what a glorious evening
Apr 30
lately, many things are transitioning, and this afternoon has been a pain. Rain, traffic… at least there was an amazing sunset to guide me home.
Jonathan is moving to Houston into the house with us, it’s confirmed to happen this weekend. Good thing mU gets along famously with him, considering that mu… hates everyone but me and my dad.
Barbara and I may be taking over the house soon, meaning that I’m soon – possibly – going to have a mortgage. The cool thing is that there are a quite a few things I have planned for this house. Only thing is that I’ll have to get serious about the cash flow, more on the budgeting.
i need a man-purse
Apr 24It seems I’ve finally given in to the iPod, after years of resistance. Lately I’ve been going crazy on the small gadget purchases, having been spurred by the purchase of the Olympus Stylus 770SW, and subsequently the rewiring of the car, which led me to want a new head unit for the stereo system… 
I bought the JVC KD-DV5300 unit for its DVD playing ability – my reasoning being, I can put ALL my most frequently listened to music onto 4 – 6 DVDs and just switch from those, of importance is the ability to browse folders with the remote and later add a screen and watch movies. I was very tempted… Very Very tempted to buy a JVC EXAD unit but for the price, I’d rather just get a computer to put in the car… AND, the blue color of the controls doesn’t match my theme.
I purchased the DV5300 from Frys, went home, installed it. Played the first cd, which is one of the ones I’ve been listening to… there was a HORRIBLE noise, as if you can hear the laser head tracking up and down and focusing – confirmed this by changing cds and turning up and down the volume – at 0, no sound following a loud pop when going back and forth between 1 / 0, at 1, no audible music because of the low volume, but a definite loud whir as noise on the speakers. Very disappointed with this $260 purchase, I removed the stereo (which actually is only the newer version of mine), and reinstalled my trusty old JVC KD-S52 which in any case fits more aesthetically with the car’s dash and red lighting (the face is smoother and cleaner looking).
badum badum
Apr 18i’m tttiiiirrreeeddd! boy… 8 hours of sleep for the past three days… BUT I did get OTTO mostly all buttoned up… though I’m having an issue with the windows and the DRL… I think I may have missed a ground (accidentally cut it on purpose). I really hope that’s all it is.
I was elated when the car started forthwith, with no complaint, considering it’s been sitting for almost 2 weeks with no coolant or transmission fluid, or wiring… (but a full tank of premium). and the wiring is all spliced and reconfigured… I guess I know how to pick my battles, because it was more of an automation upgrade all around, which required my pulling the whole wire harness out to separate and sort… partly to learn what runs through my car, partly to move things around and better integrate my previous installs, and partly to make future installations much easier. *cough* mac mini.
After driving devin’s egg butt Bimmer for the week, my car definitely feels alot lighter… and slower – BUT, it does serve to calm me down… I have my music back hehe… and ultimately, isn’t that all that matters?
Fresh full synthetic ATF, fresh Low-Tox coolant (the propylene glycol variety).
Miami tomorrow… not too sure how I will accomplish all of this at this point considering that I still have to work in the morning, and I haven’t gotten a lick of sleep, still have to do laundry and change my right rear brake caliper (that’s only a 10 minute job, but the bleeding takes a bit longer, especially since after both rears have now bit the dust there is probably a fair amount of air to compress in the brake system.
But I’ll be DAMNED if we don’t make it to Miami by friday at 3pm.
oh my nose
Apr 16allergies… allergies… oh my allergies…
at least my voice sounds cool when my sinuses are all… disrupted.
well I am 85% done with my car. The wire harness has been completely modified, and funny thing is that something about how I re-wrapped/packed it, it fits in the car better than before… though I’ve been using ALOT of 3M electrical tape… probably about $15 worth of tape – I have learned the hard way not to try to save on cheaper, stiffer, electrical tape.
The DRL module, using the original light switch and an added toggle make the headlights work. The fog lights are now on a relay, and remote start wiring has been integrated into the harness much better (to the correct wires, even) which makes upgrading the module much much easier in the future.
I/P lighting has been re-wired to make it easy to integrate LEDs all around the car, replacing the original 5 watt lights. for the most part, rewiring the headlight system was the biggest challenge, because of the DRL inclusion and the special way I want everything including the fog lights to function, both when in use and with the remote starter’s headlight activation.
The heater core is almost ready to go back in, but wiring first since there is much more space to work without the big climate control box in the way. After that, is coolant and transmission flush to break in the new radiator, hoses and heater core.
All of this has taken entirely too long, but sleeping 4-6 hours a night for the past week and a half and working and working on my car whenever I can is juggling alot. welcome to the real world, right? I’m just not used to not having all kinds of free time to do anything I want or need to do – these days there is NO time to do anything, especially with constant interruption.
what a morning
Apr 09Yesterday, I got to work on my car… it stopped raining, was pretty favorable. Still a little chilly, at 48-52F, but some long johns and thermal… jeans, t-shirt and jacket, and I was pretty comfy for the most part – ok, so it may sound like overkill, but when you’re tinkering and trying to work in tight spaces, in the wind while trying to be very careful and only weigh 120lbs with a sedentary lifestyle, it helps to be as comfortable as possible… I’m not very good at retaining body heat – though I generate enough of it in my sleep I’ve been told.
I used the car work to test out my camera under various lighting conditions and views and I suppose I’m pretty satisfied with it, considering I got some ATF on it and was able to just wash it with some soap and water (score!), and I could keep it in my pocket as I rolled around under my car – feeling it under my weight. “Yes!” I thought, “i guess this camera IS perfect for me.” Let’s say, practical.
I changed out my radiator, re-modified my cooling fan so it looks EVEN better now especially on the new heftier radiator, and rewired it to use the new thermal switch that came with the radiator (funny how some things long to become upgraded after market, but others long to be stock – the best are improvements to stock, while retaining original parameters) and relay – giving me the simplest solution I’ve used thus far (two adjustable thermostat switches with a probe you had to stab into the radiator fins -ouch- the first of which failed). As it turns out, I couldn’t have started on these things sooner – confirming my fears, half of my radiator inlet tube (where the hose connects) was in fact broken off inside the new hose I’d recently installed. I didn’t notice this until I was about to put the hose back on the new radiator that I looked inside and wondered ‘what is this step in here’… looked at the old radiator *OH DAMN*… it just crumbled out.
Then replaced the heater to block hoses (firewall). One of them… deteriorated to about 1mm thickness on the inside, just waiting for the summer heat to burst or another long trip (baton rouge? miami?) – the threading inside the rubber was frayed inside the hose. I knew it was time for all these things, but I didn’t think it would be THIS bad. Well, I still need to actually install the new hoses. Was waiting until I do the heater core to do this so maybe I can run some fresh water out here.
After that, I replaced my transmission filter/gasket and kickdown cable. The kickdown cable was wasted. The cable itself was still intact, but it’s sleeve and connector to the transmission was trashed, and had the cable binding inside the sleeve – which completely explains my slow shifting (takes forever to shift to 2nd when cold, then won’t downshift to first when hot for the first 10 miles) transmission issues when the weather is very humid. I suspected this one though, because it’s a common issue.
I borrowed devin’s bimmer to get to work… obnoxiously early. Strong eggbutt wagon makes me speed alot. Apparently some people don’t like to be the subject of their own issues (you know, do unto others… etc.) – I got cut off not 2 miles from home, very close nearly clipped me, seeing his speed, I followed him but I quickly realized – HE WAS BRAKE CHECKING ME, for no reason – I guess he got defensive cause he’d cut me off and I gave chase! So I promptly zoomed to the outer lane and returned the favor, he changed lanes as did I to remain in the front and continue rubbing in his face that this hefty 10+ year old BMW WAGON was faster than his brand new (still has temporary registration plaque) Infiniti G35 Coupe – AND that I had better stopping control than apparently he had – not good for his new little car, as I’m sure he’s still breaking in the linings. We reach a light, he GETS OUT OF HIS CAR *gulp* – admittedly, I’m a weakling – runs up to my car and starts yelling – I had the music up so I couldn’t hear him, but he smacked the window really hard – to no avail cause it’s thick. I stared him right in the eyes with a ‘yeah….. what….’ smirk – all the while knowing that the doors are unlocked *gulp again*… the light turned green, he ran back to his car. He was driving slow after that, but I was turning left anyway so as he passed me, I proudly gave him a 1 finger salute – and YES, he was staring into my car as he passed. So, LOL… all’s well that ends well… note to self… start working out, and always lock your doors. HA. Quite an eventful start to my morning. I wondered to myself as I drove off, how can anyone be so angry -and AGGRESSIVELY so- this early in the morning. if he pulled me out of the car, I’d probably have let him beat my ass just cause I’m too tired to bother.
Today when I get out of work, since I got here at 7:30a (usually get here around 9), I’m going to do the inside work of removing my seats, dash, ductwork, and carpet (all of which are going to get individual attention and detailing as they come out) with the goal of replacing my heater core, blower motor and related items, and cleaning up all of my patchwork wiring (and splicing out some now unneeded parts of the original harness) in preparation of three new modules I plan on adding – new remote start (ProStar), LaneFX Commuter Edition, and window control modules so I can roll up/down windows and open/close the sunroof using the keyless entry. All of these things bring it, referring to the power options, to very modern european luxury features.
I’m going to post pictures of otto’s progress as soon as I’m done. All the exterior work was pretty straightforward, no real hidden issues, having read up on the kickdown cable replacement really helped (also having a recently purchased pick and hook set was essential).
I’ll probably be posting some more personal issues soon but I’ve just had it all bottled up for a few weeks cause I’ve been too busy to… bother. Everything’s alright though, thankfully so it’s more or less all just stuff recent self discovery.
here’s a note from my myspace profile since I’m taking it off – all part of my new challenge to myself (but nothing new in terms of figuring life out for myself):
just some thoughts… observations… rhetorical questions… I’m tired of talking about myself…
how can so many people feel so entitled to share their opinion concerning issues of which they know so little – in particular, feel compelled and justified to cast judgment over those involved? I don’t understand the audacity.
But then again, how can so many other people actually CARE about those same thoughts coming from such small minds – giving in to the illusion of authority? creating a legend of an apparent ignorant imbecile.
by the same token… how can the very same people who judge others feel deserving of justice when they themselves are not just in their perception of others and their plight. I don’t mean legal justice cast from man to man, but rather a universal justice. I’m tired of the phrase “what did I do to deserve this?” — it doesn’t matter. the fact is that things happen, and whether or not one deserves what he or she is given, it is not WHAT happens but the way one deals with it that makes the difference. All issues we overcome should be a lesson, and for the one last issue we fail to overcome, a lesson to others.
a tip: speak the truth, speak what is necessary, speak with compassion and speak with love.
learn to ask. learn to listen. learn to learn.
learn to love without restraint, and to allow yourself to be loved without hesitation.
The path of least resistance is often overlooked and severely under-appreciated. So many people feel that challenges are what make life worth living — guaranteed, challenges are an inherent part of living, but not a means to an end. Until we learn to live harmoniously with ourselves, our environment, and those around us, we are no greater than a locust, tapeworm, or virus – a parasite.
a little about [me] the choices I make in life… it’s about comfort, not lifestyle.
you don’t know where I’ve been so don’t judge me.