories my grandma told me of owning a few foxes on the farm she lived on while raising my father.

That being the case, I suspect she's in the wrong job.

Millie usually tends the Boilers, which aren't much to look at even while in operation. Sometimes she'll pitch in and help out on the other machinery like on her second Watch. The squeaks and groans from the moving machinery usually get her attention, and she'll grab an oil can to quiet things down. It's all a matter of being at the wrong station at the right time. And yes... She's only at sea in search of adventure, information to add to her Newspaper articles, and hopefully find a mate, so I guess you can say she's at the wrong job.

I'll get a fascinated stare like that sometimes, but it's usually 'cos I'm lost in thought.

Sigh. I mised out on going to the Temple "Early Days" Tractor show this year. They have some steam engines there (some of the tractors are steam powered), though the stationary engines they usually run with compressed air (cleaner, though they don't get up much speed). I'm always intrigued by the plethora of oil cups riding the babbets, and the ridiculous number of little arms and relay levers doing... what I'm not sure. But they're all painted nice!

I really like steam tractors myself. Jim has all sorts of British publications which have photos from one steam meet or another over there. The steam powered "Lorries" are also fascinating because the broad sides of their boxes make perfect "Bill Boards" which get festooned with all sorts of neat "Old Timey" lettering and logos. Of course over here in CA, pinstriping is becomming a rapidly dying art as it seems no one want to take the time to give a vehicle a "Proper" finish. "It's gonna get beat up anyways" they figure.

Always end up too fascinated and start to poke around at bits I can't see as well.. Although I must admit I spent a good half an hour today making a circuit breaker I pulled apart go 'click' just to admire the simple, clever, reliable little 'load and fire' system..

Interesting. Sometimes folks forget "Old Fashioned" can also mean "Timeless." Back in the 1920s and through the 1960s machinery was made not only to endure heavy use, but be durable as well. I always enjoy reading in Mechanic's magazines about clever folks "Updating" old machines in order to make them work more safely and efficently. "So what if the Lathe Bed is dated from 1935? It's still flat and true since the day great, great Granpa bought it!"

Damn. now I know why I cant do backgrounds x.x

Look at it this way. The background shouldn't be as important as what's in the foreground. (Or in what the artist is trying to bring the viewer's attention to.) You only need to show enough to get the point across. As much as I'd like to draw the massive Condenser behind Millie with every bolt and rivet in precise detail, I know my beloved Mink would be drowned out in a morass of fine lines. Sometimes an artist can get away with nothing but a few lines or a strong shadow for a background.

You do such excellent job on the engine room.

This made me chuckle.

You'd think there be someone who would wait for her or keep her from going in there first. ^^;

Hmmmm... Interesting idea. Naturally "The Chief" makes sure folks stay at their proper stations and assigns work as needed. The Second Chief Mechanic on the Athena doesn't really care about the crew until something goes wrong. This sort of thing could happen more often during the second or third watches, I'm sure.