Nov 2007
You Might Ask 'Why?'
Nov 20 2007-21:00
Here's a first, in 22 years of racing. The plan: drive to Valencia on Monday (11 hours, arriving about 8pm), Unload, set-up, install 3 engines and finish the cars on Tuesday, Test Wed and Thurs and go home on Fri. Nothing out of the ordinary there, except that at 1pm on Monday, the chef called to say there was a 'mis-communication' (ie: someone at the top fucked up) and the testing days were in fact Tues and Wed!
So.. the chef, data guy and 2 drivers hurry to the airport (on driver was called out of school!) and get a last minute flight and arrive at 1am. We get to the hotel at 8pm, have some dinner and 1 hour sleep, the truck arrives at mid-night. We unload, set-up and install engines straigt away. Back to the hotel at 5am, 1.5 hours sleep, up at 6:30, back at the track at 7:15 to finish the car and start testing at 9am (until 5pm)
We were actually a bit lucky on this one. Normally we would send one truckie, this time we sent two, so they were able to drive the whole way in one day. Keep in mind, they left the workshop at 6am, and went to sleep 23 hours later.
So why do we do this? O why do i do this? dunno... it's not a 9-5 job at Denny's, it's a passion, it's all i know and it doesn't hurt that it pays big bank. :)
So.. the chef, data guy and 2 drivers hurry to the airport (on driver was called out of school!) and get a last minute flight and arrive at 1am. We get to the hotel at 8pm, have some dinner and 1 hour sleep, the truck arrives at mid-night. We unload, set-up and install engines straigt away. Back to the hotel at 5am, 1.5 hours sleep, up at 6:30, back at the track at 7:15 to finish the car and start testing at 9am (until 5pm)
We were actually a bit lucky on this one. Normally we would send one truckie, this time we sent two, so they were able to drive the whole way in one day. Keep in mind, they left the workshop at 6am, and went to sleep 23 hours later.
So why do we do this? O why do i do this? dunno... it's not a 9-5 job at Denny's, it's a passion, it's all i know and it doesn't hurt that it pays big bank. :)
Once A Life
Nov 19 2007-22:00
After the news we got today (which will be explained at a later date) something magical happened, and even that wasn't as good as it could be! Shame that not everyone gets a chance to experience this.
Driving south, on the east coast of Spain, in late November, the sun is setting nearly right in front of me. The sky, the hills, the cliffs... They say pictures are worth 1000 words; i would need about a dozen pictures for this one.
I say it was not as good as it could have been simply because i was driving and wished i was staionary. Plus, i'm sure from a slightly elevated position, the view would be a bit more clear. All in all, i have not seen anything like that in a long, long time; if at all.
Driving south, on the east coast of Spain, in late November, the sun is setting nearly right in front of me. The sky, the hills, the cliffs... They say pictures are worth 1000 words; i would need about a dozen pictures for this one.
I say it was not as good as it could have been simply because i was driving and wished i was staionary. Plus, i'm sure from a slightly elevated position, the view would be a bit more clear. All in all, i have not seen anything like that in a long, long time; if at all.
Surreal
Nov 16 2007-16:52
there is something fucked up bizarre about hanging around an airport all day. In my travels and racing business i have spent A LOT of time in airports. but today through a combination of bull shit and fucking shit, we arrived at the airport at 11am, yea no worries right. except our flight leaves at 8:45 pm!! wtf? 9 fucking hours before our flight! that is seriously a new record for our team. We did not arrive this early out of paranoia, no, it was just the way it happened. but what the fuck are we supposed to do in an airport for 9 fucking hours??? and it's not like it's a big fun airport, with duty free shops and electronic stores to wet my pallet.. no, it's a fucking hick town small ass airport with fuck all.. but at least the beer is flowing.. lets see if there is some air rage later! :) i've had a fair few drinks of beer and wine and lack of food.. we better get some food at the restaurant before we get on the plane, since there will be nothing open at 11pm when we land!
Robbed! At Hooker Point
Nov 15 2007-18:36
Here's a great funny story, but normally i am more careful than this. Shows what lack of travel does for the street smarts. We are in Budapest for some testing, and we stay in the city centre. After dinner on the first night, we went for some drinks at a pub. (Great live music by the way.) The guys leave and i stay for some more music. After i walk to the hotel alone, and a 'street vendor' (ie: prostitute) offers her products for sale. 'Sex? you want sex?' Short story long, she was asking me in bad English, bad German and probably bad Hungarian if i want sex or blow-job, and 'it's good', 'we go somewhere quiet', and me answering 'no' between fits of laughter. During all this, she has one hand firmly gripping my cock and balls and the other hand firmly on my wallet, and making fucking motions against my thigh. The one hand i don't mind so much, the other on my wallet i notice and put my hand in the pocket too, to hold the wallet in. After about 5 minutes of this (we are walking the whole time, since i am trying to get to the hotel) she gives up and off she goes.
It wasn't until the next night when i go to buy a beer at the hotel i realize that the whole time she was wrestling the money from my wallet, without actually trying to take the wallet!! Damn, she's good! :) it's not too funny, yet it is at the same time. There was the equivalent of 15 Swiss Francs in there, so it's not a big deal! just feel cheated since i should be a lot more aware than that. Lack of travel dulls the street senses.
It wasn't until the next night when i go to buy a beer at the hotel i realize that the whole time she was wrestling the money from my wallet, without actually trying to take the wallet!! Damn, she's good! :) it's not too funny, yet it is at the same time. There was the equivalent of 15 Swiss Francs in there, so it's not a big deal! just feel cheated since i should be a lot more aware than that. Lack of travel dulls the street senses.
Horny Party Pt. Deux
Nov 10 2007-12:42
This year was heaps better. There was more people, better music, and just plain better. What is this i am talking about? Every year at the same time an event happens, called Horny Party. it's basically a farmer party. Out in a field somewhere, a tent is erected, and people from all the neighbouring farmer towns show up for drunken stoopidness. This goes on for 4 days. the first Fri and Sat of Nov. and the second Fri and Sat as well. So this was the last night of the party. It sounds silly, i know, but it really was a great time! It was like a birthday make up party. Made a whole night of it. Pre-drinks, pizza dinner, more drinks, to the party, home about 4:30 in the morning, it was great! Although, sadly, being an almost 'club' party, everyone knows everyone. Even though we chat up as many people as we can, we all end up going home alone... It's just not as easy as other countries!
The Other Birthday Present
Nov 04 2007-12:18
I decided at the last minute to grab a concert and jump a train to Zurich for the show. The band: My Chemical Romance. The ticket didn't list the opening band, just 'Special Guest'. Turned out to be Mindless Self Indulgence. I have not heard of them, but it seems they have been around for a little bit at least. They are out of NYC. They were ok, a bit raw, but bearable. The bass player is quite hot, so that helps out! :)
MCR were fucking great! A lot better than i expected, but alas, there were a few flaws. The sound at some points was a bit dodgy. The music was very clear, but at some times the vocals were non-existent. But it was strange, the vocals would not clip in and out, but instead for one whole song, the vocals were very quiet, then the next song, they were ok. Strange. They didn't flow and blend songs. When a song ended, there was a pause before the next song. Almost like they had to go and look at the set list to figure out what to play next.
The problem with Swiss transit system is that it does not run all that late, especially on a Sunday. I needed a 10:51 tram to make the last train that would take me all the way to Lyss (there is one more later train, but only to Bern). The concert, even after 2 encores, ended at 10:46! With a mad dash for the tram, i got there at 10:50. Perfect. But at the train station, they changed the track my train was leaving from, and i didn't look at the board, just ran to what i thought was the correct platform! In the end, i made it to the correct platform, and got on the train with time to spare!
MCR were fucking great! A lot better than i expected, but alas, there were a few flaws. The sound at some points was a bit dodgy. The music was very clear, but at some times the vocals were non-existent. But it was strange, the vocals would not clip in and out, but instead for one whole song, the vocals were very quiet, then the next song, they were ok. Strange. They didn't flow and blend songs. When a song ended, there was a pause before the next song. Almost like they had to go and look at the set list to figure out what to play next.
The problem with Swiss transit system is that it does not run all that late, especially on a Sunday. I needed a 10:51 tram to make the last train that would take me all the way to Lyss (there is one more later train, but only to Bern). The concert, even after 2 encores, ended at 10:46! With a mad dash for the tram, i got there at 10:50. Perfect. But at the train station, they changed the track my train was leaving from, and i didn't look at the board, just ran to what i thought was the correct platform! In the end, i made it to the correct platform, and got on the train with time to spare!
The Birthday
Nov 03 2007-12:40
Yippe fuckin-a.. it's my birthday today. I almost forgot it was. They really do lose meaning over the years, i just never wanted to believe that. What makes this one so depressing is that i am no longer '30'. i am 'in my 30's'. I am out of that 18-30 bracket. i no longer qualify for any working holiday visa anywhere in the world. I sadly notice myself acting less like a kid. in short - i'm getting older, and even though i know how to avoid it, i still don't like it!