Random thoughts, organized and categorized for your consumption.
Crudfest
Oct 17th
I’ve just had one of those weeks where things just don’t seem to be much fun. My job, such as it is, has been stressful and uncertain. I’m running on very little sleep, after a previous weekend of virtually no sleep. I got a few bills that I wasn’t expecting asking for hundreds of dollars. And of course, I keep running into people who turn sour when I’m around.
The world is just filled with crud these days. Joy.
Out with the old… and the new
Sep 21st
Sometimes things get old, dirty, and forgotten. You just have to toss them out. Other times new stuff gets broken and you have no choice but to toss it. Today I had to do both, only it was all RC airplane related. I’m now down to a single flyable airplane, after the total loss of my newest airplane, the spitfire. Why? Lame new batteries. For the second time.
So, rather than complain (who’d of thought?) I’m in the market for a new .60 size plane, and probably some electronics as well. Sucks to be me.
Aircraft ahoy
Sep 16th
I’ve posted my pictures from this past weekend’s air show at Moffett Federal Airfield in Sunnyvale, CA. You can find them here.
Since some amount of people have asked, I shot these pictures with a Canon 10D D-SLR camera, ground shots with a Canon EF 24-85mm USM lens, and air shots with the Canon EF 75-300mm IS USM lens. I happily filled a 512MB compact flash card with the days shots. Enjoy!
Pushy People
Sep 14th
I spent the day at the local air show today (Moffett Air Expo 2003) and ran into some very rude folks. Not just any folks, mind you, but extremely pushy people.
First they put their kids down in front of the people next to me. This is understandable, they are short and need to be close to see the planes. Next, one of the wives moves in, spreading the kids out into two different parties areas. Next, the fathers move in, push all those new arrivals aside, and try to carve out a large area from about 3 parties. I More >
Hot and Hot
Aug 17th
I got to spend a birthday in hot and humid Dallas, TX. Working, too, I might add. I had forgotten how much humidity really sucks and I was blissfully reminded of this fact with three days of exposure to it. How the people in the mid-West and South cope with this issue I’ll never know.
I can say that I had also forgotten just how amazing Texas women are. They are beautiful, well dressed, polite, and just the right amount of sass. If only they could be exported to the female starved CA/BA peninsula I’d be set. For now I’ll have More >
Big Steps
Aug 5th
So I’ve decided to see how much I can scare myself by putting a bid in or a home. When all the costs are final I’m sure it will be the most expensive thing I’ve ever had to write checks for. From what I hear, there are tax benefits somewhere down the line. Funny thing is that all the money out of pocket to get started doesn’t make waiting for a refund/rebate seem feasible.
And before someone asks, no, it isn’t cheaper to live elsewhere and fly in on a daily basis. I checked that math out before I did the More >
Don't Tempt the Reaper
Jul 13th
My hobby reminded me today that it’s all fun and games until someone loses an appendage. In my case it was a slice of my finger and about a pint of blood, according to the bystanders. The prop on one of my planes got two fingers in one pass before I was startled enough to pull them back. I think I’ll be fine again once I get the pain to subside. Oh, and my silver airplane has a nice coat of crimson spots on it now. At least I didn’t lose the fingers… a few others have. Lucky me!
More >News Is Up
Jul 4th
After what seems like an eternity of me procrastinating the newsletter is finally done and posted. If you were unlucky enough not to receive this masterpiece of modern fiction you can view it here. For those of you who did see it, well, you know what to say about it.
While most folks are looking forward to a long weekend for the holiday, I’m looking to spend many hours indoors with 500 gaming fanatics hopped up on caffeine and sleeping underneath tables. They are sleeping there, not me. Just to prove that it isn’t me I’m taking along the new camera More >
The Big Choices
Jun 24th
I’m closing in on a couple of decisions that impact the checkbook in a major way. On top of this I have work going crazy and a bunch of trips coming up. If that weren’t enough I am feeling a bit under the weather. Oh, and T3 opens in a few days. Could it get any more hectic? Really, could it?
Traffic, Heat, and Air travel
May 21st
Having a 5 mile commute to work has its advantages… like not sitting in traffic. Today I had to drive up the peninsula via I-280 to get to Palo Alto. What I got instead of a drive is an extended crawl and park. Now I remember why I didn’t like commuting. Good riddance to that dash dining.
The weather has recently turned warm here. Now by New Orleans standards (I was just there) it isn’t hot, just a comfortable 85F. However, after being in doors all day and coming home to a room full of 83F heat simply isn’t fun. Guess More >