I'm back!
-
I've decided to revive my little piece of cyberspace. I'm not sure how
long it's going to last or what will come of it but here it goes!
I've been thinkin...
10 years ago
Friday, August 13, 2010
friday's random music video vol. XXIX
oh oh i want some more...
oh oh what are you waiting for...?
say goodbye to my heart tonight.
neon trees - "animal"
Thursday, August 12, 2010
a cautionary tale of "WTF?!"
Sunday, August 1st - came home around 2am from alabama, where i attended a wedding... still most likely drunk.
Monday, August 2nd - wake up at 8am and take my car in for routine servicing. 4 hours later after sitting in the waiting area, i am presented with an $800 bill. sweet
Monday, August 2nd - that evening, i went online and paid some parking tickets. realizing that Tuesday morning, I am going to march down to the dc dmv and register my car.
Tuesday, August 3rd - wake up on a bright sunny day to a $100 dollar expired tags ticket sitting on my car. time of ticketing!? 4:30am.
Tuesday, August 3rd - frustrated, i go to the dc dmv and stand in line for 3 hours. when i get to the desk, i find out that i cant use just any piece of mail with my dc address on it, it has to be a copy of the lease. so i leave, prepared to return again.
Wednesday, August 4th - go back to dmv prepared to become a dc resident. another 2 hours in line... and well wouldnt you know it, i need to have my car inspected in dc before i can register. so i leave head hanging in shame.
Thursday, August 5th - wake up at 6am and get in line for the dc inspection facility. yes, there is only ONE place in all of dc that provides inspections so me and hundreds of my closest friends from all over the city line up with me. i sit in my car until about 9am when i finally am asked to get out my car for a 2 minute process of making sure my car is not personally responsible for the depletion of the o-zone. and i am now driving straight to the dmv.
Thursday, August 5th - arrive at the dmv ready to finally become a dc resident. but sadly, arriving at 9am means 4-5 hours waiting in line and after 2 hours and not really moving, i leave so that i can retain my job. however, while waiting in line, i do become the mayor of the penn avenue dc dmv on foursquare... silver lining!?
Thursday, August 5th - the time is now 4pm and i just want to get this crap over with. i go to ANOTHER dmv hoping that it is faster and it was maybe the best dmv i have ever been to. i was in and out in an hour and am now proudly a dc resident and proud owner of dc plates. finally over and i am a dc resident!
Friday, August 6th - my car is having trouble accelerating over 60 mph... and im not sure why. i call my repair center that gave my car $800 worth of repairs earlier in the week and they tell me to just bring it in on monday.
Saturday, August 7th - i get into an accident.
Sunday, August 8th - car is definitely struggling and not performing well.
Monday, August 9th - get to the repair shop at 8am for my car to looked over again. 3 hours of sitting in the waiting room... again and they tell me that my catalytic converter has had some kind of freak problem and has completely deteriorated from the inside. bill to replace? $1300 dollars. they tell me that they are going to try and help me with the cost. they then take to the closest metro and send me back into the city with no car.
Monday, August 9th - honda will cover half because of how much of a freak situation this is. however... $650 is still a lot. i am to pick it up in the morning on Tuesday.
Tuesday, August 10th - get up early and pick up my car. she runs well and even though, i now lack another $650 bucks, im glad to have her back.
Tuesday, August 10th - that evening, my roommates and i are going through the mail. something came for me from the dmv. as i look closer at the front of the envelope, i realize that they spelled my name "B-R-A-I-N" and unfortunately, my name is not brain. after a few moments, i realized that this letter was probably automatically generated. so i grab my wallet and pull out my brand new ID. sure enough, i had failed to see this before but my official name in DC is BRAIN. so much for taking a flight anywhere and using my ID...
Tuesday, August 10th - i go over to a buddy's place to play some poker. after 3 hours of poker, one beer and giving $40 generously to 7 guys i dont know that well, i decide to head home. one of the guys at the game lives near me so he asks for a ride and i say "sure!" As we are driving back, he asks how i normally get back to capitol hill. I tell him and he then tells me he knows a back way. Sounds fun! we take a non-descript exit from 295 and go under a bridge. as we come out from under the bridge, i realize that there is a small blockade of vehicles blocking the path. an officer pops out and tells me to stop. he comes up to the car and here is the following conversation:
me: how are you officer?
johnny law: did you realize that you drove through 3 authorized vehicles only signs to get here?
me: no?
johnny law: sir, have you been drinking tonight?
me: i had one beer two hours ago.
johnny law: i ask because i can smell alcohol coming from the car. please step out of the vehicle
me: um... ok.
he then proceeds to wave a pen in front of my face for 5 full minutes to see if i can follow with my eyes but not move my head... i passed but my heart was pounding out of my chest.
johnny law: i better not see you back on this road again. you understand?!
me: yes, sir.
he lets me get back into my car and i drive this guy home and then get back to my house.
this has been my last week and a half regarding my car. hopefully... HOPEFULLY i got all this craziness out of the way and now i can just enjoy a nice relaxing time with my car as a new dc resident. i dont think i can take much more drama involving my vehicle.
Monday, August 2nd - wake up at 8am and take my car in for routine servicing. 4 hours later after sitting in the waiting area, i am presented with an $800 bill. sweet
Monday, August 2nd - that evening, i went online and paid some parking tickets. realizing that Tuesday morning, I am going to march down to the dc dmv and register my car.
Tuesday, August 3rd - wake up on a bright sunny day to a $100 dollar expired tags ticket sitting on my car. time of ticketing!? 4:30am.
Tuesday, August 3rd - frustrated, i go to the dc dmv and stand in line for 3 hours. when i get to the desk, i find out that i cant use just any piece of mail with my dc address on it, it has to be a copy of the lease. so i leave, prepared to return again.
Wednesday, August 4th - go back to dmv prepared to become a dc resident. another 2 hours in line... and well wouldnt you know it, i need to have my car inspected in dc before i can register. so i leave head hanging in shame.
Thursday, August 5th - wake up at 6am and get in line for the dc inspection facility. yes, there is only ONE place in all of dc that provides inspections so me and hundreds of my closest friends from all over the city line up with me. i sit in my car until about 9am when i finally am asked to get out my car for a 2 minute process of making sure my car is not personally responsible for the depletion of the o-zone. and i am now driving straight to the dmv.
Thursday, August 5th - arrive at the dmv ready to finally become a dc resident. but sadly, arriving at 9am means 4-5 hours waiting in line and after 2 hours and not really moving, i leave so that i can retain my job. however, while waiting in line, i do become the mayor of the penn avenue dc dmv on foursquare... silver lining!?
Thursday, August 5th - the time is now 4pm and i just want to get this crap over with. i go to ANOTHER dmv hoping that it is faster and it was maybe the best dmv i have ever been to. i was in and out in an hour and am now proudly a dc resident and proud owner of dc plates. finally over and i am a dc resident!
Friday, August 6th - my car is having trouble accelerating over 60 mph... and im not sure why. i call my repair center that gave my car $800 worth of repairs earlier in the week and they tell me to just bring it in on monday.
Saturday, August 7th - i get into an accident.
Sunday, August 8th - car is definitely struggling and not performing well.
Monday, August 9th - get to the repair shop at 8am for my car to looked over again. 3 hours of sitting in the waiting room... again and they tell me that my catalytic converter has had some kind of freak problem and has completely deteriorated from the inside. bill to replace? $1300 dollars. they tell me that they are going to try and help me with the cost. they then take to the closest metro and send me back into the city with no car.
Monday, August 9th - honda will cover half because of how much of a freak situation this is. however... $650 is still a lot. i am to pick it up in the morning on Tuesday.
Tuesday, August 10th - get up early and pick up my car. she runs well and even though, i now lack another $650 bucks, im glad to have her back.
Tuesday, August 10th - that evening, my roommates and i are going through the mail. something came for me from the dmv. as i look closer at the front of the envelope, i realize that they spelled my name "B-R-A-I-N" and unfortunately, my name is not brain. after a few moments, i realized that this letter was probably automatically generated. so i grab my wallet and pull out my brand new ID. sure enough, i had failed to see this before but my official name in DC is BRAIN. so much for taking a flight anywhere and using my ID...
Tuesday, August 10th - i go over to a buddy's place to play some poker. after 3 hours of poker, one beer and giving $40 generously to 7 guys i dont know that well, i decide to head home. one of the guys at the game lives near me so he asks for a ride and i say "sure!" As we are driving back, he asks how i normally get back to capitol hill. I tell him and he then tells me he knows a back way. Sounds fun! we take a non-descript exit from 295 and go under a bridge. as we come out from under the bridge, i realize that there is a small blockade of vehicles blocking the path. an officer pops out and tells me to stop. he comes up to the car and here is the following conversation:
me: how are you officer?
johnny law: did you realize that you drove through 3 authorized vehicles only signs to get here?
me:
johnny law: sir, have you been drinking tonight?
me: i had one beer two hours ago.
johnny law: i ask because i can smell alcohol coming from the car. please step out of the vehicle
me: um... ok.
he then proceeds to wave a pen in front of my face for 5 full minutes to see if i can follow with my eyes but not move my head... i passed but my heart was pounding out of my chest.
johnny law: i better not see you back on this road again. you understand?!
me: yes, sir.
he lets me get back into my car and i drive this guy home and then get back to my house.
this has been my last week and a half regarding my car. hopefully... HOPEFULLY i got all this craziness out of the way and now i can just enjoy a nice relaxing time with my car as a new dc resident. i dont think i can take much more drama involving my vehicle.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
when life gives you lemons... go right to corporate.
for those that know me... it has been a tough couple weeks. really having to do almost exclusively with my car. just so many issues. i found myself getting really upset and cursing everything that moved. i cant tell you how many times i apologized to that poor squirrel...
but today, after venting to several people about the last few weeks... i finally realized that everything was going to be ok. the old cliche "it could have been worse" is an old cliche that still has merit for a reason. life sucks. things happen for no reason and usually when one bad thing happens, it calls its buddies and gets a little crew together and they decide to get really drunk and vomit on your sunny day.
but all that reverb always makes you try and find the silver lining. and i think i did just that. while i walked around the vast blocks of nw dc failing miserably to hail a cab... i said to myself, "i will never take my car for granted again."
maybe this is what i needed! from now on, maybe ill take better care of my car. maybe ill be more careful with maintenance and inspections. take better care when i travel and park it. maybe take it to get washed once a year or so...
but also maybe ill take a step back even farther and think about all those people that came running to my side. all those people that i interact with on a daily basis that when hearing i might need help or a ride or just support, reached out and offered everything but their own car... and even then, someone did just that. i need to make sure those people know that i appreciate their support and definitely dont take them for granted either.
life is a bunch of lessons strewn together with the goal of making you into the best person possible and i got caught snoozing in class and bam, pop quiz. and i bombed it. but you know, next time, just maybe ill be better prepared.
i hope so. i dont think i can stand another set of hours in the honda waiting room watching mister opportunity propoganda... dear honda, i bought the car already... everyone here is waiting for service issues... STOP PUSHING YOUR DAMN (albeit, i still love hondas so very much) vehicles on me let me watch the price is right... sheesh.
so life, thanks for the study hall. i think my lesson is learned... if i could get a nice little recess from anything having to do with automotive frustration... i will definitely participate a little more in class.
want an apple?!
but today, after venting to several people about the last few weeks... i finally realized that everything was going to be ok. the old cliche "it could have been worse" is an old cliche that still has merit for a reason. life sucks. things happen for no reason and usually when one bad thing happens, it calls its buddies and gets a little crew together and they decide to get really drunk and vomit on your sunny day.
but all that reverb always makes you try and find the silver lining. and i think i did just that. while i walked around the vast blocks of nw dc failing miserably to hail a cab... i said to myself, "i will never take my car for granted again."
maybe this is what i needed! from now on, maybe ill take better care of my car. maybe ill be more careful with maintenance and inspections. take better care when i travel and park it. maybe take it to get washed once a year or so...
but also maybe ill take a step back even farther and think about all those people that came running to my side. all those people that i interact with on a daily basis that when hearing i might need help or a ride or just support, reached out and offered everything but their own car... and even then, someone did just that. i need to make sure those people know that i appreciate their support and definitely dont take them for granted either.
life is a bunch of lessons strewn together with the goal of making you into the best person possible and i got caught snoozing in class and bam, pop quiz. and i bombed it. but you know, next time, just maybe ill be better prepared.
i hope so. i dont think i can stand another set of hours in the honda waiting room watching mister opportunity propoganda... dear honda, i bought the car already... everyone here is waiting for service issues... STOP PUSHING YOUR DAMN (albeit, i still love hondas so very much) vehicles on me let me watch the price is right... sheesh.
so life, thanks for the study hall. i think my lesson is learned... if i could get a nice little recess from anything having to do with automotive frustration... i will definitely participate a little more in class.
want an apple?!
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