YEAR IN REVIEW: If 2012 is the end of the world… then let the motherfucka burn…

2011 was a bad year. A bad bad year. Right from the start you can tell it was going to be a painful year.

New Year’s Eve 2010 included standing for 5+ hours for overpriced tickets to go to Marquee Nightclub. If you think the reviews are bad, that night was even worse. Of course you have your standard ridiculous wait time to get in the club and because it’s NYE, the place is absolutely packed to the brim for such a subpar club. This is what the floor looked like that night.

One would hope that the year would get better from that point on but it keep on getting worse. During the summer my Golden Retriever of over 15 years finally succumbed to old age and I had to make the call to put him down.

As if that wasn’t enough the downhill slide continues…

In August my mother was hospitalized due to extreme pain in her back/chest area which was after test was later diagnosed as later stage lung cancer with a giant malignant tumor.

And adding insult to an already seriously injured 2011, I went ahead and tore my frenulum, yes that frenulum.

I think it’s safe to say that this year sucks with epic proportions.

The bright side? I guess it’s over and can hope the shittyness of last year stays with last year.

On that note.

Dear 2011,

you really sucked. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Happy new year

And just like that….

Your entire world is turned upside down.

It happened on a typical day. Everything up to that point was normal and nothing noteworthy was happening . I was running errands and procrastinating like I usually do, and just enjoying a nice summer day. My mother had come home after one of her usual 3-4 day trips to NYC where she gets most of her exercising done from “ballroom” dancing at this dingy and dark dance club(?) on the 5th floor of this dilapidated and well graffitied building along with a bunch of other FJ Chinese retirees. The “club” itself reminds me more of a something out of a horror movie than a ballroom. The room was dark, the floors wooden and the room was lit up by a ghetto looking disco ball and filled with old FJ’s dancing out of rhythm in a counterclockwise direction.

Later that night at home, I was catching up with my old college roommate when my mom entered the room describing extreme pain. More than she ever felt before. I suggested that she go to the emergency room but my mother being the tough person she is, refused and demanded painkillers and tried to sleep it off.  The next day she woke up and thought she had felt better until the pain came crashing back all at once. To the emergency room we go.

She was initially diagnosed with Pneumonia, I had no idea Pneumonia can cause the pain she suffered. God I wish it was Pneumonia.

XRays showed a fairly large growth in her lower right lung. Doctors then retracted their initial diagnosis and my heart sank. Pulmonologist requested a biopsy be performed in order to conclude what this tumor is about. Whether benign or malignant and so forth. After complications from the biopsy caused bleeding into her lung and forced a chest tube to get the fluids out and another week of hospitalization we finally received the results.

Non small cell lung cancer, Adenocarcinoma, stage 3A, spread to lymph nodes. main tumor size measures 9cm x 8.5cm.

FUCK CANCER.

Best iPhone Weather App Yet

I’ve tried many weather apps since becoming a slave to the iPhone back in 2007. Everything from the standard weather app that comes from your phone to Weatherbug, Weather Channel App, HD Weather, and etc. But now the time has come for the best of all of these weather related apps.

“Fahrenheit”

This app cost 99 cents in the app store and not only has a simple yet visually pleasing interface it also includes more details than other good looking weather apps out there. Fahrenheit is what the default app for the iPhone should be.

 

The Calm Before the Storm…

Geico glass department sucks…

So I was driving on I-95 south last week and went over a small bump and *crack* an 8 inch long line from the left side of the windshield appeared right in the middle.  After a bunch of expletives I thought to myself, at least I can use my comprehensive insurance from Geico to replace my windshield. Sure it’s a $250 dollar deductible but you can’t exactly neglect a broken windshield. My family has been driving over 20 years and never once used their comprehensive coverage so might as well give this insurance business a try.

The claims process was as simple as updating your Facebook status so big pluses for the website. Naturally you would assume you can get your windshield replaced at the dealership you purchased your car from. Unfortunately Geico would not honor the stealerships labor rates. Instead only covering labor rates up to $40/hour.  It must be nice to be an insurance company, choosing what you want to cover and charging a lot of money for absolutely nothing, if all goes well of course.

In any case I decided to find a reputable auto glass shop nearby with some solid reviews that can order OEM glass for my car. I mean, sure you can’t cover the full labor rate, but you can at least get me my original part right Geico?

Phone call comes from the glass shop, saying Geico will not approve the original part because my car is 2003??? wtf???

In any case, after a couple of days of calling back and forth it seems my M3 is getting an OEM grade glass put in instead of the actual OEM part, Geico assured me I am getting the exact same glass just one minus the BMW logo on the bottom corner. I can live with that even though dealing with Geico has left a bad taste.

All in all a very disappointing experience with Geico glass after such a awesome beginning, honeymoon over I guess. Their service reps while very polite can’t help me shake the feeling I am getting nickled and dimed. All I know is that Geico would be sad to see us go as customers, we are insurance companies favorites.  Always pay on time and rarely use the coverages.

Awesome gif is awesome…

Personally I would have preferred if Tressel had stayed to get his ass kicked but this gif is too hilarious and well done to not put up, the colors even match!. Credit to LSUfreek

I love my car to death, but when is it time to give it up?

2003 E46 M3 Only 59,000 miles

Current Issues or Repairs needed to be done.

Shocks (Koni Yellows $1000 installed)
Valve Adjustment ($500)
Set of Continental DWS All Seasons ($800)
SMG Upshift Paddle Microswitch Replace ($100)
Rear Trunk Light Replace ($?)
Rear Cabin Bulb Replacement ($?)
Alignment ($100)
Oil Change ($100)
Cracked Windshield ($1234.50, $250 Deductible)
Side Mirrors Replacement ($?)
Stolen Spoiler Replacement ($?)

Replacements already made

Eibach Pro Kit coil springs
TCKline RSMs
Powerflex Rtabs
Lemforder Front Control Arms
Bosch Alternator Replacement
Battery
Ignition Coil Replacement.

All this and it still doesn’t even include the biggest problem I have with this car. The issue of having the transmission overheating during stop and go driving in hot weather. The transmission light would turn on and knock the car out of gear thus making it un-drivable. What’s annoying is that nobody seem to know the definite fix for this issue and seem to be throwing ideas at the wall and hoping something sticks as demonstrated by the M3forum here

Just a disappointing build quality for such a great car. These issues combined with haters in this city breaking in my car through the ridiculously easy to break into keyhole combined with more assholes stealing my rear spoiler of all things just makes me a sad panda.

R.I.P. Buddy…

You were a good dog for 14 years. You will be missed. =(

Date of Death 6/22/11      1:05pm

Random Convo

(12:46:38 AM) Amy Nguyen: hahahahah yeah dude afro painter
(12:46:40 AM) Amy Nguyen: watched him like
(12:46:41 AM) Amy Nguyen: eveyr weekend
(12:46:44 AM) Amy Nguyen: i duno wtf like
(12:46:49 AM) Amy Nguyen: made me so addiced to that show
(12:46:51 AM) Amy Nguyen: hes boring as hell
(12:47:03 AM) me: its the fucking trees man
(12:47:05 AM) me: the fucking trees
(12:47:06 AM) Amy Nguyen: LOL

Peeves – Youtube commenters that feel the need to let everybody know how many people didn’t “liked” the video

Since YouTube introduced this ability to “like” a video I have been noticing a new breed of annoying Youtube comments surfacing. Comments that feel the need to highlight the amount of people that actually “disliked” or thumbs down the video.  For example,

It’s like every damn video I click on, there is always some douchebag that decides to post a comment like this that hates on the haters of the video.  At first the comments would simply be like “38 people are retarded” Now the comments evolve into something a little bit more creative but nonetheless lame like referencing part of the video you just watched and including it in the counterhating comment as illustrated in the above example.

Every. Damn. Video. and people vote these comments up too. Do people actually post it to get their comments voted up?