Life

Love the life you Live!

Suburban Superman

Life

It’s a pretty good feeling when you do something that saves you money and do it right. Yesterday I was the model of a resourceful suburbanite. I changed the oil and filter in my truck, then I moved the yard, then I changed the brake pads on my car, then I had a beer.

Merchants Tire thought they had a sucker when I came in and wanted my alignment done and oil changed. Probably because I used a coupon and was still dressed from work. When I came back to pick up the car they told me that my brake pads were down to 1mm and I needed to get them changed. I thought, well maybe, because I do have almost 30000 miles on the car. But then the guy looked me right in the face and said that it would be $295.00. That included $135 for the pads, $90 for labor, $35 for rotor resurfacing, and some extra because I was a “city folk”. Well how much did it end up costing me? Well the rotors were fine and the brake pads were $20 , I bought a set of C-clamps for $5…. for a savings of…. $260.00.

Man I hate mechanics… except for that guy Alex… i’m cool with him.

Later!

Illusion of Security

Life, Rants

I really shouldn’t argue with people, especially people who are just doing their jobs. But it’s just so hard when I think their jobs are pointless. At my office in DC they recently beefed up the security to get into the building. Before all you had to do was beep your little security pass at the counter and then get on the elevator. But then I guess some important people moved into the building because they installed a metal detector and an x-ray machine. So now “All electronics and bags must be scanned” in the x-ray, you have to walk through the metal detector, and show photo id. Seems legitimate right?

No in fact it’s bullshit, let me explain.

1. They don’t care what kind of photo id, I could make my own and show it to them and they would just smile and wave me by. They only care that you have a picture of yourself.

2. The metal detector doesn’t care if I walk through with the following in my pocket. Set of car keys, large cellphone, Ipod shuffle and headphones, and $1.50 in quarters. Pretty safe.

3. They don’t make you scan coffee cups or lunch bags. I’m not just talking about the tiny brown bag with a scone that I just walked through with. I’m talking about a 2 foot sheet cake or a stack of newspapers a foot high. They barely even checked those.

Why do I care? Well I really shouldn’t, but I just hate it when I get called out for not scanning my 1 inch mp3 player and have to go back through the process and some lady carrying a 10lb cake just walks right through. And she actually passed the cake AROUND the metal detector. Plus these inept gaurds wouldn’t know a bomb if I walked in wearing it as a hat. This level of security wouldn’t stop even the stupidest criminal.

Later!

ps. don’t arrest me for pointing out the inadequacy of the system.

Fixin things.

Life, Rants

So when I moved out I noticed that it looked like someone spilled beer on my reciever and my computer downstairs. I didn’t really think about it because I don’t really use that desktop much anymore since I have a laptop. Well I finally got around to fixing it and re-installing the OS. I bought a new dvd drive because it was cheap. Good thing I did, when I opened up the drive to see what was the matter I found this.

ehwwwww

Now I’m really wondering why I have to turn the volume up so much on the reciever, I bet the wires are all corroded with beer.  Thanks Dorks.

Mark

Portland Trip Roundup

Life, Trips

Don’t really feel like writing a whole post on how awesome the trip to Portland, Oregon was. (it was really sweet!) But I do have some pictures to post.

Humbolt County

highway 101

I’ll post the pictures from Portland and Mt Hood as soon as I go through them, Wade took like 400 pictures in 4 days, so there’s a lot of fat to trim.

Later!

Mark

*UPDATE*

here’s the link to the Portland and Mt Hood pictures. I trimmed a little, but theres still 286 of them.

Portlang!

Good to till the last bite?

Life, Randomness

Sooo we’re not big cake eaters around the house here. So I’ve had a tupperware container full of coconut creme pie hanging out in the fridge for… Oh… about 5 weeks.  It’s always there, just like an old friend.  But tonight I was cleaning out the fridge of any food that might go bad in the 10 days that we’ll be gone to Portland. Fish… good! Pasta… good! So why should the pie be any different? First bite… good! Second… Great! Last bite… Soul crushing bitter mold taste! YUMMERS!!

Later!

Bart's People: North Carolina Wrestlers

Life, Randomness

Sunday Sunday SundayI really wish I could have a better picture of this sign. It’s an advertisement for the “Superior Wrestling League” event that was actually happening that night. We should have skipped the driving back to Virginia to see Mr. Sexy take on Curtis Cline. They obviously have a relaxed definition of “Sexy” down in NC. The undercard matches look awesome… we missed out.