That is what it is outside. I got up this morning and took one of my sons to work.
Did a lot of work on my hot rod. New transmission, new rear axles, new bearings on the rear gear. All that work was done while it was cold as hell outside too. I helped quite a bit. You'd think that would have tightened her up for a bit, but nope, she's loose. Really loose.
Working on cars gets on my nerves because I don't have the strength to muscle some of the stuff that needs it. Took us 2 days to get the bearings off. The senior chief likes my ideas because when it can't be muscled, you have to find another way. Being small like I am, it takes a certain amount of creativity and ingenuity to accomplish tasks that require dealing with heavy stuff or stuff with a lot of torque.
This is where tools rule. If you have the right tools, in this case a torch, you can do anything. Plus, my dad was a genius when it came to working on cars. And I don't recall anybody ever really helping him. Maybe my brother when he got older, because I know I never did, really. Somehow I picked up a lot of mechanical theory along the way. And that was reinforced in the Navy. The amount of knowledge we had to have at our working memory disposal about how stuff worked, was pretty damn intense. I am learning to gain some satisfaction of it because I get to drive it after. Next job is rebuilding the old transmission. That's going to be more fun because it'll be a workbench job. All the hard part of getting it out is already done. Putting it back is going to be a trick.
So, after I dropped my son off to work, I proceeded on home. The first thing is to take a left hand turn. I have done this a million times. I could do it in my sleep.
You'd think, anyway.
I turned left and was leaning into it a little bit, and shifted into second gear. First gear is short as hell in this car. It needs a longer first gear. Anyway, as soon as I popped it into second gear, the ass end came around on me. I managed to correct it, but over corrected the other way, but I was going slow enough, and enough speed had been scrubbed off that I could safely deploy my brake. I knew if I hit the grass it was all over.
What's crazy is I had this NASCAR commentary running in my head the whole time. Oh, there goes one around...looks like she's going to save it. Oh..oops, hope she can keep it off the inside wall..YES, she does it and look at her pull back on track like nothing ever happened.
I was very fortunate in that there were no other cars around. It woulda been the big one if there had been. I know people were watching too. My nerves are still shot now.
All that does is make me want to drive a race car more. I better learn to handle a 305 first, though. I have no desire to drive a more powerful car, though. I'm a little scared of that 383 out there..I really am. I can get my thrill with a 305 still, why upgrade? The Senior Chief has been there, done that with a 305. And even he has a lot of respect for the 383. My respect for the 305 has gone up a notch or two. The IROC would never have done that, though. It doesn't corner as well as this one, so I never pushed it like that either. Besides, it's not my car.
My car is the RS, and it's a lot different to drive. The Senior Chief says it's tight, but I don't agree. It'll take corners a lot better than the other one. It's a straight coupe, and the IROC is a t-top. The T-tops are more rigid because of what they do to the chassis. It'll get out from under you quicker, too. It'll do it on dry pavement, if you're not careful, too.
Man, I'm awake now, though.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Saturday
It is Saturday morning and I woke up two hours ago. Pissed off. I don't know why. It must be the moon or something. I'm always a bitch during the full moon, but for it to be a supermoon means that I'm feeling superbitchy.
The birds are singing and all signs are there that spring has arrived. It's gorgeous outside. I can't bring myself to leave my room though. I know that there's a ton of work waiting for me out there, and I don't feel like doing it.
My ADD is so much worse in the spring. I can't concentrate on anything for more than ten seconds. It takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to do things because of this. Even this post alone has taken longer than it should.
Patience levels are at an all time low, as well. As is my tolerance for everybody's bitching. The constant bitching. I get so damn tired of it. It's everywhere, too. The whole country has done nothing but bitch and complain for the last 10 years.
Good lord. I'm sick of it. I'd like everybody to just take 25 damn seconds and count the things that are good in your life. Honestly.
I'm sick of reading stories where some politician is calling another names. I am so irritated with the way those idiots in DC are nothing but a bunch of bickering, bitching little kids.
I mean, my daughter has been wondering if people get any better. I use to hold out hope that they would. But, look at the news. All of it. So much bitching and complaining and name calling. Just like kids do. For the love of God, grow the hell up and do your damn job.
Reading the news just pisses me off.
Ok, we know the nuclear plant at Japan is probably going to melt down. Even if it doesn't, it's fried and non-fixable. That plant is gone. I don't need to hear about it every 15 seconds to know this.
Unions were a fantastic idea. A hundred years or more ago.
This is where I get pissed of at the damn Yankees when they start in about how we were horrible here in the south because we had slaves. The damn Yankees is why unions were invented in the first place. And why we have OSHA and child labor laws today. Those laws made unions obsolete. Unions have no place anymore. Not as they stand now. Right now all those fat bastards at the top are getting paid. What is there to negotiate for anymore? Not only that, just because you belong to a union, doesn't mean you have a guaranteed job. You'd think for the money they collect from their members, that would be part of the deal. But it's not, so they need to go. Those fat bastards need to get out and start earning their keep.
And then there's the rapists, murderers, and just sicko people out there that we have to hear about all the time too.
I like the Science and Technology section. I'm excited to stay up late tonight and try and get a few pictures of this supermoon. That would be cool.
The only conclusion you can draw from all this bitching is that the world is ending and everybody is screwed.
Well, that's just bullshit and we all know it.
I might just take a news hiatus for awhile.
That concludes my rant. I actually feel a lot better now and ready to tackle the day with vigor and enthusiasm. Well, maybe that's pushing it a little, but hey, I might get some stuff done today.
The birds are singing and all signs are there that spring has arrived. It's gorgeous outside. I can't bring myself to leave my room though. I know that there's a ton of work waiting for me out there, and I don't feel like doing it.
My ADD is so much worse in the spring. I can't concentrate on anything for more than ten seconds. It takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to do things because of this. Even this post alone has taken longer than it should.
Patience levels are at an all time low, as well. As is my tolerance for everybody's bitching. The constant bitching. I get so damn tired of it. It's everywhere, too. The whole country has done nothing but bitch and complain for the last 10 years.
Good lord. I'm sick of it. I'd like everybody to just take 25 damn seconds and count the things that are good in your life. Honestly.
I'm sick of reading stories where some politician is calling another names. I am so irritated with the way those idiots in DC are nothing but a bunch of bickering, bitching little kids.
I mean, my daughter has been wondering if people get any better. I use to hold out hope that they would. But, look at the news. All of it. So much bitching and complaining and name calling. Just like kids do. For the love of God, grow the hell up and do your damn job.
Reading the news just pisses me off.
Ok, we know the nuclear plant at Japan is probably going to melt down. Even if it doesn't, it's fried and non-fixable. That plant is gone. I don't need to hear about it every 15 seconds to know this.
Unions were a fantastic idea. A hundred years or more ago.
This is where I get pissed of at the damn Yankees when they start in about how we were horrible here in the south because we had slaves. The damn Yankees is why unions were invented in the first place. And why we have OSHA and child labor laws today. Those laws made unions obsolete. Unions have no place anymore. Not as they stand now. Right now all those fat bastards at the top are getting paid. What is there to negotiate for anymore? Not only that, just because you belong to a union, doesn't mean you have a guaranteed job. You'd think for the money they collect from their members, that would be part of the deal. But it's not, so they need to go. Those fat bastards need to get out and start earning their keep.
And then there's the rapists, murderers, and just sicko people out there that we have to hear about all the time too.
I like the Science and Technology section. I'm excited to stay up late tonight and try and get a few pictures of this supermoon. That would be cool.
The only conclusion you can draw from all this bitching is that the world is ending and everybody is screwed.
Well, that's just bullshit and we all know it.
I might just take a news hiatus for awhile.
That concludes my rant. I actually feel a lot better now and ready to tackle the day with vigor and enthusiasm. Well, maybe that's pushing it a little, but hey, I might get some stuff done today.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Spring Cleaning
It is AMAZING how much stuff you accumulate when you live in a house for 14 years.
I mean, seriously.
It's just another part of the transition. When you move every 3 or 4 years, you are forced to pare down on your stuff some. Especially when the movers destroy third of it. It happens...their forklift driver just misses the pallet and puts the forks right into one of your boxes. And it's always with the stuff that you can't replace but you didn't want to carry it with you in your emergency cache that you have travelling from base to base. Most times, I just took my entire kitchen with me.
I think it would be harder now.
With the guys moving out....we are rearranging rooms and redistributing furniture. It's a lot easier with only four and a half. The college kid doesn't really count...he's never here, anyway. He does come around and eat some leftovers, though.
And, I get to take some stuff out of storage and have a craft room. There's even room to set up the exercise machine again..woot!
But dayum, there's just a ton of STUFF. Thank God the dump is only a mile away. I cannot believe some of the stuff those kids held on to. I came across pogs..remember pogs? Exactly.
Toys from when they were little little. Yabu Jr. had made out on the deal big time. He got ALL the workable left over toys. Micromachines..the whole works. He almost doesn't have room in his room for all he got.
The girl child has too many clothes. That works out jim-dandy for me because she can just give them to me, and I can wear them. She's got some cute clothes, too.
College boy cleaned out the empty bedroom and moved his stuff in. Brother number 3, thought he was going to complain about just having to pick up a neatly packed box of his stuff. Apparently, something wasn't packed right.
I said Aw HELL NO..when I heard the complaint there. That room was a mess..and that kid didn't clean it before he moved out, so he's got no room to bitch about how it was done.
Deal with it.
I do have some bickering assed kids. I have learned to ignore it over the years. Sometimes, though, they'll be back and forth and it's always over something soooo stupid, that I just lose my everloving mind.
So, needless to say, this particular year, spring cleaning has been an ordeal, of sorts.
As soon as we're all done with it, all of us can relax, too. They'll be happy in the end that they did all that work.
Well, I'll be happy anyway. I could really care less than zero about how they feel about it. They're doing it anyway.
I mean, seriously.
It's just another part of the transition. When you move every 3 or 4 years, you are forced to pare down on your stuff some. Especially when the movers destroy third of it. It happens...their forklift driver just misses the pallet and puts the forks right into one of your boxes. And it's always with the stuff that you can't replace but you didn't want to carry it with you in your emergency cache that you have travelling from base to base. Most times, I just took my entire kitchen with me.
I think it would be harder now.
With the guys moving out....we are rearranging rooms and redistributing furniture. It's a lot easier with only four and a half. The college kid doesn't really count...he's never here, anyway. He does come around and eat some leftovers, though.
And, I get to take some stuff out of storage and have a craft room. There's even room to set up the exercise machine again..woot!
But dayum, there's just a ton of STUFF. Thank God the dump is only a mile away. I cannot believe some of the stuff those kids held on to. I came across pogs..remember pogs? Exactly.
Toys from when they were little little. Yabu Jr. had made out on the deal big time. He got ALL the workable left over toys. Micromachines..the whole works. He almost doesn't have room in his room for all he got.
The girl child has too many clothes. That works out jim-dandy for me because she can just give them to me, and I can wear them. She's got some cute clothes, too.
College boy cleaned out the empty bedroom and moved his stuff in. Brother number 3, thought he was going to complain about just having to pick up a neatly packed box of his stuff. Apparently, something wasn't packed right.
I said Aw HELL NO..when I heard the complaint there. That room was a mess..and that kid didn't clean it before he moved out, so he's got no room to bitch about how it was done.
Deal with it.
I do have some bickering assed kids. I have learned to ignore it over the years. Sometimes, though, they'll be back and forth and it's always over something soooo stupid, that I just lose my everloving mind.
So, needless to say, this particular year, spring cleaning has been an ordeal, of sorts.
As soon as we're all done with it, all of us can relax, too. They'll be happy in the end that they did all that work.
Well, I'll be happy anyway. I could really care less than zero about how they feel about it. They're doing it anyway.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Miracle or Tragedy?
As a NASCAR fan, I follow up and comers and try to pick the new hot-shot out of those. Some of those I pick, like Smoke, turn out to be big stars. Others that I pick, struggle, like Johnny Sauter. It doesn't make me any less a fan.
A few years ago, there was an up and comer, new kid on the block by the name of Shane Hmiel. The kid had much talent behind the wheel of a car and was slated to go far. Brilliant driver.
Until the drug tests came back positive. Again. For the third time, actually. He was banned from NASCAR for life after this. It was sad to watch. So much talent wasted.
After the ban, he entered rehabilitation, where he sobered up and cleaned out. I watched, silently rooting for him. Hoping he didn't blow it again.
Eventually he returned to racing, in the USAC series. All the way back down to the bottom. Again. But, he'd pulled himself back up before, I knew he'd do it again.
And he did. Again, the brilliance behind the wheel. Had a ride for Indy Lights this year. His dream was to win the Indy 500.
Until 4 months ago. On a qualifying run in his USAC car, he lost control of his car, slammed roof up into the wall, leaving him nearly dead. Nearly, but not quite so.
Once at the hospital, he was given a one in ten chance of living. Then the respiratory complications set in. According to interviews with his father, Steve Hmiel, he died four times.
Today, five months and a few days later, he is in a wheelchair, a quadriplegic. However, the signs all point to him making a miraculous recovery. He has some feeling returned to his limbs and the reports say that there is a chance he may walk again and even maybe live a normal life. Maybe be able to drive again. Not race cars though. Those days are done for him, forever, according to some reports.
Shane Hmiel is determined to race again, however, and if he can't..to continue to be involved with motor sports through ownership.
I'm really not sure if this story is a miracle or a tragedy or maybe a little of both.
No matter what, though, there are people out there praying for the best for this talented young guy.
A few years ago, there was an up and comer, new kid on the block by the name of Shane Hmiel. The kid had much talent behind the wheel of a car and was slated to go far. Brilliant driver.
Until the drug tests came back positive. Again. For the third time, actually. He was banned from NASCAR for life after this. It was sad to watch. So much talent wasted.
After the ban, he entered rehabilitation, where he sobered up and cleaned out. I watched, silently rooting for him. Hoping he didn't blow it again.
Eventually he returned to racing, in the USAC series. All the way back down to the bottom. Again. But, he'd pulled himself back up before, I knew he'd do it again.
And he did. Again, the brilliance behind the wheel. Had a ride for Indy Lights this year. His dream was to win the Indy 500.
Until 4 months ago. On a qualifying run in his USAC car, he lost control of his car, slammed roof up into the wall, leaving him nearly dead. Nearly, but not quite so.
Once at the hospital, he was given a one in ten chance of living. Then the respiratory complications set in. According to interviews with his father, Steve Hmiel, he died four times.
Today, five months and a few days later, he is in a wheelchair, a quadriplegic. However, the signs all point to him making a miraculous recovery. He has some feeling returned to his limbs and the reports say that there is a chance he may walk again and even maybe live a normal life. Maybe be able to drive again. Not race cars though. Those days are done for him, forever, according to some reports.
Shane Hmiel is determined to race again, however, and if he can't..to continue to be involved with motor sports through ownership.
I'm really not sure if this story is a miracle or a tragedy or maybe a little of both.
No matter what, though, there are people out there praying for the best for this talented young guy.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Ordeal
Do it right or do it over. If you don't have time to do it right, when are you going to have time to do it over?
Things done half assed just piss me off no end. It really does. When I clean the kitchen, I clean it ALL. Including all the surfaces and the floor. It's just not done until then.
I sure wish my dentist had held that philosophy, but apparently I picked a shyster. As per normal. I have had the worst luck with civilian doctors. I was spoiled being a military brat, then in the military and then a military wife. And living in Virginia, there was a clinic in damn near every neighborhood. And the quality of care was excellent. And still is, as far as I know.
I think I got a good guy this time around. God knows, it's taking long enough because he wants to make sure everything is perfect. And it's fixed priced, so it's not like it's costing me extra money to have 57 visits.
Oh...I have to have the whole teeth thing redone. Sigh. I am so sick of worrying about my teeth, for the love of God.
I just wish it was over already, but he promises to have me a set that's going to last for the rest of my life. And my original dentist...gone. Poof. Not there anymore. No forwarding address. Bastard.
It has taken a month and a half of appointments and no damn teeth in sight. I've had several impressions made and next week is my appointment for the third freaking try in. Sigh. I HATE to have to do things over again. I thought I solved the whole f-ing problem going on 5 years ago. Already?
I don't have time to do things over. I'm having to squeeze it out now what with everything going on around here. My younger kids actually wanting a life.... And I'm pretty sure it will be easier to get a job with the whole teeth thing taken care of. Again. Dammit to hell.
And then to find a regular dentist. One that can see the whole family and do maintenance on my after market parts.
Hopefully, this is the last time I have to do this. It's an ordeal every single time.
Things done half assed just piss me off no end. It really does. When I clean the kitchen, I clean it ALL. Including all the surfaces and the floor. It's just not done until then.
I sure wish my dentist had held that philosophy, but apparently I picked a shyster. As per normal. I have had the worst luck with civilian doctors. I was spoiled being a military brat, then in the military and then a military wife. And living in Virginia, there was a clinic in damn near every neighborhood. And the quality of care was excellent. And still is, as far as I know.
I think I got a good guy this time around. God knows, it's taking long enough because he wants to make sure everything is perfect. And it's fixed priced, so it's not like it's costing me extra money to have 57 visits.
Oh...I have to have the whole teeth thing redone. Sigh. I am so sick of worrying about my teeth, for the love of God.
I just wish it was over already, but he promises to have me a set that's going to last for the rest of my life. And my original dentist...gone. Poof. Not there anymore. No forwarding address. Bastard.
It has taken a month and a half of appointments and no damn teeth in sight. I've had several impressions made and next week is my appointment for the third freaking try in. Sigh. I HATE to have to do things over again. I thought I solved the whole f-ing problem going on 5 years ago. Already?
I don't have time to do things over. I'm having to squeeze it out now what with everything going on around here. My younger kids actually wanting a life.... And I'm pretty sure it will be easier to get a job with the whole teeth thing taken care of. Again. Dammit to hell.
And then to find a regular dentist. One that can see the whole family and do maintenance on my after market parts.
Hopefully, this is the last time I have to do this. It's an ordeal every single time.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
International Women's Day
That was yesterday. When the hell did we get a day, and how come I was never told of this until yesterday? I guess they figure we get Mother's Day or something.
Or are we American's just slow to catch on. Hell, my poker buddy from Jordan knew, of all people. For any of my single gals out there, this guy is an orthopedic surgeon for the United Nations. He went to Iraq in the Doctors without Borders and worked on the kids there. He said it was awful. He's very much anti-war, pro-woman, and I can understand that. And he's single and looking.
Hell, even some of my Canadian buddies knew it was International Women's Day.
Crap, I guess I have to get out more, or something. I'm getting ready to start pounding the pavement looking for a job, truth be told. It's time. I'm restless and unhappy, and I need to have something to occupy my days.
Being a stay at home mom is a lot like Ground Hog Day. You wash the same dishes, vacuum the same floors, clean the same toilets every single day of your life. After a while, you get pissed off when anything is out of place. Didn't I just DO that yesterday, for the love of all holy. I'm ready to bring home some bacon, too. It balances things out. The whole responsibility for any one thing like that should not be put on just one person.
Also, I'm still young enough to have another career at this point in my life. The Senior Chief is almost 9 years older than me. I have 20 good years or more left in me to build a career. That's one thing to be said for having your babies when you're young.
Anyhoo, I'm not gonna miss International Women's Day next year. I'll have earned it by then.
Or are we American's just slow to catch on. Hell, my poker buddy from Jordan knew, of all people. For any of my single gals out there, this guy is an orthopedic surgeon for the United Nations. He went to Iraq in the Doctors without Borders and worked on the kids there. He said it was awful. He's very much anti-war, pro-woman, and I can understand that. And he's single and looking.
Hell, even some of my Canadian buddies knew it was International Women's Day.
Crap, I guess I have to get out more, or something. I'm getting ready to start pounding the pavement looking for a job, truth be told. It's time. I'm restless and unhappy, and I need to have something to occupy my days.
Being a stay at home mom is a lot like Ground Hog Day. You wash the same dishes, vacuum the same floors, clean the same toilets every single day of your life. After a while, you get pissed off when anything is out of place. Didn't I just DO that yesterday, for the love of all holy. I'm ready to bring home some bacon, too. It balances things out. The whole responsibility for any one thing like that should not be put on just one person.
Also, I'm still young enough to have another career at this point in my life. The Senior Chief is almost 9 years older than me. I have 20 good years or more left in me to build a career. That's one thing to be said for having your babies when you're young.
Anyhoo, I'm not gonna miss International Women's Day next year. I'll have earned it by then.
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