text:
tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87008399857613630822020-03-09T16:20:58.534-05:00Living in the email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-66766918980632009202020-03-09T16:20:00.001-05:002020-03-09T16:20:58.510-05:00Radial tire push/pull, My experienceThis isnt a common issue but there wasn't a lot out there to help folks, So in case anyone comes up with this problem and searches on the interwebs, this can hopefully help someone!

Car in question is a Ford Flex AWD, new tires installed July 2019, Yokohama YK740 GTX (Discount Tire exclusive).

Car had new Struts, shocks and strut mounts installed in October.

In December, I was driving on a crappy Houston road and hit a pothole, which blew out my left front tire. I swapped the tire out for the donut, limped home, and went Discount Tire Monday morning. They warrantied it (I bought their certs) and had me on the way.

A Day later, I notice over 55, there's a rhythmic noise. The faster I go, the louder it is. Order a hub and bearing assembly from the dealer. Attempt to remove the hub the following weekend. Impossible. Slide hammers, heat, pullers etc. Nothing can be done to remove this thing. Decide to abandon that plan and bought a used bare knuckle from LKQ from a wrecked taurus for 29 bucks. Get knuckle in, remove all associated parts, install new knuckle and CV Halfshaft while I'm there, and hub assembly. Button car back together. Drive it, and its great.

In January, I got in to Discount for a Rotation and Balance. On walk around, the salesman notices the left rear tire has a little gash in the sidewall, probably from the same pothole. They order a tire from another store, and install it on the right front (I rotate cross pattern for AWD). Sent me on my way.

A week later, I notice when I'm accelerating hard to get on the freeway, I have to hold the wheel left a little to keep it straight. The steering wheel isn't cocked right when accelerating, but if I didn't hold the wheel it would veer hard. Letting off the pedal set it straight again. My first thought is that I had disturbed the alignment when I had replaced the knuckle/hub. So we go in for an alignment. Everything is within spec except toe, both front wheels are slightly toed in but not way out of spec. Get the car out, still does it but not as bad as before.

Today, I dropped by my local discount tire. Talked to the guy I know, and asked him if he had any suggestions. We both agreed that swapping the tires left to right on the front would be the first step. After we swapped the tires side to side, I could tell before I left the parking lot that the pull was now going towards the left. Turned around and went back inside, and he moved suspect left front tire to the rear on the left side. Pull is gone. So He advised me to call him before my next rotation and he would order a replacement tire and swap the defective tire out. What happens is one of the belts shifted during the manufacturing process and you get something called radial pull (or push), which causes the car to drive funny. The issue isnt as obvious on the rear, but in another 5000 when I go back for rotation, it will be an issue again.

See this diagram from aa1car.com that shows the layers of belts. If one of those plies moves during manufacturing (its impossible see once the tire is manufactured) there is what is called a "Conicity problem" Meaning the tire takes on a cone shape when inflated. Acceleration forces make it worse which is exactly what I was experiencing.

Fortunately, my local tire store has good guys working there and took the time to help diagnose my issue, before I went and spent too much time and money chasing ghosts, or handing the keys off to a dishonest repair shop!
firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-1748267568389821562018-05-12T09:16:00.000-05:002018-05-21T09:16:31.945-05:00How to: Adding the OEM Keyless Entry Keypad to a 2015+ F150For those of you guys that chose to buy a lower trim level truck, that also like to have the convenience of the keyless entry keypad, or as Ford likes to call it "Securicode", there is a way to add it to your F150 as long as it has keyless entry.

For the 2015+ generation of F150s, the stick on Ford Accessory keypad still works, but you have to turn it on with IDS.

What many have found, is that any F150 with remote keyless entry (any XL with 101A or STX, and XLT model truck), already has the wiring in it. In fact, in your owners manual pouch, you'll probably see the little plastic card with the keyless code.

You'll need the following parts:
FL3Z-14A626-AB - Keypad
FL3Z-1520555-TA- Door Pillar trim with cutout, this is the matte finish to match the XL and STX panels.

Youll also need:
Various sockets (7mm)
Torx (T20 and T25)
Trim Pry tools to avoid damaging your panels.

Installation is super simple. You'll need to remove the door panel.

This requires removing the trim plate that covers the door pull. Pop the front facing side and then the rear, easing it towards the front as you pull. You will expose two 7mm bolts.

Below the door pull is another recessed panel trapezoidal in shape, about 2" x 5", youll need to pop that out and expose two more bolts.

On the bottom of the door panel will be two more bolts. They're exposed. Remove those.

Now on the top of of the panel, remove the sail panel that meets the dash when the door is closed. REmove the bolt there.

That should be 7 bolts. There are plenty of videos online to help you get to this place.

Using your trim tools, you can start popping the clips around the door panel. Once you're done, the panel lifts off and you can move it out of the way. I did not unplug anything as I had a little stool to support the panel while I did my work.

Next you'll want to roll the window down and pull the weatherstrip out of the window channel. This will expose the torx screws that hold the door pillar trim.

Remove these and move the trim inwards toward the center of the door and the trim should come off with a little effort.

You can install the keypad into the trim piece and install the trim piece on. Reinstall the torx screws and the window trim.

Now is the tricky part. You need to run the wiring to the plug. This can be accomplished by a number of combinations of rolling the window up and down and routing the wires out of the way of the glass. There are actually some plastic retainers in the door for the wiring.

The plug for the keyless is located above the crash bar here.

Plug it in, and make sure the glass does not contact the wire going up and down, and you're done with the hard work.

Now you'll need Forscan or IDS to turn the keypad on.

I used Forscan. Youll need to change the BCM values as follows:

Once you've done that, you're good to go!
firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-35441435449356304502015-12-02T23:22:00.000-06:002015-12-02T23:23:23.316-06:00Prices you're willing to pay for things living abroadRealizing that I have not written in such a long time has motivated me to make another blog entry. Hopefully I'm not blogging in a vacuum and someone out there is reading this!

Recently, I've been thinking about living overseas, and the kinds of crazy things that you tend to pay for just because you can't get them normally.

Living abroad for over two years, I've found that most of the things that I've wanted (maybe 90% of them) are available at some point, somewhere, either at a Brick and Mortar, or at an online seller.

The other 10%, I just bring with me when I go back home, and carry two suitcases. The funny thing is, many of the things that I purchase are made overseas where I live, just not available here.

Socks, Towels, Windshield Wipers for the car, Bed sheets, shower curtains, are some of the things that I bring back with me!

Living in a smaller city doesn't help, but figuring out how to use the online auction/buying sure as heck does.

So lets look at the things that I DON'T buy local brands for and pay a lot more for....

The things in italics are actually imported Everything else is available locally but is still considered a foreign brand.

Toilet Paper (Kleenex Brand) - Korea
Tide Detergent
Shaving Cream
Cereal - Korea
Dog Food - Korea
Kraft Mac and Cheese - USA
Juices - USA/etc
Peanut Butter - USA

You really don't realize how much you love and miss that comfort of that Kraft Dinner Mac and Cheese till you click "Buy it now" online and pay 7 dollars American for that box of pasta and powdered cheese product....

What are some of the things that you can't find where you live, and do you still have to go get them from 'back home'? firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-9460510235150347202014-06-27T04:00:00.000-05:002014-12-05T21:53:40.417-06:00June...my how the time flies.....I realize that it has been almost four months since I've sent an update!

First off, let me apologize to everyone for not being able to see everybody when I was back in April. The good news is, I'm less than 60 days from my August trip home!

The other big news, is that I was promoted to the General Manager of the business unit. The announcement was made internally in March and went public in April of this year. I'm humbled and excited for the new opportunity! We're incredibly busy here, and just booked an order that will keep us occupied till the end of 2015.

I have had a lot of friends leaving China. My friends Susan and WIll completed their stay and headed for Russia and then Europe. They were some of the first people I met here and I'm going to miss them a lot! Fortunately, they have introduced me to some other expats that I'll get to know better as time goes on. Their last day here, they bought me supper at the new Westin Hotel in QIngdao. It was VERY nice inside! My Yoga instructor and her husband will be leaving, and my other friends Jennifer and Conor will be headed back home too.

Updates from me are fairly sparse, mainly because life is pretty 'normal' now here. I went to a photography expo in late February of local photographers. It was funny to see many people entering stuff that they took on an iphone, and once its blown up to 2'X3' how pixelated it becomes. My friend Rita actually shot with a DSLR and won 2nd place!

In March, I took the guys picking strawberries. The cost was high and the strawberries have no flavor in China. The weather has been 95 some days, and then we'll get a rain and it will be 60 degrees the next. Its cherry season right now so Cherries are everywhere. Last week on the hottest day, I bought 20 watermelons and took them back to the office and let everyone have some watermelon to cool down and enjoy a nice piece of cold watermelon to cool off from working in the factory. I made a trip to Yantai about 2 weeks ago, and took half a dozen young folks from the office to show them the shipyard and let them see up close the products we build and what a drilling rig looks like. Many of these guys never get the chance to go out and see for themselves, they are told what to do/draw/design and sit behind a desk all day. Next weekend, I'm taking the guys to go paintballing. In March, we organized a factory wide tug of war between different departments. That was a lot of fun!
More updates firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-33761168545432953212014-02-10T19:58:00.000-06:002014-02-10T19:58:23.760-06:00Back in the saddle!

Howdy All,

Thought I'd share with you guys my updates for 2014!

It sure has been a while!

Since my last update, I was homeward bound, but I had to stop in Beijing and have the year end meeting and finalize our company budget for 2014 (very late I know!)

I ended up being in Beijing for almost 10 days and having to go to the office and wait on everyone else, as the officers wouldnt let anyone go till the budget was completed.

Back across the pond, it was great to land, go see my mom and stepdad and have some Taco Bell. I'm glad I got to see many of you when I was home, but some others, I apologize for not getting to tag up. It was a perfect storm of the holidays, seeing people, and trying to get the house back in order after the flooding from the summer! I'll be back more in 2014, so let's make plans!

I arrived back in China in early January, and it was kind of sad getting back here, away from home and my friends, but after a few days of seeing Kody again and hanging out with my friends here in Qingdao, I've started to feel more normal again. January was spent playing 'catch up' and visiting places in town, as well as taking my department out for Chinese new year activities. We chose bowling and dinner. Now, we all know how to act at the bowling alley right? Everyone enter your name in the computer, take turns and bowl, consdering the person next to you before you throw your ball. Not so much here. We pulled up and as soon as i paid, all of my guys went up and started grabbing bowling balls and everyone was just going. Doesnt matter whos turn it was, just throw the ball. I had to explain to people that they needed shoes and put their name in the computer for scoring. They ignored it and just went as they pleased. Later at dinner, I found out for 80% of the people, it was the first time they've ever bowled.

I'm really happy that I have been learning the streets and now can go into the city and get around to places I normally go to, without the help of a GPS. My friend Susan and I found a restaurant close to the ocean called "The Diner" that has excellent burgers and Pizza, as well as their own beer they brew in house. We've gone a few times and it's been nice to have some decent western food.

Many of you know, that Chinese New Year (aka Spring Festival) has just finished here. This was a 10 day holiday and I was able to do some exploring, as well as 'get out in the crowd' to see what the hustle and bustle is like. Its very much like the holiday season at home. Stores full, roads quiet, and people everywhere. I enjoyed it, but it was also nice to stay home and sleep in late, take naps and stuff. I did go venture out and do some road trips over the holiday, we went to Jimo, a small town close to where I live, and went to the Hot Spring resort. There are tons in the area, and they're mostly hotels with the resort side attached. The resort consists of a series of rooms each with a large pool and smaller hot tub sized pools, and all the water is from the hot springs, so it was nice and warm. We went early in the day, and while it was nice, it was very crowded by lunch time. We were able to find a hot tub outside, where the water was 110 degrees (very warm!) and it was 30F outside. By the time we left, the water didn't look so clean, but that was to be expected with the number of people that were there. So travelers tip:
Go really early in the morning and shower well when you leave.

Kody and I also were able to climb the FuShan mountains with my friends Rita and her husband Franz. IT was an awesome climb and nice to get some physical activity!

On Chinese New Years eve, my Korean neighbors invited me over for a traditional Korean dinner. We had chicken soup, and assorted Korean meats and other noodles. It was very nice! Then the fireworks went on, pretty much for 4 days. It got to the point where I was used to hearing them when I went to bed!

We were able to get the superbowl here, and I made a big pot of chili and some 'no knead' bread from a recipe my mom gave me from a few years ago. It was nice to sit around and watch the lopsided game and have chili and bread. It felt so 'normal'!

We were going to take a trip to Yantai to see the city and visit the wine museum, but guess what? We got SNOW! QIngdao usually gets snow but very light. We did not get ANY snow this season, but we were hit with two very nice snow showers that was just enough to coat everything with white powder and make everything look pretty.

The only new and exciting thing I have to report, is that I joined a crossfit group in China, as well as Yoga classes! I love both, and it feels good to get back into the physical activity, especially with the cold weather and the early sunsets! I'm starting to cycle again, so I can be ready for the MS150 when I'm back in April.

Take care and gig'em!

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-73189408883155441062013-12-05T02:18:00.001-06:002013-12-05T02:20:38.943-06:00Homeward Bound!

Howdy everyone!

Well, we're HOMEWARD BOUND (in about 2 weeks). I head home in two
weeks for my Christmas leave!

I can't believe that its been over a month since my last update! That means two things...1. I'm really busy, or 2. I'm finally getting acclimated to things here. Its more the 1 than the 2.

Since my last update, we've had thanksgiving and lots of visitors. My sister and her family came for a visit. We celebrated thanksgiving at my home with them, along with my expat friends. I made most of my own food, with the exception of the Turkey, which had to come from the Holiday Inn (restricted oven space in my home). My friends brought a great salad and a nice apple crumble for dessert! On Friday, I took Jennifer and her family out to visit the Qingdao Beer factory, Jimo Lu (the equivalent of Silk Street in Beijing, or Harwin for you Houstonians), and then to the Oceanside Olympic Sailing Center. I was so excited and happy to have them here! The girls are certainly growing up very fast! The left on Saturday and went back to Beijing for a few days before heading home today. I'm attaching pics of the good eats we had!

As far as everything else, its all status quo. I purchased a dining room table and chairs, so thats been nice to have, and we had a wonderfully decorated thanksgiving table! The house in China is still
the same, its starting to feel comfortable now. I have added a few paintings and its starting to feel settled in. I am meeting more people and have my normal Saturday night routine with my friends down, kind of like back home. We go try new restaurants, eat western food mostly, and go have a nice time. I've attached some pictures of the things we have eaten. Theres also a photo of a Lamb KaBob vendor in Qingdao, from Western China, on the border of Kazakhstan. You can
see, he doesn't even look Asian!

The weather here has gotten quite cold. We are now getting around 28 at night, and 40-50 in the daytime. With the cold weather, comes extreme dryness right now. I have two humidifiers going non stop, to cut down on nosebleeds and static shock. The heat, which cost me around 600 USD to turn on ( will last from nov 15- mar15) comes from the floor of the apartment. So its nice and warm. The bad part is, theres not really a good way to regulate it, so I have to open the door to the patio, otherwise I wake up to 80 degrees in the house in the mornings!

Work is good, right now, I'm headed to beijing to attend our 4th quarter meetings and finalize the budgets for 2014. The meeting originally was planned for Dec 4-7 and is now 4-11! We like meetings here. WIthin my department, my guys are all doing well. Everyone now follows our dress code, and we have our daily meetings in english. I realized that people were getting online and translating their days activities. So in order to get them to speak more, I have added a
question of the day to the board. Every day, they have to answer a short question. It has proven effective, not only to encourage people to talk, but to better know everyone.

The house in the US is pretty much back to normal. I'm going to work with Sharon, my professional organizer friend to go through the tons of boxes that the restoration company boxed everything up when the house was flooded. I'm very grateful to have my mom and step dad, and my neighbors and contractor get the house back together in one piece being so far away!

That about sums it up. I'm excited to get home and spend time with everyone, please feel free to email, call, or text and let me know if you're available for dinner or coffee or anything. I'm really looking forward to some good mexican and italian food!

Peace and love to firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-22323969557199844732013-10-24T03:56:00.001-05:002013-10-24T04:03:16.158-05:00Texas on my mind....

Howdy Everyone!
Well, its been almost a MONTH since my last update.

I keep thinking that there's not much to write about, but actually there is!
I've been on quite a few adventures. For the National Holiday, XB, one of my guys that works for me got married, and I was invited to his wedding (also had to give a speech about his work ethic and what a great job he does), my aunt came in from Taiwan, and we had a nice visit, I took her to the grape festival, out to eat at a nice sushi place, and met some friends that I made here. Overall a very nice time! She's my first foreign visitor! She left on Saturday, and I had Sunday and Monday to recover.

The first weekend in October, XB my right hand guy, Took me to Huangdao, which is across the water from Qingdao. We drove the longest bridge in the world to get there. In fact, we had such a good time driving and talking that we ended up overshooting the exit for huangdao, which was ok, because we ended up in a very rural area of China, all farmland. It was beautiful, and I'm bummed that I didn't get a chance to take pictures, but I was driving. XB and his wife and I explored Huangdao in the afternoon, and had a nice time. XBs wife teaches college english there but since she lives on campus, has not had a chance to explore the town, as her weekends are usually in qingdao with XB

.

The second weekend, I took it easy, saw friends, and Sunday went to Church and ran errands. This past weekend, I was recovering from a cold, which was no match for Nyquil and Dayquil and Mucinex, so I got some CHinese medicine, which worked slow, but yielded results!

This past weekend, another one of my guys got married, and again, I had to do the wedding speech as the boss and talk about work ethic and marriage. Its interesting how much weight they put on your job and how much of a part of your life it becomes, so much that the bosses have their own table at the wedding! Sunday, I met with my friends that are in China from Washington state. We went to Jimo Lu, which is the equivalent of silk street in Beijing (if you're from Houston, think of Harwin Shopping district). There, they had street vendors with food, produce, clothes etc, and that was just on the OUTSIDE of the shopping center. We enjoyed a giant Fritter (Yiu Tiao), as well as some Stinky Tofu (Will, the guy in the picture didn't like it, but his mother, who lived in Taiwan for a few years, enjoyed it). Bought some fresh fruits, and then ended the evening at Burger King at Marina City, along the water. Burger King was actually really terrible, as they just opened, and everyone and their dog was there, so instead of making your order when you pay for it, there's tons of Hamburgers premade. The result is a cold, nasty, soggy burger. I'll come back when they're not so busy and see if the food is better.

Work is going good, if not just constantly frantic. I've learned quite a bit since taking over the role as operations manager, and one of the biggest things that I've discovered since becoming a manager, is that your productivity level generally decreases, because you're being pulled in 100 different directions in a day. Some of the biggest headaches are HR issues. Employees that dont pull their weight, employees that fight, slack off, etc. Now I really understand why its hard to get a response from managers, because they're too busy putting out little fires every day. On the good side, you do get to work with people and the people that are on my team are all eager to learn. I just need to find the fine line between being friendly while still trying to be the boss.

The weather here has cooled signifcantly, and the days are getting shorter. IT runs in the mid 50s at night and mid 70s in the daytime. Kody is doing well, the cooler weather has him shedding his summer coat and growing in the winter fur! Kody has also made a new friend, Yiu Yiu is a Collie that lives in the first building in my strip of apartment buildings. Shes a beautiful dog, and we run into her a few times a week when we go out for walks. Her owners are nice people, and we have a great visit every time we run into eachother.

Dining has been an adventure, as I've been eating local fare, and I've attached some pictures of the goodness for your drooling pleasure.

The House in Katy is
Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and I'm excited that Jennifer and John and the girls are coming. Then after that, I'll be home on the 17th for about 3 weeks! Looking forward to catching up with everyone if our schedules allow for it.

Miss you all and would love to hear from you!
Peace and love,firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-91189862253434440642013-09-26T23:54:00.000-05:002013-09-26T23:54:26.309-05:00Life ain't always beautiful.....

Howdy everyone!

Well its been three weeks since I sent an update, so maybe theres more exciting stuff to talk about! My biggest fear is people will lose interest, but the last week people are sending "wheres the update? Are you still alive? I'm bored, give me reading material!" Haha! OK OK, here we go!

This weeks theme song is "Life Ain't Always beautiful" by Gary Allan

So, since my last update, life is pretty much settled into its own routine. Work, weekends, church, etc. My circle of friends is slowly growing.

A few weeks ago, the power company had a 'planned outage' on a Tuesday, so I took my guys to the Grape Festival, which was basically going to an agricultural area, and paying for entry into a farmers land, and you can pick your own, or they can pick them for you, and you eat grapes, play cards, visit etc. It was fun, later we had lunch at a Korean Place. Nice day overall.

Church has been improving a lot, with the teachers all coming back, church is busy and people reach out and are very social. I've met more people and I get invited to different groups for lunch afterwards! The only downside is that it takes a LARGE portion of my sunday, as I leave the house at 9AM and I dont get home till 3PM or later if I eat lunch.

I have to own that I have quickly grown complacent in not taking more weekend day trips. I'm in a foreign country, I have a car, a license and GPS. I should be taking lots more adventures. I am saying this to own it and start doing more stuff on the weekends. There are tons of small towns that I can drive to within an hour or two and make it back by evening to let Kody out in time.

On the Work front, its been challenging and sometimes downright incensing. Progress is slow on projects and people are unwilling to deviate from protocol, and people are thinking very two dimensionally. ("I'm a mechanical engineer and thats all I'm going to do"), well this has to change. I had a pep talk with the troops this week, and explained that we all have to be more dynamic, more flexible. Also I've implemented a new dress code that goes into effect soon. No more shorts and t shirts and flip flops. We are all professionals with college degrees. No more dressing like you're going to the beach. And its good for self esteem too. Last week I had to go to the engineering center and find out why it was taking so long. One of the guys says that he sent an email to a colleague asking for information and never got a reply.

"When did you email him?"

"August 23rd"

"So you emailed this guy over a month ago and he didnt reply. Where is his office?"

"He sits 2 rows behind me."

"So you didn't think that it would be a good idea to just go over and ask him?"

*Blank stare*

I had to remind them that we're all very busy, but when someone else is holding up the work, you need to gently remind them that they are. But people generally are too afraid to ask a second time once the request has been made.

The house here keeps improving little by little. I got new area rugs (plain) but it sure helps with the noise and Kody likes them too. I bought some for the office to spruce it up some as well.

The house in Katy is almost back to snuff. Big thanks to my Mom and Stepdad, the best neighbors in the world, Nick and Ally, my incredibly talented decorator Sharon, and my great contractor Mark. If you want to do business with the last two folks on this list, I will heartily recommend them.

RIght now, fruits and veggies are so fresh and inexpensive. My supper has been fruits and salad for dinner. After walking Kody in the afternoon, I put the podcast of "Americas Test Kitchen" on the ipad, and I wash and peel fruit in the kitchen. Its very nice and makes it feel more at 'home'. Speaking of home, I have been reflecting lots on how great it is to have email, facetime, skype and google voice. Being able to communicate so seamlessly has been a blessing. Takes the sting of not being at home and makes it less.

Last week, we had a "mid autumn festival" where people celebrate the fall and enjoy moon cakes, as well as see friends and family. Next week is Chinas national holiday, and I'll be off the entire week. My aunt Joyce from Taiwan will be visiting for a few days, so I'm very excited about that. Also my right hand man at my company is getting married, so I'll be attending the wedding. I plan on taking Aunt Joyce to go enjoy some local food, sight see and enjoy time with her. I've been introduced toa bunch of local restaurants now, so its been nice to be able to go there and take friends!

I know lots of you have heard me write about how inexpensive things are in CHina, but thats not always the case. I went to the Toyota dealer last saturday to get the oil changed in my car, and was quoted almost 200 US dollars for a plain oil change. I ended up finding a local place where I have been before and they did it for 100 US Dollars. A regular pair of Jeans, like Lee or Levis that you can get at Walmart or Academy for 20-30 dollars, is 90-200 US dollars here. And then you can walk down the street to the hair salon and get a haircut and shampoo for 3 dollars with no tipping. Go figure.

Last weekend, I had to go to Korea for a day because of my visa expiring. The Incheon airport is very western, with nice clean and welcoming feelings throuhgout. Its very "zen" feeling, warm wood, shiny stainless steel. They have a museum of Korean history inside the airport, a cultural experience center, a day spa, all kinds of shopping, cosmetics, electronics, books, etc and TONS of restaurants. I spent half a day there and didn't even leave the international terminal. It was fantastic! I had a nice juicy cheeseburger and a dunkin donut!

Other than that, not much else to report. I'm homesick as always but I'm surviving. Jennifers husband, John, is back from Deployment and home safe, so I'm very grateful for that. I'm excited for their visit to China.

Miss you all!

Peace and Love!

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-25862252244272734802013-09-08T20:04:00.000-05:002013-09-08T20:04:09.594-05:00Autumn Tactics

This installments "Theme song"

Is "Autumn tactics" by Chicane

So many of you have noticed that I haven't been blogging weekly anymore.

Mostly I don't want to bore you to death with my mundane stories. Otherwise, its been going fast.

The strange thing is, its the first of September, and the start of Autumn is here. Leaves are falling, its upper 60s at night and pleasantly cool and dry!

My weekends have been busier recently, the expat guy that I bought the furniture from, Jason, has pulled me into his circle. I have met many other expats through him, and have started to meet lots more people. Otherwise, its just been normal, trips to Metro, grocery shopping, etc. I went out for Italian last Saturday night, and then caught some of the A&M/Rice game, and Sunday after church, went with a large group to a northwestern Chinese place in Marina center, (also an upscale shopping place).

Last week, my clothes dryer came in! Most people in China dont use clothes dryers, but if those of you have dried towels in the sun, you can appreciate what it feels like to use 400 grit sandpaper to dry yourself with. I was able to get one for a great price and I'm so happy to have soft towels, sheets and socks. The things we take for granted.

I also finally passed my driving exam! You need 90% or higher to get it, and I had to take it three times. Mostly because of 'lost in translation" and strange chinese driving laws. For example, in China, when a car is rolling out of control on a hill, you must put your seat all the way back, unbuckle and get on the floorboard and hug the steering column....Or Jump out of the car if you know its going to flip over. My favorite is for the driver to crouch into the fetal position and holding your knees, and turning to the side in the event of a head on collision.

Work has been crazy, but its starting to slow down. I've attached a photo of what we build in case you were curious. The office is kind of sparse, so I've purchased some carpets and stuff to quell the echo and warm the office up some. Taobao has been great for finding these things on a budget/or at a very reasonable price.

Kody is doing good, enjoying the cooler weather and enjoying our three walks a day. I've been buying his dog food online on Taobao, which has been great for getting stuff. Amazon and Ebay rolled into one.

I guess the big news is, my sister and her family are planning on coming to China over thanksgiving! I'm very excited to hear this, and have started to find ways to get things I need to make a traditional turkey day. This holiday will be a tough one, as its my first Thanksgiving ever, away from my Moms wonderful Thanksgiving party.

I'm looking forward to coming back over Christmas. The worst part of being here is being away from all my friends.

Thats all I have to report. I hope you guys are all well.

Much peace and love!

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-56605864001845963612013-08-25T23:40:00.000-05:002013-08-25T23:40:51.958-05:00Takin care of business.....

 Howdy everyone!

Well, this update's theme song is 'taking care of business"

I know, you're already saying "well what happened to last weeks update?"

Lets start with last weekend (17-18). I had lunch with some co-workers (hot pot!) and then Sunday, I went with a coworker (Mrs Zuang) and her family to the QD beer festival. It was a nice time, and they were nice enough to pick me up and drop me back off at the house. It was lots of fun, but like anywhere that has some sort of Festival like this, the prices are inflated and its crowded, but it was a great experience. There were lots of arts and crafts, a "make your own pottery" area, lots of food on a stick, and rides and games. We ended up going to a VIP Tent that had AC, and let you stay as long as you spent 150RMB per person. We had 4 adults, so we had to spend 600RMB (100 USD) which was easy compared to the prices they were charging. After we ate, my co-worker took her son to play, and her husband, the driver and I stayed in the AC tent to enjoy beer and watch festivities. One of which included toasting me (gampai!) , and refilling my beer every time I took a sip, but not theirs. I had a nice buzz going and was enjoying myself, then Mrs. Zuang and her son returned, and offered to take me to check out the Qingdao history museum. We all went, and I don't really remember that much of it, but plan to return soon. Was certainly a nice day, and their hospitality was much appreciated and enjoyed.

Well, work has been swamped. We had a function test last week, which included yours truly going to the airport and picking up customers, and arranging their hotels etc. We had some issues with the test, and it seemed very disorganized. I told Xianbin (She-an-bin) my project manager, that I want to have a team meeting every morning. We will all meet and discuss for 5 or 10 minutes total, what every persons top 3 priorities are for the day. That way if one person is struggling with too much to do or does not know about a certain function, someone else can assist if they're familiar. This also breeds teamwork and communication. So far, people have been receptive and are participating well. It also allows them to speak english more.

This past week, I was able to get some stuff done around the house. My dad was nice enough to bring a shipment of Amazon stuff back to China,which included bathroom Caulking (to seal the shower in my guest room), dog treats, and car detailing stuff. Which reminds me, the car got out of the shop Friday. They did a "C minus" job and I'm sending it back for them to fix it.

This past weekend, I had some new furniture delivered! The mattress and LayZ boy I purchased from a fellow Ex-Pat were both delivered, as was the new leather couch that I was able to get from a connection from my upstairs neighbors. I turned the room 180 degrees and now its very comfy and inviting! Saturday evening, I went into town and had some Korean BBQ (pics attached) with some Ex-pats that I met along the way. We all really enjoyed it and plan on doing it again very soon! Sunday, Xianbin and his Fiancee and I all went back downtown to check out another high end department store. MyKal is like Sunshine or HiSense, and we split up, did our own shopping and met for lunch. Afterwards, I took them to Metro for a look around. I also picked up some Kraft Parmesan Cheese (the kind you put on spaghetti!) and some mango popsicles.

This coming week looks to be less busy, but will be productive. The weekend? thats open, but I may do some looking around at touristy places so I know where to take you guys when you come for a visit!

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-32265204282407723382013-08-18T19:31:00.000-05:002013-08-18T19:31:33.323-05:00"Crash into me..."

Every week I have a catchy song lyric for the email, so this one is
"Crash into me..."
Howdy gang!
Well, last weekend, I started my Friday night out at the front of my compound. I walked over and enjoyed a cold beer and some meat on a stick! On Saturday, I went and checked out the Metro Cash & Carry, which is a European chain store, equivalent to Costco or Sams Club. And man, did I get some stuff! I picked up cheese, 3M Command strip stuff (Shower caddy and a towel rack), Bosch wiper blades, Chicken drumsticks, cream of chicken, Tortilla Chips, etc. It was FANTASTIC! Sunday, a co-worker invited me out to dinner with her family. They live in Licun, which is another suburb of Qingdao, a nice area. The restaurant we went to had crawfish! It was very nice and I'm starting to build my social circle slowly but surely.
This week at work has been hectic. I'm slowly starting to see the gross inefficiencies here and trying to merge some western business practices into the fold. Things like using outlook calendar, and letting your boss know ahead of time before you need to take off to entertain customers or take your wife to see the doctor. etc. So we're getting there!

The house is slowly but surely coming back together. Sheetrock and insulation have been replaced. And we're waiting on the insurance check for the rest of the project to complete. Once again, a big THANK YOU to my mom and stepdad, Nick and Alissa, my awesome neighbors, and Jim and Sharon, my closest friends and interior decorator. This would not have been possible without your involvement!

Now for the crash part. On Wednesday, going downtown to a meeting, I was crossing an intersection, and a guy driving a mini-mini van (1/2 the size of a normal minvan), did not stop, and slammed into the front of my car. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, and I was buckled up (unlike 60% of the people here) and the rules are here, if there are no injuries, you discuss compensation away from the scene and go on your way. Because I didn't have my license yet (missed the test score by 2 points due to a glitch int he computer system at the DMV), I didn't want to draw too much attention. We both had insurance, so we both just went on our own ways. Except the tie rod in the car had snapped, so I had to get the car towed. No big deal, but was just very surprised on how casual the whole situation was. Later at lunch, one of the other managers told me that he gets into a fender bender twice a month with the company car. Its 'normal'.

One other exciting piece of news, I updated my information with the A&M former students web site, and I was contacted by the Ag Intern program where I did a semester in DC in College, as well as the Study Abroad office at A&M. Both want to interview me for publications that they put out! Pretty surprised and excited at the same time.

This weeks trip to the farmers market, I picked up some delicious blueberries and a very large and sweet mango along with my other weekly staples. Kody seems to be enjoying the fruit around here too. I let him have stuff once I read that its safe for dogs to have it. This week, I made a salad, and I haven't been able to find croutons, but I used raw ramen for the crunch. Kody likes those too!
This coming weekend, I'm going into town for Beer Festival (was Oktoberfest but they have it now, so cant really call it that). My coworker and her family have invited me to go, so I'm looking forward to it! Church is a 'maybe' this week. But the funny thing is, last weekend, I decided not to go, and to listen to a podcast of my home church. The next Monday, I get two emails from two of the staff at the Qingdao church. Coincidence?
This weeks entertainment is Chapelwood sermons, Kitchen Nightmares, and last seasons TopGear BBC.
I miss you and love you all. And l love hearing back from you guys.

Stay tuned!
Peace and love to all!

email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-56597566862142249652013-08-10T21:06:00.000-05:002013-08-11T21:08:27.146-05:00Time keeps on slippin....Howdy guys and gals!

This has certainly seemed like a short week!

Fortunately, the week has been quieter than last week. There were a few small fires to put out at work, but nothing major. Everything seems to be running reasonably smooth.

The insurance adjuster has submitted his estimate, and my contractor has started to fix some of the stuff like sheetrock. We're waiting on the insurance to get settled before we move forward with everything else.

So, last weekend, in Qingdao, on Saturday, I took it easy, recovering from the hectic week. Bob called and wanted to escape from the hotel for a while, so we went to McDonalds and then to the tool district to check out hand tools and welding machines etc. Afterwards, we went to a very local mall, most of the places we have been too were upscale places, and this is where the every day person would go to get stuff. I think Bob was a little surprised at what he saw. Equally, the locals were surprised to see a Westerner in a place like that. I took a nap Saturday afternoon and ended up skipping the pub crawl, just wasn't feeling up to it.

Sunday, I went to the office in the morning and used their water hose to wash the car, then headed to church. Afterwards, I went to the second hand market to look for more furniture. Unfortunately, the market has oodles and oodles of the same rental grade, sub-college student furniture in 90% of their stalls. Also lots of restaurant equipment, used AC units. I was able to find the same furniture thats in my bedroom and bought a matching nightstand for 100 RMB (16 dollars). This is particle board stuff. I walked more, and found some nice real wood stuff, and picked up an end table for 180 RMB (30 bucks). I had to stop , as my car is a 4 door sedan. I'd have to borrow the Buick minivan from work to get more, but this was plenty for now. Sunday evening, I took my upstairs neighbors out for supper, to show my appreciation for them helping me when I had locked myself out. They're very nice folks and we hit it off good. The husband is a supervising engineer at a Golf Ball manufacturer, and the wife works for a company that makes Kim Chee. They also were able to recommend an acquaintance that has a couch factory in town, so I may be able to take advantage of that soon too! We agreed to continue sharing meals now and then as well as they both enjoy cooking!

I have attached pictures of lunch on Sunday. this street food meal had Tofu Skin, braised beef, soft and hard tofu, mushrooms, rice and a coke, and was $1.62USD, after that I got a haircut and went to the farmers market and bought fruit, as well as the seasons last Lychees (what i"m holding in my hand). Kody likes the lychees (pronounced Lee-Chee) too.

This week, I used my oven to cook a frozen "Pirates of the Caribbean" branded Pizza. It was pretty good, and I'm grateful to have an oven, as most places do NOT here.

On Thursday, I met another expat who had put an ad up for stuff he was selling because he was moving home. I went over to his place, and picked up a Western style King Mattress, a Clothes Steamer, Coffee maker, DVD player with 300 + DVDs, and a LayZBoy recliner! We visited some about expat life in Qingdao, and I mentioned that it felt very discombobulated. He agreed and mentioned that the majority of Expats here are teachers, and tend to form cliques within the school, and it gelled that way at church too. Now I understand better. I did make a good friend with this guy and he has other expat friends that he wants me to meet to bring me into their fold. He also told me about all the other stores that I haven't been to yet, including a place called "Metro Cash & Carry" which is apaprently huge in Europe. Its like Costco or Sams, and has a lot of western products, including (drum roll) CHEESE!!!! Along with other products.

On another positive note, I have figured out how to use Taobao, which is like ebay in China. Its 100% chinese language, but Google Chrome has a translator that automatically translates each page, beleive it or not, I've ordered a bunch of stuff from there already and its arrived successfully to the office! My new expat friend also told me about Amazon china, which has a lot of comforts of home for very reasonable prices. I purchased Grape Nuts, Raisins, SPices, a car wash Mitt, and yes, DORITOS!

This weekend I will hit the gym, give Mr Kody a bath, go to the office and wash the car, and make a trip over to Metro to see what its like. Hoping that I find stuff that gives me the comforts of home there!

The weekly entertainment includes latest season of the British Top Gear, Ramseys Kitchen Nightmares, and now, I'm sifting through the massive collection of DVDs I inherited.

Thats it from my side, I'm hoping my updates aren't too terribly boring, but it seems as things start to get more routine, there seems to be less to report.

I am, however, planning a trip to the hot springs and mud baths, maybe next weekend!

Peace and love

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-56283494128392772652013-08-05T21:44:00.001-05:002013-08-05T21:44:40.155-05:00Wow, time seems to be flying by! I can't believe today is FRIDAY! What a difference 30 days makes. I was talking to my co-worker last night on the way home. When I arrived here 4 weeks ago, customs took Kody, I stayed at my filthy apartment which had almost NO furnishings except for beds and couches, had no shower curtain, no toilet paper, and no AC. I remember that Saturday morning, waking up and walking to a bakery, buying bread, and then to a local convenience store to get some juice, going back to my apartment and eating on the couch, thinking to myself, "this is the biggest mistake I've ever made." Fortunately, I don't feel that way so much anymore.

Well, since my last update, a lots gone on but mostly in the positive direction.

My house has been dried, damaged carpet/sheetrock etc has been removed. The contractor and the adjuster were within a few hundred dollars of eachother, so that was good, and my Mom and Stepdad and my friend Dayna, and next door neighbors have been checking it all out and keeping things on track. Again, thanks to everyone for continually offering to help. I'm very blessed to have so many people willing to step up! The plumbing has been repaired, and we're waiting on the insurance to work the system for now.

Last weekend, Bob decided to hang out at the hotel, and another co-worker who was just in for a few days attended church with me on Sunday, and we had some street food (steamed meat buns and dumplings) The photo of the food you see attached was 14RMB, less than 3 dollars. And we had food we couldn't finish!

This week at work was hectic, with Management meetings and presentations and deadlines. I have been driving back and forth between the conference center, R&D office and the factory all week, and running on a little more than 3-5 hours of sleep per night. Needless to say, I am ready for an 8pm bed time tonght! The cool part about the conference center, is that its right on the water, and the sea breeze felt GREAT!

Kody is doing good, this weekend he'll get a bath. He loves going for our walks 3 times a day, because he can check out the stray cats that hang around our compound. This is his usual sleeping position, which allows him to be in the same room as me, and hear whats going on in the rest of the house. Since I've been here 30 days, Customs called and asked me to bring Kody to the airport for an inspection, which involved me borrowing a minivan from work, going home, taking kody in his crate to the airport, waiting 45 minutes for the guy, having him take 3 photos and petting Kody, and sending us on our way.

Last night, I had dinner and drinks with co-workers in for the Management Meetings. We hung out at the pub in front of my complex, and I ordered fettuccine alfredo with pancetta. It was wonderfully good.

Last weekend, I broke down and bought some cheese from my grocery store. It was 9 US dollars for a small 5 inch round of brie, so I've been carefully savoring a little at a time. I am moving forward with equipping the apartment and I've started to make a list. I still need to bite the bullet and buy a microwave and a coffee maker. I keep hearing about a used furniture store in Chengyang but nobody knows where it is. I may go into town and try to locate one. Rugs are also on the list so Kody has some traction when he walks around.

Bob, my co-worker is leaving tomorrow. Its both good and bad, I think because I'll miss having a western colleague, but on the other hand, it will allow me to build my personal 'infrastructure' and get me to meet more people. Sunday evening, I will take out my neighbors upstairs for rescuing me after my lockout incident.

The weather has been warm here, upper 80s, low 90s, but only falls to 80 at night. We have rain every day, which makes the car look nasty. The difference between here and Houston, is that the humidity burns off in the day time in Houston, and the heat is 'dry' . Here, it ls like a sauna.

This weekend, I'll try to find a used furniture place, come up here to work and wash my car, and Saturday night is an Expat Pub Crawl. Sunday will be church and meeting people at church.

Thats all I have to report.

Miss everyone!

Peace and love!

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-30214474359726082932013-07-27T01:04:00.000-05:002013-07-27T01:05:26.550-05:00When it rains (or leaks), it pours.....Howdy everyone, some of you noticed right away that I didn't send my Wednesday night update this week.

Well, there's a pretty good reason for that.

Lets just pick up from last update. The weekend was the normal routine, not much exciting, though Bob and I did try a German restaurant in town, and had their "giant pig knuckle" which was great. They also had a nice coffee machine inside, so we ordered a cup of joe. It was the nicest cup of coffee I've had in a long time. Afterwards I did my usual shopping. Check out the picture of this HUGE durian. You could smell it from a mile away!

This week has been very busy workwise, deadlines and big management meetings coming up have stretched me pretty thin. Between work, home, and Kody, there wasnt much time to punch out an update. I also finally did join the Gym by the house and went to my first spin class there. I dont know if it was me being out of shape, no fans in the classroom, or the lack of AC, but I only lasted about 30 minutes. The room is dark like US spin classes, but has LED strobes all over the place like a trance club. That, combined with EuroTrash Techno exhausted me. I decided to leave before I had seizures from the lights.

This Wednesday evening, I went to bed, and for some reason forgot to power off my Houston cell phone. I always power it off. About 12:30 midnight, phone rang, it was my neighbor. I answered, completely incoherent, and he was paitent enough to let me get my bearings, and to tell me I had a major water leak in the house. Nick has been checking on the house regularly, along with my Mom and stepdad, and Dayna, so the house usually doesn't go for extended amounts of time without people looking in. Well, the water leak started at the water heater (defective rubber hose), and leaked all over, caving the ceiling in at the guest room, and leaking down the hall, to the office, dining room, living room, and kitchen. I'm so fortunate that my Mom and Step Dad , and Nick and my contractor friend Mark, all stepped up to the plate. I called my insurance agent, and the same day, Mom, Darrell, Nick and Mark, and the insurance company had come out, done estimates, brought in fans and dehumidifiers and were starting the cleanup process. Felt really nice to know I'm in good hands. The damage is pretty extensive, floors, sheetrock and plumbing repair. Still waiting for the final estimate. Thank goodness for insurance.

To top that off, Friday morning, Kody and I went for our usual 5AM walk. Except this guy, walked out the door without his house keys. So here I am, sitting outside the door of the apartment, flip flops, shorts and a Tshirt with Kody. I had my wallet but no cell phone. And knew nobodys phone number here. I hadnt shaved, showered or even brushed my teeth. I was going to walk down the street to the Holiday inn and wake up bob, and have him call my admin who has a key, but it would take two hours to get her to the office, get the key and then come unlock the door. On top of that, they probably dont allow dogs into holiday inn. So option 2 was to take Kody in a Cab and head to work, and twiddle my thumbs still 8am when people came to work to get a key, but most cabs dont allow dogs. So the last and final option, was to bother a neighbor. I had met two neighbors, the one on the first floor, who is VERY nice,but not sure how nice anyones going to be at 5:30 in the morning. The second neighbor lives above me, we met once, but the important part is, since he lives above me, I know what time he gets moving. Which was about 5:30. I knocked on his door, and asked him to lock kody up while I went for keys, and he said that he and his wife go to work at 7. So that wasnt an option. Then he remembered that there was a flyer for a locksmith at our West entrance to the compound. He ran down with me, we got the number, and 15 minutes later, the locksmith arrived, wearing cutoffs, no shirt and carrying with him a hammer and a metal rod. Using the hammer and his scooter key, he punched out the peep hole, and the metal rod was shaped exactly like the door handle. It took him less than 5 minutes to get in. Total cost? 100 RMB= 16 dollars. I was back inside by 6:15 AM.

So, here I sit writing this email on Saturday at 2pm from work (deadlines due!) and looking back, thinking about how very fortunate I am to have so many great people around me. People that I can not express how grateful I am, people that have stepped up, offered help, and responded when called on. So for those of you that have offered help on the house, thanks so much, but its under control so far.

This weekends plans are to look for a microwave, and go to the used furniture market (the renter grade furniture just isnt cutting it), I'm deal hunting!

In other news, SiriusXM.com works in China, so I can listen to Satellite Radio from my desk, and get a taste of US music. I'm working out regularly and just finished the first season of Arrested Development. Presently watching the current season of Hell's Kitchen too. So I'm able to keep sane. Kody is doing good, he's enjoying sharing my after dinner popsicle (Chinese sweet green bean).

Weather here is nice, mid to upper 80s but its stays very humid!

I miss everyone, and I hope this note finds you very well.

peace and love,
W

email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-74107891800784688332013-07-17T20:23:00.001-05:002013-07-17T20:23:59.325-05:00Time flies....Has it been a week already? Time has seemed to have flown by since the last update.

So, since last week, I've been just settling in and exploring more.

I'm still pretty homesick, but being able to facetime with family and friends helps a lot.

On Friday afternoon, I got the windows tinted in the car, and Friday night, I had dinner with a colleague at his hotel. Saturday the A-yi was supposed to come and clean but did not show up. I later found out that shes scared of Kody, but supposedly will be back Saturday as long as he's crated. So Saturday, I cleaned the floors and the bathrooms, and did laundry, and watched it rain outside. In the evening, I went out for a little drive and then stopped at a street food vendor outside my neighborhood for some meat skewers (see pictures). They were good, but eating from a street vendor does have risks.

Sunday, Bob, my colleague and I went into Qingdao for our 'day in town'. He was looking for a hotel that had a nice brunch, but he couldn't remember the name or street it was on, so after 2 hours of aimlessly wandering, I made the decision that we would stop by "Sunshine Center" which is another high end shopping mall downtown. Inside they had a very upscale buffet, which we were lucky to get a table without a reservation. The food was great, international choices and fresh seafood. In the afternoon, I took Bob back to his hotel and went by the farmers market to get fresh fruits and vegetables. I ended up with 4 bags of stuff for about 12 dollars. I went home to meet the AC Repair man (on a sunday!) who misdiagnosed my AC unit, and would be back "later in the week" with the new part. Kody and I went for a little walk, and I headed off to find a place to get a haircut. There was a place close by the house, and I walked in, and it seemed pretty fancy. I got a little nervous because I figured it would be pricey, but the staff told me the haircuts were 38 RMB, a little over 6 dollars, and included shampoo and blowdry, however, If I bought their "preferred customer card", for 200 RMB, (32 dollars), I could get TEN haircuts, which is what I did. And they dont accept tips. I later told a local chinese colleague about the 20 RMB haircut and he told me that it was too expensive, and he pays 10-15 RMB. Go figure. Afterwards, I did some shopping at another Walmart/Target type store, and this one was the nicest one yet.

This week at work, I have decided to leave the office for lunch, as I'm getting a little tired of the cafeteria food. Its been nice to get away for an hour, and also helpful to learn the local area around work. Customer emails have been flying back and forth but it appears that as fires are being put out, people are beginning to mellow out quite a bit.

As far as preventing myself from going insane, this weeks entertainment includes more CHiPs from Itunes, and Hells Kitchen (latest season). There is an expat meetup tonight, but its in town and I'm seriously considering going and taking a cab (police like to do sobriety checks at night, and I dont have an official Chinese license yet). I'll be joining the gym in my neighborhood, but access to cash is not easy right now because china employers pay salary once a month. So I dont get a July paycheck till August. So I go to a bank that actually accepts Visa Logo ATM cards and I pull out the equivalent of 300 USD at a time. Fortunately, I finally got a gasoline card, so that helps with the amount of cash I need to lay out for gas.

Yesterday, I went to a steak place for lunch, Steaks in China are different. Where in the US, we're used to nice, thick cut steaks, with a nice pink center, (rare or medium rare), the Chinese steakhouses serve steaks like Pork Chop thin, on a sizzling plate, well done. I ended up ordering some chinese food they had instead. If I do want a steak, there's a place downtown called "Wang Steak House" , which is a franchise all over Asia, and they're as close as you can get to a western steak dining experience.

Thats all for now everyone, I hope you are all well!

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-49038839985891224272013-07-11T20:17:00.001-05:002013-07-11T20:17:59.101-05:00Just figured I'd send my weekly update of being in China.

So, most of you guys know that I got Kody out of customs last week. That was a huge relief in itself! The first few days, I couldn't get more than 5' away from Kody. He stayed very close to me. He's better now, and enjoying the wood floors (they stay nice and cool). High rise life doesn't really seem to affect him that much, He's been sleeping on the couch or the carpeted front door mat when I get home.

The house is coming together nicely. The AC in the bedroom was repaired on Tuesday, so now its nice and cool when I sleep at night. I hired an A-yi (auntie) to clean the House every saturday. Until I get to know her more, I'm only having her come around when I'm home. Really theres not much of a mess thats made, other than the Kody fur on the wood floors. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for any expats moving home, so I can snag a deal on their furniture. The rental property furniture isnt exactly of the best quality.

Work is going ok, though there's lots of stuff to get cleaned up, folks that were supposed to be assigned here were living in other cities and coming in every 4-6 weeks, and that wasn't really cutting it. I'm starting to meet more of the staff and see how things operate. Not always the most efficient or the best way to do it, but the wheels of progress grind slowly.

I have found most of the Target/Walmart type stores already close by, and the Farmer's Market, which is pretty much walking distance from my place. I did actually go visit the Wal Mart on Saturday, and its pretty much like the Walmart in the US. Meager quality stuff at meager prices. I have been on the hunt for a toilet mat. Nobodys heard of one here. Afterwards, I went and had my car hand washed, Vacuumed and new wiper blades installed. The cost? 55 rmb (less than 10 dollars). The Farmers Market is the place to go for the meats, and fresh fruits and veggies. I really enjoyed it, its very much like the Farmers mkt in houston where each stand is operated by a different owner.

This past Sunday, I went with a co-worker into downtown to attend the Qingdao International Christian Fellowship. This is a church service thats non-denominational and allows anyone that holds a foreign passport. The service was ok, but we were late, so we missed some of the beginning. I will return next week to check it out again. Afterwards, we went to HiSense shopping center (which is like the Galleria). This was high fashion, and upscale. They had a Swaorvski crystal store, all the expensive boutique clothing stores, that you find in the high rent districts. Wouldn't you know it? They had a toilet mat here. I paid...40 dollars for it, but its the nicest toilet mat you've ever seen. I'll pick one up for the other bathroom when I'm in Houston at Christmas time! This center is 4 stories tall, the basement is a food court and grocery store.The grocery store pretty much has everything that you would find in a typical Chinese grocery store, with the exception that its more like a supermarket, air conditioned, well lit, and clean. On top of that, they have LOTS of expat products. Cheese, Cake mix, tomato sauce, breads, jell-o etc. Anything that you may need, they probably have. You may pay 4X the cost for it (Betty Crocker cake mix was 5 dollars), but when you're 8000 miles away, you'll probably be willing to pay for it.

Sunday evening, I had some co-workers over for dinner. I made Spaghetti, sauce from scratch. The house still smells wonderful from all of it!

Thats all I really have to report. I'm keeping myself sane by downloading TV shows from Itunes. Right now I'm working through Arrested Development, COPS (2012 season), The office (season 2), and CHiPs ( the motorcycle cop show from the 70s). I found a gym close to my house, walking distance actually. They have spin every night, and are pretty nicely outfitted. The cost is a little higher than I expected, but I must factor in how close to my home that it is.
email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-77771396162176310862013-07-02T22:11:00.000-05:002013-07-02T22:11:03.282-05:00China Update #1Hey guys!

 First off, sorry for the silence since I have been here. I have only really been keeping in touch with a small handful of people because its been sort of a nightmare since I arrived. So how can I narrate this for you all?

Kody and I drove to Dallas this week, saw friends on the way up, had dinner with friends in Dallas, and then spent the night, and flew direct from Dallas to Seoul the next morning. Because of the crate size, (and probably some greed from the agent that I used), they insisted that Kody go as Cargo to China, not as excess luggage. This was a big mistake. Lessons learned.

 The agent that I hired was helpful in getting Kody checked in, and Korean air took very good care of Kody in Dallas and Korea. They left his crate inside their offices so he would have some AC. My flight was uneventful, got to Korea, checked into the hotel, and then got a decent nights sleep, and flew out the next day. Here is where the trouble starts. Arriving in Qingdao, my co-worker meets me, and we go to pick up Kody from the Air Cargo terminal. which should have been showing them my passport, Kodys rabies certs and health certs, and taking him home. Well, because he went cargo, its the same as shipping a box of shoes, or documents etc. They really dont 'belong' to anyone until they clear customs and the consignee can pick them up. Long story short, we spent Friday afternoon with the freight agent in china and a korean air rep trying to get kody out. We were unsuccessful. The good news is, that the customs warehouse people were VERY nice, and allowed me go in twice a day, feed, water and walk him. They even walked him and played with him. I'm so glad Kody is a nice dog and not aggressive.

Every day when I went to go see him and let him out, we drew a crowd of about 12 people that wanted to take pics, pose with him and ask all kinds of questions "is he famous?" etc. So, my days were consumed with being at customs, talking to the agents, inspection people, and freight forwarder regarding Kody NOT being 'freight' but a pet.

Every day, we've been making a little headway. And yesterday (tuesday) we finally made progress. So, today, I have to pick Kody up, pick up our freight agent, and then take him to the airport for an 'inspection' (they just want to pet him), and then he can go home.

 Everything else is progressing. The apartment, which was supposed to be cleaned twice before I arrived. was not even cleaned once. I stayed there Friday night, frustrated and upset about Kody, almost no sleep because I had almost nothing, no sheets, pillows etc. I woke up at 4 am and started cleaning the wood floors with just a wet rag. The dirt that was on the floor was incredible. They didn't clean.

I visited Kody saturday, and my coworker took me out to buy some stuff at "Leader" which is like a super Wal mart. I didnt even have a shower curtain! Sunday, my coworker and I drove to the east coast of Qingdao, saw the beach and had some fresh seafood. In the afternoon, my dad and his wife came down from Beijing with my car and his car loaded full of stuff for the apartment. Slowly but surely, the apartment is coming together. I brought soft scrub with bleach from the US, and I've been cleaning little by little. Its getting there! I like the neighborhood I live in. Theres lots of people out walking around, so it feels very community like. I dont have much else to report.

I've been doing a lot of driving here, trying to get Kody out, and going to visit him. The thing you must remember about driving in China? There are no rules. email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-5929844469377195482012-11-26T08:42:00.002-06:002012-11-26T08:42:50.947-06:00More on BrakesMany of you all know, I like to tinker with cars (okay more than tinker, my "spare" time is consumed with it). Recently I was talking to a friend about brakes and rotors, and he said "yeah, I'll just get the good pads and the Chinese rotors." Which is what I have recommended in the past to people doing their own. Well, then it got me thinking, where are brake rotors really made these days? In the 80s, as a kid, most of the brake rotors were made in North America; Canada, USA and Mexico. After some emailing and phone calls, I have found that disc brake rotors are no longer manufactured in the USA or Canada for aftermarket DIYers and Jobbers. The big players, we are all familiar with (Wagner, Bendix, Centric (who owns Powerslot), Raybestos, Motorcraft, ACDelco) are all manufactured overseas in China and Taiwan. The disc brake foundries and plants in the North America have ceased production. Have a European car? Those guys (ATE, Brembo, TRW, etc.) are now also procuring a large amount of their replacement rotors from China and Taiwan. Now, rotor production in Mexico is dwindling to almost nothing. One interesting note: Centric who was known as a budget/value brand, also owns StopTech brand and Power Slot brand. All Centric Premium, StopTech SportStop, and Power Slot rotors are designed and engineered in-house, then Centric supervises strict manufacturing processes in Asia. They specify their own casting and manufacturing technologies. All parts are double disc ground, balanced, match the OEM vane designs and are E-coated (electrostatically applied black finish to all non-swept surfaces). Most competing brands do not offer all these OE features and benefits. Centric's rotors are Machined stateside. The good news is that country of origin is not a relevant indicator of brake rotor quality. The bad news is, theres no longer any North American sourced brake discs and drums available to the normal guy like you and firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-75038064839565956512012-01-06T16:37:00.002-06:002012-01-06T16:40:21.928-06:00Goodbye to Forrest.....This is an update to the Vestibular post from July.

Many of you that read or follow know that I have a dog, Forrest.

Forrest had very few health problems in his life. He had a hip replacement, Glaucoma in 2007, which took his vision, and he adjusted very well to it. Then Vestibular Disease (like vertigo) in July of this year. In Late September, things started to decline. Forrest started wandering the house in the middle of the night, confused, and slipping on the kitchen floor, unable to get up. The vet diagnosed it as a combination of arthritis pains and doggie dementia. We got medication to help for both, and Forrest got upgraded to share my king sized bed with me. This arrangement actually worked really well, no alarm clock needed. 5 am dog panting in your face

Things seemed to return to normal (or the new normal), he even was able to walk fairly normally again. Last Monday, in the middle of the night, Forrest fell out of bed. I picked him up and put him back in with me, not thinking anything was wrong, but when I woke up, I realized that he had suffered another vestibular episode like this summer. This time, it didn't seem as severe, as he was drinking and eating, so I figured he would bounce back and be fine. Christmas morning, I picked him up and put him in the back yard, and he started crying for me to bring him in. So I did, and put him on his dog bed on the floor, and within a few minutes, he was whining again. Finally I put him in bed with me, and he seemed happy. We spent our last Christmas day together snuggled up in bed, watching old Christmas movie re-runs and eating junk food. At one point, he rolled over and laid his head on my chest and "gazed" at me with his blind eyes, and I knew, he was telling me that it was ok, and he was ready to go. In true Forrest fashion, to reinforce that he was ready, he let me know again that night by leaving a "present" in the bed for me.

So yesterday morning, I took him to VERGI, the local vet ER, and had him put down. It was a very peaceful and calm event, but it doesn't make it any easier. They laid him on a comforter on the floor and let us have all the time that we wanted before the process was done. Forrest went very peacefully and quietly. Thanks to my friends that showed up at the ER with me. The only comfort I have is knowing that he's no longer suffering. It was the right thing to do, and the ultimate responsibility of a pet owner.

For those of you that knew Forrest, you already know what a smart, kind and funny dog he was. He was well trained and had me well trained too. He knew how to open the screen door, and bark to come back in. He knew how to wake me up by breathing hard, then sneezing in my face, and ultimately bumping the bed with his butt, so I could let him out. When I was outside in the yard or the garage, he wanted to be out there supervising. He knew many tricks, and loved to perform for treats. Forrest lived the life of a college student throughout my Journey at A&M. He had many kind roommates that loved on him as much as I did, and he loved them equally. Forrest also got to stay with my sister and her roommates and my mom for some time too, being doted on by girls, and spoiled by my mom.

Forrest like me, loved cars, and loved riding in them, head stuck out the window and smelling all the scents that the world had to offer, many times to our trips to the dog park. He kept guard of my truck when we went to home depot, hopping in the driver seat like he was driving, taking in the cool A/C in his face and listening to the radio. He loved chewing ice. When he was younger and had his vision, he loved catching ice and chewing it up. He spent many summers terrorizing the squirrels in my mothers neighborhood, and actually plucked one off the tree that had frozen in fear, killed it, and left it on the side door of the house.

Forrest was a loyal and loving dog, and lived almost 15 years. Born 15 March 1997, Passed 26 December 2011. I'll never forget you my friend.

If you are interested, here's a brief poem that was written for those who have lost pets.
http://www.petloss.com/<wbr>rainbowbridge.htm

Thanks to everyone for your kind support and email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-29197924134687384332011-07-22T09:16:00.006-05:002011-07-22T09:31:15.424-05:00Vestibular Disease in DogsMaybe you found this by googling Vestibular Disease in dogs, or you think your dog had a stroke. Maybe you read my blog. But here's a short story about my Dog and our journey with Vestibular Disease. Don't panic, first off. This is not the end for your dog, but you should seek medical attention.

Is your dog unable to stand/walk?

When he moves, is it like hes drunk or dizzy?

Do you notice rapid eye movement?

Keep reading my tale of my dog.

So when I got home from work last Thursday, it looked like my 14 year old chow, Forrest had a stroke. He had vomited and lost his bladder and could not stand up, when he did, it looked like he was drunk. What I did NOT notice, is the rapid eye movement that he had, which is a classic sign of Vestibular Syndrome. I called a friend and she advised me to get him to the ER ASAP.

Trying to make as many calls and texts before I left, while trying not to burst into tears, we rushed to the Veterinary ER and I was sure that this was going to be my goodbye with my best friend. Fortunately, the Doctor diagnosed it as vestibular disease, which he can fully recover from. Commonly mistaken as a stroke. Its like vertigo in humans. He is off balance and cannot walk or stand. The good news is, this is fully recoverable and seldom happens again.

We were given medicine and bed rest for a week or so.

I took him home and gave him some water and let him rest in the back yard a little and he slept on his dog bed pretty comfortably. The next morning I carried him into the back yard, he drank some water, went potty, and I fed him some canned dog food. I carried him into his favorite spot, my bedroom closet, on a blanket. This week, I have been checking on him at lunchtime.

Last weekend, I canceled all appointments in order to stay home and be with Forrest. I took him outside this morning, and he drank water and was able to go potty. I let him sit outside for about 30 minutes. He was still unable to stand or sit up, and when I put him down, he laid on his right side.

I brought him in and set him up in the living room on a bed sheet and a towel under his back area in case he had an accident, and he laid there most of the day. I made him some chicken, but he has not been interested in eating, mostly due to the nausea. Mom stopped by for a visit and he wagged his tail a few times.

At lunch time, I took him in the back yard again, and he drank water and went potty again, this time actually laying on the grass but his head up and looked like he was enjoying the sun. I waited outside with him for about 30 minutes, and brought him inside again. He laid down again, on the right side. His head was still cocked to one side, and he doesn't like to move.

When we got back from church, I took him out again and he drank lots of water, and I was able to feed him two bites of wet dog food. This whole time, I have been giving him water from a bottle, but I tried with a small bowl tonight, which he eagerly drank from.

When I carried him in and set him he was able to balance a little, but in the end, he wanted to be laid down, he was able to hold his head up while laying there, still cocked, but this is the first time he has not laid his head down to the side. Saturday evening I put him on his dog bed, and he laid there on his chin, so I felt like we were making baby steps towards recovery.

Earlier this week, Forrest showed me that he can drink from a water bowl (was bottle feeding him) and can hold his head up (but still tilted).

By Monday of this week, Forrest was accustomed to our "routine" now. I take him outside, and he's starting to want to stand on his own, and if he stands between my legs, he can stand up and stay standing, however, without me there, he will fall. When I ask if he wants to go out, he tries to get up on his own, but his balance is still off. I still carry him. He is, however, moving around more on the grass, while laying he will use his back and front legs to move himself into different positions. Sunday around noon, I put 2 pieces of canned dog food into his cheek so he would chew it, then after the first bite, he realized that he was hungry. So he ate half the can of dog food. Still no interest in crunchy things like dry dog food, biscuits or ice.

Tuesday, I went home at lunch time and he finished the last 1/3 of the can of dog food. His eyes are no longer twitching (part of the Vestibular Disease), and his playful personality is starting to peek out a little bit. Tuesday night, he ate a piece of chicken that I grilled.
During the week, he will wake up around 5 AM, so I take him outside and put him in the grass until right before I get ready for work, around 6:30. I will go home at lunch for a while to make sure he's ok.

Wednesday, I got home from work and he was standing in the entry way, waiting for me. Forrest is now able to get up on his own (if he's on Carpet or Grass), he can walk, but he's pretty unsteady. I can help him walk from inside and out into the back yard, and he will move around on the grass for a little while and have himself a seat. Progress has been good, and as a big surprise, in the middle of the night last night, he walked out of the bedroom and went and got himself a drink from his bowl in the kitchen.

His appetite has returned, but he still is refusing dry food, dog biscuits etc, things that are crunchy. I suspect this is due to the vestibular disease, and his ears being sensitive to the crunching noises when he eats, but we'll see.

Forrest still has some head tilt, but the doctor explained that some dogs never recover from this, however, it does not affect them other than kind of looking silly. Its not as extreme as it was a week ago, and I'm hoping we keep progressing at this rate.firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-15175449077903342542011-03-07T11:06:00.002-06:002011-03-07T11:15:29.903-06:00Track DayThose who know me know I'm a HUGE gearhead, well, I've been running around with the Local Mercedes club, and from them, I found a few guys running Caterhams, and from that, I started attending their Track Days at Grandsport Speedway which is an awesome Track located near Gulf Greyhound park.

Lots of Lotus, Caterhams, and all kinds of other exotic stuff showed up for this event.

Heres some pics of our Fun Saturday. Lots of nice cars out there.

<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F115836804558077762683%2Falbumid%2F5580843541416958497%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="267" width="400"></embed>email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-55717101088159401482010-12-10T09:45:00.004-06:002010-12-10T10:33:47.311-06:00Ford Customer Service...what customer service?Many of you know that I am a HUGE Ford fan. I bleed blue. I have driven nothing but Fords since before I got my license. Lots of Crown Vics, F-Series, Mustangs, Super Duties, Marauders, a Five Hundred, a Countour SVT, and most recently I ordered a 2010 Taurus SHO about a year ago. I have always recommend Ford products to my friends, and many of them are very pleased with their purchases. I guess I got bit on this one.

Well, she arrived right before Valentines Day 2010. I loved her from the Get-go, she was pretty, she was fast, and stealthy. I special ordered because nobody had what I wanted. I wanted the Performance Pack, which had special brakes, a different axle ratio, and stiffer springs and struts. It was worth the wait.

So around June of this year, I notice that when I'm leaving the neighborhood, the engine stutters/falters a little when I'm waiting for the light to turn green. This happened every day, and to the point where I started trying with the A/C on, A/C off, etc. Still did it.

It concerned me, and I made a note to take it in to the dealer to have it looked at. Around September, the brakes exhibited a groaning noise at low speeds, and I also noticed, while moving the car down the driveway, I noticed a clicking noise when going from Park to Reverse, and then Reverse to drive. This was enough to warrant taking the car in to be looked at.

I took the car into Tommie Vaughn Ford in Houston, where I bought the car from. They had the car in for three days. Their solution was to reflash the PCM, perform the brake TSB, which addressed the groan, and clearly stated, for Performance Package Taurus SHOs, NOT TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS. Guess what? They replaced the pads. When I picked the car up, I read the paperwork and pointed out to the advisor that the TSB was performed incorrectly. The advisor also told me that the clicking noise was gone. He offered to change the pads back to the original ones, however, I had no time, so I just got them back and left.

When I got the car back, I noticed that the clicking noise was still present, as well as the rough idle, to the point where the car died, however, immediately restarted. I called the Dealer and talked to my advisor, and explained that I was really disappointed. I buy from Tommie Vaughn for the good reputation. I took it for service there because thats where the car was purchased. I know Ford doesn't offer loaner cars unless you buy extended warranty, so I didnt expect them to provide me with alternate wheels, but I asked what his suggestion would be to resolve this problem. He told me to bring the car in and they would give me something to drive. I took the car in again. This time, they kept the car for 9 Days. I drove to the credit union to make a car payment in a rental car.

I picked the car up, they replaced the spark plugs, and the brake pads (to the correct ones) and the Brake Calipers. Supposedly the cause of the clicking noise. When I picked the car up and left, I noticed that the brakes didnt feel quite right. I brushed it off as to having driven a different car for a week and I'd get used to it. Well, when I left the office that evening, first stoplight, the brake pedal goes to the floor. To add insult to injury, while waiting for the light to turn green, the car exhibits the rough idle again. I immediately called the dealer. He advised me to bring it in.

Over the weekend and part of the next week, I drove my other vehicle, because I did not feel safe driving the car in the way that it was with the soft brakes. I did take the car in, around November 16th and I met with the Service writer, as well as the Service manager. I explained my frustration that this was the THIRD time the car was going in. He assured me that this would be taken care of and put me in another rental car. I suggested getting a Field Service Engineer involved or Ford direct. Later that week, my advisor called and said that they found #1 Cylinder was 'dropping out' and coming back. Ford techline advised them to move the spark plug and coil somewhere else to see if the 'drop out' followed. It did not. Ford techline suggests that the dealer replace the fuel injector, so they "emergency ordered" an injector. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I got a call stating that the injector was in, and the technician would be installing the injector to see if the problem was fixed. Friday, I called the dealer and talked to the service advisor, and he told me that the tech that was working on my car was on vacation, and that I would need to check back on Monday. Monday, my advisor calls me and says that the Shop Foreman actually drove my car and the problem was still present. So the FSE told them that they wanted to swap the computer, and could I bring my other key to the dealership, since they would need to reprogram both keys. I took my spare key to the dealer and my service writer was not there.

I spoke to the service manager after he got back from lunch. I asked him for an update, which he was not aware of any further updates. I told him to keep "throwing parts" at the car until they had it fixed. He said "Well, we're not throwing parts at it, we're diagnosing." Lets see. You have reflashed the PCM, Replaced Spark Plugs, Moved Coils, replaced the Fuel Injector, and now, you want to change the PCM. If thats not throwing parts at the problem I'm not sure what is.

Later that week, my advisor called and told me that the SHO they had on their lot that they were planning on swapping PCMs with did not match my car, however, when they pulled the spark plug on #1, the technician saw "Something Shiny" down the plug hole. So the Ford Engineer asked them to pull the head. The advisor thought that the engine would have to be removed for this operation and I tended to agree with him. This was around December 3. Over the weekend, I went to the dealer and took photos of my car sitting on the rack, which the exhaust unbolted, in various stages of disassembly. Looked like they were well on their way.

Tuesday, December 7th, I called the dealer for an update. The advisor had left, so I talked to the Service manager. He advised that they were told to pull heads by the Ford Engineer. Which I already knew. He claimed that the engine did NOT have to be removed.

Wednesday, December 8th, My advisor called around noon to tell me that the heads were off and the valves were "Carboned up" Like you would not believe. Then he starts asking me about what kind of Gasoline I used. I told him, Premium, only Chevron or Shell. Then he told me that the service manager said that only 87 should be used. I told him that I thought this was incorrect, they may want to check the owners manual in the car, as well as on the gas tank door. 87 Octane is acceptable, however, 91 or better is recommended for optimum performance in the SHO motor.

So here we have it folks. As of December 10th, 2010, I have a car that has been in the shop for a total of thirty six days. I have made two payments to the bank in a rental car.

Frustrated? Yes.
Angry? Yes.
Feel like I'm not being taken seriously by Ford or the Dealer? Yes.

Maybe its a lemon I have, but I feel like I'm not being given priority or consideration in this matter. The dealer blames it on their lack of Knowledge on the Ecoboost engine. I don't care what it is at this point. I'm tired of being jerked around and tired of being told one story to the next. I've always been a Ford product advocate and right now, I feel like its a huge slap in the face. I have a damn near 40,000 dollar paperweight that I don't see or get to use. Instead, I'm driving a Budget rent a car Hyundai. Thanks a lot email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-67123983346288764492010-10-04T10:41:00.006-05:002010-10-04T11:00:10.400-05:00Test drive of the 2011 Ford F150's new Engine LineupYou guys know, I bleed blue. I'm a die hard Ford man.

Ford has been making bold moves in the past few years.

More frequent refreshes and new exciting product lines, and killing dead weight (note: Ranger, E-Series and Panthers are NOT dead weight. Refresh THEM PLEASE!)

On Saturday I went and drove the F-Series to try their new engine lineup.

My impressions is that the new Ecoboost F150 is a fast truck, the way the power ramps up is very deceptive, but if you look at the speedometer, you're going at a good clip.

They set up 1/8 mile tracks and let people race each other in all the powertrains, 3.7L V6, 3.5L Ecoboost, 5.0 V8, and a 6.2L Harley truck. Also a Hemi powered Ram Quad Cab and a 5.3L Z71 Silverado ext cab were there to drive/compare.

My best time was run in a Ecoboost 4x4 Supercrew launching in 4Hi (hehe). Ford has hit a home run with this setup. The Ecoboost trucks have lots of insulation along the hood edges and sides to attenuate sound to not give you the feeling that you're driving with a 'smaller' engine. The exhaust note at WOT sounds a little raspy, but you can tell Ford spent some money researching how to get the exhaust to sound decent. NVH is almost nil, and you really dont know its a V6 unless you have a trained ear.

The 5.0L V8 is a smooth engine, with its Modular roots but so much better, it is most definitely refined. I was impressed with the changes Ford made to set the engine up for Truck Duty. Feels different than when in the Mustang App. Still sounds like a mod motor starting up though. Slick 6 Speed Auto is across this whole range of trucks.

The 6.2L Harley truck was by far the best sounding and driving truck there. The 6.2L exhaust on the Harley truck sounds like a NASCAR exhaust at WOT. Ford has done an excellent job with this motor. The truck felt the fastest out of the group, but the Ecoboost was faster on paper (at least to my time slips)

Next they had the Tow area, which had a Loaded Mega Cab Hemi Ram and a Silverado hooked to trailers filled with 6000 lbs in the back, and a group of F150 Supercrew 4x2 and 4x4, all with Ecoboost engines.

Does anyone notice that Ford did not offer a 5.7L or 4.6L Tundra for us to try?

I drove the Ram first, found it to be decent on power but having to work it hard to get it to move at a good pace with the trailer.

Next I hopped into a Supercrew FX4 with the Ecoboost and a 3.73 rear end. This truck moves good with a load. Again, its deceptive because you look down at the speedometer and you're moving faster than you thought. With a load, the power delivery is still very smooth, and the braking and trailer sway control all work awesome. You do have to work that Ecoboost to get the truck to get on the freeways, but thats what it was designed to do, with the turbos, provide that V8 thrust, and it does that.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the new lineup of engines that Ford has come out with.

I just wish they hired more knowledgeable people to work these events. They hire 'pretty people'. I got tired of hearing the wrong information over and over again. Finally I just stopped asking. At the tow section, I made are remark about how disappointed I would be driving the Ram, he stated "I'm an independant contractor, and I will tell you, I like the Ram better than the Ford" I raise an eyebrow at that remark. More technical questions asked to "Product specialists" were replied with a total lie, misinformation and then later "Sir, we're not engineers." If you don't know, just say so. These guys lost their cool when you ask questions they don't know. Then they get offended when you try to correct them. I.e. the guy we did the drive challenge said that "the Ecoboost in the F-series had Honeywell GT12 turbochargers". I said "They're borg warner, and the Honeywell GT15 is what is in the SHO, Flex and MKS with Ecoboost. He just looked at me. Later someone else told me , all F150s have rear axle ratios of 3.73 and 4.10. Ugh. Come on Ford. Seriously? /Rant over.

I did run into two Product specialists that actually did work for Ford and not the event company. They even let me check out and start up the new 6.7L Powerstroke that happened to be there. That motor is crammed under the hood of that truck, however, its supposed to be much easier to service than the 6.0 and 6.4s of yore. Those 7.3L days are over, quit dreaming. HA!.

Ford, you've done a good job here. Lets hope you will keep the products fresh and not let things die on the vine.

Overall I'd say Ford has a good new lineup on their hands. Time will tell to see if people are apt to adopt the Ecoboost in the F Series.

<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fweschain%2Falbumid%2F5523527723809922593%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com" height="267" width="400"></embed>email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-37060343731691963202010-07-08T10:59:00.000-05:002010-10-08T11:16:18.404-05:00Everything you ever wanted to know about Brake FluidHow exciting!

Brake fluid is categorized by the DOT rating. Most new cars will be equipped with DOT 3 brake fluid. Your germans and supercars may use DOT 4, and very few will ever use DOT 5 will come in motorcycles and is a silicone based product.
Chemically speaking, the off the shelf brake fluids, like DOT 3 are based on glycol and glycol esters. DOT 4 is similar in composition except it contains borate esters. New to the brake fluid world is the DOT 5.1 that is made of of borate esters.

Do you know what real job of this fluid is? Brake fluid transmits pressure from the brake pedal to the ends of the brake system, where the calipers or drums are. This force from the fluid is applied to the pads (or shoes) against the rotation of the brake disc/drum.

Its the fluids rating or strength not to compress that allows it to do its job well.

Back to the Mr Wizard lesson. Did you know that H2O is not listed as an ingredient of brake fluid?

Duh!

Water boils at 212 around degrees F. When braking, the rotors can and get HOT...over 1000 degrees of heat and transfer 400 of those guys or more to the caliper. Agua is not a good fluid to choose.

Unfortunately, Brake Fluid is hygroscoptic. DOT3 and DOT 4 brake fluids attract water. Right out of the air. Just like the coolant you use is probably glycol based just because it mixes well with water.

So, what do the numbers mean?

The DOT Numbers are the boiling point ranges that they achieve both dry (no water absorbed) and wet (about 3-4% water content). DOT 3 the dry boiling point is at least 401 and the wet 284 degrees. DOT 4 steps its game up to 446 and 311 respectively. Remember, that these are DOT minimums, and there are high performance brake fluids that exceed those ratings.

Some of the high performance fluids are rated well over 500 (to almost 600) degrees boiling point dry. Wet boiling points will also vary, but be well over 400 degrees.

The higher boiling points are critical to those of you that like to get your roll on at a race track or autocrossing. Once you boil your brake fluid, its done. You'll need more fluid. Sorry atari.

Most non racing folks will that their brake performance is just fine by sticking with the fluid that the manufacturer sold the care with, unless they use they hoon the vehicle to the extreme, such as a Autocross, Track, or if you live in the mountains and stuff. How do I know when this happens? You'll know because the brake pedal will start to feel like mashed potatoes as the fluid boils and the pedal may even fall to the floor.

Most joe blows never flush and replace their brake fluid. In fact, if you go to a shop and have a "brake job" done it is highly unlikely that they will do much more than bleed the brake lines. This means that the old – wet – clapped out – brake fluid will still be there. The water can react to oxidize brake components from the inside out. I recommend once a year, at least have a look at it. If its nasty, flush and replace with fresh brake fluid.

If you want to DIY, buy a Motive Bleeder or call a friend over, this can be done at home. If you cant change your own engine oil, go pay someone else to do this.

Unless your factory manual specifies something different you start with the right (passenger side) rear, then move to the left (drivers side) rear, then the right front, and finally the left front.

If you dont have a bleeder, you will have to work in concert with your assistant at the brake pedal. The goal is not to get any air introduced into the system while you bleed it. To prevent air from entering you need to keep the reservoir from going empty. So check it often and add new fluid as needed. If you do have a bleeder, keep the pressure up.

You should also remove as much of the old fluid from the reservoir before you add new fluid to the reservior. A turkey baster or similar device will allow you to do that. Just have spray "brake clean" ready in case any fluid get on painted surfaces. If left on paint it will remove it. PROTECT YOUR EYES.
You will need to continue this until you get nice, clean, new fluid out to the particular brake you are working on and then repeat for the other three. Be sure to keep enough fluid in the reservoir to prevent air from entering the system from that end.
Brake fluids gain contamination as they age and should be replace periodically. If you race you should change your brake fluid as often as you change your oil.

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700839985761363082.post-49904210814414085662010-06-21T09:44:00.003-05:002010-06-21T10:09:44.515-05:00Checking in...Well it's been a while hasn't it? I guess I'll dust the cobwebs off the old blog and say something.

The first day of summer is here and is in full effect. And boy is it hot outside.

Well, whats been going on since I last posted?

Hmm, well, lots of stuff really.

I have had some major changes and events occur.

My grandfather passed away.
I thought about moving closer into town next to some friends from church but ended up staying.
My new Taurus SHO came in.
I installed slate tile into my bathroom myself.
I had a "God in my face" moment.

Most of my friends know that I'm still pretty 'young' in my spiritual journey. I'm not a perfect Christian, nor do I have all the answers.

A few months back I had a "God in my face" experience. Too many times, little things happen, and we attribute them to coincidences or something unremarkable enough to not even give a second thought to why they happen. This event was one that I would have never imagined would happen in a million years. And it was really an experience to show me that God is in my life. He is around, and he does things on his timetable. Not anyone else's.

My good friend Gary, once said to me, "If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans for the day." This has rang true many times in my life.

So now, where do I go from here? I don't really know.

Life in the past three months has been a series of events of ups and downs. And all of this, is part of Gods plan for me. Sometimes I wish I could see the schedule, or have a peek at the plans, but I know, or at least hope, that in due time, it will be revealed to me.

The end result will be an awesome thing, so I just need to have faith that God will show me when he's ready to.

Journaling has been helpful, but I know in the end I need to spend more time praying and asking God to show me his will.

Adios email@example.com