Hookah, Phone, Buell Firebolt, Hook

Posted by Robert on the 9th of August, 2005 at 12:11 AM GMT0. Permalink.
Tags: Cars, Drinking, Mac, Motorcycles, Movies, Personal, Phones, Software, Sony-Ericsson

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When I posted this, I was listening to: Third Eye Blind - Crystal Baller

This has been a full 4 days in the making, so here it is.

Alecia came into town on Monday. I braved the shitty traffic at LAX to pick her up, and accidentally left my license plate on all week. We had some fun, including my first trip to a hookah bar. It was really nice, since it was quiet enough to talk and the lack of oxygen from sucking smoke got me a little light headed and social feeling. The problem is that hookah has nicotine. So, I can't do it very often. However, it was an enjoyable night. Especially when all of Tammy's hottie friends came back to our place to hang out, even if they all nerded out by looking at MySpace all night.

This week I geeked out too. My phone (Sony Ericsson s710) plays MP3s. The problem is that I've only got a 32 meg Sony memory stick (that came with the phone). For those of you in the know, that'll only hold about 4 songs, leaving a few megs for images. So, I decided I needed to do something, even if I could only really listen to 4 songs while I walk to work. I decided, at first, to hack out an AppleScript, but ended up using an AppleScript and a Bash Shell Script.

Basically, I made a play list in iTunes called Phone. I copy the songs I want to put on my phone there. The AppleScript copies those songs to ~/PhoneSongs and hands off to a shell script. The shell script runs lame, the MP3 encoder, to resample to 22.05 hz, 64 kb per second max VBR. This reduces the size of the file by at least 50%. Since the headphones on my phone are pretty shitty, I can't tell a big difference, and the resample really increases the warm tones of the music.

Also, I got my air filter for my car. It was more flimsy than I expected, but it installed with out a hitch. To install an air filter on an RX-8, all you need to do is lift in-and-up on the air box really hard (there are plastic clips on the top and underneath). It's difficult and you MUST force it, but it will break loose. Then just pop the two metal clips on the top-front of the airbox. The paper filter drops out and you can put your nice cleanable K&N air filter in. I experienced some rough idle at first. So, I turned the car off, and put the key to accessory, and stepped on the breaks 20 times really fast until the oil pressure needle swept, indicating an ECU reset. After that, I didn't have any problem. I haven't noticed any more power, but the intake has a slightly deeper sound and my mileage may have increased slightly. No big surprises.

I picked up a new pair of shoes, also. I've had my old ones for well over a year. I got a pair of Adidas (they looks just like these but all black). Since they seem to be made mostly of leather, I won't run into the same problems I had with my last pair as they wore to nothingness: plastic heal supports.

If you ever need to convert video on Mac OS X, get ffMpegX, even if the author thinks he is special enough to get 15$ out of you for making a handy interface for ffMpeg, et al. It is shareware, with only two conversion types disabled. So, not too bad.

Adam got a Suzuki SV650. It made me remember how bad I wanted a bike. I was after the CBR 1000 RR until I checked out Buell again. Back in the day, I wasn't impressed. Now I am.

Now, I'm after a Buell Firebolt. While I can't decide between the ~1200 cc (~103 horses and 84 ft.lbs. yielding a manageable 48 MPG city / 65 MPG highway) and the ~900 cc (~92 horses and ~70 ft.lbs yielding a nice 50 city / 65 highway MPG) models (identical except for the engine's stroke length and $1,600.. aka 1 months rent), I really appreciate the design principles for this bike as much as I do the design principles for the RX-8. To recap, it is a air/fan/oil cooled V-Twin (very similar to the engine in the Harley-Davidson Sportster, which means I should be able to work on it myself with little trouble, unlike some new Honda sport bikes), part of the frame doubles as the gas tank, and part of the swing arm doubles as the oil tank. The last two, in combination with the muffler that is mounted under the bike and very low unsprung weight, reduces the center of gravity, and improves handling. I'm used to riding my dad's 850 cc Sportster, which has a nice amount of punch, but a really high center of gravity. I imagine the Firebolt would be a step up. Not to mention this is a liter bike in a 250 cc package. The wheel base is only 52 inches. What a sweet ass ride. Do a Google search on it for more info. Maybe by years end I can pick one up.

The other night I was watching Hook (starring Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman). I saw this movie several time (about 7) when I was a kid. I think I saw this film more times than any other while it was in the theatre. I just enjoyed it as a child would any fantastical movie with swords and flying. But, having watched it the other night (while I was drunk), I like it on another level. Let me first say Dustin Hoffman is a fucking brilliant actor. I can't say any more than that. He receives my highest accolades. What interested me with this film is the juxtaposition of Peter and Hook. Hook says several times things along the lines of, Death is the only great adventure. Meanwhile, Peter says, To live would be an awfully big adventure. I think at different times, I've identified with both of them. I'd reckon most people can commiserate. But I love the dynamic of wanting to be young forever battling against the desire to cease living. In the end, they both get what they want. Hook dies. Peter learns to live. And that is the beauty of it.

Besides all that, I think the ability to fly like Peter Pan would be the ultimate survival tool.

What would the world be like without Captain Hook?

Indeed.

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Comments:

1. Uncanny Interest In The Pan Man

   by Bryan on the 10th of August, 2005 at 12:22 PM GMT0. Permalink.

   Perhaps now, I am the only one that has seen Robert, late at night, wearing green tights and skipping around the living room. Don't worry buddy, I won't tell anyone.

2. ...

   by Erin Poe on the 10th of August, 2005 at 2:00 PM GMT0. Permalink.

   Ah, but you're not the only one who has witnessed this...

   P.S. Firebolt = Harry Potter

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