Category: bikes

12/06/13 01:37 - ID#58412

My bike is so bright

I need to wear shades.

Last Monday while on a run, I saw a pedestrian after he got hit at Elmwood and Bryant. I didn't see what happened but people were saying he got hit by a car swinging around onto Elmwood. He was in rough shape, in and out of consciousness, but the cops, paramedics and FD got there super quickly. I haven't heard anything about it so I hope he survived.

I freaked out a bit and as soon as I got home I put aside my cheapness and bought a ton of new safety stuff for my bike. I finally ordered Schwalbe Marathon Winter studded bike tires, which are supposed to be great on ice and snow, and two new bike lights. My old front and rear were cheap dim Bell lights. I ordered the Cygolite Metro 420 (lumens) and the 2W Cygolite hotshot blinker for my back.

They're so freaking bright its amazing. The pictures don't really capture it but I don't think I can even run them at full power most of the time because they hurt to look at that level. Plus they're USB rechargeable so I don't have to buy any more batteries. Definitely worth it.

Permalink: My_bike_is_so_bright.html
Words: 205
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/06/13 02:04

Category: dancing

12/05/13 12:45 - ID#58409

Bienvenido a Club Miami

Behind on posts but oh well.

On Saturday after a lazy day of seeing Hunger Games with the Paul, Terry, and siblings, watching Dracula, and clearing out thanksgiving leftovers, (e:paul), (e:terry), and I needed to go do something physical. We went out with (e:yesthatcasey) to go see Marty McFly and a few other DJs at a place called Club Miami, 2339 Union Road, West Seneca. Apparently it must be a sports bar or normally because the sign said "Dog Pound Saloon" outside.

The place evoked exactly what I pictured the Miami club scene to be - a former Bob Evans/sports bar with a carpeted dance floor and a light up palm tree. Paul thought it might be an actual dog pound during the day because it made him allergic.

Despite the weird venue the music was pretty good. I'm not sure what DJs we actually heard. Dancing wasn't great since the floor was taken up by breakers for an hour.

By the 3am people started to clear out and the crazy boiled over. One guy was on something hardcore he was going into the bathroom and screaming all night. Somehow he ended up fighting with the security and got dragged out the door, knocking over tons of stuff on the way. Right after, there was some drama between two girls about a guy and four or five people started going at it. At this point we dipped out because it could only get classier in there. The whole night was so weird, I'd consider going back just for the spectacle.

The decor

Paul and Casey fighting over handwarmers

Permalink: Bienvenido_a_Club_Miami.html
Words: 278
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/05/13 12:58

Category: mobile

12/02/13 12:20 - ID#58405

Phone vs Tree

Last Sunday, (e:paul) and I decided to climb the tree next door at the church. After trying to climb it once, I thought to myself, "I should take my phone out of my pocket so it doesn't fall out and get smashed". Of course, I decide to take it out of my pocket and hold it out for Paul just as he was climbing down from the tree, leading to this.

The tree in question

So we ordered a Note 2 glass repair kit, an infrared thermometer and heat gun from amazon. First of all, I'm absolutely obsessed with taking the temperature of things.

89 degrees, so hot.

I used this video to replace the glass yesterday. Basically the glass is glued down with a high temperature glue to the OLED display itself, and can only be pried off with some heat.

It wasn't too difficult to remove. The glue bonding the OLED to the the glass came off with only 150F of heat, so the display didn't discolor at all. The most difficult part was keeping the new glass dust free while I was adhering it again.

The replacement glass is definitely a knock off. It doesn't have gorilla glass or oleophobic coatings, and the glue isn't vacuum bonded to the display like the original, meaning there's a bit of a gap and flex to it. It wasn't too much work to replace it though, and I don't have to worry about getting shards of glass in my finger. Plus the cost of the replacement was $20 vs $150+ for a new display with OEM glass.

The finished product, and the flexed spot

Permalink: Phone_vs_Tree.html
Words: 289
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/02/13 09:48

Category: holiday

11/30/13 10:31 - ID#58403

Thanksgiving

Full of the friends, family, neighbors, dogs and deserts.

Permalink: Thanksgiving.html
Words: 23
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/01/13 11:50

Category: music

11/30/13 07:12 - ID#58402

Happy Hardcore and German communists

(e:paul) has gotten the weirdest two songs stuck in my head. The first one is "Your Smile" by Charly Lownoise. It's a happy hardcore song thats so 90s it hurts. But its so much more driving and upbeat than most EDM thats big now I don't even know how to dance to it. It makes me work like crazy.

The second song is called "Jungend Erwach" about young communists rebuilding east Germany. I really have nothing else to say but the lyrics are pretty sunny and apolitical for what I'd think a communist children's song would be.

Permalink: Happy_Hardcore_and_German_communists.html
Words: 117
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 11/30/13 07:12

Category: drugs

11/30/13 04:15 - ID#58401

Watch out for that hooch

I found this at the turkey trot. how ridiculous did the person writing this feel when they had to list alcohols "street names"?

Permalink: Watch_out_for_that_hooch.html
Words: 28
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 11/30/13 04:15

Category: dancing

11/28/13 01:46 - ID#58378

Thanksgiving Eve at Lafayette

For thanksgiving eve (e:paul), (e:terry), (e:xandra) and Jake went out to the Lafayette for their dance night. The place itself was awesomely done, there were DJs and music spread over four different floors and rooms. The crowd was pretty bro. We ran into a bunch of people including Michelle, the go bike girl whose name I can't remember, and (e:Robert) and Mickey.

This chick was dancing by herself, with the pole. She was real into it.

Michelle tearing it up with the hula hoop

Terry eating Paul's face

Cray!

Not sure what this was about

Robert was drawing on a macbook which was getting projected inside

and outside on the building next door.

Someone forgot to fullscreen the video

Bounds 3 with James Franco, love it

Permalink: Thanksgiving_Eve_at_Lafayette.html
Words: 173
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 11/28/13 02:06

Category: weather

11/27/13 12:31 - ID#58371

First Real Snow/Cliche snow pics

The first real snow of the year started yesterday. Snow is actually pretty exciting except that I want to ride my bike to work and I haven't bought new tires yet. I went on a run instead last night, and it was way easier to stay focused in the snow instead of the rain.

Linwood looks so amazing covered in fresh snow.

I was stuck driving to work and was behind this ancient truck. The exhaust was so rich I could smell gas in my car. It's so gross that trucks that old are exempt from emissions requirements in NYS.

I can't believe how bright Richmond is below the Ferry Circle. I realized it before but the snow makes it so much worse. I'm guessing they picked the brightest lights in the name of safety, but I could never sleep if I lived down there.

Collapsed stairs at Gates Circle. They were either working on them or the fill underneath got washed out somehow.

Permalink: First_Real_Snow_Cliche_snow_pics.html
Words: 192
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 11/27/13 01:06

Category: random

11/25/13 11:46 - ID#58358

Postcrossing

A while back I signed up for this website post crossing.org. the concept is that you send a postcard to a randomly assigned stranger somewhere in the world, and then they get it your name comes up for another stranger to send you one. It sounds like the beginning of some lifetime movie where i get murdered, but i haven't so far. I sent three cards, two to a guy and girl in Germany, and one to a biologist out in Siberia.

I know its super old school, but there's something about having physical mail which I never really get, especially from another person. it'd be way easier and to chatroulette but this is kind of cool (and has way fewer old man penises).

Today I got a card from Taiwan from Sheng/Rita? it was pretty cute.

Permalink: Postcrossing.html
Words: 149
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 11/26/13 12:18

Category: love

11/25/13 12:14 - ID#58354

6 months

It's amazing how fast your life can change in 6 months from such a random occurance. I can honestly say I have never been happier. I love you (e:Paul) and (e:Terry).