Wednesday, 28 October 2009

  • School Days (The Return of!)

    So I now work in an elementary school.

    I'm so excited! It's amazing being around all these students and at the same time it feels like there's just not enough time (fairly common from what I understand) or me to go around. I enjoy helping these students so much and it feels like I'm just taking this huge plunge into my future career field. So far (first day) so good! I watched a music class in the morning, then worked with ESL students, transitioned to helping reading with 3rd graders, back to ESL students, and then recess duty. After I had my own lunch, I worked with some 4th graders with ESL/SPED difficulties and found that I can really work well with the children. The downside is that I'm using "no" and "wrong" a little bit too much in my opinion. I think these kids really like more positive forms of encouragement even if they're wrong, and I'm starting to adapt, but I fear that the Marine NCO in me will start to come out on them.

    By the way, I don't know if I mentioned this, but I'm now a Sergeant in the Marine Corps. That's pretty funny to me :P

    Following through, I really look forward to doing this three days a week but I believe I'm going to let my other job go after Christmas. I don't feel a need to continue working at the grocery store if this is what I'll be doing until I graduate (insha-Allah / fingers crossed.) At the sametime, I realize that I have somewhat of an informal responsibility to stay with my Hy-Vee job through the holidays to see it through and through. The downside of all this responsibility is that it might severely hamper my free time to do projects (building killing machines) and spending time with my girl (my personal killing machine.) I think I'll just have to cowboy the fuck up and take it for now, holding out for the next two months but I'm also worried about school. I've scored consistent B's in my math class and that shit is just unsatisfactory for a person of my depth (excuse the lack of modesty.) I think I've failed enough bullshit to start getting consistent A's these days but it seems like that idea is evaporating like the summer in a Nebraska October. Time to pick it up I guess and refocus.

    The kids today, working with them specifically, was really rewarding. I felt like we truly connected on a level where they understood that I am their tutelary, a guide for them not only in education but life as well. They looked up at me and I could see them (especially the boys) really wanting to develop into something that resembles success. Granted, this could all be washed away in a moments notice, but for those fleeting moments I could really sense a firm bond that they felt between us. For that, I realize my "job" is much more like a life choice... one that has dire consequences upon failure in my mind. It's all been a real gust of cold air in my face but I think I'm ready to meet these new, undiscovered challenges head on.

    That's it for now!

    <3

    nolan

    btw, I learned how to play "Dani California" on Acoustic Guitar -- not going to lie, I sound pretty good

Monday, 26 October 2009

  • Home Gunsmithing Project Episode 1

    So I received some items in the mail today!

    I received:

    2 Flats (US Part)
    1 Tapco AK Buttstock (US Part)
    1 Romanian Rear Trunnion (where the buttstock attaches -- Euro part)
    1 Tapco AK grip (US Part)
    1 Grip screw & Base
    1 Spring Set
    1 Trigger Set

    So basically, I have everything but one part to build and then assemble this bad bear. I've decided to hold off on the Trigger and Hammer axis pins ($4 each respectively) until I get the actual receiver built. For those unfamiliar with this particular weapon platform, the receiver (like any other firearm receiver) is the mechanism in the gun that loads the round, contains the firing mechanism, and gives the shooter the ability to fire the gun via the trigger. It's the part between the barrel and buttstock. Unfortunately, in the USA you need a federal firearms license (FFL) in order to own one or transfer (sell it) to another person. The beauty of the design of the AK-47, M, and 74 variants is that the receivers (short of the heavy duty milled machine gun receivers) can all be built with a minimal amount of tools. I fortunately have an excess and will be utilizing them shortly.

    The good news is, I found a website describing the *exact* build I want to do to the tee. How perfect is that! The 30th and Lake AK project is definitely making progress. I also bought the components necessary to make a flat bending jig. A jig is just a jargon name for a tool that is built for a specific purpose but gets no name due to the obscure nature of its purpose. In any case, I downloaded for free some plans for a jig and am basically following a recipe in how to build it. I think I need to pick up some grease tomorrow, but thats it. After fencing I'm going to go ahead and cut my angle iron, flat sections, and bolt through the components to start bending my first flat. I'm hoping it will be an error free experience but we shall see.

    I don't want to plan much farther than that, but if I get the first one built I'm going to definitely roll over and do the second one I have as well. Receivers can be bought for roughly $75-100 online and after an FFL fee from a gun or pawn shop usually total around $120-150. If I can build this thing, and build it well, it's going to cost me $14.95 per receiver. That's not bad! In the end, my total cost should end up right around 250-290 which isn't bad considering I don't have any other parts and am piecing this thing together as I go.

    I am definitely going to make this a screw build since I have instructions leaving the welding idea behind. If all else fails, I may put a receiver "hook" onto the front of the front trunnion (where the barrel and sight assembly are) in order to give it some extra toughness for heavy duty use. We shall see!

    That's it,

    <3

    nolan

Saturday, 24 October 2009

  • Home gunsmithing project.

    So here's the idea:

    The Thanksgiving "30th & Lake" AK-47.

    I bought two front end Yugoslavian AKM / M70AB-1 front ends. The reason they are called front ends is because when they are imported here, they cut off the receiver into 4 separate sections in order to import them (as it is illegal to import machine guns.) This makes them essentially useless to anybody as a pick-up and go rob a bank scenario will not happen. Fortunately, for those mechanically inclined (I include myself in this) you can rebuild them. The process that normal occurs here is that you buy the FULL kit and weld all the pieces together making a beautiful weapon, ready for usage on the minority of your choosing! (That's a joke.) Unfortunately, I am not skilled enough with a welder so a second idea and school of thought comes into mind. At the expense of purists, you buy a cheap front end (90$ish) and then buy a flat, which is later bent into a receiver, and build the rest from there. The process is a lot of grinding and fitting but fortunately for me, my father was in the auto industry so I have an excess of tools capable of this job.

    I plan on welding these stamped, bent, receivers to the front ends after grinding them down to adequately fit the receiver. From there, I will utilize only US compliant parts as to not piss off the ATF (though, if they did attempt to breach my house it might make the 1997 N. Hollywood shooting seem like a cakewalk) and assemble a fully functional AK-47. Right now, I have two as it stands allowing me a "mess up" and a "good one" if the worst of circumstances do occur.

    The idea behind the name is two things. First off, I want to have it assembled and test fired before the Thanksgiving holiday. This is funny to me because I'll give thanks to the Yugoslavian civil war of the 1990's for providing me with the equipment to make my "Nolanistani" AK build possible. Secondly, I call it the 30th and Lake AK build because thats where most of the shootings in this town occur (it's the ghetto.) Better yet, this build will be scoffed at by gun and AK purists alike, but in the hands of your average ghetto gangster home-boy beatbox machine it will be an instrument of death!

    So I'm excited. Build parts come on Monday. I will update with photo's when I can.

    Till that day,

    <3

    nolan

Friday, 16 October 2009

  • Vacation!

    So I've met head on with fall break... how nice :D

    Recently, I just got my internship at the local school district and I'm very excited for it. Of course, being the psychopathic ex-Marine, I have a lot of recon to do. I've been looking at the teaching staff in order to find background, have maps of the facility, need to drive the area... etc.. never walk into a gunfight with a knife! I have orientation on Monday (which kind of interrupts my vacation) but am looking to log in at least 16 hours a week at hopefully 2 days a peice ~ 8 hours!

    Still waiting on a back paycheck from the gov't! Hopefully will get it sooner or later... could use the money to spend on more guns (mahaha!) I find it extremely amusing that any government monies I receive I put almost the entirety into firearms to impede further federal and state infractions upon my rights. Who would've known that the monies recieved are spent solely on police state deterrence! Gotta love that ole Kissinger mindset.

    Anyways, that's all I have for now... planning on doing some shooting this weekend and will post some pictures.

    <3

    nolan

Friday, 09 October 2009

  • Weird Morning & Coffee

    WTF? How do you give the Nobel Peace Prize to a guy who ordered a shitload of troops to a foreign country to fight a war? It just doesn't make any sense. Talk about the complete devaluation of the award... I have a feeling that the President is going to be the most hated man in America; most loved in the world.

    In other news, saw the movie Zombieland and it is a MUST SEE!! But to include a funny story, here is an excerpt from my not-so-familiar-with-English girlfriend's conversation with me shortly before the movie.

    me: "... well I have nightmares sometimes about zombies! what if you woke up and there were zombies everywhere?! you'd feel great because I'm armed to the TEETH!"
    her: "zombie? what is a zombie?"
    me: "OMG you don' tknow what a zombie is?? it's the reason why I have all these guns! what are you insane? what if you woke up and the zombies were standing in the yard !"
    her: "ohhh... does zombies mean MEXICANS?"
    me: "ROFL!"

    The movie was hilarious. It reminds me a lot of hitchhikers guide to the galaxy because of the extremely funny narration and rules. I'd recommend it to anybody! A definite buy for the DVD. In related news, I recently received my chest carriers for my AK74 set up. I really want to purchase another one and will in one month! There's a deal on them for $499 and I'll need another one I think. I'm going to buy another case of ammunition as well, totaling my round count around 3K ammunition. Gotta stay prepared!

    <3

    nolan
  • Visit nolan_kun's Xanga Site
    • Name: nolan
    • Gender: Male
    • Member Since: 6/21/2006
    • True

See a man about a horse

  • Nicknames: nol, nollie, nolliepoo, nolansan, nolankun, nolanchan, norran, mr nolan, mr oorban, ichiban nolan (ok i made that one up)
  • Nationality: Japanese / Polish (what a combo, muaha)
  • Religion: Buddhist / Christian
  • Heroes: My mother and Stalin. Both had dreams.
  • Interests: bar room philosophy. knowing what people think and how they live there lives according to it. i enjoy being a complete jack ass in public as often as possible because it's the strange events in peoples days (like myself) that make their days more memorable. i also greatly enjoy stuffed animals and womens fashion, especially shoes. cosmo magazine, a plus. I enjoy educating people, being educated, and staying lighthearted about everything and anything especially death and gore. dark humor really helps out the psyche. i like to play the guitar which i do very well and very bluesy. I love running and swimming. i also *love* food and smart women. preferably a smart women who can back up their wits with cooking skills. i am a winker. that means i do quite a lot of suggestive winking for no reason.
  • Expertise: guns, beer, conversation, and the joy of teaching. i'm no real expert on any of these, but it makes me feel good that i think i can excell in all either way.
  • Occupation: Student!
  • Industry: Being Polite
  • Website: www.xanga.com/nolan_kun

Stuff to feed the brain

  • Favorite Books: The Sun Also Rises, Old Man and the Sea, Tick Tock, Intensity, Odd Thomas, Seize the Night, The Voice of the Night, Where the Wild Things Are, The Bernstein Bears Collection respectively
  • Favorite Authors: E. Hemingway, Dean Koontz, Noam Chompsky, Alexander Dumas (abridged), Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe if I'm doped up.
  • Favorite Genres: Classics, Thriller, Screwball Comedy, and a little melancholy poetry
  • Favorite Characters: Brother Bear, Christopher Snow, Odd Thomas
  • Favorite Quotes: "Hope is the destination that we seek. Love is the road that leads to hope. Courage is the motor that drives us. We travel out of darkness into faith."
  • Recent Reads: Brother Odd, The Darkest Evening of the Year

Stuff to rot the brain

  • Favorite Movies: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Sound of Music, any cheesy Arnold movie, Rocky IV, Heat, Army of Darkness, Love Story, Replacement Killers, almost any Jackie Chan movie, any really, really crappy oldschool KungFu flick, Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, Supertroopers, Dumb and Dumber, Two Lane Blacktop, The Resident Evil series, Way of the Gun, Indochine, The Golden Child and basically any movie that Eddie Murphy was in, in the 80's, Valley Girl, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Breakfast Club, you know it, etc...
  • Favorite Actors: Bacon, Spacey, Costner, Pacino, Redford, Carey, De Niro, Kilmer, Cruise, Sizemore, Zeta-Jones, Douglass M., The Duke, that girl who plays evel girl on that underworld movie.. shes pretty hot, and of course Brad Pitt and Johnny Dep..
  • Favorite Directors: Don't buy too much into directors.
  • Favorite Genre: Action or Romance as long as its a serious romance.
  • Favorite Soundtracks: Dazed and Confused, Supertroopers
  • Movie Quotes I say all the time: "In the words of Socrates... I drank what?"
  • Movies I can watch over and over: anything comedy as long as I get to say the lines with it.
  • Actor that would play me in a movie: Lou Diamond Phillips, STFU.
This code contains invalid JavaScript. Please view a list of valid codes here.