I’m slowly getting started on putting up a bunch of old (but not that old) pictures I have sitting around on my hard drive. First up is this small batch of photos from Sergeant Fong’s birthday celebration, back in the middle of February, at TGI Friday’s in San Francisco. Enjoy!
“Sometimes it’s best to just put something together that isn’t ideal but at least gets the car running. It can always be fixed later, or maybe that not-quite-perfect suspension design will prove to be more than adequate with a little setup work. The idea is to have a functioning car to experiment on.”
–Keith Tanner, “Self Help”, Grassroots Motorsports Volume 24, Number 4
Good night!
I went for a brief ride today with a few of the 530riders. Well… I say “brief”, and it was just to The Corners and back, but it still took just under two hours, all told. It was an uneventful but fun ride for me, at a decent pace (for my crappy skills!), with no oh-shit moments and no crashes. We stopped briefly at The Corners and had a little chat about the June 8th trackday at Thunderhill, and then we went our merry ways.
My new(ish) Alpinestars leathers were worn for the second time, and they held up just fine. I had issues with the pants the first time I went out with them, but I think between better-fitting underwear and the leather starting to break in a little bit, they worked better today. In fact, I sat around at the Silo on the UC Davis campus for about an hour, waiting for a lunch date with Alice and friends, and they were remarkably comfortable. Getting them on and off is still and issue, and I really hope they stretch a bit more before settling in, but they’re perfectly workable.
The rest of the suit is doing pretty well… The jacket, which I wore without the liner today, fits well and doesn’t impede movement, even though I thought it was just a touch big for me before. At least while I’m on the bike or doing other things, the jacket seems fine. I’ll probably appreciate the extra room when it gets cold again and I need to wear things under it. One thing I noticed, though not exactly a downside, was that the thinner material on the inside upper arms surprised me a few times during the ride, because when a bug or small rock hit me there, I would FEEL it. Nothing terrible though, so oh well. The gloves are doing great, though they’re complicated to put on, and the same with my new Gaerne track boots. I guess I’m all kitted out then, as far as safety gear goes… next up is moto maintenance, and then rider training!
Started a solo Titan Quest character tonight… warfare/defense. I got him up to level 10 and at Megara. Whackwhackwhack!
From Anne.
1. last beverage: Dannon bottled water… Sprite before that.
2. last phone call: Autoweek, to ask why they keep sending me invoices after I paid them a month ago.
3. last instant message: Ryan, as is often the case.
4. last cd played: A Franz Ferdinand CD in Alice’s car? The last album I played was… Shinedown’s Us and Them on Rhapsody… I liked it.
5. last time you cried: I don’t remember exactly… I think it was during a fight with Alice.
6. last text message: Alice… she said “There is a cool taiko drum thing going on at the quad :-D”, and I replied an hour and a half later with “I’m waiting for you for to go to the sto’, as I only recently showered and ate and such. :)”
SIX HAVE YOU EVERS:
1. dated someone twice
→ No sirree, Jim.
2. been cheated on?
→ Yes.
3. kissed someone & regretted it?
→ Hmm… sort of, not really.
4. lost someone special?
→ Yes.
5. been depressed
→ For like ten years!
6. been drunk and threw up?
→ OHHHH yeah.
LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
1. I don’t (black)
2. really have (white)
3. favorites (pink)
LAST MONTH HAVE YOU
1. Made a new friend: Yeahish.
2. Fallen out of love: Nope. 
3. Laughed until you cried: Nope.
4. Met someone who changed your life: Nope!
5. Found out who your true friends were: Hmm… nope.
6. Is there something you want to tell someone: That I haven’t or am not going to tell them? Nope.
7. Would you kiss anyone on your top friends: I knew it, a MySpace survey. XD I’ve kissed all of them in one way or another! If we’re talking lips, I’ve kissed three and would kiss the others. 
8. How many people on your top friends do you know in real life: I know everybody friended on my MySpace account in real life, except for Nathan Fillion, who I had to make an exception for.
9. How many kids do you want to have? I don’t know… two or three.
10. Do you have any pets? Two cats, four white cloud mountain minnows, a male betta, five neon tetras, four red platys, two cory cats and a pleco. I want a puppy!
11. Do you wanna change your name? I don’t really like it, but I don’t mind it anymore… I’m used to it!
13. What time did you wake up today? 9… my phone’s gym alarm, which I promptly ignored. At least I started working instead!
14.What were you doing at midnight last night? In Egypt with Leonidas and Dillios, trying to track down and kill a Telkine. (In my room playing computer games with Ryan and Andy over the interweb.)
15. Name something you CANNOT wait for? FORZA2OMGOMG
16. Last time you saw your father? Mmm… two weekends ago.
17. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life? I agree with Anne… it’d be nice to go back to the beginning of high school (or even earlier) and not waste all that time. But to paraphrase Raistlin, if I had chosen differently, it wouldn’t have been me doing the choosing. And of course, there’s some major things I’d want to change, but I don’t think it’s even close to my choice to change them, regardless of ability.
18.What are you listening to right now? I’m listening to a gurgling fishtank too, Anne!
19. Have you ever talked to Tom? Gah, MySpace!
20. What’s the last piece of clothing you borrowed from someone? God… I almost never borrow clothing, so I’m having a very, very hard time remembering. I think it was a way-too-big T-shirt from Ryan, the day I met Alice… I was on the Triumph and wasn’t expecting to do anything but ride, and it was a hot summer day, so I was naked under my riding gear.
21. Who’s getting on your nerves right now? Users of Hot or Not Hotlists.
22. Most visited webpage? This site, since it’s my browser home page. Otherwise, Hot or Not for work, LJ, Gmail, 530riders.com….
23. Coke or Pepsi? I like both okay, but Coke’s got a slight edge for me. Don’t really know why.
———————————-
1. Introduce yourself:
A fine morrow to you, good fishwife.
2. It’s Wednesday at noon, where are you usually?
Probably in front of a computer or a TV… it’s true for most days and times.
3. What kind of laundry detergent do you use?
I don’t even know. It’s a big box Alice has had since before I moved in with her, and I’ve never bothered to see what it is.
4. What brand of shampoo is in your shower right now?
Head and Shoulders… I know Alice has Herbal Essences, among other things.
5. Did you ever get into a bar and drink before you were 21?
Yep.
6. What kind of soap do you use?
Dove body wash or this lavender vanilla (I think) stuff from Bath and Body Works… Rosa got us a bottle for Christmas, and now we’re hooked.
7. Do you watch MTV anymore?
I haven’t really liked watching MTV since back in the day when they actually played music videos. Alice likes to watch trashy things like NEXT, so I watch them too sometimes.
8. What do you think about Oprah?
She’s black? She has decent taste in books.
9. What color are your bedsheets?
The ones we’re using now are white flannel, with a wintery tree/deer theme. Given that it’s April, and getting pretty warm, I have no idea why we’re still using them. :O
10. You need a new pair of jeans..what store do you go first?
Club Monaco… well, not first. First I go everywhere else and realize that only Club Monaco jeans fit me the way I like, and I’m going to have to go there and shell out 90 bucks for a damned pair of jeans.
11. Did you ever watch The O.C.?
Nope.
12. What kind of car do you drive?
2000 Chevy Camaro SS convertible… my baby. But I really, really miss my 95 Nissan Maxima that’s sitting in my parents’ garage in Saratoga. 
See here, btw, for both cars and two motorcycles.
13. Honestly, is that car insured?
Yep… bare minimum liability, just like the Maxima and the Triumph. The Ninja’s currently uninsured, since it’s a crash victim that’s still in rehab!
14. Do you like sushi?
I LOVE sushi.
15. Have you ever been to Tiffany & Co. or Saks 5th Ave?
Yep.
16. Did your parents spoil you growing up?
Not really… they gave me lots of things I wanted, but also didn’t give me lots of other things… I was very privileged, but I think I escaped the spoiled attitude, as in I don’t feel automatically deserving of everything, nor do I blow off valuable things as being commonplace.
17. Do you like roller coasters?
Very much no. I even refused to go on any with Alice at Knott’s Berry Farm a couple of weeks ago. Yes, I REFUSED MY GIRLFRIEND SOMETHING. :OOOOO
18. What magazine(s) do you buy regularly or subscribed to?
Oh, jesus… let’s see. Autoweek, Motor Trend, Road and Track, Sport Compact Car, Grassroots Motorsports, Classic Motorsports, Automobile, EVO, Top Gear, Cycle World, Sport Rider, Popular Science, Popular Mechanics… I think I missed a few. Do you see a trend?
19. Do you remember the WB show “Popular”?
No…
20. When you go out do you prefer to go to a dance club or to a bar where you can chill with friends?
I don’t really dance, so that’s out… I like bars okay, but they aren’t my favorite places to be. I prefer being at someone’s house, hanging out… alcohol is optional, video games are not!
21. What do you think about gay marriage?
I think anyone should be allowed to marry anything they want.
22. Who do you think will be the next president?
Who do I think WILL BE the next pres? I really hope I’m wrong, but I think it’s going to be Romney. No matter what people say to public pollsters, I seriously doubt that a plurality of Americans are ready to actually vote for either a black guy or a woman.
23. Are you registered to vote?
Nope.
24. Do you own an iPod?
Yus… second of two.
25. Is your bathroom filled with beauty stuff?
Nope.
26. What kind of cologne/perfume do you wear?
I wear Ralph Lauren Blue on occasion, and I use Hugo Boss aftershave lotion that Alice got me.
27. Do you like Carrie Underwood?
Yeah, she’s all right.
28. Been to “The Vegas”?
Who calls it “The Vegas”? It’s “Vegas, baby, Vegas.” Geez, watch a movie! And yes.
29. How far away do you live from your parents?
A bit under two hours by car.
30. Are you happy with your job?
It’s okay… it’s mind-numbing and makes me hate stupid people more than I already do, but it’s decent money, ultra-flexible hours, and telecommuting, so I really have no right to complain.
31. Where do you work and what do you do there?
Currently Hot or Not, corralling nitwits.
32. What did you get in the mail today?
Sport Rider!
33. How do you like your steak cooked?
Medium rare, sometimes rare and sometimes medium.
34. Britney Spears…ready to have a nervous break down or just having fun?
Uh…
35. What do you usually order at Taco Bell?
Anywhere between 4 and 10 soft taco supremes.
36. Have you ever sat all the way thru Gone With the Wind?
Nope… I really should.
37. Have you ever been to Mt Rushmore?
Nope.
38. Is it just me, or was The Marine(w/John Cena) a really horrible movie?
I never saw it.
39. Are surveys like the cocaine of MySpace?
…
40. Where is your favorite place (that u have actually been to)?
That’s a tough one… I like a lot of places. I think Alice’s pants probably top the list. Seriously, though… my motorcycling friend’s horse farm here in Davis is a top pick, as is Tokyo.
41. What is your favorite candle scent?
I don’t really care.
42. Do you beleive in ghosts
Yeah. No concrete beliefs about them, really, just that I think life force remains in some form after death. Oh, and I believe Ouija boards really work. Boy, do I have stories….
43. Do you smoke cigarettes?
No. And hookah is not an exception, dammit… I don’t care how much more pure the stuff is, you’re still breathing in smoke!
44. Have you ever been to NYC or LA?
LA recently, NYC much less so.
45. How many states have you been to where all you saw was the airport?
I don’t even remember… I’ve done a fair bit of traveling, I don’t remember which places I didn’t leave the airport for. Dulles, I think…
46. Do you think 50 questions is enough?
Apparently it was enough so that you couldn’t think of any more good questions. 
(And miss number 49.)
47. Are you currently planning a trip?
France! I’m not really planning it, though… I’m just along for the ride.
48. Is Ryan Seacrest gay?
I don’t know who that is, but with a name like that, he probably is. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I’d probably do him… but me, I’m a slut. Even if I am straight.
50. Have you ever googled your name and found out somebody famous or semi famous has your same name?
An early-1900s prime minister of China, apparently.
From feesh:
01. Have you ever changed your clothes while in a vehicle?
- Yup.
02. What’s something you MUST do before you die?
- MUST, eh… have grandkids.
03. Are you single? Do you want to be?
- Not single! And I don’t want to be.
04. What’s one thing you will not eat?
- There’s very few things I will not eat… VERY few. I wouldn’t want to eat anything hairy, as in with hair still attached while on the plate. I can’t think of anything like that, though, but I’m sure it’s out there somewhere!
05. What color are your underwear?
- Right now they’re greyish, with black and green stripes.
06. When’s the last time you went out of your country?
- The last time would be Japan/Korea/Taiwan with Jack, I think… quite a while ago now. I’m going to France this summer with Alice’s family!
07. What’s your birthstone?
- Aquamarine, which I keep getting mixed up with turquoise (the words, not the stones).
08. Have you ever drank milk straight out of the carton?
- Yup.
10. Can you hula hoop?
- I can’t seem to get the hang of it!
11. Have you ever crawled through a window?
- Yeah.
15. Name an old school song you like?
- How old-school is old-school? Are we talking Set Adrift On Memory Bliss, or Careless Whisper… Don’t Cry Joni or The Letter?
16. Do you talk to yourself?
- Sure do!
17. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
- You mean my girlfriend? :O
18. How much does your dog weigh?
- I wish I had a dog. Gandalf and Molly weigh about ten pounds each… a little more, really.
19. Ever waxed your legs?
- Nope.
20. Earrings or necklaces?
- I don’t wear either, but I like necklaces on girls. Earrings are good too, but I like earlobes too much to be a complete fan.
21. Who have you talked to most today?
- Alice!
22. Who’s on speed dial #5?
- I don’t use speed dial.
24. Do you use smiley faces on the computer a lot?
- Gee, I dunno… o_O
25. Are your grades good?
- Way back when I had grades, they were pretty terrible.
26. Do you have any friends with benefits?
- Not anymore!
27. Have you ever enjoyed listening to Jack Johnson?
- Yes.
28. Do you have a song by Ozzy Osborne in your library?
- Nope.
29. Do you watch Family Guy regularly?
- Not regularly, but I like it when I do catch it.
30. Have you ever watched a little kids show?
- Yus.
31. What is your favorite Disney movie?
- I really, really don’t like Disney. I liked Lilo and Stitch, though, and The Emperor’s New Groove was okay, so pick one of those.
32. Whats your sign?
- Pisces.
33. What makes you feel like a kid again?
- Nothing, really…
35. What sport do you dislike most?
- Probably basketball… well, not really. I don’t dislike it, it’s just that it’s the only sport I’m not naturally at least decent at. Anything else I can pick up at at least not suck… I openly suck at basketball.
36. Have you ever gone scuba diving?
- Nope.
37. What’s your favorite smell?
- I don’t know… i’m not a very olfactory kind of guy. I prefer other senses!
38. Are you tall?
- Short! XD
39. Do you care what others think about you?
- For the most part, no. I like having the good opinion of those I care about, but not enough to change something I feel strongly about.
41. Do you kiss and tell?
- Somewhat… I tell Ryan everything.
42. Do you follow college football?
- Nein.
43. Where was the last place you went shopping?
- Albertson’s, I think.
45. Favorite football team?
- No preference!
46. Do you watch the Olympics?
- Rarely.
47. Last bar you went to?
- Oh, geez… I think it was Fireside in SF, months ago.
48. Do you have a favorite number?
- Not really….
49. Were you an outcast in middle school?
- Very much so.
50. Could you handle being in the military?
- Handle? If I had to, for whatever reason, then yes. If I didn’t have to, probably not. I can endure things just fine, but voluntarily going through unnecessary hardship isn’t really my thing.
Ryan, Andy and I stepped once again into the world of Titan Quest, this time with a concerted assault upon Act II, otherwise known as Egypt. With the Artifact of OMG safely in the hands of Andy’s Leonidas, we followed his warwinding blades across the sands of the desert, leaving birds and beetles flying in our wake. Shortly, what did we discover but the means to create a second Artifact of OMG! We did so, and I used it to energize the arrows of my avatar, She-Legolas. A new bow, fitted with Artemis’s Bowstring, made me even more deadly, and lo did we three carve a path right to the lair of the second Telkine, with Ryan’s Dillios keeping us all in good health. The Telkine and its foul corrupted spawn fell before us, and we emerged in Babylon, inexplicably called the Orient. All in the space of a single night’s session! Interweb failures notwithstanding, I declare the night to have been a success.
