981 Cayman S

[981 Cayman S]

While this username is not really a new user but rather a `re-invented` BudgetPlan1, some recent life changes have led me to retire the BudgetPlan1 username in the interest of any real or perceived objectivity/conflict of interest issues. I recently left my job at the Pool Company, sold my house and moved from Cleveland down to New Albany,OH to work with the folks at Esoteric Detail. Since they are a detailing products vendor, any posting I do could rightfully be seen as biased or self-promoting but since I still enjoy all the folks I`ve met here, if nobody finds it inappropriate I`d like to continue reading (but not contributing) to the forum under this new username. I sent a note to the Admins to `retire` the username BudgetPlan1 but have not yet heard back.


It was just something that `happened` (and rather quickly at that) as a result of my wanting to get out from under the burden of living in a 70 year old house in the forest...I just didn`t really enjoy that life anymore and given the recent housing market craziness, decided to `get while the getting was good`. Original plan was to sell and find a place closer to work at the pool company as the 80 mile daily freeway commute was wearing on me (and my cars); wanted to rent for a year, hope the housing market crashed and then buy a newer house close to the pool company, which I had planned to work at until retirement as it was really a uniquely great place to work. Life sometimes opens an unexpected door however, and when picking up the Cayman at Esoteric after the respray/PPF and coating project, I mentioned I was pondering selling my house. I had often joked that if they ever "...needed a 58-year old guy to sweep the floors, I was their man!" and the conversation sorta raised some possibilities if I was willing to move outta Cleveland.


Kinda went back and forth for a bit, tossing around some scenarios and one night wife and I looked at each other, decided the details were amenable, shrugged and said "Well, what the heck, should be a great adventure!".


5 weeks later, house had been listed and sold, 30 years of household crap had been purged (rented a 40-yard dumpster, filled it to the brim), the remainder loaded onto a moving truck and we moved into a condo in New Albany w a 1 year lease. I *really* enjoy living in a modern place w/ electrical outlets every 6 feet and a ton of closet space; what the heck, people in the late 1950`s didn`t need storage?


Anyway, I`m not working in the shop area, they have some really talented young folks for that (no need for this aging geriatric to get in the way) but rather client & product support, vendor relations, a bit of social media stuff, product development and research...stuff that keeps me far away from the $$$$ cars :lol:


Bummer that we can only keep 2 cars at condo (single floor, ranch-style condo w enclosed 2 car garage) and I`m not sure yet if I`m allowed to wash cars there (gonna give it a go and see if anyone calls and complains) so daily driving the Corvette and Cayman until temps drop when we`ll switch to the Honda`s for winter. I`m told Winters down here are mild enough w/ regards to a lot of snow that we could drive Vette and Cayman year round with temperature-appropriate tires....but likely won`t.


Big bonus for me is that I traded a daily 80 mile, round-trip freeway commute for a 5-mile round trip commute through some nice local roads. And no more getting up at 4:30am.


So I guess I really am "Done messing around with ceramic coatings..." in that thread but if no one finds it inappropriate would still enjoy keeping track of what folks are doing here as `981 Cayman S`.


Many thanks to all on Autopia, have learned so much here from so many great people, `tis the place I always turned to when I wanted REAl answers to my questions from REAL people.

 

[Cadfael]

Good luck with your new adventure.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Wow...kind of a pre-retirement retirement...or something. That`s a whole lotta changes going on.

 

[981 Cayman S]

Wow...kind of a pre-retirement retirement...or something. That`s a whole lotta changes going on.

Was just kinda feeling stagnant, coulda kept `riding the train` with minimal effort but the opportunity (and to some degree, the `unknown`) was too compelling to pass up. I`ve always really liked it down here and who I work with has always been as important as what I`m doing and the folks down here have been very cool since I first met `em in 2016. So far, so good with a lot of optimism going forward, somewhat of a renewed sense of purpose. Seeing all the shiny, cool cars certainly helps...at the end of the day I`ve been a car dork ever since I picked up my brothers Hot Rod magazine in 7th grade.

When I ditched the corporate cubicle life in 2012 I targeted pools, cars or airplanes as entertaining vocations; done with pools, on to cars!

 

[crg001]

Huge moves! I`d be interested to hear what life will be like working in the car detailing supply industry. I still read your blog posts all the time and am thankful for everything you have contributed over the years. (From a long, long time lurker finally turned recent poster). Best of luck to you.

 

[dgage]

Congrats BudgetPlan, errr Cayman man! Really happy for you and I think this will reinvigorate you and will be a positive change for you and Esoteric. Looking forward to you continuing to be involved in the forum and also will be following you and Esoteric more closely. I may be reaching out to you if I ever get a new car to get it PPFd. Thanks for all you’ve shared in the past as it was great and informative reading.

 

[981 Cayman S]

Huge moves! I`d be interested to hear what life will be like working in the car detailing supply industry. I still read your blog posts all the time and am thankful for everything you have contributed over the years. (From a long, long time lurker finally turned recent poster). Best of luck to you.

Thanks...should be fun! After washing my car once at the shop I`ve realized how inefficient my driveway process was :lol:

 

[Stokdgs]

Mi Amigo,
Congratulations !!!

I am so happy for you and your sweetheart ! This sounds like the most perfect job, and in a place you and well, most car-guys/gals, would love to go to every day!

Thank you sooo much for ALL that you have Always contributed and Given to so many!!! And your Avatar !!!!

So nice to not have that commute any longer either... Driving used to be so enjoyable - a long time ago -.. Now, it seems to be mostly trying to avoid getting jacked by jack-hats on the road..

I hear nothing but great things from these people, and have read a lot from their founder and owner for years.. You will have so much fun going to work every day! Good for you and your family !

I am so glad you are not moving away and also moving away from us..
Dan F

 

[atbalfour]

Best of luck sir.. sounds like an exciting new adventure and a break from what you had become used to. Those sort of challenges are needed every now and then and I`m sure you`ll enjoy and make the most of the new experience.

Please do continue to post (as you). All of your posts, not just those related to your testing are greatly valued! I`m sure you`ll be able to strike a good balance without coming remotely close to being a salesman or annoying anyone!

 

[981 Cayman S]

Huge moves! I`d be interested to hear what life will be like working in the car detailing supply industry. I still read your blog posts all the time and am thankful for everything you have contributed over the years. (From a long, long time lurker finally turned recent poster). Best of luck to you.

Thanks! It is quite interesting to wander the shelves, surrounded by many of my favorite products! Even the faint aroma of the sealed containers of Iron Remover seem a little less pungent as i walk by :lol: Bonus points for hearing all the exhaust notes as cars come and leave the detail shop!

Congrats BudgetPlan, errr Cayman man! Really happy for you and I think this will reinvigorate you and will be a positive change for you and Esoteric. Looking forward to you continuing to be involved in the forum and also will be following you and Esoteric more closely. I may be reaching out to you if I ever get a new car to get it PPFd. Thanks for all you’ve shared in the past as it was great and informative reading.

I *really* became a fan of PPF and coating after having it done; the self-healing is quite convenient for when a very light `oops` happens :lol: Changes are, in this case, very good methinks...going from being the guy with all the answers at the pool company to the guy with NO answers (yet) here is quite invigorating.

Mi Amigo,
Congratulations !!!

I am so happy for you and your sweetheart ! This sounds like the most perfect job, and in a place you and well, most car-guys/gals, would love to go to every day!

Thank you sooo much for ALL that you have Always contributed and Given to so many!!! And your Avatar !!!!

So nice to not have that commute any longer either... Driving used to be so enjoyable - a long time ago -.. Now, it seems to be mostly trying to avoid getting jacked by jack-hats on the road..

I hear nothing but great things from these people, and have read a lot from their founder and owner for years.. You will have so much fun going to work every day! Good for you and your family !

I am so glad you are not moving away and also moving away from us..
Dan F

Thank you my friend! I found an old social media post i sent to my wife 5 years ago after stopping at Esoteric for the first time in 2016...

One of the real challenges so far is getting used to a new layout in the kitchen of the new place; for 30 years I`ve been `moving to the right` to access the kitchen garbage but the new kitchen layout necessitates a `move to the left`...baffling so far :lol: And my my wife didn`t set up the new kitchen cabinets and drawers to more closely reflect our old place, I do not know!

Best of luck sir.. sounds like an exciting new adventure and a break from what you had become used to. Those sort of challenges are needed every now and then and I`m sure you`ll enjoy and make the most of the new experience.

Please do continue to post (as you). All of your posts, not just those related to your testing are greatly valued! I`m sure you`ll be able to strike a good balance without coming remotely close to being a salesman or annoying anyone!

Thanks for the kind words! I shall look forward to the continued knowledge I gain from the folks on Autopia, it`s been a wonderful resource free of drama and contentious nonsense, an island of sanity in the otherwise chaotic social media world.

 

[The Guz]

It was meant to be. It’s never to late to find you’re dream job.

Post up product reviews on what is sold by esoteric. That shouldn’t be a conflict of interest as they sell most of the same products as Autopia other than Kamikaze.

So when will you make your debut on the videos with Todd

 

[Sizzle Chest]

Congrats!! SUPER exciting!!!

 

[981 Cayman S]

It was meant to be. It’s never to late to find you’re dream job.

Post up product reviews on what is sold by esoteric. That shouldn’t be a conflict of interest as they sell most of the same products as Autopia other than Kamikaze.

So when will you make your debut on the videos with Todd

Somehow i dont think a tall, gangly, balding, 58 year old dude is the look they`re going for!

The fact that they shot/completed their recent "Day In The Life at Esoteric" video the week before i arrived was likely not a coincidence

 

[Lonnie]

Congrats 981 Cayman S (FKA BudgetPlan1) on the career and domicile living arrangement moves.
I am kinda curious what you threw out in that 40-cubic yard dumpster from your old house because as the saying goes, "What is one man`s junk is another man`s treasure." My Dad would always add his corollaries to proverbs, cliches, and sayings and for this one he added "It becomes another man`s junk, anyway."
I do hope that you will continue posting here as much as you have in the past. Hey, you`ve got the time: instead of driving for your long commute you can "blog" here. I REALLY like your thread topic that started as " I think I am done messing around with coatings", which I think is the longest surviving thread topic that has taken on a life of its own. (In the words of WWII German solder as portrayed by Arty Johnson on late 1960`s-early 1970`s comedy show Rowan and Martin`s Laugh In, "Interesting! Verrrry interesting!!")

That and posting your detailing and trip exploits with your Porsche Cayman S. Between you and Sizzle Chest I get both my detailing "fix" and Porsche "fix" from your posts AND you both get my nosy, detailers-want-to-know Captain Obvious questions concerning both subject matters.
Here`s one:
Did you divest yourself of any business interest in the pool company you worked for/managed/owned (not exactly sure what your association was(is) with that business entity)?

Wishing you and yours the best!!

 

[Fishing]

WOW sounds like a great adventure is heading your way, hope you have fun with it.

 

[Coatings=crack]

BP (Cayman) your post here should be fine as long as your not adding links. I ‘ve started plenty of threads about non Autopia products.

Long as your not schilling Esoteric wares you should be fine and I hope the moderators have seen that you exemplified what an Autopian should be.

I do hate you for your new job tho. .

Happy for you, you absolutely deserve it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[E-Jag]

Hey, Cayman - besides all the best wishes already conveyed, and which you so richly deserve, I always looked forward to and enjoyed your contributions on the detailing section of the `Vette forum. Are you bailing over there also? Say it isn`t so!

 

[981 Cayman S]

Congrats 981 Cayman S (FKA BudgetPlan1) on the career and domicile living arrangement moves.
I am kinda curious what you threw out in that 40-cubic yard dumpster from your old house because as the saying goes, "What is one man`s junk is another man`s treasure." My Dad would always add his corollaries to proverbs, cliches, and sayings and for this one he added "It becomes another man`s junk, anyway."
I do hope that you will continue posting here as much as you have in the past. Hey, you`ve got the time: instead of driving for your long commute you can "blog" here. I REALLY like your thread topic that started as " I think I am done messing around with coatings", which I think is the longest surviving thread topic that has taken on a life of its own. (In the words of WWII German solder as portrayed by Arty Johnson on late 1960`s-early 1970`s comedy show Rowan and Martin`s Laugh In, "Interesting! Verrrry interesting!!")

That and posting your detailing and trip exploits with your Porsche Cayman S. Between you and Sizzle Chest I get both my detailing "fix" and Porsche "fix" from your posts AND you both get my nosy, detailers-want-to-know Captain Obvious questions concerning both subject matters.
Here`s one:
Did you divest yourself of any business interest in the pool company you worked for/managed/owned (not exactly sure what your association was(is) with that business entity)?

Wishing you and yours the best!!

Thanks for the well-wishes! As for "The Purge" it pretty much held to the mantra "If we haven`t seen it or touched it in the last 6 months, in the dumpster it goes" which, well, the attic was greatest target of that (thank God we didn`t have a basement!). Our life-long friends came by to help and they would `reserve` anything they found useful :lol: Since we wanted to `start anew` aside from a bedroom set and a table or two, we put most of our existing furniture in the dumpster as well which, in hindsight, may have been a bit premature as after the dumpster went away, we were still living in the house for another 2 weeks...oops! Some pics from the purge:

The attic; i musta saved every box from everything I ever bought :lol:

By the time it was over, the door was shut and we were tossing it over the top until it was to the brim. We were allotted 5 tons of stuff and I never heard back from `em so I guess we didn`t go over

Still left much to pack though...had new furniture delivered to house (not an easy deal to find new furniture these days that is in stock) so movers could bring it down and carry into new place

And finally the moving truck showed up and we packed that thing (OK, the movers did and that is definitely a skill considering how they got nearly everything in the truck). Of course, we unknowingly chose 8/21 as moving day which was the same weekend Ohio State University and many are colleges had their `move in weekend` so again, securing a mover was a bit tough but worked out in the end.

And when it came time for the cat to choose her transportation down to the new home, she went Porsche over Corvette:


Kinda weird how this whole process was a 6-week deal from "Yeah, let`s do this" to moving into the condo in Columbus and many things just kinda fell into place. Just wandering around Columbus one weekend we kinda ran across where we ended up living, signed lease without actually seeing inside of it and it was perfect for us in the end. Found a 15x40 storage unit w/ electricity that was new and coming on line the week of us moving so that took care of of where we would store cars and house overflow. House sold in 3 days for asking price to the second person who looked at it so no PITA Open Houses/showing appointments to deal with...many things that coulda been a real issue to deal with just `happened themselves to a suitable resolution...`

As for the pool company, I was merely an employee there so nothing to do there except resign. Was a very good place to work, would have likely stayed until retirement and they were sad (so they said) that I was leaving but they realized I`m a car dork and this was too good to pass up. Still good relationship, talked to the owner this morning in fact. Set up a new e-mail for them to contact me with questions, will probably go back in late December to help them with doing physical inventory/reconciliation. They`ve been VERY good to me over the years so didn`t just wanna walk out the door and leave `em hanging.

Always happy to answer any questions I can about the new adventure and things that may be going on here!

WOW sounds like a great adventure is heading your way, hope you have fun with it.

Thanks, looking forward to lotsa learning!

BP (Cayman) your post here should be fine as long as your not adding links. I ‘ve started plenty of threads about non Autopia products.

Long as your not schilling Esoteric wares you should be fine and I hope the moderators have seen that you exemplified what an Autopian should be.

I do hate you for your new job tho. .

Happy for you, you absolutely deserve it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks! It`s fin to see some product shipments come in, especially from folks like Polish Angel just knowing all the goodness that`s packed into that box!

Hey, Cayman - besides all the best wishes already conveyed, and which you so richly deserve, I always looked forward to and enjoyed your contributions on the detailing section of the `Vette forum. Are you bailing over there also? Say it isn`t so!

Kind-sorta...not so much as budgetplan as they get really touchy over there about conflicts of interest (a rather suspicious bunch) but maintaining a presence over their is among my tasks so when ya see posts like this, that`d be me!

Premiere- A Day in the Life at ESOTERIC - SAT 9/4 at 12:00pm - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion

Thanks to all for the well wishes, really means a lot and speaks to the quality of folks here on AUTOPIA!

 

[Lonnie]

So how did your cat let you know she choose the Porsche over the Corvette for her mode of transportation to her new home??
Oh yah, the cat said, "PRRRRRRR-SHH!" (Or perhaps the Corvette owner did not want cat hair in HER ride at all. I can relate.... Just sayin`!)

 

[981 Cayman S]

So how did your cat let you know she choose the Porsche over the Corvette for her mode of transportation to her new home??
Oh yah, the cat said, "PRRRRRRR-SHH!" (Or perhaps the Corvette owner did not want cat hair in HER ride at all. I can relate.... Just sayin`!)

A dog woulda jumped into any `ol car just happy to have a ride, cats are more discriminating and prefer fine German engineering to a mass produced domestic.

Actually, cats litter box fit perfectly in the frunk so kept `em together. Fine German engineering aside, cat DID NOT enjoy the ride, probably would rather walked. Cayman suspension is kinda firm.