New toy

I bought myself a new toy the other day. I know, it's right after Christmas, but I couldn't help it.

I don't know if you have heard of woot.com, but it's a great site. They have electronic items on sale at a really deep discount, one item a day. I have ordered one thing from them previously. I bought a toilet paper dispenser that has a built in AM/FM radio in it. Random, but sweet, if that gives you any idea of the kind of stuff they have sometimes.

Anyway, their daily item last Friday was night vision monocles. Basically a night vision scope that runs on readily available AA batteries. Completely unnecessary but pretty dang sweet, if you ask me. So, of course, I got all excited about it and bought one. Should be here in a few days, it shipped today. I'll put up some pictures and whatnot when it gets in.


lane

A Giving Season

Ahh, Christmas Day. Forever the hope of little kids and really anybody.

It has been a very relaxed Christmas. My Granny is in town for a few days, which is cool. I don't get to see her that often, especially since Ive been gone for so long. I've just been hanging out all day with the fam, which was fun.

I think my favorite part of Christmas this year was giving my mom her present. I was kind of stuck on what I wanted to give her, so I went downtown and was wandering around, hoping for something to jump out and grab me. It finally did, but not how I expected. I walked past a frame shop and an idea planted itself in my head. I went in, got a frame, went back to my house and grabbed my book of stuff I had drawn in Boston. Next stop: Carra's house for her expertise in helping me frame one of the few drawings I've made that I am happy with. She helped me cut it out and decide that I really should keep the edge of shading on the picture. She was very protective of it, as a matter of fact.

So it was a handmade Christmas present, just like in the olden days of preschool, but it went over pretty well. I made her cry, which was either really good, or really bad. Haha, well, I had fun giving it, and I can only hope she will enjoy it.

Weird (sidebar-I can not for the life of me spell "weird" without spellcheck). As far as I can ever remember, Christmas has been the time I look forward to because I GET something. This is the first time I honestly would not have cared an ounce if I got nothing. I just wanted to give people their gifts. Some kind of growing up thing maybe. Man, I hope not. I like being an irresponsible youth, hellbent on whatever the devil it is young people do these days.


lane

Time?

I have no idea what time it is.

I got back to NC tonight after spending six days in Colorado, which is almost enough time for my body to get used to the time difference. So just to confuse me, I slept in 3 different time zones today. All after sunrise. Got to keep the body guessing, I would hate it if I know what to expect.

Anyway, I'm back with the family now. Gonna hang out with people this week, then its Christmas? That snuck up on somebody. Wait, it snuck up on me, that's who I mean.


lane

I don't think I've done this before...

I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think I have ever been a part of a wedding before, and I am today.

Two of my good friends are gettin hitched this afternoon, and they have asked me to have a part in their wedding. I can't wait, it's the reason I've been in Colorado for the past week, and it doesn't quite seem real that it's actually happening today. I couldn't pick any other people that would be better together, and I pray that they will be blessed together.

I am going to be an usher, and escorting Gwynn's mom, so that makes me feel important, even though all I doing is helping people sit down, which most of them mastered a little while ago. Hopefully I will be able to get some decent pictures of the ceremony, since I've been instructed by several people that I need to bring home pictures.

Also, I had it retaught to me that altitude does weird stuff to your body. I'm at about 9000 feet, and have had all kinds of unexpected stuff happen. Like constant dehydration no matter how much I drink, and a headache that has lasted since Wednesday night. That last one is getting pretty old pretty quick. Oh well, take the bad with the good I guess.


lane

I'm dreaming of a white almost Christmas

I finally got out to Colorado last night after a fun day of travel and several hours of travel delay. I'm real happy to be out here. I am staying(at the moment) with the Suttons in their awesome house, I get to hang out with Jess and Ash, who I haven't seen in like a year, and it is absolutely gorgeous in Colorado. There is snow and horses everywhere, two of my favorite things.

We went out to do some of the wedding prep stuff today, and went to a horse stable to try and obtain a horse for the wedding. While we were there, it started snowing on us, and was very pretty. However, it kept progressing to more and more snow. It turned into real whiteout conditions in about a minute and we had to get back to the car, you know to avoid that whole becoming snowmen thing. That was the most snow I've seen fall in an extremely short period of time. The roads, which had been clear were covered in at least an inch of snow in less than 10 minutes. It readjusted my perception of large amounts of snow. Haha, old North Carolina doesn't really get that sort of thing.


lane

Eskimo much?

Well, I'm in the process of finishing up getting ready to go out to Colorado for a week tomorrow. I'm heading out for a wedding that I'm really excited about. My interns from Crooked Creek two summers ago are getting married, and its going to be very fun. They are some of my favorite folks, so that part is sweet. Also, I get to go to Colorado for a week. Doesn't get much better than that.

However, there is a minor downside. I just checked the forecast for the next week, and did a little math. The average high for the six days I'll be out there is 21 degrees. Sunday the 21, the high is 3. 3 daggum degrees. For those of you who don't know, that is balls stinkin cold. I think I'm going to run around nekkid that day. Oh well, it will be awesome anyways. Haha, I may need to hang out with some Inuits and steal some of their jackets and polar bear hats.


lane

Wonders never cease

Once again, a new feature of Google has been brought to my attention. The newest development I have been informed of is called SketchUp. I haven't had much of a chance to mess with it, but it seems to be a 3D modeling software that is free to all, and hopefully easy enough for folks like me to use.

I feel like every time I turn around, Google comes out with something new and amazing. We should have elected Google for President. That said, I predict Google to take over the world in the next 6 years.


lane

Blast from the past

Ever have one of those moments where you run across something completely forgotten that triggers a whole flood of emotions and memories?

I just had one of those. I was poking around on my bookshelf and found something I hadn't thought about in well over three years. It wasn't something valuable, or important, or anything like that. But all I had to do was see it, and everything I felt the first time I saw it hit me. The same smile, even the same turn in my stomach and slight shakiness of hand that is making it moderately more difficult to type this than it should be.

I believe that is why we hold onto things. Not because something is valuable, or beautiful, but because even the most meaningless bit of rubbish can hold such a wealth of memories to the right person that it could never be bought at any price.

And when the things we treasure become the things that have "value", not the things that make us come alive, is when we die. Life is about so much more than our short years here that it is a pitiful waste of ones time to chase after what one can attain, rather than what is already given.

I love finding meaning and beauty in things I would normally overlook. I feel that is one of God's greatest gifts, but one so often ignored.


lane

I'm confused

As I was walking back from campus today, I saw a sign in a parking lot that made me think. It was a sign for a "not for hire" towing company. This wasn't the first time I've seen one, but I analyzed it for the first time today.

How does that even work? Do they just drive around, towing cars out of the goodness of their hearts, and hope for charitable donations to keep them operating? Because I can't think of many people that would be thrilled to keep that organization afloat.

Also, they are clearly lying. The towing company is obviously under contract, or hired if you will, by the people that own the parking lot. Whatever, it's not important, but did seem a bit odd to me.

And, I found a place to live and have no problems getting back into school. I signed the lease today, and am registering for classes tomorrow and Friday.


lane

I'm obsessed with this white stuff

Just a few quick shots of campus covered in snow. I just wanted everyone to be able to see what they are missing. I'm so excited about finally getting a solid snow. Hope you enjoy it as much as I am.


lane

I woke up this morning, and what did I see?

I was awoken from my slumber this morning by my friend I'm staying with in Boone telling me he was going to kill me. I told he was a freak of nature and rolled back over. I couldn't go back to sleep so I figured I may as well get out of bed.

So I sat up, threw my glasses across the room trying to attach them to my face, then finally looked outside. Snow. Over 2 inches. And still coming down hard. Happy camper.

It has been snowing all night, and still is coming down pretty solid with no signs of stopping. I can't wait to get to campus and see some people I know. Because I am gonna introduce some faces to some snowballs.


lane

The boys are back in town

OK, not really the boys. Mostly just me.

I hitched a ride back to Boonetown this afternoon. I'm hanging out for a few days until I meet with some sort of advising type person on Monday. I'm not sure if they will let me back in, but I'm gonna do some sweet talking. Show some nip if necessary. We will see what happens.

I'm not sure how long I'm gonna be up here, I want to just be here, get around campus some, check out some places to live, see some folks, participate in some stupid activities hopefully.


lane

Deer hunt!

I'm going on my first deer hunt in the morning. I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing, but I'm really looking forward to it.

I'm going to a my friend Jordan's farm at the hairy butt-crack of dawn. Neither of us is entirely sure what we would do if we DID shoot a deer, but we're going to do our best.

Wish me luck!!


lane

Quickie

I've been out riding with my brother and James for about the past four hours. So much fun.

I love riding, but for the past several months, I have only done it alone. I got a little taste of riding with someone else this weekend, but got it full force tonight. It is so much more fun, and makes me ride harder and faster and think about it less and less. The brain gets taken more out of the equation and the body and bike just take over.

Anyways, I am very tired and have an early morning tomorrow. Up at 7:30 for a quail hunt with my dad and brother, so I need to keep this short. I have more to write, but I'll do that later, maybe tomorrow (now this) afternoon.

Sleep tight, don't the the bedbugs bite!


lane

I would walk 500 miles...

I left Boston at 10AM Saturday morning, and got to Greensboro at 6PM on Monday. It was a very successful trip. I was planning on going from Boston straight to Richmond to visit a friend I hadn't seen in like a year. I ended up taking a little detour to Dulles Int Airport and then Harrisonburg.

I finally got into Richmond sometime around one on Sunday. So much fun. I had a great visit, got to meet some new friends, and got to go to one of the coolest things I've been a part of in a long time. There was a prayer meeting, I kinda want to call it, on Sunday night that was incredibly powerful. I can't begin to put it into words, but it was exactly what I needed.

I delivered Cleo to her final destination, which was a happy meeting. The finished bike turned out very well, I'm extremely pleased with it. I'll put up a finished picture after I get some onto the computer, but it's a good lookin bike, if I do say so myself. Carra and I spent a good bit of Sunday riding around Richmond, learning to ride her new bike, exploring the city and whatnot. Great fun was had by all, or at least me, and I discovered Richmond is a very bike friendly city.

I left for home around two and got back to Greensboro at about 5:30. Vicky (the GPS I was borrowing) did a pretty good job of getting me home. She did get a bit big for her britches a few times and tried to get bossy, but I put her back in her place. Which was my center console. That shut her up nicely.

Grand total of miles driven was exactly 900 miles from my apartment to my front door at home in something like 58 hours. What is the lesson learned? Never buy a used car from a highly overweight person, they break the seats, which in turn breaks my back. All in all, a successful trip, and I'm happy to be home.

lane

The pilgrimage

Today is the last day! I'm excited to head south and get home in a few days. If everything goes according to plan, I will be breathing clean, wholesome air in roughly 30 hours. I will also be making a point to stop at the first Bojangles I come across. It may delay my trip by a few hours, but I will be happy with good, terrible, awesome, greasy fried chicken.

I do want to amend my list of things I will miss about Boston.
4. The food- Boston has a phenomenal selection of restaurants that are highly delicious. It is easy to find anything or any type of food you want, with any atmosphere, for almost any price. It would be very plausible to never have to go to the same place twice.

5. Riding in traffic- I know I already listed this, but it is one of my favorite things. A whole new kind of rush for me. Its kinda like the adrenaline from climbing, or any other "extreme" sport, knowing if I screw up, I will be hit by a car. Very dangerous, but very worth it.

Ok, thats all I wanted to add. I'm sure there is something else, but it doesn't come to mind right now. Maybe later something will spring into my brain.


lane

"You're crazy!"

So, apparently, I'm the crazy guy at work. It was about 22 degrees with 15 mph wind this morning. I ride my bike everywhere, especially to work. Everybody I've talked to has told me that I'm out of my mind. I don't think I believe them, because I realize it's freezing, but there isn't anything I can do about it. Strangely, it is colder at home than here.

It is snowing and like 18 degrees in Boone, so I somehow have the milder weather yet again up here in Massachusetts. Oh well, I'm moving back south in T minus three days, and I can't wait!

I have a drive back south that I'm looking forward to(I really enjoy driving), a fun little layover in Richmond to deliver an important package, then Thanksgiving at home and all the goodness that comes with that, then hanging out until I start school back up in the spring(AKA January). Oh, and Appalachian football playoff game next Saturday. I have to pack a whole season of going nuts at games into just a short playoff series. I can't wait.

Pretty much I'm just bored at work. And it isn't even 10:00 yet. Well, I need to pretend like I'm working. Later y'all.

lane

Coffee!!

Too much coffee this morning + no breakfast= shaky Lane. Haha, not gonna make that mistake again. This makes it way harder than it should be to work on bikes and try and make myself lunch. Oops.

lane

Flyin purple people eater...

Done for the most part with color. A few spots to touch up in my secret painting lair, then clear coat and assembly. I'm picking up my parts this weekend, and should have the final assembly done by next Wednesday or so. Until then, this is all you get! Haha, I'm so excited about this little project.

lane

Experience life at Sprintspeed (TM)

Here's the project thus far.

Started with a 10 speed Schwinn Sprint that I believe was made in 1978. It was in pretty good shape, some surface rust and 1 small dent, but nothing to be worried about. It was a pretty cool gunmetal gray that I considered keeping for a second, but I've got other plans so it had to go. That wasn't the only thing that had to go either. The bike weighed probably 40 pounds! It's a heavy mother, but dang near indestructible, from what I have been able to research. So I spent all last night stripping the bike and prepping it for paint by sanding it down and washing it.

I laid down the first 2 coats today, just primer. I was this to look good, so I'm giving the primer a few days to cure before I continue with the color paint. This is the hard part, I want to just blast it and see what it looks like, but I know if I want good results, I have to play the waiting game. The waiting game sucks.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to spray some color this week, and go pick up the few parts I still need for it this weekend.

lane

Excellent!

Today is a phenomenal day. It's completely gorgeous outside, perfect weather. I have a bike to work on. Not only do I have a bike to work on, my bike has given me the perfect reason to make a trip to the bike store to buy bike tools, and two separate trips to hardware stores. Maybe I'll put up some teaser pics of the bike later on...

lane

2 weeks

Until I am no longer gainfully employed. I gave my boss my 2 weeks notice today. I'm going to go back to App in the spring.

lane

I will miss...

I was thinking tonight in the midst of doing a few things, and realized I will miss a few things about the North when I eventually go home.

1-Craigslist: Craigslist up here is awesome. It has literally everything, and for ridiculously cheap. I have used it a few times, to great success, and will continue to do so as much as humanly feasable.

2-City riding: Riding a fixed gear in the city is awesome. I love cutting through traffic, weaving in and out of cars stopped at traffic lights, getting dirty looks from all the drivers I am faster than.

3-Paychecks: Ok, this one isn't specific to the North, more specific to just having a job. But I will miss having a job and getting regularly compensated for my time and my efforts.

Thats about it, at least for now. I have orgainzed them in order of importance to me, but 1 and 2 are pretty much tied for the best thing about the North.

lane

Tinker

I love to tinker with stuff. I enjoy taking things that are broken, and making them work. And even if I can't make it work, then I at least have the satisfaction of knowing I did what someone else didn't, taking the time and effort to try and make something better.

This is just another reason I love bikes. So simple, in comparison with other transportation machines. This struck me as I was working on my roommates bike tonight. I had no idea how to fix the problem he was having, but decided not to let something as trivial as that stop me. I knew I was going to have fun trying, and that I might even get lucky and do something right.

It ended up being a simple fix that I was able to figure out in just a few minutes. I then spent the next half hour tweaking stuff and fixing things that didn't really need to be fixed. Oh well, it's better than when I started, and I really enjoy it. I also appreciate my roommate letting me use his bike as a guinea pig when I don't have anything on mine to mess with.

Not just bikes though. I love taking any bit of random hiking gear, or flashlight, or pocket knife, or anything I can get my hands on and taking it apart, figuring out how to make it better for what I will use it for.

When I was a little kid, I did this with all my toys, just to see what the inside looked like. It got so bad that when my parents got me my first Gameboy, they got the clear one, so I could see inside and not disassemble it.

I want to fix and build stuff forever. Put me in a room of broken things and tools, and I may just pass out from excitement. Or I'll get all giddy and start dancing and giggling like a schoolgirl. Not sure which. I hope somebody gives me the chance to find out (hint hint!)


lane

Lane 1, Boston motorist 0

I feel like all that is man. I just raced, from a dead stop, some random Bostonian driver who I'm sure would have liked to make me a smear on their car and a bum on the road, for over 2 blocks.

Not only did I fight valiantly for the cause, I triumphed! I successfully took my fixie to new heights and outsped a car. needless to say, I'm extremely pleased with myself. On the downside, I somehow lost my rear light on the way home, so now I need a new one of those jokers.

Perfect end to a weird day. At work today, I didn't have that much to do from 8:30 until 4:47. Then all hell broke loose and I had an entire day's worth of calls in slightly over 40 minutes.

I think this promises to be a good week though. My roommates fiance is in town, which is good, cause she's a cool kid, I'm going to order new bike wheels Friday, new glasses over the weekend, and a teensy-weensy announcement also on Friday. Ok, maybe it's not this week that will be good, mostly just Friday. But I'm looking forward to it.

To combine two entirely different things, latas y'all.


lane

A few quickies

A few things i would like to share with the world before I hit the hay.

I did something last week that has some longlasting consequences. I made a bit of a time capsule of my time here in Boston. Not quite what you think, though. I could explain, but you know what they say...a picture is worth a thousand words and all that. ---->

Second, I was almost run down by an angry old man today. I was riding home and he felt it necessary to follow behind me about 2 feet from me, then honk at me and pull past roughly 6 inches from my left elbow. Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled with the encounter. I don't really want to get into the complete details because I want to go to bed, but that was the closest I've been to getting run over in some time. So please, if you drive, be considerate of the bikers you see on the road. We are just trying to get somewhere too, albeit sans 3600 pounds of metal, so don't feel like we are just targets for your enjoyment.

And to round it out I was brushing my teeth tonight and I was glancing around the bathroom and noticed something. All the toothbrushes were Oral-B brand. This is a fairly well regarded brand in the dental field, as my sources tell me, and it got me thinking. What if there's something more, something better? Why am I, as a human being, not getting the best brand of oral hygiene products there is? Is there a brand called Oral-A? One that is better even than the venerable Oral-B? I need to know this.


lane

Crazy index

Well, well, well. It's that time once again. Just one story for today, but I do like quality over quantity, so I'm tryin to keep that going.

Ring, ring.
"Service, this is Lane."
'Hi, I'm having some trouble with my car.'
"Ok, what's going on with it?"
'Well, my check engine light has been on for a few months and now my car is running very roughly. Do you have any idea what could be going on?'
"Well, there are over 300 things that could make the check engine light come on, so we would need to bring it in and take a look. There's really no way to tell over the phone."
'Oh, well I had several friends tell me that the check engine light doesn't mean anything. I also took the car to a mechanic friend of mine and he said that light is just a scam to get you into the dealership.'
".........Um, no ma'am, that light isn't just for fun. It does actually mean something."
'Really?'
"Yes ma'am. It lets you know when something is wrong and you need to CHECK YOUR ENGINE."

The conversation went on for a few more minutes, culminating with her making an appointment to have it checked out.

But I was absolutely blown away by the fact that she thought we had a built in scamming device in all our cars. Like we somehow had a remote control that we could push and make people's cars malfunction when business is slow. As useful as that would be, and as over-computerized as new cars are now, I feel like that may not be too far off in the future. In the mean time though, I'm reasonably certain that is illegal, and definitely unethical.

I'll give this lady a 6.8, just for her conspiracy theory and paranoia.


lane

Snow!!

Snow!!! Easily my favorite form of weather, and it has arrived at App State University!

Sadly for me, I'm not there. I'm in Boston, which I thought would get snow first. Clearly I was misinformed. I got no less than 4 text messages from various friends back home that it had snowed on them first when all I got were gale force winds and rain. Yet again, the South wins, I suppose.

I have been unimpressed with the weather in New England so far. I keep hearing about how 'savage' it is, how there are unbelievable amounts of snow, how winter comes soon and stays late. I have seen zero of that. All in all, I've found it to be milder than it is at home. Summer is cooler and less humid, Autumn is pretty much the same, and apparently Winter hits first at home. I think that is just Yankee propaganda, spread just for the sheer joy they seem to find in spreading lies.

Anyway, aside from the lack of snowfall, it has been a good week. I made a few changes to my bike, got to play around on it a lot, got some sweet unexpected compliments from some chicks about said bike and myself, and haven't done anything painfully stupid yet. Not sure how long that last one is going to stand, but when it falls, hopefully it will at least be fun.

Rock on America, rock on.


lane

Candy walk

I was walking to the post office today to pick up a package that they wouldn't deliver to my apartment when I noticed something really cool. The sidewalk was absolutely covered for about 20 feet in gummi worms and other assorted gummi treats. Needless to say, that made me extremely happy. I feel like the world would be a much happier place if we had gummi sidewalks instead of regular sidewalks.
I would vote for that.

lane

Shoe skids

Do you remember the shoes that everybody had in like first grade? Not any particular single shoes, but there was one unifying thing about them all. They all left huge rubbermarks on any kind of floor if you dragged your feet. Personally, I loved them. They made gym floors look like zebras. But gradually, like all good things, they came to an end, replaced by the rubber soles we have today, which leave no marks.
Until recently, that is. I have noticed a resurgence of the skiddy soled shoes. There are only a two possible reasons for this.
One is that the younger generation that had these shoes is finally coming into positions of power in the jobs at the major shoes manufacturers. They are then using that power to phase the shoes they remember back in.
The other possibility is that we have somehow lost the technology. In all the industrial espionage that goes on, each company trying to better the rest, some crucial bits of information have been destroyed, taking with it the non skiddy shoes. That has forced a return of the shoes of my childhood.
I'm really fine with either of these possibilities, because they're both awesome, and both mean that hopefully we will see a complete resurgence of shoe marks in just a few short years. Then its straight to the basketball court I go, not to play, but to make it into a zebra floor again.

lane

Writer's block

Never thought I would get writer's block with a blog. Expect the unexpected, I suppose. I have started trying to do a few thing daily, or at least as often as I have the time for it.
I'm trying to draw something everyday. No matter what it is, or how bad it is. And a good bit of what I end up with is pretty stinkin bad, but I'm trying not to get discouraged by it. I can proudly say that I have started to get a little better, but still not good. I have managed to squeeze out a few that are decent.
I discovered that I really enjoy it, even when it doesn't go smoothly, it's a very relaxing way to spend time. I wish I had taken some art classes and gotten started earlier. Maybe gotten a little professional instruction. Learned a bit about how to do stuff the right way, rather than trying to figure out what I'm doing on my own. Alone, in the dark of the art world, with only a pencil and a pad of paper. Haha, ok, so it's not that bad. But I have no idea what I'm doing, and teaching myself day by day is a long, discouraging process.
I think that's all I'm gonna do for now.

lane

Why?

I had someone at work today ask me why I bike instead of any other way of getting around. I told them it was free, fun, for the exercise, blah blah. Everything I've answered to that question before. But it made me think a bit. I remembered the first time I rode a bike since I got my driver's licence. It was this summer, actually.
I moved to Boston with no car, no way of transportation but my then girlfriend. I was working in Boston with a 30 mile commute between work and home. I spent most of the summer getting picked up, driven to the train station, then the reverse to get home. I wasn't nuts about the routine, as you can imagine. I eventually found an old beat up Peugeot bike for sale, cheap. I bought it and took it to a bike shop to have them turn it into a fixed gear, cuz my brother was building one and I thought they were cool as shit. I picked it up a few days later and rode to the train station in Boston. Not really a magical experience, I was mainly focused on not killing myself. It wasn't until my ride home that I felt it. The...something. I can't put words too it, but if you have felt it then you know. That's the best I can do.
I was riding, alone, one a two lane rural road in Massachusetts. Just me and a bike. I felt completely free, able to do anything I wanted. I realized I could go anywhere I wanted, not needing anything but food. I wasn't shackled by gas, or fear of breaking down, or anything. It was the best thing I have felt in a long time.
Take the exhilaration you felt when you kissed her the first time, the wind you felt the first time you stood in the front of the boat, the freedom you felt when you picked up your car keys the first time, and the confidence you had when you realized that you didn't need to be surrounded by anything, that you could support yourself. Put it all together in a single rush, and that's the closest I can describe.
I ride for that. I still feel it, everytime I put feet in clips and take off. Not for any of the other thousand reasons to bike over anything else, but just that one.
That's why.

lane

Goin crazy

I just spent the past few hours watching V for Vendetta, bike messenger videos, and listening to techno. I feel like I'm on speed or something.

lane

Index of 8.2 out of 10

In keeping up with my crazy people list, I realize I've been somewhat slacking. To make up for it, today has been the highest concentration of nut jobs I have encountered in a while. Two tales for today.

First, the old lady encounter.
Ring, ring(anonymous number)
"Service, this is Lane"
'I need to make an appointment.Do you know who I am?'
"No, ma'am, I don't. Have you been with us before?"
'I can't be live this! I have been here more times than I can count!'
"Alright, what is your last name so I can find you in our system?"
'My name is XXX! Are you new here?'
"No ma'am, I've actually been working here for about 6 months. OK, I don't have that name in our system, is there any chance the vehicle may be under a different name?"
'This is absolutely absurd! I am in the system! XXX, look it up!'
"I did ma'am, and I assure you that XXX is not in here."
'I demand to speak to someone else! Give me to someone who has worked there longer than you!'
"Gladly."
Click. Transfer. Not my problem anymore.
I found out later she suggested that I find other employment, simply because I had not worked at the dealership long enough.

Second, the pissed off dork.
Ring, ring.
"Service this is Lane."
'Hi Wayne, this is YYY. I need to make an appointment to have my brakes changed and get an inspection sticker. '
"OK, I can set up a time for your brakes, but we don't do state inspections. We don't have the necessary equipment."
'Really? I'm sure I've had one done with you before.'
"No sir, we don't have the necessary equipment."
'OK, well I'll just do that somewhere else. Can you give me the price for the brakes?'
"Yes sir, the cost for the brakes is $530 for the fronts, and $480 for the rears."
'What!? That's over a thousand dollars, just for brakes!'
"Yes sir."
'Alright, fine. When is the first day I can make an appointment?'
"That would be this Friday, the 24th."
'Well, can I bring my car in tonight for Friday?'
"No sir, we don't have the storage space for that. We are extremely pressed for space and don't have room to ho;d your vehicle for three days."
'So you're saying I have to go somewhere else and get three days worth of parking tickets?'
"Sir? I don't think I ever said anything even like that. All I did was tell you I can't store your car for three days."
'That forces me to leave the car on the street downtown and get several days worth of tickets!'
"No sir it doesn't."
'I can't believe this! I'm going to go somewhere else!'
Click.

Today was not the most crazy people I've ever seen at work, but by far the most directed at me. Today gets an 8.2 out of 10 on the crazy people index.

lane

Every Monday-Friday, 8:30 to 5:30

Wait. Wait. Wait. Ring.

"Service this is Lane....OK, have you been with us before?...And what's your last name?...And the first name? OK I have you right here. Right now I'm scheduling for XXX, does that work for you?... Yes, that's the first available...No, nothing sooner...Yes, I'm sure...OK, can you come in at YYY?...Alright, what are you having done with us?...Mk...Got it....And anything else?...Yeah, we can do an oil change too...OK, I've got you down for XXX at YYY, and we are doing this that and the other....Yup, you're all set. OK, bubye."

Wait. Wait. Wait. Ring, not for me. Wait. Wait. Ring.

"Service, This is Lane....."

Wait, repeat.

This is what I do all day every weekday. Not sure why, all I want to do is chill and ride my bike. I don't think I'll be doing this very much longer

Crazy people index

At work, I am regularly exposed to all kinds of crazy people. Some are the fun kind of crazy, some are frustrating, and others still are absolutely bat-shit insane. I have noticed that there seems to be an increase of nut jobs on days when there is a full moon. I decide to make a weekly, sometimes daily, tally of the crazy folks I run across, and share some of the better ones. Just one for today, it was an almost sane day today.
So there is one gentleman who decided that, rather than park in one of the 12 open parking spaces, he would just casually park his autovoiture right in front of the shop door, effectively ceasing any traffic in or out of the shop. He then comes in and asks for one of the advisors, I'll call him Stephen. Upon learning Stephan isn't at the desk, rather than asking where he went, or if someone else can help him, our gentleman announces in a rather excited tone that Stephen had been 'taken by the Rapture!' He wouldn't let anyone help him until another advisor explained that Stephen might be gone for a long time, and he would gladly add some coolant to the gentleman's vehicle. Our gentleman was under the temporary illusion that no one else in the whole dealership could help him except Stephen.
All in all, today's index was pretty low. I'd put it about a 3 out of 10.

lane

New knowledge

Canola oil has a very low flash point. Don't say I never warned you.

lane

New bike day!

Ok, it's not today, yesterday, actually. I sold my Motobecane that I made a fixed gear. It was a faithful steed, and did me well, but the time had come to move on to greener pastures, so to speak. So, Saturday morning I made a trip to Harris Cyclery to look at a few bikes. I'm going to give them a plug, they rock. Helped me find the best bike for me, then let me choose from my options with no pressure. I got a 2008 Bianchi Pista in their Celeste Green with a front brake and new pedals for a bit under list. And then when I crashed it the same day, they retrued my wheels for free. All in all, I'm very happy with my new bike, it rides like a dream and looks great to boot. I'll try and get some pictures up later.

lane

A recent discovery

I just discovered something about myself while I was watching TV. I was watching Jurassic Fight Club on the History Channel, which is a show about(you guessed it) dinosaurs, specifically the predatorious type. While halfway paying attention, I was picking up random tidbits and facts. I also made my critical discovery. Almost everything I know about dinosaurs came from the Jurassic Park movies. Not sure exactly what this means for myself...

lane

You aren't special

Just a quick, little, tiny, baby, almost not even worth mentioning rant. I work at a car dealership, and my job is to make service appointments over the phone. Not the sexiest job out there, but it pays the bills, and I enjoy parts of it. Anyway, I am generally one of the first people customers talk to over the phone, and I have noticed something. Every single customer thinks they are different, and therefore special, from the rest of humanity purely because of the fact they drive XYZ. FALSE!! You just happened to have picked a different car! You are no better than anyone else, so quit acting like it! I'm the one that sets when you come in to get your 'precious XYZ' fixed, so being an ass and acting 'mightier-than-thou' to me, will not help your case. Whats that? Ooops, no, looks like we aren't booking until next week, after you started yelling at me. I'm tired of stupid, and I'm tired of entitlement complexes. Luckily, that's what I get to deal with roughly 67% of the time. End rant.

lane

Goodby Productivity...

Last night my roommate told me about a website that has some very far-reaching implications for me. It literally has begun to change my life. What is this website? you may ask. Well, I will tell you. When I heard about it I thought to myself, 'Self, this sound too good to be true.' virtualnes.com is the website. It is a site that has almost every game ever made for the Nintendo Entertainment System. I have already spent way too much time on this site playing games I didn't even know had been dreamed of, much less made. If you have ever played a Nintendo and missed the simpler days of blowing into a cartridge game to make it work, this is a site I highly recommend you check out. Warning: you may lose hours of your productivity to this, and I can not accept responsibility for that.

lane

I think I need new pants...

So, I was looking around on the intranets when I found something that blew my mind. I'm in the process of customizing a second fixie, so I was hunting for wheels. Thats when I ran across this.
http://www.velocityusa.com/default.asp?contentID=512
(Not sure if I can hotlink like that, but I just did. Sue me.)
Velocity Deep V track wheels with custom powdercoat graphics. Sign me up. As soon as these get released, I'm booking a pair. Actually, I may go see if my bike shop is taking preorders at lunch tomorrow. And if I can't get some of these, then I'm getting woodgrain. I can't wait for this thing to start taking shape.

lane

I am a velociraptor

I bought a new toy last weekend, an Emerson Folding Karambit. It has quickly become my favorite knife, if for no reason other than it makes me feel like a Velociraptor when I hold it. If that isn't enough to make a knife a great purchase, then I don't know what is. It is one of those things that taught me to respect it almost immediatly. Within 24 hours of purchase, I had sliced open my middle finger and cut a solid chunk of skin and a bit of muscle from the tip of my pinkie finger. I am now much more careful with it. Just a not-so-subtle lesson that even a raptor can cut itself on its own talons

lane

Getting Started

OK, just want to start off with a little disclaimer. This isn't necessarily about sunshine or midgets, but may contain occasional doses of both. I don;t really know why I'm setting this up in the first place, or what I'm going to use it for, but hopefully something cool will develop. Here's to the awesomeness I'm hoping to cultivate!

lane