Binary Finary - 1999

This was one of my favorite tracks right toward the end of the 20th century. During this time, probably my greatest hobby was that of making unsavory and rather hackish modifications to cars. Most of these were performance enhancements, like using various hoses and ducts to provide ram air intake and increased brake cooling at high speeds. Namely, this was my 1995 Escort and my friend/co-worker James' Probe and Firebird. Although, there were quite a few electronics/lighting and other aesthetic modifications done during this time period.

Some of my ideas failed miserably. Others worked out very, very well. I look back now, and ask "What was the point again?!"

Ian Van Dahl - Castles In The Sky

For some reason, I can't escape thinking about spending a few hours per Saturday for over a month straight wrenching on my old '95 Ford Escort when this song plays. I'd recently put a new engine in it, and shortly thereafter, the clutch started acting up, thanks in part to some abuse by someone I'd lent my car out to. The person who was driving it knew how to drive a 5-speed manual car. That wasn't the problem.

Anyhow, 5 weekends, gallons of sweat, quarts of transmission fluid, hundreds of dollars, and many piles of under-car grime later, my car was working fine again with a brand new clutch that I can gladly say I had replaced all by myself.

I chose to listen to this song today as I recalled this past weekend, when I found myself under that same car again, going through the same motions, and replacing that clutch that I installed myself one final time for the friend who I sold the car to.

Paul van Dyk - Vega

I have several versions of this song, but I'm talking about the one found on D:Fuse's People compilation/mix album. This song was being pumped over the speakers while my friend Chris and I installed a 75-shot Nitrous Express kit on his Focus, and that's what it reminds me of. The smell of fuel, the feel of teflon tape, installing all kinds of safety sensors and switches, running braided lines and wires all over the place. Those were some good times. And boy, did his car haul ass when we were done!

Laurent Wolf - Happy TV

Coming back from a pizza delivery in my Escort, driving down 101st street out by Falcon Ridge, plotting to take over the world. This song was blasting as I did this.

I'd left Kozoru recently and had retreated back to pizza delivery a few nights per week while I was technically on a self-inflicted month-long vacation from real work while I try to figure out what I'm going to do with my life. I like driving when it's not on the highway in rush hour, and delivering pizza not only made pretty good cash for part time work, but it gave me loads of time to think. My plan to take over the world was not quite as such, but I was working on a business plan to launch my own company. I came up with a lot of good ideas while driving.

I still have a 3" ring binder full of marketing ideas, my business plan, and all that jazz. Maybe someday I'll actually go for it.

DJ Eyal - Dreamcatcher

Zipping northbound on I-35 on my way to work on some random July morning in 2000. It's about 9:30 AM, and I'm driving from one job (JCCC) to the next (FishNet Security). I'm going way, way over the speed limit. Triple digits, likely. I'm not running late, I'm just having a great time enjoying my relatively new car on a highway that's almost completely empty.