This is in memory of my beloved Geo Metro, lovingly referred to as "the egg," who died this morning in a dramatic turn of events that unfolded right in front of my house. Her life span was long, 1991 - 2007, and many memories and adventures were atop her four tires.
A Haiku:
Driving merrily along
A girl and her egg
A most faithful companion.
This morning I awoke to the dreaded words that I knew were coming any day, "Janell, your car is dead." The words were spoken by my mother just minutes after my father had attempted to drive the egg to work. I thought I had many more years with my beloved automobile, or at least a few months, but alas this was not to be. It seems that my father had just made it out of the driveway when the shaft connecting the transmission and the front tire broke loose, rendering the car completely useless. He lost all control of the car, luckily however, he was only going about 3 miles an hour. To fix it is completely out of the question. It already needed a new radiator, an operation that would probably cost more than the $350 that the car was actually worth, according to Kelly Blue Book. Adding to that the cost of fixing whatever may need fixing now, the total cost of the repairs would probably be about 4 to 5 times the actual retail price of the car. My parents keep telling me that it isn't worth it and there is no way the car is getting fixed, and on a practical level I agree, although even if I didn't it's not like I have the money needed to fix it, but I can't help feeling that no cost is too great, that the car is indeed priceless. I'm fully aware that it's silly of me to be so attached to a possession, but it's the only car I've ever had, the only car I've ever really enjoyed driving. In five years she has never once let me down, except for that one time at 1:00 in the morning when my alternator belt broke and my mom had to come get me. She has even withstood a small run in with a mailbox and a larger run in with a Dodge Durango. But she held her own and came out with a few scars that I am convinced only made her more beautiful. I shall miss her hatchback that I could never open, her lack of power anything, her lovely decals, her 7 gallon gas tank, her 3 cylinder engine, and even her wobbly tire (a result of the run in with the Durango) that sometimes shook the car so badly when I drove too fast (too fast being 65 mph) that I thought I might die. She will live on in my memory as the best first car a girl could have. Viva el huevo!
Friday, December 28, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Christmas and Stuff
Well, I had one fantastic Christmas. On the one hand it was sort of sad because since all of us have grown up we don't do all the traditions that used to make Christmas so wonderful; but on the other hand it was great to be home and hang out with the family for a day. We actually opened up gifts last night so that we could sleep in this morning (one of our long-lasting traditions is to get up at 6:00 am to open gifts, apparently opening them on Christmas afternoon is out of the question). We started the day out with a wonderful brunch, the highlight of which was oyster stew. I love that stuff and am determined that we should have it more than just Christmas morning. We then proceeded to do what Miller's do best: play games. First we learned how to play cribbage. Then we moved onto Risk and ended with two games of Ticket to Ride, a very fun game that we just got this year, I would describe it as a mix between Risk and Monopoly, but more fun than either. We also spent a good part of the past two days playing games, including: Trivial Pursuit (which I won, thank you very much), Scategories, Quoridors, more Ticket to Ride and others that I can't remember. Much fun was had by all. In all it was one of the better Christmas's that I have experienced in the recent past. It was especially good to be with my family after spending last year in Spain (not that that wasn't wonderful, ha).
Moving on...
I am getting restless. This restlessness could be attributed to the following factors: 1) I have been home for a month with nothing to do and it's getting old, 2) I only have 6 days until I leave for Turkey and I am quite excited about it, 3) I tend to get restless easily and am always wanting to move onto the next thing. However, I think that the reason is deeper than any of the mentioned things. I feel a very deep restlessness, if that makes sense, like I'm not satisfied with something, like I should be living life differently. I feel like I should be further along in life than I currently am. It's hard for me to see my friends who went into college right out of high school, to see that they only have 3 semesters until they graduate, to know that I could be 3 semesters away from graduation instead of...I don't even know how many. It's hard for me not to wonder how my life could have been different if I would have chosen different paths. If I wouldn't have gone to RBC, if I wouldn't have gone into REACH, if I wouldn't have accepted the staff position with SEND. I'm not saying I'm not happy or even that I've made the wrong choices. In fact, I feel deep down in my gut that I made the right choices, that I should be very content with where I am because this is exactly where I am supposed to be. I'm simply saying that now and then I get to thinking about the alternatives. I realize that if I had gone right into a four-year college, not only would I be a different person, have totally different friends, and probably have different goals and views on life, but I would also probably be no closer to graduating than I am now, given my record for changing my mind about these things. In the long run it doesn't really matter. I've made the choices that I've made and there's no turning back; I really don't think that I would turn back if I could.
In other news, I shall be working for the next few days. I shall be taking inventory at the hardware store that my dad works at. It's not a particularly wonderful job, it mostly consists of counting for 8 hours a day. But it's a few days out of the house and it's a nice way to make money without a whole lot of effort. How nice.
Moving on...
I am getting restless. This restlessness could be attributed to the following factors: 1) I have been home for a month with nothing to do and it's getting old, 2) I only have 6 days until I leave for Turkey and I am quite excited about it, 3) I tend to get restless easily and am always wanting to move onto the next thing. However, I think that the reason is deeper than any of the mentioned things. I feel a very deep restlessness, if that makes sense, like I'm not satisfied with something, like I should be living life differently. I feel like I should be further along in life than I currently am. It's hard for me to see my friends who went into college right out of high school, to see that they only have 3 semesters until they graduate, to know that I could be 3 semesters away from graduation instead of...I don't even know how many. It's hard for me not to wonder how my life could have been different if I would have chosen different paths. If I wouldn't have gone to RBC, if I wouldn't have gone into REACH, if I wouldn't have accepted the staff position with SEND. I'm not saying I'm not happy or even that I've made the wrong choices. In fact, I feel deep down in my gut that I made the right choices, that I should be very content with where I am because this is exactly where I am supposed to be. I'm simply saying that now and then I get to thinking about the alternatives. I realize that if I had gone right into a four-year college, not only would I be a different person, have totally different friends, and probably have different goals and views on life, but I would also probably be no closer to graduating than I am now, given my record for changing my mind about these things. In the long run it doesn't really matter. I've made the choices that I've made and there's no turning back; I really don't think that I would turn back if I could.
In other news, I shall be working for the next few days. I shall be taking inventory at the hardware store that my dad works at. It's not a particularly wonderful job, it mostly consists of counting for 8 hours a day. But it's a few days out of the house and it's a nice way to make money without a whole lot of effort. How nice.
Friday, December 14, 2007
One of the most ridiculous things ever.
As my father was reading the newspaper tonight he came across a Letter to the Editor which he shared with me. It is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read. There is not much more I can say about it, I'm nearly speechless. Read for yourself [my observations appear in brackets].
Headline: Always remember, guns don't kill people
"Guns don't kill people, people kill people." Once again conservative Republicans and National Rifle Association members need to remind the "hand wringers" of this simple fact.
Just because a couple of nut-jobs shot some people doesn't mean we should give up our God-given right to own assault weapons.
You can be sure the God-hating anti-gun liberal media types (like the Associated Press) will soon be trying to influence the public and our elected leaders to take away the best means of self-protection we have. The evil liberal agenda is focused on just one thing - to take away our guns.
Well, I ask you, why did God include gun ownership when he wrote the Constitution [I wasn't aware that Thomas Jefferson was part of the Trinity]. Any competent historian knows about his basic right just like any conservative Republican knows that God intended the United States of America to be a "Christians only" country [wow, one of the most inflammatory things I had ever heard, then I read on].
If Jesus were alive today I bet he'd have an assault weapon or two stashed away or at least snub-nose revolver in an ankle holster [yeah, that whole "loving your enemy" thing was just figurative anyway].
Thank God we have at least one pro-gun friend in state government. The next time you run into conservative Republican Rep. "Johnny long-gun" Ulmer encourage him to introduce legislation that would constitutionally guarantee only registered Republicans the right to own and use assault weapons [this is one of the scariest things I have ever heard].
Here's a holiday suggestion for conservatives - how's about an "assault weapons only" gift exchange. Don't even bother wrapping 'em, just lay 'em under the tree or in the manger [oh no you didn't] with a full magazine and a freshly chambered round. You should consider giving your house a Christmas gift, a "just in case" gun rack over ever door and window.
Conservative Republican NRA members like Dick Cheney know the importance of preparedness. After all, it isn't a question of if the forces of evil will attack, but when my fellow patriots.
Liberals keep trying to connect guns to mass killings [I really don't understand the connection].
Now let's be real. That shooter in Nebraska could have just as easily tossed his victims off the third floor balcony or dropped bricks on unsuspecting shoppers below. And the shooter in Colorado could've plowed into the church with his car, but nobody says anything about taking away bricks or cars[actually, anti-brick is the top quality I'm looking for in my Presidential candidate]! Besides, that church guy was carrying only one thousand rounds of assault weapon ammo. If people had any sense they'd wait till he ran out of ammo or rushed him when he'd stop to reload. Hello!
This was sent into the Goshen News by Gerald Joldersma of Goshen, IN. It appeared on Friday, November 14, 2007.
Sadly, I am convinced that this person is quite serious. Around the line about putting your assault rifles in the manger I started thinking/hoping that maybe, just maybe, this was all sarcastic wit. However, I'm afraid this is not the case. If it is, all I can do is give mad props to Gerald Joldersma.
Headline: Always remember, guns don't kill people
"Guns don't kill people, people kill people." Once again conservative Republicans and National Rifle Association members need to remind the "hand wringers" of this simple fact.
Just because a couple of nut-jobs shot some people doesn't mean we should give up our God-given right to own assault weapons.
You can be sure the God-hating anti-gun liberal media types (like the Associated Press) will soon be trying to influence the public and our elected leaders to take away the best means of self-protection we have. The evil liberal agenda is focused on just one thing - to take away our guns.
Well, I ask you, why did God include gun ownership when he wrote the Constitution [I wasn't aware that Thomas Jefferson was part of the Trinity]. Any competent historian knows about his basic right just like any conservative Republican knows that God intended the United States of America to be a "Christians only" country [wow, one of the most inflammatory things I had ever heard, then I read on].
If Jesus were alive today I bet he'd have an assault weapon or two stashed away or at least snub-nose revolver in an ankle holster [yeah, that whole "loving your enemy" thing was just figurative anyway].
Thank God we have at least one pro-gun friend in state government. The next time you run into conservative Republican Rep. "Johnny long-gun" Ulmer encourage him to introduce legislation that would constitutionally guarantee only registered Republicans the right to own and use assault weapons [this is one of the scariest things I have ever heard].
Here's a holiday suggestion for conservatives - how's about an "assault weapons only" gift exchange. Don't even bother wrapping 'em, just lay 'em under the tree or in the manger [oh no you didn't] with a full magazine and a freshly chambered round. You should consider giving your house a Christmas gift, a "just in case" gun rack over ever door and window.
Conservative Republican NRA members like Dick Cheney know the importance of preparedness. After all, it isn't a question of if the forces of evil will attack, but when my fellow patriots.
Liberals keep trying to connect guns to mass killings [I really don't understand the connection].
Now let's be real. That shooter in Nebraska could have just as easily tossed his victims off the third floor balcony or dropped bricks on unsuspecting shoppers below. And the shooter in Colorado could've plowed into the church with his car, but nobody says anything about taking away bricks or cars[actually, anti-brick is the top quality I'm looking for in my Presidential candidate]! Besides, that church guy was carrying only one thousand rounds of assault weapon ammo. If people had any sense they'd wait till he ran out of ammo or rushed him when he'd stop to reload. Hello!
This was sent into the Goshen News by Gerald Joldersma of Goshen, IN. It appeared on Friday, November 14, 2007.
Sadly, I am convinced that this person is quite serious. Around the line about putting your assault rifles in the manger I started thinking/hoping that maybe, just maybe, this was all sarcastic wit. However, I'm afraid this is not the case. If it is, all I can do is give mad props to Gerald Joldersma.
Monday, December 10, 2007
The Finer Things Club, Goshen Chapter
Sorry about the absense of posts in the past few weeks. I am currently at home with pretty much nothing to do, so there's not much to blog about. However, this evening that all changed.
It all began as Jason, Chadwick, and I were sitting at The Brew enjoying some coffee (or chai as the case may be). Chadwick mentioned that he thought drinking wine while eating cheese and bread sounds nice. We all agreed but lamented the fact that none of us know anything about wine. So, naturally we turned to wikipedia. After learning a bit about wine, we decided that we should act on Chadwick's idea and purchase some wine, bread, and cheese and attempt to act cultured; hence the birth of the Goshen Chapter of The Finer Things Club. We all ventured on over to Chalet and asked an employee what his opinion was, since that is what wikipedia suggested we do. He let us sample a few that they had open and the one that caught our fancy was a 2006 (it's a good year) Riesling. It was a sweeter wine, but not too sweet, and it was wonderfully delicious. We then headed on over to the grocery store and bought some french bread and swiss cheese. A lovely time was had by all and I think we began a wonderful thing. We have a long way to go in the culture department, but hey, it's a journey.
It all began as Jason, Chadwick, and I were sitting at The Brew enjoying some coffee (or chai as the case may be). Chadwick mentioned that he thought drinking wine while eating cheese and bread sounds nice. We all agreed but lamented the fact that none of us know anything about wine. So, naturally we turned to wikipedia. After learning a bit about wine, we decided that we should act on Chadwick's idea and purchase some wine, bread, and cheese and attempt to act cultured; hence the birth of the Goshen Chapter of The Finer Things Club. We all ventured on over to Chalet and asked an employee what his opinion was, since that is what wikipedia suggested we do. He let us sample a few that they had open and the one that caught our fancy was a 2006 (it's a good year) Riesling. It was a sweeter wine, but not too sweet, and it was wonderfully delicious. We then headed on over to the grocery store and bought some french bread and swiss cheese. A lovely time was had by all and I think we began a wonderful thing. We have a long way to go in the culture department, but hey, it's a journey.
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