Life of Brian

One Day at Pocono

2009-09-02T17:03:00.002-04:00

What a fantastic time I had yesterday playing on the Pocono raceway! Thanks to Dennis, Frank and Gina at Bertil Roos for their instruction and accommodation. Thanks to my new friends Elaine and Joe who I hope were OK with my abrupt and frequent passing on Nascar 3. Additional pictures at http://www.briangomez.com/

I'm looking forward to beating around Thunderbolt next month!

Chesterbrook Cruise Tonight

2009-07-25T17:42:00.004-04:00

Saturday night at Chesterbrook. It is early, but the lots are filling fast. Tomorrow I am in Lancaster at a corvette show. Been doing a lot of work for both NorthEast Rally Club and TDC Motor Club. You can see the website for TDC at http://tdcmotorclub.com/

Holiday weekend coming up

2009-06-30T19:23:00.002-04:00

Not a whole lot to talk about. Working hard and doing a little play. Took the Miata out to run autocross last weekend. Also went to a car show with the corvette to benefit the Animal Rescue League in Reading, PA. Didn't win, but helped a good cause.

New Toy

2009-06-04T22:23:00.003-04:00

I found a great little car to show and enjoy. Here is the picture. I'll be in Pottstown on Saturday evening for the High Street Show.

Miata Spins! Everyone is OK!

2009-03-31T11:27:00.004-04:00

I went to a performance driving school a couple of weeks ago at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Lightning track with my 99 Mazda Miata. To compete, I put a roll bar in it and new tires on the factory rims. Basically, it is a regular street can with a roll bar. I grabbed my helmet, and went to the track. This was a two day even, driving school on Saturday, Time Trials on Sunday.

Cutting to the chase, I had a blast and spun the car 3 times trying to get it to go faster. I learned a lot so hopefully next time I can go faster without spinning the car.

Last weekend I rallied with my buddy Bob and we did OK. Just a little warm up before we head to the NY-Penn Rally next month.

Today I am sitting in Philadelphia Airport flying to Little Rock. Just a short two day trip then back home.

3 Months Later Denver and Montana

2009-03-12T01:08:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone! Sorry posts have been so few and far between. Seems like when I am home I have very little to write. Actually, I think I am just too busy to write when I am home. I am in Billings tonight and teach again tomorrow. I present to Montana Association of Museums on Saturday, then back to Denver to catch a flight Sunday morning.

Next week I race the Miata at NJMP. Gonna be a blast! Pictures I hope later.

New family member: Meet Lucy

2008-12-17T13:56:00.003-05:00

More on the girl soon, but here are the bullets

Lancaster Humane League

5 Years Old

Lucy was and is her name

Eskimo / Australian Cattle Dog / Border Collie AKA MUTT!

She is adjusting well and comes to work each day.

She was given up buy last owners for nipping a 20 month old.

What kind of company do I keep?

2008-11-01T10:58:00.002-04:00

Perhaps the "shot" of the rally!

Best Score, Second Place, Two Trophies

2008-10-29T13:15:00.004-04:00

What a fantastic weekend at the Pumpkin Run in Millsboro, DE this weekend with the Northeast Rally Club. I raced with my friend Joe and for costume competition, we dressed as priests. Most assuredly we are going to Hell...but we'll have good company. The weekend raised $7000 for the fire company and resulted in some great competition. We finished with a score of 50 seconds for the weekend which was the best raw score of the weekend. Unfortunately, since the other team scored 52 seconds in a much older car, they win on factor time. Here are a few pictures. Enjoy.

Another day, another airport

2008-10-24T07:17:00.003-04:00

5:15 in the morning, car is parked, I am in line at security to get on a flight back east. Race weekend this weekend, looks like a weather nightmare on Saturday. Two Priests in a Thing might be pretty wet! Oh and the windshield wipers don't work in the Thing....gonna be a fun weekend! This is what I look like in St Louis on a Friday morning before the sun comes up!

Exhibit Hall Setup

2008-10-21T15:27:00.001-04:00

If you ever wondered what it looks like when I am at the exhibit hall, here you go. These are a few shots of the booth I just set up.

Kansas, it's flat..But KC...BBQ!

2008-10-20T21:44:00.002-04:00

Had dinner tonight in one of my favorite places on earth. Bryant's BarBQ on Brooklyn street in Kansas City, MO. Burnt Ends and Turkey combo with fries! Yummmmm. I am so stuffed. Here are some pictures from my trip. Prairie Woman's Museum...AKA Chicks in the Heartland. Flat Ass Kansas. And a shot of the hotel lobby (Hotel Phillips).. This place is pretty cool.

Oklahoma to Kansas to Missouri

2008-10-19T11:28:00.003-04:00

In Kansas this weekend hanging out and getting some work done. I am staying in Emporia and had a great steak last night. Monday I leave for Kansas City for the week. I'l try to post a couple of pictures later. Not too much to see here after being in Alaska.

On the road again (Ohio)

2008-10-14T18:14:00.003-04:00

In Ohio, having dinner. Nice drive out. One of the famous PA Turnpike Tunnels!

Back Home

2008-10-05T04:39:00.001-04:00

I am back home, can't sleep...must be the time difference. All is well.

Alaska Day 7

2008-10-04T11:42:00.002-04:00

Well I am sitting in the airport waiting for the flight home. It has been a great trip to the Great North. Yesterday the highlight was getting to pet the sled dogs in Denali National Park. I will put those pictures up now. I have a lot more pictures to see, but no more for the blog. In about 10 days I am on the road again, this time to Oklahoma and Kansas City. Watch for updates.

Alaska Day 6

2008-10-03T02:58:00.003-04:00

Back in Fairbanks tonight, snowing. Here are some pics from my last day (snowy day at that) in Barrow.

Alaska Day 5

2008-10-01T11:38:00.004-04:00

Good morning from dark old Barrow. Here are a few pictures from last night. The Curator Robin took Mark and I on a driving tour of the town. We were looking for polar bears...we found none. Today I will work at the heritage center and do more teaching. maybe more pictures later.

Alaska Day 4

2008-09-30T22:54:00.004-04:00

Barrow Alaska. Woke up this morning to 15 degrees and pitch black until 8:something AM. It has been flurrying this evening. I had a good work day training, and had caribou soup for lunch. Yum Yum! Dinner was in a Mexican restaurant. Last night was in a Japanese restaurant. There is no American restaurant here. Odd. Pictures from today to follow: First is the directional pole, next a whale shoulder bone used for the church sign, then a ladder leading down to the ice cellar where things like Bear Meat, Whale Meat and All other kinds of meat live. Finally, my dinner restaurant.

Alaska Day 3

2008-09-30T01:40:00.006-04:00

Tonight I sleep 50 yards from the arctic ocean. The sunset was insane. This is like a whole different world. Somewhat third-world like in appearance, but the money is flowing here. Everything is expensive. Very expensive. Yes I have an ocean view...but $140 a night for a rundown room with an old bed and yucky bath tub? Natural gas is all around them and there are no shortage of jobs that pay well. Tomorrow I teach. First pics from Fairbanks, then flight, then barrow, then sunset. Enjoy. They are smaller this time so I can upload them from here....on the edge of Earth. Oh yeah...and it is frickin cold! Oh yes, that is a polar bear in the lobby of the hotel. We love us some dead stuff here.

Alaska Day 2

2008-09-29T11:34:00.005-04:00

After waking up in Anchorage and having a nice breakfast, I got on the road to Fairbanks. Every mile the scenery just kept getting better. I picked up a could of hitchhikers who I have met 10-15 miles earlier at the Mt McKinley overview. They were going rafting down the river and needed a ride to the drop-in point. I put them in the backseat and off we went. Art Mannix and Gordy Vernon...a great couple of guys. They gave me some great tips and gave me an excuse to drive my rental car in a place I shouldn't have been....so all-in-all... great experience. Here are some pictures, starting with these two characters, then Denali (McKinley) and finally Sunset in Fairbanks.

Alaska Day 1

2008-09-28T10:54:00.004-04:00

Well I made to Anchorage, the land of stuffed dead things. Breathtaking place with spectacular views all around. Today I head North to Denali and then on to Fairbanks. Here is what I have so far. BTW, put this on your bucket list...if you miss Alaska, you have not lived well.

On the road again

2008-09-27T06:32:00.001-04:00

Sitting in the Airport...AGAIN! This time on my way to Anchorage Alaska. Hope to have pictures online by tomorrow.

Home and back to work

2008-09-23T17:11:00.003-04:00

Coker Rally was great. Finished overall 11th with 10th place raw score. Left 1 PM and arrived home at 2AM. Here is a picture of my driver on the ride home. He was a huge help in keeping my spirits up and my attention on the road. Best of all, he snored in the car...where was my I-Pod when I needed it. Also pictures of the finish line and black Benz that made the event that much more fun. Go Black Hornet!

One Ace, 9th place day

2008-09-20T22:14:00.002-04:00

Bob and Brian had a great day today. We had wonderful weather and a wonderful score. We got an ace and finshed the day with a 28 (I think) Best of all, all of our legs were low, so we got to toss a 11 second leg from yesterday. We won't win this event, but we are making a good showing for the Thing! No pictures today, sorry.

Brian and Bob did OK!

2008-09-18T22:06:00.007-04:00

We didn't have the best of the scores today. Here are a couple of pictures. We are in 17th place right now, but looking to move up. Speaking of up. We went to Jack Daniels today and I got this shot of Jack outside of the spring they get the water from. Next is my driver and Jim Feeney headed up into the distilling building. Next is a picture of my driver...he seems a lot happier. Perhaps that is why our score dipped in the afternoon?!?!

Tomorrow we go try and do better.

Coker Challenge

2008-09-18T22:06:00.005-04:00

We arrived today in Tennessee to take part in the third Coker Tire Rally. Cars here are awesome, and The Thing is very popular. Corky has done an awesome job setting up his museum area and the conference room in the basement. So cool!

Well, here is a picture I took of Bob pulling his thing.

Cape May Week

2008-09-07T21:33:00.005-04:00

I spent last week in Cape May, NJ and Millville, NJ for a race weekend and restful vacation. Here are a couple of pictures. The highlights are Kayaking in the salt marshes and attending the autograph sessions with the drivers.

Crazy Times Ahead

2008-08-25T13:52:00.003-04:00

Over the next few weeks I travel to Cape May, NY...Rochester, NY...Chattanooga, TN...Alaska...Oklahoma...Kansas City...Millsboro, DE...then back to St Louis, then back to Philly! Yikes!!! Bob and I are racing the thing in Coker's Tire Challenge. I hope to have pictures when I return.

Crab Feast!

2008-08-18T09:05:00.005-04:00

Once a year, the Plymouth club that my crazy Aunt Marion got me involved in holds a crab feast. I think it is one of my favorite activities. Sit at a picnic table with a small wooden mallet and break crabs and shove the meat into the moutn! YUM! Here is a picture of the crabs in the box they arrived in.

More coming soon. I have a trips to Cape May, Rochester NY, Alaska, Oklahoma, and Kansas City all in the next 65 days. Yikes!

Busy Time

2008-08-11T06:50:00.004-04:00

Sorry I have not posted...where has the time gone? Working on a lot of work projects and one or two at home. Next weekend, Crab Feast! Labor Day weekend, Race in NJ, then a week at the Gilbert Boat House! Will try to get more postings soon!

Online Teaching

2008-06-11T21:17:00.001-04:00

This week I have tried my hand at teaching a computer class in a virtual classroom...It has be challenging. I have a lot to learn. Busy week, but easy weekend coming! Look for more soon!

Back to the regular life....

2008-05-22T20:34:00.003-04:00

Hello again, this time from the mainland. The trip to the Bahamas was OK. I did get to smoke a Cuban Cigar...not that I am a huge cigar fan, but I wanted to make sure I knocked "Smoking a cuban cigar" off of my ToDo list. Face it, there are only a few things we can not do here in the US, and Cuban's are one of them.
Way too much going on right now...Hopefully a weekend alone at home will help!

Bahama Photo

2008-05-14T20:37:00.003-04:00

This is the view from my hotel room. It looks wonderful and the water is very pretty. When you get closer, you can see a lot of trash and decay...not quite paridise. Tomorrow I leave for Long Island, Bahamas. Then back to Nassau for two more nights.

Nassau Bahamas: A R M P I T!!!

2008-05-12T22:37:00.003-04:00

I arrived in Nassau, The weather and natural beauty are perfect! then there is mankind and all of his creations / destruction. The place is a shit hole! Trash and broken down buildings everywhere. Traffic is a mess, poverty and just general ugliness. Not paradise here in Nassau. I don't have Internet access at my hotel, even though the website said they had it...I am next door at a Quality Inn sitting in the lobby. I did get to the Atlantis Resort and Casino today, which is nice, but was a long walk. More later!!!

Traveling Again

2008-05-11T13:58:00.005-04:00

On the ground in Miami after a long 3 hour flight. Headed to Nassau for a week of work and a couple of days of relaxation. On the Home Front...My car was vandalized outside of my home on Friday night. Oddest thing, I heard something, but figured it was my neighbor clapping mud off of their shoes or something... Next day, I found a business card from a caln cop and dents in the passenger side of my Fusion. Damn kids. Not sure which ones did it, but I hope Karma finds them!

I wont have cell coverage while I am away, so if you need me really badly, try calling the Nassau Palm resort in Nassau....or email me.

Training Done, Race Cancelled, In Denver

2008-04-27T13:20:00.004-04:00

Wow, 2300 miles down, 1500 to go. Had to run to Kansas City to visit a client who was having image problems. Helped them out then stopped by for Bar BQ at Bryant's on the way through. Drove like a madman through Kansas and got into Denver at 11:00 last night. I am staying in the Hyatt, which is very nice but WAY TOO EXPENSIVE for the museums we serve.

Yes, those are the foothills of the Rockies over my right shoulder...sorry not a better picture.

Great Race 2008 is CANCELLED. Totally sucks and it feels like they have manipulated and lied to the participants about why they canned the race. Looks like not enough people wanted to play. I hope my driver can get his money back.

I am now at the AAM (American Association of Museums) conference waiting for the exhibit hall people to get my booth ready for move in. I hate this conference. Too Big, Too Expensive and very pretentious. Most of the vendors here are working on getting a few big contracts to make it worthwhile to be here.That ain't us. We are here for the little people.

This is my city view! I am here until Wednesday afternoon, then back on the road. I need to be home Thursday night so I can get to Millville for the Northeast Rally Club Thunderbolt Rally Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Stay Tuned for Updates.

1000 Miles today!

2008-04-21T00:42:00.002-04:00

Left around 7:30 on Sunday morning, Sleeping tonight in Iowa. Listened to hours of podcasts in the car and feel sooo much smarter than I did yesterday. Talked to my friend Rani too! :)

Thanks to my friend Dan for a great lunch "catch-up" session at Chili's on Saturday.

Here are some pics from the drive today!

Road Trip

2008-04-17T13:37:00.004-04:00

The next two weeks are going to be a little crazy. I'll be covering 3500 miles in 11 days, teaching 4 classes, exhibit hall work for 3 days...crazy. By the way, it will be behind the wheel of my Ford Fusion. If you are looking for me, try my cell phone.

Heather Hill, Chili, Yardwork

2008-04-13T20:24:00.003-04:00

Weekend...After hearing the news of Great Race 2008 being postponed, I decided I needed to get something done. The entry to my house was small and awkward as there is a larger bush blocking a door that opens the wrong way and a right angle walkway that was built more for the garden gnome than for the adult human. So I went to work and made it a lot better...though I suspect the bush isn't feeling that way. Felt really good to get my hands dirty and do a project for myself for a change.

Heather Hill is a women I have not spent a moment with in 22+ years. Our lives crossed paths for 5th, 6th and 10th grade. This morning I had a chance to have breakfast and catch up. It was really great to see her and even though the Gap Diner didn't have any granola (it was on the menu!!!) we still laughed and had a nice morning.

Chili!!! Oh my god! I made some pretty damn good chili this weekend using four different colors of bell peppers, four different beans and plenty of meat and tomato's. YUM YUM. Thanks for coming over Aunt Patty, Aunt Marian and Mom and Dad. Hope you feel better soon Aunt Pat and enjoy the delivery!

Working for Vacation

2008-04-02T15:01:00.003-04:00

I have been focusing on getting ahead at work so I can get back to the leadership of this company. For months now I have been fighting to get the job done between the hours of 8 am and 12ish am. I can go for 2-3 days with this schedule then can hardly do a 10 hour day. Now I am trying a different approach. Work during the work day. I think most people get this intuitively. Not me so much. Starting Monday of next week...10 hour day MAX and no working on weekends. Don't get me wrong, working like a crazy man for the past few months has been good for me, the customer, and the company...but it isn't sustainable! Notice the guy behind me with his feet really close to my head. Nice manners dude!
Only 58 days until we leave for The Great Race 2008!

I am sitting in the airport now, waiting for my plane to Chicago where I will go help a client learn how to use the software. I have two more big projects to work on while I am away, but next week...10 hour days max!

Bristol Motor Speedway

2008-03-18T21:26:00.004-04:00

Last weekend, my brother Barry and I made a religious pilgrimage to the holy ground of NASCAR, Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. WOW. What a place. Seeing it on TV is one thing, but it is really amazing. The steep banks, even on the straightaways, was crazy. The race was relatively tame, but still very fun to watch. If you like racing, I think you should go here at least once. Bring your mud shoes.

Thing Logo

2008-03-14T15:36:00.001-04:00

Came Up with another logo for Bob! Tell me what you think!

Working Marathon...for what?

2008-03-12T22:59:00.002-04:00

No pictures, but the past 40+ hours have been a crazy work marathon. Two projects that have been hanging over me have been projects for a client in Nevada and a client in Vermont. Both are cases of data being maintained or manipulated in two different places. Databases just don't deal well with data, the same data, being manipulated in two different places. When it happens, it takes hours days or even weeks to fix.

This part of the job is really difficult, but the most impact I can have on one organization's data. It feels good to help people get back on track. In the end, all of these hours will be forgotten and the work will be forgotten, but hopefully the effort will live on in the product of that work and time. Perhaps my efforts over the past two days will help someone who isn't even born yet learn of farming equipment, or textiles that I have never known or seen...but have helped her gain access to by my recent effort!

Bowling Team

2008-03-07T09:51:00.003-05:00

This is my very fun and very fabulous Bowling Team. Frank isn't in the picture, but from left to right, his wife Debbie & Pam who along with our captain, hold this team together. We bowl on Thursday's in the Molerats league. Oh yeah, and we are not doing very well.

VW Thing Pictures

2008-03-03T18:30:00.000-05:00

This is the monster! Bob's VW Thing has a speedometer and is quickly becoming my favorite car! We leave on May 30th from New York

6000 and Counting

2008-03-03T14:54:00.000-05:00

PastPerfect Software Inc. has passed the 6000 customer mark! Each month, dozens of museums purchase and install this software. It is inexpensive, easy to use, and the most comprehensive museum software in the world!

You can check out their website at http://www.museumsoftware.com

Back at Work on Monday

2008-03-03T10:34:00.000-05:00

I love Mondays! I hit the ground running with all of the projects I worked on over the weekend.

The Thing has a Speedometer mounted and is almost ready to to be calibrated! By the weekend, I hope to start get started building some times for acceleration and deceleration.

Look for pictures soon!

I'm Live

2008-03-02T20:01:00.000-05:00

Hello World. Setting up a blog for a number of reasons, but mostly to make sure I get the concepts. A few big things coming in my life including Great Race 2008, Bristol with Barry, and a wild couple of weeks teaveling to Denver and back in time for the Thunderbolt Rally!

Stay Tuned!