420 Miles

The trip to Asheville and back was a partial success. We found the May event hotel and picked out what range of rooms we would like to stay in. An OK place. Used to be a Hilton as that is what it is called on the Asheville map we have, but now it is a Holiday Inn. A short trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway was frustrating on 2 levels. The leaf peepers were out in full force and they were traveling at a very slow speed most of the time. The colors along the road seemed to be at their peak as there wasn’t any green to be seen, but the colors were very muted, all shades of brown and what was red or yellow was not bright at all. We didn’t even stop at any of the overlooks for both those reasons.

The weather was great, perfect convertible weather, sunny, low humidity and lower 70s. The Miatas we spotted were a perfect 9 for 9 with their tops down. C5 Corvettes were 1 for 2, as were the Porsche Boxters. A Toyota MR-2 and a Honda S2000 had their tops up. Mustangs were 1 for 4 and Chrysler Sebrings were 2 for 4.

Purchased Today: $23.00 in gas
Money spent since 03/03/03: $2510.30
Started down, went up, back down, back up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 258

Color Schmullor

The fall colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway were all muted, not bright at all. It seemed like the color was at it’s peak or just past as no green was anywhere in sight, but everything looked almost monotone. And the other 1,000,000 people driving the parkway were afraid to go faster than 30 miles an hour. I love the Parkway, but never again in October.

Misery Loves Company

The Director of Operations of our plant is a Cubs fan and after they lost game seven he kiddingly said to me, “Maybe we should form a Loveable Losers Club.” I told him I would be in soon and sure enough the Yanks beat the Sox in the 11th inning of game seven. First thing this morning I dispatched this email:

From: Bogardus, Brian [ASCO/AK]
To: Irvine, Rich [ASCO/AK]
Cc:
Subject: I’m In
Sent: 10/17/03 7:39:00 PM

The first meeting of the ASCO Loveable Losers Club meets this Saturday at 8:00 PM in front of the TV.

Agenda as follows:
Opening) We Should Be There
1) Unreasonable Placing of Blame
2) Wallowing in Self Pity
3) Crying in Beer
4) Group Hug
Closing) Wait’ll Next Year

Brian

They Didn’t Need Me

At 12:15AM this morning I turned out the TV and the lights and went to sleep. It was the middle of the 11th inning. The Red Sox hadn’t scored in the 10th nor did they even threaten. After they went in order in the eleventh, I sensed they didn’t have it, they would have to lose or win without me watching. Turns out they didn’t need me watching to lose, bottom of the 11th and a Yankee hit a home run to end it. What the hell am I going to do with my Cowboy Up T-shirt now? I guess to wipe away some of the tears so that my beer won’t get so salty tasting.

Day trip to the mountains of western North Carolina tomorrow. Heading up to Asheville to do some advanced scouting on a couple of things. Should be mildly amusing, probably won’t get many fun runs at the curvy roads as they will clogged with leaf peepers in RVs.

Purchased Today: $0
Money spent since 03/03/03: $2487.30
Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 255

Blogging Early

Got to be done with all this internet shit before 8:18. That is when I’ve got a date with 25 guys who are going to break my heart. Don’t worry Cubs fans I’ll be joining you in our old familiar home, misery, real soon.

Guest Rant While you are there check out the rest of his site, nice stuff.

Early to Blog, Late to Watch

Dumped most of a whole quart of oil into the crankcase and got the ol’ dipstick lubed up to the F-word.

The UPS man pulled up just as I was going out to make a Staples run. He beeped and then disappeared into the back of his truck. I have two things coming, coco mats for the car and the Cowboy Up T-shirt. When I checked the mat order this afternoon it still just said, “Order submitted. Check back later.” So I figured it had to be the shirt and wouldn’t it be great for me get that thing and then the Red Sox lose the game. I have already risked the wrath of the baseball gods by buying the thing in the first place, but then to wear it before they have actually won the series – oh, boy. I’d never let me live that down.

Purchased Today: $1.91 qt of oil
Money spent since 03/03/03: $2487.30
Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 255

Cowboy Up II

The Sox cowboyed up this afternoon and we (and the Yankees) got a taste of their potent offense that has been mostly sleeping this post season. Of course, being a Red Sox fan, we believe that they won game six, just to be able to lose it in the bottom of the ninth of game seven. In the past I think this attitude has rubbed off on the team itself, this year, maybe not.