Thursday, July 13, 2006
ranger diaries update
My new find, ranger #3 is salvageable. If it is in running shape as was mentioned before, we have a project truck. This could very well become the kick around toy truck I've been wanting since the first ranger. Oh, the visions and dreams going through my head.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
half a life
A person very close to is very upset because she sees now that the person that has been like a father to her half her life is a hypocrit. She's benn scorned and spurned all of her life and never felt at home no matter where she was. I think that is the scource of all her shortcomings.
Sometimes step-kids have it rough. You never feel like you belong and half of what makes you what you are is not around. You have a step parent who loves your parent and usually either doesn't really care about you, or infact, hates you. Everything you do will be wrong because that step-parent cannot see themselves in you. Maybe that's why the people who made up religon said married people should stay together no matter what.
I feel her pain but I've learned to accept it. I know I can't change the people around me, or how they feel about me. That doesn't change me as a person or who I am. I refuse to feel bitter about what has happened or let it stop me from being the best person I can be.
Everybody's life is a little screwed up these days and it's getting harder and harder to know what normal is anymore. If it's at all possible, I want to find it and live it.
Sometimes step-kids have it rough. You never feel like you belong and half of what makes you what you are is not around. You have a step parent who loves your parent and usually either doesn't really care about you, or infact, hates you. Everything you do will be wrong because that step-parent cannot see themselves in you. Maybe that's why the people who made up religon said married people should stay together no matter what.
I feel her pain but I've learned to accept it. I know I can't change the people around me, or how they feel about me. That doesn't change me as a person or who I am. I refuse to feel bitter about what has happened or let it stop me from being the best person I can be.
Everybody's life is a little screwed up these days and it's getting harder and harder to know what normal is anymore. If it's at all possible, I want to find it and live it.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
the ranger diaries
I think in my fervor to get a pickup, I've been drawn into the Ford Ranger Zone. It's kind of like the Twilight Zone, just as weird and full of twists and misfortune. Last night, Paul called and said "Hey, you interested in a free pickup?" The answer is HELL YEAH! I had to pull 500 marionette's worth of strings to make it happen, but an old face from the past came through. Thank you very much.
Ranger #1 1985 2.0 carburated 5-speed short bed - The body was in great shape, it just needed a little TLC and engine work, it even had an old set of Cragar wheels that were appropriate for the age of the truck. I gave $600 for it and at the time I felt it was worth it. I was going to re-do the interior, put in a spray-in bed liner, and paint the old bumpers & grill black. I would have eventually put in a 302 to make it a hot rod. It *would* have been a great little work truck.
It was hit in front of my house (on a damn dead end)and nobody claimed responsibility for the wreck. It was due to have the entire top end reworked and caught fire the day I was to take it there. Very little was salvageable, but I saved the truck just in case.
Ranger #2 1985 2.3 efi auto long bed - Bought this one for $200 It's flat black and the obvious problem is some random emissions problem that I neither have the time, money, or patience to repair. So it sits, mainly because the guy who might could repair it, would rather get the money from converting it to a V8 and that's just not an option right now.
Ranger #3 1985 (see a pattern?)2.0 carburated 5-speed long bed. The free truck. Who ever was working on this one had the same idea I had for #1. It had a newer models seats and door skins. It has front end wreck damage that may or may not be fixable. It seems to want to run, but I really don't know enough about it yet. The paint was a really cool shade of dark blue and if it runs, I'll have enough now to form Voltron! ....I mean make a single decent running truck. I won't know for awhile yet.
More to come
Ranger #1 1985 2.0 carburated 5-speed short bed - The body was in great shape, it just needed a little TLC and engine work, it even had an old set of Cragar wheels that were appropriate for the age of the truck. I gave $600 for it and at the time I felt it was worth it. I was going to re-do the interior, put in a spray-in bed liner, and paint the old bumpers & grill black. I would have eventually put in a 302 to make it a hot rod. It *would* have been a great little work truck.
It was hit in front of my house (on a damn dead end)and nobody claimed responsibility for the wreck. It was due to have the entire top end reworked and caught fire the day I was to take it there. Very little was salvageable, but I saved the truck just in case.
Ranger #2 1985 2.3 efi auto long bed - Bought this one for $200 It's flat black and the obvious problem is some random emissions problem that I neither have the time, money, or patience to repair. So it sits, mainly because the guy who might could repair it, would rather get the money from converting it to a V8 and that's just not an option right now.
Ranger #3 1985 (see a pattern?)2.0 carburated 5-speed long bed. The free truck. Who ever was working on this one had the same idea I had for #1. It had a newer models seats and door skins. It has front end wreck damage that may or may not be fixable. It seems to want to run, but I really don't know enough about it yet. The paint was a really cool shade of dark blue and if it runs, I'll have enough now to form Voltron! ....I mean make a single decent running truck. I won't know for awhile yet.
More to come
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Workout journal...15 weeks
Four months in and going strong(er). I've expanded my cardio work to doing an hour or more of cycling 3 times a week. Hopefully the fat will come off now.
They say if you do it right, 6 months will be the major point at which the difference is noticable. Paul and I are at week 15, 11 weeks from the "big goal". I saw a website where a guy went from my weight & shape, to not too darn shabby in 6 months. It took him several years to get where he wanted to be,but he was looking pretty damn decent after 26 weeks.
The bad part is my wrists are getting to the point I need to wrap them. My left wrist started hurting first and I bought a wrap for it, next day, my right wrist is hurting! I wonder if this is what they meant by "no pain no gain"?
They say if you do it right, 6 months will be the major point at which the difference is noticable. Paul and I are at week 15, 11 weeks from the "big goal". I saw a website where a guy went from my weight & shape, to not too darn shabby in 6 months. It took him several years to get where he wanted to be,but he was looking pretty damn decent after 26 weeks.
The bad part is my wrists are getting to the point I need to wrap them. My left wrist started hurting first and I bought a wrap for it, next day, my right wrist is hurting! I wonder if this is what they meant by "no pain no gain"?
save money
I'm going to try to get a new car in August, so I need to start saving today. I have several ways I can save money.
1. Cut off my home phone. Think about it, do you REALLY need two phones? there's $50
2. I purchased cable TV. I don't need to watch TV and I was beter off without it. $45
*the sad part is, for about a $200 investment, I could rig it up to recieve free cable for as long as I had broadband internet*
3.I could give up Broadband and save another $45, but that ain't happening.
4.I can replace one daily meal with a sanwich from home in leiu of eating out and save anywhere from $85 - $150 monthly.
5. I stopped getting my hair professionally cut. I'm balding and it looks like crap no matter what I do. Set of clippers & $20 saved.
6. If I got really froggy, I could ride my bike for short trips and save $20 a month in gas.
7. Being a bit more stingy with my thermostat could get $20 or more off my power bill.
Potential saving could go as high as $240 a month. That would be more than enough to cover a car payment. Not to mention the cash I could save not driving a gas hog.
1. Cut off my home phone. Think about it, do you REALLY need two phones? there's $50
2. I purchased cable TV. I don't need to watch TV and I was beter off without it. $45
*the sad part is, for about a $200 investment, I could rig it up to recieve free cable for as long as I had broadband internet*
3.I could give up Broadband and save another $45, but that ain't happening.
4.I can replace one daily meal with a sanwich from home in leiu of eating out and save anywhere from $85 - $150 monthly.
5. I stopped getting my hair professionally cut. I'm balding and it looks like crap no matter what I do. Set of clippers & $20 saved.
6. If I got really froggy, I could ride my bike for short trips and save $20 a month in gas.
7. Being a bit more stingy with my thermostat could get $20 or more off my power bill.
Potential saving could go as high as $240 a month. That would be more than enough to cover a car payment. Not to mention the cash I could save not driving a gas hog.
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