Sunday, August 24, 2008
It's me again
I was home Friday and Saturday, but flew out this morning and I'm not done yet. Currently in the middle of a 4 hour layover in Phoenix, AZ, destination Reno, NV. Yesterday I went to a backyard BBQ at one of the MIVE friends house. Fun was had despite the rain and thunder. Grilled some Brat's, some of them in the rain. Good as always. I didn't really take any pics except of his Rabbit Truck project. I intended to stop at Guitar Center to see my friend Tonia for a bit first, but traffic was so bad I got there too late.
Also since last update, I picked up a new car. I found a 1986 Audi 4000CS Quattro for $600, which is less than the repairs would be to make the 100CS road-worthy again.
The rest of the pics I have for now are on my Flickr.
And I'd just be rambling on if I continued, so for now I go.
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Also since last update, I picked up a new car. I found a 1986 Audi 4000CS Quattro for $600, which is less than the repairs would be to make the 100CS road-worthy again.
The rest of the pics I have for now are on my Flickr.
And I'd just be rambling on if I continued, so for now I go.
Friday, August 08, 2008
So it's almost been a month again...
In that time, I wasn't up to much, and then I was. Friday July 18 my boss picked me up and we drove to Detroit to fly out of there as it was much cheaper than Grand Rapids. Flew to Charlotte, cleared out that store that had been closed for 18 months... That was the first week, then since there was a bit to do, I got to stay and help get things in order at the warehouse down there, just behind Lowes Motor Speedway.
Got back home the morning of Aug 1, flew back out again the next Monday, again from Detroit. I was hoping to be in Detroit that day, but for other reasons, as in a live PotterCast and concert. Again, just not to be...
Anyhow, we are down in Hanover, Virginia to set up some simulators in a new Bass Pro Shops store that isn't really ready for us just yet. Monday when we got here, we found out the truck that was to get loaded at the Charlotte warehouse hadn't arrived on time, therefore, nothing to do. You can also interpret that as saying I could have spent the day in the D doing what I was so looking forward too and flew out Tuesday but nooooo. Sigh. Truck arrived Tuesday evening(! see, plenty of time...) and we unloaded it. Didn't start putting anything up till Weds, and then only the outside structure as the electrical outlets aren't even run yet... Meanwhile another Bass Pro store in PA is having issues, so we had the guys down here "try to make sure" the outlets would be run by today while we went up to PA for Thurs and Fri to fix them up. We'll find out tomorrow if they did.
So, after a standard work week here, I've done about 3 hours worth of work in Virginia, and about 2 hours in Pennsylvania.
In related news, it doesn't look as if I'll be going to Key West after all. That was dependent on whether 2 of the other guys were going to Moscow (yes, the one in Russia) or not, and that canceled so they are free for KW.
In unrelated news, my car was being a pain those couple days I was home. Whatever was going on with the starter stopped. So it's not being intermittent in it's ability to start the car, it just doesn't at all anymore. Being that my Audi is a stick shift, I can still push-start the car, which works fine most places if I park appropriately. However, the driveway at the place I live is A) Dirt, B) a combo of up and down, killing any chance of good momentum, and C) lined with craters; pushing the car fast enough on it is nearly impossible.
So. As much as I love my Audi, it still needs all new rear brake parts, new rear struts, and maybe a new starter or at least to figure out what the deal is with it. And the power windows are still out let's not forget. The brakes and struts I can do in time, the starter thing is a major thing, and not necessarily as easy as replacing the starter, as it could be a wicked electrical gremlin and hard to track. As the cost of combined repairs is closing in on a decent, yet inexpensive used vehicle, I am looking at possibly replacing it. Yes, I'm looking, and yes mostly at Audi's and VW's.
Also over my weekend home, I set up my parents new laptop for them. They bought it the day I left for Charlotte on a good bargain at the Dark Lord Waldemart, yet hadn't even so much as taken it out of the box until I got there to set it up. I gave them lessons on how to turn it on, shut it off, and general use, and set them up with a Gmail account. I can only hope they were kidding when they asked how to turn it on at least. There is only the one button, granted it isn't labeled "Power" but I'm thinking they might have figured it out.
I picked up a new Toshiba lappy as well. My screen started blinking off randomly on the old one, and Best Buy just happened to have a killer deal on the one I got. So far I do not hate Vista.
Anyhow, I've rambled on for long enough. If you read the whole thing, congratulations. You must have been really bored.
(0) comments
Got back home the morning of Aug 1, flew back out again the next Monday, again from Detroit. I was hoping to be in Detroit that day, but for other reasons, as in a live PotterCast and concert. Again, just not to be...
Anyhow, we are down in Hanover, Virginia to set up some simulators in a new Bass Pro Shops store that isn't really ready for us just yet. Monday when we got here, we found out the truck that was to get loaded at the Charlotte warehouse hadn't arrived on time, therefore, nothing to do. You can also interpret that as saying I could have spent the day in the D doing what I was so looking forward too and flew out Tuesday but nooooo. Sigh. Truck arrived Tuesday evening(! see, plenty of time...) and we unloaded it. Didn't start putting anything up till Weds, and then only the outside structure as the electrical outlets aren't even run yet... Meanwhile another Bass Pro store in PA is having issues, so we had the guys down here "try to make sure" the outlets would be run by today while we went up to PA for Thurs and Fri to fix them up. We'll find out tomorrow if they did.
So, after a standard work week here, I've done about 3 hours worth of work in Virginia, and about 2 hours in Pennsylvania.
In related news, it doesn't look as if I'll be going to Key West after all. That was dependent on whether 2 of the other guys were going to Moscow (yes, the one in Russia) or not, and that canceled so they are free for KW.
In unrelated news, my car was being a pain those couple days I was home. Whatever was going on with the starter stopped. So it's not being intermittent in it's ability to start the car, it just doesn't at all anymore. Being that my Audi is a stick shift, I can still push-start the car, which works fine most places if I park appropriately. However, the driveway at the place I live is A) Dirt, B) a combo of up and down, killing any chance of good momentum, and C) lined with craters; pushing the car fast enough on it is nearly impossible.
So. As much as I love my Audi, it still needs all new rear brake parts, new rear struts, and maybe a new starter or at least to figure out what the deal is with it. And the power windows are still out let's not forget. The brakes and struts I can do in time, the starter thing is a major thing, and not necessarily as easy as replacing the starter, as it could be a wicked electrical gremlin and hard to track. As the cost of combined repairs is closing in on a decent, yet inexpensive used vehicle, I am looking at possibly replacing it. Yes, I'm looking, and yes mostly at Audi's and VW's.
Also over my weekend home, I set up my parents new laptop for them. They bought it the day I left for Charlotte on a good bargain at the Dark Lord Waldemart, yet hadn't even so much as taken it out of the box until I got there to set it up. I gave them lessons on how to turn it on, shut it off, and general use, and set them up with a Gmail account. I can only hope they were kidding when they asked how to turn it on at least. There is only the one button, granted it isn't labeled "Power" but I'm thinking they might have figured it out.
I picked up a new Toshiba lappy as well. My screen started blinking off randomly on the old one, and Best Buy just happened to have a killer deal on the one I got. So far I do not hate Vista.
Anyhow, I've rambled on for long enough. If you read the whole thing, congratulations. You must have been really bored.
