IRI Road Trip of Doom, in Review

Currently listening to: Coheed & Cambria - Once Upon Your Dead Body

From Wednesday thru late Monday night, I was on a road trip with some of the FIRST guys/gals to Indianapolis. Here's a breakdown by day of the excitement and boredom that comes with traveling to the midwest by car:

Tuesday - Rented minivan, loaded up the robot and tools, then packed. Ran over huge piece of retread on 290 and feared damage to S4.

Wednesday - drive to Clinton. Horrible death smell coming from underside of car. I believe that a piece is stuck in the wheels/brakes but don't have time to worry. Drive for many hours to Niagara Falls. Almost go into Canada accidently. Get offended by border guard. Drive away from him up a "do not enter" road into head on traffic to show him my displeasure. Take many pics of the falls. Drive to Ohio.

Thursday- Wake up early and ride roller coasters all day at Cedar Point. Drive to Indy.

Friday - Compete all day. Sit in jacuzzi all night.

Saturday - Compete all day. Saw Clerks 2 and went out to eat at Steak and Shake (best restaurant for under $10 ever!)

Sunday - Wake up wicked early and drive to Cleveland, OH. Got stuck in the middle of the Puerto Rican Pride Parade. Finally found our way to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame (wicked awesome, you have to go).

Monday - Drive all day through some of the most boring terrain of Ohio, Penn, and New York. Get home late and stuff for my calc final.

That car still amazes me...

Currently listening to: Jimi Hendrix - Stone Free

Last night I was pulling out of White City plaza on Rt. 9 heading away from Worcester but needed to go back into the Woo to get home, thus requiring a pain in the butt U-turn. As anyone who has done so before on that same stretch, you know that you're only choice is to pull a U'ey right before Daddy's Junky Music or go up to CVS and do it on the light. As I pulled out, somebody came up quick on my tail and tried to come on my left and cut me off. At the same time, I noticed that I had a small window of opportunity coming up with the opposing traffic. Using the great acceleration that the S4 has, I hauled up in front of the dude, cut to the left, cranked the wheel while doing 45 mph and did a quick break slide around the 180 degree turn, squealed the tires and blasted off in the opposite direction.

That's the fastest that I've ever done a U-turn, it was amazing. And the body didn't roll at all. Man I love that car.

Snakes on a Plane

Currently listening to: Reel Big Fish - Turn the Radio Off

So for months now we've all been joking about how horrible "Snakes on a Plane" will probably be, just from the name, premise and rumors alone.

The other night Bethany and I are at the movies seeing "you, me and dupree" (which was pretty funny, I recommend it). As we were buying the tickets, this teenager comes up to us and asks if we'll participate in a movie-trailer-survey thingy. We had plenty of time, so we agreed.

I watched an extended trailer for "wicker man" with Nicholas Cage. It looks pretty good. I watched it a few times and answered a bunch of questions. I kept prodding the kid for free crap from the concession stand, but he wasn't having any of that. I didn't even get some skittles or something. Cheap skate.
Bethany, however, was fortunate enough to watch the one for 'Snakes'. Now, the ironic part is that she's quite afraid of snakes. I finished before she did and walked around to her booth and was listening to her responses. Two of the questions were "name up to 5 scenes that you thought were good and would lead you to see the movie in theaters" and "name up to 5 scenes that would cause you to not see the movie". She said that none of the scenes were good, and then for the bad, she said "snakes", "planes", and "snakes on planes".

It was hysterical.

Yah for shoplifting!

Currently listening to: My Chemical Romance - It's not a fashion statement, it's a deathwish

This just in! From now on, you have a one-time get out of jail free card at Wal-Mart to steal $25 or less and not get prosecuted.

Want a new cd, dvd, or anything else of small value, but have no money?! Don't worry anymore, just go steal* it!

*www.timbaird.com neither encourages nor condones the theft of products from Wal-Mart or any other store. Well, unless it's something really awesome and you are broke*

I put the 'harm' back in Charm

Currently listening to: Coheed & Cambria - Three Evils

Anybody who knows me or has read this blog before knows that while at restaurants, I talk to the waitresses. A lot. Borderline flirting at times. While I was single, this was a great past-time, especially at Bertucci's where all the waitresses are my age and hot.

The other day while eating at the OG, Bethany and I were discussing our love for good bread at restaurants, namely, the scrumptions ones served there. I recalled a story of how one time with a group of friends I had finagled my way into getting free sticks to go home with from the waitresses. Of course, at the time, I was unattached and could go full-throttle on the charm with no remorse of repercussions.

However, this time, I was on a date. I wanted to see if I could do it again without pissing her off and without being a total bread-sleaze. Gauntlet thrown, the challenge was on.

After being polite and the typical charming SOB that I am with Kaleigh our waitress, the resulting conversation occurred at the end of the meal:

Kaleigh: wow, you have a lot left. I told you that you couldn't eat the whole Tour of Italy!
Me: Well, I purposely got it so that I could have half tomorrow for lunch at work.
K: Good idea, you're smart.
M: thank you.
K: you're very polite. not many people are here. So you want me to wrap that up for you?
M: yes please. It'll go nicely with these breadsticks left, too (pointing to the remaining 3 in the basket).
K: Definitely. You should slice them open like little sub rolls and make sandwiches out of them with that chicken parm.
M: Well, I would, but I don't think that I have enough breadsticks to do that. I'd probably need a few more...
K: How many more do you think you'd need?
M: I suppose another 6 or so would hit the spot.
K: I think I could do that for you.
M: It'd also be cool if I had one of those little aluminum foil bags that make them heat up nicely in the oven.
K: sure thing.

She returned later with the bill and a bag stuffed with 7 breadsticks. Bethany and I walked out of there with 10 breadsticks total. I call that a win.