In anticipation of the movie version of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy coming out this year, over the weekend I rented the DVD set of the BBC television episodes. I haven’t read the book, but since I move almost exclusively in profoundly nerdy and geeky circles, I’ve been peripherally aware of all the characters and the jist of the book. The TV series is really low-rent, with special effects that look cheesy even for early ’80s television, but somehow it’s really entertaining. I think part of it is the British nature of the humor, which tends to revolve around witticisms and absurd situations rather than more broad-stroked guffaws, but the part that really endears it to me are the montages out of the book itself, with the clever, deadpan observations about the galaxy and all the little existential philosophies therein.
Picked up Stephen from the airport last night at 1 a.m. after his flight was delayed by several mechanical issues. After going 100 mph all weekend, I’m dead tired.
My roommates and I are in the end-of-lease limbo concerning the state of the apartment. We all know that we’re going to split in a couple of months, so any desire to invest in the quality of life in the apartment, at least as far as permanent fixtures and whatnot, is completely gone. We still keep the common areas like the living room and the kitchen clean, but the organization in my room, for one, has completely disintegrated. There are some days when I wish I didn’t own hardly anything so I could be endlessly mobile, move anywhere and feel very soon at home because I wouldn’t have much to establish. But then there are days when I just want to buy a house, get a permanent graphic design job, and just invest myself in the community in the area and my little hobbies. I know how much the discontent would grow after even a short while if I took the latter course, though. I’ve been given so much in terms of experiences and capabilities–I have to use it; I have to extend myself into the moving stream at least a little.
Someone in the Cutrara clan got the BBC mini-series last Christmas. We all watched them. Kinda slow, but much more interesting than, say, Napoleon Dynamite. Did you ever see that, btw? I too await the new movie.
When did you go 100 mph? Please tell me you’re being figurative…otherwise i might be jealous. ;-P
I got the ’69 running again on Sunday. Turned out the lever that presses on the primary accelerator pump had slipped off or something. Dunno how. But anyways, i pulled the float bowl, readjusted it, and bolted everything back together and that was it. Started right up. Oh, and i also found out how to change the secondaries. Rediculously simple. I’d like to do another dyno run whenever the weather gets warmer in order to do some further tuning.
BTW, dont you have to give like a 2 month notice if you’re not going to be renewing the lease? If you dont and just move out i think they can hit you with some pretty nasty penalties…
Have a good day, Matt. Catch ya later.
~John
I haven’t seen ND yet. I was going to rent it this weekend but Visart was all out…hence the Hitchhiker’s Guide rental.
I’m being completely figurative. I was driving Stephen’s truck all weekend and that thing really complains at any speed above, say, 60.
Glad you got the ’69 running again. So I’m assuming there’s more to changing the secondaries than just turning the screws, like we thought?
Thanks for the tip about the 2 month notice. The office at Summit is pretty laid-back (in just about every way you could think of), but it would still suck to get hit with something in a month or two.
Talk to you later, John. We need to organize a photo shoot whilst all wearing our Joel-Christmas-present t-shirts, I think.
But then there are days when I just want to buy a house, get a permanent graphic design job, and just invest myself in the community in the area and my little hobbies.
Yeah, I definitely see you being extremely bored with that lifestyle. Not that’s it’s boring, really, because it isn’t, but you’ve such great opportunities. Aviation school? So amazing. I can relate, though, because it would be incredibly easy to just get my degree and teach in Texas… and it might keep me happy for about a year, but after that I’d surely lose my mind.
You should schedule a nap.
And I haven’t talked to you in a “long” time.
Just back from my one class today…the history of business. About time i found out what an entrepreneur is. Of course they dont really give you any real answers…they just present the myriad of view and perspective and talk about cultural trends and relevance. I think they’re just afraid of being wrong.
Yes, i’ll have to show you how it works sometime. Basically those screws are aluminum rods that you unscrew and remove entirely. The jet is situated on the very end of those rods, screwed into the bottom of it. All you have to do is remove the jet, screw in the new one, and screw the whole rod back into the metering block. Takes about 2 minutes tops, if you’re being very careful (which i was). The secondaries were 86’s and i put in 88’s until i can get back to the dyno and see how much of an effect going up two sizes does.
So you got Joel’s present, eh? Yeah, it rocks. Mine has the “SS” symbol on the front and a glossy blue bow tie on the back (looks better than it sounds). Yes, a photo shoot sounds good, if somewhat…uh…spicy? Immodest, perhaps? Excessively chummy?? Mebbe we can just get our cars together and take some pics, huh? LOL. I’ll be happy to volunteer my car as a mascot, if necessary. ;-P Now it just needs to warm up a bit…
I’m glad you understand where I’m coming from :) I think we’d both go stir crazy if we were stuck in our respective hometowns on a permanent basis.
I may schedule a nap for tonight–it’s supposed to snow here. Who knows whether it’ll stick…
So…you didn’t know what an entrepreneur was before now? Or are you being sarcastic? I suspect the latter, seeing as how you’re a pretty savvy fellow business-wise.
Cool about the carb jets. I reckon if we had removed the plugs completely at the dyno we would have discovered that.
Yes, I did. I’m extremely impressed that he spelled “quattro” all lowercase (the right way to spell it).
Your car as a mascot? Whaddaya think, your car is better than ours or something? Let me tell you something. Mad props for the ~510 hp dyno pull, but that alone does not a special car make. Oh wait. It’s…a ’69 Camaro too. Nevermind.
Where did that “snoo” bit some from?
It’s a paraphrase of a blurb in a book I read as a kid called How To Be Funny by Jovial Bob Stine. My mom picked it up at a thrift store or a yard sale. It was the funniest thing I had ever read as a 10-year-old, but subsequent readings have brought it down a notch or two. It’s still good, though (from what I remember–I haven’t set eyes on it in 6-7 years).