Mikestermike's Mind

Idled

2008-08-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

I am idling this blog on blogspot. All updates will go to

http://mikestermike.livejournal.com
http://mikestermike.wordpress.com
http://blogs.myspace.com/mikestermike

This will be this way until blogspot fixes their problems. The severe lack of features, horrible narrow column widths, and inability to effectively cut-and-paste from OpenWrite or MSWord makes this blog hoster sucko.

Purrr

2008-08-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a while since I updated this blog. I do apologize to those readers who anticipate what I write, all one of you.

A lot has been going through my mind. My mood has been swinging pretty good of late. I am no longer stressed as much, but its hell to be bi-polar. I ought to get some help, either through counseling or medication. I loathe the former and fear the latter. Oh well.

My social situation hasn’t changed much. The only calls I get are from people who want me to do something for them. I have one friend that lives to far away to see often, but the occasional Yahoo chat is helpful. Thank you, J.

Second Life has taken a few interesting turns. I met another psychotic chick. This one loved to talk about herself, her problems and her dreams. She wouldn’t listen to me, or at least comprehend what I typed. Anyway, one argument and she was gone. I checked on her profile yesterday and it seems she is now a vampire or something. Whatever.

I came across a Neko girl just yesterday. For the unfamiliar, that means she’s a cat-girl. Not girl-cat, like a furry, but a normal looking girl with cat ears, eyes, and mannerisms. Chel says she looks like Aisha Clanclan, the Ctarl-Ctarl on the series Outlaw Star. Of course, that is just her SL character, but it is common in the SL universe.

She’s been in SL for many years (2005), and we hit it off very well. I got to experience some things I never have before. It was awesome :). I hope we stay friends. I think I can actually learn from her. Which reminds me, I need to find some new animations ^-^. She’s more woman than I can handle, I think, but she does make me smile when I think about her.

I have been reading Cathy’s blog. I ran her off a few months ago. I still care for her. Her husband is worthless, but that’s nothing new. I just can’t talk to her anymore I guess. Her situation infuriates me so much, I just can’t cope. She has many shoulders to cry on and such, so my lack of presence probably isn’t felt. And she did say the wrong things back in April. Sent me over the edge. To his credit, though, her husband did try and contact me to find out what happened. He has genuine concern, just is a wanna-be Buddhist and only uses the teachings when it suits him. Like 90% of Christians, Jews, and Muslims do respectively, so he isn’t alone. And he can’t provide for his family, and hasn’t for years. *LOSER* He sickens me.

I am probably going to idle the Blogspot blog. Blogspot sucks. No traffic, crappy tools, little control over the layout, and a hard to use interface (I don’t write blogs via the onsite software, and cut-n-paste completely strips all formatting). Blogspot is free and loose, but you get what you pay for.

Well, that’s enough whining for today. Be kewl ya’ll.

L8rs-

loser choad lonelies

2008-07-12T22:21:00.000-07:00

I am coming down with the lonelies again. I think its a lot of things all happening at once. I had my weekend all planned out, but several cancellations n(for good reasons, mind you) and such has put me in a funk. One or two, ok, but all of them? Jeebus. Its like a conspiracy.

So, here I sit. Again. On a Saturday night. With nothing to do. Oh yes, I could be working out or playing guitar or something. I just want to do so with someone. Even the wife doesn't really want to do anything. She's happy in her own little world. The clouds are forming and its not good.

Even the wine, which usually makes me warm and lovable, just isn't doing it. 8 months ago I would be popping some pills and visiting Cthulu or something vivid. I liked that. Grr. Been out of pills for some time, and of course, my company drug tests. Damn.

SL isn't doing me any favors. I had met this one person, but she turned out to be extremely psychotic (or a dude or whatever) and was dumped in just 6 days. Nice. My “friends” have decided to build a new sim, so my hangout is no longer manned. And the new one is visually pleasing but sux0rs all around because of the theme. A Car Wash is a sight gag and is only cool one day. Not something to build a sim around, dearies. Besides, 24 hr disco/funk can make even Rick Dees puke.

So, even online I am lonely. WTF. I gave up trying ot start a politico blog, mainly because I do not have the patience to do the research so I don't sound like some loser choad on it. I did start an, ahem, adult themed blog, but even that one gets minority traffic regardless of the tags. I just don't write that well.

All you Yahoo fags who occupy my “friends” list but never message my ass? Prepare to be DELETED!

F U and your poodle, too.

L8rs-

Why Christians suck

2008-07-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

They aren't usually this stupid, but goes to show how religion makes people more stupid than usual. From:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=624E1C2F1D1C31C4844F655CD2979273?contentId=6932236&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

By Cheryl Getuiza
FOX 35 NEWS
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) --A UCF student claims he’s getting death threats for messing with something sacred.

Webster Cook says he smuggled a Eucharist, a small bread wafer that to Catholics symbolic of the Body of Christ after a priest blesses it, out of mass, didn’t eat it as he was supposed to do, but instead walked with it.

Catholics worldwide became furious.

Webster’s friend, who didn’t want to show his face, said he took the Eucharist, to show him what it meant to Catholics.

Webster gave the wafer back, but the Catholic League, a national watchdog organization for Catholic rights claims that is not enough.

“We don’t know 100% what Mr. Cooks motivation was,” said Susan Fani a spokesperson with the local Catholic diocese. “However, if anything were to qualify as a hate crime, to us this seems like this might be it.”

We just expect the University to take this seriously,” she added “To send a message to not just Mr. Cook but the whole community that this kind of really complete sacrilege will not be tolerated.”

Webster just wants all of this to go away. Especially now that he feels his life is in danger.

University officials said, that as for right now, Webster Cook is not in trouble. If anyone or any group wants to file a formal complaint with the University through the student judicial system, they can.

It that happens, Webster will go through a hearing either in front of an administrative panel or a panel of his peers.

***********************************************
What the story doesn't tell is that he received threats because of this. Death threats. Over a freaking cracker. A freaking cracker. One that HE AND OTHER CATHOLICS WERE GOING TO EAT AND MAKE POO OUT OF.
He was going to be open and show it to the non-Catholics. Hell, even if he was going to piss on it and set it aflame ITS STILL A FREAKING CRACKER. Why anyone would get pissed about this is beyond me.

There was this nutball who raised a ruckus in a temple. And you worship him, even though logic and common sense tells you otherwise.

Ever wonder what kind a sacrifice the "Son of God" made? I mean, he was going to heaven, live forever, and was God in the flesh, right? So, he had no fear of death. He wasn't going to be judged. He WAS God, supposedly. So, how is dying a sacrifice? Now, if he was going to sacrifice himself to Hell for all Eternity, now THATS a sacrifice. Going back "home" isn't.. Its a matter of convenience. And why you would take a healer and kill him to be the best course of action really doesn't make much sense at all. In fact, its pretty stupid.

There is Faith, and there is stupidity. Not ignorance, blatant stupidity. Muslims, Chrsitians, and Jews...the whole lot of ya. Blatantly stupid.

Grrr. I am pissed. There may be a God or gods out there. And there is definitely evil and good. There just is, in no form or fashion, a holy cracker. Maybe a wholly one, or a holey one, but not holy. Get over it.

Catholics, you FAIL today.

Neighborhood dogs

2008-07-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

Neighborhood Dogs
-mikester

The neighborhood dogs don't come around anymore.
They used to visit all the time
Sometimes in the morning
Sometimes at night
They used to come around a lot

They used to come around and stay for awhile.
We'd give them food
They would eat
At let us pet them
They always seemed to enjoy themselves.

The neighborhood dogs don't come around anymore.
One day they just weren't there
We waited
And we called
Perhaps they were taking a break.

Of course, a break, how silly we were
Even the dogs can become bored
The same faces
The same smells
They should return after time

The neighborhood dogs don't come around anymore.
We thought it was boredom
Perhaps the food?
Not petted enough?
Maybe they'll be here tomorrow.

Its been some time since we've had a visit
Saddled up once to check out the town
Saw the dogs
They were okay
Just not coming around here anymore

The neighborhood dogs don't come around anymore.
Perhaps we were too attached?
Maybe we hurt them
Maybe we did
We just don't remember doing so

We keep setting out food for them
Always in the hope that they would return
We keep hoping
But we know better
The neighborhood dogs don't come around anymore.

Keller v. me

2008-06-27T11:26:00.000-07:00

Well, the Supreme Court has made a landmark ruling. Or have they? First pass it looked like a win for my beloved Constitution. On closer inspection, though, it seems like the writing is on the wall: gun ownership is no more a right than Britney Spears is a role model. It seems to the Court that it is an outmoded and outdated privilege.

People over the years have debated on the words in the Second Amendment. “Regulated” and “militia” and “the people” and “bear” seem to throw even the most intellectual into froth-and-spittle rants about context and living documents and the ever-popular “the framers had no idea that…”. Same type of arguments came during Clinton’s impeachment on what “high crimes” and “misdemeanors” actually meant. The arguments are futile, mainly because the vast majority of folks in the world are morons, but more specifically, definitions of words change with time, mentality, and usage. You cannot define something that perpetually changes. It is analogous to quantum theory.

So, what are we to do? Well, we can ask ourselves what Monroe was trying to do with the Bill of Rights. Some folks then, some “framers”, did not want such Amendments. They felt that either common law was so well known and respected it wasn’t necessary, or that by defining specific rights that other rights would not be allowed, or that the rights would be twisted and bent out of line of the original thought or idea. How prophetic!

Our Bill of Rights is based on English constitutional law, specifically the 1689 Bill of Rights (actually: An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown). In it, there is this tenant: freedom [for Protestants] to have arms for their defense, suitable to their class status and as allowed by law. Here, it seems the law is specifically for those to have weapons only for defense, and only certain weapons. Pretty much what the Supremes decided yesterday it meant, at least those agreeing with bumblebrain Scalia.

Is this what Monroe and others wanted? Our history shows that civilians having weapons is not just for their protection from criminals and animals, but from tyranny and oppressive government. That right there is the true crux of the overall argument. The government, as an entity, does not want a well armed civilian population, as it is inherently dangerous to the government’s existence. The ideologues of peace take that a step further and say that a well armed populace is dangerous unto itself.

So, we must look at the Bill of Rights as an overall document to get a better view. IS this document concerning the safety of the citizenry? Let’s review:

• First Amendment – Establishment Clause, Free Exercise Clause; freedom of speech, of the press, and of assembly; right to petition
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

• Second Amendment – Right to keep and bear arms.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

• Third Amendment – Protection from quartering of troops.
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

• Fourth Amendment – Protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

• Fifth Amendment – due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, eminent domain.
No person shall be held to answer for any capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

• Sixth Amendment – Trial by jury and rights of the accused; Confrontation Clause, speedy trial, public trial, right to counsel
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

• Seventh Amendment – Civil trial by jury.
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

• Eighth Amendment – Prohibition of excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment.
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

• Ninth Amendment – Protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Bill of Rights.
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

• Tenth Amendment – Powers of states and people.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Doesn’t look like there is much there about safety or well being, except that the government cannot make laws that are unsafe for the people (1st, 3rd, 4th, 8th and 9th). Wow. So why are folks so concerned about safety (if you read the dissenting opinions of the Heller decision, especially by mutton-for-brains Justice Breyer, it is a rant of gun safety, criminals, and basically douche politics, like this gem: “If a resident has a handgun in the home that he can use for self-defense, then he has a handgun in the home that he can use to commit suicide or engage in acts of domestic violence”. Breyer is a fruitcake.)?

People have been killing people long before the gun was invented. Man is an expert at killing man. Don’t sweat the particular mode. Knives, rocks, fists, and even words can kill. The current mindsets of politicians (of which judges and Justices are included) are in a “pro-gun” or “anti-gun” mode. They have to take a side to get elected. Americans love (something) vs. (something else). As a whole, we cannot look at a balanced pro/con argument. We are blind. And very stupid. Matter of course for the masses.

So, why should we interpret the Constitution as a safety rule? We shouldn’t. Weaponry of any type should be allowed. My Libertarian friends would prefer a laissez-faire style of gun ownership. I am not against licensing or restrictions it some cases, though. The fact that no one can accidentally discharge a weapon (because they are banned) in the chemical plant I work at is a good thing. I just have the right to go out and get one in town if I wish. That’s great.

I also make no distinction of military grade vs. civilian grade. In the past, there was no difference. Today there is. Too bad. If Jonny Suckkamydik wants to own a 108mm howitzer, fine. He just can’t go lofting shells into my backyard. Or anyone else’s for that matter, unless the Chinese are crawling across the border. Then, have at it.

It will always be a matter of balance, and we should always, always defer to the more free way of doing things. Criminals get due process. Why? Because sometimes they are innocent, that’s why. Everyone gets a gun, if they choose so, because someday someone may need it. Or 100. or a million. Yes, some chowderheads will kill with a rifle, pistol, submachine gun or even a dynamite-laden arrow (Dag-nabbit you Duke boys). Some innocents will die. Taking away those instruments may “save” a life or two, but we are more free if we keep them. It’s an ongoing sacrifice.

Disclaimer: I am a card-toting Libertarian. I have a nifty sabre I use for self-defense. I do not own, have never owned, or even have fired, a firearm. I do not feel I am responsible enough, I have a temper, and I have a small child at home. See! Freedom works. Some of us actually think about these things!

Sat night drunkeness

2008-05-25T00:57:00.000-07:00

People suck. That seems to be the general consensus. If it is not my government trampling the Constitution I worship, its local fucks making my life miserable. Hasn't anyone informed the world that I, Mike, am your fucking god? Bow down, dammit!!

**whew**

Anyways, I have been feeling a bit lonely of late. I think my depression is rearing its ugly head again. I don't have any more opiods to counter it. Damn. Not like I'd take heroin, but I'd probably be strung out under a bridge somewhere if not for my immediate family, ya know? And the demand for proper bathroom facilities. And for the fact that I would pass out if I had to inject anything in my body. I am such a pussy. But, my son's love does counter the feelings. It is just when he is asleep or I am at work do I feel lonely.

I built Chel a new machine. Works ok so far. May have to re-install XP as the updates got a bit screwy. Otherwise, its a beast. Love building machines. They're fast fast FAST!

I got lit tonight. Big ol bottle of Cabernet. I hate doing that, but since sex and drugs are off the list, its all I got for a Sat night.

Sl sux. But still soo additced.

L8rs-

Nice week and then some

2008-05-18T22:08:00.000-07:00

What a nice week. I have been in training most of it, and will be in training this next week. This week will be more challenging, fortunately, as this last one was a snoozer. It did fill in the gaps of stuff I learned on the job. So, it was definitely worth it.

Got the part machined for the Lancia and she's been up and running ok. I do so enjoy driving her. I just got to get her interior and her AC fixed.

I am building Chel a new system. It will have an Asus P5N-MX micro-ATX mobo with onboard nVidia GeForce 7050 graphics and nForce 610i in a Ultra case. 2GB DDR2 memory, Intel Q6600 processor (same as my gaming machine), Sony DVD-RW, and 2x750 GB Seagate Barracudas in RAID 1. It will be one sweet Adobe platform.

I am thinking of taking my Coastal Cruising class as part of the return trip during the Harvest Moon Regatta. Just gotta pony up the dough. Would be a hoot.

Been enjoying all my newly digitized music collection. I even bought an external drive to provide scheduled backup utility. Suh-weet. I am surrounded my disk drives (right now, in this very room, 8 disk drives on 3 different machines are busily whirring away. Oh, the power bill!).

Been in Second Life a lot recently. Let me tell you: People are messed up. You think you found some people you can hang with and they go off and do some things they said that they just wouldn't do. Fucking incredible. I am still searching for folks that get me for me. I heard some BS stuff from some folks who cannot separate SL and RL (Second Life and real life for you n00bZ). Then, they go and do things that would be contrary to that. I am so confused. I am purposely being vague as these folks probably read this rag once in a while.

I think I have given enough time to come clean about an event that happened about a month or two ago. I ditched a friend. I believe I wrote about it, but I wanted to singe the fray, so to speak. I have known this person since we moved back to LJ in 98. Met her because I got my haircut at the same place my wife was getting hers. We hit it off and stayed buds. We went out once, mind you, but had an extraordinary time. Pretty much the only time we saw her was at the hair place or online. She didn't ask much of us, and we didn't of her. A very casual friendship, as most of ours are...ok, all of em. She drug up and moved to Dallas without so much as a bye for us and disappeared. Perhaps we thought the friendship was more to it than that, who knows. One thing: she never once even got online or dropped an email or called. We even went to Dallas a few times, each time searching the phone books for her name.

Fast forward a few years later, and poof she's married with a kid, living a county or two over. We excitedly invite them over for dinner. He was insulting and she secretly complained mightily about her situation. We offered what help we could, but it seemed that no matter what advice she was given, she was destined to keep repeating her mistakes than was pulling her, and anyone else who offered an ear, down. She was pretty frickin miserable. Due to their situation, they weren't online much. Due to the insults and situation, we never invited them back and politely turned down any other offers to hang out. We distanced ourselves.

Fast forward to this year. Same situation. She's more comfortable with her marriage, but its still a train-wreck. Its frustrating to be there for someone when those folks just love misery. Love it. She LOVES it. There can be no other explanation

But, there are excuses. Lots of them. Many, many excuses. He has some, she has more. Wow. We started texting, and then she came up with the most asinine excuse yet; the reason she didn't keep in touch was that she “fell” for me and since I was married, she had to just leave.

Horseshit. Fucking BS from a galaxy far, far away. How dare she play with my feelings like that. I countered with some BS of my own to alleviate the tension. She left because she ran away from the area, bad boyfriends, and the Brazosport Blues. She didn't run away because of me, or us, or anything between us. But I let it slide and the issue became moot quickly.

However, during a texting session, she mentioned she loved us in passing. It was a friendly thing, nothing more. I challenged that, playfully. What came next was the back breaker: She responded like “What do you mean? When? Then or now..?”
After letting it slide the first time, I just couldn't take anymore. It brought up our feelings then and now and the ridiculous situation she's in and I just couldn't take it. I permanently distanced us from her and her misery.

Yeah, it was probably selfish. However, I get to be selfish once in a while. I have earned it. I put up with a lot of shit from other people. We take it ok. However, I just can't handle all that emotional baggage and not reap any rewards for the relationship. It was a one way relationship. I have a lot of those. I go fix people's home networks or provide some tutoring help. They only call when something is broken. Thats ok. I enjoy the working aspect of it.

To get dumped on every time, though, as a function of the relationship is a big no-no. Hell, I just upgraded to unlimited texting just for her, ya know? I like to chat. Just not lied to and drug down into misery. I am too bipolar and suffer from my own depression to be someone's crutch if they choose not to improve things.

**Whew**.

Anyways. Tats. I have a number of them. They each have meaning and reflect different points of my early life. They're cool and I was quite rebellious when I got them. Not now. Everybody has tats. Especially women. Cute little butterflies on the ankle have turned into 8x10 tramp stamps or even more. Suddenly, tats have lost their coolness. It went from silent rebellion to punk to biker chic to trash in a blink of an eye. Wow. What happened? Guys are just as guilty, from the dozen or more tats that don't flow and resemble many nights of drunken stupor to sleeves and body tats that look like someone threw-up ink on them.

Talk soon, ya'll.
l8rs-

Lancia, SL, and chicky Engs

2008-05-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I updated this blog. I apologize. There has been a few reasons.

First off, I have been busy ripping our CD collection. Yes, we're finally moving to all digital music. Currently we sit at almost 30GB of music. I still have more CDs to go, but the majority has been completed. A few of the rips didn't take, so I will have to redo a few, but most sound good so far. I put em all in a playlist and hit 'random', so it may be a year or so until I can sample enough of it to make sure :).

I added a new 400 GB SATA drive (WD Caviar) for the music. I will eventually obtain another 500GB backup to protect the music. Whee! I prolly could make a RAID array, but this mobo is old and has only two SATA slots, so I'd have to expand and blah blah blah. A Maxtor Onetouch will work just fine in the USB environment. I have one at work (although I am thinking of bringing that one home and using a smaller one there) and it works peachy. Its a lot cheaper than a dedicated backup server, building a RAID array, or NAS setup.

So, I'll probably buy a 80GB Zune or iPod soon. Let me know what you think of em. Was going to buy the 160 GB iPod, but I just don't need the space.

My job rocks. I have no idea what I am doing, but it is 10000x better than what I was. No stress.

I am working with this engineer at work. She's been out of college for about 10 months. Chemical Engineering from out of state. She is of Asian decent, just don't know the particulars. Cute, but not my type. She's so....boring. Not that she's not pleasant or nice to be with, mind you. She just seems like one of those folks who:
*Studied hard all the time in school.
*Would never think of getting a tattoo.
*Drink? Party? Might have had a cream soda once...
*Probably still a virgin, if not, might have lost it under a chem lab table.
*Nah...virgin.
*Thinks about work all...the...time.

Not that it is bad or anything. She probably is very happy and satisfied with her life. I wondered once what a romantic interlude with her might be like. It was awkward and uncomfortable. She just doesn't emote any...sensuality. That's it. She seems to lack what I most like my women to be: sensual. Smart is great. Smart AND sensual. Wowsers.

Oh well. Not like I am trying to date her or anything. Just an observation. She'll probably go through life never experiencing a fiftieth of what I have, and be fully and completely happy about it. Its just different.

My Lancia broke. I am having a new part machined at a shop in Freeport. Just affects the alternator bracket, but keeps her from working. At least I caught it before something bad happened.

My congratulations goes out to Melissa R. She just completed her Masters in Criminal something-or-other at U of H. Good job. I may have to work during your commencement, but we'll try to be there.

I think I will start building a new system. It will be a graphics workstation for Chel and her Adobe. I might get her to start building some Second Life stuff.

Speaking of which, I am back in SL. My av is Mikester Nikolaidis, so give me a holler. I bought some land and built a house (ok, pre-fab, but I am customizing it as much as I can). Its nice and quiet there. I will make a bid on some adjoining property if it come sup for sale. It is currently a rental, but I am sure the owners would love to just get the dough.

Still no offers on the modeling job, which is as well as the Lancia is not drivable right now. Craigslist scares me. I am afraid I'd get some heroin chic or underage runaway. Yikes.

The family is doing fine. No big issues or drama.

Hope to hear from the folks out there. Will talk more later.

L8rs-

Happy happy, joy joy

2008-04-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

What a difference a good day at work can make in your life. I smiled most of the day. My first day in the new role, although I spent it in training (on a system we don't use, no less).

Ah. Astros won, too. Rockets...well, looks like they're gonna lose, but that is to be expected without Yao.

Came home with no stress. Very relaxed. Took a nap as I came home early. Wow. Feel great (except my gut is still sore from the weekend).

Rockets did lose. Oh well. Still feeling fine.

Gonna go now and do some reading.

L8rs-

Late Cake

2008-04-20T19:51:00.000-07:00

I did finally get a cake. “Happy Late Birthday”. Yeah. My darling wife said she just didn't feel like getting a cake or anything that day.
Wow.
Says a lot right there.
Methinks there is some counseling coming our way.

It never is about getting a cake or gifts or whatnot. Its the thought. And, in this household, I am not thought about much.

Goes the same for Chlorine. My last day was Thursday. I didn't bother to tell a lot of folks as my boss didn't see fit to tell anyone either. Big meeting on Wednesday, yet he failed to mention I was leaving. I even spoke up during the meeting as to jog his memory. Nada. The ol “Don't let the door hit you in the ass” way of leaving.
I hate Chlorine Maintenance.

So, I have been very blue all weekend. My gut has been hurting, too, as well as my back. So, I spent most of the weekend curled up in bed.

I spend the next week in training on a system I know nothing about. Can't wait. Gonna be a fun challenge.

No takers on the photo model. Not even an interested query. Sigh. Might put an ad on Craigslist. See what turns up.

L8rs-

35

2008-04-18T22:11:00.000-07:00

Today was my birthday. 35 years old today. Whooppeee.

My loving wife told me she was looking for a birthday card she bought months ago but couldn't find it now. Great. Happy fucking birthday to me.

No cake. No balloons. No nothing.

I did get a bottle of nice single malt Glenfiddich from Richard. Kind of a going away/bday gift. Nice.

Laura did take the time to drop a line. Thank you very much. I very much appreciate it.

My insurance agent, my mother and grandmother also sent cards. I do so sorely love that.

Fuck you to everyone else.

Goes to show how much I really mean to you. Its how I feel, so cope. Fuck you.

L8rs-

BTW- I am foregoing continuing the Yahoo 360 blog. Yahoo suxors.. I might learn how to RSS it later, but not right now.

End of the line

2008-04-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

I had a rotten day. It started off bad and just got progressively worse. I will not bore you with the intimate details. You all know work sucks, so we'll just leave it at that. Working 12 + hours on Sunday just blows.

But...

I had to bail out of a friendship today. Not really a friendship. Was a friendship a long time ago. It was just a car wreck of late. Not going into detail, but its for the best. I know I bitch about having few friends, but this was completely one sided. And so full of contradictions. Just disgusting. Really. It wouldn't have worked and it was bringing me down.

Ok.-whew.

I am just not feeling well right now. Been upset all damn day. Some work choad pissed me off, but I was already torqued from other things. Grrr. Why do short people feel the need to strut and show off? Short people suxors.

L8rs-

Fignuts

2008-03-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

I recently upgraded my old desktop machine from an AMD 2400XP to an AMD 2600XP. Just moving up one model of the same chip has made all the difference. It is a new machine. Much more stable. I am happy with it.

If you didn't know, I am working three concurrent plant outages. It sucks. So far, I have worked more overtime hours than I have regular time. Yuhp. Straight 12s ad nauseum. At least I still get overtime. I am certainly earning it.

I really don't have the energy to write in this blog right now. I think of several topics I want to talk abou tin the shower, but am just so worn out after working 12+ hours, coming home, cleaning up, making dinner, and trying to relax a little before going to bed, I really do not have the time to do anything i want. Such is life.

I turn the golden age of 35 this month. Whoopee.

Baseball season is finally here. Not as excited this season as I have been in the past. Perhaps it just sickens me now. Just like everything I used to enjoy. I just don't enjoy anymore, ya know?

Oh yeah, BTW, this internet blog is public because , ahem, its on the internet. Anything else is just a waste of time, space, and dimension.

L8rs-

Ass crackers

2008-03-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Well, another holiday has passed. I spent the weekend hanging around the house, playing with the boy, and doing absolutely nothing that would cause me to sweat. I rested. The next three weeks or so are going to suck. The shutdowns are here and I am going to bust my ass doing shit. Yuhp. I just can't wait.

Chel brought me some new tobacco. She tries to do a good job. She picked the right tobacco for sure. Good work. Now, if she'd just listen to me once in a while. Especially concerning the things she asks me about. That irks me to no end. If you want to know what I want, and ask, please listen. Otherwise, don't bother me, please.

Our 13th wedding anniversary is Tuesday. The “lace” anniversary. Whoo hoo. Who would have guessed 13 years. :)

Had to spend over $900 bucks to get Chels car back from the mechanic. Destroyed a steering gear. Ouch. Shitty Fords. They wouldn't lose money if they built quality cars. Better than GM, though. I will never own another GM product built after 1975. Pieces of fetid dog crap, they are.

Been texting with Cathy a lot. Dunno why. I think there is still a gap in our friendship that we haven't mended, nor could bridge. I don't think we'll get past it. Oh well. Texting is fun, though.

Been back on the Second Life kick. Just reminds me how lonely I am. Have this one place I hang out. Thats about it for my experience now, except I did go hear some live music. It was good. Folk music streaming to my ears. Awesome.

Doing well in my guitar lessons. I can read music better than my instructor, so it makes that aspect less rewarding. But it does force me to practice. Worth the 20 bucks a week I think.

Hadn't heard anything from my family in a few months. Hope all is ok. Of course, we just don't seem to like talking to one another. I blame the economy.

Thats about it. I have to get to work in the AM, so I am out like a light.

L8rs-

Screw you

2008-03-21T00:10:00.000-07:00

I am tired of being the good friend, Mr. Reliable, the one who is always there. It sucks. You wanna know why? Because I am a tool. I am used to fix something, then left in the toolbox until needed again. You don't take your hammer to the park, you don't have dinner with your screwdriver, and by god, you don't drop in your garage and say hello to your wrenches just because. I used to not mind being helpful. I enjoyed being the nice guy. People suck, and they would just rather throw you away than take care of ya.

Yeah, I am in a pissy mood. I started a flame war on another blog for no good reason except a guy got to me. The dude just said things that are so obscenely condescending and just lacking in any intellectual basis it floors me. Even worse, people believe in what he says, in droves. Not because he said it, of course. Its a sad state of affairs today: people hate the rich. And they love it when they lose money.

I don't know. I guess it is because I feel alone a lot. I know, I shun crowds. Navy saw to it that I would be permanently scarred and f'd up when it comes to large groups of people. Thanks. However, I do crave human interaction. I will listen intently r talk your ear off, and even many shades in between. I enjoy that. I just don't like being asked for something knowing full well I could never ask for anything in return. It sucks.

My new job at Versene will make me happy, but I don't think I will fit in as well as I do in Chlorine. Hmmm.

My colonoscopy results came in. One bad polyp, one benign. Shit.

I love driving the Lancia. I get a lot fo people stopping me and asking about the car. Sweet.

Ah, screw ya.

l8rs-

Quick blogette

2008-03-15T01:52:00.000-07:00

I think I am going to start a political themed blog, so I can split my insightful Libertarian thoughts from my whiny personal ones We'll see.

I PAID OFF MY TRUCK. Yes. I no longer have a car payment of any type. Whoo hoo.

Speaking of cars: I am looking for a model type (bikini or one piece swimsuit) to photograph with my Lancia. Payment would be either 1) co-ownership of rights to the photos or 2) 50 bucks or so. Pics would be strictly PG unless you want something else. Let me know if there are any takers.

I ran out of 12 yo Scotch tonight...down to the 21 year. Damn the luck.

I have started up on Second Life again. It gets addictive. Besides, where can you dance with a lesbian and not be at a gay bar....

Damn. Its late. More to follow. Cat, I love ya. Same to Flo and Court. You all know who ya are.

L8rs-

Blog fun

2008-03-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

Leave a comment and I will:

1. Tell you what first comes to mind when I hear your name.
2. Describe a memory I have of you.
3. Associate a song with you.
4. Tell you why I have you on my friends list.

Repost in your journal so you can respond to other people.

Smoke, tits, and ass

2008-03-08T23:26:00.000-08:00

I enjoy smoking a pipe. Didn't know if y'all knew that. No, not the fun kind of pipe. The Law prevents that. No, just a regular tobacco one. I have several. I even have a humidor (ok, two) for my pipe tobacco (the other one is strictly for cigars). I just hate that smoking has become such a crime here in the States. Hell, even in the UK. The government just loves to regulate things. Why do we let the government do this? Why?

Spoke with an old girlfriend today. She needed help with some schoolwork, and she thought of me. Of course, the class was world religions, but I was able to help. You know, at one time, I was quite the enlightened individual. Even held the title of Reverend. Yuhp. Sure did. Believe it.

Anyway, we talked a little about the old days. One of the most amicable break-ups in my life. We just knew we weren't right for each other. We had nothing but fun, though, when we were together. No bad times, no bad memories. Wild, eh? Of course, we were in high school. No sex. Just lots of innocent making-out. I think sex would have ruined the relationship then. Each one of us thought the other was not a virgin. We were both virgins. Too funny!

One of these days I might tell the story of the night I actually lost my virginity. One of the most fucked up nights in my life. Hmmm. Maybe I won't.

I can't believe how much I was into sex during that time. Of course, I only had it once during my high school career. I had the reputation, however, of a Casanova. Male slut, actually. Now, I did go down on a girl or two, but actual penetration sex only once. Didn't have any more until I was in college and the Navy. Nowadays, well, sex just doesn't happen anymore. Just 15 years ago it was all consuming. Now, its, well, a pleasant memory. Funny what age does to a person.

Didn't accomplish much today. Got a haircut. Went to my guitar lesson. Slept some. Played on the computer. Played with my son. Wow. Fun.

Plan to do some yard work tomorrow. Not looking forward to it. Would rather pay someone to do it. Used to have a kid do it. He grew up and went to college. Funny how that happens.

What memories do y'all have of past girlfriends/boyfriends? Do you remember them all? Or was there just a few? I'd like to hear some stories. G, PG, R, XXX stories are just fine.

L8rs-

I am D

2008-03-07T03:06:00.000-08:00

I know its early in the morning. I couldn't sleep anymore. Not that I needed to sleep anymore. I had my biannual colonoscopy yesterday, and I pretty much slept all day. Those wonderful drugs they give you sure did the trick. It has been a long time that I actually feel rested.

Now, the did find a few polyps, which I wasn't pleased about. I will just have to wait for the biopsy to see if they were cancerous or not. I didn't have any polyps last time, so I was hoping not to find any this time. Dang.

My son calls me “D”. Its wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

I didn't get to finish my FS-X flight back to LJ. I had flown from Miami to Mobile, and then tried to fly to LJ from there, but the weather was horrible in Texas, so I diverted to Baton Rouge to wait it out. I was hoping to beat the weather, but made sure I didn't fly into thunderstorms. One last leg to do....

The Lancia sure turns a lot of heads around town. I can't wait to get my trunk emblems in from being redone. It is gonna look sharp. Now, just to fix the AC and the headliner.

I need to do some yard work around the house. It looks bad. And Chel keeps hinting on it. Of course, she'd never man a rake or anything herself.

I haven't practiced guitar at all this week. I have been working too late to do it, I guess. I really wish I could just walk away from Chlorine. Oh yeah, they aren't replacing me. Nobody to hand this stuff off to. Fuck `em. I officially have stoppped caring.

I think I will go make be some breakfast. I typically do not have time for such luxuries. At least I will be on schedule for Daylight Savings Time, which is one of the biggest bullshit things the government has ever done. They try so much to control our lives, even as to control time itself. Viva la Revolucion!

l8rs-

Lancia, Lancia, Lancia some more

2008-03-02T23:02:00.000-08:00

Another long weekend and what have I accomplished? Not much. I did wash the Lancia, put together my gaming computer. It runs great, BTW, in fact, hasn't crashed yet, so it looks like the old mobo had a flaw. I am glad it failed during the warranty period. Asus is so first class. Not like the FIC motherboard that runs on my old machine. What a lemon.
I also hooked my old machine up to a new flat screen. Its a 20.1” Sceptre widescreen. It is the same monitor I have for my office. I like it. It is bright, but small fonts tend to look fuzzy. Not like the 22” MAG on my big machine. That screen is awesome.

I didn't accomplish much else. I just have no energy anymore. Yeah, I know that I am out of shape. I used to get bursts. No I want to sleep all the damn time. Perhaps it is the work stress of having to do two positions until May. Perhaps.

I am enjoying playing Flight Sim X again. I am finishing my around the world flight right now. I just have a few short legs. I am currently in the air over the northern Caribbean en route from Puerto Platte, Dominican Republic to Miami International. Tomorrow I will complete the trip to Lake Jackson (KLBX), with a stop probably in Mobile for fuel. I am going to skirt the coast instead of flying over the gulf. Around the world in a King Air! Who would have thunk it? Oh, and I never used time compression (ok, twice). Just lots of short flights, although the one over the Atlantic was a bitch. Nothing like hitting Brazil on fumes. Yes, I know I should be paying attention to what the aircraft is doing. I already had to dodge a 747 because the flight controllers on FS-X suck. This is probably how real pilots pass the time; shoot the shit, take a few logs, and play on a gameboy. Seriously. Autopilots rule.

Well, it seems to be the my bio-dad fathered another illegitimate son. Wow. I will try to find him, although I don't think he lives in OK anymore. Probably Illinois, as far as I can tell. We have something in common: the same father.

Speaking of which, I haven't heard anymore of Dudley's condition. Stroke is scary. I would much rather have heart issues than a stroke. However, with my history of migraines, blurry vision, and mental issues, I would not be surprised that the risk for me having a stroke can also be to genetics. I am so, well, happy about that, I guess. One of the reasons to find out more about the bio-dad was to get medical info. Now that I know some, it just is scary. Fortunately my cholesterol is coming down and my sugars are in check. Perhaps I can control some of it.

I have been off my gout meds, and boy, am I paying for it. I just have to go get a refill, but Walgreens sucks SO bad at filling them, the leg pain is almost worth not having to deal with those idiots. And the only reason we even use them is, ahem, convenience. Of course, most pharmacies down here suck balls.

Lancia owners, I am looking for interior trim parts. Please message me if you have interior trim parts. Thanks.

L8rs-

Clinton and Obama suck, suck, suck

2008-02-27T22:52:00.000-08:00

Did I tell y'all about our new door? We finally replaced the crap-tastic sliding patio door with a very expensive one with built-in mini blinds. Sweet. We love it. We finally bought something that we really wanted while not having to settle for second best. Now, I am broke....

Working at two different plants sucks. I was hoping to begin transition to my new role a lot faster. No, I have to hang out in Chlorine for 2 more months. Unfortunately, I have to pull part time duty between the two places, so it makes it hard to get anything accomplished. I need to figure out a better way to schedule this.

My root canal went well the other day. I freaked out a bit in the waiting area, but then the Zanax finally kicked in and I was much more sedate. I like the Zanax much better than the Valium. The Valium is just too weak to do any good with my anxiety. I have to get a permanent filling in the crown, but its not bad. First time in a while I can eat without hurting when I chew.

I do not want socialized health care. It doesn't work. I don't want to pay for it. Only if I get to opt out would I even consider supporting it. It is nothing more than social class adjustment. Take from someone, take some off the top, and throw the rest in the gutter so that maybe someone can get some help. It is wrong, oh so wrong on many levels. The Constitution spelled out the role of our Government, and being a nursemaid isn't one of them. Milton Friedman in his book Capitalism and Freedom said that John F. Kennedy got it wrong. It shouldn't be “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. That implies that the country is the master and the individual the servant or slave. The opposite is just as bad, where the individual is still a ward of the state, thus both halves of this statement are inconsistent with a free society. The free man, Friedman contends, “regards government as a means, an instrumentality, neither a grantor of favors and gifts, nor a master or god to be blindly worshipped and served….The free man will ask neither what his country can do for him nor what he can do for his country. He will ask rather ‘What can I and my compatriots do through government’ to help us discharge our individual responsibilities, to achieve our several goals and purposes, and above all, to protect our freedom?” Socialized medicine reduces freedom. Social Security reduces freedom. Welfare reduces freedom.

You are the government's bitch when you foster these kinds of programs. A little “free” money keeps you coming back. A little benefit is the crack; Uncle Sam the pusher. And don't think I am just shitting on the poor. I have been poor. Standing in line to get my free lunch sucked. Going without all the damn time sucked. Wearing my marching shoes as dress shoes throughout sucked (I kept the same pair all four years, thus they didn't fit and hurt my feet terribly, but I couldn't justify the expense). So, fuck you if you think I don't know. What I do know is that I swore to myself I would never be in that situation again. Except for the Navy stint, that has held true.

Am I special? Am I privileged? I grew up in a freaking trailer. Four kids stacked like cord word in a very tiny bedroom. I grew up in a town that has a large Hispanic population. Hell, here's what my elementary school's website says about the school (admittedly these are today's facts, but it hasn't changed much): Six hundred six children attend school at T. W. Ogg Elementary, which serves Early Childhood through 5th Grade. 85% of our students are economically disadvantaged, 25% are Limited English Proficient (LEP), and the mobility rate varies between 20-25% each year. The ethnic breakdown of our student population is 63% Hispanic, 14% African American, and 20% "Other." Our student population reflects the diversity and harmony of our multicultural community.

City-data has the town at 48% Hispanic, 42.4% White-nonHispanic, 23% other, and 7% black. Folks, I was a minority in my town. No privileges, nothing special. That's just the way it was. I worked through it, and so did many of my peers. No, not everyone is doing well. Some are doing better than others. Hell, one even won the Lotto (ok, their parents did, but I digress). I have earned my money. Stop trying to take it away and make us ALL poor...oh, except those in the Congress. They never seem to be poor, do they? I wonder why that is....

“But Mike, you said you received government assistance! You would have starved if you didn't! See, it works!”
NO IT DOESN'T. It allowed us to budget money a little different. If I had to pay for lunch, I would have. It may not have been a big meal, but I wouldn't go hungry. You see, my parents busted their ass at menial jobs so I wouldn't go hungry. That was their responsibility and the owned up to it. If they had to work an extra hour or two so that we could eat, they would have.

What people tend to do, though, is rely on the handouts. They budget that money so that they don't have to work that extra hour or two. In fact, given enough money, some folks have no desire to even work hard or strive to improve. Yes, there are exceptions, but they are few and scattered.

I knew of people using their Social Security benefits (in school student living with “retired” parents, but they worked anyway and were paid under the table) to purchase cars. Not necessity cars. Hot rods. Yuhp. Funny how that works.

Grrr. I am all wound up now. The reason for the rant was the Democratic debate last night in Ohio. Dreadful. Clinton and Obama just sicken me. Not like Skeletor McCain is much better. Just one line after another about how much they are going to take from me and give to someone else. Fuck you Hillary. Fuck you Obama.

L8rs-

I’m the firestarter, twisted firestarter

2008-02-25T21:56:00.000-08:00

I am going to love my new job. The people at Versene are so...positive. Its a new realm for me: people who generally like their jobs....wow. I just hope old habits of mine, like being super negative, don't ruin it. The job won't be easy, as the learning curve is steep. However, I do enjoy the challenge, especially in the field I want to work in. Yippee..

I promised pics of the Lancia, but I haven't taken them. I have done some work on her. I found a guy in New Jersey who will remake the badges on her trunk. I can't wait to see them. Just got to fix the A/C and the headliner, then I will use it for commuting!

I bought two guitars recently. I bought a Washburn X27 7 string electric and a Washburn classical guitar. The classical is awesome. The sound is wonderful. I haven't played much on the 7 string. I just wanted one. I will probably keep it in my office. I still have my Washburn acoustic/electric (awesome) and my other 6 string Washburn X-series electric, as well as my Hamer Scarab thrash axe. I think I am guitar-ed out now....

Just found out my bio-dad had a stroke and has been recuperating since December. Damn. I may be critical of our situation, but I never wanted him to suffer for any reason. Get well soon, Dudley Testerman, and maybe someday we can meet face-to-face without any bullshit in the way....

I found out through another cousin I didn't know I had. Learned some interesting things from her. I will talk about that later once I get some better info. It was kind of a shock to hear from someone like that. She found this blog (or one of its mirrors) via searching for Dudley's name. Ah, the power of the Internet.

The boy is growing nicely. Teething like hell right now. I am really enjoying the time I spend with him, which means I have to write in this blog very early in the AM....

Well, I am drinking some Scotch. Some old wounds have opened again. I just feel kind of lost right now...talk to you soon.

Oh, and all the freaking computerized election crap calling my house, stop. I do not vote in the Primaries because: I AM A LIBERTARIAN AND REFUSE TO REGISTER IN THE OTHER PARTY'S ELECTIONS. Remember, folks, that primaries are exclusively for the two major parties. They have scammed the US taxpayer into paying for internal decision making! Either have open primaries that any party can utilize, or make it purely a private deal.

Ok, l8rs-

Super 100

2008-02-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

This will be my 100th post on the MySpace blog! Not as exciting as the 10k reader mark, but still an accomplishment. I will try not to disappoint.

BIG NEWS: I have a NEW JOB! Yes, no longer will you hear me bitch, whine, groan, and be generally unpleasant about work. I managed to bid on a different position within the same company, for the same money. My new title will be Process Control Coordinator, and basically I will program and be responsible for the plant control systems. I will have a little further to drive to work, but no more maintenance BS! WHOO HOO!I will be working in the field I want to work in, and I can finally put my Bachelors degree to work! NICE.

BIG NEWS, part deux: I bought a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupe! It is almost cherry on the outside, interior needs work, runs great, and is 100% drivable and street legal. Pics will follow later on. The interior reminds me of the ol 74 Corolla, and it is quick and nimble. I LOVE it. Not as sexy as my X1/9 was, but basically is the same engine and parts.

Recently, I saw the movie Persepolis. Of course, we had to go all the way to downtown Houston (Angelika) to see it, as nothing with subtitles would ever be shown in our town. WE LOVED THE MOVIE. So much, in fact, we bought the graphic novels the movie is based on. I highly recommend the movie and books. The flick really gives an insight into a world and culture I never could know exists. The story is about the life and times of an Iranian girl during the late 70s, 80s and into the 90s. It does not preach, demonize, or try to find moral ground. This is just a story of how it was. Period. Very, very insightful, funny, sad, and all around freakishly good.

I did make some of my own opinions about the situation in the Middle East, though. Religion does not, cannot, and will not EVER make good government. The moment you throw in the boogey-man or try to govern now for the afterlife, you have automatically failed the human race. Why?

1.Religion is made up. It is a work of man. Like a painting or sci-fi movie. Strictly fiction. When you have to say “belief” or “divine” in your doctrine, its a farce. This does not mean a god/gods/goddess/spirits/boogeyman/devil/whatever does not exist, it means the doctrine set forth to worship/follow/ignore/whatever that entity was created, wholly and completely, by man. (Otherwise, the finger of god would be scribing into the rock, right in front of your eyes, what he/she/it wants you to do...which, logically, doesn't make sense if it comes from an all-powerful being...think about it...they could just make you do what they want, ya know)

2.Laws created man for the benefit of man work. Laws created for the benefit of someone's imagination (belief) don't. Man is real. Man's imagination is not real. Belief is imagination. We don't govern based on the dreams I had last night, so why should we govern based on what some dumblefuck dreamed up 2000 years ago? Don't believe its such a bad idea? Look at those idiots who follow Scientology. No matter how you slice it, its folks following the sci-fi writings of a sci-fi author. But those cats will fight you tooth and nail, saying I am full of shit. Wow.

3.When post-life is the reason you punish now, only doom and gloom can come of it. That is living in fear. Some religions have given you “outs”, like confession, absolution, prayer, atonement, etc. It is still fear, though. What benefit becomes of fear? It is self deprecating, self defeating, and utter anti-human progress. Most technological and civil accomplishments have been held back or completely thwarted by religion throughout man's existence. Brav-freaking-o.

Ok, enough ranting. I do want to interject a thought before I go:
If you elect Hillary Clinton, that will mean a Bush or Clinton has been on the ticket since 1980.....Let's stop the madness.

L8rs-

Cars, Cars, Cars

2008-01-24T00:17:00.000-08:00

I spent part of my day looking at eBay auctions with cars that I would like to have. I enjoy looking at some of the detailed photos of the interiors. I want to buy a few, I just don't have the liquid capital to procure such wanton luxuries. It did get me to think about the vehicles of my life, so far. Here is a list of what I can remember.

1969(?) Buick Skylark Special -This was my Mom's car when she got married. I think it belonged to an uncle or something. Not something she bought. It was blue with blue vinyl seats, which are just torture in shorts in the hot Southeast Texas sun. I remember sitting in that car for hours waiting in line for gas during the gas crunch.
1974 Toyota Corolla - This was my Dad's car. He bought it new in 1973. His was a brown SR5 model. He was going to buy a 73 Spitfire, but they did not come over as a five speed. He wanted a five speed, so he bought the Toyo. I wanted to inherit this car. I dreamed as a youth about how I would “fix it up”. Unfortunately, our relationship turned long before I started driving, and the car was relegated to the scrap heap.
1972 Plymouth Fury Wagon- This is the car my Dad bought my Mom so she could return the Buick, I think. Something convoluted like that. I remember that there was a rumble seat that faced to the rear, and that the tailgate could open up like a pickup or swing open like a door. Otherwise, it was a typical 70s MOPAR heap.
1970s Ford Econoline Van - This was the first vehicle my Dad bought after the divorce. Its, well, one of the uglier vehicles ever produced by man. Ours was a blue one that Dad purchased from a painter that lived in Clute. I remember the BLUE carpeting over the engine compartment. With these vans, the engine was almost completely in the passenger compartment, separated my a heat shield. 3-speed on the tree. Slow, ugly, but pulled a very large travel trailer all over Texas, with many hilarious stories to go with it. It had only one bench seat. A green one was added, but Dad never bolted it down. Flying children's bodies were the norm during hard braking.
Late 70s Dodge Tradesman Van - This was bought to replace the Econoline in pulling the travel trailer we had. It had a bigger engine, but I think it has transmissions issues. Ours was bluish with windows, with the rear quarter windows having a suncreen on them with a picture of a bass in a stream. Yeah. I liked the van, but it never replaced the Econo in front line duty. Just took up space in the driveway.
1977 Ford LTD Landau - This was Fran's (my evil step-mother). She had this car when she met my dad. Smelt of years of heavy smoking. Yellow with a green interior. Went through multiple engines because Fran didn't bother with gauges or reacting to warning lights. Suffered through engine fires, a collision with a ditch in fog, and being driven by pure evil. Second engine fire put it out of its misery.
1980 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Diesel - A blue demon from hell. Diesel cars were all the rage in the early 80s. This thing was loud. I drove it once as we got it mid 80s. It was blue, but that vintage GM car had paint probs, so the paint faded very quickly. I learned a little about diesels then. It would serve me well later in life. I think Fran destroyed this one also and it received a non-diesel engine later on.
1979 Buick Century Wagon This was the replacement my Mom got after the Fury wagon. I wasn't around much for this car. I just remember it being sooooo much smaller than the Plymouth.
1977 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon - Big, brown, and junky. I called it the “Flying Turd”. Only salvation was the strong 350 cubic inch engine with the 4 barrel carb. You could stomp on it and you could GO. I drove the hell out of this car when I got my license. My Step-dad Danny (Cecil) traded the Century and our boat for this. I don't remember why, but it created a LOT of friction. I think the smaller Buick had some mechanical issues. I think Danny was had.
1973 Ford LTD 4 door - My first car. My baby was baby blue, four doors, pillar-less, had the 351-W engine, and the best damn car in the world. Nicknamed “Landbarge”. Even had that in white lettering across the windshield. Literally had a couch for a backseat.. Did not lose my virginity back there, but came awful close many times. I LOVED this car. Hit too many things with it to keep it. Many, many wonderful stories in this car. I miss it greatly.
1988 Chevy S-10 -2.5 L engine, good looking blue. I gave my beloved LTD to Dad and he helped me my this. It was my first manual tranny vehicle. I learned how to drive one by test driving new ones at various dealerships. I just felt compelled to get it. Delivered pizzas in it, and was the vehicle I had when I joined the Navy. Turned out to be the car I needed then, not the one I wanted.Had many computer issues. Total lemon.
1994 Hyundai Scoupe LS - Bought this brand new to replace the Piece o shit S-10. Teal green. First Hyundai with the new Alpha engine. Suprisingly fast. Rode like a brick over gravel. Got it up to 115 mph in Utah. 5 speed manual. The car that defined me in my single Navy years. Had a kickin stereo & speakers installed in Idaho. Had it through the first years of marriage. Drove it all over the country. Never, ever failed me once.
1994 Ford Escort LX - This was Chel's graduation gift and was the car she had when we married. Decent car. I rolled it off the interstate 140 feet into a ravine in Tennessee in 1996. Walked away, but the car was totaled.
1992 Mercury Capri XR2 Turbo - This was Chel's pick for her Escort replacement. Fast as all get out. 5 Speed with the hard top option. Too bad these were made in Australia. They are not known for their auto prowess. It was crappily put together. These cars had notorious issues. Caught fire in 1999. I rebuilt it and put a new turbo in it. Sold it in 2001 on eBay. Still, we had a lot of fun with this car.
1996 Toyota Tacoma Extended Cab- Replaced the Hyundai with this because we had to small cars and no hauling capacity. Best car we had or have since owned. 0 problems. Bought it on a preferred program (like a lease). Did not renew and let it go back after the term. Green. Simple yet effective.
1979 Fiat X1/9 - Project car. Did a bunch of work on it. Sold it before I ever drove it. Mine was blue. Last year for the carbs. 79 was the best looking X1/9s made by Fiat. Would love to replace it with a 79 or with a late model Bertone. Mid engine Ferrari wanna-be.
2002 Ford Focus ZX5- Bought this because I was starting for a company that was going to give me a car allowance. Company folded before I started. Capri's turo died during this time, so it worked out. Still own this car. Lots of problems with the stereo and the windows. All the options except ABS. 5 Speed. Quick. Chel loves driving it.
1982 Ford F-100 -I bought this for 800 bucks as a cheap work truck. Easy to work on. 300 cu. in. straight six. 3 speed auto. Hard time keeping up at highway speeds. 2 fuel tanks. Gave to my brother Louis and he sold it.
2001 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer - My father-in-law's truck until Chel became preggers. Sold it to my for a song in 2006. I love this truck. My next truck will be another Expedition.

Wow. Lots of cars. And I am only 34! If you have or know of a 74 Toyota, a 73 LTD, or an X1/9 that is for sale and not a total wreck or a mint condition collectors, give me a buzz. I'd love to own one of these again.
L8rs!-