After having problems for the last 2 years - I finally have the Fiero back on the road!!! I driven her only about 2 times in the last 2 years due to electrical issues, minor at first, then the fusible links blew (twice), so she got parked in the garage.

I gave up and had her towed to a local shop that I know and trust. They had her over a week (not a high priority since it's not a daily driver). Turned out to be the ground wires. Not a shock as she is 34 years old.

However, it was nice to drive her again. After picking her up from the shop, I took her out on the highway, some back roads, and a quick trip to Menards to get a new battery for the stereo remote (died sometime during the last 2 years - shockingly)

She desperately needs a bath, that will come this weekend.

Finally got around to making my bar a "wet" bar by adding a sink and running water lines.

Also upgraded to a full size fridge instead of 2 mini fridges. Fully (well, mostly fully) stocked.

Arcade is complete - until I decide if I want to add a racing game or not...

Don't know where I would put it - but since I have Galaga on 2 other machines, I might have to replace that one.

Poker/game night is tonight - going to get some use out of the bar for sure.

I was driving to Home Depot the other day when I came up behind a very slow moving white pickup, going at least 15-20 mph below the speed limit on a straight and empty rural road.

I passed them legally, not even exceeding the speed limit and continued on my way to the store, maybe 2 miles from this point.

When I get to Home Depot, I wait for a good parking spot when the white pickup drives by me and the elderly driver yells "Damn hotrodder!" at me.

I'm 53. I passed him legally, never exceeding the speed limit on my way to Home Depot.

I've been at my current job for a year now. It's been slow going, building a department from the ground up. I'm coming from a place that did a VERY strong business and I'm slowly building the same model here. (I know, extremely vague) In short, I'm hoping to be at 10% of my previous company's numbers in the next year.

Anyhow - due to a lot of factors out of my control, (Covid, supply shortages, etc.) I expected to be much further along than I currently am. I've been working diligently, have made some really good progress, but the income is not there yet. I know this will work,(not my 1st rodeo) but it's taking longer than I expected. I've been spending company's money to build the infrastructure needed - but I'm still 9-12 months away from profit. Then out for a few weeks due to unexpected surgery. This stresses me out. A lot. (I'm a bit of a workaholic/perfectionist)

Anyhow - out of the blue our COO stopped by my office just to tell me he's very happy with the progress, and is very happy I joined the company. Has lots of faith in me and my ideas and knows we will get there.

I literally haven't slept in a few days because of how stressed I've been, and he took the time to just tell me 'everything's cool'.
I don't think he knows how much that meant......I can't even express how much I needed to hear that.

TLDR: Got an unexpected pat-on-the-back I didn't know how bad I needed it until I got it

I finally got my gameroom completed. Added some arcade units. My 80's dream come true

Here is a pic of the other side. The bar

I haven't been on here much lately, as I had some medical issues that required major surgery. I don't really want to go into too much detail other than it went well and the prognosis is very good.

That being said, I really appreciate this forum. It has been a great source of entertainment and distraction while I was in the hospital and now recovering at home.

Lots of projects on hold for now, as I am on a 10# weight restriction, so working on most of my hobbies will need to take a back seat for a bit.

On the upside, I have these 2 keeping me company when I do manage to get some rest.

It's been 19 years to the day that I lost my dad. Doesn't seem like that long ago.

While he wasn't a necessarily a "car guy" my dad always took meticulous care of his things. He taught me pride of ownership and why maintenance was so important. I learned those lessons the hard way a lot of the times, as I wasn't always the best student, being a dumb kid until I was well into my 20's.

I'm reposting one of my favorite stories about my him in his honor today.

I miss you dad.

The dumbest thing I ever did to a car (link to original post, copied below)

When friends or family need advice on cars and/or maintenance – they often come to me. I am not a mechanic, but I know enough about basic maintenance and do a lot of my own on my cars. I’ve learned to wrench on my own cars originally by necessity, now it’s for fun.

This was not always the case.

When I first got my license at 16, I knew nothing about cars, I was just happy to drive! Anything at any time. And the way our family schedule was, that meant that I would drive my mom to work and then myself to school.
At 5:00 I would pick my mom back up from her office. I got to drive every day - it was great!

Now this also meant that the only person behind the wheel of the family car was me.

A 1982 Buick Regal Limited (similar to the one pictured but in “Anthracite Metallic”). My dad’s pride and joy – the first car I remember him buying new.

I knew it needed gas to go, but that was the extent of my automotive knowledge. So, when the oil light came on, I did not know what that meant.

So I ignored it.

For weeks.

Well, one day on my way to pick my mom up from work – the engine just..... stopped.
Done. Dead. Not moving.
I was only a few blocks from my mom’s office so I walked the rest of the way and we called my dad.

Shortly afterwards my dad shows up, then the tow truck to take it to the dealer (car was probably 2 years old and still under warranty). The service department called my dad with the news: The engine stopped because there was no oil in it. Completely empty.

The conversation with my dad:

Dad: “Was the oil light on?”
Me: “Yeah, I guess so”
Dad: “How long was the light on?”
Me: “I don’t know, a few weeks maybe?”
Dad: “THE OIL LIGHT WAS ON FOR A FEW WEEKS AND YOU DIDN’T THINK TO MENTION THIS TO ANYONE?!?!?!”
Me: “I thought if it was important it would blink or something….”
Dad:

At this point I knew I was dead. I accepted it. No point in running or fighting, I just accepted it. I had broke my dad’s car. Not by having an accident, not a momentary lapse in judgement. But by utter and complete prolonged negligence. There was no defense.

I had no doubt I was a ‘dead teen walking’ at this point – I knew this was bad. I had no idea what my dad was going to do. But whatever it was, I deserved it. I knew that much.

Then something happened. For those who say there is no God, I disagree. I have proof.

Just as my father was taking a deep breath (to start yelling or beating, I still don’t know), the phone rang. This was before caller ID, and I don’t remember if we had an answering machine or not – but at our house, if the phone rang – you answered it.

It was the dealership. They topped off the oil and the Regal started right up. They could not find a thing wrong with it. Ran fine, they went through it and everything was good.

To this day I maintain that divine intervention (and that phone call) saved my life. If not for that call, I would not be here today to tell this tale. I didn’t even get in trouble. My dad mumbled something about me being a “dumb-ass kid” and to let him know in the future if there was any indicators or light on the dash and explained why.

My dad wasn’t a “car guy”, but he meticulously maintained everything he owned. Cars, mowers, tools, etc.
I inherited that and can now understand his anger and frustration because his “stupid kid” ran an engine run out of oil.

I’m now about the age my dad was then, and I have a dumb ass kid myself. Had this situation been repeated on my car, I could look back and remember a time when 'I' was the dumb ass and how my father handled it.

And then I would kill him.

After no one talked me out of this idea, I went ahead and spent way too much money on an unnecessary upgrade for the Fiero.

Before:

Now:

I literally just finished the install this morning - the only thing I have done is adjust the color to match the red/orange interior lighting. But I really like the physical knows and switches, the flat black finish, and the overall look of the unit. Hoping sound quality and Bluetooth work as well as it looks. I'll have more on that in a later update.

I love the look - it fits perfectly with the rest of the dash.

A nice overview of the stereo if anyone is interested:

Shitty day - had to put our cat Simon down. He's had kidney disease and went downhill fast. I thought he was doing ok, but the last few days were bad - took him to the vet this morning...it was time.

Shitty, shitty day.

He's the black and white tuxedo. Lorelei will be lost without him, she was his shadow, he was very paternal with her.


This is the first day when my daughter brought Lorelei home. They bonded immediately.

He was the best damn cat I ever had.
This sucks.

@ibRAD said in DNA results back for Kelly, interesting:

@MidEngine said in DNA results back for Kelly, interesting:

@Albino-Kangaroo Swab the inside of her cheeks for 15 seconds, register the kit # online, mail it in. Got the results two weeks later via email.

Bought the kit on Amazon

It would be interesting to swab your own cheek and send it in just to see what they tell you.

I really want to do that. But for $80-200 for a kit, I'm not that committed to the joke.

@beefchips said in Wildly inappropriate:

I completely misunderstood the title post

Obligatory

@fintail said in DOTS at the Costco Gas station.:

@trivet I was wondering what the heck that was supposed to be, kid's project perhaps.

It's a dragon from Atari VCS (2600) Adventure

@fintail

SO MUCH WANT!!!!!!

@WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAthenGTInowA4

Signature line checks out

If your are riding in there and you brake quickly, yes.
Yes you will be stabbed.
Repeatedly.
By the interior.

@Zymosan said in I made a thing.:

@davesaddiction

This place has some sweet stuff but man ate they expensive.

https://www.80stees.com/products/thundercats-logo-t-shirt

WAY overpriced

Same thing on ebay

Total with shipping - $10.99
75% less from eBay

@Highlander said in WSJ: Bike Shops Glutted with Unsold Bicycles:

Us biking geeks addicts are constantly in search of the next bike.

FTFY

@davesaddiction said in I made a thing.:

I dressed up as Lion-O one year for Halloween

This sounds like the opening line at a Furries Anonymous meeting....