Last night I had to run to the store kind of late. It was a beautiful night. The moon was full and the clouds were slowly moving across it. When they were just so they were glowing brilliantly with the light of the moon. The temperature was perfect, so I rolled down my windows to feel the breeze. Did ya hear that? I rolled down MY windows! I just love this new car!
Being able to drive with the windows down is only one of the many wonderful things about my new car. It's pretty (bright shiny blue). It's paid for(thanks to Carl!!!). It's comfortable. My grown up sized kids fit comfortably in the back seat. Most importantly, everything works just as it should.
Showing posts with label Cars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cars. Show all posts
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
An Exciting Evening Out
Tonight the kids went to a church dance. Carl and I were home alone, so we decided to go to Best Buy and maybe get something to eat. We were going to Best Buy to replace a broken DVD player. The one we have had for the last year or so, quit working. It was a cheap model, but did the trick. We replaced it with basically the same model, just slightly updated. It's crazy to think that it cost more to fill my gas tank than it did to replace the DVD player. We truly live in the day of disposable electronics.
We left Best Buy and were driving down Kam Highway. It isn't really a highway in the mainland sense of the word. Especially in Aiea, it is a busy city street, 3 lanes wide in each direction, full of stop lights and bus stops. The speed limit can't be more than 35. Anyway, I am driving along, having a conversation with my husband, when WHAM! the car behind me rams into the back of my car! Our bodies fly forward into our seat belts with a jolt. Needless to say, I am stunned. So bizarre - I have no experience with anything even remotely like this. Carl starts yelling at me to stop. I can't see how stopping in the middle of all that traffic could possibly be a good thing. It just didn't seem safe to me. I didn't want to get hit again. I signaled, and started moving over to the far right lane. There is no shoulder on this stretch of road, so I didn't like the idea of stopping there either, but Carl keeps insisting that I stop, so I did.
While I fumble to find the hazzard lights, he jumps out of the car, and goes back to talk to the car that is stopped behind us. They think he is crazy, asking them if they are ok. It is NOT the car that hit us, just some car that was traveling in the right lane when I stopped and blocked their way. I doubt they even saw what happened to us moments before. He jumps back in the car, and I proceed to drive on to our next stop, that is just around the corner. The guilty party is nowhere in site. It's dark and traffic is heavy, neither of us saw the other vehicle clearly at all. I think it was some sort of van or truck, but I don't really know. It was dark, and my view in the rear mirror is cut in half by the spoiler on the back of my car. (I hate that fin even more now - Dang fin!.)
When we got out and looked at the car it seemed fine, other than some stress cracks in the surface of the plastic bumper. My back feels a little jarred, and my right knee hurts. I am not sure if it still hurts from my run the other day, or if it has anything to do with the jolt from behind slamming it into the gas pedal. Should I have stopped right there, in the middle of all that traffic and tried to flag down the jerk? Should I have called the police? What would be the point of calling the police? What would I say? - "Hello, Officer, I would like to report an accident. Some vehicle hit me from the rear. No, I do not know what type of vehicle. No, I do not have a license plate. No, I do not know what color it was. No, there isn't any significant damage to my car. No, I am not injured and in need of an ambulance. Why did I call? Well, I guess I just thought you would like to know that there is some unidentified jerk out here that rammed my car and drove away."
So, we drove on, bought some dog toys and some candy, had dinner, and came home. So much for our exciting Friday night out!
We left Best Buy and were driving down Kam Highway. It isn't really a highway in the mainland sense of the word. Especially in Aiea, it is a busy city street, 3 lanes wide in each direction, full of stop lights and bus stops. The speed limit can't be more than 35. Anyway, I am driving along, having a conversation with my husband, when WHAM! the car behind me rams into the back of my car! Our bodies fly forward into our seat belts with a jolt. Needless to say, I am stunned. So bizarre - I have no experience with anything even remotely like this. Carl starts yelling at me to stop. I can't see how stopping in the middle of all that traffic could possibly be a good thing. It just didn't seem safe to me. I didn't want to get hit again. I signaled, and started moving over to the far right lane. There is no shoulder on this stretch of road, so I didn't like the idea of stopping there either, but Carl keeps insisting that I stop, so I did.
While I fumble to find the hazzard lights, he jumps out of the car, and goes back to talk to the car that is stopped behind us. They think he is crazy, asking them if they are ok. It is NOT the car that hit us, just some car that was traveling in the right lane when I stopped and blocked their way. I doubt they even saw what happened to us moments before. He jumps back in the car, and I proceed to drive on to our next stop, that is just around the corner. The guilty party is nowhere in site. It's dark and traffic is heavy, neither of us saw the other vehicle clearly at all. I think it was some sort of van or truck, but I don't really know. It was dark, and my view in the rear mirror is cut in half by the spoiler on the back of my car. (I hate that fin even more now - Dang fin!.)
When we got out and looked at the car it seemed fine, other than some stress cracks in the surface of the plastic bumper. My back feels a little jarred, and my right knee hurts. I am not sure if it still hurts from my run the other day, or if it has anything to do with the jolt from behind slamming it into the gas pedal. Should I have stopped right there, in the middle of all that traffic and tried to flag down the jerk? Should I have called the police? What would be the point of calling the police? What would I say? - "Hello, Officer, I would like to report an accident. Some vehicle hit me from the rear. No, I do not know what type of vehicle. No, I do not have a license plate. No, I do not know what color it was. No, there isn't any significant damage to my car. No, I am not injured and in need of an ambulance. Why did I call? Well, I guess I just thought you would like to know that there is some unidentified jerk out here that rammed my car and drove away."
So, we drove on, bought some dog toys and some candy, had dinner, and came home. So much for our exciting Friday night out!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
A Little Something You Can Do
If you leave your house, or turn on any form of media, you will be hit with a wave of negativity. The economy is in the tank. That isn't really news to most of us. All the regular people have been experiencing it for awhile now. At least now we don't have to feel like it is something we did personally, now it is just "the economy", not the consequences of our poor decisions, bad luck, or lack of talent. It's nice to have some nebulous entity to blame for our woes. Taking personal responsibility doesn't feel so good. In fact, it is down right depressing. Or is it?
If you accept the media message, then you are powerless, a victim of the whims of the global economy. If it is your fault, that means that you are powerful. All you need to do is start using your power for good, rather than evil. Or for success, rather than failure. You are powerful. You are intelligent, and have the ability to act for yourself. You are not a robot, and you are not a victim. Stand up and do something!
What to do? Well, here are a few small things that pretty much everyone can do.
1. Don't listen to all that negative crap. Turn it off. It isn't news and it doesn't help.
2. Be grateful for what you have. Make a list and think about it often. You might not have everything, but you have something, and I bet what you do have is pretty awesome.
3. Give. Pay your tithing, donate to a worthy cause, give your unused stuff to a thrifty store. Give a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement, to someone everyday.
4. Buy something, preferably from someone you know. If we all became customers of those we know, we would bless the lives of each other. We don't need the government to print more fake money to get the economy moving. Businesses need customers. If you own a business, isn't this what will save you? Isn't this how you pay the bills and make payroll? So, think about who you know that has a product or service that you can use, and become a customer. Here are some of my friends that you can buy something from in case you live in a cave and the only thing you do on the internet is read my blog. :-)
My cousin Amanda sells Avon. I will start with her because her name starts with A and so does her business, so alphabetically speaking, she is the obvious choice. I hadn't used Avon in years, but she took the time to send me an email a few weeks ago so I thought I would take a look. They sell a lot of products that I would normally buy at WalMart. I think WalMart has enough money. Amanda could probably make better use of my few dollars and WalMart would never miss me. They ship for free, even to Hawaii! That is a big deal and I won't soon forget it!! Here is a link to her website.
My good friend Tammy Dugaw sells Mary Kay. I have been using a few of their products for years, and again, I would rather buy from a friend. They recently changed their lipstick formula. It no longer tastes/smell like perfume. It is yummy! Here is a link to her website. www.marykay.com/tdugaw
If you are looking for something special, like, say a belated Valentine's day gift, my friend Joella has a TON of beautiful jewelry on her site www.threefoldgifts.com It is very affordable and good quality. Joella is awesome and it would directly benefit a real, American family if you bought something from her. She also does personalized adoption gifts. If you know someone who is adopting, her site is the best place to find a truly unique and thoughtful gift.
Joella is very enterprising, and has another site selling some really cool silk wraps. That site is at www.themagicskirt.com I own a few, and they are beautiful and fun to wear.
If you want to buy a Corvette, or maybe just a Corvette t-shirt, then go to http://www.corvettecenterusa.com/. My brother Rik will treat you right!
Cherie makes the most delicious home made jams, sauces and meat rubs. You can't go wrong with any of her products. Sweet Darling Jams are awesome! She ships anywhere, even to Hawaii! If you want a taste test I might be willing to share :-).
In various states, I know people that are massage therapists, hair stylists, run yoga studios, do photography, and create all kinds of beautiful things. There are opportunities everywhere to be a customer for someone that you know. Buying from our friends is the grass roots way to stimulate the economy. If you have a business, and I didn't include you in this blog, please post all the details in a comment. I want to include everyone. Let's take control of our mutual success and prosperity!
If you accept the media message, then you are powerless, a victim of the whims of the global economy. If it is your fault, that means that you are powerful. All you need to do is start using your power for good, rather than evil. Or for success, rather than failure. You are powerful. You are intelligent, and have the ability to act for yourself. You are not a robot, and you are not a victim. Stand up and do something!
What to do? Well, here are a few small things that pretty much everyone can do.
1. Don't listen to all that negative crap. Turn it off. It isn't news and it doesn't help.
2. Be grateful for what you have. Make a list and think about it often. You might not have everything, but you have something, and I bet what you do have is pretty awesome.
3. Give. Pay your tithing, donate to a worthy cause, give your unused stuff to a thrifty store. Give a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement, to someone everyday.
4. Buy something, preferably from someone you know. If we all became customers of those we know, we would bless the lives of each other. We don't need the government to print more fake money to get the economy moving. Businesses need customers. If you own a business, isn't this what will save you? Isn't this how you pay the bills and make payroll? So, think about who you know that has a product or service that you can use, and become a customer. Here are some of my friends that you can buy something from in case you live in a cave and the only thing you do on the internet is read my blog. :-)
My cousin Amanda sells Avon. I will start with her because her name starts with A and so does her business, so alphabetically speaking, she is the obvious choice. I hadn't used Avon in years, but she took the time to send me an email a few weeks ago so I thought I would take a look. They sell a lot of products that I would normally buy at WalMart. I think WalMart has enough money. Amanda could probably make better use of my few dollars and WalMart would never miss me. They ship for free, even to Hawaii! That is a big deal and I won't soon forget it!! Here is a link to her website.
My good friend Tammy Dugaw sells Mary Kay. I have been using a few of their products for years, and again, I would rather buy from a friend. They recently changed their lipstick formula. It no longer tastes/smell like perfume. It is yummy! Here is a link to her website. www.marykay.com/tdugaw
If you are looking for something special, like, say a belated Valentine's day gift, my friend Joella has a TON of beautiful jewelry on her site www.threefoldgifts.com It is very affordable and good quality. Joella is awesome and it would directly benefit a real, American family if you bought something from her. She also does personalized adoption gifts. If you know someone who is adopting, her site is the best place to find a truly unique and thoughtful gift.
Joella is very enterprising, and has another site selling some really cool silk wraps. That site is at www.themagicskirt.com I own a few, and they are beautiful and fun to wear.
If you want to buy a Corvette, or maybe just a Corvette t-shirt, then go to http://www.corvettecenterusa.com/. My brother Rik will treat you right!
Cherie makes the most delicious home made jams, sauces and meat rubs. You can't go wrong with any of her products. Sweet Darling Jams are awesome! She ships anywhere, even to Hawaii! If you want a taste test I might be willing to share :-).
In various states, I know people that are massage therapists, hair stylists, run yoga studios, do photography, and create all kinds of beautiful things. There are opportunities everywhere to be a customer for someone that you know. Buying from our friends is the grass roots way to stimulate the economy. If you have a business, and I didn't include you in this blog, please post all the details in a comment. I want to include everyone. Let's take control of our mutual success and prosperity!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Small Miracles
I asked one of my friends for a suggested topic to write about, and she said, "Cars, or small miracles." It's funny that she would say this. In my world, they are often one in the same, this week in particular.
I like excitement and adventure. I like a good adrenaline rush now and then. I love to ski, but usually end up going down the black diamond slopes on my butt, rather than on my skis. It is the age old problem of desire vs. talent. I don't have any real athletic talent, so I have to get my thrills in more creative ways.
I drive mechanically challenged cars. Nothing gets the heart rate up, and the adrenaline pumping quite like driving a car that chronically over heats in a city with legendary traffic congestion. It is a race against the clock, and the odds. I try to accomplish all of my stops between morning rush hour and evening rush hour. I make my stops as quickly as possible, and avoid any lengthy meetings. If I am not home by 4pm, I am looking for a productive place to spend the next 2 hours waiting out the traffic.
This past week was especially challenging. The Christmas shopping craze threw off all the normal traffic patterns. My skills are sharp. I only had to pull over once to let the car cool and add some coolant. I keep my trunk fully stocked with supplies; jugs of water, coolant, a funnel, etc.
It would seem logical to buy a new one, or at least take this one to the shop and have a professional fix it, but where is the fun in that?
1. The thing is paid for. It is really hard to argue for a car payment.
2. It has a really great stereo. It's a Bose stereo with high end speakers. I can really rock out in that car!
3. I can take the kids to the beach and not worry about sand in the carpet, or any other sort of mess.
4. The last time I took it to a shop, it came back with more problems. I think it is like Mr. Burns, all the things wrong with it are in a delicate balance, keeping it alive. If I fix one of them, the rest might just kick it over the edge.
These car challenges are also great faith building opportunities. More than once car trouble has brought me to call on my Heavenly Father in prayer. Often my children have silently prayed, while I tried to figure out what the trouble was, and how to get us where we need to go. I witness small miracles regularly.
I like excitement and adventure. I like a good adrenaline rush now and then. I love to ski, but usually end up going down the black diamond slopes on my butt, rather than on my skis. It is the age old problem of desire vs. talent. I don't have any real athletic talent, so I have to get my thrills in more creative ways.
I drive mechanically challenged cars. Nothing gets the heart rate up, and the adrenaline pumping quite like driving a car that chronically over heats in a city with legendary traffic congestion. It is a race against the clock, and the odds. I try to accomplish all of my stops between morning rush hour and evening rush hour. I make my stops as quickly as possible, and avoid any lengthy meetings. If I am not home by 4pm, I am looking for a productive place to spend the next 2 hours waiting out the traffic.
This past week was especially challenging. The Christmas shopping craze threw off all the normal traffic patterns. My skills are sharp. I only had to pull over once to let the car cool and add some coolant. I keep my trunk fully stocked with supplies; jugs of water, coolant, a funnel, etc.
It would seem logical to buy a new one, or at least take this one to the shop and have a professional fix it, but where is the fun in that?
1. The thing is paid for. It is really hard to argue for a car payment.
2. It has a really great stereo. It's a Bose stereo with high end speakers. I can really rock out in that car!
3. I can take the kids to the beach and not worry about sand in the carpet, or any other sort of mess.
4. The last time I took it to a shop, it came back with more problems. I think it is like Mr. Burns, all the things wrong with it are in a delicate balance, keeping it alive. If I fix one of them, the rest might just kick it over the edge.
These car challenges are also great faith building opportunities. More than once car trouble has brought me to call on my Heavenly Father in prayer. Often my children have silently prayed, while I tried to figure out what the trouble was, and how to get us where we need to go. I witness small miracles regularly.
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