Well, I am alive. It has been a long while since I have been on here, or had internet for that matter. I finished my thesis, fought with the university to get graduated early so I could get my job started, moved to California, and started the job last week.
I was extremely stressed because on top of getting all of our stuff packed up and shipped out, for a moment it seemed as if I would have to wait until the normal May graduation time to be able to start because the employer would only accept a conferred degree and the school would only confer degrees in December, May, and August. Well, much to my relief, that all worked out because they back-graduated me to December 5th, even though I wrapped stuff up on January 11 (just had to talk to the right people).
We then we left Wyoming to drive down here through the storm of the century, apparently, which was quite...interesting. We also found out our dog is an excellent traveler; she pretty much slept the entire trip. Twenty-six hours of pretty much straight driving later we arrived here and got some rest.
The movers arrived the day after we got our rental so we spent the next few weeks unpacking (of course, we still aren't done). The only thing that got damaged was my 27" monitor.
It still works but the frame is cracked in the corner. I am still going to try to get some compensation but I haven't had time to take care of that issue.
My wife started work on 2/1 and I started last Tuesday. We are super busy and trying to get adjusted (I doubt I will ever resume the posting volume I once had, but that is okay).
As for the California sucks portion of my thread title, I tried to get my Sport Trac smog tested. Guess what? It passes all the emissions regulations, but I have a cold air intake that is aftermarket. The company that makes it got California C.A.R.B. exemption for the intake, but only for the Ford Ranger, and even though the Sport Trac engine compartment is identical to the Ranger's, it isn't the vehicle it is approved for so I fail the "smog check" even though I am not emitting improper emissions to our oh-so-sensitive atmosphere. Lame.
In AH-related news, it took a while, but my wife decided to let me eliminate the extra bedroom in our rental to allow for an HT. As sort of a graduation/real-life begins celebration, some some shiny new Berkine power recliners appeared there last week and my new Axiom M80 system (sans sub)
should arrive tomorrow. ID speakers makes me kind of nervous but I will give these a try. I have the trial period to see what I think.
I hope everyone is doing well. I definitely missed hanging out on here and even providing an occasional useful tidbit. Now that we are getting settled, I can get back to it in some capacity.
