2002-11-21 - 10:03 a.m.
It is about time for a vacation. I have the time�but where to go?
I am sitting in the office this morning working up next months Computer Class Schedule when I realize that for a measly 7 days of vacation time I could score myself 16 days out of the office�and still have a few days of paid leave left. Problem is�I don�t have anywhere to go, or the $$$ to do any REAL traveling. And lord knows I would go batty if I were to just sit around at home and do nothing. Sigh�guess I am just going to work through the holidays and continue to stockpile leave time. Hmmm I am thinking a trip to San-Fran needs to be looked into.
So can ya tell that his is gearing up to be the most boring entry ever. Yup me to. I�ll blame it on the sore throat that I am trying to get though. It isn�t so bad yet�but talking is no fun. Lucky for me I have a 3 hours class to give in an hour. Hmm�3 hours of talking, I can�t wait.
There is finally progress being made on the SHO. As of yesterday the transaxle was out and the new clutch and wear parts had been installed. That means that hopefully the thing will be reassembled by this afternoon. Here�s hoping at least. Of course if this sounds like things are going too smoothly you are indeed correct. There have been a few problems that have popped up during the operation. First it seems that the SHO has already had the clutch upgrade done to it once. So I now have to se about returning the flywheel and the ring gear that I had purchased for the upgrade. I know that does not sound like that much of a biggie�but it involves shipping, and that is always a pain. Secondly the right side half-shaft (in a front wheel drive car, this is one of 2 half shafts that takes the rotational force from the transaxle (transmission and differential all in one) and transfers it to the wheels. It�s kinda like an axle and a driveshaft all in one) needs to be replaced. Seems that the outside threads (ones nearest the wheel) are stripped out. Now it could most likely be used again�but the way I figure it I might as well fix everything now as opposed to having to dig back into it later. Sides the refund on the flywheel will more than cover the half-shaft�
So have I bored you yet?
Well anyhow, this now leaves me waiting on a part yet again. Here�s hoping that the half-shaft gets here by lunchtime today. Cause if it does, then the SHO goes to get it�s new window and then she gets to go home. And that leaves me with replacing the radio and getting the new window tinted to match the rest of the car again. Ahhh�looks like this weekend it will be SHOtime once again.
*NEWS FLASH* Just called the mechanic�turns out the SHO did not have the upgraded clutch after all. I guess that this is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that I don�t have to fuss with sending back the flywheel, and that the previous owner did not in fact dog the crap outta the car�and a curse in that I now have to scrape up the $$$ for the half-shaft.
Errrggghhh�I am getting SO impatient for next week to begin�well actually for Wednesday to get here. I am REALLY looking forward to spending time up in Richmond with friends for the turkey-weekend. It looks like there is going to be lots of really good food, great friends, plenty of geeking, and some armoring, and perhaps some fighting, and geeking, and cooking, and baking, and shopping, and geeking, and movie watching, and lazing about, and geeking, and who knows what else. It almost more fun than a boy should be allowed to have.
Well I reckon that I�ll call it quits here today. As you can tell, I am neither inspired to write anything exciting nor has anything pissed me off enough to motivate me to rant about it�so with that said.
*Where did this come from? My Bear tattoo is done in the style of the Haida*
Today I learned that there are 2 main clans in the Haida Gwaii culture (they are not really called clans, they are called Moiety). They Moiety are Raven and Eagle. Now both of these are then broken down into crests. Here is a list of some of the crests that belong to the Raven Moiety: Raven, Brown Bear, Killer Whale, Black Bear, Eagle, Porpiose, Wolf, Seal, Shark, and Thunderbird. Belong to the Eagle. While some of the crests that belong to the Eagle Moiety are: Raven, Sockeye, Coho, Tern, Frog, Beaver, eagle, and Halibut. Now here is where things get really neat. Haida mothers gave their clans names and totem crests to their children. Haida families valued their children especially the girls because Haida society was matrilineal (meaning that the family line was passed on through daughters not sons). The girls were taught by their mother and the boys were taught not by their fathers but by their mothers brothers. Boys had to swim in ice-cold in the winter because their uncles believed this would make them strong. They ate dragonfly wings because it was believed this made them swim faster. They sucked the tongues of diving ducks because it was believed they would be able to hold their breath longer under water. And finally when it came time to marry you had to choose someone from a different clan.
Well that�s it for now�I have a class I need to get to. So till later�
What have you learned today?
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