What Made you Smile/What Ticked you off Today?

[Forlorn Drifter]

It's so hot out. We have central AC but our house has thin single-pane windows, and lots of them. Great in the spring and fall, but, in the summer our AC just can't keep up. Never mind trying to sit in the rooms like mine where there is no AC. At least 86-88 in there right now.

Isn't that coat wearing weather?

[Michi]

: Had to work Friday night taking pictures/video of an event.

: They served dinner there and actually fed me. Prime Rib. Yum Yum.

: My etching cream came in the mail.

: I didn't put enough tape down, so there's a couple of unwanted spots of etched glass. Oops.

: But that was just the first test run on a cheap thrift store glass. I think the end result still came out pretty spiffy

[mjmjr25]

- I had messaged a guy in Hong Kong selling a bunch of arcade stuff i'm interested in, so I sent a message per his listing for a combined shipping quote, this is the reply:

EMS shipping (to USA) be if I got both the Neo Arcade Stick with KOF 98 and the Alien Predator CPS2 + mother boards = $68 + $55 = $123 *0.8 = $98.4

EMS for all three items = ($68 + $68 + $55) * 0.8 = $152.8

Thanks Ho

Obviously a language / grammar barrier and i'm sure his name is Ho, but it didn't stop me from laughing for 5 minutes. Thanks ho.

[Forlorn Drifter]

I'm not sure what to do about my car. I like it, but then I don't. I also don't know what else to get, nor do I really have much money either way. I want a truck, and I want a car, so it seemed like a perfect in between option. However, despite my love for it, it I have some qualms. The fact that the hood and such is so long is a bit aggravating, especially when parking. Its hard as hell to find some parts for, seeing it was near the end of the Ranchero run, and it is based on the un-loved LTD II. Also, I catch just as much shit as I do praise for driving it, and many in the car world just laugh me off.

The motor is probably one of the worst to come out of Ford. It was designed to deal with the late 70's emission issues, but its lack of horsepower compared to size and absolutely shitty mileage is killing me. Also, its nigh on impossible to find much info for hopping it up.

I still love the idea, and have considered buying a different model. But then again, finding one of these bad boys is a bit of a bitch. I've also considered swapping to an El Camino, but my family has always been Ford centered, so I'm not sure if I'd totally like it. I've considered other cars and trucks too, but I just don't know what to do.


Also, I really want to have a nice car, because I have very little else going for me, and I just now realized how badly many people view my car, and how many think of it as a pervert car. That, and the fact that nigh on nobody knows the Ranchero existed, and their insistence that I own an El Camino.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

As much as I love classic cars and as much as I love Ford, you're probably better off without a Ranchero, and you'd probably be better off with something newer. I take it you're wanting to stay with an American car yes?

[mjmjr25]

You really need to stop worrying about everyone else. This is a recurring theme in your posts. This friend thinks this, this aunt thinks that, etc. You're too hung up on what others think. Cold water time - I highly doubt anyone thinks it's a pervert car nor is anyone insisting you get an El Camino - these are your projections and likely (mis)perceptions.

Here's the easy answer. If it runs and you like it - then nothing needs to be done. If you don't like it or it doesn't run well, then yes, you should sell it / trade it / fix it.

[Forlorn Drifter]

As much as I love classic cars and as much as I love Ford, you're probably better off without a Ranchero, and you'd probably be better off with something newer. I take it you're wanting to stay with an American car yes?

I don't want anything newer than early 90's, as I can't personally work them over otherwise. Too much electronic/computer bullshit. No imports at all, American all the way. (Although, I won't fault someone for driving a German car.) I'd prefer a classic, a headturner. Being another guy in a jacked up Powerstroke or Cummins would put me among the dumb masses of Texas high schools.

mjmjr, you're probably right, but its kind of hard to be happy about myself and my life when I'm alone, as far as I see it. If you can't attract anybody, you can't be around anybody.

[mjmjr25]

Smile: w/my 3 oldest kids gone for the week - I really have some time to focus on getting some projects done. We dropped them off this morning and got home about 4pm.

Before leaving this morning, I finished up the foundation for my shed. Originally this was to be a 2-hour project. I woefully underestimated this. I started last Sunday and put in (4) hours, and then about an hour or two each night after work last week. I put the decking boards on this morning as a last step - the shed can now be built.

In total, I put in (20) 4x4x4' posts. The ground was nowhere near level, high to low was 14", so the post at the highest point when into the ground 3'11" whereas the lowest point went in 2'8". Each hole was dug to 2' depth by hand and then sledged to the required depth. For a post or two you'd backfill w/concrete, but w/this many posts, that deep and the weight of shed on it, it wasn't needed. I filled each hole w/clay and river rock - they won't be going anywhere. Each post was then tied to the next w/a series of interlocking 2x4's until it was all connected to each other one way or another. This met the manufacturer's recommended above ground foundation, but I didn't love it and a foundation isn't exactly something you can "fix" later on. So I ended up laying decking boards across the entire area which will give much more stability. I'll start the shed after work tomorrow. Foundation is 8' across and 11' deep:

A couple decking boards, 12 footers, were slightly bowing. If this were a deck (ie, visible, ida been more selective in picking them out, but for this, I just grabbed the first boards in the pile:

After we got home, originally I was going to start the shed, but was really in the mood to start something else, something the kids would come home to and have a "wow" facto - a shed isn't going to do that. For a long time, it has been a frustration for them to have to open and close the garage door (usually they forget to close it and hear from me about it) but also, just in general putting their bikes and such away. For me, the garage is also my woodshop, so having to push bikes out of the way is an inconvenience. In the winter, I can bury them in the corner and out of the way, but in the summer, they are just spread out all over. For (2) hours of an afternoon, $100 in decking boards, fence boards, a couple 2x4's and a one 4x4, I put up a lean-to attached to my garage that solves this minor problem of ours, i'll do some touch up on some support pieces to make it more attractive and I have to sawzall the shims yet, but it's close to done already:

Lastly, I wanted something fun-fun. We just watched "Kicking and Screaming" again and they loved the game of tetherball. I kept quiet at the time and just sorta blocked them out. Last night I ordered a ball on amazon ($20 shipped) and grabbed a 4x4x12' post ($13) at the store today. Dug a 3' hole, dropped in the post, sledged it down to 4.5', backfilled w/rock and clay, then put in some 1x6x5' deck ties ($8 for the 10' board), drove them in 4.5', secured to the post, and voila - once the ball arrives, they'll have a tetherball court for $41. I'll likely lay some colored rubber pellets in a circle around the court, so probabaly another $10 yet, but for $50 - i'm really excited and I think it will be a complete surprise for them:

[Hobie-wan]

*car stuff*

Protip: You're a teenager and you will have an accident and ruin a car due to inexperience. Don't worry about what it looks like, just something reliable (or you can work on), safe, and hopefully not to pricey to run because of gas/insurance/maintenance. Don't worry about what other people think as long as it isn't causing any actual harm or harassment.

Also, I know that you said 'no imports', but honestly brand loyalty or aversion based solely on the brand name is stupid these days. A fair number of Hondas that are sold here are made in the US and domestic cars are full of parts made overseas. Badge engineering means that some brand of vehicle might be a different brand with a new name slapped on it. Anyone that has the 'no furrin imports' mentality should stop shopping at Wal Mart or pretty much anywhere, start a farm, and make everything they use at home.

[Forlorn Drifter]

*car stuff*

Protip: You're a teenager and you will have an accident and ruin a car due to inexperience. Don't worry about what it looks like, just something reliable (or you can work on), safe, and hopefully not to pricey to run because of gas/insurance/maintenance. Don't worry about what other people think as long as it isn't causing any actual harm or harassment.

Also, I know that you said 'no imports', but honestly brand loyalty or aversion based solely on the brand name is stupid these days. A fair number of Hondas that are sold here are made in the US and domestic cars are full of parts made overseas. Badge engineering means that some brand of vehicle might be a different brand with a new name slapped on it. Anyone that has the 'no furrin imports' mentality should stop shopping at Wal Mart or pretty much anywhere, start a farm, and make everything they use at home.

Fuck you.