Bikes and Boomsticks

So this weekend was another gun show, this time at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. I am having no luck finding a Springfield Armory Mil-Spec with the parkerized finish. Stainless steel, yes. Parkerized, no. I don’t really want stainless steel. So it’s back to calling people and seeing if they can special order it. I have decided, however, that I am probably going to buy a Hi-Point carbine. I have browsed around and read several reviews and the general consensus seems to be ugly, but shoots well. They retail for $169 in 9mm, and $179 in .40. For that price, as long as it shoots tolerably well, it’s worth picking one up just for giggles. I will have to continue calling around to see if someone can special order the Springfield at a reasonable price.

We also went to the bike show at Reliant Center. I have seen my future, and it is big, black, shiny, expensive and fast. The new Kawasaki ZX-14 is gorgeous and I want one. I have to do something with my Triumph first, like convince some fine suckerindividual that they want it for a unreasonable sum. Then I can go talk to the credit union about a loan for a shiny new motorcycle. The credit union likes to see me when I come talk to them about shiny motorcycles. Hopefully, J will have her license taken care of by then, so we can get two shiny new motorcycles. The credit union will be ecstatic at that point. My insurance agent will love me even more. I’ve run the numbers on insurance, and adding J and a bike for her will be more or less free. The annual premium increases by 10% with the addition of a second driver and motorcycle to the policy. Of course, that’s because the insurance premium on a ZX-14 is ridiculous no matter who you are. I think the only way to get cheap insurance on a liter-class sport bike anymore is promise never to ride it. If you can document that the bike is hermetically sealed away from human contact, you can get a small discount.

After the bike show was the Nutcracker Market. This was an unplanned stop. The Houston Ballet holds it as a fundraiser every year, apparently. All kinds of horrible Christmas themed crafts against humanity are offered for sale, along with clothes and jewelry designed to appeal to the kind of people who support the ballet. I think J referred to them as ‘old biddies’. I went because J wanted to go, and after dragging her to the two testosterone fests, it was time for some more gentle pastimes. I learned that the bar staff working Reliant Center did not give a damn about Aramark’s profits. They were pouring out some strong drinks. I had a Holiday Sparkler at the Nutcracker market. Start with raspberry vodka. Pour over ice in a large highball glass. Splash in a small amount of white cranberry juice. Add a molecule or two of Sprite. Top off with champagne. Mix and serve. I’d add exact amounts, but that will have to wait until I get a chance for some experimentation.

Oh, yeah, post title is a nod to Tamara K. and her fine blog. Note to self: update blogroll.