Suki and her new shoes

Ok, so since I have lived in NJ I have spent $1,300 on wheels and tires for my car. That is nearly as much as what I paid the movers to move my entire apartment 1,700 miles.

When I was driving here from Texas, I noticed that a tire was peeling at the side wall. I then inspected all of my tires and at the end of it all, there were 3 that were doing this. I figured this wasn't safe, but I couldn't do much about it until I was out of transit and where I needed to ultimately end up. When I got here, I went to a tire place and found out that my tires were defective.

A little over $500 later, I contacted a Nankang tire distributor with the help of my friends at the tire place I purchased my new tires. With their help, I managed to get a measly $40 per tire from the distributor for the defects.

About a week or so ago I hit a huge pothole in the road. I didn't think to much about it, because they happen to be EVERYWHERE in this fucking state. Later on I realized that one of my tires had a huge piece of rubber hanging off of the tire and a huge scratch in my rim.

*Each rim on my car is approximately $500 to replace.

I went to the tire place again and we went ahead and ordered a new tire. The guy there told me that there was a possibility that the rim might be damaged on the inside, but there was no way to know until we took the tire off and went to replace the new one; the tire took a day to come in. He then informed me that if this happened to be the case, he would put the spare on and we would go from there. I went in the following day expecting to pay for the tire, and guess what? When they went to take the tire off, they showed me a huge crack in the rim. They then also suggested that instead of replacing one rim for $500, I go with a whole new set of rims for just a little over the price of the one my car currently had on. He then showed me that the rear rim was also scratched due to the same pothole, but it was still in decent condition.

I decided to go with four new rims for $600 instead of the same rim I had on the car for $500 a pop. They were similar rims, but much cheaper. Instead of four rims at $500 each, I went for four brand new non-scratched rims for $150 a piece.

I had to order these rims and wait until they were in, therefore I was driving on the spare tire until they came in. I went in yesterday and they are all fixed and looking quite good. I left the place paying a little over $750, but at least they are all brand new and looking pretty sharp.

In eight months, I have spent $1300 in wheels and tires. That is approximately $162.50 a month I could have spent on something better. I feel that the state should pay me back for their negligence of the road conditions, but I am sure any attempt to call them will accomplish nothing. I think I would be better off talking to a brick wall and making friends with it. I do, however find it ironic that the pothole has miraculously been patched up. I wonder if I was not the only one to have to suck it up and spend the extra money to ensure my safety. I also wonder if something bad happened to me in that week of me driving around on an unsafe tire and a damaged rim if there would be a way to prove that it were due to unsafe roads. What would have come out of it? What if i didn't notice the tire and never knew about the rim?

The roads here suck, and I can't believe how people neglect them where they can get THAT bad. The pothole was so big and deep it were as if one side of my car went diving into a huge ditch and came out all scratched up.

The pothole was unavoidable as well. It was on a narrow bridge going to my house from work, and if someone is coming the other way, you can't do anything about it. I guess the phrase "wrong place at the right time" could be modified to "wrong place all the time"...... until it was fixed I suppose.

Anyway, Suki has a brand new pair of shoes now...... these better be nicer to her or I may have to cut someone. I do not anticipate having to make any purchases with tires and wheels for a long time to come!!!



*this is not my rim, but it is 5 spoke, therefore somewhat similar.

Are you serious?

I received this email today after jokingly asking my friend Karaoke King why I was bumped down on his "top friends" list on MySpace......

"Everyone gets shuffled around from time to time and this is exactly why I deleted my first Myspace page... people cryin' about not being the #1 friend. Sad yes..and fucking stupid. But...if you need a reason.. This whole this last week about me changing plans and how you're hurt over it is a bunch of stupid bologna. You changed our plans Monday and did I cry over it? No. Then you proceed to berate me because I wouldn't further change my plans to help you. Well, I'm sorry. Then, I see that you blog about the whole situation and you fail to reveal the reason I changed plans, trying to make yourself look "holy-er-than-thou" and that is the last straw. I believe I've treated you well. I've gone above and beyond to hook you up with drinks and dinner and such and for what? I'm a nice guy. I didn't hit on you or make you uncomfortable..I was just there to hang with. I believe part of your anger about the plans thing is that you expected me to pay for your dinner because I'd been so willing in the past. Well, times they are a changin. Seeing you so hung up on all this has really changed the way I look at you. It's sad. You're one of the only ladies I know who's intelligent, fun and beautiful yet you can't function alone. I'm removing the sign from my back that says "STEP HERE". I'm letting you know now NOT to plan on Tuesday night...I have plans already with other friends. It was fun while it lasted. I hope you get all you're looking for when you move to NJ. Good luck. Oh yeah...and inviting your friend to dinner, having drinks and expecting me to pony up for it was pretty bold. Thank goodness that won't be happening again. "

I surely wasn't expecting that from him. It bothers me that he even thinks that way. I am no one to convince anyone else otherwise, because I lack the effort to even attempt trying. If this is how I come off to other people, so be it; the ones that really know me know that this isn't the case.

As far as the tab, my friend ate what I had left on my plate from my meal. The only thing that she ordered was one beer and I had the same. When the bill came I asked him if he wanted to split it down the middle, then retreated and said "Oh no, I forgot we both (my friend and I) had a beer each", he said it was fine, I double checked and that was it. I mean, I will give you your $3.50 extra that you paid. If I am not mistaken, I split the total bill with him, including the edamame I didn't order and whatnot, but if that is such a big deal, my bad. I didn't realize it was like that. I should have busted out the calculator.



I guess this just proves that people get offended when they are called out. As far as the Monday night deal and my backing out, he was offering to pay for a massage, so in the long run I am glad I backed out. I wouldn't dare want that thrown in my face.

I never asked him to pay for anything for me; he offered. The point of the matter is to not offer something to someone if you are going to shove it back in their face. It really isn't a gift when you talk about it so much. Let me pay for myself, I never said you had to do it.

This just proves to me more and more my justification for leaving Houston. I love Houston, I mean I grew up here, but everything has changed so much from when I loved it here, I loved being here, and I loved the people here. It surely isn't the same.

Also, plans are plans. Don't get upset with me for not keeping your end of the bargain and being called out in a blog. When I cancelled, it was to....
1) Not have you spend YOUR money on me
2) To get my TV that I had been waiting for nearly a month for
and
3) I called the lady myself to cancel, therefore not inconveniencing you in any manner

What else do you want from me? You get mad that I cancel something you were going to pay $35 for, to do something important, but are upset that we split a tab where a $3.50 drink was on there. I am sure we didn't order the exact same thing, and with you ordering a la carte, are you sure I didn't pick up some of your tab? Do you know for a fact? I wasn't meticulous in the unveiling of the receipt. I guess we will never know.

Maybe I will go and order the exact same thing we both did to decipher the results, if it is such a big deal.

Next time the calculator will be present, say no more.

Good Friday: In God we Trust

I work in an Italian company, where most people are predominately Catholic, myself included, but we do not have Good Friday off like most companies. When I asked if we had Friday off, the technicians started laughing. I was told by the Italian-Venezuelan that our company is only religious when it comes to the dollar bill. The dollar bill states "In God We Trust", but for this company, "When there is money, we work." I was also told by the techs that the owner once made people come in on Christmas and New Years one year because someone had asked if they were getting off early on Christmas Eve. Apparently if upset him for someone to ask "such a ridiculous question." Not only are we working today, but tomorrow as well. Saturdays is the slowest of all days and there is really no point in being open, but We only get Easter Sunday off because we don't work Sundays and he doesn't have to pay us. I think it is somewhat odd, because the main company located in NJ is off today, all weekend, and Monday. I am not too concerned because I do not anticipate being here much longer. I received an email yesterday with my job offer in writing. I just need to book the flight!