Me and my family went snow shoeing yesterday. We did just over 5 miles, round trip. I'd never been show shoeing before and let me tell you, It was really fun.

We started out on the Chamisa trail near the bottom of the Santa Fe ski basin road and followed it up to where it intersects with Windsor. Most of the trail had already been snow packed and you would think that that would make the need for snow shoes moot, but quite the opposite - the shoes were traction machines, making the steeps a cake walk. Once we got out into a clearing I tried blazing a trail through some fresh pow. Even though you would sink and not really stay on top of the snow (like you would think) it made the sink factor extremely predictable; never did one foot fall way deep and snow got down up into your pant leg.

Overall, Snow Shoeing: A++++++ WOULD TRY AGAIN!!!!!

Winter BBQ

The human eye blinks an average of 4,200,000 times a year, and my dad doesn't let a little bit of snow stop him from doing anything.

This one's for Phil

Phil,
Dude man, last night we had some chronic foods.

Thanks for reading,
R

The Rotsaert Food Review: Southwest Dim Sum

For dinner last night we had a traditional Chinese Dim Sum style meal, substituting conventional spices with those available in northern New Mexico for a South Pacific-Southwest fusion. The combination of East meets West resulted in a sweet meal with just the right amount of spice that was both light yet filling.

We started with a small portion of Miso Soup. The taste was amazing, a combination of the traditional Japanese bitter, smoky, sweet, and salty flavors. The softened white miso paste was suspended perfectly in the dark stock – resulting in the illusion of moon lit clouds in the night sky.

Next up, to serve as the salad dish were Chinois Minced Garlic Chicken in Radicchio Cups. To prepare this dish fresh baby spinach leaves, shallots, and steamed carrot slices were left to marinate in a combination of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a splash of dry white wine. The mixture was then set inside cups formed by crisp radicchio leaves and topped with a healthy portion of minced pan-fried garlic chicken. The almost florescent bright purple color of the radicchio leaves and bitter taste contrasted beautifully against the already remarkable filling.

To set the tone for the rest of the meal and steer the taste buds back towards the shores of the south pacific a small serving of sushi followed. A spicy tuna role, and a fresh squid and octopus medley fit the bill perfectly as it was neither over powering nor subdued.

Along with the main course (which consisted of two sorts of dumplings) came a side of cooked then lightly fried dark purple, almost black Forbidden Rice. This long grain rice, unlike most has a distinct fruity aroma and pronounced “nutty” flavor.

The first of the dumplings was a Steamed Spicy Black Bean Bun. The fluffy white almost snow ball looking steamed bun was filled with a mix of black beans, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots. The buns were unique in that rather than using a traditional red or yellow sweet bean paste, the buns were stuffed with Mexican-style refried black beans. The black beans were sweetened with white sugar, resulting in a taste that might be similar to the sweeter Chinese bean pastes but slightly different in texture. The bean mixture was further spiced by a combination of both red and green New Mexico chile powder – umm, spicy!

Rounding out the main course, the second type of dumpling was a Red Pepper Chicken and Portabella Pot Sticker. Different from the first, the dough used was a thin rice flower based sheet that was steamed and then pan-fried on one side. Unlike the typical flavorless pot stickers one can find in the frozen foods section of a grocery store these were filled with shredded chicken breast, red bell pepper, steamed portabella mushrooms and an exuberance of Southwest chile spices resulting in a neatly wrapped (crunchy on the bottom – soft on the top) dumpling that was quite flavorful.

Overall the meal was fantastic, each component matching perfectly with the other both in their aroma and taste. At the end one was left with a full yet not stuffed sensation giving reminder of the low ft quality food that was prepared. Thankfully no dessert was prepared, as the other courses had been so good that no one had left room. Instead the meal was completed with another strong Belgian beer and good laugh.

Fun with Photoshop

I adjusted some of the levels and sharpened the front grill of the car. Overall a subtle but noticible difference from the original.

Stuck in my head

It's time to go home for the day, I've got christmas songs stuck in my head (just one single verse - over and over again).

"So be good for goodness sake, la la la na na na. So be good for... AHG!"

Xbox down Again!

Second time with in a few months. Probably wont be back till after the new year if the repair goes as quickly as the last time.

here's a picture with the penguin.



All i wanted to do today was play some video games on my 400 dollar flashing red light machine piece of crap - but no! now my mouse is broken, some asshat(s) choped all the heads off my snowmen over the weakend, and my image hosting site is down. If one more thing brakes tonight I sware to God......

The only thing that making my not angrey right now is this super crazy internet video and this picture:



Gawd, I miss driving my Corrado. Damn it now I'm upset again.


AND I'm SICK! Worst dAy ever!

Trespassing!

With winter right around the corner and several weather forecasts for snow, I posted no trespassing signs weeks ago. Well yesterday we had our first snow and tonight (never fails) my surveillance cameras spotted the first penguin.

Here is actual surveillance footage:

A close up reveals the face of the intruder - a known criminal, a penguin thought to go by the name "Perry."

Authorities wasted no time apprehending the intruder. The SWAT team was deployed and the suspect was quickly detained.

Police ask that any persons having information with regard to trespassing penguins or those able to further identify the suspect to please come forward.

Thank you - that is all.

First Snow

How to Charge an iPod using electrolytes and an onion

Everything Custom

Sunday FD brought her car over to have me do an oil change. I had her do all the dirty work, such as unscrewing the drain plug and getting oil under her fingernails and after everything was done we started to clean up the engine bay a little bit. I went for the black plastic trim pieces first - spiffing them up with a little back to black.

Next thing I know we've got the valve cover cover off and I'm prepping it for paint. I remember saying, "We'll have to get some spray paint if you want to paint this thing." To which FD replied, "You've got paint, in your room - I'll go get it."

This wasn’t the first time FD has proven to know where the stuff in my house is put anyway better than me. One time I called her to ask where Jenga was. She knew.

Here's a picture of the trim piece baking in the oven. I put it in the oven between coats to get it to dry faster. Good stuff, and the gold on black matches really well on the dark blue car.


It was so much fun painting, I started looking around the house for other things that looked like they could use a nice coat of paint. I know what you're thinking, and you're right. Normally this is a horrible idea and what ends up happening is you've a got a bunch of stuff covered in paint that’s not supposed to be covered in paint and the house smells like a poorly ventilated paint booth (like the time in Las Cruces when my brother and I got carried away and stenciled a giraffe on our TV).

This time FD was around to act as the voice of painting reason. I started small – the DVD remote. It came out really cool and encouraged me to continue on to the xbox and what better than a good old fashioned wood grain.

If I had to pick one word to discribe my work it would be, AWESOME!




It looks pretty sweet reattached to the xbox case, I havent taken pictures of the finished product yet though because I'm having a little trouble gluing the hinged pieces back onto the face plate. If I cant get it to work after one more try I'll use some extra small wood screws - which I think'll contrast really well and go along great with the wood grain theam.

I just had this great idea!

So get this... money's been kinda tight lately so I've been considering some options - namely reducing billed secives that i dont use (I dont even watch TV - what am I doing with 147 digital chanels?). In addition I've been staying home/going to bars in my area vs Royal Oak, eating less, reverting to cheap beer/wine, and going easy on Corrado parts spending.

But here's the great idea I had: Get a second job doing something I like doing. So I sent out an email to this little ski hill around the corner form my house. Zing - keep your fingers crossed for me everyone.

I'm an Idiot

OK, no, not really - I'm totally awesome.. and intellectual.

My First Time

So Saturday was my first time ever buying women’s underwear. It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought it would be – what’s more, it totally went smoother by my self versus with my new lady friend.

For the ladies, keep in mind, when I say it went smoother, I mean what took “us” two hours to find one thing only took me three minutes to pick out on my own. For the dudes reading this – I totally owned that shit – and I felt like a baller doing it. Fuck yeah!

What else is there to say really? I mean, I totally thought about what I wanted to get her, walked into the store, knew what size I needed (good thing I wrote it down though), took a quick look around, found something that looked sexy, selected the “size 2/small” as what was written on my small note of paper, and brought it to the register. Finally I took special care to use my Visa – as cash would have clearly delayed the check out process (read dumb blonde at the register/those fast food-visa commercials).

Everything said and done, my special lady friend was the hit of the party. Mad peoples were talking about how good she was looking.

The Beastie's

The Beastie Boys, lookin' finer than a new set of snow tires.

I had the opertunity to catch the B-Boys in concert on Monday in Detroit. The show was so money! I was down at ground zero, and got a little crushed up against the front railing.

I honestly never would have guessed that I would ever get to see these guys in concert. I was like whoa the whole time!

So Wha cha wa cha want!

Me sucky-sucky, 5 dolla make you ROFL!

This one's for Phil

Dear Phil,
The other day I went to Chicago. It was cool. I did some stuff while I was there - but nothing particularly note worthy. Then I came home.

Thanks for reading,
R

Windy City, What?

Even though the summer days of braiding daisies into your pigtails and dancing barefoot down Main Street are ending. Last (wait, week before last) weekend was beautiful in Chi-town. That’s the answer to the last installment of Dude Where Am I – fuckin Chicago bitches. See the Sears Tower in the back ground?

I’ve been trying to think of a good way to tell the story of my crazy and fun filled weekend in Chicago but I’ve been struggling with finding the time to do so (this is so going be a novel) while all my spare time in these proceeding weeks went to much needed recovery and rejuvenation.

The trip started as a first date dare that went something like this:

“Lets go to Finland.”
“What right now?” I said. “No way. What about Canada, I haven’t been to Toronto yet.”
“Oh I don’t have my birth certificate to get across the boarder.”
“Ha! Good luck with Finland!”
“Ok well then what about Chicago, let’s go to Chicago right now.”
“Now, now?”
“Yeah.”
“Alright.”

So we got in the car and drove to Chicago. At five in the morning. Still a little drunk after an all nighter of awesomely random conversation. Before even sharing a first kiss. Spontaneously, on our first date.

Some where around Grand Rapids, Michigan, half way there, First Date (FD) turned to me and asked, are we really going to Chicago right now? “I mean like, we can turn around if you want.” I thought about it for all of two seconds and replied, “We are soooo committed to Chicago right now. There’s no turning back” I wondered if she even liked me. At eight in the morning. Dead sober and getting sleepy. Before even sharing a first kiss. Spontaneously, on our first date.

We rolled into down town and got a room at the first hotel we saw. The Hilton of Chicago, as it turns out was the largest hotel in the world when built, and still remains in the top 10. Our room was on the sixth floor, the first set of keys we were issued mysteriously demagnetized them selves in the elevator so we had to go back down and get them recoded. Strangely, hommie at the front desk insisted it was our fault for putting the keys in FD’s purse – which had “millions of things that could have demagnetized these keys. Does it have a magnetic clasp? That’ll do it, yes. Your cell phone has like eight magnets in it, one for the earpiece, one fore the speaker phone, you know. You should also be careful keeping credit cards in that purse of yours. There, you’re all set.”

Too tired to argue the point, and frankly just blown away by the absurdity and non-comprehendible quickness of these statements, FD and I took the new keys and crashed almost immediately. We slept till late afternoon. Now well refreshed. In Chicago. Before even sharing a first kiss. Spontaneously, on our first date.

We decided to get some dinner and then take a walk along the water front. Which was super cool – saw all kinds of awesome stuff. We must have walked a good 3 miles before we took a brake on a bench over looking the pier. Then I totally kissed her. It was awesome. We finished off the night making our way back towards the hotel, stopping at several bars along the way.

One bar in particular stands out in my memory. This was funny. It was a champagne bar, they specialized in a world of champagnes and fine wines. I saw something on the list that looked really good – a dry, higly-oaked, Chardonnay. FD ordered a cosmo, which was too strong and was replaced by a champagne cocktail. The bar tender and I got to talking while FD was in the bathroom.

“I can not place your accent, where are you from?” he asks me.
“… New Mexico” I didn’t realize I had an accent, especially one a German bartender would notice.
“Ahh, ye! New Mexico.” Giving me the thumbs up. “Brute. Very nice.” Brute is made in New Mexico if you didn’t know.

We exchanged names, chatted it up a little more about new mex wines and then I got to telling him what I thought of the chardonnay I’d had. I told him it would make a really good eveyday wine – something non-intrusive that goes with anything and would never offend (basic wino bullshit). The German is nodding his head vigorously agreeing. “Yes. Yes. Exactly. The owner selected this wine for the list for that exact reason.” What ever. It’s two in the morning. We’re having a great time, back on the streets of Chicago. Two miles away from the hotel. We took a taxi back to the hotel.

I’ve left out a bunch. Stay tuned for Chi-Town Volume2: The Art Museum. Good times in Chicago, seriously good times.

Dude, Where Am I? (version 3.0)

Frank The Seal

Phil sent me this link. So I made a seal, I call it "Frank the Seal."

This is in conjunction with a letter that my Dad wrote to Rolling Stone Magazine. I think it's a good letter, it spotlights my Dad's unhuman ear for music (the way noone else I know can hear it) and brings up a good point; I can read all about Jessica Simpsons failing music carrer at the supper market cashier line - there's no need for it RS. Here's his letter:

A Reader's Zappa plays Zappa in Albuquerque Concert Review to Rolling Stone

Dear David,
I always enjoy your writing and taste for the obscure or not so mainstream music articles. Last night I went to see Zappa plays Zappa and I really think it would be worth checking out and expose a new genaration(s) to this amazing tour. All I can say is that I was as floored as with any of Frank's concerts I ever saw.

He would have been proud of Dweezil given the fact that except for one special guest, the legendary Ray White, all the musicians were new to the scene and most seemed in their 20's or early 30's with only the second guitar looking older. All of them phenomenal. Given the enormous task to pull this off, it was not about Dweezil but about the music. He's a superb guitar player (Frank+ Vai+ Restrain= Dweezil), an effective bandleader (mutual respect and love in the band radiates from the stage) and close with the audience.

Even Frank himself was present a few times with the aid of old video footage and tight coordination, the band was playing back-up, with Frank playing and singing, including a guitar duet, Dweezil/ Frank. The concert lasted almost 3 hours spanning from the well known to the early stuff, Absolutly free to one from Jazz from hell. When given the chance, the mixed aged audience gave a loud standing ovation each time, normally saved to demand an encore.

So I ask, can you spare some Rolling Stone space?

Thanks for your time,
William Rotsaert

Note: I'm not affiliated with anything related to the Zappas, only my ears are.

A few things

1. Whos the Techie that coined "three red lights of death"? I'm going to kill them. On a side note; Dan, I blam you for these three red lights.


2. The Corrado is in pieces for a major revamp after the head gasket blew. Here's my turbo next to a Chevy Impala - man its big (thats what she said) (the turbo, not the Impala).

"Uggggghhhhhh, not guilty."

While in Municipal Traffic Court dealing with a minute traffic citation (operating a vehicle in the state of Michigan as a Michigan resident with New Mexico plates) I shared the company of, dare I say – some pretty sketch homies.

Best of all was the guy in front of me, an older man somewhere around the age of 40. He was wearing a well worn tan colored suit coat over a greasy dark blue button up shirt, with tattered and lightly stained blue jeans that came down just over of his tan leather work boots. His gray hair was parted neatly to the side – in stark contrast to a scruffy mid-length beard. Think Hobo with Combed Hair (HCH).

When called to the bench the Judge asked HCH:

“You’ve been cited for urinating on an officer, how do you plead?”

How the hell does one even begin to go about urinating on an officer, let alone getting close enough with your pants down? HCH paused, clearly thinking hard about what his plea would be.

“Ugh, guilty.”

The Judge leaned in a little closer.

“You realize that if you plead guilty you will be taken to jail? Also, you realize that Officer [average last name] is not present to defend this unusual citation.”

To which HCH (this was awesome) said:

“Uggggghhhhhh, not guilty.”

“Dismissed.”

I was less lucky, just over a hundred dollar fine. Ouch. I should have pleaded uggggghhhhhhh not guilty!

A Word about Michigan Drivers

As an outsider, unaccustomed to the driving habits of my new state, I have a few observations. I’m constantly in shock when it comes to my interaction with other drivers. Michiganders like it fast, impatient, and fast.

In Michigan there’s no such thing as partial throttle off the line at an intersection. It’s balls out or get out of the way. I’ve been passed in the median, on the shoulder (you name it) before I can even make it through the intersection – only because I babied it a little off the line. I love fuckin with people though – I’ll take off a little slowly and then accelerate in front of them before they can get all the way around me (median, shoulder, or otherwise). “Opps, sorry didn’t see you there trying to get around me while I negotiate the death holes (aka pot holes).”

In Michigan, every one drives in excess of the posted speed limit some times doubling or even tripling it. Grandma in the Buick has more donkeys packed in her trunk than she has grandkids – and you thought you hauled ass. I’d have no problem with this (I love a good top speed run on the way to work in the morning) except for the fact that Grandma and company know they’re haulin, so they all line up behind each other in the left lane, bumper to bumper, slowing them selves down, and leaving the right lane empty except for me and a few others (probably also from out of state). It’s a cluster fuck if anyone from the right lane thinks they might try their hand at moving into the left lane to pass a slower moving truck or delivery vehicle.

In Michigan, freeway driving is the opposite of California. Instead of speed up, on the cell phone, brake hard, complete stop, speed up; it’s more like speed up, try to instigate a race with the car next to you, no brakes, squeeze in to a hole in the lane next to you, speed up.

As an outsider, unaccustomed to the driving habits of my new state, I vow to pick up as little of these bad habits as I have to so as not to cause an accident.

When hidden camera goes wrong (In het Nederlands)

Even if you dont understand it, try to sit through it. WOW.



[there might be a loose traslation/summry here at a later time, drunky, time to bed.]

Cloned: The multi-vitamin, multi-blog, multi-grain, multi-twenty-something post

I was going to blog something about Volkswagens or more about my recent sobriety induced insomnia, but I know how that gets boring. So today I’ve organized a group effort – to one up some lame totally PC story about a [skinny twenty-something] with a gym problem. Best of all, you have the option of reading the truth of what happened at the gym, or the not so truth (below). It works out in the end because I’ve been looking for a good excuse to post this picture. Fish heads, fish heads, floppy floppy fish heads.


Our hero goes to the gym a lot, he has to. On the days Shorty doesn’t go he breaks out in a full body rash, followed by mild constipation and a sever drug induced euphoria brought on by the medication he takes to help get rid of the pre-mentioned rash (wow, he’s going to kill me when he reads this). At any rate, he has his routine down path. It’s like mad organized and shit by which day of the week it is. You could say, Shorty knows his way around the gym.

Enter [skinny twenty-something] a sweaty (from playing badminton), fish like creature – new to the gym and uneducated in proper gym etiquette. Like his fishy ancestors [skinny twenty-something] learns best by example. Basically as Shorty did [skinny twenty-something] followed, minus the weight and +bad form, ++flailing limbs, +++sweaty residue on the equipment. In fact [skinny twenty-something] idealized our hero so much that he followed him around the gym, repeating each exercise just as he’d observed it done previously; like white on rice, like dead on Elvis, like a ho in a trailer park, like shit on stink… excreta ( +++sweaty residue). Think wet floppy fish heads, on exercise equipment (gross, huh?).

In observing his recent follower (hommie couldn't help but notice he was being followed) he decided to make it harder to follow him. He’d adjust the equipment to its hardest setting and maxed out on weight to send his admirer into a world of struggle and unwillingness to return to the gym, any gym, ever again.

When that didn’t work, our hero just stood by and watched [skinny twenty-something] flap about. Moments later Grimmis and the Fry Guys joined Shorty on their day off from chasing the Hamburgler around the bush, to point and laugh as [skinny twenty-something] choked himself under a barbell.

I Saw That Show Yesterday

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, which in it self isn’t normally a bad thing, but lately I think it might be more bad than okay. What I mean to say is that all this recent thinking is different from my normal thinking. I think it’s been keeping me awake at night, but it’s hard to say for sure because the dreams I have now seem so real, but then they are dreams, so maybe I am sleeping, but it doesn’t feel like it, because, you know, like I said it seems too real, the people in the dreams that is, they’re the ones that seem real. That and I have an abnormally conscious ability to make decisions in these dreams where never before did I have any effect towards my own dream-plot-development.

Dreams are weird, I never used to have them, or if I did I don’t remember having them. The ones I do remember having had all already happened, like “oh I saw a TV show yesterday.” These new dreams are more like “I’m watching this TV show right now.” Old dreams didn’t always have me in them and if they did I always saw myself romping around as a deaf-mute, third person. New dreams always star Raven, and most times it’s me (first person) with the dialog/monolog – and the people are cheering!

Consequently this recent thinking is way less productive in my normal routine. At work I find my self making sketches and imaging what (this one happened this morning) I would look like with no hair. Yesterday I spent twenty minutes (it had to of been at least that long) yelling in my head to my self about how much I hate Michigan Lefts. Fucking Michigan Lefts, man. You know there’s a state published website dedicated to the history and functionality of said turning methodology. And sure, okay, fine, traffic probably flows better now… according to the web site it does. Who ever came up with that shit … according to the website it was a group effort Joseph Hobrla, and Joseph Marlow, cerca 1960 – anyway, what were they thinking! A u-turn to make a left, right lane to make a left, only on some intersections, others you can still make a traditional left, some times left lane, sometime you can even get turned around enough to where you don’t remember making a u-turn but you know you must have because you’re traveling southbound (or are you?), it’s just confusing. The signage is awesome though, Dan would have a field day taking pictures of this shit.

Last night I was a life guard on a beach, hard core bay watch styles, but instead of bouncing boobs and David Hasselhoff, there I was talking to Francisco about video games (“Did you hear they’re making a new Zelda game?” “Yes, I think so, it’s got zombies in it now.” “That’s right.”), while we watched the creepy possessed girl from The Exorcist drowning in the ocean (arms flailing about, her nappy black hair getting in her face, screaming (but off in the distance screaming, not the kind that’s concerning)). After that, I dreamed about Japanese tourists ("one more picture, please") and naked girls ("I'd eat soup off of that"). I dont feel well rested at all, but it was awesome.

..ummm, thanks Dan

Dan gifted me a car online. This thing is CLASSY! Thanks Dan - but be ready for a return gift.

UPDATE: this is the roof.

Torn up, Part 2

milkman said...
"Bajaja.
Oh BTW--I picked up an XBox Live Gold subscription. Online in 20 minutes? I'm tore up on wine."

You and me both brother!

Tonight I solute the good people of Bourgogne. They sure make a good wine.

Track day at Gingerman Raceway

I have two fullsized posters of the .:R GTI hanging in my living room. I love this car. Imagine my surprise when I showed up at the track day this morning and saw this!!!


I love Michigan...

Torn up

I tore apart the Rabbit's dash today. Why you might ask - why for a super stealth sirius radio install of course!

Now I have Sirius in the Corrado, the Rabbit, in the house (boom box thing), .. and really I have it at work to because I can stream it online!

Lower Rabbit & Cleaner Corrado

Just a bit of a photo update, I've had the Rabbit for almost a month now and I'm slowly finding out all kinds of neat stuff about it. For example, it's an '07 (but its a late model '07) and it has all the new interior features schedualed for '08. These include a different cruise control stock, "AC" written on the AC button instead of "ECON", cloth in the map compartments instead of rubber, and "optimal" (further apart) pedal spacing between the go/stop pedals.

Newly installed (before I even made the first payment) are clear side markers and H&R sport springs.


Having the Rabbit gives me the chance to take on longer more involving projects with the Corrado (prolonging them over a day or two as neccessary to keep up with my busy drinking and video game playing schedual). Here it is after a full buffing/resurfacing and wax:


I'll learn to take decent photos some day, I promise.

Boarder line out of the ordinary... maybe

While in the airport I bought a book form one of the terminal kiosks. My choices were limited to the new Steven King (only available in hard back, with the outer dimensions of a calculus text book), various romance novels with people hugging and/or ponies on the cover, science fiction aliens, history of World War 2, and a NY Times best seller by an author I haven’t heard of titled The Accidental – with an intriguing picture of a girl holding a video camera on the cover. I needed something to read during my nine hour lay-over and The Accidental seemed to be my best bet.

Now having finished the book (it really was quite good), I’m thinking I need to read more books outside of my usual domain; that being action, murder mystery, eastern thought, religious philosophy types.

I picked up a new book from Boarders titled Middlesex. It caught my attention because it had an s – e – x in the title. It looks to be another best seller and I’m really excited to get started with it. Check out the Time’s review, My Big Fat Greek Gender Identity Crisis, the book definitely has some potential on the out of the ordinary front.

Just in case I it gets a little too out side of my comfort zone I also picked up The Te of Piglet (which I’ve been meaning to read for some time now), the sequel to The Tao of Pooh (which I would highly recommend).

… and because it’s my blog, and I can do what ever I want here, here is an excerpt from The Tao of Pooh:

"Just How do you do it, Pooh?"
"Do What?" asked Pooh.
"Become so Effortless."
"I don't do much of anything," he said.
"But all those things of yours get done."
"They just sort of happen," he said"

And one more (from the cover) just for good measure:

"While Eeyore frets ...
... and Piglet hesitates
... and Rabbit calculates
... and Owl pontificates
...Pooh just is."

Corporate “Seat-Savers”

My cubical walls are covered with post cards sent to me by my parents from their last visit to Colorado – one for every day they were there. These photos of mountain tops, ski areas, valleys, lakes, and narrow mountain roads take up the majority of my wall space. Also adorning my daily view is a trail map of the Mt Hood ski area, some pictures of old rusted pickup trucks set out in a field, an SCCA sticker (vintage 2002, circa my old Rabbit GTI racing days), and my “Corrado Classics 2007” calendar.

This is different from other cubicles/offices in the building, which typically include a poster of a Corvette and/or a 2-d wire drawing of a prototype part. The only thing my desk has in common with the others (and this is only recently) is a box filled with used diesel fuel soaked engine parts.

I purposely made the decision to decorate my cube so that it would appear occupied. I’m still the new guy here, with out a name plate, and when I pack up the lappy to go home at the end of the day the cube is essentially empty and appears un-occupied. This is a fast growing group that I’m in. Heck, Other New Guy (ONG) and I were two out of eight new hires that started June 1st. Thus by hanging things on the wall I’ve effectively made my claim in corporate “seat-savers.” This seat is taken, bitch!

ONG has not done this. His cube looks completely unoccupied when he’s out of the office. Today he was off for jury duty and I had someone ask me if this cube (his cube) was free. They asked in a way that didn’t make any sense though and it wasn’t until they’d left that I realized what the question was. So I’m guessing my response of, “uhhh, yeah” might not have been in ONG’s advantage. On a positive note it certainly would add some entertainment to his work day (he was complaining about being bored earlier this week) if he returns to find another new guy sitting in his cube. If you look at it that way – I’ve inadvertently done him a favor. You’re welcome ONG.

All is right in the world again

Dude's windows are finally working again!

Hellish Swamp Conditions

Sometime after Justin left on Sunday the mercury started rising; fuckin 92 degrees outside right now, with little relief at night. It wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t 43% relative humidity.

So I’ve been lake-back/swamp-mustache all hard core these last two days. It sucks.

What the french, Toast?

Justin is a lost ass motha fucka

This is is current route. the balloons marked with a pause symbol indicate his position when he called me for directional help.

Jake Shimabukuro

This is AMAZING!

The Fleet

I got the Corrado back today from the shop. This is the first time the two cars are together. Holy 4x4 Rabbit compaired to the Corrado!

The New Rabbit Pic Post

A letter to the editor

Raven,

We are very happy for you with your new rabbit!
We wish you many days, years of great driving fun.
Enjoy! Be safe! No farting in the new seats!

Let her rip!

I know it's a "she", she'll take care of you.
The rabbit and the corrado will be a good match for you.

Mama, Papa

I am Mike Fox Volkswagens New Best Customer

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. There’s always another side to any story. The grass is greener on the other side. Star fish have no brains. Don’t operate heavy machinery after use. Here now is the story(s) about how I became Mike Fox Volkswagens new best customer.


Life is too Short for This Shit (part 1 of 3)
After some previous trouble the day before my car broke down in front of a Volkswagen dealership. I didn’t pay to have it towed. I left it to get fixed at the dealership. I did not call a taxi or accept their offer for the free shuttle. I bought a new car. I drove it home. I am Mike Fox Volkswagens new best customer.

A Day in the Life (part 2 of 3)
I was driving through Road Kill Country yesterday when the Corrado broke down for the first time. The car lost all power and I pulled off the highway when I came to a stop on the shoulder. I thought nothing of it at first. No big deal I said to my self, just a boost tube come undone. Inspection yielded the opposite, it wasn’t a boost tube come undone. Weird, I thought. Next I thought I’d try to start the car. Vroom, it said, starting right away. That was a relief.

Skeptical and mindful of what had just happened I proceeded through RKC, dodging venison and also minding the thickly wooded shoulder for suicidal Bambi.

Ninety-nine-point-six miles from home the car died for the second time; same symptoms. Once again, it wasn’t just a silicone coupling and hose clamp kind of fix. This time the car refused to start, and I thought, fuck even if I do get this thing started what’s to say it wont die again, and what’s to say it wont happen in a more formidable neighborhood. A quick call to Triple-A and the car was on the back of a flat bed - well within the allotted one-hundred-mile free towing coverage that my membership affords.

When we got home and parked safely back in the garage, I had the awesome suspicion that that it would start. Sure enough, no problems. How frustrating indeed. This morning it even made it to work, no problems.

This afternoon I knew I was going to have problems getting anywhere on this all time record braking high ninety-eight-degree day. Regardless, despite my better judgment I ventured a few extra miles from home to Mike Fox Volkswagen, located less than three city blocks from VWoA headquarters.

In the median, about to make a left hand turn into the dealership, the car died. I tried a few things to get it to start, including but not limited to popping the hood and using numerous variations of the word Fuck. Seriously, Fuck!

I walked into the dealership dripping in sweat and explained to the guy at the front desk that, “My Volkswagen is broke down in the median right outside!” Never before has a dealership reacted so quickly to my requests. They had a guy in the shuttle car (a Eurovan) with a tow strap out there in seconds. Once again safe, the Corrado found itself in the garage of Mike Fox Volkswagen. I explained that it was most likely the fuel pump or the fuel pump relay; they concurred and agreed to take a look at it. I got an offer for a ride home from a tech, just ending his shift that I’d met at Motorstad. I declined and, now at my destination, I proceeded to conduct business as was the original intent. I said to my self, “Self, I think we should still look into a new Rabbit.”

I wanted a 5-speed, 2-door, silver Rabbit. I was sold on a 4-door silver Rabbit. I went for the 4-door mostly because of the side molding – like the GTI the side molding on the 4-door model is body colored, not black textured plastic. Also it turns out that the four door is more aptly equipped with such creature comforts as heated/power seats and an mp3/CD player. We went on a test drive and I was sold.

We then sat down and talked over financing and monthly payment options. I gave the go ahead, “lets do it,” I said. And the next thing I knew I was waiting while my new Rabbit was detailed and topped off with petrol. I am Mike Fox Volkswagens new best customer.

There is No God, Only Corrado (part 3 of 3)
It was a normal day for him, his short tracked mind was racing, he could have every thought in his mind all at once, his upgraded electronics saw to that. “I’m tiered. I’m thirsty. Ouch, a bug – right in my headlight. What is up with this cheap 91 octane, why cant I have 93? Can we please pass this mini van now? Stupid old people – can’t drive. This high way is boring? When do we get to the twisties? How about a top speed run? My wheels hurt. Let’s race this Audi!”

He’d been getting great gas mileage the entire way back, he was proud that he was not like the other cars on the road. “Thirty-six em-pee-gee’s bitches” he said as he passed a slow moving group of cars. It was then that he got to thinking, he was tiered of his state of disrepair. “I’m the coolest car on the road, and I’m not going anywhere until my windows get fixed”, he said, cutting out the power.

Now on the side of the road, he observed his best friend and compatriot frantically fumbling with a screw driver, attempting to fix a non-existent boost leak. “Bless his heart, but that guy sure is dumb if he’d just fix my windows already I wouldn’t have to resort to this.” The Corrado was rivaling is the success of his protest when the man started to beg, “Please Corrado, we’re so far away from home, it’ll cost a fortune to get a tow from all the way out here.”

The Corrado thought about it for a while, he came to the conclusion that money spent on a tow truck would be money that could go to repairing his windows. And so he decided that it would be alright if they continued, but only if his windows were fixed.

After a long conversation with a dragon fly that had become pinned to his front license plate Corrado decided he deserved better. The dragon fly got to fly free any time he wanted, the dragon fly got to race other dragon flies across the lake any time he wanted, the dragon fly was living a better life than he was. “I want my windows fixed, and a new fuel pump!” He said out loud as he once again cut power in his engine, just as they became within one-hundred miles of their new home. This time he was not going to budge. “Call Triple-A, I’m not going another inch tonight.”

The next morning Raven came into his garage, he was dressed for work and began to explain how important it was for him to make it to work. “Alright, I’ll let you have this one, you probably do need to go to work, we’ll get you there” he said. “But don’t forget; the windows and a new fuel pump.”

During the day, parked outside in the hot sun in a field of crazy Americans and an obnoxious Korean mini van who thought it was funny to sound her alarm every 10 minutes, the Corrado decided he wanted a girl friend, “a nice German girl maybe, someone he could relate to.” So when Raven came out after work, instead of taking him home he darted straight to the nearest Volkswagen lot he didn’t need a map – he just followed his instinct.

As the two neared the lot he formulated a plan to insure he got his way. Once again, just as they were sitting in the median, about to make a left turn into the Volkswagen lot, he killed power to the engine and sat there – refusing to go anywhere until he had his windows fixed, a new fuel pump, and a nice German girl.

The Corrado got what he wanted (she’s a sexy beast) and I am Mike Fox Volkswagens new best customer.

photo updates, some new and some old(er), but not necessarily in that order

Leif and I in St Lewis, at the arch:


If my intercooler had arms and legs and could walk around wearing a baseball cap, this is probably what it would look like:


Here's a picture of the Corrado at my parents house the morning before we left for Michigan:


Familly Rotsaert:


... and two tall goofies (me and em):


Brother's Rotsaert standing in the rain at Indy:


The Corrado in Canada with the downtown Detroit skyline in the back ground:


The Corrado's new home... at night:


A car that needs no introduction, I was like whoa:


v-dub porn:


pure sex:


The R8 again, the day after the above pic - parked next to some '08 TT's:


My house during the day time, it sits on 5 acres:


There's a shuffle board court in the basement!!!


This pic was taken some where out in the middle of the back yard, looking at the back side of the house:


There's all kinds of interesting vegitation growing wild in my back yard. Some wild asparagus:


... and even some wild tomato plants: