The Windows 7 Release Candidate coming out next month for the general public showed up in torrent form last week, so as my allergies were getting the best of me and I was doped up on Reactine I thought it’d be a good time to stay in and purge my system of XP for good and go full Win7 on all partitions.

Now I’m sitting pretty with a dual boot (for now) of the Release Candidate and Beta Win7 (which I’ll slowly move over from) till Feb 2010 by which time I’ll have a new machine pre-loaded with the final Win7. The install went without a hitch again, and I’m pleased as punch I’ve got clean partitions with what feels like slick, solid, and robust OS’s on both. My experience the last month or so with the beta has been remarkably un-eventful…it just works-and well.

I’ve been awaiting the Hyundai Genesis Coupe for a year and a half now…(I know, it’s a Hyundai). But every since I sold my Plymouth Laser RS Turbo I’ve missed and looked for a car that would give me the same excitement and bang for buck as a DSM (relatively cheap, robust engine, turbo, coupe). We’ve got a little Subaru so I’ve thought about and like the WRX’s but I guess they just don’t give me that same feeling.

Well the Genesis Coupe does. Finally last week I saw a commercial for one and got giddy like a kid and started yelling “Hon! Hon! Hey look! It’s here! The Genesis Coupe!” and a few days later driving around Coquitlam I saw some tail lights in the distance and, as I wasn’t driving, insisted Amy hit the gas and catch up the car as I was sure it was this new Hyundai. It was and it’s nice. Oh how I want one.

And there’s the rub…I’m not a kid anymore. I can’t justify spending that kind of money on what is essentially a hobby…a toy. I have kids…I can’t be spending great sums of money on coil-overs and low profile tires. If we need a vehicle it’s one with more space – not a turbo or 306 RWD horsepower! I feel silly even wasting thought on such an immature infatuation as a car. Oh, it’s agony.

They must’ve mis-labeled a podcast or something because an Issues Etc podcast from last September popped up on top of my list labeled Sept 2009… Anyway I really like D’Souza. I don’t agree with some of his lines of argument sometimes but he’s a charasmatic fellow and a clear thinker.

Good interview.

Obviously the debate he references with Hitchens already happened. There’s quite a few clips of it on youtube.

Getting on the bus this morning I realize the bus driver has said something to me. I remove my noise canceling earbuds and say ‘Sorry?’. “Sorry I made you work again” she says, making reference to me having to run for this bus and evidently more than once. Split second of panic as I realized I should say something in retort and nothing was coming, so a nervous laugh had to suffice and a hasty retreat to look for a seat in the bus packed with teens on their way to school.
Why didn’t I say “I need the exercise” or even “thank you for waiting”? This started a snowball effect. In my panic to find a seat of refuge I chose one of those folded up seats. “No problem” I think, “I’ll just fold it down”…but of course it won’t go down. Push a few times, think about finding another seat and giving up, but I’ve started now so I can’t walk away-what would people think? (Idiot-can’t even make a seat work) Ahhh, i see some sort of metal button thingy-push that. I push it a number of times but nothing happens. Walk away, walk away. “Just pull it” the guy sitting adjacent says. I pull it and the seat goes down. I laugh nervously and smile to him but he’s not looking at me. I forget to say thank you.
Ok, I’m seated; all I have to do now is say thank you to the driver when I get off the bus and I’ll have closed the circle; completed the social transaction that I fumbled. So getting off the bus I cheerfully say “thank you” and she says “Your welcome”. Then just as I’m out the door I hear behind me “Have a nice weekend”. Noooo! i’m already out the door! I’m not yelling back ‘you too’! But the circle! My successful social transaction! aaaaarrggghhh.

See this is the problem; I don’t expect to be talked to in the morning. I’m just not prepared. You can’t spring these things on me. And to make matters worse she’s created a precedent and now every time I board that stupid bus I’m going to have to remove my headphones or turn down my music and prepare for the inevitable pleasantries. “ok, this morning I’ll say ‘Good morning’…if she says ‘have a nice day’ I’ll say ‘you too’…good…I’m ready…”. I’ve been in this situation before with drivers and it’s not pretty.

I can’t remember a year when I so welcomed the return of sunshine. Generally I’m not too fussed about rain or snow, but this year for some reason I really had enough.

Time to take off the jacket…

Adrien turned a year older on the weekend our our littlest cutey has almost left the baby/toddler stage. He’s talking up a storm, copying his big bro and chasing him everywhere. Love to see him grow but sad for the stages passed that we’ll never experience again.