• Tanya’s Birthday from 2007
• Drawings of Eyes
• The New Adventures of Izzy and Jonas
• The Royal Chariots

I wanted to post more, but I’ve made so many changes that some posts aren’t displaying correctly.  I have to go back and fix them before I feel comfortable linking to them.  In the infamous words of Doc Brown, “I’ll see you in the future!”

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In the span of a week, I lost an uncle, Ciri lost a mentor, and if that’s not enough stress, Ciri gets into a horrible accident.  The stress comes more from Ciri’s well-being than from the accident itself.  Which, actually, makes it worse.

Today is my uncle’s funeral back in California. I feel sad that his time was so short here, but also that I’m not there for everyone.  On the other hand, I feel like I could be preparing for a funeral too – Ciri’s accident could have been much worse.

I’m finding myself a bit conflicted.  I want to mourn my uncle properly but I am ecstatic that Ciri is alive and not breathing out of a tube or living in a full body cast.

My mantra all day has been that it’s ok to be happy, my uncle would TOTALLY understand my feelings.  But, it’s not just about him.  My cousins, aunts and uncles, and my family are all experiencing the grieving process.

So, I’m convincing myself that this is all just a cycle of life. A day will come when I have to experience the same feelings as my family is experiencing today.  Hopefully I feel the same way on that day as I do now:

Damn, it’s good to be alive.

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• Point of view
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• Happy to have Ciri home right now.

I wasn’t.

Be it God, or His newest angel, I am eternally grateful. Mr. Allen, you watched over me many years ago, and I owe you my life. Again.

Update: I added some more pictures after I went to see the car for myself.  It was very emotional for me, but I also found a beauty to the way the car was bent in different directions. -Juan

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• Emotions are high.
• Point of view
• Happy to have Ciri home right now.

I love this photo of him.

He passed away early this morning.

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• By the lake.
• May 2010
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Ciri starts a new job at NC State. We’re really excited. Well, I’m jealous – I miss my job at the university. OK, I’m still happy for her and maybe a little jealous.  She’s going to be a tech at the teaching hospital. She wanted to work for NC State pretty much since she left active duty.  I’m sure she’ll kick some ass and heal some animals!  There may be some scheduling conflicts with my work, but we’ll figure it out.

My mom is coming to visit in a few weeks. I’m really excited – she hasn’t met Jonas yet and last time she saw Izzy was over a year ago.  She’s also bringing my little brother, which will be fun. He’s grown so much and so fast in the past five years.

Ciri and I are hoping we can all head out to Kitty Hawk for a weekend. I love aquariums and I love flight – kinda like my mecha.  Should be a great time, just need to work out the logistics.

Speaking of Jonas. It’s the little Bugger’s numero uno birthday!  Izzy’s first year felt like forever. Jonas’ flew right on by.  He’s already walking, drinking out of straw, and LOVES cars.  He loves to push anything with tires.  He’s so cool. Maybe we’ll visit Kitty Hawk for his birthday. Emphasis on “his.”  Heh heh.

Mental note: kids attract ants. It’s like some cosmic law.  Vinegar works wonders, though.

In case you haven’t noticed, much of my personal interests have long since left this realm and moved to a more hospitable place. *cough* CIRI *cough* I’m really into Industrial Design feeds so I’ve been posting my thoughts  on different finds. A lot.  I also write about other stuff, like WordPress, and ideas, and, well, fun stuff. That was a lot of commas. I’m sure at least one doesn’t fit right but I’m too lazy to edit myself right now.

Lastly, Ciri has me hooked on the Buffy/Angel universe. When those shows were airing, I avoided them like my life depended on it. Buffy is still kinda meh to me, but Angel is more me.  I loved Dollhouse and Firefly, don’t know why I avoided his original work for so long.  Good stuff.

Just some quick thoughts and insights.  Compiling all the images for June. Not a whole lot – boring month.  I sense July will pick back up though.

Hope everyone had a safe Independence Day!

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Ciri and I said that Izzy gets all the good stickers.  When I play, I get the lame stars or giraffes.  Izzy gets the crazy sun, motorcycles, and the animated ones too.

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It amazes and astounds me when I look back at Izzy and Jonas.  They looked so different when they were babies.  At the time I thought they couldn’t get any cuter. Boy, was I wrong.

I thought it would be fun to show them off.

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And that’s being nice! Really, it was more of a three and a half rating. It was overhyped and poorly written.  Ciri and I loved it and hated it at the same time.

It should be called Ferngully Two: The Last of the Mohicans Smurfs

The biggest problem was the plot formula was so obvious it took me out of the movie.  Anytime that happens, I automatically take away a star.  Boom.

It felt like an expensive Ferngully, but with realistic thriving Smurfs. I say Smurfs not only because they are blue, but because of their tree hugging lifestyle.  They don’t make any attempt to hide the inspiration for the character design.  Maybe Ferngumurfs aren’t the inspiration, which is fine, but you can’t deny the similarity.

Dude, to help drive the point, the Last of the Mohicans guy IS the leader of the Na’vi tribe!  It’s the freaking Sphinx, man! Come on…

Don’t get me started on the unibtanium.  Guh.

So, to sum it up, bad character design and a cliché plot lost it two stars.  On the other hand, the characters themselves were beautifully rendered -  visually and emotionally.  The actors did a damn good job.  The artists went to town on those renders too.

The forests where beautiful too, it really is getting harder and harder to see the differences between CG and real actors.  It’s exciting and scary at the same time. I’ll give them a star back.

Although, when it came down to the mixture of the two, I wasn’t that impressed.  District 9 was way better.  Maybe District 9 had it easier with a lighter, less dynamic color palette and maybe it would look better in HD.  Either way, I was more impressed by the integration in District 9’s mecha scene than in Avatar’s final mecha scene.  It looked like a typical CG cartoon to me.

Speaking of bad guys.

The last bit I’m going to whine about is the Colonel’s death.  I won’t argue that it was a good conclusion, I just think it could have been better.  This guy was a war-mongering evil bastard.  I find that antagonists’ deaths mean more when it is caused by their own deeds.

It didn’t make sense for the Na’vi princess chick to kill him.  They’re supposed to treasure life and even evil souls deserve the chance to repent their sins, right?  If they really did hold life sacred, then she wouldn’t have killed him.  I would have liked for him to make it to the tree and as he tried to destroy the tree, the tree absorbed him into the collective.  How cool would it be for the antagonist to be assimilated against his will into the thing he hated the most? All kinds of metaphors in there.

I know I’m late but…

So, by the time I get to watch the movie, everyone has pretty much said everything there is to say.  Argued points have come and gone.  But I don’t care.    If I repeat what’s been said, sorry.  I tried to avoid the conversations about this movie so I could go into it without bias.  The only thing I really heard was the Smurf thing – which I totally agree with too – and the Last of the Mohicans comparison.  I’ve never seen the Last of the Mohicans so I’m good there.  I think I can say I watched it with an open mind.

So. Four out of five stars.  Bad design and plot.  Awesome effects and acting.  The story telling isn’t too bad either.  It’s just the devices I have issues with.  Ok.  Getting off the soap box again… for now.

-Juan

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• As Quoted by Keanu Reeves

I was changing my oil recently and thought of my dad and all that he taught me.  His teachings and philosophy of maintaining the car yourself has been put to good use over the years.  I’ve changed wheel hubs, tires, brakes, radiators, and tie rods… just to name a few. As I worked on my truck I remembered a few tips passed to me by my dad as well as some I discovered on my own.  I figured some passerby might find them useful.

DIY Tips

Buy a car jack, stands, wheel chock, and creeper kit. I bought one for about $100 and it’s probably already paid for itself.

Buy a repair manual. The book can be a bit expensive but it will pay for itself very quickly, especially if you have to conduct a major service or repair.

Recycle your used oil. AutoZone and other auto parts stores will take in your used oil to recycle.  Some recycling centers will also take your black gold, so check around.  I just walk into AutoZone with my full jug of oil and they let me dump it in their oil drum. Just remember to take the container with you when you’re done.

Buy a 100pc tool set and borrow the rest from AutoZone. Craftsman tools have a lifetime repair warranty on most of their tools.  Break it, take it back, and they will replace it gratis.  Borrow everything else from AutoZone.  You pay for the tool up front, but you’ll get that money back when you return the tool. Actually, now that I think about it, I learned this tip on my own.

Performance parts don’t always equal efficiency. Larger rims can throw off your turn radius or ride quality. Spoilers, mufflers, tires – they all increase performance and esthetics, but they also effect the car in other ways.  Just be aware.

Safety Tips

Get some gloves. Oil and grime can not only make your hands slippery, but they can also damage your skin.  Gloves will keep your hands functional and clean. As much as I appreciate weathered hands, fluids from your car can really mess up your hands. While we’re on that subject, always wear eye protection.

Unplug the NEGATIVE terminal first. Whenever you’re doing electrical work of any kind, remove the negative/black terminal first.  When you’re done, reconnect the negative terminal last.

Don’t let the car move. Use wheel chocks, the parking brake, or put the transmission in park or first gear. Don’t let that car move! Make sure you work on a level surface as well.

Maintenance Tips

Use good oil. For engine oil I like Castrol GTX 10w-30.  Use the appropriate grade for your area. Other fluids are pretty specific (i.e. brake fluid, transmission fluid) and you may have to buy it from your dealer.

Inspect your car with every oil change. Check your tire pressure, air filter, hoses, clamps, fluid levels, parking brake, lights, wiper blades, engine belts, and brake pads/shoes.

Torque it. Torque it good. Some parts need to be torqued to a certain amount of pressure.  A lot of maintenance servicing can be hand torque without worry, but until you’re familiar with the car, always check the manual.

Use an engine oil additive. I use Lucas oil additive, but if you want, you could also substitute one quart of your regular oil with a quart of high viscosity oil. It just helps keep the oil where it’s needed.

Buy good filters. If you buy the store brand, they do the job so if you really want to save money, go ahead.  I’d say if you’re going to buy the cheap oil filter, at least get good oil.

Don’t ignore your Check Engine Light. This is a big one.  I’ve met people that shrug it off with a “Eh, it’s been on for months and it hasn’t exploded yet.”  Bad mentality.  AutoZone can scan your computer and let you know what error codes are being reported.  It could be something simple like the gas cap isn’t on tight enough or something important like a bad sensor.  Newer cars rely heavily on the sensors placed throughout the engine and it’s sub-systems – so don’t ignore the light.

Rotate your tires. Usually I do this with every oil change, but depending on your area and mileage, you can do it less or more often.

Take good notes

Do your homework. Every car is different and I’ve had to do lots of research to find out if I’m doing something right.  Lots of mechanics post some good videos on YouTube. It also helps to have a mechanic on call 24/7

Keep a log. Record your inspection findings and the services done.  This will help with determining trends as well as remind you what services are due.  Usually repair shops will note things on your receipts but if you do the work yourself, you’ll miss out on this important data. I know some people see those notes as a marketing scheme (and they’re probably right), you can’t deny that the information is important.  Trust me, take good notes or use a nifty app like I do!

Respect

One of the most important things I’ve learned is to respect limits.  Working on a car takes strength and knowledge.  When I have lacked either, I let someone else risk their neck.  Sure, it costs you a few extra bills, but breaking something out of stubbornness can potentially cost much more in the end.

The businesses I plugged are my personal preference which are based on personal experiences. I’m not affiliated with any of them, but I really recommend them.  AutoZone has treated me well, but there are other auto parts stores that offer similar services.  If you’re lucky enough to have access to military installation resources, they usually have an auto repair garage that rents out their bays.  It’s pretty cheap and they have guys that are very helpful.

Now go get your hands grimy.

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• On being a good Preggo Coach…

Ciri wanted a mountain bike so she got a Mongoose something or other.  Good looking bike, but I think some of the parts are poor quality.  Her rear shifter slips. A lot.  Still, with some tlc, it should be a good little bike for her.

I’m not a bells and whistles type guy.  Give me what I need in a nice neat package.  I saw a really cool bike  awhile back at Target for almost $300.  It was black and it had the comfort seat with a different shape handle bars.  I learned that his is a hybrid bike.  I didn’t know there was anything other than speed and mountain bikes.  The style wasn’t to extravagant, it had a front suspension and those nifty looking U-brakes too.  But $300, really?

It’s been a while since I owned a bike.  I did some research and found that the bikes you find at Target and Walmart are crap.  Here I thought spending $100 to $200 on a bike was expensive.  Some websites said that you can own a “good” bike for as little as $400.  I said for $400 smacks, this bike better freaking fly.

After reading and researching some more, I began to understand why some bikes cost more than others.  The materials used, the quality of the parts, and the design of the frame were all factors on the cost.  Who knew?  Ultimately, I realized that buying a bike was like anything else.  You get what you pay for – sort of.  The bikes at big box stores aren’t horrible, their just not great.  I can deal with that.

I bought a hybrid bike from Walmart.  I’m not a big fan of the frame – too triangular for me.  But it’s pretty comfortable. The brakes feel good and the shifting is pretty nice too.  The tires aren’t very knobby, but we’re sticking mostly to paved roads or cleared paths.  No crazy off-roading -  for the most part.

The first time we went out with our new toys was a few weeks ago.  I don’t feel like getting too much into it. I’m out of shape. Ok?  We’ll just leave it at that. Yesterday, we went on another trip at Lake Johnson and I did much better.

I’m using a GPS app to track and record our trips.  The app is pretty cool.  It records and calculates a lot of fun metrics like speed, grade, altitude and more.  I’m not sure what exactly I’ll do with the metrics, if anything at all, but the important part is the track recorder. I can upload the track files to Google maps along with some meta information.  For future bike rides, I can reference my maps and notes to see if the path may be hard or busy or boring or whatever.  The added metrics just get my nerd juices flowing – they don’t serve much purpose yet.

The past few trips and the iPhone app I am using got me thinking: it would be really cool if the phone was mounted to my handle bars.  I decided that I want to make some sort of bike mount for the phone rather than buy one. Having these statistics on the fly would be cool.  In the future, I’ll probably use it as a HUD with a reality augmentation app.

As for the bikes, we’re still figuring out where the good trails are at.  Raleigh has a “Greenway” system that I’ve heard great things about..  I hope to have a good amount of trails to share in the coming months. For now, this is our first one. It’s broken up because I paused it when we stopped.

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