iPod. The best, and the worst.

The iPod is simultaneously the best and worst consumer electronic device on the market. Currently I own two of them (there's the little darlings right there). Not because I love them so much, but mostly because they're so friggin finicky.



When I bought my first iPod used for just under $300, I thought it was a bit expensive. But it worked, and it worked nicely. But, after a short period of time, I reallized that my HD had issues. The 40GB drive holds a lot of music (I actually only *own* about 12GB of music), but, it had it's troubles. I'm sure this isn't a new story to anyone, but mine would tick, whine, and start this process all over, while NOT playing music. If you slam it REALLY hard against a solid surface, sometimes it comes back to life. Sometimes, it would do nothing and need to be reformatted, or "updated".

So, after months and months of slamming the iPod to make it work, I traded my useless (yet, reliable) PSP for another used 40GB iPod. Which worked *way* better than the first one. Of course, the love affair was ill-fated, as now my "good" iPod is displaying the same characteristics as the "bad" one.

I love my iMac. I love my iPod(s). They work fantastic. But the iPod is also a source of endless frustration when I'm trying to actually USE it.

I can't think of anything else that I've had such a strong love-hate relationship with before!

I am still alive,

despite the rumours of my untimely demise from the online world.

 

I’d say it was because I spend too much time on Facebook, but in reality, that’s not true either.  I don’t spend much time there at all…

 

Speaking of Facebook… what’s with all the plugins?  I seriously reconsider the valuable time I spend online on Facebook when I see the hoards of plugins people are subscribing and unsubscribing to.  They seem like a whole lot of work.

 

It really cuts into my porn time!

Old roof... new roof!

Mmmm... mold...



New Roof!



It's sort of nice to be able to see OUT of the rear window again. :)

Cashing in my Geek Discount

For the past few weeks, the stereo in my car has been cutting out the audio on the left side. It's annoying. Try setting the balance fully to the right in your car, and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Assuming it was just a loose wire behind the deck itself, I pulled it out earlier tonight to repair the wire. But the wires were all ok. I fiddled with it some more, and it looked like something was loose internally. So, I took it out, and brought it upstairs.



Not having done this before, I wasn't sure where to look - but had an idea that if something is loose... it should be relatively evident. Well, I had to take the entire thing apart. Even removing the CD player from inside. All to see the bottom of the circuit board, where I suspected the problem was.



That's pretty much what it looked like mostly taken apart. The culprit? As I suspected, there were some solder connections on the main board that have broken over time:



Now that I could tell what the problem was... the only thing to do was solder it all back together. Thank goodness for magnifying glasses and 30 year-old soldering irons. That Cold Heat soldering gun would have been fantastic.

But, I hacked the thing back together. It's ugly, but - it works! :D Who'd have thought being a bit geeky would pay you back financially?? If not for my "geek discount", I'd have to go and buy a whole new deck!

Six hotels, one campsite, 10 states, 13 days, and 8000km.

That's my summer vacation, in a nutshell. :)

I'll be heading down to Missouri to visit Husineh & James, and put a new top on the car. From there, I'll be driving south through Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and just grazing the eastern edge of California. Oh, and stopping in to see the Grand Canyon for a day and a half too. :D

If you do the math... that's really only 615km per day. Not too bad. But... too bad I'm not driving every day. For the days that I am driving... it works out to about 890km per day.

Ask me what I think about gas prices. I can finally afford a long road trip... and gas is fifty-eighty-hundred-million dollars per litre.

New roof :(

So, the Miata needs a new roof.  Ten years, and she’s worn out but good.  And, since the hardtop was on the car for a record NINE MONTHS before I removed it this past weekend… mould had a chance to find its’ way into my rear window.  From far away, it looks like a cool tint job.  From up close (or inside), it looks like… well… a mouldy plastic window.

 

So, I’ve let my fingers do the walking through the yellow pages, and I’ve clicked around online.  These tops are *not* cheap.  Now I know why some people who are strapped for cash slap on a hardtop and don’t bother with replacing the soft top!  I’ve been shopping it around at:

Performance Plus (importers of Moss Motors products here in Ontario)

Cabrioworld

Moss Motors

GoMiata.com

MMMiata.com

Duetto Motors

 

Plus one or two I’ve probably forgotten, and about three local shops I could find in the GTA.  For a simple vinyl top, installed, with only a plastic window, I’m looking at about $1000 if I’m lucky.  But, if I install it myself (never done before, and it’s a 6 hour job for someone that knows what they’re doing!), I could save some money.  And I could save even more, if I pick one up in the US, and drive it up already attached to the car.

 

In any case, I need to replace the mouldy taped up leaky roof.  Anyone know where I can find one for a reasonable price?  Ebay may even be an option!!

I couldn't agree more.

Thanks to Benjamin Higginbotham/MacDesktops.com.

Facebook update...!

I'm posting this here, because it will automatically upload into Facebook. Care, this is for you! Thanks for the "gentle prodding"... sometimes it's necessary! (PS: This update will be LONG, so grab a chair, a coffee, and a scone. Or something.)

The main reason for this update is simple: catching up with long-lost old friends. I wouldn't normally post something like this, but, it looks like Facebook has become everything that classmates.com could have, and should have been. I've never had one proper reunion with anyone on classmates.com. But I'm already reuniting with people I've lost touch with on Facebook... and my favourite part: without spending a dime. :D

For those of you who knew me in High School, you probably know that I elected to participate in the little-known optional "Grade 14." This gave me the opportunity to end up taking OAC English 3 times in total (1st: bad grade, 2nd: good grade, 3rd: just for fun!), participate in the bi-annual highschool musical, and start a relationship with one of the most wonderful people I know, and have ever known (yes, that's Christina). So, no, I don't think I missed much by "staying back" an extra year.

After high school, I went to Georgian College to take (breathe in) "Mechanical Engineering Technology - Automotive Manufacturing." So, after telling anyone what course I was enrolled in, they would ask:

"So, you're going to be a mechanic?"

"Umm, no. I'll be the guy who designs the equipment and manufacturing process that assembles the car."

"Oh... ok."

This wasn't an uncommon conversation, believe it or not. I met some very cool people in that course that I wish I had kept in contact with (Rishi, Hong, and Mike all come to mind). I enjoyed the course as well, although first semester was too easy (that Grade 14 sure came in handy). This was a co-op program, so essentially I'd be working in real jobs for 4 months of the year, which was great - because I was excessively poor, and paying for the program almost entirely by myself.

During college I scraped up enough money ($300) to buy a car and insure it ($2800) - an '84 Buick Century. Crap brown. Lovely. Ultimately, everything on this car failed, except for the engine. First cars are the best, aren't they? :) During college, Christina and I also broke up, which I'm pretty sure was ultimately my fault. This is a whole other story in itself, but I won't go into it all! We still get along well, despite rarely ever seeing each other. :)

My third (and final) Year of college was supposed to start with a co-op term. I applied to a number of jobs, but none of them turned out. I attribute this to my appearance - during the summer of '98 I had dyed my hair completely blonde, and cut it all short and spikey. It was a huge change for me at the time, but somehow suited me. Unfortunately, it didn't impress most of the employers that wanted to hire me for uptight engineering jobs. So, while waiting for a "real" co-op position, I started working for Shaw Cable as an installer of Digital set-top boxes. This is where things get interesting.

The job at Shaw Cable was temporary. They were swapping the current analog "movie box" for the newer digital box. They essentially needed anyone breathing to go into peoples' homes to swap the old box for the new box. Of course, eventually all the boxes would be swapped, and there would be no more work. Because I was apparently the best at this (including customer service, etc - I was even "requested" to come back to customers' homes!), I was asked if I wanted to stay, and help in the warehouse - they had stacks of these boxes they needed to run through inventory, pack up, and ship. I figure why not? I'll be back at school in January of '99 anyway, right?

Heh. That's funny. I moved out of my parents' house in December of 1998. This was ultimately a very good decision. I didn't have the greatest home life, and I was suffering emotionally for it. This moving out was the beginning of me finally placing value in myself. I can go on and on about the changes, and how my home life sucked, but essentially, it allowed me to be me. Finally. So, I moved into a 3-bedroom townhouse in Barrie (in Letitia Heights) with Sarah-Lynn & her son, Patrick. It was odd at first, and we had some growing pains of living together... but it wasn't all that bad! And I was only paying 1/3 of the rent, since she had 2/3 of the bedrooms. Sweet deal!

In January of '99, I was supposed to go back to school. I was offered a job in the warehouse at Shaw Cable, but declined. "No, I have to go back to school," I had said. A few days later, I pulled the inside of my pants pocket outward, and realized I had no money. Anywhere. I couldn't go back to school. So... I resolved to take the job, and go back to school when I could finally afford it.

No, I haven't gone back to school yet. It's "on the list."

I worked in that same warehouse from January of 1999 until April 2002. During this time, Shaw and Rogers swapped ownership on cable territories, and I became a Rogers employee. At first, I expected it to be bad. It turned out to be better. I was even offered a job in North Vancouver that would allow me to stay with Shaw. They wanted to keep me! It sounded cool, except that living in North Vancouver is bloody expensive, and they wouldn't pay my way to move there. So, I stayed.

I also moved around a few times during this period, including moving back in with my parents to "save some money." That was a bad decision. I also went through a number of relationships with some very interesting people. Most that I still get along with (and wouldn't mind talking to on a more frequent basis!), and a few that I really should consider having committed. Again, not going into specifics. ;)

I had purchased a new(er) car (a Saturn), and drove that for a few years. I had bought and sold a few Trans Am's/Firebirds to fix up. None of them ever got fixed up properly. I bought and sold a pick-up truck. To date, I have owned 9 different cars (up to 4 at the same time). Currently, I'm down to just the Miata, which I've had for almost 6 years now. :)

In April of 2002 I applied for and got a job in the Outside Plant Engineering department for Rogers in Richmond Hill. Of course, I still lived in Barrie at this time. I commuted to this job every day from Barrie (75km one way) from April 2002 until August 2005, when I finally found an affordable apartment in Richmond Hill. And timing was great, because the week I moved in, gas hit $1.30/litre. And I walked to work every day that week. And the next week.

Since then, I've been living here in Richmond Hill. I rented an apartment for a year before finding an affordable Condo which I bought and moved into last August. It's great! I met my current girlfriend Cecilia shortly after moving to Richmond Hill as well, and we've been together since November of 2005! She's great. :) I think I'll keep her. Her picture is probably plastered all over with my pics in Facebook - although, she doesn't have a facebook page yet - mostly 'cause she's too busy to bother!

So that's the past 10 years or so of my life... in a nutshell! I'm sure I missed a few major points, and I'm sure I've omitted important people in my life, too. But, these are the highlights. :)

Health club?!

As of yesterday, I'm officially a member of a local health club. Not a big earth-shattering piece of news, no. But, thinking back, the last time I did a proper workout in a proper gym was probably in Grade 11. When I was 16 years old.

(For those of you at home keeping score, yes, that was 14 years ago)

And my fine natural physique has deteriorated slightly since then, yes. :)

So tomorrow, I'm going in for my health assessment. They won't let me work out without one, in case I try too hard and keel over and die. Which is probably smart.

You know what they say... no pain, no gain!

Reason for shaving

http://www.myheritage.com

Facebook

Ok, so... the buzz that I've been hearing from all the cool kids lately is about Facebook. I haven't joined yet, but I think I'm about to today...!

Especially since I had a surreal chance encounter today with a Childhood friend of my Brother while going to court to fight what was (in my opinion) a bogus parking ticket.

I wouldn't mind chatting again with this person - because of all things, she seems to think that my broter is normal.

Man, does she have a lot to catch up on.

Would AA let me in...?

I have a problem. A car buying problem.

Right now I only have one. But believe me, that's hard to do (for me).

At one point, I had four cars. For one person. Four. Seems like a lot, sure, but one was a summer car, one was a winter vehicle, and two were project cars that would be turned into one. Totally justified, right?

And, it seemed that about every 14 months, I'd get the itch again. The itch to buy another. It must be getting worse, 'cause I sold my Volkswagen Passat last April, and I've already got the itch again. Maybe because I should have kept the car - it was fantastic. But for whatever reason, I've got the itch again.

This time, it's more focused towards finding a VW Westfalia. I went to the North Toronto Vehicle Auction last month and saw one. And remembered how much I wanted one of these "someday". Sure, it was an '85, and sure, it had a fair bit of rust, but it wasn't beyond repair. A little love, and this Westy would be fantastic. And maybe there'd be a little lovin' inside, too. :)

But, they didn't auction it. It probaby didn't start. May have needed a boost, or they may not have bothered. I'll go back this month to see if it sells - but it's hard to find one for a decent price. They're all expensive, even over 20 years old.

I guess that says a lot about them right there! :D

In a cup, fool!

That's how Mr. T takes his coffee.

Not slippery... SALTY!

This morning, there were a ton of accidents in the GTA - mostly due to all the black ice. Now, don't get me wrong, I've slid on black ice before, and I know it can be dangerous (because of this, I drive according to road conditions). And, I know that here in Ontario, our #1 defense against icy roads is corrosive salt.

But this morning, when i pulled onto the road in front of my building, there was a LAYER of salt on the road. Literally, a LAYER - about 1/4" deep. You could actually see distinctive lines in the salt, formed from the way the spreader put the salt on the road. It looked like ripples in the water.

So this morning, I was driving excessively slow - not because of icy conditions, but because I didn't want to have salt kicking up at my poor little cars' 9.5 year-old body, which is slowly deteriorating.

Then, I got around the corner, and saw this:



Yeah, it's not a great pic (it's from an older-model-but-new-to-me-Razr). But look at the pile! It must be at least a foot around, and 6 inches deep!

I seriously, Seriously, SERIOUSLY think the Town of Richmond Hill spends far too much money appeasing residents who have too much money and like to whine. There's no good reason for this volume of salt on the roads - especially on my road - it isn't even a major artery!

Rich, whiny people of York Region: please learn to drive properly on icy roads. And stop complaining when the roads aren't salted right away. The people that drive the salters and sanders (not that I've seen any SAND here in RH - just salt) have lives too.

(Here's the other great part: I'm pretty sure that all the money we've saved by NOT salting so far this year because of the mild weather was all used up this morning.)