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Name: equiraptor
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Wee, random post - Equiraptor's Journal
12:16 am October 23rd, 2004
equiraptor
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Wee, random post
I love my job. It's absolutely wonderful to work for real money, to work around people who tell me they appreciate my skills, and to work with other computer geeks. Work has a really casual atmosphere, with a lot of bantering between employees. Level in the company is insignificant when it comes to the bantering - everyone from the CEO/Founder to the gofers participate. There's a little under 50 people in the company. Weeee!

I love my car. It is an absolutely wonderful car, even if it doesn't have as much power as I could wish. It drives beautifully, and the ACT clutch and Flyin' Miata flywheel were great additions (not recommended for those who want a passive Miata, but great for the aggressive Miata driver). I'm looking at other things I should do to/for the engine. I'm also planning on putting Falken Azenis RS on it the next time it needs tires. I wonder how they'll do in the wet compared to the Toyo Proxies T1-S...

nugget and I are going to Japan soon. I have never been out of the US, so this will be quite an experience for me. I'm really excited about it, but I don't tend to act very excited... Nugget oozes enough excitement for the both of us. ;)

Ummm... what else? I dunno. I miss driving around the country with a trailer camping at state parks. Staying in hotels when I travel is always... Different? A little off? Almost a treat, but somehow not. *shrug* I dunno. I'm just weird.

My jaw is doing fairly well (post wisdom teeth removal). I was in for a check up today. It turns out I have a "medium" dry socket on my lower right, and a "minor" one on my lower left. The one on the left is so small, the dentist almost couldn't see it, and it hasn't hurt me at all. The one on the right has caused two brief instances of some pretty bad pain, but not the worst I've ever had. My baseline pain level is to almost-unnoticeable at this point. Eating pulls it up to noticeable, but not bad. Oh, and my stitches are starting to come out (EEEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!!!)

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Thread started by Sfida
sfida From: sfida Date: October 22nd, 2004 10:44 pm (UTC) (Link)
There's such a thing as a "passive" Miata? I'm surprised.

Where are you going in Japan? How long will you be there? I have some recommendations if you're going either to Tokyo or Sendai.
(Reply) (Thread)
equiraptor From: equiraptor Date: October 22nd, 2004 10:51 pm (UTC) (Link)
Tokyo and Nagano (probably on Sunday). Nugget has some friends who will probably take us around, but suggestions for places to go are always welcome. :-)
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
sfida From: sfida Date: October 23rd, 2004 05:23 pm (UTC) (Link)
In the Ginza, there is a small Nissan showroom that's worth investigating, but in Higashi Ginza there is another, much larger one. I can get directions if you like. (When you're done looking at the cars, which are okay to enter as long as not roped off, go to the bathroom. Very interesting; would've taken photos if not for the fact that taking photos of a bathroom is really weird.) In Ikebukuro, there is a five-story Toyota showroom (no salespeople, just for exhibition) called Toyota Amlux. There's another showroom called Megaweb in O-Daiba. I can look and see if there are Mazda 'rooms if you'd like.
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equiraptor From: equiraptor Date: October 22nd, 2004 11:52 pm (UTC) (Link)
Oh, and I said those who want a passive Miata... The car, stock, is something my mother would love to drive. I suspect, the minor changes this clutch makes would be things my mother would not enjoy. She wants a transmission that's easy to shift and glides into gear (both the gearshift lever and the way the gears engage as you lift the clutch). With the ACT and lighter flywheel, the car doesn't really glide as it engages gear anymore (unless I move *just right*). It pushes more... It seems to ask for more aggressive driving. I can't really describe it better than that... It's a very subtle change, but has a surprisingly large effect.
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(Deleted comment)
equiraptor From: equiraptor Date: October 23rd, 2004 12:12 am (UTC) (Link)
I never felt much of a difference from the heavier clutch. I dunno if the something-wrong with my old clutch made it stiffer, or if the adjustments I had to make for the new clutch made me not notice, or if the weak clutch master cylinder I had may have caused the transition to come in steps (slightly stiffer, but not extremely because the master cylinder was poor. Replaced the master cylinder, and it was stiffer again, but not enough to make a real difference). My one worry was that the clutch would make my knee hurt in traffic. Hasn't happened yet.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
sfida From: sfida Date: October 23rd, 2004 05:24 pm (UTC) (Link)
Then I'll take the passive Miata. No choice; economy-sedan sticks can be enough to make my knee pop very loudly and painfully.
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(Deleted comment)
equiraptor From: equiraptor Date: October 23rd, 2004 12:02 am (UTC) (Link)
I still see the Falken Azenis RS on onlinetires.com, but the Falken website seems to only have the RT-215 you mention. I hate it when things change names like that. Thanks for the heads up, though. :)

The Camry's I used to drive had absolutely horrible traction in the rain. I had to drive like a grandmother driving though a downpour to avoid skidding, with any amount of rain. I'm a very paranoid rain-driver. However, I fear the Toyos may have given me some extra confidence. They seem to hold very well for me when it's wet.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
(Deleted comment)
equiraptor From: equiraptor Date: October 23rd, 2004 12:08 am (UTC) (Link)
Eh, I wanna try them once. Get a good feel for how the car does, wet and dry, with them. I also want to see what the tread reaction to them is at work (aren't I pathetic?). They seem to really like the Toyo tread, but the Azenis have such a unique tread... :D

Okay, I am a DORK. But, hey, life is fun anyway.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by Attck of teh AzN Cow flu!
cowbert From: cowbert Date: October 23rd, 2004 12:55 am (UTC) (Link)
power? it has more power than a z3, so you are probably just noticing that it is slower than nugget's ///m, which is perfectly fine :)
(Reply) (Thread)
equiraptor From: equiraptor Date: October 23rd, 2004 07:09 am (UTC) (Link)
1) Z3s aren't fast.

2) It has more power than a Z3? Where do you get your stats? The original Miata had 166hp. It was upped to 128 in '94 (my year). Up to 133 in '96, to 142 in '99, and I believe it's 148hp now. The Mazdaspeed Miata, the most powerful stock Miata ever, has 178 hp and 166 lb-ft torque. These are all at the crank. At the rear wheels, based on a dyno of another '94M, I have 99hp, and 95 lb-ft torque.

In comparison, the Z3 2.8L has 193 hp and 206 lb-ft torque at the crank, while the Z3 3.0 has 225 hp and 214 lb-ft torque at the crank. No Miata has ever been more powerful. The Z3, however, weighs a good deal more. Based on 0-60 times, the Mazdaspeed Miata might have a chance keeping up with the Z3 2.3L on a strait line, but it would take the right driver (I've seen 0-60 times on the Mazdaspeed Miata from 6.6 seconds to 8 seconds, while the z3 2.3L on that site shows 0-60 in 6.5 seconds). Throw a corner at them, and the Miata would pull ahead.

Remember, those comparisons were with the most powerful stock Miata ever. Mine is significantly less powerful, though it weighs a little less. When I've attempted to "race" coming off a stop light, I seem to be about even with a typical pickup - the F150, Silverado 1500 variety. The Miata is not fast in a strait line.

(yes, that was probably overkill, but I like spouting information when I have it)
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
equiraptor From: equiraptor Date: October 23rd, 2004 07:19 am (UTC) (Link)
s/original Miata had 166/original Miata had 116/

Typo, sorry. :(
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(Deleted comment)
equiraptor From: equiraptor Date: October 24th, 2004 03:46 pm (UTC) (Link)
No, I haven't. It's a good three hours away, at the minimum, and I have no interest in the border towns, anyway, so what's the point?
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Comment by I got the pulsatin' rhythmical remedy
busychild424 From: busychild424 Date: October 25th, 2004 07:36 am (UTC) (Link)
I want a job like that.
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