knoebelspt

A plea

2005-07-26T00:45:38Z

Does anyone in Chicagoland have a suitcase I can borrow?

Send me an e-mail if you do. Please. I'll give you a hug.

I want to be a Hilton

2005-07-06T02:01:22Z

Title: I want to be a Hilton (NBC)

Premise:
Get a bunch of white trash to compete for a taste of the high life with Paris Hilton's mother.

Result:
Brillance

At the end of the show Cathy Hilton prepares a dinner party and makes a guest list. The eliminated person is told that "they are not on the list" and asked to leave. I love it.

A quick question

2005-07-04T23:46:15Z

Why don't I live in New York?

I'm back...

2005-06-20T00:18:20Z

I'm back from Paris.

Work is good, the apartment is good, Chicago is good.

More to come.

At the airport

2005-03-24T23:24:55Z

I think that qualified as the shorest spring break ever.

Now I am at JFK about an hour away from broading what I hope is a very nice Boeing 777 to whisk me away to Paris. Last week was uneventful; I got to see a lot of old people, Danielle and my family.

Wow this is post is really boring. I'll send out a facebook msg with my contact info in Paris once I arrive.

Chips and Ice Cream

2005-03-14T02:48:27Z

I can only eat chips and ice cream.

I leave for Paris in 10 days, 23 hours and 2 minutes

Summer is set

2005-03-01T07:51:31Z

So I have summer plans!

Equity Analyst Intern at Morningstar here in Chicago. I hope that Chicago will be more fun this summer than it was last; I have a feeling that it will be.

I also just realized that I will not spend a weekend in the same city for the next month

My Various Travel Plans

Mar 4-6	Stanford for debate
Mar 11-13	Chicago for reading period
Mar 18-20	Cleveland for my Grandma's 90th
Mar 25-28	Paris for the quarter

I dare say that is pretty cool.

But this also means that if you are a 4th year we need to see each other sometime in the next few weeks. So IM or email me or something and we will work something out.

Classes have begun...

2005-01-05T00:28:27Z

Break was fun.; well maybe not fun but at least relaxing.

I am however looking forward to this quarter. For the first time in awhile I am actually excited about the classes that I am taking.

First up: Financial Accounting. The GSB is an entire different world. Everyone wears a tie, 24 hours a day, no matter what. The classrooms have huge comfy chairs and bug desks that actually have enough room for a notebook. All the lights, projectors, screens etc. are controlled by a futuristic touch screen in the front of the class. And also the class will be inordinately useful for me getting a job in the not so distant future.

Inner City Economic Development will be a nice contrast to the Urban Econ class I took last year. In a nutshell Urban Econ=gentrification is good in Inner City Econ Development=gentrification is bad. The class is a little big for my tastes, and it is at 9am but the readings look great and the prof. is a good guy.

Colonization Servitude and Slavery: The Early American Experience. This is an econ class. I am taking an econ class about slavery. The professor has a reputation for making people cry; and I don’t think he is going to disappoint. Today in class he asked a girl a question and she responded “I don’t know” and he says to her, in all seriousness, “Do you not know, or do you not care”. Amazing. I just hope I don’t get on his bad side.

Web Programming is definitely my “fourth class”. The professor wants us to teach us not just the languages but also the philosophy behind computing. That might actually be interesting as long as he does not get too preachy. Also my final project can be making a website about rollercoasters

Not like you have anything better to do

2004-12-12T08:21:04Z

A: First, recommend to me:
1. a movie:
2. a book:
3. a musical artist, song, or album:

B: I want everyone who reads this to ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want, and I shall answer.

C: Then I want you to go to your journal, copy-and-paste this allowing your friends to ask you anything.

Done!

2004-12-10T21:23:18Z

I am so fucking done

2004 Wood Coaster Rankings

2004-12-06T20:42:24Z

Ahh...just what I needed. Another distraction from my paper.

I am just going to cite the results for now, a detailed analysis will follow after finals. I also need to find/fill out my steel coaster ballot....

EDIT: I am going to put this as a LJcut since I'm the only one who cares

RANK COASTER NAME PARK LOC RIDERS W L T WinPct TiBk
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Shivering Timbers Michigan's Adventure MI 131 174 1 0 0.9943
2 Boulder Dash Lake Compounce CT 125 173 2 0 0.9886
3 Phoenix Knoebel's PA 159 171 2 2 0.9829 24
4 Tremors Silverwood ID 61 172 3 0 0.9829 17
5 Thunderhead Dollywood TN 94 170 3 2 0.9771
6 Raven Holiday World IN 164 170 4 1 0.9743
7 Balder Liseberg SE 39 164 5 0 0.9704

8 The Legend Holiday World IN 159 165 8 1 0.9511
9 Megafobia Oakwood UK 56 164 7 4 0.9486
10 Aska Nara Dreamland JP 10 157 8 2 0.9461
11 Rampage Visionland AL 68 164 9 2 0.9429

12 Avalanche Timber Falls WI 20 129 8 5 0.9261

13 GhostRider Knott's Berry Farm CA 162 159 14 2 0.9143
14 Ozark Wildcat Celebration City MO 46 147 13 2 0.9136
15 Coaster Playland BC 59 155 12 6 0.9133
16 Colossos Heide Park DE 68 158 15 2 0.9086
17 Cornball Express Indiana Beach IN 119 157 15 3 0.9057
18 Comet Great Escape NY 84 153 15 4 0.9012
19 Tonnerre de Zeus Parc Asterix FR 78 157 18 0 0.8971

20 Grand National Blackpool UK 70 154 19 2 0.8857
21 Timber Terror Silverwood ID 65 153 19 3 0.8829
22 New Mexico Rattler Cliff's NM 34 144 20 1 0.8758

23 Lightning Racer - L Hersheypark PA 163 149 24 2 0.8571
24 Tsunami Clementon Lake NJ 22 144 24 5 0.8468
25 Lightning Racer - T Hersheypark PA 166 146 26 3 0.8429
26 Cyclone Astroland NY 107 144 26 5 0.8371
27 Viper SFGAm IL 167 145 29 1 0.8314
28 Excalibur Funtown USA ME 51 142 28 4 0.8276
29 Serpiente de Fuego La Feria MX 13 138 26 8 0.8256
30 Mega Zeph SF New Orleans LA 52 141 28 6 0.8229
31 Dania Bch Hurricane Dania Beach FL 47 141 30 2 0.8208
32 Georgia Cyclone SFoG GA 140 142 30 3 0.8200
33 Loup Garou SF Belgium BE 74 141 32 2 0.8114

34 Twister Knoebel's PA 154 139 35 1 0.7971
35 Stampida Port Aventura ES 50 130 29 13 0.7936
36 Giant Dipper Santa Cruz Bch Bdwk CA 105 136 35 4 0.7886
37 Screechin' Eagle(S) LeSourdsville Lake OH 60 134 35 6 0.7829

38 Texas Giant SFoT TX 97 130 36 8 0.7701

39 Cyclone Lakeside CO 64 130 41 2 0.7572
40 Wild One SF America MD 133 130 40 5 0.7571 24
41 Cyclops Big Chief WI 72 131 41 3 0.7571 18

42 The Boss Six Flags St Louis MO 116 129 43 3 0.7457
43 Comet (SBNO) Lincoln Park MA 10 122 39 10 0.7427
44 Thunderbolt Kennywood PA 187 128 45 2 0.7371
45 Silver Comet Martin's Fantasy Is. NY 61 124 45 4 0.7283

46 Thundercoaster Tusenfryd NO 19 110 40 11 0.7174
47 The Beast Kings Island OH 232 124 48 3 0.7171
48 Thunder Run Kentucky Kingdom KY 151 122 48 5 0.7114
49 Zeus Big Chief WI 72 121 48 5 0.7098
50 Gwazi-Tiger Busch Gardens-Tampa FL 165 121 51 3 0.7000
51 Gwazi-Lion Busch Gardens-Tampa FL 166 120 52 3 0.6943
52 Robin Hood Six Flags Holland NL 72 116 51 8 0.6857

53 Falken Farup Sommerland DK 15 101 43 24 0.6726
54 Roar Marine World CA 95 115 55 4 0.6724
55 Wildcat Hersheypark PA 181 114 55 6 0.6686
56 The Villain Geauga Lake OH 185 116 58 1 0.6657
57 Roar SF America MD 126 114 57 4 0.6629
58 Elf Hirakata Park JP 6 99 46 19 0.6616
59 Regina Tobu Zoo JP 6 95 43 26 0.6585
60 Jack Rabbit Kennywood PA 189 114 59 2 0.6571
61 Yankee Cannonball Canobie Lake Park NH 60 111 57 5 0.6561
62 Roller Coaster Western Wash. Fair WA 46 108 54 12 0.6552

63 Great White Wild Wheels Pier NJ 70 104 61 8 0.6243
64 The Legend Arnolds Park IA 35 106 63 5 0.6236
65 The Grizzly Kings Dominion VA 151 107 65 3 0.6200
66 Big Dipper Geauga Lake OH 181 105 64 6 0.6171
67 Blue Streak Cedar Point OH 271 107 67 1 0.6143
68 Big Dipper Blackpool UK 70 105 67 3 0.6086
69 Zingo Bell's OK 35 100 63 10 0.6069
70 Wild Mouse Blackpool UK 69 103 68 4 0.6000
71 Blue Streak Conneaut Lake Park PA 85 99 67 9 0.5914

72 Screamin' Eagle Six Flags St Louis MO 128 99 72 4 0.5771
73tTexas Cyclone SF Astroworld TX 84 96 73 4 0.5665 6
73tRutschebanen Bakken DK 31 94 71 8 0.5665 6
75 Timber Wolf Worlds of Fun MO 76 96 73 6 0.5657
76 Cheetah Wild Adventures GA 61 91 69 8 0.5655

77 White Cyclone Nagashima Spaland JP 11 83 65 20 0.5536
78tGrt Am Scrm Mach SFoG GA 140 93 76 6 0.5486 18
78tArkansas Twister Magic Springs AR 50 90 73 12 0.5486 18
80 Swamp Fox Family Kingdom SC 56 92 76 6 0.5460
81 Hoosier Hurricane Indiana Beach IN 131 90 77 8 0.5371
82 Outlaw Adventureland IA 53 88 76 10 0.5345
83 Rutschebanen Tivoli Gardens DK 38 88 77 8 0.5318

84 Le Monstre La Ronde QU 43 86 79 8 0.5202
85 Cannonball Lake Winnepesaukah GA 66 88 81 5 0.5201
86 Racer Kennywood PA 187 88 81 6 0.5200
87 Giant Dipper Belmont Park CA 110 86 80 7 0.5173
88 Roller Coaster Blackpool UK 70 85 79 11 0.5171
89 Riverside Cyclone SF New England MA 138 88 84 3 0.5114

90 Thunderhawk Dorney Park PA 158 85 85 5 0.5000

91 Vuoristorata Linnamaki Park FI 18 74 79 18 0.4854

92 Zippin' Pippin Libertyland TN 35 79 89 5 0.4711
93 Medusa Six Flags Mexico MX 6 62 72 34 0.4702

94 King Solomons Mines Pleasureland UK 43 76 94 5 0.4486
95 Starliner Miracle Strip FL 51 74 94 6 0.4425
96 Hurler Carowinds NC 98 73 94 8 0.4400
97 Rebel Yell Kings Dominion VA 154 74 97 4 0.4343
98 Tomahawk Port Aventura ES 44 61 86 25 0.4273
99 Skyliner Lakemont PA 103 71 97 6 0.4253
100 Thunderbolt SF New England MA 137 71 98 6 0.4229
101 Racer Kings Island OH 227 71 101 3 0.4143
102 Comet Hersheypark PA 183 69 100 6 0.4114
103 Lost Coaster of SM Indiana Beach IN 93 64 94 5 0.4080
104 Roller Coaster (S) Joyland KS 32 65 99 9 0.4017
105 Roller Coaster Great Yarmouth UK 26 66 101 8 0.4000

106 Hurler Kings Dominion VA 144 66 105 4 0.3886

107 Judge Roy Scream SFoT TX 99 65 108 2 0.3771
108 Tree Topper Upper Clements Park NS 7 45 83 17 0.3690
109 Tornado Adventureland IA 53 60 106 8 0.3678
110 Twisted Twins-Lola Kentucky Kingdom KY 135 61 108 6 0.3657
111 Wilde Beast Canada's Wonderland ON 72 60 107 6 0.3642
112 Wildcat Lake Compounce CT 126 60 108 7 0.3629
113 Cannonball Waterville USA AL 34 58 106 9 0.3613
114 Thunder Road Carowinds NC 103 58 109 8 0.3543
115 Twisted Twins-StellaKentucky Kingdom KY 139 59 111 5 0.3514
116 Roller Coaster Lagoon UT 28 53 104 7 0.3445
117 Cyclone Pleasureland UK 45 58 114 3 0.3400
118 Tornado Stricker's Grove OH 41 54 111 8 0.3353
119 Hullamvasut Vidam HU 5 34 86 33 0.3301

120 Jack Rabbit Seabreeze NY 64 49 115 7 0.3070
* Scenic Railway Luna Park-Melbourne AU 3 26 83 35 0.3021
122 Flyer Comet (SBNO) Whalom Park MA 40 50 120 3 0.2977
123 M.Can.Mine Buster Canada's Wonderland ON 74 49 120 4 0.2948
124 Cyclone Williams Grove PA 74 46 120 7 0.2861
125 High Roller Valleyfair! MN 67 46 120 3 0.2811
126 Leap the Dips Lakemont PA 95 45 122 7 0.2787
127 Hurricane Myrtle Bch Pavilion SC 50 43 118 4 0.2727
128 Dragon Coaster Playland NY 63 43 122 7 0.2703
129 Wild Wild West Warner Bros. Movie W DE 61 36 116 22 0.2701
130 Hochschaubahn Prater Park AT 11 24 97 37 0.2690

131 Scenic Railway (S) Dreamland UK 39 44 128 1 0.2572
* King Kobra Hopi Hari BR 3 21 76 15 0.2545

133 White Canyon Yomiuriland JP 8 27 104 19 0.2433
134 Beastie (SBNO) Australia's Wonderl. AU 7 25 108 28 0.2422
135 American Eagle SFGAm IL 178 39 130 6 0.2400
136 Big Dipper Camden Park WV 36 36 125 10 0.2398
* Jupiter Kijima Korakuen JP 4 20 82 16 0.2373
138 Runaway Coaster (S) Rotunda UK 30 38 129 6 0.2370
139 Bush Beast (SBNO) Australia's Wonderl. AU 6 16 102 42 0.2313
140 Sky Princess Dutch Wonderland PA 59 36 130 7 0.2283
141 Magnus Colossus Terra Mitica ES 18 27 116 20 0.2270
142 Rollo Coaster Idlewild PA 65 34 129 10 0.2254
143 Timberhawk Enchanted Village WA 47 33 126 8 0.2216
144 Wildcat Frontier City OK 48 32 130 13 0.2200

145 Twister II Elitch Gardens CO 60 31 135 7 0.1994
146 Jack Rabbit (SBNO) Clementon Lake NJ 28 31 136 6 0.1965
147 Wild Wild West Warner Bros. Movie W ES 37 24 126 18 0.1964
148 Wolverine Wildcat Michigan's Adventure MI 132 32 141 2 0.1886
149 Sierra Tonante Mirabilandia Park IT 19 19 121 20 0.1813

150 Red Streaker (S) Willow Mill PA 9 20 136 14 0.1588
151 Colossus S.F. Magic Mountain CA 182 27 147 1 0.1571
152 Comet Waldameer PA 64 23 144 6 0.1503
153 Zipper Dipper Blackpool UK 59 25 148 2 0.1486
154 Rattler Fiesta Texas TX 82 22 147 6 0.1429
155 Anaconda Walibi-Schtroumpf FR 29 15 138 17 0.1382
156 Scooby Doo Carowinds NC 91 21 149 5 0.1343
157 Sea Dragon Wyandot Lake OH 57 19 147 7 0.1301
158 Zach's Zoomer Michigan's Adventure MI 129 20 153 2 0.1200
159 Scooby Doo Kings Dominion VA 131 17 152 6 0.1143
160 Little Dipper Kiddieland IL 29 14 148 10 0.1105
161 Beastie Kings Island OH 182 17 154 4 0.1086
162 Teddy Bear Stricker's Grove OH 31 15 152 6 0.1040
163 Kiddie Coaster Playland NY 32 14 151 7 0.1017
164 Pegasus Big Chief WI 71 15 156 4 0.0971

165 Pegasus de Efteling NL 69 13 159 3 0.0829
166 Ghoster Coaster Canada's Wonderland ON 67 11 157 5 0.0780
167 Son of Beast Kings Island OH 204 12 160 3 0.0771

168 Rolling Thunder SFGAd NJ 151 8 161 6 0.0629
169 Mean Streak Cedar Point OH 271 9 164 2 0.0571
170 Underground Adventureland IA 43 5 159 9 0.0549
171 Raging Wolf Bobs Geauga Lake OH 176 8 165 2 0.0514
172 Predator Darien Lake NY 94 6 165 4 0.0457
173 Psyclone S.F. Magic Mountain CA 170 6 166 3 0.0429
174 Lil' Dipper Camden Park WV 35 6 163 2 0.0409
175 Antelope Gulliver's World UK 19 6 163 0 0.0355

176 The Grizzly Great America CA 106 2 172 0 0.0115

knoebelspt @ 2004-12-05T03:51:00

2004-12-05T09:51:18Z

I love drunk lesbians

I heart USITE

2004-12-02T10:05:12Z

Yes so here I am at 4am at USITE and instead of going home I am posting to my LJ.

I am almost done with one of my metrics problem sets and I have full faith that both will be done by 7pm tonight. Then I am going to write a geography paper like there is no tomorrow.

Also; twice today people who I think know me pretty well could not recognize me. It was very weird. Do I all of a sudden look so different? Maybe it was the coat. It is very blue. Katie liked it.

Happy Thanksgiving

2004-11-26T05:50:38Z

Yet Another Quiz. Home can get so boring.

You are a Political dissidient! Should have been a
bit more careful who you discussed politics
with... You are a weakness to the Motherland
and must
be liquidated... Da svidanya,SUCKER!!!!!

What kind of Russian are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

I have no life

2004-11-19T19:14:44Z

You Are the Reformer

1

You're a responsible person - with a clear sense of right and wrong.

High standards are important to you, and you do everything to meet them.

You are your own worst critic, feeling ashamed if you're not perfect.

You have the highest integrity, and people expect you to be fair.

What number are you?

Brilliance

2004-11-19T03:09:13Z

I keep getting great ideas.

I am going to start writing a weekly column about rollercoasters. Topics covered will include construction updates on new for 05 rides, ride reviews pictorials etc, etc.

Now here is the wrinkle; who gets the privilege of printing this? The Maroon probably would not touch it since it does not really have anything to do with the university.I have a loose agreement to have it printed in a non-partisan political journal, but I am afraid that will fall through.

So this leaves me with the internet. Lame. Still lets see if I do this.

Me not working

2004-11-16T19:42:07Z

You are the green line. You dwell in the ghetto,
and damn, you're proud of it. The streets of
your kingdom may not be paved with gold, but at
least you have a place where you know you rule.
Just don't go cruising too late at night
without a shotgun.

Which Chicago 'El' line are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

I think it finally died

2004-10-26T05:37:03Z

I think the time has come to put my computer to rest.

I could probally spend a couple hundred and get it working, but is it really worth it? It is just going to break again in a few months.

So I think I am going to order my beautiful new iBook 12.1" 1.2ghz G4 tomorrow and hope that it comes in short order. (I have to order it since I am getting the bug hard drive).

So now I am on the A-level trying to do "work" but really I'm just sitting here. So is my life.

Orly's 4EVR

2004-10-25T01:00:32Z

First off go to http://www.ifilm.com/viralvideo and watch “Triumph: Poop Valhalla”. I guarantee that you will not regret it.

The novice tournament went well, not that I had anything to do with it, but it went well. Even though some of the rounds made NO sense whatsoever, it was fun none the less.

Party at Grace’s was a gt [good time] and I made some new friends and had some corn bread.

This weekend also left me conflicted about many, many things. I need to work this shit out.

Democracy (in action this time)

2004-10-20T20:59:23Z

I have now completed said Absentee Ballot.

It felt so good to cast that vote in Ohio for John Kerry and John Edwards. I must admit I had a small adrenaline rush when I punched that little cardboard chad out (don’t worry I made sure it was not hanging, pregnant or anything like that).

I also really enjoyed voting against the ghastly Ohio constitutional amendment that not only defines marriage between one man and one women, it goes on to say that the state can "not create or recognize a legal status for relationship of unmarried individuals". Even the very republican governor, who just signed a state law that "defends" marriage, says that this line is so vague that there would be as many interpretations as there are judges in the state. Lets just hope the voters are not so stupid as to pass this.

Democracy

2004-10-19T21:16:05Z

I got my Absentee ballot today (finally) and in the grand tradition of American democracy almost all the races are unopposed. That is, I have no choice as to who my house rep is going to be.

I also managed to waste another morning by getting up, going to class, and then taking a three hour nap. I should have been doing something productive in those three hours but instead I took a nap, and now I am updating my LJ.

And in the grand tradition of Emily I must say cryptically: some things that sucked are now good, and some things that were really good now suck.

And I'm back...

2004-10-11T05:31:13Z

After a long absence I finally have returned to LJ.

Tonight I helped Emily put together Aya’s 22nd b-day party. It was fun 20 people showed up at the point, in the dark, and we had kosher cake. Then in typical U of C fashion after ten minutes everyone decided they were much too busy to party and went to the Reg.

On the plus side I found out at the party that someone who I thought hated me does not. This means I now have no enemies! Hooray for me!

I now need to find a way to slog through a metrics problem set that I have no clue about, not worry so much about the election, and sleep more. I can do it.

So no surgery...

2004-09-13T18:36:04Z

Turns out my Dad made my appointment for NEXT monday, so it turns out that I am not getting my wisdom teeth out. Grr, I was ready to go and get this over with and now I need to wait another three months.

The Cleveland Diaries-Day two

2004-09-13T05:40:25Z

Today was clearly the most exciting of the visit; Cedar Point day. We got there at 9:30 the entire day was quite perfect. The excruciating detail can be read
My mom and I left the house around 8 and pulled into the parking lot a little bit before 9:30. We got the best parking spot that I have ever had; it was like we got to park right at the front gate. They opened the park a few minutes after we got to the park so we had to make a quick dash to Top Thrill Dragster.

After a brisk walk we got in line for TTD and only had a one train wait. Now for perspective last year I waited over four hours for this ride, so this was quite exciting. Now the wait would have been shorter if it was not for the fact that the train before us had a rollback (for the uninitiated occasionally TTD does not launch with enough force and the train gets most of the way up the hill but does not make it so it rolls back to the station). This added like 10min to the wait but that was hardly a big deal. This ride is just as breathtaking as it was last year. The train just flies out of the launch at an impossible speed, with impossible acceleration and then that twisting drop. I know the ride is thirty seconds long, but I think it would be worth waiting another four hours.

So after the ride we headed over to Power Tower. I choose to go on the “up” tower, and somehow being shot up to a mere 260 feet just seems weak compared to TTD. It was still thoroughly enjoyable.

Next up: Millennium Force. Again no wait, but I still remember opening day on May 6th, 2000 when I waited in line for a tremendous amount of time to experience the worlds tallest and fasters coaster (at the time). This ride has aged so nicely. Four seasons on it is still smooth as glass, no trim brakes have been added, and the trains and the station lighting effects still work. The ride experience has even improved since the foliage on the island has grown in around the track. The woman in front of me was too big to fit in the ride, which is sad since I think everyone in the world should be able to ride roller coasters.

So now it was time for me to go on Mantis solo. I have never been a huge fan of Mantis since the whole standing up thing does nothing for me. I have not been on this ride since the ’01 season and I must say that it was aged as poorly as MF as aged well. I rode in the back and I was thrashed around like no ones business. The trims on the first hill kill the speed on the first half of the ride. Since the ride is now on permanent two train operation (a good choice I might add) it means that mid-course block brakes are now barely on making the second half really rough and tumble. The trains just feel like they are tracking badly from that block on and it really takes the ride off my must do list.

After the long hike back to the Mean Streak (it truly is in the middle of nowhere) I gave it a spin. There are so many things wrong with this ride I don’t even know where to begin. Considering one of its closest cousins was just torn down by one of Cedar Point’s sister parks, I don’t think this ride will be with us much longer. I think that this about sums it up:

Operator “Welcome back Mean Streak Riders, how was your ride? (in the perkiest ride op voice)”

Complete Silence

Operator “Wow, really that good?”

After Mean Streak, we took the train down to the Main Midway and had lunch at the Midway Market which I highly recommend. Raptor, of course, is next. I love this ride so much, ten years on and it is still my favorite inverted coaster. Its much more exciting than the smaller inverts (i.e. Batman ) but does not lose the compact intensity like the big guys (i.e. Alpengeist). It is just beautifully situated on the midway and that new paint job is just wonderful.

After Raptor comes a sentimental favorite, Disaster Transport. This is Cedar Point’s ill-fated attempt at copying Space Mountain. Now the original storyline involved you going into space to take a trip to Alaska. Now I know this, but I would say most guests don’t. At this point there is no reference it anywhere in the line or the ride, but when you pull into the unload station the ride-ops welcome you to Alaska and there is a huge welcome to Alaska sign. This just makes me laugh, since everyone looks around and says “why the fuck are we in Alaska”. And now that they have removed the computer voiceover in the ride which had wonderful phrases such as “Watch Out! Space Pirated ahead!” and “I’m losing control! I’m losing control!” which is very sad. I will always remember the good old days.

Magnum was next on the itinerary. Not so much to say here, this ride may be a little rough around the edges but that is why I adore it. I got to ride in the “ejector seat” (1.3) and it was so much fun.

Speaking of giant Arrow Mine Trains I went on Gemini next. One of the reasons Cedar Point is the best can be clearly seen on the Gemini. This is one of the few racing coasters where the trains actually race and even on a low attendance day, they were still running both sides and racing them. This just makes the ride so much more fun, and Cedar Point does these little things a million times over and that is why they are so much better than anyone else.

I actually did really well at the Skeeball next to Gemini and I ended up winning a Scooby Doo plush which is fun. The final ride was the Iron Dragon. This ride might not be very fast or tall but it is just plain entertaining.

The day was overall perfect. Wonderful weather, no crowds, what more could you ask for? If you have made it this far, I congratulate you. If this made no sense, well it’s late.

Tomorrow I’m getting my wisdom teeth out. This means I will probably be unavailable via phone for the next few days, but I will be on pain killers and IM so if you want to chat with a drugged op me now is your chance.

The Cleveland Diaries-Day one

2004-09-13T03:48:26Z

After a fairly uneventful flight I ended up at home; just in time to be shuttled off to the Cleveland Retirement Castle.

I love having dinner with old people. I wouldn’t dare try to recreate the conversation but all I know is that one point an old woman leans over and says to me “you know I remember when your parents used to make out in the temple parking lot, we could not keep those two apart!”

This is a disturbing statement. Now I have an image of my parents, as teenagers, being that annoying couple that I don’t like. Awesome.