Minor Win thread - Life is good!

In reply to NickD :

That friggin' rocks!!! 

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

It was a bad idea to set me, with an internally high level of acceptable sketch, and the wily old dude who has been autocrossing Prepared Corolla, Golfs and E30s since the '70s loose to design a course. We wanted to give novices a taste of a bunch of different elements that they might encounter in autocrossing. So we threw the kitchen sink at it. Drag race start, offset gates, offset angled walls, a decreasing radius turn, an optional slalom, a decreasing-spaced slalom. I had an idea for Chicago boxes and pin turns for the last third, but our former chapter head instead built this absurd off-tempo stop-and-go-go segment with a crazy fast kink through the finish before I got a chance. People jokingly said it was "course design by committee" and then everyone drove it and was like "This is wild."

We wanted to use it unchanged for tomorrow but our chapter head wanted no unfair advantaged. So instead we are running it backwards tomorrow for our points event, and now  my segment goes increasing-spaced slalom into optional slalom into increasing radius turn, and then an absurdly fast offset gate segment.

My dad texted me on Wednesday asking if I was going to Cars & Coffee on Saturday, he saw that I had checked interested on Facebook.  He is 75 and lives 2 hours way.  I told him there were going to be myself and three 13 year olds going and of course he was welcome to come along.  He drove down and we hit up two different meets, had lunch, it was an awesome day after the last year of crap.

SO happy to have the right tool for the job! 

For the '04 Cavalier, it has rear drum brakes and takes a special tool that I have not previously encountered to address the parking brake hookup to the drums. 

I checked multiple local suppliers for a tool that can go between the brake cable end and the absurdly strong return spring. A couple knew what I was looking for, but nobody had one - One guy was shocked that a 2004 car had drum brakes... But Amazon had this Lisle 'universal emergency brake tool' that is simple and here in 2 days. So I got to enjoy time in the pool yesterday instead. 

It just arrived today and is simple, but seems to be very effective. the very cockles of my heart are warmed by having THE RIGHT STINKIN TOOL FOR THE JOB in my hot hands. Especially after puncturing them 3 times trying combinations fo pliers, screwdrivers, etc before trying to find the tool locally. 

Woo hoo!!

Yeah... sometimes it's just the simple things. 

665 Mbps down stream wired, 250Mbps wireless.

Finally hooked up my new router. Don't have the switch and the rest of the wiring done yet, but holy E36 M3 the difference.

The blood bank had pretzels and Lorne Doones in the same bag. I usually get stuck with Oreos with pretzels. 

I managed to secure 200 rds of glockaroni gun food. I don't know ammo pricing and I'm not sure it was cheap, but at least I have range time available now to get my toy broke in. 

Major weight lifting accomplishments these past two weeks! I joined the 1,000lbs club!

Squat 360
Bench 260
Deadlift 380

My wife hit some major milestones she's been gunning for.

Benched 100
Deadlifted 200   <- This was the most impressive single lift of the run, I think.
Squated 155 (not a milestone that's been bugging her, but still a nice PR)

In reply to Beer Baron :

Great work for both of you! My goal is to join the 1,000 club, too. Did you follow a routine or use a trainer? My leg game is weak, weak, weak. 

In reply to Brett_Murphy :

The program has evolved over time. Been using a trainer for a bit over a year now, after I pulled a glute muscle.

Started with Starting Strength. Since then, our program has been a variation of the Heavy/Medium/Light format changing up variations and accessory exercises every 6 weeks.

Today is my dad's birthday. Last year at this time we weren't sure he was gonna make it so it's a big deal.

My mom died 5 years ago, she planted bunches of flowers including some purple iris. They haven't bloomed in the last few years but today they bloomed for the first time in many years....on my dad's birthday.

Kinda special huh?

Sold the Ranger today, for what I wanted to get out of it, which other than gas and insurance was more than I had into it. Drove it for 3.5 years, about 4000 miles, and sold it for a profit, I'm happy. 

I mentioned to my boss in our 1:1 today that I would be in on Monday before taking the rest of the week off, so we had one more meeting before my vacation in case anything comes up and she responded with.....Why? Is there something super important that you need to do on Monday? Maybe you should just take the whole week off. 

I don't know why that hadn't occurred to me, but now I think I might.

barefootskater (Shaun) said:

 

I paid $48 freedom dollars for shipping on a box of electricity bits to build an amplifier for the guitars I barely play. That order was placed on Friday, may 28, 2021. It is scheduled to arrive, from Canada, to my door on Friday, June 11, 2021. Accounting for filling the order, processing payment, and packaging it, that's less than 2 weeks and under $50 to get something FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY. 

In today's age of immediate gratification and free 2 day shipping, I still cannot believe how fast and cheap stuff can move globally. Modern miracle in my book. Amazing. 

Arrived a day early!

It's cherry season in the produce department!

Kind of a major win but this is as good a place as any.

The final child of 4 graduated from HS today. 

4 kids through school, no arrests, no drugs, no alcoholics, and probably most important, none of them hate me.

I'm calling that one a win.

Toyman01 + Sized and said:

Kind of a major win but this is as good a place as any.

The final child of 4 graduated from HS today. 

4 kids through school, no arrests, no drugs, no alcoholics, and probably most important, none of them hate me.

I'm calling that one a win.

Good job. You should go buy a lottery ticket.

My manager is retiring and I have accepted an offer to replace him.

The minor win is that I've known for 4 months and managed to not accidentally tell anyone at work. 

Milestone birthday yesterday.  I enjoyed the day off, had a nice dinner with immediate family, went to a lateish movie with friends that was really enjoyable, and finished everything off in the most enjoyable way possible.    No complaints here at all. 

I told my employer yesterday that I would be returning to work Friday with a brace for light duty.

I then gave my notice.

HR manager called me this morning and said, there's no sense in coming back for two weeks and possibly re-injuring yourself. Just stay home, we'll take care of it.

Found another bed frame on the side of the road! Getting to the point i can build a full frame!

Drove the "nice" RX-7 home from teh Batcave so I can drive it to work tomorrow.

I find little else sweeter than a stock 12A in a fairly unmodified car.

Very minor win, but encouraging. Measured my detached 2-car garage and it looks like I can fit a 4-post lift AND keep my storage loft AND keep my wall-O-shelves intact. Now to just unload a car to finance the lift purchase.

(bonus win)

I just realized with the 4-post lift I can use it to lift stuff into the loft rather than shoving crates up a ladder anymore. This will be important as I get older. Damn near killed myself last Christmas trying to muscle a box of decorations up there.

Found out someone nearby owns both a Morgan and an Alfa 4C.  Traded a ride/drive in the i8 for ride/drive in the Morgan and a ride in the 4C.

Didn't get a picture of the Alfa.

Both make the i8 seem as practical as a Camry in comparison. 

I've always been intrigued by the Morgans.  Not really something that I'd want to own, I don't think, but something I'd test drive.