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

Close call this weekend with our cat, Simon. He has been losing weight and we found out a couple of months ago he has kidney disease. He was going downhill so I took him to the vet to have more bloodwork done - assuming it would just confirm my worst fears, but the results were encouraging. While his kidney function is still bad, other issues he was struggling with have improved (due to medications) and what I feared would be his final trip to the vet ended with a treatment plan and not needing another appointment for 3-6 months.

We've had Simon for about 7 years. He was a rescue. I had picked out another cat, but my daughter insisted we get him too. He is blind in his left eye (birth defect), and I didn't want to bring home "another" pet with issues (we have a history with special needs animals).

He is the best damn cat we've ever had. So laid back, super chill and friendly. Never flinches when another animal is brought into our home, either as a visitor or a new addition to the family. He is extremely paternal to the kitten (we still her call her a kitten even though she is 2 years old because she is so tiny), and she is very attached to him.

Had a rough few days last week as I thought it was his last few days ever. So happy I was able to bring him home and keep him comfortable. He is still friendly and affectionate, and as long as he is happy, I will do everything I can to keep him that way.

We get so attached to our pets, and the thought of losing them is devastating. I know some people think "it's just a cat", but not to me. They are family.

Sorry, just needed to vent a little - it's been a stressful few days

Jennifer.

Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Love Hewitt....

Am I doing this right?

@boxer_4 said in What Did I Just See?:

Pretty sure that's a plane.

Edit: I was wrong. According to Google Image Search - It's a tree

My apologies for making a quick judgement call.

Back in the day, I was a serious road cyclist and spent more time in the saddle than I did at work or school. Raced with a team (mostly criteriums) and was a huge bike nerd.

One of the places we would hang out was Jack’s Bicycle Shop – a tiny one man store/shop in a converted detached garage in Bay City.
It didn’t look like much from the outside (you couldn’t even see it from the road) but inside was top of the line gear and the most knowledgeable cyclist I’ve ever met, Jack.

Jack was in his 60’s during the 80’s when my friends and I hung out at the shop. It was a true cornucopia of elite parts and bikes, things we could only see in magazines or watching the pros race. (This was well before the internet and Google). Not only could we see and touch the stuff of dreams, but Jack was also happy to share his knowledge and experience. He happily taught us mechanical skills, made recommendations for gear, and always let us try stuff out. He was an incredible ambassador for the sport, and we admired him greatly. My best cycling memories were hanging out a Jack's shop, and I still have most of the equipment I purchased from him.

Jack passed away in 2011 and the original shop closed many years ago, but Jacks Bicycle Shop still lives on at a new location, owned and operated by his grandson. I stopped in the other day as I needed a freewheel pulled and did not have the right tool for the job, and it gave me a reason to finally visit the new place. I expected the store to be "Jack’s" in name only, but I was pleasantly surprised to be very, very wrong.
While the shop now is mostly MTB and fat tire bikes – there were some genuinely beautiful bikes from the original shop there. They were mounted high on the walls near the ceiling, and it really took me back. These were the bikes and components I lusted after (and eventually rode) back in my youth. These exact bikes. I remember them like old friends I haven’t seen in years, but still recognized them instantly.

Dura Ace Equipped Cesare with Columbus tubing (I believe). With a UNI disc! (I had one of these (UNI) , now super rare - wish I had held on to mine)
Campagnolo Super Record Equipped Univega Super Special

This absolutely gorgeous Poglighi with custom made Galli (Campagnolo SR copy) gold grouppo My best friend and teammate raced this same frameset with a different (read cheaper) component set.

A beautiful Fuji with chromed lug work and I believe the "original" (first issue, with "Crane" logo rear derailleur) Dura Ace components.

Jack's was an authorized Univega dealer, and he carried their best. A Reynolds tubed Super Strada with a Dura Ace groupset.

Ok, this Klein wasn't there back in the day, but I had to get a shot of it as this is one of the few sets of Spinergy Rev X's I've seen besides my own. And converted to a single speed, as I have with my set too. I also have the bull horn bars and same brake levers, though mine are non-aero.

It was quite the trip down memory lane. I spent almost an hour just looking though all of the old stuff, didn't even more than glance at the new bikes for sale. I am so happy Jack's grandson has preserved the feel of the old shop, there were even some of the same posters on the walls (should have gotten some pics of those too) .

You are sorely missed Jack, but your legacy lives on. Thank you for everything.

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.

Reads post title

While working on the Fiero this weekend, I grabbed my socket set, and it got me to thinking about some earlier Oppo posts about tools.

While I have tons of tools, both hand and power that I've collected and used over the years– my Craftsman socket set is the only one that I have any emotional “attachment” to.

I had posted before about The Dumbest Thing I Ever Did To A Car, which gave a pretty good idea of what kind of clueless teenager I was. I was the stereotypical kid that usually left a mess behind, didn’t take care of my (or others) things, sometimes breaking or often losing stuff.

Well, even though I was clueless about most things, I had a passion for anything mechanical - especially my bicycles and (eventually) my own car. Before I was on my own, I would just use my dads’ tools anytime I needed them, usually with little to no care about proper use or storage, often resulting in damaged or lost tools.

Many years ago, one of my Christmas gifts was a Craftsman socket set (pictured). My dad told me “There, now you can lose your own tools”.

I loved it, as it was the exact same set he had (however with all the pieces), and I promised him I would not lose these. I don’t think he believed me, but at least I wouldn’t be abusing his anymore. He probably never gave it another thought, he was just happy to have his stuff left alone

It’s been over 30 years & hundreds of uses - but I still have every original piece, even the foam packing that came with it. I’ve had to add new clasps to the case, as the plastic tabs gave up a few years ago – but every single piece of this set is original.

I lost my dad 18 years ago this May. But every time I use my Craftsmen sockets, I still thank him for the great gift, and tell him I haven’t lost a single piece.

I promised.

@doodon2whls said in Ka-chow!:

@mazda616

Looks like DLynn is DLean right now.

My son's 1.6L Hyundai Veloster has a similar exhaust
Stock photo, but same car/rear "dual" exhaust.

@streetsofperth said in Random goose pictures.:

@jawzx2 ...the adult looks like it wants to ruin your day.

They do - and have

Damn sky rats

@annoying_salman said in I find this hilarious:

@aestheticsinmotion said in I find this hilarious:

Now I'm curious about their response when they see the typical motorcyclists in SE Asia

Obviously the neighbors kid....

@silentbutnotreallydeadly said in AirBnB host just canceled for our trip next week:

@akioohtori
We got noped out a week long booking last week because the host said (upon enquiry) they were vegan...and their property was vegan. So it was a requirement that we were vegan for the duration of our stay.

We are not vegan. And I sure as shit won't pretend otherwise for the sake of an Airbnb host that doesn't have the moral courage and strength of conviction to put that requirement in their actual ad...

I would have shown up with a suitcase full of beef jerky and smoked salmon, and left it in random places before I left.

But I can be a bit of an a**hole

I see the problem. It specifically calls for “Cuervo” tequila. You used the wrong brand. It’s probably magnificent with Cuervo.

@cobrajoe said in It came to me in a dream: EV company name:

@qaaaaa The dealership must have a coffee shop built in, called EVeLatte

@ttyymmnn said in GOTD:

@chariotoflove

Those soft, fuzzy sweaters, too magical to touch....

To see her in that magazine, was really just too much!

That song is going to be stuck in my head all day (not saying that's a bad thing)