Mental Machinations

Manifesto of the 25th Order, by ResidentX

2005-06-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

Hello all. As I sat in front of my PC, I asked myself perhaps one of the most open-ended of questions: "Who am I?" Following are a few thoughts on the matter:

Categorization and quantification are irrevelant, for I transcend them as a consequence of my existence.
I am confined by my own mind, but not by trends or expectations from others.
I leave no job undone, but have a lot of unfinished business.
I excel at any endeavour, especially estranging myself from a member of the opposite sex.
I am a perpetual sophomore of the etymological variety.
Speed is my drug of choice...fast cars and roller coasters provide the best fix.
My willingness to help is only rivalled by my capacity to hinder.
I can be lonely amongst a multitude, and my own best friend in solitude.
I have the patience of a saint, but I want it all yesterday.
I am the epitome of silence, with confidence impinging upon hubris.
I am a master of the digital pen, but my best work is unpublished.
I am everything that I say that I am: a walking contradiction of myself.
I am ResidentX.

Atlanta Auto Show Highlights...

2005-05-22T03:46:00.000-07:00

Hello all. For those of you who don't know, I am a self-professed car fanatic. I must clarify here, because there are many flavors of car fanatics. One of my favorite concepts is the future and what's next. Thus, my vice is learning as much as possible about the future of the car industry. One of the things that I do every year, without fail, is attend an International Auto Show. I went this year with JV, one of my best friends from college and high school, and a fellow car enthusiast. Following are some of my impressions from the show, arranged in categorical award format...

Yawn of the Year: The Hummer H3. A $30,000 baby Hummer. Great. Give the raging environmentalists one more thing to holler and scream about. It was there. I saw it. Let's move on.

You Can't be Serious: FoMoCo has proclaimed 2005 to be the Year of the Car. That's ok with me, but can we inject some inspiration in the design one time? The Ford Five Hundred has great underpinnings (Volvo-derived platform) and is no doubt a safe car. But, with the fierce competition from Japan and Korea, I was expecting more from the finished product, especially since it looked much better in earlier sketches that I had seen. Oh, and the Freestyle is a crossover SUV. Right. And I drive too slow on the highway too. Ford, get over your collective selves and admit that it's a station wagon. They're coming back. There's nothing wrong with that.

What a Maroon: This award was quite heartrending to give out, since I like the direction the company is taking with the design of their new models. Lexus...why were all of their models on the show floor locked? Especially in light of the fact that their competitors were a short walk away, with most of their models open for public inspection. Totally stupid, and bad customer relations from a company that prides itself on that very thing. By the way, Jaguar comes in a close second in this category. Their only saving grace was that the X-Type Sportwagon was open. Way to dodge a bullet, fellas...

Get it Together: Mitsubishi. What happened to you? Just a few years ago, you were bragging of having the youngest customers in the industry. Now, you shift upper management faster than my sister changes channels during a commercial break. You are not the only company that has had to fix an image problem. You got it half right with the new warranty. But where's the product?? The new Galant...ehh, not feelin' it. And that's not good, seeing as how that's supposed to one of their best selling models. I do like the new Eclipse though. It looks like a proper evolution of the 2nd gen model. Outstanding. Too bad it's five years too late...

Keep on Rockin: Infiniti was been experiencing a bit of a renaissance over the past couple of years. Sales are up, led by the G35 sedan and coupe (two of my very favorite cars). Now the G35 has a big brother known as the M. I get into a lot of cars when I go to auto shows, and I'm tough to impress. However, when JV and I got into the M and shut the door, something funny happened. The outside world (or at least the noise from it) ceased to exist. We were stunned. If it drives as good as it looks, Infiniti has another winner on their hands. Oh, and as an aside, Nissan doesn't need another halo-class performance car. Bring the legendary Skyline GT-R to this side of the Pacific AS AN INFINITI. I mean it. By any means necessary...

Just Two Years Away: There was once this subsidiary of GM that enjoyed a moderate measure of success, and even a cult following. Much of this success came as a result of fresh thinking and marketing not typical of its parent company. However, the parent company left this subsidiary without additional product for too long, failing to capitalize on an enormous opportunity. Now, they get to play the role of "Johnny Come Lately" as they finally give this gem of a brand serious consideration as it relates to product. For those who don't know, the brand referenced here is Saturn. They received this award for one simple reason: while the ION and the L-Series vehicles are nothing to scream about, the Sky roadster and the Aura sedan look great, and were shown in their production sheetmetal. I hope, for their sake, that they keep the new product coming for Saturn, as it is one of the few bright spots in the company.

I will conclude this post with my impressions of the new Jetta. JV and I sat in a wide range of Jetta models, from the basic model to the fully loaded, leave no option box unchecked model. I was pleased at all three models that I sat in. I like VW because they give their customers a good mix of intelligent design, performance, and gadgetry at a decent price. I only wish they could figure out how to deliver a steady flow of new product instead of the tidal wave approach that they use now. Doing so would help out their balance sheets and allow for the future of VW to be much brighter than the present. Well peeps, that's the way I see it. Stay tuned for my impressions of future automotive events.

Just my humble opinion,

ResidentX

On Evolution, Creationism, and Public Schools...

2005-05-09T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I was just watching my favorite 24 hour cable news channel, when a news story concerning public schools in Kansas came across the screen. Basically, a group known as Intelligent Design is seeking to modify the science curriculum of high schools in the state. This immediately brought to mind the ruling of Cobb County (GA) schools to place a disclaimer in science books that taught the theory of evolution, which was recently struck down.

Here's where I weigh in on this issue: the Bible is an outstanding religion book, but it makes a horrible science book. Public high schools are supposed to prepare students for college or trade school, not advance the religious agenda of any one person or group. Administrators must keep this in mind when designing any academic curriculum. When they don't, my tax dollars are wasted, and students are put at a disadvantage versus students that were taught the theory of evolution. Personally, if I had a child in a school that decided not to teach evolution or any other legitimate academic subject, I would remove them from that school as soon as possible.

The purpose of education is not to learn about everything that you agree with. It is to expose your mind to as many issues as possible, such that you can have an informed opinion. If people are not allowed to learn something that they may disagree with, how will they ever know if they disagree with it? And since when did you have to agree with the content of your science book? Just give the answer the teacher expects, and take the grade that you deserve.

I will close with this: I was privileged to attend a school that taught Darwinism/natural selection as well as Creationism. Were there teachers that didn't believe in evolution? Of course, but they didn't teach science. I studied the Bible in religion class, and learned about Darwinism in Biology class, and that is how it should be. Science has no place in a religion class, and vice versa. For public schools that should not and cannot endorse any religion, the choice is crystal clear. For those who want an alternate perspective on the origin and diversity of life, there is always your local church, Bible Study, or Sunday School.

Just my humble opinion,

ResidentX

An open letter to the powers that be at the NHL...

2005-03-30T15:35:00.000-08:00

Hello all. My life has settled into quite a routine these days. It goes a little something like this: Sleep. Eat. Go to class. Go to work. Repeat. Fun right?? So, until something incredibly blog-worthy happens, I figured I would comment on current events at randomized intervals. Today's topic: the sad state of affairs in the NHL. Disclaimer: I can be a tad opinionated, but my opinions will always be informed and as honest as I can make them. Good enough?? On with the show...

So we've had an entire season without the NHL. And what difference has it made in my life?? Not much really, thanks for asking. How many other people out there feel the same way I do? I haven't seen any Gallup polls or anything, but I'm going to guess that there are quite a few. If the powers that be at the NHL and the NHLPA decide to fall on their collective bayonets, the world will keep turning. We will still have Baseball which runs into Football which runs into Basketball: the trifecta of American sports.

There are several issues at play when talking about the NHL lockout. In a local sense, the Atlanta Thrashers are a major tenant of Philips Arena. Also, the All-Star festivities would have brought millions of dollars into the city for a weekend, but that was cancelled, not to return for a long time. How many jobs are being affected because the players and the owners can't agree on how to operate a hockey league? Most of these people are not rich. They are working class Joes and Janes trying to make a living.

The next issue is the players. While there are a few superstars that have already made their millions of dollars and can survive a year without working, there are many more that need to play in order to sustain a decent lifestyle. So, they go play in other leagues, mostly in Europe. Thus, you see the dark side of union affiliation. They are willing to go jobless for a year or more to get their point across, knowing that are those who will endure great hardship in the process. And what of them? "Sorry Mr. Unproven Rookie. Go play in Latvia or something."

And now to the owners. Throughout the labor dispute, I have heard several reports that said that the owners would be better off by not having a season. Could this be because these incredibly wealthy people aren't really that good at managing money after all? They should be fully aware of the money that they need to allocate toward payroll after all other costs are considered. Assuming that this is true, why would you then pay the players so much that it puts your business, your hockey franchise in dire straits? Come to the table in good faith with numbers that will ensure that your employees are well compensated without losing your shirt in the process. And face facts: you don't have a major TV deal pumping billions of dollars into your sport. Work within the constraints given you, and consider changes to gameplay that may make your sport more attractive to TV audiences and, in turn, to major network operators. Common sense, even if grossly oversimplified.

I will close by speaking to the players and the owners. I am a red-blooded American male whose life revolves around sports. I was trying to get into hockey, even though I don't know the difference between icing and slashing yet. If you allow your league to fade into oblivion because of your arrogance and greed, life will go on. From where I stand, you have much more to lose than I do. So, do the right thing and bring a new and improved NHL to arenas all over North America this fall.

Just my humble opinion,

ResidentX

Singles Awareness Day?!? Wake me when it's over...

2005-02-14T10:26:00.000-08:00

Ah, Valentine's Day...such a wonderful time of year. With the roses and the candy and the Hallmark cards and...who am I kidding? For yet another year, I am single on Valentine's Day. Any other day of the year, being single is just fine by me. Besides, the average female would be frustrated with the type of schedule I keep anyway, so it's just as well. Needless to say, I spent most of the day fairly grumpy and painfully aware of my status as a single.

So, why is this one day of the year so hard for a single guy like me? Being the analytical person that I am, I am going to eschew the traditional excuses like the fact that it's mostly a Hallmark Holiday and cut straight to the heart of the matter: peer pressure. Seriously, how many of us dread Singles Awareness Day because of the inevitable discussions with coworkers or classmates? They get to tell you about the flowers and the cards and the dinner and the extracurricular activities and such, and your only response is something to the effect of "That's nice. I did exactly nothing today. Thanks for asking."

...and another thing...I absolutely love (to hate) the phrase "It's only the thought that counts." Why?? It's because of the underlying meaning of the statement. Usually when a female says this to you, it's because she was somehow dissatisfied with the execution of some aspect your Valentine's Day production. In some ways, it's kind of like gently reprimanding your dog after its soiled the carpet. Cut the crap (pun intended). Just say, "Nice try, [insert pet name here], but your misguided attempt at appeasing me today has failed miserably." On second thought, "It's only the thought that counts" is much more concise, even if not to the point...Oh well peeps, don't mind me, I'm just doing a little venting. I'll be back to my same complicated self once this wretched day passes. Take care, and enjoy your Valentine's/Singles Awareness Day, where applicable.

Peace!

ResidentX

There's a new sheriff in town--and he walks with a swagger...

2005-01-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

Hello all. I have some good--no, great news to report. It seems that your humble blogger is in line to transfer departments. My boss informed me of the opening last Friday, and I have been training for my new position all week. In addition, I have been training my replacement for my current position. It's cool because he is one of my buddies from Hub School, and one of the few people that I would ever want to replace me.

So what exactly would I be doing in my new position? Essentially, I will be monitoring the entire operation from a computer room. I will be keeping track of the scanning equipment, and ensuring that none of it gets lost. I will have to monitor trailers and loads to ensure that all information related to them is accurate. Finally, I have have to keep upper management abreast of all the important numbers via reports that I generate nightly.

Of course, this move is not without drama. There's only one position like mine on each shift, so naturally, there is a lot of competition and politics involved when it becomes available. Ironically, my name was thrown into the mix because of something that I considered to be relatively unimportant. You see, a bug in one of the systems that I maintain in the Training Department prevented me from editing the tests properly. Emails and appeals for help to other departments went unanswered. Frustrated, I decided to fix the problem myself. It turns out that there was an undeclared variable being referenced in a subroutine of the program. One line of code fixed the entire program. I was shocked that the fix was that simple, since any freshman Computer Science student should have been able to find and fix the error. My boss found out about it, and told the Sort Manager. Apparently, people I didn't even know were talking about it. Everyone in my new department had heard about what I did before I even walked in the door. Funny how that happens sometimes...

There are benefits and consequences to any move like this. Since I'll be coming in later, I won't see my friends as much, but the work I'll be doing is totally resume-worthy. A bittersweet trade, but I'll manage...Well peeps, wish me luck, because after this weekend, nothing at work will be the same for me. Take care, and I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress.

Peace!

ResidentX

It's only a matter of time now....

2005-01-15T05:09:00.000-08:00

Hello all. I know it's been awhile since I last posted, so naturally, there's quite a bit of news to report. For starters, your humble blogger is back in school now. I went an entire day without sleep trying to get my account reconciled and getting my schedule changed...and THEN going to class (did I mention I had to work too??), but it was worth it. I finally decided to stop making excuses and just figuure out how to make it happen. Hmm...you know, if I were a really smart guy, I'd take that approach in all aspects of my life. I think there might be a New Year's Resolution in there somewhere...Maybe, maybe not. Oh well peeps, sorry for the short post, but the bed is calling...I knew you'd understand. Take care, and stay tuned for updates on my long strange trip known as school.

Peace!

ResidentX

Uh-oh...There it goes again...

2004-12-10T02:31:00.000-08:00

My urge to build things is practically insatiable. Hello all. My new computer setup has been up and running for a little over two months, and already I'm thinking of upgrading it. Maybe things like this are why one of my best friends told me recently that I make her head hurt. Oh well, I guess that's what happens when you try to figure me out...

So, how exactly did all of this come about?? Well, I was surfing the Internet after work one night, and I went to AMD's website. There, I stumbled upon a link to Microsoft's website. But this was no ordinary link. You see, this link for a FREE download of a program that can only be run on a computer with an Athlon 64 processor. Registering and downloading the file was easy. Within 90 minutes, I had the CD image downloaded and ready to go. There is one minor issue, though. My machine uses a 32-bit Athlon, and the motherboard doesn't accommodate Athlon 64 processors. In English, that means that I would have to buy yet another new motherboard as well as an Athlon 64 processor to go along with it. It also means that I would have to install all of my programs and migrate all of my other stuff to the new setup. Luckily, the memory and all of the other hardware I bought recently should be able to be installed onto the new motherboard.

So, why go through all of that again?? I was planning to upgrade the processor on my current machine, and the price of the one that I wanted (Athlon XP 3200) was in the $200 range. After doing a little research, I found that I could get an Athlon 64 processor AND motherboard for that price. And, for an extra $60, I could upgrade to a motherboard that is better suited to my computer case. It would be an even more futureproof setup than I am running now, and it would be running an operating system that doesn't get officially released for at least another six months. I guess I just have this thing about being on the bleeding edge of technology. After all, your humble blogger was running Windows XP Professional 5 months before it was released three years ago. I even got a form letter from Bill Gates thanking me for my help in discovering bugs in the release candidates. So you see, this is simply history repeating itself...Well peeps, that's what is consuming my mind these days. I'll be sure to post updates to this story as they become available. Till then, take care!

Peace!

ResidentX

Supervisor of the Month?? Me? Really??...

2004-11-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

Hello all. Today was a good day. I finally got my financial aid paperwork taken care of at AIU. I called my admissions rep, and asked if I could come in today. He gave the ok, so I left the house about 5pm. I was right on time for the workshop, and since I completed my FAFSA before I left work last night, I got to surf the Internet during that portion of the program. Pretty much all I had to do was sign a few papers authorizing me to receive Stafford Loans and stuff. Then it was back to surfing the web while they processed my information. After all of my loans and grants, I still had an unresolved balance of about $9K. It's not as bad as it seems though, since my employer will cover about $4K of that...

I had to be at work early to help out with the monthly recognition ceremony. I helped to set up the food and everything. I had no idea that I would be among the ones recognized for Supervisor of the Month. Usually, my boss picks one of the floor trainers that has exceptional service numbers over the past month. So, imagine my surprise when I hear my boss describing me and the work that I do in the Training Office. I was floored and practically speechless. I got a plaque and my choice of "Supervisor of the Month" golf shirts (I chose Red, and liberated a hat too). My buddies from Management Training knew about it, and chose to keep it a surprise. That made it even better. When I got Employee of the Month in April, my supervisor told me a week in advance, because he knew that I wouldn't attend otherwise. Understandable at the time, but I prefer being surprised over the other approach. All told, I had a good night, even though one or two of my coworkers felt that I didn't deserve the award. I didn't worry about it; the dawn of the apocalypse wouldn't have killed my good mood tonight...Well peeps, that was my night--better than most in my estimation. Until next time, take care and be safe.

Peace!

ResidentX

Tell me it's true...

2004-11-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

...Halo 2 has hit the stores and all the Xbox fanatics now have a proper sequel to the game that put the console on the map in the first place. Yes, of course, your humble and excited blogger has ordered his copy of the game, complete with the official strategy guide thrown in at a 30% discount. That's important, because if I get stuck on a stage in the game, I may put it down and go back to one of the other games that I'm working on. Like, say, my undefeated season with the Hawks on NBA 2K5. They're a great team to use on The Association because they have a LOT of salary cap room. A WHOLE lot. That comes in handy if you have to sign a player to replace one that gets injured for a long period of time (Which has already happened to me).

I shouldn't have procrastinated in ordering Halo 2. Now I have to listen to my best friend tell me how great all the different modes are. Oh well, my copy will be delivered to my doorstep in due time...Well peeps, that's all I have for now. Take care, and stay tuned for Halo 2 updates.

Peace!

ResidentX

What If I don't want to let it go??...

2004-10-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I know it's been a while since I've written, but it's the usual excuses: work, work, and more work. I have a lot to update you on, so on with the show...

At work, my boss and his boss had a little pow-wow while I was on vacation to clarify my duties and give me an official title. Get ready for it **drum roll please**: Seniority Coordinator. Cool huh?? Maybe not, but I'm learning to like it. I wish they had told me earlier...now I have to reprint my business cards :P

I haven't written about the Galant in a long time, so a quick update. My cousin is still dragging his feet, so I have been considering some things. Mainly, what if I found a recycled engine for a good price (say, less than $600), and had the sucker installed?? Another option would be to cough up the $900 that I was quoted and get the blown head gasket repaired. Crazy, right? Those of you who really know me realize that this is right up my alley. I would have to obtain insurance for it, but it wouldn't be that expensive since it will be minimum coverage on an eight-year-old car. The only issue I see would be getting a tag, since the car has to pass emissions in order to get one. That would mean that the car would have to be up and running by the end of January. Hmm, a pickle indeed. I do have a sizable Xmas bonus coming in December, so it wouldn't be impossible--it would just mean that a Nintendo DS or a Playstation 2 (for Gran Turismo 4 :) ) would have to wait, not to mention performance parts for the Jetta :(.

My quest to get back in school got an unexpected kickstart during my vacation. A representative from AIU Online contacted me about enrolling in one of their undergraduate programs. I already knew from prior research that they offered Information Technology and Network Security classes, so I decided to apply. Because my employer is a Corporate Partner with AIU, my application fee was waived. I was accepted within a few days. Good right? Yeah, but I thought that I would benefit from face to face contact and teamwork that a regular campus would provide. So, I applied to AIU Dunwoody for the same program, and was accepted there within a few days. They even sent me a silk rose to commemorate the occasion. Or, was it to butter me up so that I would choose them over a competitor? Either way, it was a nice gesture. Now I have to fill out all that financial aid paperwork...fun indeed. Well peeps, that's all for this episode. I will keep you posted on the many developing stories of my multifaceted life. Till then, take care and be safe.

Peace!

ResidentX

It sounds good in theory, but...

2004-10-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

Hello all. An alternate title for this post would be "I'm on vacation (Part II)". I'm not reaching the brink of insanity like last time, but since my vacation is a "use it or lose it" type of deal, I choose the former option. My employer is trying to adjust to a new pay system for supervisors, and it's getting ridiculous. You see, the new system allows us to get paid for all of the time we work in addition to having a base salary. However, since the Corporate Powers that Be decided that we work too many hours, they are trying to limit us to the 5.5 hours per day that they assume should be sufficient for the average supervisor to get his/her work done. So, even if all of the daily paperwork is not done, we still have to call it a day after 5.5 hours. The only exceptions in my department are Trainers that stay to cover the Sunrise shift, like yours truly. Compounding the problem, at least in the training department, is the fact that we are understaffed, so each supervisor is being asked to take on more people. I myself have to balance my office duties with a stack of 7 or 8 training packs that need to be done for the night. Then, if I have to babysit some Orientation people, I can't leave to check on anyone else, and if they are using the computers, I can't edit the Certification Tests. Needless to say, this is going to be a fiasco of untold magnitude until the kinks in the new system are worked out.

"Buy it online, pick it up at the store..." Sounds good, right? I decided to try this out at BestBuy.com, just to see how the process would go. The item in question was the new CD from Usher that came out this past Tuesday. The online portion of the process is easy enough: select your pickup location, and then follow standard online purchasing procedures. You have to wait for a confirmation email confirming that the item is in stock and ready to be picked up. To cover their asses, they claim that this can take up to two hours; in my case, it took about 13 minutes. Everything was cool until I actually had to pick the CD up from the store. You see, product pickup customers are served in the same lines as customers that are returning or exchanging merchandise (Uh-oh is right). So, there I was standing in line behind some guy whose cell phone charger was busted, disappointed that there was no better way to handle online customers. It would have taken me less time just to simply go there and pick out the CD and check out the traditional way. In my opinion, there should be a line dedicated to online customers, especially if that option is going to as widely advertised as it is. Nice try, Best Buy, but I'm not impressed. As an educated consumer, I expect the execution to live up to the promise. Put simply, it didn't, and that's all I'm going to say about that...Well peeps, that's all I have for now. Take care, and be safe.

Peace!

ResidentX

You can call me ResidentX: SuperTrainer...

2004-10-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I know it's been a minute since my last post, but I have been putting in serious hours at work lately. Since moving up to the office, I have been assuming all of the projects that JD had before he transferred and then some. For starters, I have to fix all of the Certification tests because they were not updated along with the rearrangement of the Midnight sort plan that occurred in August. For those keeping score, that's 13 load tests and one test for the sort aisle. Needless to say, that's going to take awhile. I also have to develop Certification Tests and Study Material for the Sunrise shift since there pretty much isn't anything right now. At least I have started on the Sunrise Sort Aisle test, which I made top priority since it's in high demand right now. I hope to have it finished before I go on vacation (that's right, another one) the week after next.

All of that seems like a lot, and it is. But I'm not done...I still have trainees whose packs need to be caught up in a bad way, especially now that we are having weekly audits again. After I get them caught up, I can pass them along to follow-up trainers that are assigned to the floor. On top of all of that, I am the de facto electronic fix-it guy, from paper jams in the copy machine, to CDs stuck in computers...a fun job indeed.

A quick Jetta update...I took her for her first oil change this past Monday. I took her to Pep Boys and got a Valvoline SynPower oil change with a Fram Oil filter. The Jetta runs better now, and the minor problem I had with the car stalling out on cold startups is gone. It was a good deal at about $46, though next time, I want to step up to a K&N oil filter. My parents are critical of my choice to insist upon synthetic oil, but what do they know? They just take their cars to the Toyota or Nissan dealership and pay too much for recommended service. That may be cool for them, but nothing is too good for my baby. I always insist on premium parts for any car that I drive, especially since the Jetta is running with performance modifications, with more to come in the future. Next up willl be a transmission flush, but I'll have to wait till my next paycheck for that one. That should smooth out the engine even more, and eliminate the occassional thump that occurs under heavy acceleration.

How's the new computer doing?? Just fine, thanks for asking. I went to Fry's (my new favorite store) and got a floppy drive and a Y-adapter so that I could power the front panel lights and the fan in the front of the case. It took me a while to get my bearings (the place is enormous), since it was my first time there, but I'm glad I did because they have some great deals and a better selection of random hard-to-find computer parts. I went back a week later and got an Epson Stylus CX5400 multifunction printer for $70 before a $20 rebate....an outstanding deal, considering that it retails for $150. Next up for the new computer will be a DVD Burner, but again, I have to wait until the next paycheck for that...well peeps, that's all I have for now. Take care, and I'll try to update sooner than later.

Peace!

ResidentX

It's Alive!...

2004-09-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I am writing you from my brand new computer built from scratch. That's right--I assembled it piece by piece and it works flawlessly. You'll have to excuse me for being proud of myself. Of course there is an adventure of sorts connected to all of this, so here goes...

After I talked with my cousin about helping him with his publishing company, I immediately shifted my new computer project to the front burner. I ordered a beautiful new case and some memory that was compatible with the mainboard that I was planning to use, and then I waited. Normally, I hate waiting, but the double whammy of Labor Day weekend and the new case being shipped Ground from California gave me no other choice. Finally, last Monday, everything had arrived, and I was ready to build. I powered off the old computer and migrated some parts that would work in the new machine. Unfortunately, I had to leave for work before I could test the new setup.

After work, I came home and tested the new setup. There was a big problem though: the hard disk controller was not working properly. After several attempts to work around the problem, I finally decided to go and buy a new mainboard. After going into a smaller shop and coming out frustrated, I went to CompUSA. They didn't have that great of a selection, but they did have the Soyo Dragon KT600. When I saw it, I knew it was made to perform. It can accomodate DDR400 memory and any AMD Athlon chip that has a 400Mhz system bus. It is well equipped for emerging technology, such as Serial ATA. It came with thermal grease for the CPU, and it had a fan on the northbridge chip. And did I mention that it is black, the same color as my case? At $100, I considered it a great deal, even though I could have easily beaten it online had I tried.

I got the new mainboard home, and began the process of rebuilding the computer. After working out some minor issues with system bus jumper settings, it was ready for showtime. After a few failed attempts to install Windows, I finally decided on a clean install in a separate directory. It finally installed correctly, so I began the tedious process of setting up everything the way I like it. Downloading upgrades and patches for Windows took about two hours (even with my DSL connection), because of all the programs that had to be installed separately from the others. After installing a few productivity programs, I called the setup process complete...for now, at least. The case has blue LEDs on the front that won't light up because I ran out of connector plugs from the power supply. But that's nothing a trip to Fry's won't fix...Well peeps, that's the story, and I'm stickin' to it. This is just the beginning for my 2nd generation computer, as I have a laundry list of upgrades for it already (Can somebody say 16X Dual Layer DVD-RW...aww yeah). Take care, and stay tuned for updates on the new machine as well as the Jetta.

Peace!

ResidentX

Some go quietly, while others require a little more "persuasion"...

2004-09-12T04:04:00.000-07:00

Hello again. It's official! I am the new Cover Supervisor for the Training Department. I received the final word on the situation when I came in to work Friday night. I walked in the door, and many of my coworkers were congratulating me on my move up to the office. I was stunned. I still am, really. I don't think it will sink in until Monday, when I get a chance to really settle into my new duties. This entire process has happened so fast, I haven't had time to sit back and appreciate it all.

Friday was my first day in the office. JD, a good friend and the guy I'll be replacing, stayed with me to get me acclimated to my new duties. Making IDs and looking up service numbers for the other trainers is nice, but the project that I'm really itching to get into is the new Midnight Employee database. It's still under construction, so I get a chance to make changes and improvements as I see fit. This is my opportunity to put all those Computer Science concepts I've learned in college into practice in a real-life work scenario. Very exciting, to say the least. I am planning to jump in with both feet, with my goal being to make the database as powerful and user-friendly as I can possibly make it. My major obstacle right now is that I am quite rusty when it comes to Microsoft Access. I still have the textbook from my college Database class, and I'll buy another book on the subject, if necessary. I have some hard work ahead of me, but it's all good since it's something I actually want to do.

Saturday morning after work, I had a lot of unspent energy, so I decided to install the AEM Cold Air Intake in the Jetta. I had attempted to do it Friday afternoon, but I had to stop since I didn't have all the tools I needed. JD was nice enough to loan me his tool set for the weekend, so I was able to get started shortly after I got home. With all proper tools available, installation was not that hard. I did run into a problem removing a plastic part behind the drivers side headlight. I was able to undo the first two rivets that held it in place, but the third one was only accessible from under the car. Even though I had the car jacked up, I still couldn't reach the third rivet. My solution to this problem was quite hilarious. Since the part was to be discarded after removing it, I decided to simply tear it out. After much effort, the first half of it broke free. Then the second half broke free; that third rivet is still on the frame of the car in protest, however.

The next problem I encountered involved securing the intake pipe to the frame of the car. The first part of it could only be secured from the top of the car, and the second part had to be secured from under the car. It took me the better part of an hour to figure out how to do it. After that, the installation was essentially complete, which brings me to my third problem: I misplaced the retaining bracket for the battery. I had to find it, since driving a car with a insecure battery assembly is a REALLY BAD idea. After another hour of searching to no avail, I raided the tool shed to find a temporary fix until I can get another bracket.

So how does the Jetta drive now? I'll have to get used to the way she starts up now. There is an eerie silence that lasts for about a second before the engine rumbles to life now. When I first heard it, I thought that something was wrong with the car. The engine growls with a little more authority when revved, and I notice a difference in low-end torque as well. On the highway, there is slightly more power for passing, which I can definitely appreciate. As good as it performs now, it should perform even better when I get the Jetex low-restriction exhaust system for Christmas. The reduced back pressure will mean that the Jetta will have low air restriction from start to finish, and it will sound better too :)...Well peeps, that's all for now. Take care, and I promise to keep you updated on my new job.

Peace!

ResidentX

I think it's all coming together now...

2004-09-09T04:30:00.000-07:00

"Ok, I get it..." Hello all. What exactly am I talking about? For those of you who remember my first post, you know that I am a unload training supervisor at my job. Back then, I was shocked that I was chosen to cross-train. Now that I am certified to train both unloaders and loaders AND extremely computer literate, my boss is seriously considering me for the "Cover Trainer" position. What does a cover trainer do exactly? Even if you didn't ask, I'll tell you anyway...basically the cover trainer works in the office, away from the hustle and bustle of the regular operation. This trainer maintains the seniority database, makes replacement employee IDs, administers Label Training Certification, and many other duties. When needed, the cover trainer can fill in for just about any other trainer in the operation.

For those of you who really know me, you already know that this is right up my alley. I am a jack of many trades, and a master of few. I like being the "answer man", the one who knows the answer to a wide variety of job-related questions. This would also be another thing to put on my resume, which makes me look that much better to potential employers (including Corporate headquarters) after I graduate. It's a developing situation, so I won't count my chickens before they hatch, but I do feel blessed and humbled at my run of good fortune as of late. My promotion to supervision in May has allowed me to stabilize my finances to the point that I could afford the car that I've wanted since I was in high school. My cousin is going to pay me to help him develop websites for his customers. My school offers a certificate in web design that can establish me as such, further giving me credibility in addition to the portfolio that I will be amassing. And who knows, I may want to supplement my income by developing websites on my own. I was bitten with the entrepreneurial bug a long time ago, which must skip generations, since both my mother's parents had businesses and sources of passive income. Of course, I'll have to break that trend if I ever have kids. I'll be sure to teach them how to make and manage money effectively, so they won't have to learn the hard way like I did...Well peeps, that's all I've got for now. Take care, and be safe.

Peace!

ResidentX

Life is strange sometimes...

2004-09-04T03:41:00.000-07:00

Hello again. I am going to start this post off on a bit of a sad note. You see, last Saturday, my grandmother passed away after a long bout with cancer. If you are so inclined, please keep my family in your prayers. Naturally, an event like this is bound to throw things into chaos for a while. It is nice that family from far and wide will be coming into town this week, but at the same time, it will be difficult to take the "me" time that I need to get over my loss. So, for most of this week, my escape was work. It's funny how running around a hub with a thousand things to do each night will make you forget about the world outside...at least for awhile.

Having my life disrupted for an entire week is annoying, but it's not all bad. Yes, I'll have to wait to install my brand spankin' new AEM Cold Air Intake (more on this in a second) in the Jetta, but I now a reason to finish building the new computer that's been sitting on my floor for a year. One of my cousins from Texas has a publishing company, and he wants me to help him out. My current computer setup is an antique; it's good for surfing the web and playing my digital music collection, but would be grossly inadequate for Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and applications of that ilk. I have mostly everything I need; I bought a DVD drive from Walmart last night, and I need to order a new case since the power supply on the one I have now is shot. I also need to order a minimum of 512 MB of PC2700 DDR SDRAM for the new setup. All told, it should cost less than $200 to get the new machine working. No problem there...It should pay for itself in very short order.

"AEM?? But I thought you were going with Weapon-r." Funny story about that. On Monday, I received the package via my employer. Great response time, but upon opening the box I noticed a problem. The guys at NOPI sent me the wrong system. They sent the kit for the 3rd generation Jetta, but I have the 4th generation model. I called the customer service number, which turned out to be the location closest to me, and after I insisted that I had the wrong kit, they conceded that they had inaccurate application information sent directly from the vendor. They suggested that I come by and exchange the unit for something that would fit the car. It was too close to closing time for my liking, so I decided to wait until Tuesday to make the trip. So, on Tuesday afternoon, I woke up an hour early, and made the trip. After missing a few turns and getting turned around a couple of times, I finally found the place. I explained my situation to the salespeople, and they suggested that I try an AEM cold air system. It would be better for the Jetta since it would draw in air from a position that is isolated from the engine itself. Colder air is more dense, which translates into more power since engine breathing is improved. The only catch is that installation promises to be more tedious, not to mention that it cost an extra $119, but I 'm sure it will be worth it.

In other Jetta-related news, I ordered the chrome grille strips from the same eBay store where I got the sunroof wind deflector. In the catalog, they sell for $91, but I'm getting them for a measly $50. An unbeatable deal, if you ask me. Next up could possibly be mud flaps, but I'll try to wait until after I make my first car payment for that one...Well peeps, that's all I have for now. Take care, and I'll keep you posted on the Jetta and the new computer.

Peace!

ResidentX

"I'm wherever I want to be, when I'm cruising down the boulevard..."

2004-08-29T02:15:00.000-07:00

It's interesting how certain songs get stuck in your head. The line in the title is from a motorcycle commercial that I saw one night. Anyway, my vacation is slowly but surely coming to a close. I did exactly what I wanted to do...ABSOLUTELY nothing. Ok, so that's not entirely true, I did start the process of cleaning and organizing my room. My room is a mess because I'm a pack rat with a shortage of closet space...a bad combination indeed. Most of the time, I either working, resting from work, or preparing to go to work, so the laws of entropy tend to have a field day in my personal space. That said, the urge to rid myself of clutter doesn't come along often, so I have to ride the wave while it lasts. I need to plan a trip to the Container Store to find a storage solution for all of my clothes and shoes; those contribute to about 90% of the clutter in my room.

Enough about my clutter, how's the Jetta doing?? I got the keys cut for free at the VW dealership (they even washed her for free :). Thursday night, I ordered the Weapon-r intake from NOPI, and found a sunroof wind deflector in an eBay store for $75, a savings of at least $40 versus the VW catalog. Friday night, I discovered that the driver's side headlight had burned out. I immediately went to Walmart and bought the Silverstar bulbs that I was going to buy anyway. I like them since the light they put out is actually white, and not the yellowish color found in most headlights...an important feature for me, since most of my driving is at night. The only hitch was that on a Jetta, replacing the bulbs is way more complex than it should be. The owners manual doesn't even have directions on how to do it. Why?? I think the fact that the process involves removal of the front bumper (yeah, you read that right) might have something to do with it. I ended up taking the car to a VW dealership Saturday morning and having the work done, which made my wallet about 45 dollars lighter.

I have decided that the Jetta deserves to have a performance exhaust system. Nothing that sounds too ricey and nothing that will wake the dead when I pull into the driveway at 6 in the morning. Basically, I want improved performance without all the noise. I think I may have found what I'm looking for. A Swedish company called Jetex makes cat-back exhausts that they claim are among the quietest on the market. The model for my car costs about $400, which is $200 cheaper than the VW performance system. I'll have to do more research, of course, but it sounds good to me...Well peeps, that's all I have for now. Take care, and stay tuned for future updates.

Peace!

ResidentX

I'm on vacation!!

2004-08-23T04:54:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I know it's been a minute since I've posted, but I have been working like a dog lately. I've been training people on two different shifts for the past two weeks, and struggling to keep all of the paperwork updated in the process. I had to stay until 7 in the morning this past Friday (I usually leave around 5:15) to make sure that my six training packs were up to date since I'll be on vacation this week.

How's the Jetta been doing? Very well, thank you. I installed the tinted side marker lamps that I mentioned in the last post. I finally figured out how to install the Weapon-r intake...and then discovered that the company sent the wrong kit. It was missing two clamps and the pipe was not able to accommodate the mass air sensor lead. So now I have to send it back and get a new kit; I think I'll order from another web site next time. I am in the process of buying spare keys for the Jetta. I ordered an uncut valet key from eBay that came on Saturday, and I should close the deal on a second switchblade key later on today. After I get that key, I'll get them cut and programmed at a locksmith. All told, I should save a couple hundred bucks versus ordering everything from the dealership.

The one thing on the Jetta that needs an overhaul is the stereo. So, sometime within the next few months, I should be able to buy a fancy new CD player and have it installed. The unit in question is a JVC KDAR5000, a Sirius compatible CD/MP3 player with touch screen controls, among other features. I can get a great deal on it at Crutchfield.com, since my employer offers a nice discount for shopping there. Depending on how my finances shake out, I might also get the 12 disc CD/MP3 changer that goes with the unit. Being the meticulous planner that I am, please know that this is only phase one for the stereo system. In the next phase, all eight speakers will be replaced and an amplified sub will be added. That will cost more than a little, so I may wait on the Xmas bonus for that one...Well peeps, I think you're sufficiently updated now. Take care, and stay tuned for my report on Mitsubishi's "Feel What Happens" event...that is, assuming I actually go (haven't decided yet).

Peace!

ResidentX

The Jetta has landed...

2004-08-04T06:23:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I am in a great mood right now. Why? Ask anyone that really knows me, and they will tell you that simple, seemingly insignificant things make me happy. Well, major events also do the trick. Last night around 8:30pm, I FINALLY closed the deal on the '99 Jetta (the same one from the last post :) The agonizing process of dealing with my mother (and her credit union) while having the sale in limbo for a week is finally over. That's right. The Green Jetta with the sunroof, leather interior, and many other gadgets is finally home.

Every time I get a new car, I always have to defend my decision tooth and nail for some reason. Five years ago with the Galant, it was the size of the car. "Why don't you get a Corolla or something?", my mother would ask. "Because I want this Green Galant with the sunroof", would be my reply. Flash forward to the present, and now it's the age of the Jetta. "Why don't you get something newer?", she ask. "Because I can't afford a $15,000 car right now", was my answer. Anyway, I humored her, and agreed to test drive an '02 Jetta at the same dealership. It was Black with a sunroof and the turbocharged engine (180 hp :). It drove nice, like any other Jetta that I have driven. The problem? The car was not as well equipped as the Green one that I really wanted. No heated leather seats, no CD player to speak of. And after we had the salesperson run the Carfax check on it, we found that it had been in a minor accident. That killed that charade, and my mom finally agreed to cosign for the Green one. The Carfax report came back clean, so we filled out the VW Credit application. It was approved, and I got a good interest rate too. The tale of the tape is as follows: $0 down, $255 a month for 48 months at 5.9 percent. Good right? With those terms, I should be able to pay the car off earlier, which will save me some money in the process.

Now that I have a new (to me) car, the first order of business is naming her. So far, I call it either "the V-Dub" or "the Jet". Time will tell whether one of those will stick, or if some other nickname will just fall randomly from the sky (kind of like the handle "ResidentX" did). Next up will be accessorizing the car. I have already ordered the Weapon-R Dragon Intake kit for it. Actually, my employer delivered it to the house a day before the Jetta itself got there. I have also ordered tinted cornering lights, which should get here soon. After that, I will get floor mats and a sunroof wind deflector. The latter item costs over 100 bucks, so I will probably wait until I get paid again for that one. Longer term, I will probably tint the windows, get larger rims and add a performance exhaust system to it. Needless to say, drivergear.vw.com and I will be well acquainted very soon. Gotta make it mine right?? Well peeps, this is just the beginning of this story. Take care, and never underestimate the importance of basic math skills.

Peace!

ResidentX

Waiting is the hardest part...

2004-07-26T03:03:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I know it's been a while since I posted, but I've been working double shifts for the past week AND trying to find a proper successor to the Galant. Naturally, all of that has your humble blogger rather tired at the end of the day when I usually log on. Let's see, what to update first...I am happy to report that the car search is pretty much over. I actually have the keys to a 1999 Cosmic Green VW Jetta with my name on it. I will take delivery of the car officially sometime this week. Of course, there is a story behind all of this, so here goes...

After working my double shifts Tuesday night, I decided to do a little online car shopping before I went to bed. I searched cars.com for a VW Jetta under $13,000. Toward the end of the search results, I came across a deal that I could not resist--a '99 Jetta with a moonroof and a leather interior for $8975. The dealer did not list the mileage, which made me more than a little skeptical. Curious, I emailed the dealer, asking for a price quote and setting up a test drive. The next afternoon, they responded, saying that the price was $8500 and that the car had 68,325 miles on it. My jaw nearly hit the floor when I read this. I printed out the email and the cars.com sheet and showed it to my father. He thought it was ok, so I made plans to go see the car on Friday afternoon.

Friday afternoon, after discussing the matter with a friend of mine, I decided to go and test drive the Jetta. I got to the dealership at about 7:15, less than an hour before closing time. I asked for the Internet Sales Manager, and business began from there. Gary, the salesperson that emailed me, showed me the car and accompanied me on the test drive. Every time I get a car, there is always a key component on the vehicle that is not advertised. On the Galant, it was a security system. On the Jetta, the unadvertised surprise was a trunk-mounted 6 disc CD changer...a pleasant surprise indeed. Anyway, back to the test drive...it went ok. The car drove the way I expected it to, seeing as how I had taken a Jetta through its paces beforehand. This particular model was equipped with the base 2.0 Liter engine, so I wasn't expecting much performance-wise. However, the car held it's own in light traffic on I-85, even with the A/C on. The engine is tuned to produce low-end torque, so it was more responsive off the line than its 115 hp/122 torque would suggest. It's no rocket, but that's what Weapon-r Dragon Intakes are for :) .

After the test drive, I was sold, so we began the process of actually buying the car. I filled out the VW Credit application, and was pleasantly surprised when I found that they could actually finance me. The catch was that it was after hours at the time, so none of the lenders could be reached. So, they let me try the car out for the night. I signed the renter's agreement, and headed back to the house in the Jetta. I showed the car to my mother, who was a tad miffed that I agreed to test drive a car overnight. My father thought that the car was a good deal, and my sister also liked it. I took my mother back to the dealership to pick up her car, and then I got ready for work.

I liked the ride to work. I spent a little time getting acquainted with the controls, and I was on my way. I was a little late for work, but I had a valid excuse, so everything was cool. I showed the car to JD, one of my friends/coworkers, and he was impressed, saying "You tryin' to pimp it, ain't ya?"--to which I responded, "On a budget, bro...". The fuel light came on, so I put about half a tank (about 7 gallons) of gas in it, and headed to the house for the night.

After I got home, I began the process of cleaning out the Galant and transferring some of my stuff to the Jetta. I felt a little sad, since I was saying goodbye to one car, but excited since I was about to close the deal on it's proper successor. The Galant was rather dirty, so I gave it a quick wash before I went to bed.

I had to have the Jetta back by 1pm Saturday afternoon. I went back to the dealership, expecting to finalize the deal in time to be to work by 4pm. I informed them that the CD changer needed to be fixed, and that there was a slight vibration in the steering wheel above 70 mph, which they promised to fix free of charge. I hit a snag with the finance manager because I could not verify all of my income. You see, I won't actually get paid for my overtime until 26 August, so even though I'm making the money now, it won't show up on a pay stub for another month. I called my dad and explained the situation, and he dispatched my mom to come and get me. The finance manager suggested that my mom cosign the loan, which would cut my interest rate in half, but she decided to wait until she got an offer from her credit union, which leaves the deal in limbo until at least Tuesday. I am going to get a statement letter from my HR Supervisor explaining in detail how I am paid, which will allow me the finance the car myself if I choose to. It sounds crazy, but I would rather finance the car myself than deal with the added layer of complexity that comes with having my mother as a cosigner. I would pay a little more ($258 over 60 months), but such is the cost of freedom...and that brings me to the present. Waiting. Something that hard to do, especially for a spoiled brat like myself. But, it's unavoidable, so I'll just have to deal...well peeps, that about covers everything. Take care, and give someone or something you love a hug today.

Peace!

ResidentX

The search for a successor begins...

2004-07-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Last time, I left you saying that I would probably be looking for a new car. Well, I am happy to report that that search is underway and in full swing. The requirements for my new (to me) car are as follows: compact or midsize 4 door sedan, Japanese or German automaker, under 80K miles, and under $12,000. Oh, and it MUST have a sunroof. I'm not kidding. I won't even consider the car if it doesn't. See, I not picky; I just know what I want...

With those parameters, I started my search. I started at my favorite automotive websites. In the beginning, I was just searching for any Nissan or Mitsubishi that I could think of. Then I remembered the VW Jetta that I drove at the Saab event (see my 19 June post for details). I have wanted a Jetta since I was in high school; the current body style was introduced when I got the Galant, so it was out of my price range at the time.

What a difference five years can make. On Carmax.com, I have found four Jettas that fit my specifications. I submitted a transfer request for the silver one that is in the northern Atlanta area. I should be able to test drive it later in the week. The other three are at various Carmax locations in Florida. If necessary, I may have one of those transferred to Atlanta, so that I can test drive it. That will cost $150, so I'll have to wait till I get paid (come on, 26th) to go that route.

The past week has confirmed something that I already knew--that every end is a new beginning and an opportunity to better yourself. Is this the ideal time for me to get another car? Absolutely not--I would have preferred to wait a year or two so that I could improve my credit scores. However, a car loan is just the thing that could reestablish my credit such that I would be able to get a house at the end of the term. This also gives me an impetus to get myself together financially so that I could possibly refinance and get better terms in a few years. Well peeps, that's the extent of the update. As always, take care and be safe.

Peace!

ResidentX

You never forget your first...

2004-07-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

Automobile, that is. People, I have some bad news concerning my car. It has a blown head gasket, and it will cost more than the car is worth to fix. As much as I love my Dark Green '96 Mitsu Galant, it looks like I might have to let it go. She has served me well over the past 4 years and 10 months. If this is the end for her, I'll just have to bite the bullet and accept it. I cannot complain though; we have been through 4 jobs, at least 5 girlfriends, 2 breakins, and numerous other adventures, all over a span of 130,000 miles of trouble-free operation.

As far as I could tell, all was well with her until I changed the oil yesterday. I used a high viscosity synthetic oil (Mobil 1) and a K&N Performance Gold Oil Filter--nothing but the best for my baby. However, as I was filling the crankcase with the new oil, I noticed that the oil was milky and not nearly as viscous as it should have been. As I was cleaning up and backing the car off of the ramp, I noticed that the engine was not purring as it usually does. I could tell that the engine was unhappy about something, but I had no idea it was that serious until later in the evening when I left to go to work.

I left the house at about 9:55pm so that I could make the staff meeting at 10:30pm. I noticed that something was wrong when the transmission would not shift past 2nd gear. That essentially limited my speed to about 45 mph. I decided to turn around and come home, so I turned into a church parking lot to that I could go back home. Shortly after I got into the parking lot, the oil light came on and the car stalled out. It sounded like it was going to sieze, so I didn't try to restart it. I called my dad, and then I called for roadside assistance. I would have raised the hood, but a thunderstorm was passing through the area. I called one of my coworkers (JD, a mutual friend of Caramel Ice as well) and told him to tell my boss that I was having car trouble. My parents arrived about 20 minutes later. Following standard procedure, the tow truck arrived about an hour after that. I had the Galant towed up the street to a Napa Service Center. I wrote a note explaining the situation, placed it on the dashboard, and dropped the keys in the drop slot. Then, I took my mom's car to work.

I woke up this morning at about 11:30am, and I called the repair shop to get the verdict. Upon hearing the news, I told them that I was not authorizing the repairs until I had discussed the matter with my parents. And that brings us to the present. I know everything will turn out fine, but it still sucks since I'll be without my own car for a while. If it is your persuasion, say a little prayer for me. I'll post an update as soon as I find out something. Till next time, take care and be safe.

Peace!

ResidentX

We can run with just 12 outbounds, right??

2004-06-30T03:14:00.000-07:00

Based on my Monday night, the answer to that question would be "Yeah, but not that smoothly...". You see at the hub where I work for the incredibly large shipping company whose name you should have guessed by now, we process a lot of packages. Sometimes in excess of 40,000 per hour. Normally, all of those packages are split between 13 outbound belts, each designed to serve different parts of the country (and world). Monday evening, one of the belts (known as the Brown Belt) experienced a major problem that kept it out of commission for over four hours. That was enough to greatly affect the operation on the Evening, Midnight, and Sunrise shifts.

So what was affected and how? For starters, the Monday meeting was cancelled (I still don't know how the company NASCAR driver fared this past weekend) :( All of the Midnight Supervisors were dispatched to the most troubled areas to help them wrap up such that the Midnight Sort could start on time (11:00pm). The Training Supervisors helped out until 10:30pm, when we had our Monday meeting.

The sort ran horribly on Monday night. A contingency plan was in place to divert flow to other areas that would have gone to the Brown Belt. Since there is no action without consequence, a magnificent domino effect followed. The areas receiving the extra flow were frequently overwhelmed, causing them to shut down at intervals. This, in turn, slowed down the unload side of the building, since we can't send flow to belts that are off. This problem got so bad that break was called an hour earlier than usual. To complicate matters even further, I had to get a Day 1 new hire acclimated to the building. I couldn't get him into a truck to practice unloading because of all the chaos, which I was not happy about. It wasn't all bad though, my first new hire attained his seniority that night. I have him my unofficial business card (they won't let part-time supervisors have official ones), and wished him good luck.

Normally, my obligation to the operation ends at downtime, when my new hires are sent home for the evening. However, on a night like this past Monday, someone somewhere is bound to need assistance wrapping up. Sure enough, the Black Belt was the culprit. The funny thing is, I had dropped off my training packs off, and was ready to head out the door when I saw the rest of the Training Department helping out there. So I set my backpack down in a relatively safe place and joined the party. We were done there about 4:15am. Time to go home right?? That would be a negative, since one of the other areas was severely understaffed for the Sunrise shift. We were offered Double Pay to stay and help. Being a dedicated company man, and realizing that an extra day's pay would come in handy later, I stayed. It was pretty cool, since the guy running the area was one of my classmates from Supervisor training. We got done there about 6:15am. Thus, the Sun managed to beat me home yet again...

Enough about work, let's shift gears here...You know what they say, one good link deserves another (Ok, nobody says that, but humor me for a second). A few weeks back, one of my best friends introduced me to the world of blogging and posted a link to my blog. Now I'm returning the favor. She's awesome, intelligent, multitalented, and in month or so, she'll be a published author. (All of that, AND she's easy on the eyes ;) She calls herself Caramel Ice, and her blog, Caramel Caverns, can be found by clicking here. Well peeps, that was my Monday. Fun right?? Hopefully, a few boring days will follow such that I can regain what little sanity I have left. Take care, and I'm officially spent.

Peace!

ResidentX

I have experienced 227 hp underfoot, and it is good...

2004-06-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

My Saturday was so eventful, that it deserves not one, but two posts. The day began around 1 pm, when one of my coworkers called and told me that he wasn't going to be able to go with to me because of a prior engagement. To what, you ask? Saab hosted an event at the Atlanta Motor Speedway for car nuts like yours truly. In order to get the word out about their new 9-2X, they allowed a few lucky people to test drive both versions of it on an autocross-style circuit. But wait, there's more. They had an Acura RSX, a MINI Cooper, a VW Jetta 1.8T, and both versions of the 2004.5 Volvo S40. Oh, sweet mercy is right. I was a kid in a candy store for about an hour today. Do I have opinions about each of the cars? You'd better believe it. Read on...

Being the organized and meticulous person that I am, I will break down my opinions car by car. Let me start my saying that each car was comparably equipped, with all contenders having a moonroof, a leather interior, an automatic transmission, and a premium stereo system. First up is the Saab 9-2X Linear. For those of you who have driven a Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS Hatchback, this is essentially the same car. The Saab version has a much better interior to justify it's approx. $3000 premium over the Subaru version. I especially like the two-tone leather seats--a very nice touch. So how does it drive? Very well, thank you. The acceleration left much to be desired, but the Linear more than compensated with its superb steering response. Just point it, and it goes through the slalom. Overall, I would say that outside of its sluggish acceleration, it was a decent performer, and a good deal at about $26,000.

Next up is the 9-2X Aero. This car was one of my favorites. I think I took it around the course at least three times. If you have driven the world famous Subaru WRX Hatchback, this is basically the same car, plus the same enhancements listed for the Linear. Flooring this car from a dead stop was a thoroughly satisfying experience. My cast-iron right foot was rewarded when the turbine joined the party at about 20 mph. The rush of turbo power that follows is something that words fail to describe. Handling was nearly identical to that of its normally aspirated sibling, with nicely weighted steering. The AWD system in both of the Linear and the Aero made the cars very confident in the slalom and the curvy portion of the course. This car performed so well, that I didn't even mind that it was a hatchback. It would make a good addition to my car collection, assuming I can afford a $29,000 car note (Not right now--maybe in a year or two).

Who's next?? How about the Volvo S40 2.4i? I like that the organizers of the Saab event decided to include both versions of this car, which is probably the most direct competitor to the 9-2X. Ten years ago, the use of the words "Volvo" and "cool" in the same sentence would have been oxymoronic, at best. Well people, welcome to 2004--.5. This car is very nice on the inside. I particularly like the ultra thin center stack that actually includes storage space BEHIND the stereo. Cool indeed. Like the 9-2X Linear that it competes with, acceleration was unsatisfying. However, the car felt very solid, as it soaked up the bumps on the course better than any other car. Steering response was ok, with about mid-pack performance. If you only need to feel slightly faster than everyone else on the highway, this car is a good deal at about $27,000.

Did somebody say T5? The Volvo S40 T5 was another of my favorites. I took it through its paces about three times. This car had one of the best stereos of the bunch. Not only did it sound great, but when you turn it on, a dot-matrix rendition of an S40 appears on the screen. Nice. Acceleration in the T5 was second only to the Aero in terms of satisfaction. The turbo spools up gradually to a crescendo, as opposed to the sudden punch of power that the Aero delivers. Steering response was identical to its normally aspirated sibling. Overall, this was one of the cars that I could see myself in. It's easy on the eyes (mine, at least), and it provides a good balance of entry-level luxury and performance. Now if I could only find $31,000 that I wasn't doing anything else with...

The next car was an interesting addition to the lineup. When I looked at the Saab Proving Grounds website, I wondered why in the world Saab would bring a VW Jetta 1.8T as a competitor to the 9-2X. An Audi A4 1.8T would have made more sense in terms of price and performance. Maybe Saab wanted an entry level competitor that used the same powertrain. Or maybe they didn't want to be outclassed since the A4 is stunning inside and out. Whatever the reason, the VW Jetta 1.8T was there, and I drove it twice. VW is well-known in the automotive industry for their exquisite interiors, and the Jetta's is no exception. Chrome and silver accents are tastefully applied, and the tactile surfaces are all made from high-quality materials. As a matter of fact, despite being the most affordable car in the bunch, it had the best interior. Go Figure...Enough about the interior, how's it drive?? Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that it is rather exciting off the line; Boy was I surprised, especially since I thought it had 30 less hp that it actually did (180 versus 150). The bad news is that it is a DOG in the slalom and the curvy part of the course. The suspension is set up for a touring-style ride, and was not well-suited for the aggressive maneuvers that we threw at it. I was not very confident while putting the Jetta through its paces. The steering lacked the "natural" feel that the 9-2X had, and I took the course at slower speeds as a result. Oh, and the seats did not have enough lateral support, a major bugaboo when you're trying to concentrate on driving an autocross course. The seats from a Golf R32 would have been better. Overall, the car had a nice stereo and a great interior, though a sport suspension package would be a nice option if it were available. Still, the Jetta is a major bargain at about $22,000, as tested.

Next up is the other Japanese contender. What, the other one?? You see, I consider the 9-2X to be more Japanese than Swedish since it is built in Japan alongside the Subaru Impreza/WRX. The front and rear sheetmetal is Swedish, but the car underneath is the same rally beast that we all know and love. Anyway, where was I? Oh, the Acura RSX. I think that this car was the best overall performer. I wish I could have taken it around the track more than once, but there was a line for it and I hate waiting. The interior inspired more yawns than anything else. No crappy materials or anything; it just paled in comparison to the Jetta's interior. In my opinion, its larger brother, the TSX, would have made a better fit for the competition based on size, price, performance, and interior quality. I won't complain too much, since the RSX more than held its own out there on the track. Acceleration was ok; pretty much what you would expect from a car with a Honda engine (read:high redline, low torque). The engine whined a lot as it reached the shifting point for second gear, as if it wanted more. Very nice. This car's claim to fame, however, will always be the slalom and the curvy part of the course. I had the most fun taking the car through the slalom because the steering was nicely weighted and not overpowered. I could feel the connection to the road, so I had no problem executing maneuvers at faster speeds than with any other car. Fun indeed. Now I know why these cars are popular with tuners. There are performance parts everywhere for it, and it is a steal at around $22,000.

Last, but certainly not least, is the MINI Cooper. This is one of the cars that I anticipated driving the most. I had read about it, heard about how it handles like a go-kart, and sat in many a model at the auto show this year. Now, it was finally time to drive one. The model at the show was gold with a black roof. The interior is very unique, with a center-mounted speedometer and toggle switches everywhere. The car is miniscule by American standards, but even at 6'2", I didn't feel cramped at all. The panorama moonroof was a nice touch, as well. Acceleration was ho-hum, which I expected since the base engine only makes 115 hp. Like the RSX, this car really shines in the slalom and the curvy portion of the course. The MINI's long wheelbase and aggressive steering ratio made the slalom effortless. The suspension is nicely sport-tuned, which was really evident in the curves. I wish the more potent Cooper S had been there, but this was a party for slushboxes only :( Overall, this car is a gem, and a great deal at about $22,000.

One man. Seven cars. As you can see, I had a blast. Surely with all my opinions, one car had to be the best, right? While all of the cars had their strengths and weaknesses, the three that stood out the most were the Saab 9-2X Aero, the Volvo S40 T5, and the MINI Cooper. Of those three, the one I would like to see in my driveway with all factors considered is...(drumroll please)...the Volvo S40 T5. It provides the blend of luxury and performance that I want to experience in my next car. And, since Volvo is owned by the ubiquitous FoMoCo, I can get a discount on it through my employer. Hmm, might have to look into that in a year or two...Well peeps, I hope that you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Take care, and I'm spent **exhales**.

Peace!

ResidentX

Daddy, where do carpet rolls and tires come from?

2004-06-18T06:27:00.000-07:00

Apparently, from my employer. You know, the rather large shipping company whose name you should have guessed by now. Tonight was quite interesting. Like I said in my first post, I train unloaders. To start, my trainee was five minutes late for work--on a late-start day at that. I won't trip over it though, just so long as he doesn't make a habit of it. The first trailer we got was full of irregular packages, not to mention about 80 long rolls of carpet. Why is that an issue? Most of the big boxes were between 70 and 130 pounds, and they can't go though the regular system. Rather, they have to be left outside the truck on a slide where tram drivers pick them up and take them where they need to go. There is a limited amount of space on the slides for irregulars, so after we filled them up (which happened pretty quickly), I was at a loss as far as how to unload the trailer. After appealing to a friendly veteran, I had my trainee unload the trailer backwards and out of sequence to buy time for the slides to be emptied. It worked, but it took almost two hours to completely unload the trailer (the average is about one hour). After all of that, my trainee still managed to post the best PPH (read:speed) numbers to date. That made me so happy that I bought him his preferred flavor of Gatorade on my break. (See, I told you I was a nice guy...)

After break there was more drama in a different form. Our next trailer had a bunch of retail shelving. Which I hate because most of the time, it's not packaged properly. I'll always hate retail shelving because it was responsible for tearing a big hole in my favorite Georgia Tech T-Shirt in my days as an hourly employee (GT is one of my alma maters, btw). This time was no different. The cardboard boxes that they came in were not taped up very well. So why is that a problem?? Well, boxes that need to be retaped have to be left off to the side, and a dedicated retape person comes around every once in a while and tapes them up for us (retarded, ain't it). We had so many of those damn boxes that it held up the process of unloading the trailer for several minutes. Yeah, it was quite irritating. Luckily, that was our last trailer of the night, since he was selected to take the safety quiz. He'd better ace it, since I gave him the answers a week in advance, and I'll hear about it if he doesn't. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it...Well peeps, that was my night. Understandably, I'm tired, so I'll call this a post. Take care, and always remember to keep your shoelaces tied.

Peace!

ResidentX

How about those Pistons?

2004-06-16T03:49:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems that the Pistons have done what many people thought was impossible--they beat, no--they embarrassed the Lakers. I'm man enough to say that I thought that a Pistons victory was possible, but not probable, and definitely not to the degree that came to pass over the last week. Ok. How many of you out there picked the Pistons in five? I was wrapping up my Supervisor training two weeks ago at our secondary Hub in the area. The Manager that gave the tour predicted the Pistons in six games, and he was harshly ridiculed for that opinion. In fact, I think I responded by saying something to the effect of "Yeah, if Shaq gets hit by a bus". One of my best friends is a rabid Pistons fan (I SUPPOSE she's entitled since she's from Detroit), but I doubt that even she would have prognosticated such a decisive victory.

So what happened?? How did a cast including four Future Hall of Famers manage to screw it up big time? Let me begin this autopsy of the Lakers by saying that they played like twelve individuals, not a team. Kobe Bryant stifled the offense by hogging the basketball. Instead of passing the ball, he continued to take bad shots throughout the series. It would have made more sense for Kobe to be used as a decoy, seeing as how conventional wisdom would dictate at least double coverage on him for most of the game. Shaq did not get enough touches to make a significant impact. How is it that the biggest athlete in the entire league goes without the basketball for minutes at a time? From the Lakers' standpoint, that's sheer stupidity. Finally, the Lakers horrible free throw shooting caught up with them. There is NO excuse for 63% free throw shooting. Period. That's all I'm going to say about that.

So what did the Pistons do right? Pretty much everything I said in my June 13th post applies here. Their mental toughness and unadulterated athleticism simply broke the backs of the Lakers. So what have we learned from the outcome of this series? That a blue collar bunch of guys that sticks to the plan and plays as a team can defeat a more experienced group of individuals that does not. I'm not into the whole "moral of the story" thing, but I think that message has real-world applications. Hmm--kinda deep.

What will the offseason bring for these two teams? As far as the Lakers are concerned, there is a general consensus that the Lakers as we currently know them are a thing of the past. Coach Phil is not likely to return for another season. Kobe is going to shop the free-agent market, where he'll entertain several lucrative offers from the few teams that can afford it. That is, if he doesn't get hauled off to jail on that rape charge. Malone and Payton need to retire, but probably won't, as they will try one more time to complete their careers with a championship. Shaq is definitely staying put, in my opinion. As far as the rest of the team, it will definitely get younger. I won't even venture a guess as to who will coach this new Laker team. Besides, how do you follow Phil Jackson, one of the most talented ego managers the world has ever seen? Just ask Tim Floyd and Bill Cartwright in Chicago about that one.

Detroit had a good season this year, thanks to the guiding hand of Joe Dumars. Many (myself included) thought he was crazy last year for kicking Bill Carlisle to the curb after a 50+ win season. Crazy like a fox, apparently, because he obviously traded up in getting Larry Brown. Mr. Dumars assembled this team player by player, from Ben Wallace to Rasheed Wallace, creating a modern interpretation of the Bad Boys in the process. Outside of a few minor changes, I really don't expect the Pistons roster to change much going into the next season. After all, if it ain't broke...you know the rest. Well peeps, that about sums up my humble interpretation of the situation. Take care, and look out for my take on the Draft in a week or so.

Peace!

ResidentX

Is it just me, or are the Lakers on the ropes??

2004-06-13T21:47:00.000-07:00

Hello all. You know I had to speak on the results of tonight's game, right? Since I don't like or dislike either team, I consider myself to be an impartial observer. The Pistons have really impressed me in the Playoffs this year. I knew that after my Hawks traded Rasheed Wallace (don't get me started on my team--that's another post entirely), the Pistons would be in a prime position to contend in the Playoffs. But they have surpassed even my expectations for them. I was concerned after seeing their abysmal shooting performance in the Eastern Conference Finals. But it is obvious to me that Larry Brown has devised a beautiful plan to neutralize Kobe and Shaq, and more importantly, that his players are buying into it and executing it. Basically, the Pistons are playing Eastern Conference style basketball at its finest.

So where did the Lakers go wrong? At the beginning of the series, I don't think they took the Pistons seriously. Maybe they thought that the Pistons would fold like the Nets and the Pacers did in previous seasons. Whatever the case, I know they didn't have an answer for Richard Hamilton et al. Nor did they have an answer for the suffocating defense of the Pistons. So now the Lakers are in a precarious position. You're going to hear the following statement thousands of times between now and Game 5: no team has ever come from a 3-1 deficit to win a series in the NBA Finals. I'm not saying the Lakers can't do it. But if they are going to, at the very least, compete in the Series, they need to play their game. What do I mean by that? Dictate the tempo of the game. They, like most other Western Conference teams, are more comfortable when the game is running at a faster pace. They also need to utilize the services of Shaq more effectively. In Game 4, Shaq went several minutes without even touching the ball, while Kobe and his other teammates were submitting their applications to be Freemasons. If they actually want to win, that can't happen anymore.

Hopefully, the LakeShow will make a Series out of this, as opposed to the beating that it is now. It kinda sucks that I won't be able to see all of Game 5 on Tuesday because of work, but that's what GPRS-enabled cell phones are for. Well peeps, I hope that you have found my humble opinion to be, at the very least, thought provoking. Take care, and always remember that silverware and electrical outlets don't mix.

Peace!

ResidentX

I worked on my Birthday, and I don't care...

2004-06-11T03:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my first post. As with many things in my life, this blog just kinda happened. One of my best friends mentioned that she had one in a telephone conversation a few days ago, and being the curious guy that I am, I checked it out. Then, a day or so later, I mentioned to her that I wanted to start a journal of some sort, at which point she persuaded me to start a blog of my own. My theory on the matter is that I subconsciously wanted her to talk me into it, since I knew what was doing the whole time. No big deal, I actually love that she challenges me to expand my mind. Was that enough of a tribute? Good--now on with the show...

My 24th Birthday was ok, even though I really didn't have time to celebrate. It will probably be sometime next week before that comes to pass. I got a couple of phone calls from friends, which warmed my heart a little. The lady that I am currently dating brought a birthday card by the house, which warmed my heart even more (It's a shame she couldn't stay, but we'll hang out later). My parents got me a Kenneth Cole Reaction messenger bag. (Black leather, Style Name: Bag for Mercy) Very nice, I must say. Guess I'll have to find a suitable use for it. It's too nice to take to my job (which I'll elaborate on later in the post), and I don't have school until the Fall (knock on wood), so it may collect dust until then. Maybe I'll use it to carry a laptop...that is, when I actually get one.

As the title states, I did indeed go to work on my Birthday. Let me start by mentioning that I am employed by a rather large shipping company (No, I'm not a mailman--Now, you have two guesses...). For the past two years, it seems that my policy of not working on my Birthday was gone out the window. Last year, I didn't have any vacation time to take, and one day's pay missing from my check would have hurt my feelings, so I decided to go in. So I vowed to never let that happen again. When the time came to request vacation time, I put the request in for this very week. So what happened?? Ironically, something very good. You see, I got promoted to management. Which is cool, since I worked my ass off for it, but not so good since I now have to sign up for all of my benefits all over again since I'm no longer in the union (a big hint for you astute ones). But I get two weeks vacation and 4 discretionary days for my trouble, so I'm not too mad about it. Plus, I actually like my job now. Why? It pays better AND they actually pay me to think (A novel concept that I'm still getting used to). Finally, a job that at least provides some semblance of a challenge...

How do you train someone to do something you've never done yourself? That's been my challenge all this week as I settle into my new job. Imagine me getting the shock of my life Monday night when I learned that I, a loader for about 17 months, have been assigned as a trainer for an unload area. Obviously, my jaw nearly hit the floor. I knew very little, if anything of the proper methods to use (and enforce) when unloading a trailer. I had never even seen a trailer being unloaded for more than a few minutes at a time. Hell, I was tested on the Load Methods during my Supervisor Training (aka Hub School), and didn't give the Unload Methods a first look, let alone a second one. So now I have to memorize them in order and be able to recite them at a moment's notice. Yeah, it sucks, but I'll be a better man for it in the end, I suppose...Well peeps, I guess I'll call this a post. Till next time, take care and try to avoid running with scissors (it's generally not a good thing to do).

Peace!

ResidentX