Today, i did my civil duty and attended jury duty.
Like last time i made it to the bonus round. Luckily, i didn't make it to the lightning round. Either the lawyers or the judge didn't think that i was what they were looking for in a juror. I think my engineering background had a lot to do with it. I was never asked a question directly...and i'm sure if i would've i would've told them how ridiculous their line of questioning is.
First of all...lawyers and engineers think completely different! And that's a good thing. You see, with engineers we ask yes and no question and give yes and no answers. Rarely do we give "grey" answers...or a politician's answer. Because we deal with tangibles. Math is never wrong. Humans are...
Anyway, the lawyers kept asking ridiculous hypothetical nonsensical questions to see how you act, react, deliver verdict, etc in these hypothetical situations. Too many assumptions are made and too many variables are not named. The questions that were asked were not yes or no answer type questions...yet, that's what they wanted to hear, yes or no. Well, it depends...was not an acceptable answer. And from this line of questioning, 12 jurors are selected.
It is my belief that laws are written so that lawyers will have jobs. I'll focus on one example. I was on a jury panel for a murder case today. It is the State D.A.'s job to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the accused did, in fact, commit murder or did knowingly commit an act to inflict bodily harm...or something like that. What the hell does "beyond a reasonable doubt" mean? The lawyers and judge tried to clarify...must prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" , not "beyond all doubt" or not "beyond a shadow of a doubt", but "beyond a reasonable doubt." Huh? Then the judge said that "we" aren't going to define "beyond a reasonable doubt" for you...that is up to you. Ok me thinks if there was a standard definition, then perhaps the interpretations could be kept to a minimum. At least that's what we try to do with our flight rules...although sometimes, there are a lot of grey areas that are left up to interpretation...
Ugh.
Well...bottom line is i was not selected as a juror...probably because of the thinking stated above. I'd be useless...and probably delay deliberations...or hang the jury...i think they made the right choice.
You're next...
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Please Meet...
...Delilah!
This is the same link you've seen before (i don't have any new pictures, yet)
I had originally planned to reveal her name once she was wearing her personalized accessories. Due to a mix up, she won't get her license plates for another 2-3 weeks. So, Delilah will have to wear her paper tags a little bit longer.
Thanks Carla for helping out with the naming. I know i tossed out a lot of names. The funny thing is that Delilah did come across my mind early on...but i didn't think it would work at that time. Tarik had the perfect description for her, "She's slutty, but you can still bring her home." Perfect! Absolutely perfect description.
She is so much fun! Every time i see her it brings a smile to my face. It's one of those relationships where you turn to take one last peek before you go out of visual range.
There are so many neat things that Delilah has to offer that it would take me quite a while to go through each feature. I'll do what i can, but i may gloss over some things...simply because i either haven't used it yet, or i haven't learned how to use it yet.
Starting with her external beauty...she sits proudly...poised as if she is ready to strike at any moment. She looks fast sitting still. She's not tall...but she's not short either. She looks stunning from any angle. She looks deceptive from the front...but as soon as you break off from the front view, it rapidly becomes obvious she isn't a car. She isn't an SUV. She's unique. Today she is a bit dirty. She needs another bath.
As i approach her, she welcomes me by turning on a series of internal lights as well as a "puddle" light. The puddle light illuminates the ground on the driver's side. Of course you can only see this at night, but i know she does it every time.
With the intelligent key fob, i don't even need to take the keys out of my pocket. I simply adore this feature. I just walk up to her, press the button on the door handle and presto, the door unlocks and i am granted access to the cockpit. This is actually quite useful, if my hands are otherwise occupied.
Now for her interior beauty. I slip into the driver's seat without a though of having to collapse a limp or fold this way or that. Delilah's seating areas are covered in a supple leather. Not overly hard, nor overly soft. Very comfortable. The seats envelop you much like a kimono (not that i've ever tried on a kimono, but that is what the seats were designed to look like). The driver's seat has 8-way adjustability including lumbar support. My lucky passenger has 4-way adjustability for their comfort. For those cool winter months (notice i didn't use cold...) the seats can be heated for your comfort.
The black lacquer center console is the focal point. It contains the climate control system, stereo functions, and a color LCD for everything else. There are also black lacquer accents on the doors. The 3 spoke steering wheel has some stereo and safety controls as well as cruise control and voice and bluetooth controls.
Just to the left of the center console is the push to start button. I absolutely love this little gimmick. May i remind you that my key fob is still in my pocket. A push of the button, and Delilah lets out a soft throaty growl and then continues to purr...eager for a chance to stretch her legs. As Delilah starts to purr, the steering wheel, seat and mirrors move to a preset position...the perfect position for me. There is another preset available if i ever let anyone else drive her. After a few seconds...Delilah is ready for the road.
The LCD lights up ready for any commands from the driver. Delilah has a navigation system built in. She knows where she is within a few seconds. She will plot the course to the next destination if i choose to let her. Most days, she just keeps track of the current position. The integrated iPod connection allows me to control my iPod from the steering wheel...or from the touch screen LCD. The tunes are pumped out through an 11 speaker Bose premium stereo system featuring a Burr-Brown 24-bit DAC system. The Burr-Brown 24-bit DAC system allows me to change the output of the speakers so that it envelops me, the driver. The center of the speakers would be the driver's position. If carrying passengers, i can turn that feature off to allow my passengers equal opportunity to enjoy the tunes. You see, the Burr-Brown system optimizes the sound for the driver, when enabled. The tunes are not as balanced in other locations in the car when this functionality is enabled.
With the LCD, i can also monitor the climate control system, maintenance schedules, gas mileage information, saved addresses and phone numbers, traffic information, stereo and XM radio information, as well as any of the settings associated with Delilah's vast personality. Oh...and one other thing...camera views.
When i'm ready to let Delilah stretch her legs, i place the car into reverse and the camera views pop up. Delilah is equipped with the industry's first all around view camera system. Four wide angle lens cameras (front, left side mirror, rear, and right side mirror) are displayed on half of the LCD. The 4 combined images create a 360 degree view around Delilah. This feature is perhaps the coolest feature on the car. This is the ultimate in a car safety feature. The blind spots are nearly eliminated with this system. And just to be safe, there are sensors on the four corners of the car to alert me when i'm getting too close to an object. It takes too many words to describe the camera system...you have to see it for yourself.
Delilah has 3 different drive options...when i throw the aluminum and leather wrapped shift knob straight back, she is in the standard automatic configuration. In this configuration, the car is tuned for optimum gas mileage and standard automatic RPM sequencing. If i'm feeling a little more sporty, i can throw the shift knob to the left into the sport mode. In this mode, the car will hold the RPMs just a little longer and perform downshift matching for taking those corners and hills. This is the mode that Delilah spends most of her time in. If i need a little more control, i can control the gears. When in the sport mode (back and to the left) if i push forward i'll advance a gear. When i push rearward, i will downshift a gear. Unlike some manumatic cars when the revs get too high, the car automatically shifts to the next gear. Delilah does not. I can push her to redline if i wanted. I'm still learning this feature, for i still have the standard shift sequence ingrained in my brain (1st, 3rd, and 5th gears are forward and 2nd and 4th are back). The few times i tried this feature out, i was trying to shift to second using the standard method...but this only keeps me in 1st gear...needless to say, the revs got pretty high...but not near redline. Oh, and Delilah let out a nice little growl. With the manual mode, Delilah will jump from a stand still and throw you back in the seat. She has a 297HP purr box underneath the hood. She's no slouch. I did find that there is some lag when switching gears in the manual mode. Not as quick as a true manual. But for everyday driving, this isn't an issue. Still a lot of fun.
The ride is relatively smooth. The 18's that she wears seem to stick to the road fairly well...even in the turns. She doesn't carry a sport suspension, so there is a bit more comfort than a typical sports car. She seems to react quickly to steering inputs without a lot of body roll. It's hard for me to make a comparison since Petey had a slightly higher CG. Petey, however, sat a little lower to the ground and didn't have much body roll either.
Once on an open stretch of road, i can set the adaptive cruise control to match the car in front of me. Ever get annoyed by the car in front of you slowing down, speeding up, slowing down...always making you change your speed. Well...i'd just drop into manual mode and pass that idiot, but if i wanted, i could lock on to that car and Delilah will monitor the distance between us and that car and maintain that distance. It's a nifty feature, but the few times i've used it i've been going faster than the car in front of me and i end up slowing down (no mom, these cars were going slower than the speed limit.) I suppose on that long stretch of road it would be useful...especially in a caravan.
Another feature that i haven't used much is the lane departure warning system. There is a camera mounted at the roof line that monitors the lane markings (if they are visible enough). If Delilah starts to drift over the line, she will correct herself by applying a yawing brake on the opposite side wheels. This will bring you back within the lane markers. Of course if the drift rate is too high, there isn't anything that Delilah can do for you other than beep at you. I know i could've used this feature on a few of those long distance trips (california to texas and texas to alabama).
Acceleration is rather smooth and as previously mentioned, will throw you back in your seat. Of course, it's nothing like Tessa (Josh's Mustang). She'll go from the 60s to the 90s in no time flat. My mom can attest to that. She's got big brakes too. She will stop in no time flat. In fact, i had to learn her braking sensitivity. If i used the same pressure to stop Delilah as i used with Petey people would be doing face plants into the dashboard...or into the back of the seats. It was almost embarrassing during the test drives.
Visibility is pretty good. Although, i think because i had some fairly large blind spots with Petey, i'm accustomed to the limited visibility cars. But nothing a simple head turn won't fix.
There is enough room behind the rear seats to carry my band stuff (which was a prerequisite before buying her). I can fit my two main guitars and my effects board in the back with room to spare. I may be upgrading to a road case for my effects board...and this may require more room to store it. However,if i need more room, i just push a button (or two) and the rear seats automatically fold down. This will allow Delilah to carry more than her G35 brother...or any sedan/coupe out there. I still think Petey could've carried more, but i was willing to give up a little cargo space for this ride.
When it's dark outside, the xenon lights illuminate Delilah's path. Yep, i am one of those vehicles you love to hate. But i must say, the amount of illumination is amazing. i do notice that the left light beam is slightly lower than the right...there is at least an attempt not to blind passing vehicles. Also, the headlights are self-leveling...meaning they should never be out of whack. I've also noticed that the most intense part of the beam is below the windshield line for the car in front on me...again, trying not to blind them. When turning the adaptive front lighting system will turn the headlights 15 degrees to the left and 17 degrees to the right to illuminate the path ahead. I thought this was a bogus feature, but sure enough, it does make a difference when turning. Who knew...
When i arrive at my final destination, i usually switch over to the camera mode so that i can see that i'm pefectly between the lines and have plenty of room on either side of me. I'm trying to avoid the door ding abuse that Petey suffered. The camera system helps out with getting me as centered as possible. At any location, i try to park on the end spot...so i'm at least protected on one side from those pesky door dings. Some people are just rude!
A single button push and Delilah shuts down for a rest. The seat slides back, the steering wheel lifts out of the way and out i step. Close the door behind me and push the little button on the door handle and Delilah locks up tight. No need to tough the key fob in my pocket. It's so awesome!
For those hot days here in Houston, i can actually roll down the windows as i approach Delilah. That requires me to actually reach into my pocket and press the button on the key fob. But if it lets the heat roll out, i don't mind doing that. The tinted windows should keep Delilah a little cooler inside. If the windows don't let enough heat out, i can always open the moon roof.
Let's see, there are quite a few things that i haven't gone into detail about...simply because i haven't used it yet...bluetooth, voice commands for navigation, phone, and climate control. Delilah has a tire pressure monitoring system, vehicle dynamics control, ABS brakes, and a whole host of other items.
Bottom line...she's an all around blast!! In those famous word's of Tarik, "She's slutty, but you can still take her home"
So, say hello to Delilah when you see her...
 |
| Infiniti EX35 |
This is the same link you've seen before (i don't have any new pictures, yet)
I had originally planned to reveal her name once she was wearing her personalized accessories. Due to a mix up, she won't get her license plates for another 2-3 weeks. So, Delilah will have to wear her paper tags a little bit longer.
Thanks Carla for helping out with the naming. I know i tossed out a lot of names. The funny thing is that Delilah did come across my mind early on...but i didn't think it would work at that time. Tarik had the perfect description for her, "She's slutty, but you can still bring her home." Perfect! Absolutely perfect description.
She is so much fun! Every time i see her it brings a smile to my face. It's one of those relationships where you turn to take one last peek before you go out of visual range.
There are so many neat things that Delilah has to offer that it would take me quite a while to go through each feature. I'll do what i can, but i may gloss over some things...simply because i either haven't used it yet, or i haven't learned how to use it yet.
Starting with her external beauty...she sits proudly...poised as if she is ready to strike at any moment. She looks fast sitting still. She's not tall...but she's not short either. She looks stunning from any angle. She looks deceptive from the front...but as soon as you break off from the front view, it rapidly becomes obvious she isn't a car. She isn't an SUV. She's unique. Today she is a bit dirty. She needs another bath.
As i approach her, she welcomes me by turning on a series of internal lights as well as a "puddle" light. The puddle light illuminates the ground on the driver's side. Of course you can only see this at night, but i know she does it every time.
With the intelligent key fob, i don't even need to take the keys out of my pocket. I simply adore this feature. I just walk up to her, press the button on the door handle and presto, the door unlocks and i am granted access to the cockpit. This is actually quite useful, if my hands are otherwise occupied.
Now for her interior beauty. I slip into the driver's seat without a though of having to collapse a limp or fold this way or that. Delilah's seating areas are covered in a supple leather. Not overly hard, nor overly soft. Very comfortable. The seats envelop you much like a kimono (not that i've ever tried on a kimono, but that is what the seats were designed to look like). The driver's seat has 8-way adjustability including lumbar support. My lucky passenger has 4-way adjustability for their comfort. For those cool winter months (notice i didn't use cold...) the seats can be heated for your comfort.
The black lacquer center console is the focal point. It contains the climate control system, stereo functions, and a color LCD for everything else. There are also black lacquer accents on the doors. The 3 spoke steering wheel has some stereo and safety controls as well as cruise control and voice and bluetooth controls.
Just to the left of the center console is the push to start button. I absolutely love this little gimmick. May i remind you that my key fob is still in my pocket. A push of the button, and Delilah lets out a soft throaty growl and then continues to purr...eager for a chance to stretch her legs. As Delilah starts to purr, the steering wheel, seat and mirrors move to a preset position...the perfect position for me. There is another preset available if i ever let anyone else drive her. After a few seconds...Delilah is ready for the road.
The LCD lights up ready for any commands from the driver. Delilah has a navigation system built in. She knows where she is within a few seconds. She will plot the course to the next destination if i choose to let her. Most days, she just keeps track of the current position. The integrated iPod connection allows me to control my iPod from the steering wheel...or from the touch screen LCD. The tunes are pumped out through an 11 speaker Bose premium stereo system featuring a Burr-Brown 24-bit DAC system. The Burr-Brown 24-bit DAC system allows me to change the output of the speakers so that it envelops me, the driver. The center of the speakers would be the driver's position. If carrying passengers, i can turn that feature off to allow my passengers equal opportunity to enjoy the tunes. You see, the Burr-Brown system optimizes the sound for the driver, when enabled. The tunes are not as balanced in other locations in the car when this functionality is enabled.
With the LCD, i can also monitor the climate control system, maintenance schedules, gas mileage information, saved addresses and phone numbers, traffic information, stereo and XM radio information, as well as any of the settings associated with Delilah's vast personality. Oh...and one other thing...camera views.
When i'm ready to let Delilah stretch her legs, i place the car into reverse and the camera views pop up. Delilah is equipped with the industry's first all around view camera system. Four wide angle lens cameras (front, left side mirror, rear, and right side mirror) are displayed on half of the LCD. The 4 combined images create a 360 degree view around Delilah. This feature is perhaps the coolest feature on the car. This is the ultimate in a car safety feature. The blind spots are nearly eliminated with this system. And just to be safe, there are sensors on the four corners of the car to alert me when i'm getting too close to an object. It takes too many words to describe the camera system...you have to see it for yourself.
Delilah has 3 different drive options...when i throw the aluminum and leather wrapped shift knob straight back, she is in the standard automatic configuration. In this configuration, the car is tuned for optimum gas mileage and standard automatic RPM sequencing. If i'm feeling a little more sporty, i can throw the shift knob to the left into the sport mode. In this mode, the car will hold the RPMs just a little longer and perform downshift matching for taking those corners and hills. This is the mode that Delilah spends most of her time in. If i need a little more control, i can control the gears. When in the sport mode (back and to the left) if i push forward i'll advance a gear. When i push rearward, i will downshift a gear. Unlike some manumatic cars when the revs get too high, the car automatically shifts to the next gear. Delilah does not. I can push her to redline if i wanted. I'm still learning this feature, for i still have the standard shift sequence ingrained in my brain (1st, 3rd, and 5th gears are forward and 2nd and 4th are back). The few times i tried this feature out, i was trying to shift to second using the standard method...but this only keeps me in 1st gear...needless to say, the revs got pretty high...but not near redline. Oh, and Delilah let out a nice little growl. With the manual mode, Delilah will jump from a stand still and throw you back in the seat. She has a 297HP purr box underneath the hood. She's no slouch. I did find that there is some lag when switching gears in the manual mode. Not as quick as a true manual. But for everyday driving, this isn't an issue. Still a lot of fun.
The ride is relatively smooth. The 18's that she wears seem to stick to the road fairly well...even in the turns. She doesn't carry a sport suspension, so there is a bit more comfort than a typical sports car. She seems to react quickly to steering inputs without a lot of body roll. It's hard for me to make a comparison since Petey had a slightly higher CG. Petey, however, sat a little lower to the ground and didn't have much body roll either.
Once on an open stretch of road, i can set the adaptive cruise control to match the car in front of me. Ever get annoyed by the car in front of you slowing down, speeding up, slowing down...always making you change your speed. Well...i'd just drop into manual mode and pass that idiot, but if i wanted, i could lock on to that car and Delilah will monitor the distance between us and that car and maintain that distance. It's a nifty feature, but the few times i've used it i've been going faster than the car in front of me and i end up slowing down (no mom, these cars were going slower than the speed limit.) I suppose on that long stretch of road it would be useful...especially in a caravan.
Another feature that i haven't used much is the lane departure warning system. There is a camera mounted at the roof line that monitors the lane markings (if they are visible enough). If Delilah starts to drift over the line, she will correct herself by applying a yawing brake on the opposite side wheels. This will bring you back within the lane markers. Of course if the drift rate is too high, there isn't anything that Delilah can do for you other than beep at you. I know i could've used this feature on a few of those long distance trips (california to texas and texas to alabama).
Acceleration is rather smooth and as previously mentioned, will throw you back in your seat. Of course, it's nothing like Tessa (Josh's Mustang). She'll go from the 60s to the 90s in no time flat. My mom can attest to that. She's got big brakes too. She will stop in no time flat. In fact, i had to learn her braking sensitivity. If i used the same pressure to stop Delilah as i used with Petey people would be doing face plants into the dashboard...or into the back of the seats. It was almost embarrassing during the test drives.
Visibility is pretty good. Although, i think because i had some fairly large blind spots with Petey, i'm accustomed to the limited visibility cars. But nothing a simple head turn won't fix.
There is enough room behind the rear seats to carry my band stuff (which was a prerequisite before buying her). I can fit my two main guitars and my effects board in the back with room to spare. I may be upgrading to a road case for my effects board...and this may require more room to store it. However,if i need more room, i just push a button (or two) and the rear seats automatically fold down. This will allow Delilah to carry more than her G35 brother...or any sedan/coupe out there. I still think Petey could've carried more, but i was willing to give up a little cargo space for this ride.
When it's dark outside, the xenon lights illuminate Delilah's path. Yep, i am one of those vehicles you love to hate. But i must say, the amount of illumination is amazing. i do notice that the left light beam is slightly lower than the right...there is at least an attempt not to blind passing vehicles. Also, the headlights are self-leveling...meaning they should never be out of whack. I've also noticed that the most intense part of the beam is below the windshield line for the car in front on me...again, trying not to blind them. When turning the adaptive front lighting system will turn the headlights 15 degrees to the left and 17 degrees to the right to illuminate the path ahead. I thought this was a bogus feature, but sure enough, it does make a difference when turning. Who knew...
When i arrive at my final destination, i usually switch over to the camera mode so that i can see that i'm pefectly between the lines and have plenty of room on either side of me. I'm trying to avoid the door ding abuse that Petey suffered. The camera system helps out with getting me as centered as possible. At any location, i try to park on the end spot...so i'm at least protected on one side from those pesky door dings. Some people are just rude!
A single button push and Delilah shuts down for a rest. The seat slides back, the steering wheel lifts out of the way and out i step. Close the door behind me and push the little button on the door handle and Delilah locks up tight. No need to tough the key fob in my pocket. It's so awesome!
For those hot days here in Houston, i can actually roll down the windows as i approach Delilah. That requires me to actually reach into my pocket and press the button on the key fob. But if it lets the heat roll out, i don't mind doing that. The tinted windows should keep Delilah a little cooler inside. If the windows don't let enough heat out, i can always open the moon roof.
Let's see, there are quite a few things that i haven't gone into detail about...simply because i haven't used it yet...bluetooth, voice commands for navigation, phone, and climate control. Delilah has a tire pressure monitoring system, vehicle dynamics control, ABS brakes, and a whole host of other items.
Bottom line...she's an all around blast!! In those famous word's of Tarik, "She's slutty, but you can still take her home"
So, say hello to Delilah when you see her...
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Horelica House of Music Edition 23
Ok...i know i promised you a post about the new girl, her name, and driving impressions. It'll be here soon. I'm actually waiting on the registration sticker to come in so that i can put the license plates on her. I will reveal her name to you when she gets her plates. That should be soon...as my paper plates expire on saturday. If i don't have the sticker in by tomorrow, i'll have to make a trip to the infiniti dealer to get my paper plates extended.
In the mean time...
Here is the latest edition of the Horelica House of Music.
I know you missed it.
A friend of mine produced this little piece. You can read more about it here.
And to keep in spirit with the seemingly religious theme here is...
I know, Godsmack isn't religious at all...but it seem to fit. Ben always says he wish he could find a vocalist like Sully for the Finding Reason sound. Somehow, i don't think Sully is going to leave Godsmack for Finding Reason. hehe.
I've been extremely busy as of late. Off playing football or getting awards or celebrating the end of a mission. Tonight was the first night that i actually spent at home. This was also my first time in the studio in quite some time. I'm happy to report that i haven't atrophied everything. In fact, i think i did a little better tonight than my last session in here. I think May is going to be the month. I hope May will be the month! Stay tuned...
In the mean time...
Here is the latest edition of the Horelica House of Music.
I know you missed it.
A friend of mine produced this little piece. You can read more about it here.
And to keep in spirit with the seemingly religious theme here is...
I know, Godsmack isn't religious at all...but it seem to fit. Ben always says he wish he could find a vocalist like Sully for the Finding Reason sound. Somehow, i don't think Sully is going to leave Godsmack for Finding Reason. hehe.
I've been extremely busy as of late. Off playing football or getting awards or celebrating the end of a mission. Tonight was the first night that i actually spent at home. This was also my first time in the studio in quite some time. I'm happy to report that i haven't atrophied everything. In fact, i think i did a little better tonight than my last session in here. I think May is going to be the month. I hope May will be the month! Stay tuned...
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Coming Soon
Ok...i'm not doing as well as i used to with these blogs. But there will be a post coming soon about the new girl. What is her name? What are my impressions? yadda yadda...
And there might be a new Horelica House of Music in the works too.
I know, you are biting your fingernails anxiously awaiting the next installment with content. Soon. Very soon.
And there might be a new Horelica House of Music in the works too.
I know, you are biting your fingernails anxiously awaiting the next installment with content. Soon. Very soon.
Monday, March 17, 2008
I know.
I know. you've been looking for something to read here. I've been quite busy lately and, well, just a little lazy. And i've been preoccupied with the new girl.
She's a blast. She got her first bath on friday. She sure looked shiny and fast. Unfortunately, she's dirty again. All the pollen is marring her near perfect finish. Oh well. She got her first fill-up today. It was considerably more expensive than Petey. But she's got a bigger tank and drinks premium. So, i expected that.
On my way to my parents this weekend, i pulled up to a stop light. A car pulled up next to me and honked the horn. I looked over to see both the driver and passenger motioning me to roll down the window. They were ogling over my girl. Wanted to know what kind of car it was and how fast it'll go, etc. They also supplied me with many compliments on my slick new ride. The light turned green and off we went. At the next stop light, again, i heard a honk. Again, the same couple wanted to ask me questions about the girl. I think they were awed by her. Ahhh...i like that sort of attention. She is definitely a head turner.
I turned 32 this past weekend. The celebration was rather low-key. Thanks to all those who called or sent cards, emails, or gifts. They were all appreciated.
Had rockstar practice tonight. It wasn't a good practice for me at all. I don't know where my head was, but i just couldn't make it work very well tonight. So frustrating! I'll just go back into the studio and work just a bit longer than previously. Sometimes i wonder what the hell i'm doing...
Well, that about sums up the last few days. I'll try to get here more often, but i'm not promising anything.
She's a blast. She got her first bath on friday. She sure looked shiny and fast. Unfortunately, she's dirty again. All the pollen is marring her near perfect finish. Oh well. She got her first fill-up today. It was considerably more expensive than Petey. But she's got a bigger tank and drinks premium. So, i expected that.
On my way to my parents this weekend, i pulled up to a stop light. A car pulled up next to me and honked the horn. I looked over to see both the driver and passenger motioning me to roll down the window. They were ogling over my girl. Wanted to know what kind of car it was and how fast it'll go, etc. They also supplied me with many compliments on my slick new ride. The light turned green and off we went. At the next stop light, again, i heard a honk. Again, the same couple wanted to ask me questions about the girl. I think they were awed by her. Ahhh...i like that sort of attention. She is definitely a head turner.
I turned 32 this past weekend. The celebration was rather low-key. Thanks to all those who called or sent cards, emails, or gifts. They were all appreciated.
Had rockstar practice tonight. It wasn't a good practice for me at all. I don't know where my head was, but i just couldn't make it work very well tonight. So frustrating! I'll just go back into the studio and work just a bit longer than previously. Sometimes i wonder what the hell i'm doing...
Well, that about sums up the last few days. I'll try to get here more often, but i'm not promising anything.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
All in a Day...
It's amazing what you can get done when you have the time.
Here's a quick rundown of my day.
1) Went to pick up my vacuum cleaner that i loaned to Erin.
2) Went to Lowes to get some things for the house (weed & feed and air filters).
3) Spun by Best Buy to look at new cell phones
4) Spun by the maul and did a little shopping (bought a black fitted shirt (from Banana Republic), and black khakis (from the Gap)) I went by Dillard's but couldn't decided what to buy with my gift card. thought about a new tie, then thought about a new shirt, then thought about new cologne, then though about new underwear. I walked away cause i couldn't decide. I'll have to make a return trip.
5) Got home and did some yard work. Mowed my back yard (shirtless...i spared the neighborhood from blindness). Put down the weed & feed
6) blew out my garage. where does all that crap come from?
7) Replaced my air filters
8) Took a shower
9) ...and now i'm doing laundry.
I still have much to do. I guess i'll finish all my stuff tomorrow.
I think the girl gets a bath on Friday (i think it's supposed to rain tomorrow.)
Here's a quick rundown of my day.
1) Went to pick up my vacuum cleaner that i loaned to Erin.
2) Went to Lowes to get some things for the house (weed & feed and air filters).
3) Spun by Best Buy to look at new cell phones
4) Spun by the maul and did a little shopping (bought a black fitted shirt (from Banana Republic), and black khakis (from the Gap)) I went by Dillard's but couldn't decided what to buy with my gift card. thought about a new tie, then thought about a new shirt, then thought about new cologne, then though about new underwear. I walked away cause i couldn't decide. I'll have to make a return trip.
5) Got home and did some yard work. Mowed my back yard (shirtless...i spared the neighborhood from blindness). Put down the weed & feed
6) blew out my garage. where does all that crap come from?
7) Replaced my air filters
8) Took a shower
9) ...and now i'm doing laundry.
I still have much to do. I guess i'll finish all my stuff tomorrow.
I think the girl gets a bath on Friday (i think it's supposed to rain tomorrow.)
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
What You've Been Waiting For...
Ok...i finally found some time to take some additional pictures and get them posted for your viewing pleasure. She's needs a bath. Yesterday's rain storm marred her perfect clean image. Again, the pictures aren't the greatest...just didn't have the right lighting. I'll add to this album as i get more and more pictures.
 |
| Infiniti EX35 |
Saturday, March 08, 2008
My New Girl
Ha! Perhaps I fooled you again? Perhaps not?
Well here she is. I can’t formally introduce you to her yet, fore she doesn’t have a name. I need a little time to see what her personality is going to be like.
Sadly, I haven’t spent much time with her yet, but we get along great! I see great things in the future!
Here are some her stats:
297HP V6 Engine
Rear wheel drive
5-speed A/T with manual shift mode and Down shift rev matching
Power folding rear seats
8-spoke 18 x 8.0-inch alloy wheels
Rear integrated spoiler
Scratch shield paint
LED taillights
Intelligent key with push button ignition
8-way power driver’s seat
Black lacquer and aluminum trim
In addition to those stats, she comes with the following packages:
Premium package
Technology package
Navigation package
Luxe Style package
For more info on the packages, click here.
I’ll be posting some pictures to a picasa folder in the near future (i.e. probably next week sometime)
The buying experience:
I was satisfied with the way infiniti treated me. Justin, my sales guy, was pretty knowledgeable with the product and did a good job answering my questions. Yet, i still left with that slimy-gross-I-need-to-take-a-shower-to-cleanse-my-body-of-the-I-have-
just-been-taken-advantage-of-feeling. Maybe it is just my distrust of car salesmen, insurance companies, and circus clowns…actually, I have nothing against circus clowns. But, honestly, I don’t think I was cheated too bad. I didn’t pay MSPR, but did get as low as I wanted on the price of the car. However, with my trade in (an ode to Petey post may follow), and a good financing rate, I was able to meet my goals for this purchase.
I got a dose of the never-heard-that-happening-befores with this buying experience. As any sensible buyer would do before buying a car is to arm oneself with as much information as possible. This includes getting at least one quote from another source on your trade in. Usually the best place to get that quote done is Carmax. It has been my experience that Carmax usually offers the best money for your trade in. Dealers usually low ball you so that they inflate their profit margins (one reason I get that slimy-gross-I-need-to-take-a-shower-to-cleanse-my-body-of-the-I-have-
just-been-taken-advantage-of-feeling.) Not so this case. The dealer actually gave me more for my trade in than Carmax…and this is before the tax credit.
The deal was almost a no go…because they wouldn’t budge on the price of the car. But I asked them to appraise Petey just to see what I could get for him. I never told them the value that Carmax had given me, not 40 minutes earlier. When I got the appraisal, I was shocked. The salesman was shocked. Infiniti gave me $500 more for my trade in than Carmax. BTW, the salesman was shocked before I told him that they just beat Carmax’s offer. As I type this, I’m wonderin’ if there was some shady deal goin’ down that I didn’t know about? At any rate, the extra $500 actually was closer to $800-900. You see, I get a tax credit by trading in at the dealer…lowers the final taxable price of the car. Also, I wasn’t charged a fee (well, maybe I was, I just didn’t see the cost) for selling the vehicle to infiniti. At Carmax there is about $150 fee for all the paper work…and this, of course, comes out of your quoted price.
When I heard the trade in value they were giving me, I quickly did some head-calculation and decided I’d go for it. With nothing down, and only my trade in, drive out was just below what I wanted to pay. I wanted to put a sizable chunk down on the car (at least 20%) but I had to move some money around. Unfortunately, it takes a few days for the money to show up in my account. They weren’t willing to wait for that, so we worked another deal. JSC FCU was offering the same rate on a 72 month loan as a 60 month loan. The good news is that there is no prepay penalties. So, what I am going to do is put what would’ve been my down payment towards principle on that first payment. This alone will knock off 15 or 16 months. And I most likely will pay more each month to principle. I’d like to have this thing paid off in about 48 months…or sooner, if I can.
So, long story short, I’ve got a new girl…and I like her A LOT!
Well here she is. I can’t formally introduce you to her yet, fore she doesn’t have a name. I need a little time to see what her personality is going to be like.
Sadly, I haven’t spent much time with her yet, but we get along great! I see great things in the future!
Here are some her stats:
297HP V6 Engine
Rear wheel drive
5-speed A/T with manual shift mode and Down shift rev matching
Power folding rear seats
8-spoke 18 x 8.0-inch alloy wheels
Rear integrated spoiler
Scratch shield paint
LED taillights
Intelligent key with push button ignition
8-way power driver’s seat
Black lacquer and aluminum trim
In addition to those stats, she comes with the following packages:
Premium package
Technology package
Navigation package
Luxe Style package
For more info on the packages, click here.
I’ll be posting some pictures to a picasa folder in the near future (i.e. probably next week sometime)
The buying experience:
I was satisfied with the way infiniti treated me. Justin, my sales guy, was pretty knowledgeable with the product and did a good job answering my questions. Yet, i still left with that slimy-gross-I-need-to-take-a-shower-to-cleanse-my-body-of-the-I-have-
just-been-taken-advantage-of-feeling. Maybe it is just my distrust of car salesmen, insurance companies, and circus clowns…actually, I have nothing against circus clowns. But, honestly, I don’t think I was cheated too bad. I didn’t pay MSPR, but did get as low as I wanted on the price of the car. However, with my trade in (an ode to Petey post may follow), and a good financing rate, I was able to meet my goals for this purchase.
I got a dose of the never-heard-that-happening-befores with this buying experience. As any sensible buyer would do before buying a car is to arm oneself with as much information as possible. This includes getting at least one quote from another source on your trade in. Usually the best place to get that quote done is Carmax. It has been my experience that Carmax usually offers the best money for your trade in. Dealers usually low ball you so that they inflate their profit margins (one reason I get that slimy-gross-I-need-to-take-a-shower-to-cleanse-my-body-of-the-I-have-
just-been-taken-advantage-of-feeling.) Not so this case. The dealer actually gave me more for my trade in than Carmax…and this is before the tax credit.
The deal was almost a no go…because they wouldn’t budge on the price of the car. But I asked them to appraise Petey just to see what I could get for him. I never told them the value that Carmax had given me, not 40 minutes earlier. When I got the appraisal, I was shocked. The salesman was shocked. Infiniti gave me $500 more for my trade in than Carmax. BTW, the salesman was shocked before I told him that they just beat Carmax’s offer. As I type this, I’m wonderin’ if there was some shady deal goin’ down that I didn’t know about? At any rate, the extra $500 actually was closer to $800-900. You see, I get a tax credit by trading in at the dealer…lowers the final taxable price of the car. Also, I wasn’t charged a fee (well, maybe I was, I just didn’t see the cost) for selling the vehicle to infiniti. At Carmax there is about $150 fee for all the paper work…and this, of course, comes out of your quoted price.
When I heard the trade in value they were giving me, I quickly did some head-calculation and decided I’d go for it. With nothing down, and only my trade in, drive out was just below what I wanted to pay. I wanted to put a sizable chunk down on the car (at least 20%) but I had to move some money around. Unfortunately, it takes a few days for the money to show up in my account. They weren’t willing to wait for that, so we worked another deal. JSC FCU was offering the same rate on a 72 month loan as a 60 month loan. The good news is that there is no prepay penalties. So, what I am going to do is put what would’ve been my down payment towards principle on that first payment. This alone will knock off 15 or 16 months. And I most likely will pay more each month to principle. I’d like to have this thing paid off in about 48 months…or sooner, if I can.
So, long story short, I’ve got a new girl…and I like her A LOT!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Image of Time
Sometimes it's a blur...and sometimes it's a crystal clear still frame. Half of the time we are hoping that time speeds up. The other half of the time we are hoping that time stands still. But the kicker is is that time is unchanging. constant. absolute. More or less.
In the midst of writing something tonight, i looked up and noticed that it was nearly 10pm. When did that happen? I have so much to do. In some regards, i have plenty of time to do it. And in others, not so much time.
And then there is timing. Good timing. Bad timing. I'm usually on the bad timing end of the spectrum. But given enough patience, bad timing can be adjusted.
I'll leave you with something (perhaps a lyric in a future song) i wrote once upon a time:
When tomorrow becomes yesterday...
In the midst of writing something tonight, i looked up and noticed that it was nearly 10pm. When did that happen? I have so much to do. In some regards, i have plenty of time to do it. And in others, not so much time.
And then there is timing. Good timing. Bad timing. I'm usually on the bad timing end of the spectrum. But given enough patience, bad timing can be adjusted.
I'll leave you with something (perhaps a lyric in a future song) i wrote once upon a time:
When tomorrow becomes yesterday...
Caution
Why does it seem to happen that when i work a single shift throughout the week, that something goes wrong...on that single shift? It happened to me tonight. Nearing the end of my shift several cautions went up on the screen. Those cautions were related to my system. Wait. That wasn't supposed to happen. Uh-oh. Those cautions just woke up the crew. Imagine being in a deep sleep...when the phone rings. Don't you hate that? I'm sure the crew didn't appreciate that wake up call.
The failure that occurred tonight wasn't a difficult one to handle. There wasn't anything i could do from my seat. The Russians were able to fix the problem and restore the peace and quiet to the ISS and control rooms. But with nearly 13 hours in the books today, i'm ready to get some sleep.
Goodnight...
The failure that occurred tonight wasn't a difficult one to handle. There wasn't anything i could do from my seat. The Russians were able to fix the problem and restore the peace and quiet to the ISS and control rooms. But with nearly 13 hours in the books today, i'm ready to get some sleep.
Goodnight...
Monday, March 03, 2008
Quick Rehearsal
Yesterday evening Ben and I had a quick rehearsal. We missed our Sunday morning rehearsal...so we tried for Sunday evening. Greg was...um...i dunno where he was. At any rate, we ran through the songs...and for the most part we got through them without too many complications. It's a bit difficult to keep time when there isn't a rhythm section. We did the best we could...it was still good practice though.
Tonight i went into the studio for some additional work. I have put the small guitar down for a while. I need to concentrate on the big boy stuff. There are talks of adding another cover song...we'll see. You can bet that i'll be putting in some quality studio time to make sure i'm ready...or as ready as i can get.
We're not quite ready, but we're getting close. I can't wait. I'm getting anxious...
Tonight i went into the studio for some additional work. I have put the small guitar down for a while. I need to concentrate on the big boy stuff. There are talks of adding another cover song...we'll see. You can bet that i'll be putting in some quality studio time to make sure i'm ready...or as ready as i can get.
We're not quite ready, but we're getting close. I can't wait. I'm getting anxious...
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Neglect
It hasn't been intentional. I've just been preoccupied with other things. good things. Since i did find a spare moment, i figured i'd give you something to read.
I was bad today and didn't touch my guitars. It was somewhat of a stressful day at work so i didn't feel like doing too much after work. Wow, i wish i had more to say, but i just got really tired all of a sudden. Time for some shut-eye.
I was bad today and didn't touch my guitars. It was somewhat of a stressful day at work so i didn't feel like doing too much after work. Wow, i wish i had more to say, but i just got really tired all of a sudden. Time for some shut-eye.
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