Worst Fireworks Ever.
Yep, that's right.
Possibly the poorest pyrotechnics I've ever seen.
After driving through Scotia twice, trying to park at SCCC, failing, trying to park at Collins Park, failing, and finally parking in front of a closed True Value many many blocks away... then trekking to the area, enduring numerous bathroom lines as Elise quested to find relief for her poor, bruised bladder... the fireworks started, then promptly ended with a finale I could have built in my backyard with a D engine and a bag of kerosene. Then the traffic cop people wouldn't let me leave Scotia... I had to take Rte. 50 out of town. Now, all I know about 50 is that it comes out somewhere in Saratoga Springs... so when we stopped at a gas station and I asked how to get back to 5, the guy was like "well if you keep going that way it comes out in saratoga springs."
"Thanks." I said.
Elise then bought some gum.
Using my navigational instincts to dead reckon the direction I wanted to go in, I headed back down 50, which eventually intersected with 5. I was pleased.
I then proceeded back to Amsterdam, but as I turned to take Elise home, she said "You aren't taking me home, are you?"
So we set out on 67 in the general direction of my own home, at which point I conceived of visiting the Knudsen household, as Justin would surely still be awake. I didn't want to just bust in, though, so we used Elise's cellphone to contact the guy, unfortunately waking up his parents in the process. Happy 27th Anniversery, Mr. and Mrs. Knudsen!
Anyway, before calling, I drove blacked out down Belfance in order to approach without being noticed. Poised near the hedges just before Knudsen's abode, we placed the call and secured clearance to stop in. I pulled in approx. 20 seconds after hanging up, much to Knudsen's surprise. He offered us some coconut creme pie, which was very nice.
On a side note, readers of Vincent's journal will by now have heard many references to PlastX, the clear plastic cleaner I purchased on our sojourn to the Labor Temple and adjacent autobody shop in Albany. My headlights and taillights shine like nobody's business. The tailights are currently at least 3 times as reflective as the surrounding paint. That'll change whenever I get the chance to do a full job, but for now it's a pretty weird effect. Headlight brightness, something I strive for, is marginally improved. If I had the money I'd install projector headlights, probably the "halo" version just entering the market for the 2004 Focus... which is odd, considering the 2005 Focus has way different headlights, so only the 2000-2004 models will be compatible with the new lights... oh well.
On another side note, Krista and I have been dating for 7 months as of the 29th :)
We didn't do too much, hung around for the most part. I watched her play soccer and got pretty wet, as it was raining. Then we rented The Last Samurai, which I thought wasn't a bad movie. The plot was almost identical to Dances With Wolves, except in Japan. Anyway, the film was well shot, and while Tom Cruise is a pretty mediocre actor, he's not terrible, and he had some good support from that dude who played the Samurai Warlord... never caught his name. Lots of blood, lots of awesome swordfighting... there were even some ninjas... when they arrived I remember clearly saying: "Holy crap! Ninjas!" Katanas were thrown on two seperate occasions, which were both awesome... my reaction: "Katana'd!"
Then we sat for a couple hours and discussed religion and the nature of mankind. :)
We saw the Chronicles of Riddick earlier in the week, which was amusing. There was lots of fighting, but I couldn't tell what was going on because every shot was a closeup of Vin Diesel or some portion of his anatomy slamming into an assailant. The one redeeming bit of dialouge for the entire movie:
Stupid Guard Dude: "You're going to kill me with what, that soup cup you've got there?"
Vin Diesel: "Tea."
SGD: "What?"
VD: "I'm going to kill you with my teacup."
*kills guard with teacup
Possibly the poorest pyrotechnics I've ever seen.
After driving through Scotia twice, trying to park at SCCC, failing, trying to park at Collins Park, failing, and finally parking in front of a closed True Value many many blocks away... then trekking to the area, enduring numerous bathroom lines as Elise quested to find relief for her poor, bruised bladder... the fireworks started, then promptly ended with a finale I could have built in my backyard with a D engine and a bag of kerosene. Then the traffic cop people wouldn't let me leave Scotia... I had to take Rte. 50 out of town. Now, all I know about 50 is that it comes out somewhere in Saratoga Springs... so when we stopped at a gas station and I asked how to get back to 5, the guy was like "well if you keep going that way it comes out in saratoga springs."
"Thanks." I said.
Elise then bought some gum.
Using my navigational instincts to dead reckon the direction I wanted to go in, I headed back down 50, which eventually intersected with 5. I was pleased.
I then proceeded back to Amsterdam, but as I turned to take Elise home, she said "You aren't taking me home, are you?"
So we set out on 67 in the general direction of my own home, at which point I conceived of visiting the Knudsen household, as Justin would surely still be awake. I didn't want to just bust in, though, so we used Elise's cellphone to contact the guy, unfortunately waking up his parents in the process. Happy 27th Anniversery, Mr. and Mrs. Knudsen!
Anyway, before calling, I drove blacked out down Belfance in order to approach without being noticed. Poised near the hedges just before Knudsen's abode, we placed the call and secured clearance to stop in. I pulled in approx. 20 seconds after hanging up, much to Knudsen's surprise. He offered us some coconut creme pie, which was very nice.
On a side note, readers of Vincent's journal will by now have heard many references to PlastX, the clear plastic cleaner I purchased on our sojourn to the Labor Temple and adjacent autobody shop in Albany. My headlights and taillights shine like nobody's business. The tailights are currently at least 3 times as reflective as the surrounding paint. That'll change whenever I get the chance to do a full job, but for now it's a pretty weird effect. Headlight brightness, something I strive for, is marginally improved. If I had the money I'd install projector headlights, probably the "halo" version just entering the market for the 2004 Focus... which is odd, considering the 2005 Focus has way different headlights, so only the 2000-2004 models will be compatible with the new lights... oh well.
On another side note, Krista and I have been dating for 7 months as of the 29th :)
We didn't do too much, hung around for the most part. I watched her play soccer and got pretty wet, as it was raining. Then we rented The Last Samurai, which I thought wasn't a bad movie. The plot was almost identical to Dances With Wolves, except in Japan. Anyway, the film was well shot, and while Tom Cruise is a pretty mediocre actor, he's not terrible, and he had some good support from that dude who played the Samurai Warlord... never caught his name. Lots of blood, lots of awesome swordfighting... there were even some ninjas... when they arrived I remember clearly saying: "Holy crap! Ninjas!" Katanas were thrown on two seperate occasions, which were both awesome... my reaction: "Katana'd!"
Then we sat for a couple hours and discussed religion and the nature of mankind. :)
We saw the Chronicles of Riddick earlier in the week, which was amusing. There was lots of fighting, but I couldn't tell what was going on because every shot was a closeup of Vin Diesel or some portion of his anatomy slamming into an assailant. The one redeeming bit of dialouge for the entire movie:
Stupid Guard Dude: "You're going to kill me with what, that soup cup you've got there?"
Vin Diesel: "Tea."
SGD: "What?"
VD: "I'm going to kill you with my teacup."
*kills guard with teacup