"You have to update your blog now"

Yes Narges. Yes, I do.

I recently listed all the cars I've driven in my decade behind the wheel (read it here)and today added to that total. My work had a function at Cavallo Point (which is gorgeous) and needed people to shuttle guests from the airport.

Four of us were asked to help. One drove the boss' car, two drove their own nice cars (a new Saab and a BMW) and I had a car rented for me as my POS would not sufficiently impress the guests.

I was only marginally insulted for a brief amount of time, and when I drove the 2009 Lincoln Towncar I instantly got over it and wanted to be an old man or a mobster.

Talk about a nice ride. That car wants to go 80 mph, and you can't really do a lot to stop it. It does what it wants, and you're going to enjoy it while it does. Leather, 6-disk CD, seat that adjusted so much I had no idea when to stop (clearly not a genius) and a trunk that could fit my apartment.

So we're at 34. Here's hoping the rest continue to be as great as the most recent two

It's on

Cause really, who goes to garage sales anymore?

So I bought a camera on ebay. It's from the early 1960s, comes with three lenses, and will hopefully be here before my birthday next week so I can play with it.

I'm really excited about it, but I always have this nagging thought when I "win" an auction: I'm the only one stupid enough to have paid this much for this thing. Cause really, that's what auctions are based on. You and some other people want something, and the one who will part with the most money for it, gets it.

Still, I'm excited. Despite the dubious honor of my "win."

Dropped off at the pool (I'm pooped)

For the first time, in what I now realize is a really long time, I swam some laps today.

I used to swim 3/4 of a mile three times a week. This would have been in 2003 and 2004. It amounted to 40 laps, I think, and took about half an hour or so. On one occasion, I swam the full mile (to get a certificate saying that I did) and it took me just under 50 minutes.

Today I drove to the gym in Potrero Hill (got lost on the way) and did 16 laps in a little less than 15 minutes. I probably could have done a lot more if I knew how to go a lot slower, but I'm used to swimming at a certain rate and frankly, my arms and lungs couldn't maintain it for very long.

But then I was able to go in the steam room and the sauna, so all-in-all it was a good trip. I hope to return tomorrow after class, but we'll see if I'll be able to.

This is all in preparation for surfing, which will recommence soon.

My hour-long desire

I really want an old camera like my mom has. Or at least, I have for the past hour or so. Well, I've always wanted one, but it just occurred to me that I should be on the lookout for one. You know how you may come across a random garage sale some day, and you think to yourself, "I wanted something that I can only really get used but I can't think of what it is"? And you go to the garage sale and you look around and you don't see it so you don't remember what it was? Well I remember now what it is. It's a metal, fully manual camera. In the meantime, I may make a pinhole camera. that could be fun. Also, coming off spring break, I failed to do my homework tonight, which doesn't bode well for future Zac. Though in my defense, this class has been very easy from the start (didn't have to give it a lot of time early on). It's getting very late in the semester (I'm kind of over it). Also, I already did the homework, Narges (I just want to check the answers cause I feel like my calculated GDP is off target). And I really have always wanted an old camera. I'm tempted to borrow my mom's, but then if I ever get one, it'll be less fun. We'll see.
I'm on the lookout for you, camera

Andy! The Roof! The Fireworks!

In the kitchen by the window, cleaning the George Foreman, minding my own business, thinking the Giant's game ended long ago while we watched "Lost," I hear a noise.

I look to the window and push it open, letting in the chill and the same noise, a little louder this time. I yell to Andy, put on shoes and grab my camera on my way up the stairs to the roof.

Tonight was the Giant's home opener (they lost) and I knew there would be fireworks and I knew I'd be able to see them. If New Year's hadn't been super foggy (and if I hadn't been in Santa Clara) we could have seen fireworks from the Ferry Building I'm sure, but this was the first real shot at seeing them.

I love fireworks and jet airplanes. I don't know why, but Zac like big boom.

Hop in my ride(s)

For no reason in particular, I made a list last night of all the cars I've ever driven. Having spent the better part of last week driving a red Mustang convertible around, I knew it was the coolest car I'd ever been behind the wheel of, but what, I ask, was the second coolest?

Here, in no particular order at all, are the 34 road vehicles I can remember piloting since first getting behind the wheel of my dad's 1985 Ford F-150 when I was leaving the dirt-bike park 11 years ago.

2008 Dodge Caliber (rental for work)*
2008 Mustang (rental)*
2009 Lincoln Towncar (rental for work)
1994 Saturn SL2 (my car)
2000 Ford Focus (Jeff's car)*
2000 Saturn SL2 (mom's car)*
1985 Ford F-150 (dad's truck)
1992 Saab 900 (mom's old car)*
1990 Taurus station wagon (mom's old car)
1983 BMW 318i (Athena's old car)
1996 Buick LeSaber (Grandma's car - I took my driver's test in this one)*
1995 Nissan Altima (Driver's training car)*

2006 Volkswagen Jetta (Narges' car)
2008 Saturn Astra (Jon's car)
2003 Saturn Ion (Jon's old car)
1985 Ford Bronco (Nick's car)
2005 Toyota Echo (Nick's old car)
2002 Saturn SL2 (Jessica's car)
2002 Honda Civic(Kate's car)*
2000 Saturn SL (Dana's old car)*
2006 Mazda 3 (Dana's Car)
1999 Nissan Maxima (Matt's (possibly old) car)*
2004 Nissan Sentra (Mary's car)

1993 Honda Elite 80 (My scooter)
2004 Suzuki SV-650 (Mike's bike)

U-Haul (small box) to LA - June 2006
U-Haul (medium box) to Bay Area - August 2007
U-Haul (F-150) to Woodbine St - June 2006
U-Haul (F-150) in LA - Summer 2008

2000 Ford Aerostar - New Flower Van*
1990 Ford Aerostar - Old Flower Van*
Long panel van - Rented flower Van

1995 Honda Elite 50 with a broken front shock (test drive)
1996 Saturn SL2, fuchsia (test drive)
1974 Ford Bronco, so cool but gas guzzly (test drive)


*Most of the models and years are estimates as my memory is incapable of recalling things I've never known.