Sunday, December 6, 2020

New Brakes

It's been a few weeks since my last post. I made a promise to someone and I do not break promises, even if they do. Because of what happened, I have been feeling down and I just stayed away from posting. This morning I am feeling just a smidge better and I wanted to share my new brakes I put on my car.

I bought the brake package from Figs Engineering for my Lexus RC F back in May. They have been sitting in my garage collecting dust. I was hoping to get the lug nuts I ordered from Yperion Titanium by then, but that didn't happen. I did receive the caliper pins and brake pad shims. After a friend of my had to have his brakes changed a Nissan Altima and it cost him $1200+, I decided to change mine myself. I bought the Chilton Manual online, which is not as helpful as you would think. Also, the purchasing process is not great either. Once I submitted my information, I got an error message and I was unable to login, but I had access for that time. It was odd and frustrating. I was eventually able to login and use the site, but it is super janky. The design is straight out of 2005.

Anyway, I managed to change the rotors and brake pads. I attempted one brake line, but the clip holding it on would not slide off and I was not going to force it. I left it and figured I can replace them another time when I have someone to help me. I had to beat the rotors off with a hammer, which was not what I wanted. Once I got the first one off, the rest went quick. I did this the night before Thanksgiving and then Thanksgiving morning, I bedded in the brakes. The only thing I had to do after was readjust the parking brake. I was very happy with what I did and the brakes look awesome on the car. The scissor lift I purchased was used and I honestly feel it paid for itself with this brake change. In just being able to have all four wheels off the ground at the same time and not having to pay someone else to change the brakes. It made this process so much easier.

On a side note, I passed a Microsoft certification exam on database fundamentals yesterday. I won't say it was easy, but the amount of studying I did was overkill. There were only two or three questions on the test that I did not know off the top of my head.







Below are pictures of Gaby and myself. There's a few when her and I were invited by my friend Kim to be in the Thanksgiving parade in Austin in 2013. I am proud of my daughter and I love her. There is another person I love, but if they won't be there for me, why should I be there for them?










Sunday, November 1, 2020

That was a bust

Halloween was meh and that's being nice. I did not go to any get togethers or anything like that. I stayed home and I handed out candy to the 8 kids that came to the house. Now I have a bunch of left over candy that I do not want to eat. Daylight savings happened last night too, but I did not realize it until I woke up. I thought It was normal time until I went into the kitchen and my clock in there was an hour ahead. I've got too much on my mind and it's not what I want to think about. Hopefully today I can go to the gym and clear my mind.

I got a haircut - November 1st, 2020











Darlene Rabideau











Darlene Rabideau



Thursday, October 8, 2020

Putting in work

Yesterday I got my car all cleaned up nice and neat. It took from 6:00 AM until 2:00 PM, but it was well worth it. The car just looks so much better. To me, it's like it's glowing. If I could have polished it, the results would have been even better. I had to polish off the dirt where the emblems/badges were on the trunk. Soap and water was not working. The polisher took that dirt right off though, which made me feel good. Getting the new Lexus badge on the trunk lid makes a difference. I wanted it to stick on well, so I that is why I polished the area. I sprayed it down with isopropyl alcohol too so that there was no residue. It went on like perfectly. The sealing and waxing took the longest and was the hardest part. The only reason it was hard was that I could not see where I put the product on since the car is white. I had to tilt my head at a certain angle, but I got it on and off. I will probably wash the car again this weekend just because. I feel good about how the car looks now. 

October 7th, 2020

October 7th, 2020

October 7th, 2020

Engine bay. It's a lot going on, but it's clean - October 7th, 2020

What I used. Too many towels for what I needed - October 7th, 2020

Iron remover sprayed on my car - October 7th, 2020

Gaby - October 7th, 2010

Gaby - October 7th, 2010

Gaby - October 8th, 2010

Gaby - October 8th, 2010

Gaby getting her hair done - October 8th, 2016

Gaby getting her hair done - October 8th, 2016

Gaby getting her hair done - October 8th, 2016

Gaby getting her hair done - October 8th, 2016

Gaby getting her hair done - October 8th, 2016

October 8th, 2020

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Good Morning Beautiful

Good morning beautiful, these three words I would say to her. I meant them every time I said them. I am not sure if that even mattered. I am not sure of anything anymore. It feels like it was a dream.

At night I dream of you

There's nothing that we cannot do

Together in the dream we are quite a pair

I wake, open my eyes and you are not there

I sigh and try not to fret

But there's part of me that is upset

You say you are there and that you are close

But not when I need you the most

Staying strong through this is a must

If not, there is no us

The love I feel for you runs deep in my heart

That's why It's hard for me being apart

I know you love me, this I have seen

I just hope it's not all a dream


darlene rabideau


Louvre Museum in Paris France

Darlene Rabideau in Paris