25 December 2004

¶ It's an early morning, 35 mile bus ride to work this morning due to last night's event. Normally, I would have just blown off the workday, but those Christmas ducats are just too appealing (I gotta have a new pistol!). This one bus ride was all it took to remind me of why I don't use rapid transit in this crummy burg and its true raison d'etre. With the "Bus Riders' Union" and proliferation of bums and welfare-sponging slackers here, it’s clear who the MTA serves. If I was a driver, I'd get fired or quit within a week. Here's an example, just one of several, ON THE ONE RIDE:
Bum gets on board Downtown.

Driver: "What's that? That pass ain't no good."
Bum: "I got it this morning."
D: "I've been driving this line all night. Tell me another story."
B: (some slurred, unintelligible guttural)
D: "No, what you really want to tell me is, 'I want to ride for free,' right?"
B: "Uh…"
D: "Man, it’s the Lord's Day, tell the truth. Merry Christmas, take a seat."

These freeloaders are commonplace and the hold up the bus, a particular bane if you have to make connectors. Some people that watch certain TV programs, The Bob Newhart Show, for instance, think that there are public transit patrons like physicians and attorneys actually make up a large percentage of the bus-riding demographic. Not in this town! Not unless all three of their cars are broke down, they too are mentally ill, and someone is holding a gun to their head.

Give me my car back!!

24 December 2004

¶ The next time you hear me say, "That kind of s*** doesn't happen to me, you can remind me of this Christmas Eve...

  Hoping to get a jump on tying up any loose ends prior to another trip to the Silver State for the holidays, I decided I would get my oil changed (this is a Jiffy Lube story). Seeing as how I hadn't had my gear case oil changed since who knows when and they offered me a good price to do so, I told them to go for it. To make a long story short, they blew apart the gear case drain port! Irreparably! I should have known better than let these "mechanics" do anything other than change the oil, and even that is taking a risk. The convenience of JL and its ilk are what make them attractive, or rather an attractive peril, to me when I procrastinate and try the "easier, softer" way.
After an hour (a sure indicator of incompetence) attempting to "fix" (read: jerry rig) the situation, the manager, crestfallen, explained blah, blah, blah, it's Christmas Eve blah, blah, Monday this, Sunday that, blah . . .
In my best form, I didn't get upset (VB is not really vile). I actually felt bad for these guys. I'll make it to Nevada anyway, though somewhat belatedly. What I'll do if they don't rise to the responsibility, I don't know. Hopefully I won't have the need to gaff them for that.
Stay tuned!!

22 December 2004

¶ . . . Last night I was thinking about this blog-thing and I said to myself, "Self, this is the type of vehicle your brother might use as the proverbial soap box." After all, his '90's website "The Judge" was one of the biggest hoots I had ever seen, excellent composition, exceedingly relevant, and was getting so many hits that then-GTE decided they weren't going to host it free anymore!! Utilizing my prodigious detective skills, I conducted a search and found it! (Search time: all of about 3 minutes). Link here for some more great relevance and hilarity: Journal Yellow

21 December 2004

¶ What a revelation! One of the items from the loot that I scavenged off of the prize table after my dismal performance in last month's California Infinity Championship was a certificate for Practical Shooting, Vols. 1-3, by Matt Burkett (Big Time kudos to you folks for the expediency in delivery: one week! I guess my beloved Postal Service should get some credit too.). Good stuff!I took a trip out to the range yesterday and after actually applying the lessons on the proper grip and the "pinch & roll" in the draw sequence I found, much to my astonishment, that my gun, that "shoots left," wasn't; I shoot left!! Hooking, as it were. I couldn't believe it. Further experimentation with "my" grip and the demonstrated version bore this out. However, I don't suffer under the illusion that this is a panacea for all my shortcomings: practice, practice, practice!!
Again I learn the lesson: Follow directions!

30 November 2004

¶ Lets try a foto upload of my rig . . .

30 November 2004

. . . been awhile . . . I'll be back . . . just wanted to see if this was still intact . . . got some of my pistol match musings to write about . . . By the way, I got my "C" classification . . . Wonders never cease!! OUT!

10 March 2004

...been derelict in my entries, here's another postscript: My regular shoot-out February 29th went well, except for a couple of reload fumbles and INSERTING AN EMPTY MAG on Stage #5!! Anyhow, I think I'm making the transition from being the drag rider to an Also-Ran!! If I can just get that "C" classification...thinking about shooting the Silver Buckle in Ridgecrest Memorial Day: PRACTICE!!!
...made a run up to Piru Creek last week, also (March 1st), thought I might pan (got my Gold Maps this week, by the way!), but someone was there... it was starting to rain anyway... so I drove up to the top of Pinos: lots of snow and snowing! Chain signs out, but I made it sans (I had 'em anyway)...
...vacation these next two weeks (13-29), off to Arizona and New Mexico...

16 February 2004

Postscripted, one week later:09 Feb.: Thought I would try a quick hand at some rock hunting, so I went out to Acton, supposedly an agate sight. Too much private property, so I crossed over SR14 to go up Red Rover Mine Road (North), dead ends again at, yup, more private property. Up Sand Canyon Rd. (this is rather nice, attractive properties, oaks), down Little Tujunga, home. Just a leisurely afternoon drive!!

08 February 2004

...we all went out to see Kevin at the "Aca Deca Super Quiz" today (Saturday). Quite a crowd and more excitement than I expected. The theme was the Lewis & Clark Expedition, this year marking the Bicentennial, and boy were those questions tough! I only answered 14 of the 30 correctly, and many of those by inference (read: guessing!!). They finished around 17th (top half) this event, they'll find out the final from all events Thursday...

...just what is "plaintive supplication?"

...another brutal UB beating tonight!! Maybe I should stick to tournaments...

05 February 2004

...not a good UB night!!!

...used my one day off (yesterday) to thoroughly clean my pistol...gotta stop waiting so long before cleaning,doesn't appear to hurt but is just a bad habit nevertheless...always have doubts about the seating of the sear spring...gun does pass the safety check, just function-fire...

Job's Peak Ranch: Real Estate Property in Minden, Gardnerville, Carson Valley at the Base of Lake Tahoe near Genoa in Nevada.

...Man, how sweet it would be to have a place here! Seriously, some think of it as strange, but this whole area,the Comstock Lode,the mythical "Ponderosa,"et al,just enthralls me!! Someday...

...back to UB Hold 'em after about a two month lay-off: Still just treading water!! Maybe I can win enough for a new Limited gun...

...Shined on the DMV!!! Always packed, I think I'll mail it in!! Straight to the range, chronoed, and set up and shot a stage with a couple of the guys. Good workout, I should be able to start shaving off some time, accuracy seems to be improving a little. Sight picture, long shots: work it!!
Man, do I need a limited gun!!!

...what fun!! Off to the DMV! Then I'll go to the range and chrono these loads...

...I hadn't fired a shot in over two months, I go out to shoot a Gopher Flats match today, and don't remember when I think I ever felt better! 26 A's (out of 27) at Stage 4 (although I needed 3 shots to get the last plate!)!! Practice, practice, practice...