I think I figured out why it has been so warm this winter. First, I'm not complaining about the heat, it is marvelous and allows me time to ride my motorcycle in comfort, but it has been really warm when compared to January and February of past years.
With my roommate's help this last weekend I think we discovered why.
On my continuing trials and tribulations of my home and the corner cutting and what-the-hell-were-you-thinking modifications by the previous owners, I have found one more.
We had some good rain last week (I love the rain, but I've grown to fear it lately) and I am aware that when it comes from the correct direction my roof tends to leak a little bit. Not a lot, but enough to warrant a bucket in the sunroom. I'm actually quite happy that it is localized in the sunroom doorway but it's still not cool. At all.
Well, imagine my surprise when I am sitting on my couch and there is this odd pop-pop sound coming from the cushion beside me. I glance over to see a receipt roomie had left on the couch jump slightly. I'm like... wha...?
Just as I start to ask said roomie, who was sitting on the floor- don't ask, he just does that, what he left on the couch that was making that noise I realize it is a drip. Holy shit. I've never had the ceiling actually leak in the main part of the room, but I look up and I could see water collecting at a seam in the drywall on the ceiling. Not cute.
Sigh. Fortunately, beyond a few drips that sectioned dried up quite quickly, then I could hear the bucket in the doorway start to fill up. Double sigh.
I had to resign myself that once again I was going to have to tromp up unto the roof that weekend and see if I could figure it out.
I am pretty sure the half-assed way that the a/c unit was installed had everything to do with it. I just have to wonder if the homeowners did it themselves, or if they paid someone to do it. Regardless, it is ridiculous. I can already tell I'll have to do something to correct it in the future. I just love when people half-ass things figuring they'll fix it later, or better yet, allow someone else to fix it when the house is foreclosed on. psh.
In my inspection of the A/C unit I discovered a nice gaping hole (try a good half an inch at its widest) beneath where the ducting ties in. I didn't think a lot of it, the ducting itself is flexible tubing so I assumed the square ducting was simply enclosing the other stuff, I had corrected some similar gaping above with some aluminum tape but I hadn't looked below. I should have. I can only assume due to the way they installed it, the unit has settled and caused the gap to open below. Well, roomie passed his hand underneath when the unit turned on to heat. Oh joy. One vent is the cold air return, the other, heat. Well both of them sucked and blew. I think we can pinpoint my house as the cause for the warm winter as I have apparently been heating the outside for months.
It's almost funny, I went upstairs to figure out a water leak and discovered another kind of leak. Well a bunch of aluminum duct tape later, hopefully that part of it is corrected. Now I still have to figure out how to correct the water leak. Pretty sure the 2x4s nailed into the roof have a lot to do with it. It just kills me 2x4s! Then there is a bit of flashing that they used that I assume was meant to direct water away, but it is so stupidly put in that instead it directs it under the 2x4's where it collects until it seeps into the house. Idiots.
I had hoped to post some images of it but I didn't think to take them until after I fixed stuff. We put some flashing around the the sides of the frame and thus far, almost 2 months and a few storms later, I can say that I think the problem has been at least mostly addressed. For now.
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I just found out that a very dear friend has left this life. I say dear friend even though I don't think I have seen her in over 5 years, if not longer. It's so difficult sometimes to put into words the complex emotions that make up friendship. I loved her dearly and have always so cherished the relationship we had. But it seemed as I grew older and came more to terms with who I was and my homosexuality that I developed the habit of separating my life into two distinct timelines. BEFORE and AFTER.
Jackie was BEFORE. The irony being she was one of the first people I ever came out to.
I don't think this has been a conscious decision. I know that I don't make an effort though, to keep in touch with many of those from BEFORE. I don't know if it's because I really question how they will take me and the truth of my sexuality, or if it's just the simple fact of being reminded of who I used to "be" and the lies I told to protect myself from the fear of losing great friends over a revelation of who I really was. Jackie had never given me any reason to doubt her feelings towards me. She was always so accepting and loving. We never went through a parting of the ways other then when I moved to a new city. I don't even remember when it happened. It just seems that people grow apart over time, and when I returned it was just too easy to maintain the status quo.
I try and try to recall the last time I actually saw her. I can't for the life of me. But I can recall a lot of the wonderful times we did spend together. The ups and downs of both our lives, the birth of her beautiful daughter; my coming out; her brother's marriage; the trials and tribulations of her relationships... She always had a smile and a laugh to share. And it was wonderful. And so was she.
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| you can't see it, but she is gleefully tugging on a co-worker's hair. This was Jackie. :) |
When I first found out about her cancer I planned on going to see her and catch up. I thought she was in remission but I was horribly lazy and ambivalent and just never bothered. When I was told that she was in the end stages on Friday I thought about trying to see her but I was reluctant. I tell myself it's because I wanted to continue remembering her the way I do; laughing and vibrant and full of life. I didn't want to be plagued with the images of her in the hospital with machines maintaining her life. But ultimately I worry that I was being selfish. That this was that one opportunity to let her know that I cared and rejoiced in the life she lived with me.
But I couldn't. If there is one thing in this life I have become very good at, it's distancing myself from most of the painful emotions that make up our day to day existence. It's a coping mechanism that I have developed over time, and it works quite well. But I am less for it I think. I just can't seem to break it. Being confronted with the reality of mortality in such an explicit way is a bit more than I can take. It would force me to address the issues I have with death and dying. There is a big history for me with this and it is a huge part of what caused me to lose whatever faith I once had. Seeing my grandparents die and visiting them in the hospital as a kid, most specifically my mother's mother, who had suffered through multiple strokes, it was just something I have been unable to face. When my own father was in the hospital I couldn't visit him, even though I knew he wanted me to. I was able to visit my mother after her aneurysm and I am surprised I was able to do that. But I have learned that I am getting really good at compartmentalizing; in many aspects of my life.
I think I am experiencing the first casualty of that division. I have lost someone that I had always assumed that I would one day see again. And it hurts. I think not just in the loss forever of her presence but also in having to confront some issues I have worked very hard to disregard. Ultimately this choice was taken out of my hands since as soon as I was off work I was headed to Vegas with a bunch of my AFTER friends and Jackie passed pretty much when we were sitting down to eat. I had no cosmic revelation that this had happened, no disquieting feeling that something was amiss; she went quietly into that good night and I was oblivious.
It always seemed like Jackie and I had all the time in the world to run into one another again. I know in my heart that somehow, somewhere we will meet again and pick up where we left off and all the pain of this world will have passed us by. I hope then I can thank her for being who she was and loving me for who I was, and ask her to forgive me for not being there all those times I may have been able to give her support.
To Jackie I can only say; I'm sorry for missing out on so much, but thank you for all that you selflessly gave to me. You will be missed. And once again you have taught me something I didn't realize I needed to learn.
I finally finished painting the garage door! It looks so lovely. I do still need to finish the trim of the house and the front door but I feel so accomplished with making the door look complete. Now with having wired the garage and putting a door on the back as well as enclosing the eaves with a half-assed soffit and closing the gap above the second-hand door, I can actually use the garage for more than just storing the vehicles. Lights and more outlets were the big things. I'll be posting some pics of those later once I get it all finished up and looking prettier. But for now, feast your eyes on the goodness that is the garage door. ;)
A few months ago I was on a quest, a quest to make my bathrooms look fabulous and cohesive and tied together. Roomie Constance and I had gone to mucho trouble to repaint the cabinets and mirrors in our respective bathrooms an awesome modern black. They look really good if we do say so ourselves. And we do. Throw in some nice nickle hardware and those poop palaces look fabulous, see here.
One problem though, Roomie Connie's toilet seat was in wretched shape and she found herself either struggling to stay on the damn thing as it wriggled around under her, or got her delicate bum cheeks pinched by the broken vinyl cover. I decided I'd come to her rescue. I mean I do own the stupid house, it was up to me to replace that hazard we referred to as a toilet seat.
So began my quest, I didn't want just the run of the mill toilet seat, I wanted one that would match her decor, and damnit while I was at it I might as well get one for my bathroom, even though the seat down there was fine.
Well, success! I discovered a place on Amazon that sold Black toilet seats! Huzzah!
In truth I was hoping for a black version of what I had downstairs; a dark oak natural grain toilet seat. I was only able to locate gloss versions. But I was like, heck yeah, sounds good! So I ordered two of those bad boys.
When the seats arrived I immediately eventually put them in, a day or so later. They looked magnificent. So modern. So classy. Perfect.
Imagine my dismay when a day later I looked at the one in the downstairs bathroom just a little too closely.
SHOCK AND HORROR! What the hell is that?!
There, outlined on our perfect toilet seat was an ass bum print. Mine or one of the roomies' is not known, probably a bit of both, or all three if we're being specific and accurate. This could not stand. (fear not, no images are forthcoming)
I immediately grabbed my Lysol wipes and went to town cleaning it. Of course I then had to wait to take care of business as I was worried what the wet Lysol would do to my delicate parts.
Why I was surprised by this development is unknown, possibly because I just didn't do the math.
Whenever we use something with a glossy surface we leave a smear behind; just look at your cellphone for verification of that fact. It's not just our faces that are covered in oils and dead skin; it's pretty much our whole body. Ew. As embarrassed as you might get when someone sees your cellphone now imagine that feeling when you realize you do that to a toilet seat. Now realize that you do that to every toilet seat, not just the black ones.
I am struggling with not changing out the toilet seats with standard wood or white ones, just so I am not confronted with the visible evidence of what we all leave behind. It's still gonna be there, I just won't see it. I guess there is some truth to the phrase, "out of sight is out of mind".
I don't blame either of the roomies for this, keep that clear, we are all the same and they are both fastidious in their hygiene, but... damn.
So, I'm either eventually gonna get new seats, again, or buy some ass gaskets disposable toilet seat covers, a ton of Lysol wipes, or learn to ignore it. I just highly doubt it will be that last choice. Oh god. What have I done?
My motorcycle is AWESOME! It now sounds even more awesome than it did before!
I love loud vehicles. They are AWESOME! :)
My prior motorcycle was somewhat enjoyable but god it was uncomfortable. (Please see prior posting I Present, Ezreal for more information)
Anyhoo, like that bike, I wanted to do some upgrades and pimping. Unlike that bike, this time I actually am!
Hootie hoo! The first mod, PIPES!
The bike was loudish before, mostly because as a poor man's pipe modification I simply drilled out the back plates on the stock exhaust. That actually allowed for a bit more sound. But then the good old Roomie had to go and get some AWESOME pipes, Vance & Hines Sideshots. OMG so AWESOME!
Once again, I was sold. I had to get some cooler, louder pipes. The thing with adding pipes is that if you also add a tuner (a cool little box that's like Captain Kirk to your motorcycle computer's Scotty, and it tells it you need more POWER!) you can actually get some nice performance gains. I haven't put on the tuner yet but I've added the pipes and oh my are they LOUD! Roomie's are probably louder at idle but I got him trumped under power. I almost feel a little bad for people I drive by. Almost.
I really like the looks of the pipes too.
A before shot with the stock pipes (as always, click to embiggen)
During the install (just looks kind of cool with no pipes lol)
And with new Cobra Dragster Goodness
I really think they clean up the look of the bike. Before there are so many conflicting curves that it looked almost messy.
I like the way the pipes follow the bottom frame and make it look a little more butch. lol
I find it interesting that they almost make the bike look shorter. hmm
Tonight I'll be installing my tuner, and then this weekend I'll be eliminating the back blinkers by intergrating them with the taillight. Next weekend the front "lollipops" will go when I put some trick blinkers on under the lower triple tree. (the bit that holds the front forks- pictures will make it all clear)
Thank you taxes for making this all possible. I wish some of the other things I wanted to get were less expensive (almost $200 for a side mount for my license plate?! really?) but it's a work in progress.
And since talking about the sound of something means nothing without the sound, here is a little video that kind of gives you an idea.