Month: February 2005

So Wednesday night we went dancing for hours on end, and she’s really happy that I’m picking up the dances.
It’s loads of fun, and I completely wore out my legs and lungs doing some really fast stuff, which she loved.
After that, we headed over downtown to a little karaoke bar where we came to celebrate our dear friend Jane’s birthday. After lots of drink and merriment, we headed back, and I got dropped off.
I feel really bad for her, as she won’t be hearing back from her scools yet, and she’s agonizing about it. Truth told, I am kind of agonizing a bit too.
The uncertainty factor in what will happen over the next 3 years is pretty big, especially when it might mean that someone very important in your life would be leaving for that long. I don’t really know how I feel about that. Something to contemplate.
Anyhow, last night and dropped in, and we spent some time chatting and laughing.
She came over, and we retired to my room to watch Pirates of the Carribean, which I promptly fell asleep during, but she enjoyed it (again) and it was nice and mindless.
Here at work, I write these lines, and leaving in a moment to head home. I hope you all can relax this weekend, for next week I hope to finally finish this motorcycle license nonsense. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid!

Woohoo!
So today I passed my written (theory) driving exam.
It’s a pass/fail – they don’t tell you if and what you got wrong, which isn’t that great of an idea, let me tell you.
Now I have 8 more driving lessons, and then a driving test. Unfortunately, taking a day off for the exam and scheduling 2 lessons for today didn’t work out – my instructor’s wife is giving birth – so I’ve scheduled the last 4 for Tuesday, Wednesday this week. Due to my boss being out of the office from Thursday, I won’t be able to take any lessons until he’s back, end of next week. At that time, I should probably be done with it, and hopefully get my license on Thursday.
No promises, but if that happens, I must celebrate! This has taken far longer than most motorcycle students, due to the crappy weather, scheduling conflicts, etc. It should soon be over, and then I have to investigate purchasing my own bike (and all the other stuff that comes with owning a bike).
Oh, another thought – anybody have a good idea how to break the news to the family? My eldest sister knows – she’s cool, but mom’ll just have a heart attack. I do NOT need more Jewish guilt that she is so capable of doling out.
Ideas, anyone?

So last night I dropped by the filksing over at ‘s and ‘s last night.
The list of attendees is fairly long, and most of you were there, so I needn’t enumerate.
At about 8pm yesterday, I had an idea rattling around in my head, and I decided to bring it to fruition and write the damned filk that I sang with some music backup.
Now, I’m by far no folk (or filk) expert. I come from the world of sex, drugs and rock & roll. (Yes, filkers, there is life beyond Buffy!) But I enjoy the rhythm and beat of rock & pop. So I took a song that had some promise, and completely ruined it. For those interested, it was Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved” which I murdered and made “I Did Drink Blood”. I believe that and both recorded it – you guys – I want copies!
After that atrocity was committed, I managed to drag out to the balcony where we proceeded to filk around on the spot to the tune of Mr. Big’s “To Be With You”. Needless to say, that was received with the lack of respect it deserved. So now, and I have done this twice, and will probably commit musical murder again.
Then, hanging out in the kitchen, and I began murdering “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid” from “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”. It was quite quaint and terrible, as filk should be.
If anyone wants any of the lyrics, drop me a line, and I’ll post them.
Cut for obvious reasons –
On the way out of the building, was sitting outside with some other person who apparently believes that I am the cause for her not coming to any kind of organizational gathering. I don’t have what she called “Fannish Spirit”, and went on about how boys just ignore her.
It was a little disturbing. The amount of subsurface hostility was evident, and I tried to just shrug it off. Well, people are people, and a lot of people just don’t have the people skills required for healthy human interaction.

So today I had a driving lesson early in the morning, and I drove the 50cc bike out to the lot, and the instructor decided it was time for me to get used to the real hog. The Yamaha XT 500cc, a nice heavy bike, modded for instruction purposes, at my disposal. A bit different from the scooter I had been driving. A LOT bigger, and WAAAAAY more powerful. Big difference – 5-gearshift, clutch, and the rear brakes are on the right foot.
He got on behind me, and had his own handles for clutch and brakes (mods). So we circled the lot a bit, so I could get a fell for the whole thing, and then he let me off on my own with this machine of power.
So, cruising around the lot, that was cool. But there was this religious dude who had no clue how to control a bike, or even some basic rules of practice lot conduct such as which direction NOT to go. Now admittedly, I made a bad call trying to circle by him on his right side while he was just standing there, but then he started rolling backwards towards my line of approach. I wavered, and the bike spilled and I bailed. No harm, no foul, but I was pissed at him. My instructor said that I have to be aware of potential situations and decide the best way to prevent any kind of danger. Didn’t matter, I was still a bit pissed.
I need a lot of work on the clutch, and even more on the amount of accelerator that I need to use to begin an uphill climb after a downhill coast, and don’t even get me started on gear shifting which hasn’t been introduced yet. All in good time.

After that, I made it home, did a touch of shopping, and then headed out into the Colony. While strolling to tons of good iPod-based tunes, I also called Shannon, and we met and went over to her folks’ place to water their plants while they’re away. After that, we went for some coffee, and then I walked her back home. All in all, it’s been a fairly good day.

Now I’m going to sink myself into some studying – driving theory – in hopes that I will take the test Sunday morning, pass, and then have some more driving lessons later that day.
If I’m good, and do well, feasibly I could have a license by the end of the week. The all I have to do is get a raise from work, and secure a loan from the bank and buy my own bike.
People of Jerusalem – beware!
Mike The Man will rule the streets again!

nicked from :

1. Go into your LJ’s archives.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions

helped me with some of the assembly, and it’s taking shape amazingly quickly.

Now, this could be misunderstood so many ways, that it’s not even funny.

So yesterday Shannon got back from the USA, and she had a great interview at one of the schools she wants to go to, and had not such a great time with her family.
So last night we went out for some coffee and she got to vent, and I really felt bad that she had to have such a harrowing experience. Some people don’t deserve the heartache they get.
We spent some time together, and enjoyed each other’s presence.
So this morning at about 8:20 I get a call from the driving school and ask me if I can make a 9am driving lesson. I can, so I get ready, wear my boots, contact lens, sunglasses etc.
When I get there, I got to ride the scooter by myself, following the instructor to the practice lot. I drove thru traffic like it was nothing!
In the practice lot, however, it was a different story altogether. I spent the lesson trying to make figure eights in a very tight turn, which was not very easy, I assure you.
Well, as fate would have it, today was the day that it began raining sufficiently to cause me to have an incident on the lot.
The asphalt got extremely slick, and on one turn, when I was leaning a bit too far to my right, I suddenly felt the tires lose traction, and I bailed. I mean I really bailed. Jumped as far back as I could, and let the bike continue the extra meter. It was pretty slow, and nothing happened to me other than a bit more ragged nerves, and the bike was fine.
A little after that, we headed back home, as the lot was just too slick for practice purposes.
I gotta admit, I loved the feeling of driving around, feeling the rumble of a bike, and freezing my nadgers. 🙂

It’s been a long day, and it’s not over yet. Pizza should arrive soon, and then I’m off to better places and experiences.

You are a Playboy. You perv.

What kind of Sixties Person are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

So here I am sitting on the top floor of Jerusalem’s Central Bus Station, awaiting the arrival of a traveling companion who will accompany me to Tel Aviv, where we are already late for a Con organizatgional comittee meeting.
I realize that I shouldhaveleft earlier, but I was having a nice relaxed weekend, and I wasn’t too keen on doing anything strenuous. I mean after all, watching many movies in sequence is tough enough.
I’m wondering how this year will progress, as it started out pretty crappily with Miluim and all, and another person at work is leaving for a better company. He told me that he can’t believe that I’m still there.
With the addition of a motorcycle into my life, I hope the added mobility and the lower travel costs will justify its existence. Who knows? Maybe I’ll end up getting a license, and no bike. Who knows what’ll happen?
The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills.

So I just had my first motorcycle driving lesson.
I understand the craze, the rush, the feeling.
The instuctor drove us over to an open lot in Talpiot, where he commenced explainign the basics and all, and then let me start doing laps around the lot, making nice left turns all the way.
After a bit, he then showed me where to slalom around, and left me to have fun.
So I slalomed. And slalomed some more. Getting a feel for the bike, he then set me to make sharp left turns, and after a lot of that, set me to doing figure eights.
There’s the tricky bit. Keeping a tight figure eight without dropping your foot on the first lesson ain’t easy. It’s also difficult for me on the 50cc bike we were using, a my natural inclination in to clench my knees together, and the bik I was using had no main body, which was a little disconcerting.
All in all, it was fairly cold, and my next lesson I’ll still be on the small bike to practice my control and turns.
Whohoo!
Now how do I tell Shannon that I’m driving a motorcycle?
On another note, a

cut here.

So thanks to , I’ve installed “SphereXP”, which can be found here.
It’s a pretty interesting interface, as long as you’ve got the hardware to back it up and deal with the intricate workings.
So Tuesday night a couple of us from work went out for a company-sponsored dinner, as we are hosting one of the guys from the UK office, and might as well show him a good time.
We went to a small place downtown called “Fink”, which apparently has a buttload of history behind it, about 60-70 years of history. I found out that a good friend of mine tends the bar there, and they carry over 70 types of beer, each a great one with it’s strengths. Very into meat there, so my dinner choice was limited, but not bad at all.
We eventually poured ourselves out of there and I got some heavy sleep that night. So heavy that tried to wake me up, and was unsuccessful.
So Wednesday I got up with a mild headache, nothing serious, but exhausted. Muddled thru the day, and slept well last night.
Today’s been ok, I guess.
The weekend can begin! Tomorrow is my first motorcycle lesson!

Ok, so I’m sitting here in the Village Green, a nice restaurant downtown Jerusalem, waiting for my breakfast.
Why am I here, you ask? Why am I not at work? Well I’ll tell you.
Last night on my way home I stopped at the driving school that is accross the street from my house. Went in, sat down, and requested information regarding obtaining a driver’s license – for a motorcycle.
So they explained the procedure and the steps involved. They also sold me a study book to work on so I can take the written exam when ready.
This morning, instead of going to work, I went downtown, got my picture taken and a nice form detailing my info. Then I took this form across the street where I took a very basic eye exam that confirmed that I can see. Then to the next room where a doctor asked me to fill out a list of yes/no questions, then reviewed them and filled in another list of questions and then asked me simply – “Are you feeling well?” My response was apparently sufficient for him to pronounce me medically fit to drive a motorcycle.
After that paid luxury was over, I headed further into the city in search for a time killer until I have to be at my dentist’s appointment at 11.
So I fell in on the Village Green, had wonderful breakfast deal – only 32 NIS! – and here I am typing away on my Palm.
Wish me luck, and if all goes well, I could have a license in under a month! Getting a bike might pose a problem…..