Blowing off the dust

Seems like I often forget about different accounts I have online. I keep asking myself if I should get back to writing on here, or just delete it and move on. I discovered that writing out my thoughts and struggles can be a way to clear the mind, but at the same time no one wants to hear someone complain or whine all the time. Feeling like it is time to flip a coin.

Its hot out!

I have come from a long absence to tell people stay indoors to avoid melting down. More useful posts to (maybe) follow.

Back from the fast lane

So the wife & I celebrated 2 years of marriage at the end of March. We celebrated by going to Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park for 2 days. We rode on all the coasters that were not down for repairs, as well as a few slower rides. Upon getting back to town I realized something. When we were at the park the rides were fast (or at least felt fast in the case of some of the slower ones). Driving on the interstate was a 70mph journey. Having to come home to a place where the speed limit is mainly 35mph, everything felt sooooo sloooooooow the first few days back. I kept finding myself going over the sped limit, but still accelerating thinking I wasn't quite there yet.

The Taxman Cometh!

I can, I saw, I e-filed. The process wasn't as frustrating or tension building as the first time we filed taxes has a married couple, but the end result wasn't as nice as last year. I knew it would be a lower return this year when part way through 2010 our tax withholding rates for state dropped significantly at work. More money in our pockets at the moment, but it meant we might owe later. Sure enough, the amount we owe overtook our refund. I heard in theory it is better to come out closer to even than it is to get a huge refund, because it means you were giving the right amount, and not letting Uncle Sam hold more of your hard earned money and you have to wait a year to get it all back. That all sounds fine and dandy, but it doesn't make me feel any better. *sigh*

Trifecta

I used all 3 forms of transportation at my disposal today. I started out the day by riding my bike to and from work. After I got home I drove my car to my favorite auto mechanic. After that, I walked back home. *insert sigh here* I think the A/C compressor decided to go out on me. I had a bad feeling that something wasn't going to work when I went to turn it on for the first time last week. It goes under the knife tomorrow to see whats wrong, then I have to stomach the cost of repair without passing out.

Das Video Block!

So I recently uploaded a video to youtube of my trip to the local car show this past weekend. When I logged back into youtube I was told that due to a copyright on one of the songs I used, my video is banned from being shown in Germany. I only hope I don't offend anyone in Germany who might stumble upon the video, only to find out they are not allowed to watch it. I don't understand, I even included a picture of an old school vee dub. Das classic autos, illegal!

For other random stuff, click here.

Fighting back

With turning another year older, I realized that since I am not getting any younger, I should move and exercise a bit more. I discovered twice that if I am up and moving in the morning, I can get to work on my bicycle. I made the decision this past week that I shall ride two days a week to work. I am currently getting my bike all set up to be more commuter friendly (basket on the back to carry my lunch and stuff). I also figure that two days a week equals about 8 days a month that my car will not move much. This equals about 3.75 to 4 gallons of fuel I am not using. This means I am going to be taking about $12 to $13 off my fuel bill for the month. If you break it down, my goals/outcomes would be a trim waist and a fatter wallet.

Been a long time coming

Wow, haven't posted since last year. As I write this I am stuck at work, but finished for the day, so I figured I should dust the cobwebs off this site. Speaking of work, I scanned the calendar today and was a little bummed out that there are no paid holidays this month. Thinking about calling in tomorrow so I can celebrate my b-day at home. Yes, I turn 30 tomorrow, a milestone age I suppose, haven't had once since turning 25 (cheaper car insurance), 21 (legal to drink, don't care to), and 18 (adult? whats that??). Looking back on the past 30 years it is evident that my biography wouldn't be flying off the shelves, but I think I have done all right for myself.

Well, enough with the introspections, I am now able to lock up and go home for the day. God bless!

Lost art? More like lost time

Has I made out the last of my Christmas cards today (late, unfortunately), I couldn't help but ponder the thought that letter writing is a dying art. Has I printed out a short letter to send a few people, I quickly realized why it has lost almost all of its appeal. First, if you are a traditionalist, you will hand write your card. This can take a while depending on your thoughts, penmanship, and mistakes made. Then, you must fold the paper and stick it in a proper sized envelope. If none exist, it is off to the store for you. Then, you must seal the envelope and address it. This means pulling out your address book and hoping the individual hasn't moved since the last time you wrote. Then, you have to add your address, which isn't too bad if you have your own stickers to use. Then, its time for postage! If your card is odd shaped, or weights a fraction of an ounce more than it should, you will have to pay extra, or risk having it come back "insufficient postage". Once that is all figured out, you must get it into the mail somehow. You could hang it off your mailbox, or inside with a little red flag to tell the kind postal worker that there is outgoing mail. What if you don't trust your neighborhood? What if you are afraid that the postman will lose it on his way back to the post office? This means you have to make a stop at the post office, or some nearby post box. Add up all the time, postage, and gas, and its no wonder people prefer to use any other means of communication instead of writing. If I had taken the time to write this out in letter form to send to all of you, it probably would reach you sometime in early spring 2011.

Decorations Anonymous

I officially finished off the holiday decorations outside. 400 white lights along the eve of the house set to blink, a light up manger scene on one side of the front door, and some light up gingerbread people on the other. Not much, but I couldn't help but stand back and smile. I also find myself checking out other people's setup and seeing certain things I wouldn't mind trying out. I realized tonight why certain people (guys mainly) get to the point of decorating their houses with thousands of lights: its a drug. I think it stems from two things. First, there is the sense of pride and showmanship when it is all together. Was it frustrating at times? Perhaps. But, when it all comes together and everything is lit, you're the man, or maybe not. Which brings up point number two: One-up-manship. It is in our genes, I think, to be better than someone else. A guy puts up lights and he is the only one on the street, he feels he is the king, the innovator. Next door neighbor puts up more than him, and suddenly he decides that what he has is inadequate. He wants more shine, more "look at me", so he declares war. More decorations are bought and hung until there can be only one victor in the neighborhood, determined by a mixture of finances, free time, and sheer lunacy.

Am I the king of my neighborhood? Hardly. Was I at any one point "the man"? There was about 2 days that I was the only house lit, but now a half dozen or so have sprung up. Am I declaring war? Not yet, but you never know.

My Assets

I just found out that the wife and I are worth almost 750 Million. That is, of course, if we were living in Ecuador.

I fought the stores, and the, well....

...the stores won. This year I was probably the most organized I could be for holiday shopping. I had a list of everyone, and what stores to get the goods from. Only one problem: people seem eager to spend money again this year. The last three stores I went to, I just walked back out due to the long lines. I didn't feel like having the Disneyland line waiting experience, thank you very much. I will admit defeat for now, pull back and regroup, but I will try again in the near future, and victory shall be mine. TO ARMS!!!!!!

Change of seasons

I live in a town that hides the changes of season quite well. You can tell from the weather, but you don't get the changing colors of leaves and such. We also get our fair share of snowbirds (people who travel down from cold country to be someplace that doesn't snow). My supervisor hit the nail on the head today when she said "You can tell the season is changing by the color of the license plates".

Ever wonder?

Have you ever stopped to think what would ever happen if Superman farted? Jet propulsion? My wife was pondering this question before dinner today.

Out with the old...

... and in with the new. I am typing this blog post on a brand new Dell computer. Feel like I am coming out of the stone age, because I made the switch from XP to Windows 7. I have to admit that I miss the look and layout of XP, but I am slowly learning how to deal with 7. So far, no earth shattering ka-booms, so I think I am good to go.

What a weekend

Oil change, tire rotation, cabin filter, and front end brake job on the wife's car: $500. Cabin filter and install on my car in my own driveway: $19. Lunch at Red Lobster (minus $25 gift card): $19 and change. Two tickets and two drinks at the local dirt track: $20. Paying the mortgage plus extra: $1200. Going into work today and not looking at the calendar and complaining when the next payday is: Priceless. People may call the wife and I cheap, but some weekends it pays off, and it was a good weekend.

It only took about 513 days...

...that was according to my count-up timer here on my blog. That equates out to about 1 year and 5 months. That is the amount of time it finally took me to complete a project that technically started when I got married. Wendy & I received a photo frame as a gift for our wedding. It was wedding themed, so we decided that some wedding photos had to go in it. Well, I found a place for the frame to sit, got all the pictures back, realized that the openings were not standard sizes, vowed to select and print out the photos from the computer, and...... nothing. The frame sat, with its original display images, in the living room for all to see for almost 1 year and a half. I finally decided it was time to step up and finish the job. So, after all that time, our wedding photo frame is now complete, and the living room surrounding it received a nice good cleaning as well. Now we just need some people over to notice the finished product, and maybe dine with us, any takers?

I am part redneck

Over the last week or so my car battery was letting me know that it was on its way out. I checked some voltages, and came to the conclusion that it just wasn't holding its power anymore. Anyone who has ever purchased a new car battery knows that unless you have the original in hand with you, you must pay a "core charge". Not wanting to pay the charge, and still use my own vehicle for the trip, I went to the store with all the necessary tools. I pulled the old battery, cleaned up everything, and installed the new one, all in the Wal-Mart parking lot. An older gentleman came walking by and asked if I was experiencing car trouble. I laughed as I explained I was on my way inside to get a new battery. Had it all done in less than 30 minutes, any longer and I would have melted down in the parking lot.

Bee's knees?

Most of us have heard of the saying "the bee's knees", but what does that really mean? If you break it down, bees do not have knees. So, does this mean that by calling someone or something "the bee's knees" (a mythical object), you are basically saying it is something so unimportant that it shouldn't even exist? Makes you wonder.

Ride on

So, I decided that today would be different in my travels to and from work. The place where I work is going to move soon to a new location. I had always wondered if I could, just once, bike to and from work, and live to tell the tale. I got up earlier than normal this morning and made the 4 mile ride to work, and then made the return trip at 3pm in 107 degree heat, with a slight headwind. I came, I saw, I rode hard. 20 minutes up, and 22 minutes back, not too bad considering it takes about 15 minutes each way in my car.