2011 Honda Pilot - driver side headlight bulb replacement

Open the car hood.

Remove the upper air scoop. This is done by using a flat standard screwdriver, to pry up the two plastic pins (and the fitting they go into). Remove the two pins and fittings. Remove the upper air scoop by lightly twisting it off the bottom tube of the air scoop assembly

The driver's side head light bulb is to the right of the battery, if you are facing the driver (tummy touching the outside headlight assembly).

Remove the headlight bulb by turning the bulb so that the wires go from facing down, about 1/4 of a turn, until the wires are facing the driver side tire and driver's side fender. It is a bayonet type of fitting. Once the quarter turn stops, the bulb should pull out of the headlight assembly.

*** The wire to the bulb is quite short. Getting your hands in there is likely to be frustrating, and take a few tries. ***

Squeeze the tab farthest away from the bulb itself, to remove the old light bulb from the connector. With the tab depressed, the bulb should pull straight off the wire connector.

Using bulb grease (kragen packet, was US$1.50 or so) lightly grease the red gasket on the new bulb, on the surface that will touch the housing. Lightly grease the outside of the bulb's plastic socket, that will slide into the wire connector.

Make sure not to touch the glass part of the new bulb. Keep it clean, to avoid the new bulb failing too early. Carefully put the new bulb into the wire connector, until it clicks.

Put the bulb into the headlight housing. Remember to have the wire at about 3 to 5 o'clock or so, such that the bottom of the wire is roughly pointing at the driver's side tire, driver's side inside fender.

With the bulb/wire fully inserted, now turn the bulb/wire about 1/4 turn until it stops, the wire should now be roughly pointing down, 6 o'clock or so.

Turn on the headlights, to test that the new bulb lights up and is working.

If the new bulb tests as good, then reinstall the upper air scoop. Use a light coating of the bulb grease on the lower air scoop tube's inside edge, to ease sliding the upper scoop tube into the lower scoop tube. Align the upper scoop two holes with where they attach to the car. Press the two plastic pins/retainers back in, securing the upper scoop back to the car.

done

My local Kragen O'Reilly auto parts store, the headlight bulb part number was H11. Came as a two bulb set. Cost US$32.

Tags: 2011, 2018, honda, pilot

Legal recreational cannabis, using edibles, two months Experienced

Edible cannabis regimen

I generally now have edible cannabis about 1hr after dinner. With two months of experience, here is what my consumption typically is:

Alcohol consumption

In the past two months, I've had alcohol to drink, once. I feel no urge to drink, THC has continued to give the relaxation effects desired, when I want it.

Edible cannabis consumption

I now do cannabis more often. Probably about 5evenings/week.

No signs of addiction (yet?): I intentionally went cannabis-free this weekend, and had no obvious(?) feelings of withdrawal or cravings. Now know I can likely be labeled as a cannabis "micro doser."

No signs of THC tolerance (yet?): I still do 2.5mg dosage per Session. It still feels like 2.5mg gives the Sensations I want. Do not feel a need to increase how much I consume per Session.

Sleep patterns

The only obvious difference I see in myself is that evenings I do _not_ have cannabis after dinner is that I do not sleep longer, nor feel as rested once I wake up. This is the "getting older, poorer sleep" pattern that I had _before_ I ever started cannabis, that was one of the reasons I wanted to try it, btw.

I have almost used up 250mg of THC in 100 doses of 2.5mg cut-in-half Breez Tablets (mints), finally. Once I run out (probably the end of this month, May), I'll try another cannabis Edible, to compare/contrast how they taste and make me feel. As of today, my desire is to try Kiva cannabis milk chocolate bars next, as they seem to get a lot of positive mention from sites that review cannabis edible products.

Tags: 2018, california, cannabis, edible, legal

At a recent all-hands meeting at work, ExecMgmt shared the direction of the Company. During that share, a few facts were shared, that make me want to vent about them.

open-source vs proprietary

The Company is switching their customer-facing internet applications to a proprietary API and set of applications.

*nix vs mainframe

The Company uses mainframes and mainframe applications for their EDI solutions

FTEs vs contractors

The Company aggressively uses Contractors and H1B personnel, for the IT and EDI departments, as apposed to FTEs (Full Time Employees, direct-hires to the Company that would then get full Benefits).

Buy vs Build

The Company has a policy, re-iterated, that they would rather Buy than Build.

PlanB vs PlanA career

My PlanB career is what I am doing now. Due to my Company using mainframes (which I do not want to program on, and didnt learn as part of my CompSci curriculum in college), and, the Company using contractors and H1B personnel for most of the IT jobs (when I look at the Company's job boards, what I have skillset in for PlanA, they hire contractors and H1B personnel to fill), and, that I want to write software that uses, or at least is founded on, open-source, and, the company keeps saying it would rather Buy solutions, and not Build their own, it seems I cannot hope to do PlanA work, unless I leave.

So, for the sake of My Little Family, I stay in my current PlanB track, as the Golden Handcuffs that keep me at The Company are my seniority (over a decade there), and the benefits (retirement, medical and dental benefits), that allow my little family to Thrive.

Tags: 2018, career, jobs, plana, planb

2011 Honda Pilot - front brake rotor replacement

Make sure car is parked on a level surface. Put wheel blocks on both sides of one of the rear wheels.

Put on safety glasses.

Using the tire iron, loosen the five wheel nuts to finger tight. Jack up that wheel off the ground, so there is about half of an inch of space between the bottom of the wheel and the ground. Place a jack stand under the car near the jacking point, under the frame, for safety.

Remove the wheel from the car.

Use a large C-clamp, and slowly push the brake pad piston on the caliper all the way back in. Turn slowly, one eighth of a turn at a time.

Using a breaker bar, loosen the 19mm bolts that connect the brake caliper assembly to the suspension.

The entire assembly of brake caliper and brake pads will come off as a single unit. Use a bungie cord, or thick twine, hang the brake caliper assembly from the strut spring, to support it. Do not let any strain go to the hydraulic brake lines.

Use a #1 Phillips screwdriver, to remove the two screws attaching the rotor to the hub. You may need to use a breaker bar and Phillips driver bits, to remove.

Pull the rotor off the hub.

With the rotor removed, clean the mating surface of the hub. Using a fingertip, lightly grease the mating surface of where the hub will contact the back of the rotor. Barely put any grease, just enough to coat so you can barely feel it. The goal here is to prevent the two rusting together, for the next time you change a rotor.

Push the new rotor on to the hub. Make sure to line up the two relieved screw holes on the rotor with the two threaded screw holes on the hub.

Grease the threads of the two Phillips screws. Reinstall the two Phillips screws, finger tight, or just until snug, only. The screws are just there to help with reinstalling the caliper assembly and wheel. They do not need to have any torque applied. The goal here is to prevent the screws rusting to the hub, for the next time you change a rotor.

Reinstall the caliper assembly, using the two 19mm bolts. Use blue thread lock compound on clean bolt threads. Install both first finger tight, then snug, then at one third final torque, two thirds final torque, then final torque.

Reinstall the wheel. Put on the five lug nuts finger tight, the just snug. Remove the jack stand from under the car. Lower the car slowly until the wheel is back on the ground. Remove the jack. Tighten the five lug nuts in a star pattern, three passes. First pass to one third final torque. Second pass to two thirds final torque. Last pass to final torque. Inspect under the car, remove any tools. Remove the wheel blocks.

Start the car. Lightly pump the brake pedal a few times, to seat the pads on the new rotor. Do a safety drive, making sure the brakes are performing correctly.

Now do the other front wheel, then done.

I used Kragen O'Reilly OEM rotors. Part Number 980566RGS. Two rotors plus tax were about US$115.

Tags: #1, 2011, 2018, honda, pilot

Put in a few hours on my nc834v5010gen2 programming project

Re-read the section of an online ncurses tutorial on using the menu.h library. Re-read the ncurses.h header, as well.

Added a method or three to RxlNcurses, nc834v5010view. Did some small code cleanups, too. Pushed the updates to the website.

Source code for nc834v5010gen2 currently lives at http://mrflash818.geophile.net/software/nc834v5010gen2/.

Tags: 2018, cplusplus, gpl, nc834v5010gen2, ncurses

Okay. I now have a regimen on how I prefer to consume legal recreational cannabis.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings is when I have some.

1/2 of a 5mg THC mint, "Breez" brand, consumed with dinner. So a dose of 2.5mg of THC per Session.

90min later, it kicks in, and I get to feel relaxed and mood-elevated for about 2hrs to 3hrs. As it starts to fade away, is when I typically go to sleep for the night, so I noticed it is a nice way to transition to sleep: feeling relaxed and mood-elevated.

When I wake up the next morning, it seems it leaves residual good feelings, so I feel good in the morning, until almost 8am to 9am.

Cost

The most recent time I purchased my THC mints, the price was US$40 for 50mints, each mint being 5mg THC. With the California legal taxes, the final price is about US$50, or about US$1 per mint.

Since I use half of a mint as my dose, I now achieve one hundred doses per container of Breez mints. Even if I have half of a mint each day of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, or 1.5mints/wkend, I will be able to enjoy them for 33wks at my current rate of consumption. So US$50 for thirty-three weeks of relaxed weekend evenings, seems quite frugal, in the best possible way.

Lastly, since I've started using edible THC in this way, my recreational alcohol consumption has gone to ZERO. I no longer use alcohol to relax at home on the weekends. Edible THC has replaced it.

EDIT 2018-05-01

It has now been about a month since I found a cannabis regimen that works for me.

Now that I have about a month of Experience, wanted to share that...

I notice I sleep longer when I have had some edible cannabis at dinnertime the night before. Typically I sleep starting between 10pm to 11pm, and wake up between 5am and 6am, lately. BUT, if I have edible cannabis at dinnertime the night before, I wake up at about 7am to 8am the next morning. So, for me, it has a positive effect of a longer night's sleep.

I notice that when I have edible cannabis, that it acts as a bronchodilator, 90min after consumption. I already have prescription asthma medicine that I use as needed (albuterol nebulizer), but I also notice that if I had a mild wheeze before a Session, it goes away once the cannabis begins to make me feel mood-lightened/relaxed, and I don't feel the need to use the albuterol. Wife reports I seem to breathe better in my sleep those nights, less snoring from me, as well.

Tags: 2018, california, cannabis, edible, legal, recreational

I am over 40yrs old. I never tried cannabis, edibles or smoking, before one month ago.

This month, March, I purchased edible cannabis, to try it.

Before trying it, I researched and asked around. Read articles on Leafly, or via web searches. How much was a "normal dose", how long it would take before it took effect, how long the sensations would last.

***

My first ever edible cannabis were edible mints. Each mint contained 5mg of THC. I read to start slow, and only consume a small amount.

When I consume a 5mg mint, there is a delay before I feel anything at all. For my body, an Older Guy, who weighs about 200 pounds, it is about 90min. Every time I have consumed a THC mint, it was been with some food. Never on an empty stomach.

When I consume a serving of alcohol (a beer, or shot of liquor), I feel a bit physically relaxed. It starts in about 10min to 15min, and lasts maybe an hour.

When I consume a 5mg THC mint with food. Nothing happens for about 90min, then I feel it start to kick in. It gives two sensations. One sensation is about the same as what alcohol does: a feeling of physical relaxation, just a bit, like one beer, or one shot of liquor. The second sensation is what I would describe as a mild anti-depressant, a lightening of mood, a feeling of having a slight smile.

Unlike booze, the 5mg edible THC gives the effect for 2hrs to 3hrs for me.

I have tried my legal recreational edible 5mg THC mints, probably about five or six times this month. Usually on Fridays and the weekend, when I know I will be home, and not going anywhere.

The pattern is consistent for my body, and it's very much like "taking a medicine." I consume a mint, with some food, always. 90min later it kicks in, and I feel relaxed/mood-lifted for about 2hrs to 3hrs, then it fades away.

When I have alcohol, say two beers, or two shots if liquor, I notice it makes me need to urinate, more than usual, more quantity than usual as compared to not drinking.

Edible cannabis also makes me urinate, as if I had had a few beers. I recommend drinking water, half-mouthfuls or more, every half of an hour, during a cannabis session, to prevent getting dehydrated. I'd also not do cannabis on a hot day, or where there is no access to plenty of water to drink.

***

Now, something I did not read about, but has also been part of my experience, is a negative sensation side-effect: As the sensations fade away, I get a mild stomach ache. Not a feeling of hunger, or the munchies, like I saw in the Cheech&Chong movies I grew up with. I get a stomach ache that feels like mild cramping. Slight nausea some times, too.

I have probably had between six and ten edible cannabis sessions this month, before this Entry. Some sessions were just consuming one mint, 5mg of THC. Some sessions I wanted to see what it would feel like to be "mildly high," so I would have two mints, or 10mg of THC for a session.

The stomach cramping, slight/negligible sometimes, to mild uncomfortable, has been a consistent thing with each session. It cannot be coincidence. I had the same foods I always have, etc.

So, because of the side-effect of the stomach cramping, it has made me discouraged, so I am quitting my Experiment on being a legal recreational cannabis consumer.

***

So, one: hey! I've finally tried, and experienced for myself what it is like, versus the Cheech&Chong movies, and hype. And two: I did like the sensations, but the side-effect of stomach discomfort ruins it for me, so am not likely to have it any more.

EDIT 2018-03-22

It seems that edible cannabis causing stomach ache is not just me. An article mentions symptoms like mine, but more severe than mine, associated to heavy cannibis users. Perhaps, sadly, my body is sensitive to THC, so I am experiencing things right away, before I can ever become a chronic user.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid_hyperemesis_syndrome

EDIT 2018-03-23

Just on a lark, I tried taking half of a mint, or 2.5mg of THC, last night. I used our prescription pills pill cutter to cut my mint in half, kinda precisely. Having half a mint with food, 90min later a mild set of the two good senations, and waiting to see if my stomach would react. ...No stomach ache! *huzzah!*

Now, the thing is, 2.5mg feels like "half of a beer." No one goes to a bar and parties on half of a beer! So my original goal: zero booze and convert to edible cannabis, failed.

Also now, since a small dose gives two good sensations, but just a bit: I can keep thinking of edible cannabis's small-dose use as like taking a medicine. "Use when not going anywhere, to adjust from stressful to more relaxed and mood-lifted."

Tags: 2018, california, cannabis, legal, recreational

Legal recreational cannabis in the (626)

Since I was in high school, I remember watching Cheech&Chong movies. Two stoners that had slapstick adventures with pot.

I was curious, but never tried it. Too scared. Didnt know anyone that did it. Didnt want to smoke it (I have asthma).

Then, this year, 2018, it became legal in the state of California for someone over 21yrs old to purchase and consume it.

I waited and researched. Kept looking to see what dispensaries would open near me, near or in the (626) area code, so I could purchase some, and try it.

In the past month, I discovered there was a dispensary that was close to the (626) area code. I went there.

Cornerstone Research Collective is a few miles West of Old Town Pasadena. You basically go West on Colorado Blvd, over the old Bridge, about five miles. If you get to the 2fwy, you've gone too far. They are on the north side of the street.

I have only visited them around lunchtime when I have purchased recreational legal edible cannabis. Once on a Friday, and once on a Saturday. Both times I was able to park a few blocks east of the dispensary, on Colorado Blvd, then walk to it. Area felt safe and normal where it was located. No creeps or such.

As of this entry, it is the closest place that is legal, BCC licensee, and such, that I am aware of. The outside of the dispensary is quite discrete. Cash only.

Tags: 2018, 626, california, cannabis, dispensary, legal, recreational

Went to SCALE 16x this year.

Was nice to see old work colleagues. Was nice to visit the SGVLUG and Debian booths, and chat them up.

Visited the Free Software Foundation FSF booth, too. Gave a modest cash donation.

Mostly attended the libregraphics track. Was inspiring to know the GIMP team is currently six people, that work on the project part time. It is inspiring that just six people can have such a positive impact on The Many that use their software.

Inspired me to begin nc834v5010gen2, which will hopefully be my X12 834 generator, now as 100% ncurses (and menu, and likely forms,) for the GUI.

Videos of the SCALE 16x presentations can be found on youtube, at https://www.youtube.com/user/socallinuxexpo

Tags: 2018, gimp, gpl, linux, nc834v5010gen2, scale

2011 Honda Pilot - automatic transmission fluid change

3.5qts Honda DW-1 ATF.

Odometer: 85,915miles

Tags: 2011, 2018, honda, pilot