2002-09-03 - 9:23 a.m.
Yet another long weekend without enough sleep. Why do my friends do this to me? Ok ok�I know, it really is my own fault for staying up so late gabbing away with them.
Had a bit of excitement this weekend. Sunday morning while Brian and I were slugging around the house, I heard a crash. Not trusting my cat at all, I figured that he had knocked something important/expensive/really heavy off of some amazingly high place in the house. Well imagine my surprise when I walked by the kitchen to find a GIANT part of the dying Maple laying in my backyard. Yeah the branch was about as big around as me and diagonally stretched from almost the house to be back corner of the lot. Now here is the miraculous part�the tree missed everything! It didn�t hit the house this time (last time part of this tree broke it came THROUGH get lucky the house!), it missed all of my blacksmithing stuff, it missed the canoe, the fence, and even the dog. Guess ya lucky now and then.
In other news, the SHO has developed a fuel smell under the hood. Not sure what it causing it or why�but I do have a lead. The #4 Cylinder injector is moist. I am hoping that this is the culprit, for it will be a fairly easy and cheap fix. Needless to say, the sooner the SHO stops smelling like gas, the happier I will be. I already have a car that does that�I don�t need two. Other than that though�the thing is running GREAT, of course with the exception of the super loud (high performance) windshield wipers. Evja, Caitlin, Naro, and I went out for dinner the other night, and the first thing that Evja mentioned was how unbelievably loud my wiper motor was. We then proceeded to discuss why I would want an older car. My answer was cause of all the great options that they come with. Things like cracked dash, faded leather, shot cams�I mean hey, you just cant get those goodies on new cars these days�Ok that argument didn�t work on her either. How�s this�I like my old cars cause it is mine�I can afford the durn thing, oh and it generates 325 horsies but still looks like a regular ole Taurus. What�s not to like? If that doesn�t make sense, ask me again why I love my car when it comes time to pay your car tax, or insurance premium. Together mine runs me a whopping $615 a year�So why do I love this car�I dunno, I just do.
So even though this is going to be a short week, it is already beginning to drag. I am still waiting for a new project or 3 to be sent my way. Guess that is the problem with working for the city. They would rather have you do nothing as opposed to begin thinking for your self, and start some project on your own. Sigh�I guess they are afraid that if you get into something before their project comes around, you will not be inclined to drop everything to get their shit done. Enh�I guess I will continue to be bored at work till a new project comes my way.
I got into this long convoluted conversation with Brian this weekend about friends. Not any person in general, but the concept of what is a friend. How easily do you give out that label? Is your definition of a friend different than mine or the person next to you at the moment? Do you have a lot of friends, or are they acquaintances? What a tough question to answer�mostly cause people get upset if they find out that they are not a �friend� but a �good acquaintance�. But what is the difference? Is it just semantics? Hmm�beats me. I know I am one of those �I have LOTS of good acquaintances, but few good friends�. Does that cheapen the relationship I have with those folks I call acquaintances? I would hope not� For me, a friend is a person who really KNOWS me, and person who I have taken the time to really get to know as well. They are a person that I make myself available for any at time. They are a person who I will stand by, regardless of the situation�yeah, even if they are wrong (but I will make sure they know my thoughts on the situation!). They are a person who I know that even if I fall out of touch with for a week, month, year, or even a few years�they will still be there. No questions asked (Well other than the obvious Where the F have you been? Did you forget how a phone works?). For me a good friend understands you, know what makes you tick (at least in part) and doesn�t hold any of that against ya. Well needless to say, Brian and I were unable to come with any real answer to this question. I guess it is kinda like asking a person what love means�It is just different for each and everyone of us�but at the same time, it means the same thing�I guess. So how bout you? What is you take on this?
Today I learned that The drum brakes on a car are called Bendix brakes (I knew that part). They are self initiating. Which means when you begin to engage the brake, they will continue to engage with more force on their own. These brakes were created back when cars did not have power brakes. So with brakes that �helped you brake�, you didn�t need legs like me to make a car stop. Of course this all came at a price. Bendix brakes tend to warp the drums because of the way force is applied to it (it pushes unevenly at the drum) and they tend to seize. Meaning they will lock up easily. But for those of ya who have drum brakes you probably know this already. Now is there a good side to these brakes? Well they are not affected by water to the extent that disk brakes are. I guess that is good�
So on this lovely day after Labor day I ask you the same ole question that I ask every day�What have you learned Today?
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