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What did you do this week (and weekend)?
As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!
I went to a tractor pulling event yesterday. Tractor enthusiasts compete by having their tractors pull a load that require greater force the longer it travels, across a course of 100 m, in different weight classes and categories of tractors. I mostly liked the stock farm tractors. There's a competition for modified tractors and that was absolutely bananas, but they're barely tractors. Basically just engines and seats on wheels, and most have settled for a kind of builds that performs and sounds the same. That said, one tractor had an actual jet engine and sounded like an airplane taking off. Another had an 18-cylinder radial engine, the kind of thing you would have in a propeller plane.
Very loud, with fire and black plumes of smoke coming from the exhaust stacks. The biggest hot dog I've ever had.
You might also enjoy the Thai versions of farm equipment racing. They've got some insane rice tractor builds but maintain the basic shape of a rice tractor.
Their drag boat racing is also insane - typically straight piped Isuzu 4J diesel engines with a direct drive shaft turning a propellor.
Safety is... Typical SE Asian safety. Helmets more often than not at least, safety flip flops and safety squints for everything else. Goggles for the rice tractors at least since they typically go through mud. Wild sporting.
Went to a regional Burning Man event on a windy plateau above a valley where, after a particularly gnarly storm, 1/3 of the festival ended up.
My state of mind at the time wasn't prepared to spend hours sifting through the wreckage of people's campgrounds and helping pick up their personal belongings, but I'll tell ya, it sure was a trip! Hyuk Hyuk.
But for real, I wouldn't advise LSD in the middle of a catastrophe. Too much humanity.
I skipped work Tuesday and Wednesday as we had Thursday and Friday off for observance of the 4th. Visited the family about an hour away. It has been all right. I got into a massive fight with my dad over politics which has really soured my mood on being here, but after this I will not have to see him until probably November.
I watched a fan edit (by M4) of The Hobbit. Condensed the three movies into one 4 hour film. I really enjoyed it although I enjoy the LotR films better. I would say it has been a good week/mini-vacation but I am really dreading going back to work tomorrow. Our busy season is about to begin and I am burned out of the job. Looking for something new but I can't find anything. =/