Target Practice

Now, I don't consider myself stupid or anything. No, I'm not the smartest diode in the box but I'm not stupid but I just can't seem to figure out this live journal thingie. Why are all my friends entries disappearing? I just went to my friends page and it was empty. Blank, snowlike in its whiteness. I spent an hour trying to figure out if I'd changed a setting or something. Can't figure it out. Someone offer some help?

After looking at different journals, I've noticed that one of the things people talk about are their dreams. Now normally I don't care to talk about my dreams. They're usually about the same thing, I know why I have them and I deal with it. Lately, though, I've been having some very strange dreams. They started after visiting the race track. Maybe someone can shed some light on them for me because I'm completely baffled.

Anyway, I dream that I'm racing. Okay, that doesn't sound so weird, I like to race, I like to drive fast, but I'm dreaming that I'm driving the race car...like a human. I'm sitting in the driver's seat, holding on to the steering wheel, using my feet on the accelerator and the brake. Even shifting with a gear shift. Actually driving. The race tracks vary. Sometimes I'm on a high speed oval like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and other times I'm on a road course like the PIR. I've also dreamed about driving on a street course like Monaco or Long Beach. Even rallies. In all different kinds of cars from Formula 1 cars like Mirage to rally cars like Wheeljack. It's all really weird. Then when I wake up, I feel, I don't know, disappointed, like I've suddenly realized that I can't drive. I guess I should be happy that I'm having these dreams and not my regular dreams but I just feel wrong.

But anyway, I should get on with what happened on the trip. Let's see, I left off talking about looking at the spot where Augie crashed. After I'd finished there, I transformed and started to take a couple of laps. The track manager stopped me and asked if I wanted to take some laps at speed with a green flag and all. That sounded great and we set up and he started us. It was really fun but everytime I passed the spot where the accident happened, I got a funny feeling like something was trying to take control of me, trying to turn my steering wheel but it would pass. I think we ran about 20 laps and I'm not even sure who won. It didn't really matter since we were having so much fun.

After we finished with that, it was time to get back to the Ark. The drive back was nice. I know I was tired but it was a good tired. And after thinking about it, I felt bad that I'd never gotten back together with Augie and run another race with him.

Wow, what a great trip.

The drive out to the Portland International Raceway was great. Perfect weather, hardly any traffic. And the racetrack is so pretty. Green trees, a view of Mt Hood that can't be beat.

When we got there, the manager met us and let us in. He showed me where Augie went off the track. It was in a corner. Nobody is sure exactly what happened except that he suddenly left the groove and slammed into the retaining wall. They think something broke like steering or an axle but they're just not sure. I don't like to be the suspicious one or anything, but Augie was one of the best drivers I'd ever seen. I can't believe something as simple or basic as equipment failure would be enough to kill him. Anyway, I drove around the track to the corner and spent a couple of breems just, I guess, paying my respects. There was a big, black mark on the white concrete wall, the only sign that anything had happened there. By the next race, it'll probably be painted over and the last reminder will be gone. Well, I'll remember Augie.

Anyway, after a about a breem, I took out my pad and did a quick sketch of the wall and the scenery. Maybe I'll paint it later. Maybe add Augie. I'll probably have to find some pictures of him or something

Oh, frag it, look at the time. I have to stop for now. I'll post some more when i get back.

I hate bad news. I really do. It always seems to come along and punch me in the faceplate. This bad news I read on the internet this morning. Augie Cahnay was killed in a race the other day. Despite the fact that he was incredibly irritating and egotistical, I liked him. Even if he almost got me killed chasing 'Cons, he was a great driver. I'm going to miss him.

I never got to drive with him after that Pearl of Bahoudine thing though he called me a couple of times and we tried to arrange something but it never happened.

You know, I'm thinking of going out to the track where he was killed and, you know, take a look around. Anybody want to come?

Heya, everybody was telling me to join Live Journal so I figured I would. What do you think? I had a lot of trouble coming up with a name for it. I tried a bunch of different combinations and they were all taken but then Chatter bot came to me and what do you know, it worked. I like it a lot.

Now I'm having some trouble figuring out what to write about. I hate first posts on anything. You never know what to talk about and you're afraid you'll write too much or not enough or just go on and on and on and bore the armor off of everybody. So, I'm thinking, I should come up with something to talk about but I'm not having much luck.

I guess I could talk about things I like to do but that can be boring to a lot of mechs so I think I'll wait and see how things go before I really start talking about stuff.

Okay, so I guess this is the end of my first entry. When I think of some things to say, I'll post again.