I’ve lived in the same apartment for many years. My wife has lived there with me for most of that time. I’ve seen several neighbors come & go from the apartment upstairs… but they all make noise. Not just “normal” people walking around noise, but crazy “what the hell are they doing up there?” kind of noise.
The latest tenants are very quiet to see them outside, but at home in their own domain, they are noise monsters.
This is a list of things that I’m absolutely sure they’re doing if I’m to guess by sound alone:
I’m sure there’s more going on. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Sometimes I’m hurt that we’re not invited to join in on the incredibly fun-sounding activities. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
It makes it interesting when this stuff occurs at 11:00pm, especially the stairwell activities… because their staircase goes right over top of our bed.
So, soon we’ll be having Batman movie night. Batman has always been my favorite comic book character. He’s smarter, he’s darker, he’s a crazy detective, he’s relentless, he’s not invincible. He’s most likely just as insane as the villains he helps take down. I like that.
I’ve been a comic book & especially Batman fan since I can remember. I’m sure it had to do with the 60’s TV show being rerun in my youth in addition to Super Friends and Batman popping up on Scooby Doo for whatever reason. As a kid, I remember digging the Hulk(even though I ran out of the room during the transformation scenes), Spider-Man, and especially the Greatest American Hero. I want to say I even used to play with my aunts’ Barbie-doll sized Batman & Robin action figures.
I went to one of the open casting calls but wasn’t called… but it worked out better as the wife & I were both able to do some unpaid extra work thanks to BeInAMovie.com (peep their Facebook page for possible spoiler photos)! It was all in all a really long but incredibly fun day. It was cool to see a bit of the daily grind on a film that’s sure to be a blockbuster. When else will I get to say that I was an extra in a movie… let alone a BATMAN movie? Ha ha. That’s just awesome. Whether we make the cut or not, it’ll be an experience we’ll never forget.
In an email from BeInAMovie.com after the fact…
What gracious and appreciative people are the family that Warner Brothers are.
And they so appreciated each of your participation and how you came dressed for the scenes. And stayed through rain and heat and humidity.
AND Chris Nolan was awed by your acting ability when Bane and Mercenaries blew up the stadium and mayhem was everywhere.
In with all that, I’m just a fanboy at heart… so we arrive (again) at Batman movie night. The wife & I hosted a series of Star Wars movie nights that were a good time, a good excuse to get together, and a good excuse to nerd-out with a group of people… fellow fanboy geeks & newcomers alike. (On a side note… we never did get past the movies proper… we’ll perhaps have to revisit these to delve into the Ewok & Holiday Specials, Fanboys, then the cartoons & parodies.)
Why not Batman Begins out of the Nolan series? I’d argue it’s all about Batman vs. the Joker here. Sure, some other villains clutter up the ’66 movie, and I ought to include something animated with Mark Hamill & Kevin Conroy… but 3 movies in one night is about all this attention span can handle. The Joker is as mad & random as Batman is cold & calculated. The characters play of off each other so well. In the comics anyway, Batman won’t kill. He won’t cross that one line to become a madman. (And after the early 40’s, he wouldn’t use guns either.)
I love all of these interpretations of both of the characters. The ultra-straight-laced Adam West & zany Cesar Romero are a great pair. They play off of each other well in the campy style of the old show. I remember being old enough to think “Mr. Mom is going to be Batman?” in the late 80’s, but Michael Keaton was a stellar Bruce Wayne/Batman. He played such an odd person, and it worked. I also remember thinking Jack Nicholson was too fat… the Joker in the comics & in novels was very tall & lanky. I was surprised on both counts. Nicholson plays a maniacal psychopath like no other. Christian Bale is gruff and guarded, and Heath Ledger has redefined the Joker for a whole new generation, effectively making Dark Knight a Joker movie, not a Batman one.
If these nights work out, perhaps we can delve into Return to the Batcave, some of the animated films, Batman Begins, & maybe even a Joel Shumacher film.
We’re looking at Sat. Aug. 27th for Batman movie night. Let me know if you’re interested! We even got Batman cookie cutters!
I have pretty much no mechanical ability. I know this. There are certainly things that I can do… like change the oil, but where we’re at now with on-street parking it’s not worth the minimal difference in price for the convenience. That’s about the extent of my ability though. I can change batteries, air filters, maybe an oil filter, and am now confident I could install an alternator… but that’s about it. I won’t do brakes.
Shouldn't there be a belt there?
This morning, on my way to work, I ‘m going down a side street in Mt. Lebanon and the battery light & Brake warning light both come on at the same time. I know this usually isn’t good. Two lights generally = “oh shit”. My power steering was gone. I checked that level, and the brake fluid level… both were in the good range. I had pulled over in front of a nice large house on a side street in Mt. Lebanon.
I called my wife to come get me, took her to work, & commandeered her car for the day… so I could figure out what was going on. In having no mechanical knowledge… I have “a guy” that I trust with all my auto repairs. Only problem being the auto place is where I grew up, not where I currently live. I called the guy to ask what the meaning of the battery charge & brake warning light combo could be. (My wife Googled it on her phone, but I wanted to confirm.) He was thinking alternator too… I thought I was going to have to learn to replace an alternator today. Towing the car to where I grew up and paying a professional to install an alternator weren’t in the budget this week.
After getting prices from several local auto places (& after posting on Facebook/Twitter and maybe Google+ asking for advice, and looking around online on how to install an alternator), I decided to go check my car out again before buying an alternator. Luckily… I noticed something was missing: a belt. I have no idea what it’s called… but it connects the alternator & power steering. (Which I found out after a 2nd call to my “guy” to confirm that all the symptoms would be the same.)
So, a belt seemed easier & cheaper than the alternator. Sadly, I have no idea where the first belt went. I traced my route several times… no belt on the road, or on the side of the road. Someone must have grabbed it minutes after I dropped it. I had to go on the advice of the helpful guys at Advanced Auto. I’ve had good experiences with them in the past… their pro-rated battery warranty is killer.
No fit good.
I go to Advanced Auto location one… and get the belt that’s recomended for my car. I never questioned if it was the belt I needed… I mean, their database wouldn’t be wrong, would it?
An interesting aside, that I will chuckle about until the end of time… The guy at Advanced Auto location1 tried to sell me a belt that was $18.99, but even thought the computer said there were 2 in stock… he couldn’t find them. So, he said there was one for $11.99. I asked if I should be worried about the difference in price… if it meant a great deal of difference in quality. He said “Well, yeah… but this is all we have. Basically, the cheap one is made overseas and the expensive one is made here.” That made me feel better. It’s a Subaru. I don’t care where the parts came from. They’re all probably from Japan or Mexico even though it was all assembled in Indiana. When I got the cheaper belt… and went to install it, it said “MADE IN U.S.A.” in big white letters. I literally laughed out loud. Can we get over this “other countries are inferior to us in making stuff” thing? It’s 2011. Advanced Auto ought to put a bullshit meter on that guy.
Well, the physical removal of the bolts, the belt cover, and loosening of the alternator was ridiculously simple. The belt wouldn’t quite go on. No biggie, I thought. There’s got to be something else I can loosen… or maybe I’m not thinking of something else. I called by uncle who’s a tinkerer and who has shown me how to replace a starter for some advice. I figured there’s some magic shoehorn kind of move where I can slip the belt on, no problem. After a chat, we assumed that I had done everything… I just needed a bigger belt. He even looked up the part number for me online. Armed with knowledge and confidence, I headed back to Advance Auto location one. I described my new dilemma, asked for & received the larger belt, and headed back to my ghetto Subaru broken down in a fancy neighborhood.
The new longer belt went on with little effort, and then… wouldn’t pull taught even when the alternator was lifted the while way up. My patience was being tested today. I called Advanced Auto… and asked… if there was a size in between the two sizes I had. I was told that there was, but that I probably didn’t want it. The guy told me to un-bolt the pulley from the power steering, and move it to make the smaller belt fit. I could tell that even if I got the smaller belt to fit, there wouldn’t be enough slack to lift the alternator off of the close by A/C belt. (I learned some new terms today.)
I went to Advanced Auto location #2, also thankfully close by… and asked for the in-between belt. I was again told that I probably wanted the smaller one again if the bigger one didn’t fit. I went through my explanation of why I wanted the middle size… and was advised to buy both the smaller and middle size (that all said made in the USA and were the cheaper brand by the way), and to really try to make the smaller one fit “because that’s what the computer says belongs on the car”. Good logic, but we’re past that.
For poops n’ giggles, I tried the smaller one… again… and ran into the same problem… again. I used the in-between size, and it fit perfectly. There’s enough room to loosen it if I need to, and there’s enough room to tighten it if I need to. It’d Goldilocks’ proverbial “just right”. Thanks to Advanced Auto’s awesome return policy, I was able to return/exchange all the belts I didn’t use. I returned the last one again to Advanced Auto location 2.
(Odd aside #2 – the longer belt was $1.07 cheaper than the shorter belt – but also “MADE IN U.S.A.”.)
That’s 4 trips to 2 different Advanced Autos to buy 3 different sized belts to find the 1 that fit.
So, what should have taken me about 5 minutes took all day. and probably half a tank of gas. At any rate, it’s done. $11-ish for a belt is cheaper than $129-ish for an alternator and me doing it = more savings.
If you have a 1998 Subaru Legacy Outback and need to replace the belt that goes from the Alternator to the Power Steering… and the prescribed 345K5 doesn’t fit. Try the 350K5 before you try the 355K5. I’m not arguing with Advanced Auto’s HAL 9000 or “made in ‘Merica” employees. I’m just sayin’.
Thanks to everyone who helped today… with comments, advice, and moral support… whether it was by phone or social networking. I really appreciate it and am glad I had so many people willing to help out! If you ever need auto advice, don’t call me. You can call me for cooking or PC advice… maybe even general electronic gadgetry.
Check this post out, and RECOGNIZE the pizza delivery dude.
He takes pride in his service.
I have a tasty snack for you today on Fresh Meat. The great Omawarisan, creator and lone writer of Blurt, agreed to do a guest post for Blogdramedy. Color me beside myself! Now there’s two of me. One’s in yellow crayon but whatever. I told you I was excited. He blurts stuff. Funny stuff. Need proof? Here we go! —– A Tribute To The Pizza Guy I hav … Read More
I’m not sure if he really feels that he’s helplessly addicted to metal, or if he’s yanking the Swedish government’s proverbial crank, or what… but dude is almost as metal as Lemmy for this insanity.
Is it a way to cheat the government? A publicity ploy for his bands? Does he really feel that his compulsion to attend shows, dress like a metal-head, and listen to loud music is more than just his preferred lifestyle?
I call shenanigans in that there are plenty of places to work where you can dress like a metal-head & listen to loud music. If there was such a thing as a record store any more, I’d suggest there… but what about a guitar store? Stoner coffee shop? A concert venue? A bar? On a road crew? The dish-washing thing reminds me of that Poison video…
That being said, if the government is dumb enough to dole out the money… Roger & his employer would be even dumber in not taking it. The question of their accommodation/compensation being akin to paying an Oxycontin addict for working in a pharmacy still remains, but oh well. At least we know for sure that Black Sabbath is a powerful & dangerous gateway drug into the heavy metal lifestyle.
Too much metal for one hand?
I’d watch a reality show or documentary about this cat. Even better, I’d like to see it turned into a movie… somewhere between Anvil! The Story of Anvil and Airheads. Imagine the hilarity that would ensue in 10-years worth of trying to get an addiction to metal recognized as a serious medical condition? Not to mention, a killer soundtrack! Are you paying attention Hollywood? We need this story before we need a Crow or Last Dragon remake. Sho’ nuff! If you need a writer, I’m all about it. I vote for Robert Downey Jr. or Johnny Depp in the lead role.
Also… can I get my money, Uncle Sam? I’ve been going to concerts for years, buying merchandise, buying merch from small bands on tour, losing money by playing in local bands, ferociously collecting bootlegs, B-sides, & rarities for my favorite bands to satiate that completest appetite. (Thanks RoadRunner for that US/Japan/UK bonus track crap where I buy the same album 3 times – and thanks Metallica for putting out 30 singles for each song with 17 demo/live b-sides.) I wear t-shirts with skulls on them, and used to have blue hair. I not only suffer form heavy metal addiction, but also a general punk rock addiction, spanning everything from horror punk to pop punk to street punk. There’s also my hard rock addiction, which I seem to be getting over. The bands with which I seem to have the biggest problem are…
I’d love to see Roger’s playlist, CD/Record/Cassette Tape/VHS/8-Track/DVD/MiniDisc/BluRay/LaserDisc/Whatever collection… or his ticket-stub book if he’s got one. Who are his favorites? I need to know! I unfortunately am unable to check out that video linked-to from the Blabbermouth article. I think it may have crashed their site, or it’s a bad link?
So, what do you think? Is this guy super-awesome or super-lame? Is he a genius, or a loser? Is he some combo of all of the above?
I’m a lazy artist. I always have been. I generally make art for fun, and give it away. I made a ton of cool stuff in art class in high school and even in my time at WCCC, now I only have a fraction of it. I’ve never had an interest in making money from any of it, perhaps because I felt it wasn’t perfect or even “good enough” to sell. Perhaps it was because I’d feel “dirty” making money from art. I’m also lazy in that I have a lot of ideas that don’t make it to fruition. (You should see the AiXeLsyD and Gasoline Dion “almost” song piles… and that Yup-punk band idea…)
I also went through a phase of drawing a bunch of comic book stuff… and it was always my understanding that Marvel didn’t want me selling my Wolverine art, and DC didn’t want me to sell my Batman art. Somehow the Airbrush guy at the mall makes money on pretty much any popular character out there. (Exactly who’s buying white T-shirts with airbrushed Mickey Mouse and Garfield on them at a mall kiosk in 2011 is a subject of another blog.) Is that guy bootlegging? Is he paying royalty fees?
With the advent of sites like Etsy (and more so Regretsy), I can see now that my art is certainly acceptable for sale. I’d like to think it’s a few grades above what’s considered acceptable for sale. The question remains on copyrights though… I see all kinds of people selling Superman, Batman and Spider-Man stuff with images clearly ripped from elsewhere. Not that I want to sell comic book-art, but I never know what mood will strike me. My flyer art is mainly bastardization of existing images… so I’m sure I can’t sell any of that kind of stuff. Again, I think I’m veering toward the subject matter of an entirely different blog. Back to the insanity at hand…
I’ve been drawing mazes for what seems like forever. I started them when I was a kid & was in the hospital for a while. I remember my pediatrician saying I ought to look into getting them published. I obviously never have. I have through twitter found another cat on the internet who draws mazes… he sells them online & at art shows and has used LuLu to publish some books. Is that a good avenue to explore?
I have an idea for what I think would be an amusing photo book… but how does one go into execution of such an idea? Do I even have time for something like this?
Would I use something like deviantART to set up shop? How do I get prints made from original artwork? Should I settle for a Cafe Press or Zazzle store? Ha ha. I’d like to put photography in the mix too, eventually. Every once in a while I capture some stuff that would look great on someone’s wall. How do I sell the stuff online without the seller site making most of the money, or without breaking the bank in setting up a site & paying any maintenance fees while not selling anything… therefore eventually losing money?
People have also told me that I ought to get paid to write. I must confess, I would most likely be an editor’s nightmare. I jump tenses like hopscotch, and my grammar & typing can be quite poor… even though I can differentiate between you’re and your and the apparently difficult they’re/there/their. (Is it just me, or do they all sound totally different if you’re pronouncing them correctly?) If you would like to pay me to write, I will certainly take your money.
I don’t think I do well with deadlines or commissions though. I don’t work well with others’ ideas. I’d like to make my own mazes, drawings, paintings, photos, etc. at my own pace. Although, I aim to be productive with art, & maybe buy some more camera accessories, or a new amp, guitar, or some other new goofy instrument or piece of equipment. (Because I apparently can’t make any money as a musician unless I join/form a human jukebox band – and let’s face it; I’m a poor guitarist. Ha ha.)
As you can see, I’m all over the place. I need focus/direction. I guess I’m just looking for advice beyond the “you should publish a book” or “you should sell your photos” or the “you should write for someone” point. I get that, and accept that… but how? I’m looking for specifics here. I’d like to hear “I use such & such & it’s fantastic, and works like…” and not “I think my cousin’s uncle’s mother’s neighbor uses blah blah blah, …I think.” Are you an artist? How do you sell your work? Hit me with your wisdom!
An estimated 2.3% of Americans – that’s nearly 7 million people – are allergic to seafood, including fish and shellfish. Shrimp, crab, and lobster cause most shellfish allergies.
Allergy to shellfish is considered lifelong; once a person develops the allergy, it is unlikely that they will lose it.
Approximately 60% of those with shellfish allergy first experienced an allergic reaction as an adult. To avoid a reaction, strict avoidance of seafood and seafood products is essential. Always read ingredient labels to identify shellfish ingredients. In addition, avoid touching shellfish, going to the fish market, and being in an area where shellfish are being cooked (the protein in the steam may present a risk).
Keep In Mind!
If you have seafood allergy, avoid seafood restaurants. Even if you order a non-seafood item off of the menu, it is safer to always assume that cross-contact is possible.
Asian restaurants often serve dishes that use fish sauce as a flavoring base. Exercise caution or avoid eating there altogether.
Shellfish protein can become airborne in the steam released during cooking and may be a risk. Stay away from cooking areas.
Many people who are allergic to shellfish are allergic to more than one kind. Talk to your doctor so that you know for sure what foods to avoid.
Frequently asked questions
Should carrageenan be avoided by a shellfish-allergic individual?
Carrageenan is not fish. Carrageenan, or “Irish moss,” is a red marine algae. This food product is used in a wide variety of foods, particularly dairy foods, as an emulsifier, stabilizer, and thickener. It appears safe for most individuals with food allergies. Carrageenan is not related to shellfish and does not need to be avoided by those with food allergies.
Should iodine be avoided by a shellfish-allergic individual?
Allergy to iodine, allergy to radiocontrast material (used in some radiographic procedures), and allergy to fish or shellfish are not related. If you have an allergy to shellfish, you do not need to worry about cross reactions with radiocontrast material or iodine
Yeah, there’s a lot there, but I can’t get past “An estimated 2.3% of Americans – that’s nearly 7 million people – are allergic to seafood, including fish and shellfish”.
DEAD from LOBSTER (AllergyMonkey.com)
<rant> Where the hell are you people? Not to sound like a whiner… but all the Food Allergy “press” seems to go to peanuts, dairy, & wheat… and “Gluten Free” menu/options crap seems almost like the new Atkins. All of a sudden, Celiac is Chic. We have peanut-free baseball games and airplane flights, where are my shellfish-free beaches and cruises, or where’s my “no contact with shellfish” menu, or separate no-shellfish fryer? Why is Lent my own personal hell every year when a favorite restaurant adds shrimp or crab-legs or a lobster sub to their menu? It’s even more of a pain when it becomes permanent. (I’m taking to you; Texas Roadhouse, Buffalo Wild Wings, & Quiznos.)
Celiac disease isn’t even an allergy in the traditional sense, but it’s gobbling up all the press. It’s an autoimmune disorder, and from my understanding… makes you poop a lot if you eat wheat. Terrible, yes. But, I don’t get diarrhea when I eat shellfish. I get anaphylaxis. Diarrhea may come along with the choking & swelling though.
I wish Shellfish Free had another user or 2 out of the apparent SEVEN MILLION of us out here.
That being said, awareness needs to be raised for ALL food allergies, whether in the top 8 or not. So, Celiac people… throw us a gluten-free bone here, will you? When a restaurant offers a gluten-free menu, how about a “That’s cool… but you know, there are so many allergies out there like peanut, milk, egg, shellfish, corn, peppers, and all kinds of crazy stuff. Maybe you ought to look at your cross-contamination practices in all areas & cooking surfaces with all ingredients.” (See this: http://www.foodallergy.org/page/restaurants-guests-with-food-allergies) </rant>
"No shellfish for me!"
At any rate, where are my shellfish-allergic peeps? This is your time & place to bitch about finding a good death-free and anxiety-free meal. Stand up and be counted! This is a roll call & we need a list 7-million freaking people long. Please, leave your comments below with your story, your frustrations, or even with a positive experience related to your shellfish allergy… as well as links to any support groups or allergy resources that you hold dear.
I don’t know how I missed it, it’s a rather old post… but is a great read. I’ve gone through bouts of “I don’t care what it sounds like as long as it’s loud and dirty”… mostly to ignorance, and I’m still like that for the most part… but I do know bad tone when I hear it, at least as it stems from my guitars/amps (the rare effect), and any more I’d rather not put out bad tone… I’d like my bad playing to come through as well as possible. Ha ha.
I’m pretty sure this is illegal, but I see it happen all the time. Can someone of authority weigh in on this? Opinions are of course welcome, but if you’re going to claim why it’s legal/illegal… you have to give me some kind of backup.
We’ll pretend I’m the blue car, behind the white truck, and in front of the little yellow bastard.
The white truck is trying to make a left at the light, only problem being (use your imagination here) a flurry of automobiles in the other 2 oncoming lanes coming forth with less than a car-length in between them, and at a speed well over the posted 25MPH limit. (Never-mind that here the middle lane switches traffic directions depending on the time of day – that’s a whole different ridiculous issue.)
Of course, the truck is forced to stop in what I would like to consider the middle of the intersection, causing frustration to rise exponentially for each halted vehicle behind the pale horse of immobilization.
As the truck plays the waiting game, and I hone my skills with the Force trying to will a break in traffic to allow him (or her) to turn and more importantly get out of my way… the impatient arrogant bastard behind me decides to honk the horn.
Honking the horn when one is stuck in traffic is the action of a self-absorbed angry little person. A honk is expected & appropriate if someone cuts you off, someone’s sitting at a green light, or backing into you. A honk is inappropriate when everyone is stuck, & no one can go anywhere.
Now, I know this indignant troll of a human being wanted me to take the path of the green arrow above… which is a common Pittsburgh driving move. I’m sure it happens elsewhere too, but it’s quite common around here. I believe said move is not only illegal, but also quite dangerous. I know passing on the shoulder is discouraged if not illegal, and doing it in the middle of an intersection isn’t the best idea.
It’s dangerous for the following reasons if you must know, traffic troll:
Someone in the inside oncoming lane could also be making a left, not see me coming around the side of the truck, and we plow right into each other.
The truck decides he’s (or she’s) had it with waiting to make a turn, and plows ahead in frustration as I move around & try to merge into that lane.
Someone from the road on the right may be coming to the intersection to make a legal right on red while it’s obvious that oncoming traffic is at a stand-still.
A final sequence, however unlikely… the light changes while I’m going around, and someone comes from the left straight through their way, and smacks into the side of me.
If you think of any other reasons why it’s a bad idea, please let me know. If you can show me a link where the laws concerning such vehicular interactions reside online (especially for PA), I’d love to pass the link along to the honking trolls out there.
If you’re a traffic troll, I’d like to express to you that all you’re doing is putting the person in front of you in danger, as well as potentially yourself, and adding to the aggravation levels of everyone around you… when they’re already sufficiently aggravated.
This has been brought to you as a public service announcement warning against the dangers of traffic trolls. I’m sure PennDOT and the State Police would get behind this if they read my blog.
So, Ernie and one Bert decided to crash a Houlihan's open stage last night in Robinson. Apparently it enters us into a contest. We'd like to take the other Bert to round 2, so we'd like you to vote for us. How do you do that? Like Houlihan's Robinson on Facebook. Vote for us here. This is what we sounded like: …sort of. Imagine that you ca … Read More
World (and Lunar) Domination 