Grumps can suck it, it's Friday!

[ZenNMotion]

I had an awesome visit to Tom and Jeff at The Barn yesterday accompanied by my lovely wife. Earlier in the year, we had agreed that some of my danger pay from a stressful trip to Iraq could be applied to my first custom, so I quietly put down a deposit several months ago without telling her (we agreed, but still, bad boy for not confirming!). I was surprised at Christmas with a "gift certificate" for a steel Spectrum from my wife, who had contacted Tom without telling me. Tom, ever the Mensch and skillful diplomatic envoy to potentially choppy marital waters, created a ruse and told my wife that a spot "just opened up" in the queue and she could just jump right in to the front of the line and I could have a frame within a few weeks, not months! (Wait, what?) Anybody who knows Tom knows that the "Q" is the queue, no amount of threats or bribery bumps you up to the front- many have tried. So I was suspicious, and finally compared notes with my wife, and Tom had a good chuckle and deftly handled a potential household "misunderstanding"- my wife does a monthly bike count in the basement, and apparently the tandem, that I consider "ours" is actually "mine"- and it counts as two (!) bikes... Anyway, Spectrum is apparently well managed by Tom's barn squirrels because they've been chewing through the steel tubes (and everything else) at a rapid rate so the Q is well ahead of schedule. And a nice bonus- Tom had just finished shooting a frame (along with the squirrels) in the exact color combination I was thinking of so I could look at it, confirming my choice. Mine's coming up soon! Oh yeah, I also got a new job that starts Monday, so no more stressful consulting--yeah,work, whatever-- but my Spectrum's coming soon!

[davids]

My family is going to celebrate my mom's 85th in A2. I'll be seeing her, my brother and his family for the first time in over a year.

My kid, who's spent the week in DC beginning her post-grad job search, texted me this photo this morning - me & one of my oldest friends (who provided her w/ DC room & board) hanging out in front of the Lincoln Memorial circa 1985:

download_20160115_123616.jpg

I let her know there's a whole lot more old photos waiting at grandma's house. So now I have a date with my daughter for a stroll down memory lane. Should be a good way to spend a few hours on a cold, cold Michigan weekend.

[mmoore]

Its my birthday this sunday. going to relax, hang out with my wife and our baby then meet up with my family for dinner.

I couldn't think of a better way to spend it.

[dashDustin]

Played with eTap. Next frame will definitely be wireless.

Batteries are really light. Was rather surprised.

[Matthew Strongin]

Played with eTap. Next frame will definitely be wireless.

Batteries are really light. Was rather surprised.

Glad to hear. I'll be giving it a try in the not too distant future (hopefully).

[Honus]

Had a video chat with my oldest son last night. He's on week one of his three week exchange student program in Mexico City and he's loving it. Also was able to inform him that he made the honor roll at school with a 4.0 GPA. He's a pretty happy kid right now.

[ZenNMotion]

My kid, who's spent the week in DC beginning her post-grad job search

What's she interested in? I do international development work, based in DC, know the NGOs and the USG contractors pretty well. Can't have too many connections!

[Saab2000]

It's early and I don't care. I'm kinda giddy and probably either won't be up at midnight when it becomes Friday in Virginia Beach and if I am I won't be able to type anything coherent or appropriate.

Unless something unexpected happens, I'll be showing up for work for an offer of employment which will have me moving back to Minneapolis in less than a month. It's a flying gig flying a big boy airplane with a potentially wide variety of flying, including (I hope) trips to Europe on occasion.

After fifteen years since my first job, the horrors of September 11, a furlough from my dream job in Switzerland, the so-called 'Great Recession', a 5-year shift in the industry retirement age and 10,500 hours flying airplanes everyone hates somebody believed in me. I am grateful and humbled.

[Tom]

Yeah, SAAB... fingers crossed for you. You deserve it.

I'm heading home from lovely East Cleveland tomorrow morning having done a largely symbolic run out to do a project milestone and the drive in from the Dorptown included two segments through two foot lake effect whiteouts and it has been a real long time since I've been truly frightened for a sustained time and tomorrow night I'm going to be sitting at a table with friends enjoying Mike Stern and his band at the Van Dyck.

[joosttx]

It's early and I don't care. I'm kinda giddy and probably either won't be up at midnight when it becomes Friday in Virginia Beach and if I am I won't be able to type anything coherent or appropriate.

Unless something unexpected happens, I'll be showing up for work for an offer of employment which will have me moving back to Minneapolis in less than a month. It's a flying gig flying a big boy airplane with a potentially wide variety of flying, including (I hope) trips to Europe on occasion.

After fifteen years since my first job, the horrors of September 11, a furlough from my dream job in Switzerland, the so-called 'Great Recession', a 5-year shift in the industry retirement age and 10,500 hours flying airplanes everyone hates somebody believed in me. I am grateful and humbled.

Congrats! I fly Delta a lot. I expect a pair of plastic pilot wings if I should ever be on one of your planes.

[Saab2000]

Congrats! I fly Delta a lot. I expect a pair of plastic pilot wings if I should ever be on one of your planes.

It's not even The Big D, though that would be equally humbling. This one might even be better, for me at least. I'm excited about this new challenge. Yeah, I'm being vague on purpose. I'm very superstitious...... ;-)

[BSUdude]

I feel sorry for your wallet :P

Ha I just saw this. And I did end up buying the thing... Now I have to get a bunch of disc wheels built up...decisions...

[znfdl]

Ready and raring to go for the expected blizzard

[EricKeller]

I'm teaching for the first time, and so far the students have been great. I guess they work their way through all the issues on the way to becoming seniors.

[davids]

Let's see...

• The former owners left us a basement full of pallets. And it turns out that they're difficult to get rid of: City trash collection won't take them, no one on Freecycle wants them... But then there's this. Woo-hoo! Road trip to Everett tomorrow!
• Daughter back to school, wife off to visit friends for the weekend. So I have my first extended time by myself in the new house. I'll do a few small projects, but mostly blast music and watch movies once the snow starts falling.
• But. Boston will not get buried in snow this weekend. Suck it Jonas (and suck it Weather Channel, for your stupid storm naming).

[dgaddis]

It's raining (ALL IT HAS DONE SINCE WE MOVED TO MACON IS RAIN!!) and there will be no riding this weekend.

But.

In a few weeks that door will have the Southern Wheelworks logo on it. 700sq.ft and it's only ONE MILE from my house. I'm stoked!

[dashDustin]

it's only ONE MILE from my house.

that's not a very long ride...

just kidding. i'm jealous.

[taylorj]

RATS. with about 125K on the big D I was hoping you would lead a ship or two for my flights as well!

BUT HUGE CONGRATS!

It's not even The Big D, though that would be equally humbling. This one might even be better, for me at least. I'm excited about this new challenge. Yeah, I'm being vague on purpose. I'm very superstitious...... ;-)

[seanile]

when the paint is exactly what you hoped it would be.

[Matthew Strongin]

I hung a nice looking bike rack on a wall during my lunch break. Now the track bike is wall art and I have space on the floor for N+1. Which leads me to...

N+1 has been painted and should be done pretty soon.

And, my awesome wife gave me the go ahead for a dream cycling trip in May. Flights are booked.

And to top it off (by a country mile), a very recent ultrasound shows my awesome wife to be carrying my future son who is developing nicely. 2016 is looking to be a very exciting year.