I’ve been looking around the ‘web for some time now in search of a good Pontiac Bonneville web site. Finding none, though ClubGP almost fit the bill, I decided to start my own. The fruit of my labors: www.bonnevilleclub.com. If you own a Bonneville, I recommend you check it out.

Got back to the Haute yesterday. Very little changed; in fact, absolutely NOTHING changed. Not that lack of change is a bad thing…



When I woke up this morning, lo and behold it was white outside! Sometime during the night it snowed. Merely a dusting – nay, a trifle – took residence on the ground. None the less, it felt like home. After beautifying the world for several daylight hours, the snow is now leaving. Perhaps we’ll get a real blizzard yet in Terre Haute.

I heard a neat word on The West Wing a few nights ago: torpor. It means apathy.

Who says random thoughts are not interesting?

So many things going on…

Last night I was hanging out with my friend Eric. His father got him access to a GM Tech 2 computer scan tool. It’s quite a neat (albeit expensive) toy: one can see data ranging from ingnition knock retard to the current air massflow rate. The neatest data is that of engine torque. Eric has a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, modified with an underdrive pulley on the blower and CAI with a K&N filter. We went on a few runs with the Tech 2 graphing the torque. The peak: 330 ft-lbs. Granted, that torque is at the flywheel, and it might not be extremely accurate, but I’m impressed none the less.

Later on, after our friends Justin and Paul joined us, we went to Bar Abilene in Uptown. Eric, Justin, and I discovered Abilene after being shunned at a ritzy place down the street. It must have been fate: we’ve been returning there every so often since then. Bar Abilene has the best burgers in the metro area – bar none. It’s right next to the Lagoon theater. I recommend you check it out.

Oh, and I’m at a LAN party for New Years, gathering with old upperclassmen friends from High School.

Right now, at 3:37 a.m., I am at a LAN party. Sure, it may seem kind of geekish (or toolish if you’re at Rose), but I’m having a blast. Essentially, about a dozen people get together at somebone’s house and proceed to play multiplayer computer games all night. At this particular party, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Quake 3, and Empire Earth are the games of choice. I’ve been going to these for about 4 years now, ever since I got a computer that could handle the 3D requirements. At first, I had no problem staying up until 8:00 a.m., but now I find it harder and harder to stay awake past 4:00. Such is old age, I suppose.

Christmas was great. It was nice being with my family again after perhaps my busiest academic month yet. Sure, I got some nice things, and I surprised a few people with their presents, but now more than ever I’m shunning the materialistic side of Christmas. Ironically, immediately following my downplay of material greed, I’m going to focus on a present.

My sister got her and me tickets to see the Minnesota Wild play the Detroit Red Wings. I was quite elated, not only because they were great seats (Section 117, Row 12 in the Xcel Energy Center), but that I’ve never been to an NHL game before. A good chance to bond with my sister, too.

The game was great, and so was the arena: If you’ve never been to the Xcel Center, I recommend going just to stare at the vivid, arena circumscribing screens. Wow. If you go to the Wild web site, you can listen to the goal-alert fog horn. However, the tiny clip does no justice to the true sound. Attend a game and be amazed; Whenever the Wild score a goal, a light house lights up, smoke machines pour their vapors, and the horn blares a pair of earth-shaking roars.

The game ended tied after overtime at 3 (quite an improvement from the last Wild – Wings meeting). What a blast. I hope to return soon! Untill then, I plan to see the minor-league Indianapolis Ice in January with my Fraternity brothers. Perhaps that will tide me over until I return to the State of Hockey.