Ah yes, life without air conditioning. Most of the time I can deal reasonably well. As I already run hot, internally, so when the heat gets up there, sometimes fans just don't cut it. Or like now, when it's ultra humid and refuses to rain. Or like right now, at 4:25AM, weatherunderground.com says it's still 76 degrees, and the dew point is 68 degrees. Good sleeping weather this is not, hence posting at nearly 4:30 in the morning.

So anyways, this past Saturday saw me at a LAN in Lansing. Games were played, fun was had. And surprisingly enough the power stayed on the whole time. I say surprisingly because I had been tracking a nice storm string heading our way all day, and around 10 PM it got there... well have a look:

The drive home a few hours later was equally as fun, as I drove basically straight back against it.

I did take some pictures at the LAN, but most turned out dark as I didn't compensate for a low light environment... Maybe some will make thier way up to the internet.

Anyhow, Im out for now. Take care.

Can't say as I've felt much like writing over the past couple of weeks, and I'm not entirely sure why. Getting tired of just sitting here though, I would like to go back to work. Or find new work.

Apparently that's all I have this time.

Yeah, it's been a bit since I posted, so I thought I probably ought to before I just don't anymore. Wouldn't that be a shame...
In the few weeks since I've written here, not a lot has happened. Still just sitting around waiting to go back to work. As much as I still want to work for the people I do, I'm going to be having to get a different job if they don't have work soon.

My power windows stopped working on the car. While this would have been mildly annoying at worst, it happened with my drivers side window in the down position. Gave it a new relay for the windows and a new window control switch, neither of which helped. Using my voltmeter I confirmed there is still voltage going to the window switch, so I'm not real sure whats going on. As plastic bags just flap in the breeze and make noise and are generally not very see-thru, I fashioned up a window out of plexi-glass. Fits almost perfect, but if I go above 55-ish, the air pressure pulls the top of the plexi-window out so it flaps in the breeze. Strategic Velcro placement didnt even help, but a bit of duct tape over a small air inlet at the front of the window has so far. Pics of this contraption soon.

This past Sunday, being the first of the month, was another get together for the West side MIVE folks, so I went to that. Took some pictures. Afterward I drove out to Grand Haven to the lake, where I took some more pictures.
Actually, I think I'll leave you with a pic or 2.

Last post I debated on going to the track day with the Volkswagen guys, or to the LAN Party, or both. Well, I went to the LAN all day Saturday. I wanted to go to the track, but it was rainy and chilly so I skipped it in favor of dry, indoor fun. It was the first LAN I made it to since Dec 30, 2006. I got to see a lot of friends I hadn't seen since then either. Half the fun of going to one of these events is the people, and of course, the other half is gaming.

Also, I got my mountain bike back in functional order this past week too. Thursday night was a "bike meet" with the previously mentioned VW guys. We did what turned out to be a 13 mile ride on the trails along the Grand River. Was a good time but I was feeling it for sure. Sad, really, considering I used to do between 80 and 100 miles a day. Thats been a few years though. I'm trying to get back there.

This is how the Audi looks now. Note that lack of the black door trim.


More pictures can be found Here

And now my brain has run dry. Again.

Yeah, I have another song stuck in my head: Switchback by Celldweller. I recently re-found the group, well, guy, when I was searching for CD's by Circle of Dust. And since Klayton pretty much was Circle of Dust, stuff from his newest project Celldweller came up. Same type of music too, electronica rock, a little techno.
Speaking of rock, since I've pretty much had nothing but time to kill here while I wait for work to call, I went down to Guitar Center last Saturday to hook up my guitar into some amps to see what sounds good to me. Now, I had also not had the Kelly hooked into an amp, and let me tell you, this guitar sounds awesome! When I left there I noticed I had been in there playing for over 4 hours! Oops. I didn't sound too awful bad either. Now Im not saying I was good, just not terrible :p.

Sunday was a Get ToGether (GTG) for the local (West side) people in the Michigan VW Enthusiasts forum members. Was almost the perfect day too. Clear, mid 60's, slight breeze. I got to meet several of the people I have talked to on the forums live and in person. And I got to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND DO SOMETHING!

This coming Saturday is a track day at Grattan Raceway for the above mentioned MIVE group. If it doesn't end up snowing :/ There is also a Boxheads LANParty that day. I plan to split my time between them. Morning and early afternoon at Grattan, then off to Plainwell to the LAN.
It's also Tracy's birthday. It will be odd being home but not celebrating her birthday with her. Oh well, life moves on, and sometimes it leaves you behind when it does. But I am used to it by now.
Anyhow
This past week also saw my Audi get it's front struts and strut mounts replaced and an alignment. Wow does it ever ride so much nicer now. Phase 2 will be rear brakes. It needs a Left Rear caliper as its seized up, and the Right is working too good, wearing its pads to the metal and starting to grind the rotor. So hopefully Phase 2 happens soon. Luckily I can do those repairs myself. Also, since half the Right side door trim was already missing and the rest of it slowly deforming, it all came off. As did the Drivers side door trim, which was in regrettably decent condition. However, since I haven't been able to source door trim anywhere, I decided to even the sides up, no trim either side. Pictures may follow.

Ok, that's enough brain-droppings for today.
Take care, be good.

*Yes you may see I added in some "older" posts from my main site today, backdated with the original writing dates. I don't know how that will show up here...*

Ok, so don't read anything into the post title, it's just the song playing right now. Of course, I *am* crazy, so I guess it fits, right?
In the case that you haven't noticed, I changed up the background to something that aids in readability. So basically I did it to make it easier for me to read, since I don't think anyone else does. And thats ok.
Anyhow, I'm ready to go back to work now. I am thankful that I haven't been called back yet, as that allowed me to spend time with my youngest son on his birthday, enabled my being able to re-connect with my friend Audrey a couple days later, and also to spend Easter with my family. Not to mention I have loved being able to drive my car more, even though gas is starting to get ridiculous again.
Speaking of, I really need to get paid again soon so I can get the front end pieces all tightened back up on the Audi. And tires. But suspension first.

I haven't gotten too far into teaching myself guitar, except the learning that my fingers are still stupid and not flexible enough to go where they need to. It's true, I will never be an Oz Fox or an Eddie Van Halen. Oh well.

Take care, whoever may read this.
Till the next...

So you might notice I changed some text colors. I was having a sort of re-organizing session on the computer tonight, better organizing my photos, music, and other files when I ran across the couple pictures I have of my old Mustang. It was a little brighter orange than the text is. I liked that color on that car, and it stands out against the black background.

Also, I was reading through my old posts again the other night. Wow. Four and a half years, you think I'd have had something interesting to write up here. But nope, just a bunch of Geek ramblings. It got a little better in later years, but still.

Twas Easter today. Spent most of Saturday and Sunday at my parents place with the kids in tow.
Still no word on when I go back out on the road for work. I wanna go back soon, just not this week. Spending as much by yourself as I do when Im "home", you tend to think to much. Some thoughts I have quite often, some I haven't had in years. Some make me happy, some almost to tears. Some thoughts I never want to think again, and yet others I wish were real...

I leave you with my old car...


Take care my friends.

Hey all (all? all who?) Hope everyone had a fun and *safe* St. Patrick's day on Monday and got their fill on whatever green substances they consumed. I myself had a Shamrock shake from McD's. Not my fav, but it's kind of a tradition. Kind of. Oh, and Mt. Dew is green too.
Despite being a gloomy, gray, rainy day today, I actually had a good day. I recently reconnected with a grade school friend who now lives in Portland, OR. Yes, grade school, as in someone I had not seen in 18 years. Well, she is in town on business and to see her parents. We met up for lunch at Ming Ten, a Chinese buffet and Sushi bar. We sat and talked about life and the "old days". It was nice to be able to actually sit down and talk to someone who really 'gets' where you've been in your life because they've been there too.

And yes, I'm rambling, so I'll stop now.
Take care...

Yeah, I *love* me some ice these days. Brushing off the car this morning I took a slide on the ice rink / parking lot. I just about had it saved, but not quite. Now my side and most especially, my right elbow hurt. I distinctly remember that elbow having more of a point to it than it does now. I won't kid you, it seriously hurts.
Anyhow...
Not much has been up otherwise. I had thought that when I went back to work the last time, it would be for a few weeks at least. Well, it seems as if that wasn't quite to be. Did Pasadena, TX, and now I am back home. Well, since last Friday. I still expect, and hope, to do the Vegas, Houston, and yes even the LA build. Gets me out of the house, see. Plus working = income, and that helps.

One of these days I hope to have internet at my place of residence too, so I don't have to keep sitting in parking lots, "borrowing" someones Wifi.

But I think for now that will be all.

Wow, it's been a few since I updated huh? Busy times and wierd hours on the road and the lack of internet at the house are the culprit. Ok, so maybe some of it is on me too. I'm just not an interesting person.
Anyhow
I am Amp'd up today as today was the start of the racing season and the DAYTONA 500! Ok, so it didn't quite end how I wanted, but Ryan Newman is a nice guy too, so it's ok that he won. Now, if *I* was out there racing, no one else would have stood a chance... right. 950+ wins in 3000+ races in the simulators I work with doesn't translate into real-world performance.

So what have I been up to since I haven't been posting here? Well, last post I mentioned being in Chicago, got back from there on the 12th. Left for Los Angeles on the 19th, which was my eldest son's birthday so that stunk, but we did something on the day before instead. Got home from LA on the 3rd and been here since.
Been trying to teach myself guitar since I got back, having scored a super-sweet deal on ebay. Won a Jackson Kelly KE3 Professional. Lets just say the only way I could have got a better deal on it is if I held the guy up at gun-point.
If I can remember, I'll post pics of it some time too.

And now I am out of brain material. And yes, I am still alive.
Be good everyone!

Pic Added!

"We live we love
We forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love"

Because I just heard that song, Superchic[k] - We live. And it is one of my favorite songs, so I put some of it here.

So yeah. 2008. Yeah. I'm looking forward to this year turning out good somehow. 2007 had potential to be a good year, and it was, kinda, for the most part. The last couple months of it though, yeah, not so good.

My Audi, I do really like it, but it still frustrates me. I fixed the fuel pump a couple months ago. I got it all legal to be on the road. But now it seems to have a random problem where it just flat out refuses to crank over when I go to start it. Everything else being normal, I hit the ignition and nothing. Jump starting it does nothing too. And then a few hours later, or maybe the next day, it might start just fine. When I get time I am going to check out and probably replace the ignition switch. And put new brakes and rotors (slotted!) on it, and new spark plugs and air filter. And change the oil.

Yes, this is an abstract post, mainly because it is coming from *my* brain, so it can't help but be abstract.

Oh, and I kind of have a job, for now it is like contract work, but it's a job, and could turn more full time. I am working again for the people I worked for before, who make the race car simulators. This week I am taking down the sims at the store in Chicago, where right now it is 60 degrees.

I leave you now with a link to the video of the song in the post.
SuperChic[k] - We Live

So. Christmas came and went, and 2008 will be here in just a few days. I swear, life on the highway makes the time just fly. Except each day on the road seems to take all year to end. I am looking for 2008 to get significantly better than 2007 is leaving off. Somehow.
Over Christmas though, I got to see my family, which I love doing. Although my parents inviting themselves over for Christmas morning was a little annoying, we got through it.
My kids went batshit insane over most of their gifts this year. Again. But I am glad they are happy and like the gifts.

Looks like I am driving to Gurnee, IL to take apart an old Checker Flag Lightning store that has been closed a while. It will give me great pleasure again to be taking apart something that those people people owned. They didn't treat us employees very good. Maybe we will do the West Desmoines, IA store next, and that's one I helped put up in the first place.

In funner news, I have my Audi all insured and re-registered, so I been driving that again. Love it!

Looks like thats all I got for now.
Put a Smiley ( :) or :] or whatever )here if you read this, no matter who you are :p
hehe
yeah, I'm out.

And now you don't. I think that is the game the wireless internet is playing here. It gets annoying. Luckily I don't have much really to write here. 5 days till Christmas. Still doesn't much feel like it should be that time already. Maybe next year it will, since I don't have that travel-all-over-hell-and-back job anymore. Hope I don't have another job like that next, but if it's all I can find... Or if I happen to find myself in a warmer climate around this time next year, who knows how the holidays will feel. I'm sure I'll find out as I go.
Also, another year has passed without me attending a LAN party. Sure, I was at one last Dec 30, but that was still 2006 :p
There is one Jan 12, we'll see if I make it.

Well, since my brain seems to be out of fuel, I guess I'll leave it at that.

If only...

Well, not really sweet, nor home, but I am in Alabama for now. I do leave for St. Louis, MO tomorrow to drop off the Boeing trailer for the last time. So now I get to wonder if i will still have a job after this week. I hope so, I want to leave of my own terms. I supposedly fly from STL Saturday, to go home. There is the possibility I wont be traveling for work anymore. We shall see.
When I used to think Huntsville, AL, I thought hick town, since it's Alabama. But that was before I had been there. Before I knew it was nicknamed "Rocket City". This apparently is where NASA Space Camp is, and apparently 56 Boeing plants, several Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and SAIC. All high tech Aerospace/Defense companies. Today we were at the Redstone Arsenal, at the Missile and Space Command. I'm going to miss traveling with this truck...
Less than 2 weeks until Christmas, did it sneak up on anyone else?
Here's to a better 2008...

...I didn't come here to die.
Just a Trace Adkins song for the title, but it might fit my life too... Iunno.

I got to be home for the week up to, and including Thanksgiving, had to fly out the day after. All things considered, I enjoyed my time home. Partly because I got to see the wife and kids, and some of the rest of my family.
Aaaaannd, I got my Audi up and running again! Mega-Yay! Sure it's not registered or insured right now, but running is a step in the right direction. Wonder how she'll do on longer drives...

I was down in Orlando, Florida after thanksgiving, and now I am in El Paso, Texas till Friday. Then it's Huntsville, Alabama, and then dropping the trailer off in St Louis and drive back to North Carolina to be done for the season.

Then it's home for the holidays again... we'll see how that goes...

Alone in this house again tonight
I got the TV on, the sound turned down and a bottle of wine
Theres pictures of you and I on the walls around me the way that it was and should have been surrounds me
I'll never get over you walkin' away

Well I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
And I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control
But I'm just drunk enough to let go of my pain
To hell with my pride
Let it fall like rain, from my eyes
Tonight I wanna cry.

Would it help if i turned a sad song on
"All by Myself" would sure hit me hard, now that you're gone
Or maybe unfold some old yellow lost love letters
It's gonna hurt bad before it gets better
But I'll never get over you by hidin' this way

Cause I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
And I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control
But I'm just drunk enough to let go of my pain
To hell with my pride
Let it fall like rain, from my eyes
Tonight I wanna cry.

oOOo

Well I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
And I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control
But I'm just drunk enough to let go of my pain
To hell with this pride
Let it fall like rain, from my eyes
Tonight I wanna cry.

mmhmm mm

Here's to the Veterans of this great nations armed services. To those who fought in our many conflicts through history, to those who have yet to fight. To those who have retired after a storied career, to those who have just joined up.

Thank You. For doing what you do, so that we may continue doing what we do.

Because that is the song playing in my WinAmp right now. Old school Stryper for the win! I am really hoping they tour in support of the new album they are recording, and that I can catch one of the shows.
Anyhow.
I am in the same hotel that I posted my last post from. However, I have been home since then and a brief time in Charlotte, NC too. I was wrong in my last post though, I was home for Halloween, and so I got to go trick-or-treating with my kids. Except it rained some. But they had fun anyway. Also while home I got to help finish up moving our stuffs to our new-to-us home. And I thank God we are no longer in the apartments under the complete asshat that was the landlord. At any rate, the trailer is bigger, nicer, and less per month than the apartment was.
I also had a birthday between last post and this one. Suffice it to say I am now old. I'm not telling which day, but since no one reads this stuff, it makes little difference anyhow.

We are now well with in fall, basically my favorite season. The leaves change, and it generally gets cooler out. However, back home I here there is supposed to be snow, and I don't know if I am ready for snow just yet. Here is St. Louis, MO there isn't snow, but the wind made it awful damn chilly. I actually wore coat a few times this past week :O it's shocking, I know.

Ok, I'm just rambling now, that means it is time to wrap this up. Perhaps one day I may have something neat to write.

So here I am in Saint Louis, Missouri again. I guess it's better than being in Washington, DC. Looks like this is where I will be come Halloween time too, instead of getting to be home and have Halloween with my kids and the rest of the family.
Today I wandered around with the camera a bit, taking practice pictures to see what different settings mean to the pictures. I've had this camera for, oh, 3 years now, think I'd have done that before now. But I think I have a good handle on the different f-stop settings now. I don't think I will be posting any of these pictures though. Maybe.
I thought I wanted to write more, but I guess this is it. Not like anyone reads this anyway. And yet, here I am...hmmm.

I have updated and re-arranged my photo gallery. I uploaded some pictures I thought were already there, and just did general organizing. I am thinking of switching over to Google's Picasa or Yahoo's flickr. I need to look them over better before I switch. Plus, Flickr has a 100MB per month upload limit, which wont normally be a problem, but uploading what I already have would take a few months...