Bluedragon

Electric Manual

Electric manual: Cool idea or oxymoron?

While my car was in the dealership repair shop for a 3rd time (dead battery, supposedly they have fixed the problem by replacing the Navigation system), I got to use the Mazda 6 with a 4 speed automatic with “electric manual” (or “manual shift-mode” as Mazda.com calls it) control.

Without a clutch, I forget I need to shift and end up rev-ing the engine very high. First time I thought to myself “who is the person who can’t drive their car?” Then realized it was me that forgot to switch to 2nd gear.

I really don’t see the point of it. Having it with steering wheel (a la Indy Cars) might be better but I’ll have to reserve judgement on that.

Skiing

So I guess Skiing is like riding a bike, you don’t forget how to do it.

I did first try snowboarding and was not very successful at it. My body is used to facing downhill, not sideways. I probably didn’t get it enough time, but it was much more fun on skis.

Skiing in Michigan is barely skiing, more like skating with skis on. The “snow” is usually so little you’re just sliding on the packed ice below. Makes for a very hard surface if you fall, as my wife’s elbow and my knee found out (while snowboarding).

Dead Battery

This is the THIRD time my car battery has died.

Almost seems like a flaw in the design or an eletrical problem. Its very strange that it only happened in the cold (1st time was Dec 5 or so and then again Jan 4 and now Jan 12).

After sitting for 48 hours the battery is almost completely dead. This time (just under 48 hours) the radio system remembered my present stations (very odd) but the clock was reset.

Might be time for the lemon law and turn the car back in and get something else (maybe a C6/2005 Corvette??).

Back in the Cold

We’re back from Rio.

It was a wonderful trip. The weather wasn’t perfect, but its 10 MILLION TIMES BETTER than freezing ass Michigan.

Traveling is always a little stressful, traveling during the holidays makes it just that much more so. Nothing major happened, forgot a few things and I didn’t make a snow man out of sand!!!!!

Cat Bath

Here’s some funny instructions for cleaning the cat (thankfully our Gato is very easy to clean).

How to bathe the cat.
1. Thoroughly clean toilet.
2. Lift both lids and add shampoo
3. Find and soothe cat as you carry it to the bathroom
4. In one swift movement, place cat in toilet, close both lids and stand on top
so cat can’t escape.
5. The cat will self-agitate and produce ample suds (ignore ruckus from inside
toilet – cat is actually enjoying this).
6. Flush toilet 3 or 4 times. This provides power rinse, which is quite
effective. Cat is too big to go anywhere.
7. Have someone open outside door, stand as far as from toilet as possible and
quickly lift both lids.
8. Clean cat will rocket out of the toilet and outdoors, where he will air dry.
Cat will return when hungry.

Sincerely,
The Dog.

Worry Free

I heard a lot of good things about foriegn cars in terms of reliability, but I’m not believing that so much.

My Mazda Rx8 has been to the dealership a few too many times. Today I’m getting it towed because the battery is completely dead. Jumped it and let it charge for 20 minutes, and less than 24 hours later is was complete dead again.

This is really making me miss my previous car and/or wishing I had gotten a GM product.

Ouch

Don’t move 7 yards of dirt in a weekend by yourself!

I’m recovering pretty well, I was expecting my back to hurt a lot more and my hands too. While we were shoveling (the wife “helped” but hardly enough to save me much pain) I could barely hold the shovel or lift the wheel barrel my hands had so many blisters on them.

So many years of typing has made my hands soft.