Task 18 - Part-Time / Seasonal Job

With the unexpected cost of repairing my car and my usual over the top fall/holiday spending habits I thought I might get a part time seasonal job. I gave this a lot of thought before deciding to do it and even more thought about where I might want to get a job.  I figure that if I am working I wont be spending and why not pull in a little extra money in the process.

When I was deciding where I knew a few things about what kind of job I didn't want. I didn't want to fold cloths or wait tables. I also didn't want a job where I would be interacting with the dregs of earth. I settled on a few possibles. After my recent great experience with the Sur La Table cooking class and my many interactions with the staff I thought it would be an ideal spot.  It fit all of the criteria for what I was looking for.

Last night was my first real night at my new part time job. I had my first day last week where we went through training. I chose a retail position like Sur La Table because of the flexible hours and as an alternative to my day job. This position requires little in the way of mental effort or stress and is a great way for my outgoing personality to shine. April the Assistant Store Manager taught us everything we need to know about the store and the products Sur La Table sells.

I will be working 1-2 nights a week and the occasional weekend during the busy holiday season. My employment will last the holiday season and take me into the new year a little bit. Even better the employee discount will allow me to pick up some pretty nice gifts at awesome prices or take more cooking classes at a significantly reduced rate.

I already have meet some great people such as April who first suggested I get a job there when I was on break during my cooking class. Another employee who has already made the job fun and exciting is Stephanie the Floor Manager I worked with last night.  Everyone seems to be super friendly and even more importantly they want the job to be fun while maintaining a professional approach. They are the most down to earth bunch of people and each and every one I have meet have made me feel welcome and appreciated.

Even better I sold my first espresso machine last night to this very nice young couple who came in about 15 minutes before we started closing down. I will admit they had a good idea what they wanted and beelined right for the machines but it was nice to make a nice high ticket sale on my first real day. We don't work on commission so it doesn't really matter who sold it but it felt nice to have done it.

VW GTI Car Trouble Update

Finally today I got my car back. Its been almost nearly 3 weeks since the process started but I am pleased with the end result and even more happy that I found a mechanic that knows his stuff and isn't out to fleece his customers.

So finally list of items repaired. New engine, thermostat, and starter. I got a used motor rather then a new out of the box since replacing the motor doesn't effect the odometer reading of the car. The thermostat and starter while not related to the problem were replaced since they were almost due and it was easier to take car of it all while the engine was reassembled and put back in.

I won't go into too much detail since I want to run the car for a few weeks to make sure everything is perfect but so far so good "Knocking on wood".

VW GTI Car Trouble

About 2 weeks ago on Friday I had a some car trouble on my way to work. The car stuttered while in cruise control and it felt like I had lost most power. Thankfully I was less then a mile from the office and managed to limp into the company parking lot.
 
Knowing something was wrong I asked a co-worker of mine who had previously been a mechanic for his thoughts. One of the perks of working in the manufacturing industry is the variety of both blue and white collar employee's.  He suggested we check the engine codes using a ODBII tool he just so happen to have in his car. It showed a series of engine misfires.
 
Not being a VW expert he suggested I have the dealership take a look at it. After a quick call to the dealership and asking if it was safe to drive I headed up the highway a few exits to the local VW Dealership.  I met my parents there who were kind enough to lend me a car for the rest of the day so I could return to work.
 
They diagnosed the issue as a failed fuel injector and unfortunately they didn't have the part in stock and would not be able to get it until the following Monday. With no real option except to wait until the car was fixed I was stuck with no car for the weekend.
 
Monday came and the fuel injector was replaced by 12:00. Unfortunately after replacing the fuel injector the car was still running rough and still misfiring. With the car not running as it should they continued to diagnose the problem and by about 4:00 and not hearing from them I called again. This time I got even worse news. The engine had a blown piston as it was described to me and would need to be replaced and that it would cost an estimated 6,000 to repair or 5,500 to replace on top of the 550 it already cost to replace the fuel injector. 
 
The service department recommended that I trade the car in rather then replace the motor. Not ever having any reason to not trust them they called up to sales and asked them to give me a call to help move the process along.
 
This was a huge mistake. After several wasted visits to the sales floor and them unable to give me any concrete answer to what they would be willing to offer me for my car I got frustrated and decided I would investigate the alternative to repair or replace the motor.
 
Not satisfied that they had properly diagnosed the car and wastefully installed a fuel injector that I wouldn't need if I traded it in or replace the motor I had a less then friendly conversation with the service department. Only after speaking directly to the technician who did the work did they admit that with a little more testing they would have been able to diagnose it was more then a fuel injector. During that conversation I manged to get them to drop the cost of repalceing the motor from 5,500 to 4600. I didn't give them the go ahead since I still thought it was too much.
 
This process took over a week and was annoying so I began calling around to other repair shops. All suggested that the cost from the dealer wasn't just high but outrageous. I confronted the dealership about the excessive bill and they offered to remove the fuel injector and the charges and let me take the car anywhere I wanted.
 
I offered them one last chance to match a price of 3,200 I had received from a local repair shop. They managed to drop the cost to 3,800 + the 550 I already owed them for the fuel injector.  Not satisfied with their counter offer I asked them to remove the fuel injector as they offered and let me know when I could have the car towed from their garage.
 
Now over a week since I first brought them the car I called AAA and scheduled the pick up of my car. It was like a circus at the dealership with everyone watching from the repair department as my car was loaded on the flatbed.
 
For the first time since the start did I feel like progress was being made. I followed the flatbed to the new repair shop and met the mechanic who would replace my motor. He was younger then I had expected but he clearly knew what he was talking about and told me he wanted to take the rest of the day to do his own diagnosis and would call me in the morning to let me know what he thought my car really needed.
 
When I woke the following morning I was waiting anxiously for his phone call and he didn't keep me waiting. Unfortunately the news was not good and the dealership's insistence that the car needed a motor was accurate. I never particularly disputed their diagnosis just the cost to fix it and the hassle to get them to give me a true estimate to repair. He spent the rest of the day sourcing the best motor for my car at the most affordable price. He managed to find an engine that was a tad cheaper then the first quote and reduced my repair cost from 3,200 to 2,900. a bonus 300 savings I didn't expect.
 
Once the motor was picked up he began the process of swapping the motor out. He suggested I stop by anytime to check on the progress and see how it was coming along. Today I stopped by for the first time and won't lie I was a bit overwhelmed. I found my car with the entire front end apart and the motor in pieces. 
 
Chris the mechanic could tell that I was a bit overwhelmed and assured me that what I was seeing was progress and that by Monday it would be all back together and running better then ever. He also took the opportunity to show me the failure on my old motor.
 
I have attached the pictures below. On Monday hopefully I'll be able to update that I have my car back and that everything is working perfectly.
 

The first pictures show the piston with several contact marks where it had somehow made contact with the exhaust valve showin in picture two. I asked him what was the likely culprit and he indicated it was tough to say but thought it was most likely the result of the timing being off.  I just had that done about 2 months ago but unfortunatley he said it is nearly impossible to prove that was the cause.

F1 Boston - Ignite the Power of Microsoft

Ignite the Power of Microsoft

Location: F1Boston

Address: 290 Wood Rd
               Braintree, MA 02184

Website: www.f1boston.com

Ignite the Power of Microsoft was the title of the event I attended. I won’t bore you with the details of the conference portion of the event but I’ll share with you the specifics of the venue and the thrill of the race.

F1 Boston is located just off the highway in Braintree, MA.  It offers a great facility for a business meetings, team building events or private parties. It is easy to get too and offers two tracks that can be combined into a single large track for longer racing. There are several lounges to choose from, two having birds eye views of the different tracks.

Before racing each racer must complete some paperwork and sit through an entertaining safety briefing. The training takes roughly and hour and they keep it light but informative. Once everyone completes their forms and training you head into the track area where you suit up in a full race suit with all the fixings including a neck brace and helmet.

Both courses were designed by race professionals and the F1 carts can reach speeds of almost 50mph. Four our event we would be racing on the Country Course. They describe it as having longer straightaway’s then the City Course which allow you to gain more speed. The straightway also includes a small hill followed by a curve that will leave your car screaming as you corner hard. Next you enter the off-camber corners where you will need to keep your hands gripped to the wheel as you fight off competitors looking to unseat your position. 

Our event was an endurance race lasting 90 minutes. Teams choose when to change drivers, and each team must have made at least nine pit stops and driver changes during the race. We had 5 people on our team and that resulted in a scheduled change about every 10 minutes. When fully suited up it can be hard for the driver’s to distinguish if they are being flagged to pit stop by a member of their team. They race organizer suggested a form or communication that no other team could mimic. We selected a redsox baseball hat from one of our team members as our signal.  I was selected to race second for our team. Exactly 10 minutes into the race I flagged our driver to make one last lap before pulling into the pit.

Our transition from our first driver to me was smooth. The pit was empty allowing for a quick exit back onto the track. My average lap time ranged from about 17.56 seconds to roughly 21.78 when faced with blocks in my path and slower drivers. It was a like being in a real race car and you could feel every bump and turn of the road as you made the rounds. The air was infused with the smell of burning rubber and the sounds of screeching tires. I managed to improve our position from 4th to 3rd with some hard and aggressive driving. After 10 minutes it was again time to swap drivers and my next team member and I swapped out much slower then I had hoped. Unfortunately when I was flagged in I didn’t and couldn’t see that the pit was gridlocked with all the other teams also changing drivers. While this mistake didn’t cost us position it allowed a couple of the teams still racing to widen their lead.

We changed drivers several more times and our second to last driver was the most timid and cost us several positions. Our team had managed to gain one spot to second place until his 60 second average lap time sunk us to 7th place. We called him in after only 4 laps and he was definitely not upset and apologized for his poor performance. After some ego smoothing he joined us on the side lines cheering the rest of us on to fight hard to regain our position.

My second turn at the wheel came up and I drove harder and more aggressive then I had the first time. I was convinced I could regain at least one position. I jockeyed for position with the current leader and was persistent at pressing him hard. I pushed hard to pass him but his hard driving made that very difficult and we found ourselves challenging each other.  With every turn we would bump each other trying to force each car into the barriers.

Sadly we never managed to get back to second place and only managed to regain 1 position before my excessively aggressive driving landed me a penalty. That cost me about 10 seconds but enough that I couldn’t catch the leader again before I was called into the pit.

About 25 minutes later the race was over and we finished 6th place.  It was a great experience and a nice end to a productive day learning about all the new Microsoft products. I am definitely going to have to return to F1 Boston again and race with my friends.

 



Task 42 - Take a cooking class. (Sur La Table)

Cooking with All-Clad

Location: Sur La Table (Natick Collection)
                 1245 Worcester Street
                 Natick, MA 01760
                 (800) 243-0852

Website:  www.surlatable.com

Rating:    5-Stars

I signed up for this class with Dan and my friend Chris. I have wanted to take a cooking class for a while and it even made my 101 things in 1001 days list. Sur La Table’s cooking classes are varied and offer a wide range of classes to appeal to any aspiring home chef. We settled on Cooking with All-Clad since it wasn’t too far in the future, the menu sounded delicious, and we get a free All-Clad French Skillet for attending. 

We arrived early and met our instructor Tim Doherty who went over the basics of what we would be cooking. Our menu was a Wild Mushroom Risotto, Seared Hanger Steak with Red Wine Pan Sauce and Honey-Butter Glazed Young Carrots with Fall Spices. For dessert we would make Bananas Foster.

Our class was 9 people which created a very intimate atmosphere. All of the students were as friendly and engaging as the Sur La Table staff. We started the evening by prepping some of the ingredients we would be cooking with. While we prepped the ingredients by cutting up the mushrooms, shallots, juicing the oranges etc Tim provided some insight into why he selected the ingredients he did such as the morel mushrooms for the risotto.

Once all the ingredients were prepped we moved on to the center island stove where we began putting together all the ingredients for the risotto. Like before he explained how to know by feel when the dish was ready instead of following the precise times on the recipe. With every stove and pan those vary and he wanted to teach us how to tell something was ready by feel. He also along the way shared some of his cooking secrets that he felt would help us perfect our menu’s when we got home.

Once the risotto was done we moved onto the carrots. Here he explained all the details of what makes the baby young carrots and how they are really nothing more than large carrots that have been routed down to give the illusion of young carrots. Like Julia Child, Tim was fond of butter and every course included a healthy dose of butter. Once the carrots were seasoned and sautéed we put them in the oven to finish while we began our red wine pan sauce. While we reduced the burgundy wine with our mushrooms he explained that the alcohol is almost immediately cooked off when creating sauces with alcohol. He also suggested we deviate from the instructions and not discard the solids. He believes that you should rarely remove the solids from sauces you make. As our red wine pan sauce reduced by about ½ we took a small break.

While on break we got the opportunity to enjoy the store and search for many of the cool tools we have been using in the cooking class while they cleaned the stations and prepped for the next course. They do a great job here of selling the products but not making you feel like it’s a sales pitch. After all you are here to learn and they focused on that goal.

When we returned to class Tim explained what Hanger Steak is and why it is a great steak to use when combining with a nice sauce. It is a cheaper cut of meat and when coated in the rich red wine sauce it helps pull the flavors out. Once the steak was properly cooked and he taught us how to feel the steak to determine proper cooking temp. If you push down on a steak with your finger and it doesn’t bounce back it is raw. You want it to bounce back quickly to indicate it is properly cooked. Once done we allowed our steak to rest. He would later teach us the proper way to cut a steak by going against the grain and diagonally this will make the less expensive steak taste more tender and easier to eat.

While our steak rested we began our final course. Bananas Foster. More butter of course along with a healthy dose of brown sugar and cinnamon with some Myers Rum and instead of banana liquire he deviated again and used lemoncello. Again the alcohol was quickly cooked off and one group even got a flame going. Once the sauce was reduced we added the sliced banana and it was time to eat.

We took our carrots out of the oven, sliced our steak and drizzled the red wine pan sauce over it, Added the parmesan to our risotto and plated everything. The entire group now got an opportunity to enjoy the fruits of all our labor buffet style.

Once we were done Tim had already plated up individual portions of Banana Foster for each of use paired with a nice Hagen Daz Vanilla ice cream. Before we left we took a few pictures with Tim and received our gift for attending this class a nice 9” All Clad Stainless Steel French Skillet. The pan alone has a retail of $134.00 although it was currently on sale for $69.99. Either way for 30 extra bucks we had a fabulous meal and learned how to make it from a professional chef. I would strongly recommend the Sur La Table cooking classes and instructor Tim Doherty to anyone who enjoys cooking and wants to learn more.



Task - 91 Run a 5k (Flutie 5K)

13th Annual Eastern Bank Flutie 5K

When:   October 14, 2012

Where: MetroWest Medical Center 
             Leonard Morse Hospital
             67 Union Street, Natick, MA 01760

Time:   11:05am

Course Description: 5k (3.1 mile) rolling course on suburban roads. USATF sanctioned; certification course MA08013JK.

After not training as much as I had planned I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to run the whole distance. Those nerves seemed to have faded away the day before when we picked up our numbers. Maybe it was the excitement but I wasn’t even thinking about not running the whole distance anymore. 

We woke up early and got ourselves ready. The weather forecast wasn’t great and in fact they were forecasting that there was a 60% chance of rain at 11:00am. We arrived at 9:00am two full hours before the official start. It was just cloudy at this point but the sky looked ominous. At this point I was more worried about the rain then the race. Who wants’ to run 3.1 miles soaked? As the start time grew closer we along with all the other runners got in line and positioned ourselves based on mile times. Shortly after 11:00 the drizzle increased to a light rain. Almost as soon as the rain started we heard the buzz and we were off.

We were faced immediately with a small incline and jockeying for position with the crowd. As we reached the top of the hill we took a left and began the small decent down the Leonard Morse Hospital main entrance. When we reached Union Street we turned right and at this point Dan started to pull away from me. I had decided long before the race to not try to keep pace with him. Being in far better shape and having run the Chicago Marathon a few years ago he was far better conditioned to complete the race faster than me.

I settled in behind a small group who seemed to be running a similar speed as myself. I maintained my position with that group until we turned right onto Woodland Street and began ascending the small long hill. This start of this hill also marked the 1 mile mark of the race. I continued up woodland this time with no group to assist maintain my speed. It was entirely up to me to keep my pace consistent.  

One thing I found really cool was how the neighborhood we were running through all came out to watch and several families were providing water and orange slices to the runners. It was a nice gesture and many seemed to take advantage of their generosity. Our next turn would be on Juniper for a short distance then a left onto Clearview and a quick right on to Buckskin and another quick right on to Sundance. At the end of Sundance the cul-de-sac had a small utility path that connected with the adjoining neighborhood. This was the 2 mile mark. I had actually improved my pace but I was starting to really feel it. It was on the utility path my pace slowed and I took my time. Once we reached Moccasin I pushed forward and on to Nokomis and then a left on to Arrow. Arrow took us back to Union Street and to the finish line. I continued to move along and as I neared the entrance the adrenaline seemed to have kicked in and I go a second wind to push me up the hill. I finished strong not too far behind Dan.

After getting bottled water we wandered down the hill to the tents where Wegmann’s was providing a complimentary lunch and other vendor’s were showcasing their products. We got ourselves a CocoVitamin water and decided to check out our official times. I completed the race at 31:12 with an average pace of 10:03 per mile. I was very pleased with that. I was also please to only have finished 2:19 seconds after Dan. 

This might be the start to many more races. We will have to see. Sadly the summer is over and I’ll have to wait until next year to run another.



Home Improvement - Breakfast Bar

Installing a Breakfast Bar

I rarely entertain and almost never throw dinner parties and as a result I got rid of my 6 seat dining room table almost a year ago. With no formal place to eat I found myself having meals on my coffee table. This is ok when it is just me but once in a while I have another person over for dinner. Having a guest eat at the coffee table is less then ideal.

Before remodelling my kitchen I used to have breakfast bar but it didn't make the cut and was removed. Not really interested in having a big table that takes up lots of space again I decided to revive the idea of a breakfast bar.

I have over remodeled my condo and am already at a point where I may not see some of what I have invested returned when I sell as long as housing prices remain low. Not wanting to compeat with the granite in the kitchen and cost being a factor I decided to look at alternative materials. Everything seemed to be almost the same price as granite. I didn't want to spent the $600 they were looking for to complete the job.

My friend Chris being a contractor and landlord regularly watches those home improvment shows like "design on a dime" and in one episode they featured a home with a similar problem. They had a perfect solution and he suggested I do the same. Their solution was a low cost butcher block counter from Ikea that they cut to fit the space. This seemed like the perfect plan and at $129 for the counter fit the budget for the job.

Shortly there after I picked up the counter and a few corbels at Lowes. I spent $129 on the counter $90 on the corbels and $5 on the butcher block oil treatment for a grand total $225. I made a template out of cardboard and once I found the size and shape I wanted it was time to get to work. I brought the counter to his house since he has all the tools and more space to work. We got the counter set up on saw horses and it didn't take long to sketch out the pattern on the counter. 30 minutes later we had the counter shape cut out. Next we used a router to soften the exposed edges. Once completed it was time to dry fit the counter in my condo.

After dry fitting and checking levels it was time to install the corbels that would serve as support. I choose to mount them on either side of the opening where I was sure to hit studs. Next we dry fit the counter again to be sure everything lined up and it looked great. To permanantly install the counter we used liquid nails and applied it liberally to the corbels and to the sill the counter would sit on.

Since it was likely that it might have to support a fair amount of weight such as someone possibly leaning on it with their full body weight I opted to add a mechanical support in the form of a L bracket that would run the full length in the kitchen and be screwed into both the counter and the sill.

I am very pleased with how it came out. With it all installed all I have left to do it caulk it in, stain the surface, and paint the corbels. Shouldn't be too hard or take too long.



Task 02 – Take a segway tour of Boston

Boston By Segway

Location: Boston by Segway
                 420 Commercial Street
                 Boston, MA 02109
                 (617) 670-4200

Website:  www.bostonbysegway.com

Rating:    4-Stars

We arrived about 20 minutes early. They start the training promptly at the scheduled time and not a second early or a second later. So we wandered around for 20 minutes. At 10:30 we were instructed to watch a quick introduction to the segway personal transporter and then pick a helmet that is comfortable from the garage. The video was short and gave the basics of segway operation and safety. Once we finished the video we moved into the garage where we selected helmets.

Next our training instructor introduced us to our Segway i2 transporter. He was very patient and went over the basics and provided some additional suggestions to help make our first time on the segway enjoyable. Once we learned the basics it was time to put what we learned to the test and I went first.

After successfully getting on my segway I was told to practice staying in one spot and maintaining my balance. It is important to allow the machine to worry about being balanced and for the user to simply stand up straight. The machine self balances and if you keep moving around it is constantly adjusting and can be a tad disconcerting. Once I realized I don’t need to worry about balance it came naturally and it was much easier then I had anticipated. Next he told me to practice turning in place. First to the left and then to the right. Once I mastered turning it was time to move forward and then to backing up slightly. Before moving on to my dad the last thing he explained was how to dismount the segway. With my training over he told me to continue practicing while he trained the others.

Once everyone was trained we meet our guide for the next two hours. Her name was Captain JoJo. She asked us the usual where are you from question and provided some insight into how she became a segway tour guide. Our tour took us first northwest along Commercial St which eventually becoming Causeway St. We turned down Beverly St where at the end are the Boston Locks. We crossed over the locks and into Paul Revere Park in Charlestown. From the park we followed the boardwalk along the water and then up Warren St. From here you could see the Bunker Hill Monument pretty clearly. That was out next stop. After traveling a short distance on Warren St we took a left on to Monument Ave where we got great views of this Monument. 

Our guide JoJo told us the history behind the monument and its name. From there we went one block on High St. before heading down the very steep Pleasant St. Here she said is where most people have trouble and usually someone falls. We handled it like pro’s and she was impressed. Next we took a right on to Main St which would lead us back to Chelsea St and Paul Revere Park. From the park we traced our steps back across the lock system and turn a right back on to Causeway St heading towards the TD Garden. When we reached the TD Garden we took a few minutes to take some pictures in front of the sign.

We continued down Causeway and then along Staniford St passing by the Erich Lindeman Mental Health building. We learned that it was voted the second ugliest building in Boston second only to City Hall. When we reached Cambridge St we took a left. This is where the traffic became a little disconcerting. Boston drivers are aggressive and they were definitely aggressive with us. Eventually we made it to School St safely.

We followed School St where we learned that the Old City Hall and Boston Latin School now was home to the Ruth Chris Steak House. At the end of school St. we passed by the Irish Famine Memorial. We then followed along Milk St. We eventually turned on to Batterymarch St. which lead us to High St. A left onto High St brought us to the Rose Fitzgerald Memorial Park which we crossed to the Boston Harbor Hotel. 

We went through the arch to the Harborwalk which we followed along the water. We saw RedSox owner John Henry’s 164ft Yacht. Our path eventually took us past the Harbor Towers and to the Boston Aquarium. At the Aquarium we saw the seals playing in their tanks. 

Our tour continued along the Harborwalk onto Long Wharf. It was here on Long Wharf that my brother testing the limits of the Segway managed to do a 360 on one wheel before dumping it. With no injuries to him or the segway we continued on eventually arriving in Christopher Columbus Park. With the Harborwalk almost done we ended up on Atlantic St. We followed Atlantic St. which eventually became Commercial St. back to the Segway Garage.

Once back it was time to dismount. Following what I had learned earlier I grabbed the bar and easily dismounted without any trouble.

Being local’s, I will admit we were less interested in the tour itself and more interested in having fun on the segway’s. With that said Captain JoJo did teach us a few things about Boston we didn’t know. She was clearly well educated on the history of our city and enjoyed sharing what she knew. By the end of the tour the segway’s almost felt like an extension of your body and I found driving them a very easy process.  

I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting to enjoy the city a little differently.