Mrs. Cupcakes strikes again!

Mrs. Cupcakes strikes again!, originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

I am the proud new owner of a Cupcake Original™ pair of striped socks, for fall/winter use.

These have been a work in tiny needle progress for some time now, but they are magnificent in their stripeyness, and a full of manly neutral tones, unlike so much of the sock yarn I have seen. They will be perfect for the NC fall, if it ever arrives.

Octoberfest bottled!

Octoberfest bottled!, originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

The car gods are angry..

09-28-05_0719.jpg, originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

Ok, so, as Nomad Ben pointed out to me recently, and I quote:

"Hasn't history taught you that you are not destined to own mild-mannered
Japanese cars? I think it has."

He's referring of course to the Honda Civic that I owned for a week, before the gods took it away from me, between my Jeeps and my Suzuki Samurai.

Anyway, on the way to work yesterday, RIGHT before my freeway exit, I blew out the rear passenger tire on the Corolla. I believe this is just a warning from the car gods, and if I pay my respects and sacrifice some bicycles or Segway riders or something, I'll be ok. As some of you know, I do not have the most fortunate automotive history.

I need to dig up pictures and put a chronology up here somewhere, but it goes something like this: 19?? Forest Service Pickup, 1976 Garelli Moped, 1973 MGB, 1976 Jeep Cherokee, Deathwagon™, 1984? CJ7, 1982 World Car, 197? VW Bug, 198? Mitsubishi Turbo Hatchback, the Bluehemoth, 1971 Jeepster (Jezebel), Cherokee II (Revenge of Cherokee), Civic, 1987 Samurai, 1987 Toyota Pickup (Jocelyn), 1977 Honda CB550 Motorcycle, and now, the 1992 Corolla. I'll find the pictures and get all the names and nicknames and post my automotive family tree one of these days. Stay Tuned.

Hot plate

Now that I have transferred the title registration and passed my inspection, the Corolla is officially mine. I picked up new plates at the registration office, and drove it to work. All is well except for the annoying buzz of some exhaust component(s), which I will inspect myself tomorrow. Something is loose and rattling, but only running at a stop, and only with the car in drive. Odd.

The real problem is the "radio only" situation that I am trying to solve. Do I get a tape deck in the dash and a CD changer in the trunk? Or maybe a dash unit with a mini-plug input so I can play whatever I want? I'm pretty sure I need new/better speakers, but I'll start with the connections, and troubleshoot from there. Depending what the price estimate is for stereo/speaker/CD equipment, I might just buy an iPod and one of those things that lets you listen to it through the radio. Or makes others listen through their radio.

Mo' 'yota

A NEW CAR!



(click picture to find out more!)

Brown. So very, very, very brown.

Brown. So very, very, very brown., originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

Open Eye Open

Open Eye Open, originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

Break room!

Break room!, originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

EWWWWWWW! Fascinating!

I opened the front door to this lovely sight this morning...



...a cicada, which I thought was dead (it was not), clipped onto our screen door. Naturally, I grabbed the camera and started taking pictures, especially since you always hear them, but people are always asking me what they look like. "Big and gross" is what I usually say. Click on the picture above to see more images of the beast. If you dare...

SBK, disco, and mo' photo.

I hit the SBK wit' the B and the D (and li'l B too! but NONE FOR HIM) and then my second ever round of Frisbee™ golf. My technique(?) on the course had not changed much since last we met, but I had an idea of what was coming, and I didn't spend nearly as much time looking for thrown discs.

On the way home from morning shenanigans, David and I stopped by Southeastern to pick up processed film. You heard me, F-I-L-M, FILM. He had two disposable cameras from a bachelor party, and I had three rolls from Utah. Part of one roll can be seen here in the form of an evening with the Durham Bulls last month. That was not in Utah.

There was however, a roll of black and white that came out quite nicely, from Utah. That one, along with a few color film shots is here, as well as added to the existing "VALEX in Utah" page.

Brad's poker face

Brad's poker face, originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

Val's new job?

Val's new job?, originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

Moab, Vol. I

...but first, (cue music) "Here's the story...

...of a girl named Stefanie..."

With little more than a "go ahead, pull the trigger" from yours truly, Stef took her self portrait last night after an afternoon/evening of shenanigans.

...and also...

TADA! The real Volume One of Utah pictures is now ready for viewing! Right HERE.

Allllll in...

Allllll in..., originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

Shenanigans

09-03-05_2221.jpg, originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

Gettin' juggy with it.

Gettin' juggy with it., originally uploaded by doctorhectic.