May 5, 2024

I Spent most of Saturday surfing and then working around the house

Sunday 

5:50 - woke up

6:00 - first email

7:00 - checked surf

10:00 - went to a thrift store and bought a car stereo and saw

11:00 - walmart for a wiring kit for stereo

12:00 - installed a subwoofer and amplifier in the 4Runner

I’ve had this ‘99 4Runner for about a year and a half and it’s been one of the best mental reliefs of my life. 

When I got it I just wanted to save my friends from always having to pick me up from the airport. 

In 2022 I took 5 trips to PR to visit friends and surf and I could tell my constant need for a ride was wearing them out. When Nicolle started coming with me, we definitely needed a rental car. We’d stay for like 10 days at a time and spend $750 on the rental. It was adding up. 

I knew someday I’d buy a house here so I just pulled the trigger and bought the 4Runner. It was $5900 and had 198k miles. Black. Stock. Perfect surf/island car.

About six months ago I started doing things around the house and that led me to wrenching on the 4Runner. 

I’d never changed my own oil. I did that.

I’d never checked or changed spark plugs and wires. I did that.

I fixed the tailgate locking mechanism. (with some help from Nicolle)

I washed it. Often. 

I got new tires. 

And recently, I got new speakers for the doors. But, they didn’t really do it for me…

So yesterday after there was no surf, Nicolle and I ended up at a thrift store. 

I love buying used things. Just the idea of saving a workable item from being trash is somehow so rewarding for me. Even if I could get a new one for the same price..

So Nicolle found an old sewing machine and I found a super retro Kenwood Amplifier and a subwoofer in a homemade box.

It had been 25 years since I’d last worked on a car stereo (I had a moment in high school). 

This time I wired everything correctly. I took my time. I enjoyed the process. And, to follow the post-wrenching ritual, Nicolle and I went for a drive around town. 

Tupac, Biggie, and Taylor Swift were on. Base was up. Windows were down. Simple pleasures.

5:00 - Meeting with 18Birdies

6:30 - Started adding captions to the list of 277 drills videos for the app

12am - Stopped working and crashed hard