Month: August 2005

Bike Afternoon (sort of)

Two weekends ago before we went for our little bike ride I noticed that there was a slight wobble in the rear wheel. Living dangerously I broke out the spoke wrench and gave 3 or 4 spokes around a full turn. Loosened two and tightened two depending on which direction I needed to pull the rim. I got most of the blip out, but after our ride the wobble was back. Time for a professional. Last Thursday I dropped off the wheel at the local bike shop and when the mechanic went to put the wheel on the truing stand, she noticed my problem right off, the rim was cracked at one of the spoke holes and the nipple was puling through.

We had to order a new rim, so she said give her a week. This afternoon we went and picked up my newly rebuilt wheel. She was just finishing up the job when we arrived, putting the tire tire back on and pumping it full of air. We were planning on a late afternoon bike ride, but I had a few hours so I just put the wheel in the garage. The rains came this afternoon, so riding was out, but I went out to put the wheel on the bike because Plan B would be an early morning ride on Sunday. The tire as flat.

I pulled out a patch kit from a cabinet and the rubber cement for applying the patches was long evaporated. Donna has some glueless patches in the seat bag of her bike, I could use them. I found the hole easy enough and applied the patch. Pumped up the tire and mounted on the bike. A couple hours later I checked the tire, flat again. We never did have good luck with those glueless patches. We may head out and get a patch kit tonight or forget about the bike ride tomorrow and go for a hike in Hitchcock Woods.

Car Morning

Changed the oil this morning. As always I took this time to rotate the tires too. Jacked up the car and put it on 4 jack stands. This makes it easier to get to the drain plug and the filter. When spinning off the filter I always tuck a rag under where the filter is so the oil left in the filter will drip into it and not on the ground. Well, today I learned that khaki pants don’t do well when used for this job. The old cotton t-shirts absorb the oil, while khaki pants absorb a little and then act as a conduit for the oil to pour all over the underside of the car and then drip on the driveway. At least the tires rotated without incident, even the semi-mangled lug stud and lug nut cooperated fully.

After I put the car all back together, I went ahead and washed it. Had to use some bug remover on the nose to get off the stubborn bug guts off, so a quick bit of wax applied to the area. I keep reading about using a clay bar on the car and wonder if that would completely clean everything off the paint. But because it seems like such a production, maybe an all day affair, that I have been avoiding it. Maybe a fine fall Saturday could be set aside for that project.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 256

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

That is actually a bit premature, but who knows. A friend who used to work at ASCO called yesterday to let me know they have a drafting position opening up at his new work place. I emailed a PDF of the resume to head engineering guy and he wrote back with a brief description of the duties. Next step if I’m interested is to set up a phone screening.

While I don’t really hate my current job, after doing the same thing for the last 16 years it is becoming a little boring. I enjoy the people I work with (all except for my asshat of a direct supervisor), but I’m sure there will be nice folks at the new spot. It is only 5 miles further down the road from ASCO, so Donna and I would still commute together. My current job is in manufacturing and right now in the good ol’ USA that is not the most stable sector to be in. Of course the new place is manufacturing too, but in drugs instead of valves. The benefits are slightly better, matching 401k, start with 4 weeks vacation (I won’t reach that plateau for another couple years at ASCO) more holidays and a couple planned week long shutdowns. Toss out 18 years with one company only to start over at another?

Talking never hurt. Who knows, maybe they won’t even want to pay as much as I’m earning now, making it an easy decision. Of course they may not like me….nah, never happen.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 255

Temporary Exile

The Miata is our daily driver, which is both a blessing and a curse. The really good part is that a fun car makes the most mundane drive enjoyable, even the one to work. The curse part occurs after spending the weekend, like we did this last one, driving the windy, twisty roads in the mountains, because when you return home it makes those mundane drives mundane again.

When driving in the mountains you spend a lot of time in 2nd and 3rd gear, winding the engine out close to the redline as the g-forces through you from side to side in the car. As you turn the wheel, the engine is singing and the car goes right where it is aimed. Occasionally you approach the limits of adhesion and the tires start to complain, but then you ease off the wheel and give it bit more gas and you swoop through the curve. Barely time to enjoy your accomplishment when you see which way the road bends next and set up for it.

Then you are home. Shifting gears returns to a more sedate 4,000 RPM level. All the curves are 90 degree bends on city streets taken at 20 MPH so as to not land in the back seat of the minivan in front of you. Sigh. I have said it before (I could have sworn I’ve said it here, but a search turns up nothing) this must be how women feel after giving birth, a sort of post partum depression.

I saw a commercial the other day on TV for Celebrity Cruise Lines. This older couple return from their cruise and all they can do is remember their “celebrity” treatment. “My butler knew just how I took my tea,” he says. “I had fresh cut flowers everyday,” says she. My favorite part is the man is obviously back in his office and is trying to open some vertical blinds that aren’t acting right, “I like to think of this as a temporary exile,” he moans. That is what it is like for me to come back from a weekend driving in the mountains…

Started down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 253

Daisy Dukes

The main story in this morning’s Lifestyle Section of the paper was all about the second most famous thing about the original TV series “The Dukes of Hazard,” Daisy Duke’s short-shorts. They became so famous that that particular style of very short frayed denim shorts became known as Daisy Dukes. The costume designer from this summer’s movie remake felt that those shorts were the most important piece of the all the wardrobe for the movie, so she started on them first. She made over 25 different pairs of them before they got Jessica Simpson to come in and try them out.

A sidebar to the piece was instructions on how to make your very own pair of Daisy Dukes. Including the secret to the look, cutting the front of the legs on an upwards arc.

Well, at least one positive thing will come from this movie.

If It Is Worth Doing…

…it is worth overdoing.

I was going to buy my Kanji vinyl decals from a place called VinzDecals.com because they have such a huge collection of kanji words, but the are kind of pricey, $7 each for 3″ high decal (meaning $28 +shipping to do what I want.) Well, CafePress to the rescue. I can squeeze all 4 of the characters I need on one bumper sticker from them for around $3. I’ll have to trim each letter out with a sharp knife, but for a $25 savings, it is worth it.

So, of course while I was at it, I made up on of those oval decals too. What the heck, I made up a ringer T-shirt with the characters on it as well. So even if your car isn’t called The Emperor, you can wear the shirt around the house acting like the king of the castle (married guys, don’t forget to ask the wife’s permission first.) Get ’em here:

Life Of Brian Stuff
Save $10 when you spend $25 or more!
Enter the coupon code DES9 when checking out.
Coupon expires 08/08/2005… so hurry!

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 253