..for fear I might jinx it. I cringe at the opening of each game when the announcers talk of where the standings might be at the end of the evening if Team B wins and Team Y loses. I should be enjoying this run, but I can’t, I’m from New England and a long suffering fan. I just hope I’ve been cryptic enough in this post so as to not piss off the baseball gods. Now excuse me while I go out into my backyard and bury a Baby Ruth bar, while chanting ”Game 6.”
Oh Yes My Shirt Is Here! Cafepress delivered today. It is long sleeved in preparation for cooler weather that is about a month and a half away. I will probably wear it around the house first because we keep the AC on real good. But first it gets washed, if you are lucky I might model it for you later this week.
Comet Gestation Counter: 34 days
While watching Fox News this morning I could see some people on the sidewalk out the window behind the anchors. The usual suspects were there, including a couple of folks that deserved to be culled from the gene pool.
Person #1 is holding up a piece of cardboard of about 12″ x 24″ and he is holding it up so his message will be broadcast all over America and possibly the world. Only trouble is that he probably wrote the message in 1″ high letters with a ball-point pen. You couldn’t tell if there was anything on the cardboard all. I didn’t get your message dummy and no one else did either.
Person #2 has a cell phone in her one hand and is waving madly with the other. She has obviously called someone she knows, to tell them she is on TV, because when the camera moves or zooms the person on the other end directs her which way to move so she can still be seen waving madly. It takes them a couple of times to get it right, because we she should move to the left, she goes right first. They finally get very adept at this so she can be seen waving madly constantly in the background whenever the one anchor is talking. She even manages to duck appropriately to get underneath the LIVE banner that appears periodically in the upper right hand corner of the screen. I hope she was on her way to a Cuddle Party because she needs some attention.
You need to try a little harder, like the woman near the end of this crowd scene outside the Today show during the last Republican Convention. Good Morning Katie! (2 Meg Video)
I first talked of this NB Miata malady back in May and it has been here in the background ever since. It is always noticeable for the first 4 or 5 1st gear launches in the morning. I’ve tried to adjust my technique, but after 30 years of driving a clutch one way I can’t always remember to use the “new” method. After some reading on the Miata.net Forums and the flippant remark by my favorite Mazda salesman I have been revving the engine to around 1500-2000 RPM for first gear launches. It has been working pretty good (when I remember to do it), but recently it is less and less effective. I’m afraid I may have to have the Mazda TSB applied to the car where they swap out the clutch disc for a new & improved version. But frankly, I’m not too anxious to have the folks at the dealership tackle this project after my experience with the 7500 Mile Service there.
Speaking of service, it is almost time for the 15,000 one. At the rate I’m going it should be about 2 weeks from now. This time I won’t let the gorillas who work there rotate my tires (see the 7500 mile service link above), I’ll just do that my self in my driveway. Oh, that reminds me, the creaking that they never totally fixed last time is finally gone. Every couple of weeks I can’t take the noise any longer so I try spraying something with white lithium grease. First I tried the hinges, but I’m not sure I can hit the right spot. Then I hit the torsion bars that hold the trunk lid up in a couple places. A couple of days ago on my third attempt I got the spot. I can’t really explain where I did it, but if you come over to my house I can point to it for you.
Comet Gestation Counter: 33 days
Washed the car this AM. Vacuumed the interior and in a fit of Felix Ungerism I washed the engine compartment. I used a procedure I read about in the Car Care Products section of the Miata Forum that involves Simple Green and Amorall Tire Foam. The first time I used this procedure was on the old 95 after 7 years and 100k miles. It only took me 14k to do it to this car.
The reason for the cleaning process was we were off to the Sno-Cap Drive-In’s 40th Anniversary shindig. The Miata Club, along with the Corvette Club filled the lot for the first 2 hours of the whole day and half the night affair. A couple of local news crews were there and both Donna and I, in different shots, made the evening news for mere seconds.
Comet Gestation Counter: 32 days
On the way to Rader to postagize the Master’s Miata Club newsletter the Emperor passed through the 14K mark.
Thanks to Jim Mullan I now have a Honda S2000 stubby antenna mounted on the left rear of the car. The existing stud was plated brass so it was easy to remove and then drill and tap for mounting a longer M5 x 0.8 stud. All we have laying around work was a black oxide coated stud. I would really like to find a brass one because that is what is inside the antenna and that is what the mount threads are. I suppose brass might help reception, but mainly it should prevent any galvanic corrosion.
I haven’t even tested the reception yet. Maybe tomorrow on the way to work I’ll try and listen to the radio…
Comet Gestation Counter: 30 days
For about a year now, coworker and fellow Miata owner, Russ has resisted the siren’s song sung to him by his son-in-law. But every man has his breaking point and this past weekend was it for Russ. He finally succumbed to the Darkside, literally. He bought that optioned to the max, 1998 black Boxster with only 11,000 miles on the clock that had been dangled in front of him at a very attractive price.
He got home so late from picking it up Sunday night that he didn’t have time to remove the hardtop. But he is a dedicated convertible man, so the hardtop came off Monday evening and it is stored in it’s official Porsche stand under it’s official Porsche cover in his garage.
If you know any one who would like a 99 Emerald Green Miata with the tan leather package and only 46K miles of use, I know where one is for sale.
Comet Gestation Counter: 29 days