The Latest in Fashion

Not sure, I think I've made mention, but I managed to pack on a few pounds during the stupid times. I've bought several new pairs of pants and shorts to accommodate myself, and recently I've been on a T-shirt buying spree!!!

First up is a nice Counting Crows shirt I found. I've been a longtime fan, and probably would have gotten a shirt already, but I really haven't cared much for most of their designs!!! The Love Trap one is actually the one I liked best of their official merchandise, but I wasn't prepared to pay that much for such a simple design. This one I found from a 3rd party, and I like it!!! The colors and font work good together. It has 3 east coast locations and dates, must have been a thing.

Next up is one of the two Sky shirts I picked up shortly after the Sky itself. I like the simplicity and style, and I'm lacking in yellow shirts, so, cool!!! Photos added the (rather appropriate) Sci-Fi warp speed effect, so naturally that's the picture I used!!!

The next one is another music group related shirt, this time it's The Gaslight Anthem!!! I like the design, it's for American Slang, and down in the lower black portion it has the track listing. Unfortunately, while it was readable on the 'web image, on the actual shirt it's not at all legible. Oh well, still a cool design. Other downside, the transfer is one of those where it doesn't really breathe, so it's not great in warmer weather. It actually arrived the day before we went to the show, but I didn't wear it.

Next up, speaking of having an under representation of a particular color, I did a search for purple just because I don't have any that fit very well, and found this one!!! If you didn't know, it's Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy related. Don't know if I ever even mentioned, much less posted, but years ago I got another HG2G shirt, even more subtle. It pictured the bowl of petunias and sperm whale, and had in Dr. Seuss style font, “Oh no, not again!!! By Dr. Adams” I'd have to explain to the uninitiated that the quote/title was from the bowl of petunias!!! (Also, that was another of my few yellow shirts)

This shirt was featured in my most recent birthday post.

And here's another Sky shirt!!! I'm pretty sure it was advertised as a Sky Redline shirt. This one went into hiding for the longest time!!! (I've really got to clean out my closet!!!)

Next is An Appeal to Heaven flag shirt. For a while I had a Gadsden flag sticker on the back window of Scruffy, and it got sun baked and worn, so I replaced it with An Appeal to Heaven flag sticker, and at the same time I picked up this shirt. I love the message, but I'd actually never heard of it until Samuel Alito had a made up “controversy” involving it, and a bunch of the usual yellow journalists made it a thing!!!

Another thing I don't know if I ever mentioned, but trees have been falling over in the canyon across from our house for years. Last year the one at the edge of the basketball court fell and took out a good portion of the fence around it. Just a few weeks ago, a couple more fell, and it really opened up the view!!! I find the falling trees concerning, but the city and the parks department don't seem to share my concern. I took this picture with the fallen trees as the background.

This shirt was also featured in a previous post, in fact was the one I wore to The Gaslight Anthem concert, but the one picture I used, I was mostly getting the “Greek Theater” artwork, and the shirt graphic is cropped out.

And to round things out, another Counting Crows shirt, this time for Bobby and the Rat-Kings!!! One of my favorite songs by the Counting Crows!!!

Haulin'

Or, "Will it Fit: Mobile Edition"

Last Friday we stopped in to a Goodwill store, and there was a fine looking recliner. Great condition, and a great price. On Christmas I had been lamenting that another Christmas come and gone, and still no new recliner. Of course, with the three of us, there was no room to haul it. Headed back the next day, but in the interim, came across a futon!!! My younger has been wanting one for quite a while. I actually told my parents that if they could find a good used one, he'd like that for Christmas, but once again, no dice. See, I was hoping that would happen, as they have better equipment for hauling.

So, him and I took Scruffy out there the next day, first stop where the futon was. Brought along much rope with the thought of, if it'll fit, hang it out the back and strap the hatch down with rope, a la the water heater adventure. Try as we might, it was a big no go for that, too. Headed over to the Goodwill, and picked up the recliner, which of all amazements, fit!!! As I had thought, it has to be in a reclined position, but that's all.

Called up my dad and asked if I could borrow his Trail Blazer. Don't think I'd made mention, but he got a Trail Blazer. Someone turned left in front of him in his Durango around a year ago and totaled it. The Trail Blazer is its replacement, and a fine machine. He took it off road a few months back for the first time in 29 Palms along with my mother, and they managed to get turned off the trail onto a crossing dry streambed, so they did do some trail blazing!!! Anyway, they got stuck in the loose sand and ended up spending the night in the desert, and found the cargo area to be lacking in length to sleep in. Thus, when I asked to borrow it to haul a futon, they said they didn't think it would fit inside. Well, still have ropes and tie downs, one way or the other, we got this. Well, surprise!!! Just a little tilt, and it fit in without any trouble!!! I took this picture and sent it to my dad with the message, "Don't know what your problem is!!!"

This last shot is the recliner again, only with no flash. It's a little fuzzy, but I liked the look!!!

The Broken Screen

When the main event of this post occurred, my youngest exclaimed, "I know you're going to use this on your blog!!!" With that kind of set up, guess I have to!!!

Pictured above is something I rigged up a while back. On my last recliner, the cat always loved to lay about on the foot rest portion. (As i searched for the post on the recliner, I realize I've not made mention of it's demise. It was an excellent chair, but unfortunately somehow the mechanism for the footrest broke, so it was permanently extended, making the sitting down and rising up difficult... but providing a ready resting spot for the feline!!!) Around my birthday of last year it was replaced by a smaller recliner, which fits the room nicely, but the footrest hits me mid-thigh, and it's vinyl skinned. But, it's in good shape and the recliner portion works well.

So, as the old one was on it's way out, I detached the footrest portion. Knowing that kitty was already accustomed to it, and knowing that one of his favorite places in the house is looking out of the window over the washer and dryer in the laundry room, I devised something I knew he'd like. I already had a couple of shelf brackets, but to span the distance I had to add a piece of wood under the footrest. All I had around was a 2x2, which I screwed to the bottom. Naturally, I had to mount the whole rig far enough out to clear the old school louver windows. He took to it right off!!! The first hiccup happened a couple days later. The shelf brackets are of stamped steel, and the 2x2 is on the very end. In other words, not near strong enough to support the mighty girth of wonder cat. It twisted around and probably dumped him off, or at least made him do the awkward struggle to maintain composure as it rotated around. I added in a couple aluminum brackets running up higher on the window frame, and it was back in service. As the weather warmed up, I finally got the chance to open up the window, affording him not only the view, but also the multitude of smells his kind so enjoys!!!

A couple weeks back, my wife, being the first one up, explains, "The screen is out!!!" There's another phrase that has taken on a whole new connotation!!! First thing I was wondering was if it was a computer screen, a TV screen or a phone screen!!! Of course, when I found out, I wasn't as concerned as I'd started. A little miffed that I was going to have to replace a screen, but that was about it. I mean, there wasn't any way our giant cat could get out between those little four inch slats... was there??? I did my morning routine, but I did notice that he wasn't around... so I told my wife to try and locate him. He eventually answered back... from directly below the window!!! Now his tuxedo markings are that of the Great Houdini!!! Oh, and the window is now closed.

Next up is some of the most intricate whiteboard art yet, the older's rendition of the Mobius Double Reacharound (Virus??? will putting virus references on my blog make it a restricted site???), another reference to Homestuck!!!

Found the original image. I know I had issue with it before, but now it looks like blogger posts GIFs without issue!!!

And finally, a little cup art. The only part I did was the 512. Below it is one of the new line stickers from work, which one of the girls did my nickname on. Now if you wondered, you have a clue to my real identity!!! Last week I'd worn my Karkat shirt, and ended up having to explain it several times. Did an image search for Karkat for one of the girls, and she says, "Awww, he's CUTE!!!" Haha!!! I was working with her again the next day, and she added in his shirt logo. I noticed shortly thereafter that it was actually a mirrored image. I theorized that it was because she's left-handed!!!

The Return of the Sofa King Random

It has happened again. We traded the tattered remains of the couch of narcoleptic properties for a fresh one.



My parents came upon this one, and being aware of our sofa's sorry state, bagged it for us. I napped a little bit on it on Sunday. Nice. Once again, I AM THE SOFA KING!!!



I purchased my second tank of gas for the Saturn. 314.1 miles on 10.05 gallons. Works out to 31.25 MPG. That'll do. Especially since I've been wringing it a bit, and did a bit of driving with the A/C cranked up.

Has it occurred to anyone that if you were to make a wireless device to do nothing but connect to Wikipedia, and put "DON'T PANIC" on the cover, you would essentially have a terrestrial version of The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy???



This was a very cool version of the Pontiac Solstice that GM had at the Pepsi 500. I like the way they did the rear view mirror.



My older boy has announced that he will be learning l33t. Good luck with that.



Speaking of the Pepsi 500, they just did the Fall ticket drawing. I'm going back to Fontana!!! *More than a year from now, for the next Pepsi 500... Perhaps I'll take Sammy this time, it'll be just a couple weeks after his birthday...

Many lunch & learns on the horizon. I'll be there!!!



I See they're going to be coming out with the next series of comic books based on Stephen King's Dark Tower Series, entitled "The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home". Sounds pretty cool, I'll have to check that out.

I just picked up tickets for the Counting Crows & Maroon 5 concert for this coming Friday. Can't wait!!! I asked the supervisor who handles scheduling if it'd be possible to get an early shift for that day, and she tells me, "Funny you should ask, I was going to come looking for you to see if you could do early shift this Friday!!!"

#11 on Letterman's top 10 list of perks of being a NASCAR driver: Bring your helmet into any Taco Bell, they'll fill it up with guacamole for free!!!

I was thinking I might set up a twitter account and use it to track my mileage...



The cake is a lie, or so I've been told. Has something to do with the video game "Portal". On the Labor day barbecue at my parents' house, they asked us to bring a dessert. We went to Baskin Robbins and got an ice cream cake. I selected this one because it looked a little to me like the one that is a lie. It's the red on the top that did it.

Day after tomorrow will be two years I've been at my job. I'm still happy there. Last week my supervisor told me that I'll be seeing 6.3% more gravy on my next check. w00t!!!



Yesterday I got the checks in the mail for my court settlement. Cool. I was pretty sure I was going to have to put the screws to 'em some more before they'd make with it.

On Thursday, work is hosting a farewell party for one of the managers who is transferring to Chicago. I'll be going back to Geezers for that!!! On my two year anniversary!!!



The first lunch & learn is coming up this Friday. It's about the expansion, something I'm quite interested in. They just put the sign up sheet out this morning, and it coincides nicely with the early shift lunch hour.

2.75%. Now that I'm eligible for 100% of that cash profit sharing, that's the magic number that'll get me another magic number!!! Of course, as I've said before, it's all gravy, but you can never have too much gravy!!!