Paul Monaco .com

It was pretty hard not to know that I did a little weekend escape to my favorite spot in the world this weekend Old Orchard Beach, Maine. I’ve had the urge to go for weeks but being a resort town I knew I had to wait until not only the motel was open but also a restaurant within walking distance. I really hate to drive once I’m there; I suppose part of my escape is from driving.

I’ve been going to this spot since I was around 17 years old when my best friend at the time introduced me to it. Thinking back it’s pretty unusual finding a place that will rent out a hotel room to a bunch of teens, doubt they’d still be so liberal but there’s no doubt that the pace and mindset is just a bit more relaxed than the rest of the world.

I don’t really have any crazy stories to share with you about this trip. It was simply a mind-clearing venture. I hadn’t gone last year and urge to go was exceptionally strong. I always feel good when I’m there. Some of the local new age practitioners say it has something to do with unique crystals indigenous to the area. I personally think it’s the people and attitudes that make it appealing, though on many trips I have chosen to remain secluded and still enjoyed my visit.

Expect more commentary and photos scattered throughout my sties. And those that followed my social networks, thanks for putting up with my enthusiasm!

It’s been about 8-years or so since I’ve actually purchased a computer for myself.  Sure I’ve had numerous “company” computers in my posesion to use and have piece-mealed a few frankentowers together but nothing that was really mine that I could expect to last for any length of time. 

So I went out shopping for a laptop (I’ve really grown to like them!) .. I took a day off of work just for this task, so I’d have pleanty of time to fine one and set it up with all my “stuff”.  

I struck out at my first stop Staples, an office supply superstore type place.  They had a great selection but when I asked a sales rep which ones were in stock he said “I didn’t work this weekend, I have no clue” and he didn’t seem eager to make any efforts to help me any further other than to point out their add-on warranty.  So.. off to the bank (I wanted to pay cash and the debit card has a maximum daily spending limit of $400 which I was sure to top).

Store number two, BestBuys.  Ahh.. anything that was not in stock was labled right on the tag, no need for a salesperson though one was at the ready.  I looked at the Sony Viao.. the model they had was a low-end variety and the keyboard looked like that of an old TRS-80 color computer. Next up was a 15.4″ Gateway.  Hmm… A little bigger then I had in mind but nice Intel specs…  still not really up on Gateway.  Then a slick glossy black number with bright blue lights and a remote control jumped out at me… an HP Pavilion dv2615nr with built in web-cam.  I was in love but uh oh.. AMD?  You see years ago there was some crazy CPU chip shortage and prices zoomed thru the roof.  To save money at work I went with an AMD product and let’s just say it turned out to be a really bad move.  But in all fairness that was another time and I was ready to set aside my fears.

Now that it’s home, and running for a few weeks.. I’m more that satisfied.  It even outperforms the work-machine it replaced.  It’s not gaming machine, but I can still run MS Flight Simulator X without all the graphics options turned up and The Sims Online just performs stellarly!!

Oh and 8 years ago.. that machine I got.. it was an eMachine T4200 running 2-GHz on a Pentium IV chip which with only a memory and video card upgrade is still holding it’s own.

 Back when geocaching first started gaining popularity, if you wanted to bike it you would have probably wanted a sophisticated mountain bike to take you on the trails.  But these days with the number of urban geocaches on the rise it just plain old makes sense to consider a beach cruiser bicycle for your next expedition.  The upright peddling position and wide seats makes for comfortable journey and perfect vantage point to take in the scenery. 

With available fenders and chain guards you’ll find this classic style to be very clothes friendly.  Add a sturdy metal basket at you’ll have plenty of cargo capacity for all your maps and caching gear as well a lunch.

Think the terrain may be a bit too difficult muscle with one speed?  Think again, the folks at Copacabana Bikes have a full range of models from traditional to multi-speed urban models that makes short work out of those hills.

 Think a beach cruiser isn’t cool enough for you?  Think again!  You can get a retro styled extended frame model with springer forks that will really make you stand out in the crowd!

There’s certainly a model for everyone, even the kids!  Don’t worry about the price either, most models are priced under $200.

The easily navigable CopacabanaBikes.com site allows you to effortlessly order and customize your beach cruiser by selecting your color, size and other options like baskets.  Shipping costs are very reasonable and assembly is a breeze, usually under 20-minutes. 

For years I can remember wanting a remote controlled helicopter.  But “back then” it would cost thousands of dollars and you would need great skill to both assemble and fly the craft.  So you can imagine that when I found out you can have a palm sized remote controlled helicopter that you learn to fly in your own living room for under $30 that I just had to have it!

The hardest part to getting this puppy ready for flight was cutting it loose from the box!  6 AA batteries into the combination remote control/charger and 20-minutes of charging is all it takes. 

Controls are very simple.  You have throttle and yaw control only, so don’t expect precision maneuvering like the marketing material implies but with little practice you’ll be buzzing around the room, hovering and landing “more or less” where you want.  It took me three charging cycles to get to the point where I could take off in the living room and land on the kitchen table.  I have no doubt I will have this fully mastered in a dozen more flights.

I personally can’t wait to bring it to the office and send it on recon missions

Air Hogs - Havoc Heli - Available Everywhere