Well the last few days have been interesting. The last three days have been move-in days to the new digs. Or, as The Who would say, same as the old digs.
My new studio apartment is actually a friend and colleague's old apartment, so it’s a place I know pretty well. For a studio, it’s got more than enough space, plus separate kitchen and a walk-in closet that leads into a refurbished bathroom.
Seeing all the things that are in – bed, futon, cubes, TV, white cabinets and miscellaneous odds and ends – you see all the dollars and number of things that go into living on your own. There's not much food or drinks yet except the necessary ones.
Unfortunately, there is no cable or Internet yet, with that to be addressed in the next week. There is power, but no AC. And that is the biggest factor. The fan I got is the best investment of my life right now. $15 to not overheat is a price well worth it.
It's a lot different actually living on your own versus a couple nights in hotels in your own room on the road. And we'll see how it goes from here. Out for now though, cheers.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
This Weekend Feels Like Home
You know you're a nerd, or at least a writing nerd, when you feel the desire to blog on a Friday night. Either way, the night before race day for ALMS at Mid-Ohio, finally, this is something I remember.
Having been to Mid-Ohio last year, I knew what to expect in terms of the layout between the paddock and media center. Plus, as a joint ALMS/IndyCar weekend, there's a lot of familiarity with the drivers, crewmembers and media members - this is who I grew up with while now starting to forge an identity in the sports car world.
Although on that note, I am already so thankful for the relationships with the PR and media members in ALMS that I have met in the past and then am growing to know better this season with a full-season opportunity.
The last three races - Monterey, Utah and Lime Rock - were all first-time events for me. While there you're doing two sorts of learning. There's the continuing education of the job at hand but also how each track works, in terms of layout, media center, and traveling. So having Mid-Ohio and Road America, my home track, as the last two races I will be at before my senior year at Marquette starts drastically alleviates stress.
A shame then, that Saturday's race at Mid-Ohio will not include the Muscle Milk Team CytoSport Porsche RS Spyder, which had a massive accident on Thursday that damaged the tub beyond repair. It's one less contender for the overall win which, when the field of prototypes is still small, is a negative. Still, given the level of intensity that most of this year's races have had, it's not like the quality of racing has suffered. My only hope going into tomorrow is that the quality continues.
Out for now on a relatively early night. Cheers.
Having been to Mid-Ohio last year, I knew what to expect in terms of the layout between the paddock and media center. Plus, as a joint ALMS/IndyCar weekend, there's a lot of familiarity with the drivers, crewmembers and media members - this is who I grew up with while now starting to forge an identity in the sports car world.
Although on that note, I am already so thankful for the relationships with the PR and media members in ALMS that I have met in the past and then am growing to know better this season with a full-season opportunity.
The last three races - Monterey, Utah and Lime Rock - were all first-time events for me. While there you're doing two sorts of learning. There's the continuing education of the job at hand but also how each track works, in terms of layout, media center, and traveling. So having Mid-Ohio and Road America, my home track, as the last two races I will be at before my senior year at Marquette starts drastically alleviates stress.
A shame then, that Saturday's race at Mid-Ohio will not include the Muscle Milk Team CytoSport Porsche RS Spyder, which had a massive accident on Thursday that damaged the tub beyond repair. It's one less contender for the overall win which, when the field of prototypes is still small, is a negative. Still, given the level of intensity that most of this year's races have had, it's not like the quality of racing has suffered. My only hope going into tomorrow is that the quality continues.
Out for now on a relatively early night. Cheers.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Just Because Something Can Be Done...
Doesn't necessarily mean it should. Case in point - my travel day for the final flight before school starts for senior year (and until the ALMS season finale at Petit Le Mans).
Nearly 12 hours passed in-between leaving my house in Greendale, Wis. this morning and getting into my final destination in Mansfield, Ohio.
The Amtrak was at 6:30 a.m. out of the Milwaukee Airport location and got into Chicago Union Station approaching 8 a.m. Then, because I forgot to check the weather report, it was raining outside. Naturally.
Seven-tenths of a mile never feels as long as it does when you're getting drenched and carrying a backpack and rolling a suitcase through the streets of downtown to get to the CTA line. But made it there just fine and wet, but better than a cab since the traffic was horrendous and I saw a couple nearly get in accidents.
Oddly there is a long walk to get from the Midway drop-off point to the terminal, and then security is insanely long. From there it was an hour delay and a 10:55 a.m. flight instead left at 12:15, only for the 40-minute flight to have some severe turbulence. We landed fine in Columbus and at the end of the day that's all that matters.
By 2:15 it was off to Mansfield and a 3:45-ish arrival. Probably about the same as driving and leaving later. A long day for sure, but an eye-opening experience as most things on this season and year of travel have been.
There's still nothing like being at the track and that resumes tomorrow at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Out for now, cheers.
Nearly 12 hours passed in-between leaving my house in Greendale, Wis. this morning and getting into my final destination in Mansfield, Ohio.
The Amtrak was at 6:30 a.m. out of the Milwaukee Airport location and got into Chicago Union Station approaching 8 a.m. Then, because I forgot to check the weather report, it was raining outside. Naturally.
Seven-tenths of a mile never feels as long as it does when you're getting drenched and carrying a backpack and rolling a suitcase through the streets of downtown to get to the CTA line. But made it there just fine and wet, but better than a cab since the traffic was horrendous and I saw a couple nearly get in accidents.
Oddly there is a long walk to get from the Midway drop-off point to the terminal, and then security is insanely long. From there it was an hour delay and a 10:55 a.m. flight instead left at 12:15, only for the 40-minute flight to have some severe turbulence. We landed fine in Columbus and at the end of the day that's all that matters.
By 2:15 it was off to Mansfield and a 3:45-ish arrival. Probably about the same as driving and leaving later. A long day for sure, but an eye-opening experience as most things on this season and year of travel have been.
There's still nothing like being at the track and that resumes tomorrow at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Out for now, cheers.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
August means Favre-a-palooza
Brief entry this week as the next month will be a mix of going back-and-forth between home, moving into my apartment, and two more ALMS races before classes starts. The month of August will be crazy.
But not as crazy as the annual month of Favre-a-palooza - which at 11:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, August 3 has once again taken over the sports landscape. ESPN has already moved into "DROP EVERYTHING, FAVRE MIGHT BE RETIRING, ALL HANDS ON DECK" mode.
This is so ludicrous because we don't have official confirmation. But it's not like facts mean anything, these days (why does FOX News exist, again?). We already know Favre has retired - and unretired - twice before. ESPN has such a soft spot for Favre coverage that they will lower their standards again just like they did with "The Decision" for LeBron.
But not as crazy as the annual month of Favre-a-palooza - which at 11:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, August 3 has once again taken over the sports landscape. ESPN has already moved into "DROP EVERYTHING, FAVRE MIGHT BE RETIRING, ALL HANDS ON DECK" mode.
This is so ludicrous because we don't have official confirmation. But it's not like facts mean anything, these days (why does FOX News exist, again?). We already know Favre has retired - and unretired - twice before. ESPN has such a soft spot for Favre coverage that they will lower their standards again just like they did with "The Decision" for LeBron.
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