Fun

It’s been a whirlwind kiddies.

We closed on the house, and I managed to get through it without having a heart attack. Now I just need to ignore the news articles talking about how real estate in San Diego is 50% overvalued!

We’re slowly moving in this week, doing some painting and cleaning. I still have to remove a nice collection of turds from the dog run in the backyard.

In other news, Corral Lane’s own NYC party poodle, Johnny G is gonna be playing in San Diego! Some Action and DC Snipers at The Tower, Tuesday, March 21. So get up off your duffers and come out to the diviest dive bar in San Diego!

How To Replace A Kingpin (without breaking your hand)

So I broke a kingpin the other day. Rarely happens, but my current set of trucks have been with me for at least 8 months, 2 bushing replacements, the truck worn down almost to axle.

But I still want to ride em. They are set up exactly how I like it. And since a kingpin costs 3 bucks and a truck costs 18, and If I replace one I’d need to replace two…

For those unfamiliar with skateboard trucks, the kingpin is a 3″ steel bolt which is press-fit into a 1″ sleeve cast into an aluminum block. The bottom inch of the steel bolt is ridge so as to cut into the sides of the alluminum sleeve, wedging the bolt permanently in the skateboard truck.

So at first I was able to wack out the stuck nub of the kingpin. But getting it back in was a real problem. I knocked the kingpin in almost all the way but couldnt get it past the last quarter inch. Then I wacked my finger.

As I nursed my throbbing digit, I consulted yon internet which yielded a much safer and easier method for this task. The technique is decscribed here: http://www.kingpinmag.com/default.aspx?id=600

The gist of it is – if you heat the aluminum block with a tea candle, in about 3 minutes the steel bolt will drop out or wedge in much more easily. Also, you can easily hold a small item like a bolt with a twisted rag and a pair of vice grips 🙂

Shit I gave up on long ago

– Intelligent, balanced conversations about politics and / or religion.

– Debating the meaning of life.

– Being a millionaire. I never really tried too hard on that one.

– Kickflips. Yeah I can do em’, but I hate missing, so screw it.

– the Bar scene. Was it ever fun? I can’t remember, I was drunk.

– high expectations … just don’t expect anything from anyone, you’ll never be disappointed.

– not having a car in SoCal. That shit don’t fly ’round here.

– thinking that people with fancy degrees are somehow smarter / better at stuff. It ain’t necessarily true!

– teaching new tricks to old dogs.. it doesn’t work!

– resentment of someone for what they did or didn’t do a million years ago.

– avoiding work, stress, pain or displeasure – suck it up!

– working 60 hour weeks. Never again I say! (Well, unless the money’s real good)

Rockin

In heavy rotation right now:
– Postmortem – Slayer
– A Song for the Dead – QOTSA
– Polly Wanna Crack Rock – Desert Sessions
– Punk Rock Caveman in a Prehistoric Age – Desert Sessions
– Aggressive Perfector – Slayer
– Big Pimpin’ – Jay-Z featuring UGK
– Hispanic Impressions – QOTSA
– Mongoose – Fu Manchu

Decade of Aggression

This November marks my tenth year living in San Diego. Amazing how time flies, no?

Anyway, here’s a list of stuff that people in CA just don’t get when it comes to the East Coast.

– “The East Coast” is not Wisconsin, Michigan, or Chicago either.

– “The Hamptons” and “The Cape” are not hot new pop bands from OC.

– “Rich” means Westchester mansions and a free pass to an Ivy league school, not a tract home in Eastlake and a yellow H2!

– Clams, mussels, and steamers… many in SoCal have no idea what these things are.

– “The City” is not San Fransisco, although I will excuse you if you grew up in the BA.

– If you think it’s too cold back east, you are a pussy. If you are not willing to visit a place because it’s cold there, you are a putz.

– People in CA don’t know what a putz is.

– People in CA don’t know what a ‘Hero’ (sandwich) is.

– People in CA don’t know that back East, you don’t name your kid Chad or Trey.

– People in CA don’t know that some of us paid attention in school, and that some of us are actually interested in … anything.

But, I do love CA. It’s my adopted home. Nowhere else in the country has such diversity… mountains and desert to the east… ocean to the west… hillbillies and republicans to the east… lesbians and yoga-nazis to the west…. one love kiddies!