exercising the mind..?

This year I embark on a journey.  As my physical training and exercise becomes routine for the upcoming season, I will also be taking online classes.  I will not gain any credits or any academic value.  These are for my own personal and mental growth and knowledge.  On top of it all, the classes are free.

www.coursera.org

The site consists of classes in any type of interest you can imagine- from music to science, business to medicine.  If there is something you want to learn, then there should be something that satisfies your interest. 

One of the coolest things about the site aside from it being free are the participating schools.  You have some of your top IV league institutions or institutions that are leaders in their fields.  John Hopkins, Emory, U Penn, Duke, Brown, Stanford, GA Tech, U of London... to just name a few.

I am currently enrolled in a 7 week class- Personal Finance and am scheduled to start another class towards the end of February- Human Physiology 13 weeks.

My goal is to be enrolled in at least 1 class throughout the whole year.

Thanks Josh for introducing me to this awesome opportunity.

custom fiberglass subwoofer enclosure

 

Just after Christmas, I install a bazooka basstube following the exact instructions from:
Easy bass addition = Bazooka tube | PriusChat

My problem with the basstube is that it doesn't fully capture the the low end well on rock songs and struggled with radio quality. With hip hop, the basstube is quite impressive. The install was very easy as described in the above link.

Therefore, I decided to use the right cubby hole and build a fiberglass enclosure. I was still able to use the wiring harness that I purchased for the bazooka install so I didn't have to re-run any wiring from the dash. It gave me a remote signal and a set of speaker line level for a line-out-converter to use RCAs.

I was able to find trunk liner for a local car audio shop that matches the carpet perfectly.

My subwoofer is an Alpine SWE-10s4 and the amp is a Kenwood KAC-8105d. This is more than enough power for my listening pleasure and catpures the full range of the spectrum with all music genres.

So after about 12 hours, 1 gallon of resin, 1.5 sheets of fiberglass, and some fleece interfacing, I am extremely pleased. I have full access to my trunk and under cargo storage bin.

Special thanks to Chuckie- my brother in law fo helping me with this project.

Pictures: ImageShack Album - 16 images

the pearl princess

About 1 month ago, I finally got a 2012 Toyota Prius in Blizzard Pearl Trim II.  This is the first car that I have had brand new and she'll be a keeper.  This is their least equiped trim level from the factor so it does not have navigation, standard sound system instead of the JBL premium, and comes with standard bluetooth phone/audio.  I'm ok with that.  It did come with tint, floor mats, and Toyoguard Elite.

To trim II level to what I want, here's my strategy for tackling the gap.

I am using the new GoogleMaps app on the iPhone5 which has turn by turn voice direction and is pretty much just as good as a Garmin Nuvi.  Additionally, the GoogleMaps app has live traffic and lifetime maps.

The basic factory sound system is actually pretty good.  The only thing it really lack is capturing lower frequencies.  Therefore, I will be looking to add an amp and subwoofer to compliment the stock tunes.  For simplicity, chose a powered sub package.

As this time, I just installed an 8 inch Bazooka basstube 2 days ago.  The installation was a piece of cake as taking apart the dash to get behind the radio took only about 10 minutes and about 3 to put everything back together.  It's amazing how cars these days are held together by clips.  Also, the Prius 12v battery was located in the trunk making the power and ground cable easy to install.  I ordered a wiring harness so that I would not have to modify any of the stock wiring.  I only had to splice together a few wires to get the sub to pump out the tunes.  I'm a little disappointed in the output of the bazooka.  I was expecting alot more from it.  The sound is actually very clean, however it seems that it's not caputring everything that it should.

Current items used for the install:
1. Bazooka BTA-8250D basstube
2. Bazooka FAST-1761 wiring harness
3. Bazooka FAST BTAH harness extension

I am not looking to install an amp, single subwoofer and build a custom box.
I'm looking at the following items:
1. Kenwood KAC-8105D mono amplifier
2. Alpine SWS-10D2
I'm choosing this specific type of amp because it will allow me to use the Bazooka wiring harness without splicing in a line out converter to run RCA wires.

Now onto the actualy Prius driving experience.  Driving the prius is like playing a video game.  There is a Hybrid System Indicator (HSI) screen this tells you which motor (electric or/and fuel) is currently being used.  The goal is to have it west or to the left of the middle line.  There are other driving technique such as pulse and glide that help with improving fuel economy.  The cool thing is that you can program the car with the current gas price and at the end of each driving trip, there is a summary which includes the cost of that drive.

I'm now looking into inpliment a grill blocking stragetry to improve fuel economy during the winter season.  The hybrid system has an optimal engine operating temperature.  However, driving allows for the ambient air temp to lower the engine temp keeping the engine form reaching its optimal operating temp.  Grill blocking allows the heat produced by the motor to stay without really dropping down with the ambient air temp while driving.

To date, I have has 2 gas fill-ups where the 1st tank I average 51.7 mpg and the second- 53.1 mpg.  Not too bad as the engine has just reached its break-in period and I am still learning efficient driving strategies.  I am hoping that the winter-blend fuel doesn't take a huge toll on my fuel economy and banking on the fact of using the grill blocking technique.

I'll report back soon to let you know how things go.

All in all I am very excited to have the car and really love it.  I think the car looks great and is a perfect fit for our needs.

Modifications to date:
1. removed plastic rim covers (removed the 1st night it was taken home)
2. high quality plastic/rubber all weather cargo liner/mat (christmas gift from the wifey)
3. Curt towing hitch for my hitch mount bike rack (christmas gift from the wifey)
4. LED license plate lightbulbs
5. Bazooka powered basstube

Upcoming mods:
1. Different subwoofer and amplifier upgrade
2. full interior LED bulb change out
3. not sure.
 

car shopping

Car shopping.
I sold my Audi A6 a few weeks prior and we had a Sunday after church without any plans. Yea I know, another car, lol. This next car will be one that I will keep till its run to the ground, not literally. This would also be my first brand new car.
The criteria would be:
1. Fuel economy- I wanted something that would be great on gas. Acceleration and performance would be traded off, but I have had a couple fast cars in the past.
2. Looks- I wanted something appealing to the eye, inside and out.
3. Features- all the standard luxuries in addition to a seamless iPhone integration with the factory entertainment system.
4. Reliability/ maintenance- low cost, high quality, and easy to maintain *no more germans/europeans
5. Functionality- I would need to be able to accommodate my bikes. Also, since this would be a car I would be keeping for a long time, I had to forecast the accommodation of a family- baby seat, stroller, luggage...etc.

The contenders:
1. Lexus CT200h- hybrid 4 door hatch. It houses the same hybrid system as the prius, but only EPA rated at 44/40mpg. Great looks, and meets the criteria above, except number 5 above. The chassis is at least a foot shorter than a Prius. Also it is the most expensive vehicle.
2. Toyota Prius generation III- it fits all the criteria above and we know that I works with kids as our friend Kristi has one. The only thing is that it is not the most appealing to look at. Some have describes its looks as a cockroach.

3. Nissan Altima- all new design with a regular fuel motor with EPA 38/27mpg. That's awesome. It looks great inside and out. What turned us off the most about the car is that the salesman sucked and was really able to tell or show us much about the car that a brochure could.

The winner:

2012 Toyota Prius Gen III trim II. This trim is the most basic o from the factory without navigation, however it is a feature that I could do without for the extra $1200. Also, most factory navigation systems are not as good as a dedicated navigation such as a Garmin Nuvi or a TomTom.



We are in no need of a vehicle now as we are managing quite well just being a 1 vehicle household at this time. I have been commuting on my bike, and Desiree as even started to as well.

Race Report: FRNY Lesbian and Gay Pride- 5 mile- NYC

Race Report: FRNY Lesbian and Gay Pride- 5 mile- NYC
June 23, 2012

Vitals:
Location: Central Park, NYC
Distance: 5 miles
The competition: over 10,000 runners
Time: 35:00
Pace 7:00 minute/mile

the low down:
This was a race that Desiree found while we would be up in NYC. So what the hell, a gay pride race. In Florida, themed races has participants going all out dressing the part. I acquired some formal wear to dress the part for this race- a tuxedo speedo. So we get to the race about 30 minutes early for baggage drop off. I'm standing there dressed, and the next thing I know, I'm stripping down into my formalwear and walking around. The problem is, nobody else really dressed the part. As we made our way towards the start/finish line, I forced Desiree to hold my hand as she was too embarrassed to be Sean with me. And I can only imagine what other people thought, me in my speedo and Desiree with short hair, lol.
I lined up with the 6:45 minute pace group and the split up with Desiree. As we took off, I found myself staying with the crowd around me and looked down at my garmin indicating a current pace of 6:25 and we haven't even completed the first mile. I made myself slow down to better pace myself. Mile 4 was a tough one for me as I dropped to about a 7:20 pace but found a little left in the tank to finish with an average pace of 7:00 minute mile. I met my goal and was happy!
Desiree finished in about 42 minuted with an average pace of around 8:15 minute mile.
It was a great race and a great way to finish our time in NY as we would have to head to the airport a few ours later to return home.
Wen asked what made me think of doing the race in a speedo, my mentality was:
When else can I ever say that I ran through Central Park in a speedo?
:)

the Big Apple

From ithica the next leg of our journey was to head to New York City. This would have a slight detour to visit a friend from college and her family in bridge water, NJ-the Nordstroms. I got to play tennis with the doc before dinner.
The next morning we headed out to make our way to Hoboken for carlo's bakery. It's was Desiree's request and what an awesome experience. You pick whatever pastry you want and you pretty much pay by the weight as we got a chocolate dipped canoli, lobster tail, and a macaroon. All totaling < $5.
We then made our way onto the island of manhattan via the Lincoln tunnel.
We checked into our hotel- the Washington Jefferson which was located a couple block from Times Square on 51st st between 7th and 8th ave. I then dropped off the rental and walked back to the hotel.

Highlight of our trip:
Running through Central Park- we did this twice and then 1 last time which was our 5mile Pride race. This is pretty much where the city is able to run and train as running through the city itself is inefficient because you pretty much have to stop at every block.
Dinner with Karen- I found out that one of my friends that graduated a year after me at Emory is a PT in manhattan. We hooked up with Karen to have dinner and she gave us some excellent suggestions on excellent eateries!
Desserts/sweets/and cupcakes- Max Brennar- this was a recommendation from Karen for a chocolate lover's paradise. We ended having chocolate pizza with roasted marshmallows and nutella with crushed hazelnut. Cupcakes are a staple in NYC- we stopped at a kiosk for 1 bite cupcakes and went to at least 2 other bakeries. One of Desiree's bakery highlights was Lavine's bakery where they have been rated the #1 chocolate chip cookie- a 4 ounce chocolate chip walnut cookie that was served to us fresh out of the oven and when bit into, still having the chocolate ooze.
Shopping- there seems to be no comparison to anywhere else as you can go to any district and find the same shops. High class, elegant, whatever your style is. I introduced Desiree to Century21 and she loved it. We hit up 3 different ones. I ended up finding a store that is a mix between GAP, express, and Lacoste called (insert). We did stop at the famous Macy's. what a mad house that was. We found out after our trip that it still houses the only working wooden escalator. Too bad we didn't know before hand or else we would have found it.
Dining- NYC has some of the best dining. We enjoyed restaurants such as Jay-Z's 40/40 club, Italian restaurant in little Italy, dim sum in Chinatown, sushi, Gotham's bistro. Another restaurant that Karen suggested was a breakfast eatery on the upper east side called Sarah Beth's. Desiree had exquisite fluffy French toast, and I ordered an omelette. The preserves were made in house and was some of the best strawberry jam that I have ever tasted. This ended up being our most expensive meal in all of New York ~$45.
Breakfast off the street- finding a food stand is the way to go for a quick coffee and bagel. Delicious and cheap.
Top of the rock- we were able to make it up to the top of Rockefeller centre just before sunset and got the experience the transition of the city from natural to city light. As the sun slowly crept down below the horizon, you would se another building light up. What a different way to see the city.
Statin Island Ferry- this is a great and free way to get a great view of the Statue of Liberty. We boarded just before sunset and the lighting was perfect to see the port and the Statue. It took about 40mins to get to the other side before just turning around to catch the ferry back to the city.
Highline/ Chelsea Market- Desiree found out a really cool pedestrian walkway that was once an old suspended railroad track that is now paved over and converted into a park. It's located in the lower west side just west of 9th ave and begins at 13th street to 32nd street. A about 17th street, we got off the highline and found Chelsea market. What a cool place which includes shops and restaurants. Amy's bakery is also located here. They make really good breads and are found in many local restaurants and grocery stores.
Getting around/hopstop app- having a car in NYC is very inefficient and expensive as daily parking can cost up to $45. A taxi also gets very expensive. So our weapon of choice as purchasing a weeklong metro card. This allows us access to subways and buses unlimited for the week. We would not have be able to navigate the city if it wasn't for the iPhone app- HopStop. This was a recommendation for Kate Nordstroms's dad and it saved us. We didn't look at a single subway map as the app tells you where you need to pick up the subway or bus, which stop to get off at, and how far to walk before reaching your destination. I also provides alternative routes and give accurate travel times. What a life saver. Even utilizing public transport, we probably walked an average of about 6-7 miles daily. That's probably why you do not see a lot of over weight people except tourists.

I'm that I am leaving out some other details and highlights, but checking back for future adventures as we continue to explore the world.

We can't wait until the next time we get to visit NYC again- whenever that may be.

Ithaca and wedding!!

Our vacation began flying to NYC and then a connecting to Syracuse. We then rented a car and took a scenic drive along lake Cayuga- the longest of the finger lakes. Stopped in Auburn, NY for lunch. Along the route to Ithaca, we stopped at a few wineries and soaked in the beautiful nature scene. We made it to our hotel in time to get cleaned up before heading to Anna's parents house for the rehearsal dinner. Yummy food from ithaca bakery. Anna's parents house was apparently built in the 1700s but has been remodeled and additions built. Wat a beautiful house though. We got to meet friends and family members and spend time with the bride and groom for a relaxing evening on the eve of the wedding.
The next morning, Desiree wakes me up and asks, "do you know what time it is?". Based on how sunny it was, I guessed around 07:30. However I was corrected with 05:30. The combination of the sun rising earlier and our room didn't have any blackout drapes. We decided to roam the local scenery and hopped in the car and drive around Ithaca and Cornell University to embrace the beauty of this area of the country. We stopped and walked around campus and took lots of pictures as Desiree has been intrigued with the "Christmas trees" all around as palm trees grow in florida. While walking around campus, we found chalked arrows and realized it was for the morning wedding day 10K fun run. The route was beautiful and took us from the parent's house around campus following familiar arrows placed strategically through campus and looping back to the house where we were greeted with breakfast. Everybody regrouped before leaving to relax before the wedding. We followed another couple to the local farmer's market. This was very well organized with produce, crafts, plants, and good eats.
We made our way back to the hotel to become beautified for the wedding on the beautiful historic campus of Cornell University.  The ceremony was held at the 1st president's house: A.D. White House in the amazing scenery of the back garden/lawn.  The ceremony was eclectic with readings, passages, and songs performed by family members before we headed to Williard Straight Hall for the reception.
What a banging party.  The outside patio of W.S. Hall overlooked a beautiful view of downtown Ithica and a distance Lake Cayuga.  The whole evening was lovely with meeting new friends, eating amazing food, drink, dessert, and dancing.  What more could you ask for!  And, how amazing to say that you were at a wedding at Cornell University.
Sunday, we went to church that we ran past during out 10k wedding run and joined Chris, Anna and company for bunch at the Siliciano residence.  Our day culminated handing out with the newly weds, and Chris's sister at a lake house on the opposite side of Lake Cayuga from Cornell.
The next morning would be waking up to the early rising sun and going for a run from the hotel around an accidentally stumbled upon trail before continuing to the next short leg of our vacation to Bridgewater, NJ to visit and stay a night with a friend from college and her family.
We left Ithica and drove through scenic NY before heading into Pennsylvania and ending up in NJ.  We stopped in Stroudsburg for lunch and a little sight seeing and arrived at the Nordstrom's residence in the afternoon.  I introduced Desiree to the family and before I knew it, I was putting tennis shoes on and playing some tennis with Dr Nordstrom.  He definitely schooled me as it has been over 3 years since I've picked up a racquet much less shuffle my feet.  I felt that I held my own as I struggled to hit a basic forehand ground stroke.  It was nice to have no pressure playing against a 50+ y/o guy who plays a couple times a week with collegiate players.
We fortunately had very hospitable accomidations before heading to New York and making a stop in Hoboken for some Carlo's Bakery goods and then into the city.