My car was handling funny leaving the work parking lot today.

I pulled into the gas station across the street, and went to check my front tire pressure on my passenger side. I suddenly saw the issue.

Hiding behind the plastic hubcap on the van was a fist sized dent in my rim. I was going about 15-20 mph the day of the storm pulling into an empty michigan left, started hitting the breaks right as I entered, slid through the entire deceleration lane, and hit the curb sideways going about 10 mph.

Didn't think it caused any damage at the time, especially since my tire was holding air just fine. But the rim's bent all to hell, no idea how it's managed to keep any air in it, let alone staying full like it did.

Anyone got a spare rim for a 98 plymouth grand voyager? Was hoping to keep this rustbucket til my annual review/bonus/payraise in June. :-/

Guess I'll have to hit up the wheel and tire shop run by one of our investors and see if I can get a discount on a new rim – they do repair but there's no way in hell you can repair this. Doesn't take a rim expert to see that.

haha okay so this is the best ever

I commented on an LJ post. A procmail recipe forwards a quick summary of the post to my cell phone via sms.

I'm holding the boy, who's asleep in my arms. His butt happens to be on my cell phone, which happens to be on vibrate.

Hilarity ensues as the sleeping baby freaks out for a second, makes a weird freaked out squeak noise. He then falls immediately asleep again.

KIDS ARE HILARIOUS AND AWESOME GUYS

Wanna know something screwed up?

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/dte-worker-electrocuted-091111

This substation was, according to an over the air news report, at 8 and evergreen, 2 miles from my work. At the time of the incident, our office experienced a brownout, as did a customer down the street according to our logs.

kinda screwed up when you see stuff like that.

As a worker at a utility (and a human being) my heart goes out to his family. Obviously the outside plant folks have a much more dangerous job than the inside plant people like myself, but honestly you should see some of the places us inside guys go too – the difference in risk doesn't always seem that great. (I've had to do a lot of live wiring on our -48v DC plant, and have worked near energized, open 480v 3 phase, and pulled wire near high voltage bus bars that go through building risers and basement utility areas.

Always respect your utilities, one slip on or near power or gas lines could be your last.

And though it wouldn't have helped this guy, I'll take this as an opportunity to plug 811. Always call 811 3 days before you dig. Even if you're just planting a bush or tilling land to make a garden. The call is free, the flagging is free.

The life (or phone/cable/gas/sewer/water service) you save may be your own. (and if you dig up utilities, you're financially liable for the repairs, and in some states criminally liable for the damage)

My quasi-weekly post about the family

I've been unbelievably busy!

Previously, on :
Becky in hospital for 2.5 weeks, baby born, baby in hospital for week

And now, our feature presentation:

William came home on Tues, Oct 6. We had a few friends over and had our first meal at home as a family as well as our first ordinary taco night. Good times were had all around.

I don't have much to say. We're not sleeping much!

Here's some pictures you'll all enjoy behind the cut!
CLICK THIS FOR PICTURES!!!!!

The personal website of Paul Timmins – Telecommunications expert, father.