Day One

Hello.

This is me decompressing from my first day of college.

Read on, if you feel so inclined.

I tried to make it somewhat readable, but no promises. =]

Breakfast

- Frosted Mini Spooners

These are the off-brand version of the popular Kellog's Frosted Mini Wheat. I find them 80% as satisfying for 60% of the price. It's a fair trade off. Of note: I use 2% lactose-free milk, more on what happens if I don't later.

- Maxwell House Dark Roast Coffee

It's cheap, comes in a blue container, and my grandparents drink it. Obviously, this is the choice for the modern college student. Especially its blue characteristics. Of note: I use International Delight French Vanilla creamer, about a 70/30 coffee/creamer mixture. Black coffee is a facet of grandparent living that I am simply unwilling to transition to the college experience. I want to live cheap, but not that cheap.

Morning

- General Chemistry for Engineers

My professor wrote the textbook, and made 3 references to said fact within 15 minutes. Other than a little pride, which is healthy, he seems promising. Fingers crossed.

- Engineering Math III (aka Calculus III)

We started almost immediately with three-dimensional planes, things like find the distance between two points in 3D space as well as 3D vectors. I've run into some of this before, in AP Physics C, but a lot of the material was new. I was one of the few freshman in the class--I skipped a full year of Calculus because of the AP Calculus BC test--so it will be interesting to see how I do. I'll do my best.

That brings me to an aside: pressure. Not force over area, not physics, just, pressure. On me. Assumptions. There's a reason the first three letters of "assumption" spell "ass". Because in order to make an assumption you must first be an ass. I know this from making many assumptions, and seeing the responses they ignite. Ergo, allow me to act wise here. Please.

Anyway. A lot of people seem to think I'm smart--cool, nice, I appreciate it. But don't call me a genius, please. I know it's sort of complementary, but it's also sort of a misnomer. I don't just "get" stuff. I have to work for it. I do what I do in school because I disappear for a while. Because I give up basic social interaction, because I give up being able to talk and have a good time. To call me a genius is to say that I don't need to be a reclusive bastard, and that makes me mad. Because I do have to be one. I don't like it, but I do.

My goal this year is to balance some things out, so that I don't have to be a jerk. I'm tired of it, quite simply. Have I been doing a good job? You tell me. But I don't want to be cocky, I want to be approachable. Not an open book, that's a bad way to be, but a book that doesn't bite back like that one in Harry Potter.

I need to talk sometimes, and the internet seems weird, but feels good. I don't like to talk this much in person. It is a lot of time talking about oneself, which, in the company of others, is rude. Which I'm trying to get away from. Or maybe I'm wrong about that. Shrug.

Lunch

- Sbisa Dining Hall

I had some pizza, I think it was sausage-pepperoni. It was good. And a Diet Dr Pepper. Bad habits die hard. Let me give up some more critical stuff before I give up my caffeine, haha. Of note: I saw that Sbisa serves cereal during lunch. Of course I needed some of that. Got some Fruit Loops. Issue: no lactose free milk. I said whatever... now my stomach hurts. Or, it did. Then there were these really weird noises and the pain went away. And now my room smells. At least it was all audial/nasal feedback. Could be worse?

Afternoon

- State & Local Government

The professor was really funny! Rude! But funny! So that was fun. I'm glad to have at least one entertaining professor. As far as the class goes, it seems like it won't be too bad. Some reading, but at least there is no final. :)

If you read carefully, you'd have seen I only went to three classes today. That's because I have two labs on Monday, but they were both not scheduled today, thankfully.

After class I went over to Ben House's dorm, read a chapter of the chemistry book, and helped him a little with his calculus homework. Then we went for a bike ride, and randomly met up with Matt Johnson. So he joined in, we rode around some more, then locked up the bikes to play pool at the Commons.

I played one game--and then realized--I'm exhausted.

It's been a long week, leading up to this.

I'm exhausted.

So I went back to the dorm, took a shower, and ate.

Dinner

- Hormel Ready-to-Eat Salisbury Steak/Potatoes

This was actually pretty good. It's not frozen, it just comes in a tub. Slit the lid, nuke it for a minute and a half, good to go. I had the swedish meatballs one the other day for lunch, it was really good. I think these have Ramen beat.. but they do cost a lot more.

- Easy Mac

I haven't had this for probably five years. It's not really very good. Probably won't buy any more. I dunno why, but it's just not very satisfying.

- Cherry Pop Tarts

Dessert. Only the finest. And yes, Mom, I did have Pop Tarts for dinner. Deal with it!

Night

I am. Extremely. Tired.

You can probably tell, because this Note is pretty boring.

I'm sorry if you read it all.

To make up for it, I'll give you a quick laugh.

HOWDY!

I'M DAVID KLINE, AND I'M THE LOUDEST AND PROUDEST MEMBER OF THE FIGHTIN' TEXAS AGGIES' CLASS OF 2013!!!!

AAAAAA!!!!




Err... yeah.

I sit & rot

I'm sipping decaf. I've come full circle.

I started drinking coffee for the caffeine. Not because I wanted to start caffeine--because I already had, and a Mountain Dew in the morning as I was so accustomed began to seem uncivilized, despite its dew premise and such a fitting connotation. Got tired of the fizz.

That leaves tea, or coffee. Considering the country I live in, tea would be daft.

In the morning, I tip the Nestlé French Vanilla creamer bottle into a Harry Potter mug, dump in the ambiguously South American coffee, and relish in the United States' inability to accept certain, let's say, facets, of world culture. We take the Harry Potter, but not the tea. We take the Brazilian ethanol concept, but apply it to a country that has no such infrastructure. We take the "French" food, but not the politics. I once said "Renault" in the presence of others of similar age; drool production had to triple to account for seeping losses. French cars, it seems, were more tea than Harry Potter.

Caffeine and cars, David. Good work.

My only goal this summer was to watch every episode of British motoring program Top Gear. I can now say, I have seen all 112 episodes. They run an hour long each. Four and two-thirds days of my life are now locked in to that show--and to the British version of English. I figure I watch it fifty percent for the cars, twenty-five percent for the rants of Jeremy Clarkson (look him up, he's my hero), and the final twenty-five percent for British English. The way they speak is so different from United States' English. I find it fascinating.

If you want examples of British English, use Google. Look up "chuffed". (It sounds worse than it is.)

Continuing the theme of passivity, I finally played, and beat, the campaign mode in Epic Games' Gears of War 2. The video game was released November of '08. I'm a little "late" on that one, then. My brother must have had it finished in days, where I took months. I have spoken with others about this; they all say, "About time!" Well, let me talk a little bit about time.

Until now (as in this last week) I haven't had time to play that game. I literally haven't. During the autumn, winter, and spring I was working 14 hours a week, going to high school, and studying. People always ask why we have textbooks--it's just so I can read them, that's it. They're for me. Yeah. So I was busy.

I'm not trying to sound pompous, I assure you. I simply find time a strange concept. Six months wait for a video game is entirely reasonable for a person like me. I like to do things. Get my hands dirty, whether it be in the abstract or the practical. Calculus for breakfast and engine rebuild for dinner. (Usually skip lunch, time is of the essence.) To sit and rot (aha!) in front of a television screen clutching a white, Microsoft controller--that is characteristically un-me. I could be doing something seemingly more productive.

But in my mind, November 2008 was yesterday. It wasn't like I was sitting in a darkened room for eight months, going, "Can I play it yet? Can I play it yet?", but more like I was in a semi-lit room for eight months, room being faintly illuminated due to the fact I was on fire, screaming "Stop! Drop! Roll!", and bouncing off the walls. It went by with little regard to gaming. It's a messy metaphor, I know. But the simple fact of the matter is that those eight months went by like a second. I couldn't have possibly played Gears of War any sooner.

But did those months really go by in "like a second"?

Time is a silly animal.

I always laugh at people that say something went by really fast--e.g. high school. College. "Enjoy it," they say, "because it will go by faster than you think." I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say "NO" to that. Hear me out.

Everything always seems fast or easy after you've done it. Man climbs Everest. Takes months of planning and training; it is dangerous and expensive. Gets back to the office the next week--"So how was it? Was it hard?" someone invariably asks. "Oh, it was great! I'd do it again!" he replies.

Well, shit.

It wasn't easy when he was planning it. It wasn't easy when he almost died of *insert applicable hazard*. It wasn't easy, ever. It took a lot of hard work to climb Everest. It was a serious undertaking in every imaginable way--but something about human nature makes us incredibly, stupidly proud of our achievements--so the man leaves the office that night, having convinced the middle-aged secretary that, he too, could scale Everest. "It was easy," after all.

I consider this trait akin to sex, in that it can have untimely consequences, but is ultimately necessary for the survival of humankind as a whole. For everyone who dies of AIDS, some staggering statistic of children are born in yuppyville and grow up to inhabit law offices and hospitals. And similarly, for everyone who overestimates their exploring ability due to post-facto, secondhand bragging and dies hiking, seventeen new galaxies are discovered and named some alphanumeric string. It's just the way the world works.

But back to time and old people. And their stories. I want to say something, before I get to that "In Memoriam" age--nothing goes by fast. We think it does, but it doesn't. Time is a sweet, sweet mistress, that seduces us into thinking that four years of high school just "flew by". Hey buddy, it didn't. Remember sitting in English class watching Hamlet: The Movie for a week straight? Remember Spanish class? Remember Geometry? Tell me that flew by.

We just think it did. It's hereditary.

It's a natural defense mechanism--when our children complain about school, about growing up, about the world--we can tell them not to worry--because it'll "just fly by".

I won't admit that. I'm going to tell my kids life sucks, and Spanish class especially. But heck, the sooner they get it done, the sooner they can tell their kids that it'll fly by.

And then they're even.

240SX

Heading out for the Texas Nissans meet with my brother riding shotgun.

High School

What we did in school today:



Jeez, graduation can't come soon enough.

New Song

I made a new song, it's pretty amusing

www.myspace.com/superjoyluck

It's '10 Feet Away'

My attempt at hip-hop. Laugh at me; I don't care.

But it's out there. Have a listen.

Knock You Down

The future

I can't wait until we start saying "twenty-ten" and "twenty-eleven". I cannot wait.

I'm tired of this "Two thousand and - " bullshit. I want "twenty". I want the future.

I remember like kindergarden, I was confused, they taught us numbers. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. But if it was 1995, then 96, 97, so on, what would happen after 1999? I didn't know. I was confused. Instead of figuring this out, asking, I forgot about it, until 2000. And then I was like, filin' that one between N and P. Y'know, "Ohhhhhhhh."

Now it's like 9 years later and I'm about to graduate high school and shit and I cannot wait for when we start saying twenty-ten.

Because that will be the motherfucking future, ya dig?

I can't wait. I want it to be 2020, like the news show or eyesight test result. But the year dude. The year 2020. Z33s and JZS160s will be like $5 and stuff, and I'll have a real job and family.

And since I was born in 1990 I'll seem ancient to my grandkids in like 2060 or whatever. It'll be rad. "YOU WERE BORN IN THE 1900s?????!?!?" And I'll say, "Yes." And then they'll see my crusty 240SX in the garage and ask me what a turbo is. And I'll hop off my walker and do a big fat burn out with middle finger out the window in the middle of retirement village.

Gonna be epic.

Gotta go do some homework now.

Filter > Add Noise

p.s. yes i took cell phone pics and then made them even grainier in photoshop. why?

because i can.

2009 is about, BECAUSE I CAN.

Getting gas

Making progress towards God-knows-what.

MB Wheels Battle in 17x9.5+15. Wrapped in Sumitomo HTR+ 235/40/17.

Riding on Stance GR+, S14/Z32 5 lug, and Z32 calipers/ebrake.

Car has come a long, long way.

Engine runs great. That pic of it is a bit old, as I've now switched back to the OEM clutch fan since it looks cooler.

Yes, I know.

What have I become.

Good for Business

It was cold out this morning.

Pretty nice. Except we had to scrape the ice off the Land Cruiser's windshield before we could leave for school. And I was frozen: all my jackets are currently at my mom's, leaving me, at my dad's, with nothing but a t-shirt. Living in two houses kinda sucks.

But overall, pretty nice.

I figured out some things today I think. Maybe not. Class started out bad enough; Ms. Fox took a good thirty minutes to get the Chapter 34-36 tests copied and handed out--test wasn't too bad, except the last few, which I presume she covered in class discussion--I probably missed them: I was in ISS for three days and she sent me no notes. But overall, it was like any other test in there: pretty nice.

Mrs. Fasolino moved me to the front in English today, that was the only reason for the switch--the whole spiel about the French exchange students needing space was a sham. She just wanted me up front for disciplinary reasons, OK, fine with me. But it's so obvious: she moved us back one--I was in back, thus I moved to the front--so any group of people who talk in class were essentially held together, just shifted. So I moved to the front.

I noticed something rather funny in Mrs. Bowen's class today: in a somewhat vigorous manner she wrote down the names of people who weren't doing any work--or at least that's what I presumed she was doing. My first-hand source proving something along those lines was Josh Leazenby, who said Mrs. Bowen was upset by the laziness of his class period and was thus taking the offensive. I suppose. Didn't bug me. I do my work. Then I play Tetris on my calculator, which is likely both the nerdiest and suckiest way to play Tetris. On my mobile phone, I can manage a good 500 or so lines before my hands cramp up and the screen gets too small; on the TI it's a struggle to break 50 lines, every damn time. Calculator buttons are just too unresponsive.

I suppose I'm the only one who would care about that kind of shit, whatever. I don't have much else to do in that waste of a class.

I think being in ISS for three days affected my Pre-Cal education, because I've been struggling a bit, more so than usual, to get things. I think I've got it figured, but we'll see tomorrow. I keep making mistakes on stupid algebra; I would've thought I had it solid now. Oh well.

AP Physics B makes me laugh sometimes. I was gone for four class days (ISS = 3, UIL band = 1) and I still managed to make a passing grade on the last test. That makes me think--what did we cover those four days I was gone? Most likely, not much at all. Hmm, that could be a commentary on the quality of our instructor... har har har. I guess we never actually do anything in there but tests. That being said, some of those kids in there talk way too damn much for their own good. So it's not just the instructor.

I probably sound like an elitist snob, but I assure you, I am.

After school, Collin came over and he and Alex and I went on a 13-mile or so bike ride around town. 121 to 190 access road to Wheat Rd to Sparta Rd to Lake Rd to 121 and then home. Fun stuff, I guess. My bike is a complete joke though. 10 year-old mountain bike with a frame size for someone 5'2" or something. Seat is all the way up and it's still a pain. Yeah, not working out. I need a new bike, only decision to make is whether or not to get a full-out road bike or a hybrid, so I can still hit the trails out at Stillhouse and elsewhere. Not really sure what to get.

I feel like taking my car apart again, and redoing it. I guess I get bored. I'm already planning out the next step, just gotta get a job and start saving I guess. Stupid cars. Well, stupid me. Other people don't find endless fascination in stripping their cars down and rebuilding them. They just, well, drive them. So yeah, stupid me.

I don't really get why I'm writing this, just seems like a way to wind things down after a day like today. I've been a little preoccupied lately, so cutting the clutter of the daily nonsense seems to give me some more space to think things out. Feel like I'm writing a damn diary entry, what a joke, hahah.

Yesterday was Mitchell's birthday, so dad, my stepmom, and I went out to visit him in College Station. We went out to lunch at a Japanese restaraunt and did the hibachi thing, where the thick-accented guy makes your food on a grill in front of you and tries to burn you to death with fireball-producing oil. I was the lame kid who ate with a fork, but oh well. I find it ironic I'm one-quarter Japanese and don't know how to use chop-sticks, but I've decided I have no aspirations to act outwardly Japanese. Being a Texan pretty much overrides anything else I think. I really enjoyed the meal, though. It was a lot of fun.

After eating, Mitchell showed us his senior design project in one of the engineering buildings at A&M, which I found interesting. I think it'd be fun to work on the kind of stuff that was floating around his computer engineering lab, but I still remain noncommittal. I honestly have no idea what I want to do.

I've been listening to MSTRKRFT lately, you should check them out on Youtube or their Myspace or something. They've got a pretty interesting sound going, like "almost-music". It's like Justice but even more on the edge. Justice are a better group musically speaking, but there's something appealing about the stripped-down, staticky, vocoder-infused junk flying out of the speakers when MSTRKRFT is spinning. Like the music sucks, but who cares. It sounds fucking rad.

I think I'll end it here.

Overall, it was a pretty nice day. And weekend, for that matter.

Progress smiles on the beholder

Hot Fuzz is amazing. So damn amazing.

Daft Punk is pretty nifty too. I've heard a lot of good things about them over the last year or so... finally decided to get a hold of some of their work. Still working my way through Homework, but so far so good. :)

The 240SX is going well; it has an engine in it now.



It's been in place since November... I just haven't had the time to get it going because of school. The good news is it's Christmas break and I'll have some time to get some quality work in.

Reflections on Sophomore Year, Belton High

Maybe writing this will make me a better person. Or, decrease the likelihood of testicular cancer. Either way, I win.

...

First Period
Mrs. Holmes
Pre-AP Chemistry

This class was irritating. It consisted of Mrs. Holmes saying something, no one listening, and said non-listening people failing the tests. Which, of course, were always over what we had learned four weeks ago and were no longer working on. Then someone would say, "Balls." Or, "That's bullshit." Honestly, what the hell? Then they'd be like, "Oh dear, I have a 63 in this class!! Mrs. Holmes is a shitty teacher! OMG!" Then I said something sarcastic and no one cared. It was brutal.

Second Period
Mrs. Kaufman
BCIS I

This class was easy. I didn't do anything but log on to Texas Nissans, Zilvia, and Ziptied. That and Tetris. I always got the feeling Kaufman was trying to 'cut a deal' with us, the class. I guess that's what coaches do. But she was a cheerleading coach...? Maybe those girls have it hard after all. Hope they don't lose, then they'll need a new coach. Oh wait. Nobody cares about cheerleading. Let's go hire a new football coach instead. Pwned.

Third Period
Mr. Killingsworth
Concert Band

Y'know, I like concert band. I get a chance to do nothing and have the honor of being in the Marching 100. OMG!

Fourth Period
Mrs. Ramirez
Pre-AP English II

This class was a challenge, because I had the task of trying to maintain the same level of sarcastic bitchiness throughout a full 180+ days of school. But I did it. :] When we actually did work, it wasn't bad, really. Stupid movies were entertaining too. Homies! Mimicking the teacher was cool. I did that for about half the period once. I guess she just thought ignoring me was the best plan of action.

Lunch
Commons/Large Practice Room

We had a table in the commons, but one day we went to sit down and it wasn't there. Fcuk. So we went into the "drumline room," a.k.a. the large practice room. It was always entertaining, and Collin's Gatorade caps created a legend.

Fifth Period
Mrs. MacEntire
Pre-AP Algebra II

I HATE THIS CLASS. All we did was do easy work. Then the fags in the class would whine about shit. LAME.

Sixth Period
Mrs. Brooks
Pre-AP World History

Everyone made this class out to be difficult. It really wasn't. It was enlightening to a certain extent, at least. I liked it when we did discussions, mainly because the irritating kids knew that if they tried to say anything they'd be laughed at. So they shut up. I really hated the presentations, however. I always got stuck with a moron and got an ugly grade. I also never prepared for any of it so I improvised and looked like a fool. Still ended the year with an A though!

Seventh Period
Mrs. Hunter
Spanish II

Sooooooo easy. I never really had to think at all.

...

So my year was irritating but relatively easy. It started out much better than it ended up in many ways but vice versa in some cases. Life is like that.

Anyway, that was a waste of time.

Taking one for the team.

Hah, haven't done this little deal in a while. My official explanation is that I'm busy, but others would have to say I'm pretending to be busy. Hey, it's summer. I get up at one and stare at my car for a while then go right back to sleep. What else is there?



Speaking of that, the CA18 is actually getting rebuilt. The block is off at the machine shop right now. I'm planning on bringing the head in soon. Hopefully the car will be running soon. I'm getting anxious to drive the damn thing. In August, I'll have had the thing for a year. And I've spent more time in the engine bay and underneath than I have in the driver's seat.

The sole exception is when I was installing the brake booster. I spent about an hour laying under the steering column trying to turn a box wrench 1/8 of a turn at a time. Maybe it's time to get some ratching wrenches? Hah, no. That would be far too easy, am I right?

I'm also beginning to question my part choices right now. My car is going to be GAY, hahahaha. Oooh, quiet exhaust! A-pillar guages! Side mount intercooler! Meh. Form over function is just so much more badass. Maybe my shit'll be more ghetto after driving it a while, like it should be. A clean S-chassis is like a V6 Stang--where the hell is the fun in that? Come on!

But I'm ranting. Apologies all around. Maybe when I get shitty fitting aero and an SSAC fmic I'll be cool again. Until then, I'm a gay high school 'tard who plays e-thug.

Represent!

p.s. Sport Max's??!?! THREE INCH LIPPPPPPP

hahahahahahagagagaghahagaah

One good reason for no updates:

Nothing's really changed.

The car is going along fine. We painted the engine bay with Rustoleum, no drama there. Been busy reinstalling all the crap we took out of the thing. Spring break we accomplished a lot of things, but we're still pretty far away. I want to have the car running by May at the latest, so things have to start happening pretty quick now.

School is interesting, to say the least. It'll do I suppose.

David

Quitting's for quitters.

I honestly haven't been up to much lately. Kidding, kidding.

As you all know, the motor is out of the 240SX. I've been squeezing in some work time here and there, but not too much has happened since we pulled the motor.

First off, I removed the CA18DET's exhaust manifold to take a look at the turbo. I had noticed earlier that it appeared to have not been clocked as it should have been. (When running the SR20DET T25 on the CA, the compressor housing must be clocked to clear the exhaust manifold). The guy in Japan who installed it just cut off one of the outlet holes entirely, as you can see here:



And he butchered the hot side outlet:



He also cut up the inlet for the air intake tube. The replacement from the blown turbo is pictured for comparison.



So, I opted to buy a blown turbo for the parts that were damaged and replace them.

The blown turbo:



Last night (Friday) I spent a good two hours making a tool to release the snap ring that holds the compressor portion of the turbo to the center section. Tomorrow, I should be able to release the damn thing and get it apart. The tool I made was originally a crappy pair of needle-nose pliers—I cut off the tips, bent then to make "claws," and then used part of an old bed frame to make extensions for the handles. Now, I didn't have any power tools at my disposal (hack saw FTW) so I'm extremely sore. But worth it? Yes. I did buy a set of snap-ring pliers from O'Reilly Auto earlier this week, but they're too weaksauce to take apart a turbo. :(

Last Saturday, one week ago, I went to Budget Pick-N-Pull in Belton. While at the junkyard I was able to get some good deals.

Uncracked dash (which was a pain to remove)—$15:



Electric radiator fan—$10:



I picked up some other random stuff there too. But all in all, I did well. Now to find some power steering lines and a gauge cluster...

And this is what the CA18DET looks like right now... it's awaiting more parts:



My dad's house also made progress and is looking pretty good:









I've got Solo & Ensemble for band next weekend, which I'm honestly not looking forward to. Ensemble? Check. Solo? Not so check. But we shall see.

Thanks for reading.

The motor is out.

Pictures can be seen here.

240SX Overview

Small changes I suppose.

In case you didn't notice, I changed the title of the site and domain name. I didn't like the name I had before, so I apologize if it was bookmarked and the new name threw you off. I made a few changes to the template; let me know if the fonts are too small or anything like that.

David

+1

Everything seems to be in order for the 240SX, and I leave you with this:



(click image to enlarge)