The One About Wordless Wednesdays- 20th Edition

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.
~Benjamin Franklin

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

Me n’ my boys:

The One About a New Car… or Not

Indecision becomes decision with time.
~Author Unknown

I really don’t know what to do.  Gas prices are killing me and my car only gets 22 MPG on a GOOD day.  Right now, my Hyundai Tucson fits all the dogs.  I don’t think it will when Skah is adult size.  But that won’t be for another year or so.

So I’ve been thinking about getting a new car.  A hybrid.  Most likely, I’ll be commuting at least 40 miles one way when B and I move, so it’s a pretty good idea.  So B and I went to check out a two cars this weekend: the Honda Civic hybrid and the Toyota Prius.

My brother now works at a dealership that also has Hondas and can get at least what the dealer pays for the car. I was really hoping that I’d like the Civic more than the Prius or at least like it well enough that the $2,000-$3,000 price difference would convince me that it was a better buy.

But it didn’t.  The Civic drove like a cheap car.  I could feel every pothole that West Michigan has (and that’s a lot).  In fact, B’s truck and Jeep both have smoother rides than the Civic. It really was jerky and made a loud noise (sounded like a far away ambulance siren so much so that I kept looking for the emergency vehicles coming) when it shifted from the battery to the gas engine.

In the Civic, you also can’t fold the seats down in the back because the battery pack takes up 1/8 of the trunk space.  And the interior colors! *rolls eyes*  You don’t get any choices.  The inside color is dependent on the outside color.  And the silver that I wanted… comes with blue cloth seats.  And not just blue… 1980s ugly medium-dark blue.  That’s right… leather seats just isn’t a choice.  The other color is a tan… but not a light tan, one that’s medium dark and old-ish looking.

So we went to check out the Toyota Prius.  B hates the look of them, but I don’t mind. MUCH more room inside than the Civic and the back seats can fold down with a 60/40 split. Very quiet when it goes from battery to gas.  And it has a screen that shows you where the power is going underneath the car… B thought that was really cool (boys!).  It also has a back-up camera which is neat.  The saleswoman even got on her hands and knees to show us that if there was a small child in the back, you’d see that with the back up camera.  That was hilarious. Priceless!

The only problem with the Prius (other than the price!) is the annoying bar that goes across the back windshield.  That would bug the heck out of me, but I’m sure I’d get used to it.

But the Prius is expensive.  If I sell my car on my own, I’ll probably get $5,000-$6,000 out of it above what I owe.  Which is awesome.  But that would still put my monthly payment of the Prius at $100-$150 more per month than what I’m paying now ($50-$100 more than my original payment plan when I bought the car–I’ve since refinanced).  And with gas at $3.50 a gallon, I’d be saving about $100 a month in gas.  So it’d be a wash.  However, if gas goes to $4 a gallon, I’d be saving $120 a month.

B and I are doing a roadtrip down to Texas in June and by having a Prius, it’d save us $250 in that trip alone if we only went to our destinations and back (assuming gas is $4 a gallon, which it will be because that will be 4th of July time)… and we plan to do some touristy things along the way!

So my dilemma is: is buying the new car worth it?

And if the answer is yes, then I have something else to think about: rumors have it that the 2009 Prius that will be coming out this fall may get up to 85mpg and possibly be a plug-in where you can go at least 7 miles without using gas (up to 50mph)… I live about 2 miles from work, so that means I could possibly never have to use gas to get to and from work.  They are also saying it might have solar panels on the top of the car.

But it’s all guessing at this point.  Toyota isn’t going to be telling even the dealerships what the ‘09 model is going to be like because if it is anything like what people are saying… no one would buy and ‘08 model and would just hold out for the ‘09.

So, right now, I have two choices: buy a new car or not.  And if I buy a new car, I have two choices: buy one and start saving gas money now or wait to see what ‘09 brings… and possibly be disappointed if the new models aren’t anything worth mentioning.

The One About Thursday Thirteens- 19th Edition

Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.
~Sherry Anderson

It’s time for the Thursday Thirteen again. If you have a Thursday Thirteen of your own, leave your website in the comments section and I’ll try my darndest to visit it

I enjoy volunteering, I really do. It makes my day knowing that I make someone else’s day. I can have the worst day in the world, but when I go to do pet therapy at a local hospital, I come back home with all the worries gone. If you don’t volunteer, you should think about it… we all can make this world a better place by helping our fellow people.

Thirteen Ways to Volunteer

1. Go to your local hospital. They can always use people to transport patients, deliver flowers, sit at the information desk, and even do pet therapy… like Chase and I do!
2. Check out the nearest Big Brothers Big Sisters and volunteer to be a Big. B and I are doing this as a Big Couple… we just received our first potential match, too! With only a few hours each month, statistics in just our local community shows that, on average, 85% of Littles show greater self-confidence, 80% have a better attitude about school and 77% have improved grades.
3. Visit your local zoo, aquarium or museum… they always have a need for volunteers and generally rely on them to keep their doors open.
4. Help a family get back on their feet by helping them build a house with Habitat for Humanity.
5. Go to your local animal shelter. They need people to help walk dogs, feed animals, clean cages and even give adoption information. And if you have room in your home, many need foster families.
6. Volunteer with the Red Cross. Even if you don’t live in an area that has disasters like wildfires and hurricanes, each day someone’s house burns down… and the Red Cross is there to help them start getting back on their feet.
7. Contact any local 501(c)3 non-profit charity. Many of the smaller ones need people with specialties (web design, graphic design, etc) to keep them up and running.
8. Contact your local non-profit hospice organization. They may need patient sitters, grief advocates, pet therapy and many other things.
9. Contact your local Girl Scout or Boy Scout council.
10. Check out the nearest homeless shelter or food bank
11. Go to your nearest parks and recreation department… help beautify your city!
12. Visit your nearest library… they sometimes need help re-shelving books, etc.
13. Check out websites like Volunteer Match or look in your local newspaper… many times volunteer needs are published here.

The One About Wordless Wednesday- 19th Edition

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~Gilda Radner

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

Now 30 lbs and 11 1/2 weeks old (13 1/2 pound gain in 3 1/2 weeks!)

The One About Personalities by Month

Each of us is something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against ourselves.
~Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963

I was tagged for this a bit ago by Dance of Motherhood, but am just getting around to it.

TAGGING RULES:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving them a comment.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when yours is up!

I’m a Gemini, so it’s always said that I’m a good communicator (which is a good thing since that is what I do for a living!).

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

Hmm.  I think a lot of it is true… in fact, I have a cold right now!  But I’m not brand conscious, unless you are talking about my company’s brand standard.

I don’t have a lot of people to tag, it’ll be what it’ll be.

I tag:

1. Ivanhoe (Communique by Ivanhoe)
2. Jenny (Live! and In Color)
3. Alicia (Salingergurl)
4. GreytInspirations
5. The Savvy Hound
6. Jenny Spouse
7. Dig Your Toes In
8. YOU! (yes you, reading this!)

The One About My Power Color

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
~Robert Brault

Your Power Color Is Teal

At Your Highest: You feel accomplished and optimistic about the future. At Your Lowest: You feel in a slump and lack creativity. In Love: You tend to be many people’s ideal partner. How You’re Attractive: You make people feel confident and accepted. Your Eternal Question: “What Impression Am I Giving?”

What’s Your Power Color?

Funny… I actually this 100% true. Not sure about the ideal partner part, but let’s go with it!

What’s yours?

The One About Thursday Thirteen- 18th Edition

If you wouldn’t write it and sign it, don’t say it.
~Earl Wilson

It’s time for the Thursday Thirteen again. If you have a Thursday Thirteen of your own, leave your website in the comments section and I’ll try my darndest to visit it

Thirteen Things You Want to Say at Work But Can’t

1. I can see your point, but I still think you’re full of $hit.
2. I don’t know what your problem is, but I’ll bet it’s hard to pronounce.
3. How about never? Is never good for you?
4. Ahhh… I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again.
5. I’m already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.
6. Thank you. We’re all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.
7. And your crybaby whiny-assed opinion would be… ?
8. This isn’t an office. It’s Hell with fluorescent lighting.
9. If I throw a stick, will you leave?
10. How do I set the laser printer to stun?
11. Who lit the fuse on your tampon?
12. I’m trying to imagine you with a personality.
13. Oh I get it… like humor… but different.

(these are from a list of 40 circulating on the Internet… they were just my favorites )

The One About Wordless Wednesday- 18th Edition

Humor has a way of bringing people together.  It unites people.  In fact, I’m rather serious when I suggest that someone should plant a few whoopee cushions in the United Nations.
~Ron Dentinger

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

I need at least one of these in my yard:

The One About the Dirty Weekend

There aren’t enough days in the weekend.
~Rod Schmidt

Yeah, my quote above just about says it.  I’ve always wondered why in the world we work 2 1/2 times as many days as what we get to just enjoy life. *sigh* Sometimes I just want to be a kid again and at least be able to look forward to a summer off.

So B and I went to one of his friend’s apartments for a cookout and to do some mudding with the Jeep.  Yeah, mudding.  We didn’t end up going mudding in the Jeep, however we did go in a couple of quads (4-wheelers) that the friend and his friends had.  The apartment complex where they live has a lot of undeveloped land around it and they have been given the okay by management to use it for their quads.

Now, I grew up in the northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan so I’ve been around quads before.  Heck, I grew up riding three-wheelers… started driving them by myself when I was 7.  We had Hondas and in fact, my brother’s first word was “Honnnnnnnnnda!”  In the winter, I’d take the three wheeler out, attach a long rope to the back of it and attach our saucer or sled to the rope.  Then I’d pull my brother around the yard and try to get it going so fast he’d fly off.  Good times!

I’ve been on quads before but had never actually driven one, but I wasn’t worried because they are more stable than three-wheelers.  B, for some reason, didn’t think I’d want to get dirty (there were several mud pits that we could drive in).  Pheesh.  Apparently he doesn’t know me and hasn’t seen me get my “country” on and go back to my roots.  He sometimes forgets where I came from and thinks that I’m a city girl.

The last ride around, I took the lead at the end and went through a mud puddle.  I got drenched and was covered in mud from head to toe (minus the area where my goggles were). My hair was even soaked with the mud in places.  Granted, I didn’t think the muddy water would splash up into my face/chest and thought it would just get my legs, but I didn’t care.  B was shocked.  HA!  I showed him.

That was Saturday, so we decided to get some work done on Sunday.  With another lovely day in the lower 60s, it was perfect weather to get some yardwork done.  My neighbors on one side like to keep prickly things like roses and other thorny bushes along the fenceline.  That’s great… as long as it is on their side.  They never trim them back, so at least twice a year, I have to go out and trim all the bushes that are on my side… which makes the thorns eye-level for my dogs.

B started the trimming of the thorny things and I used the power cutter to trim the tree branches along my driveway and the bushes in front of the house.  Then I went to the backyard to help B trim the thorny things.

We were nearly finished when I started on one of the last thorny bushes.  It didn’t have thorns all over, just spikey things at the end of the branch.  I stepped in it to try to break it off.  Thinking it was broken off, I lifted my foot.  That’s when it happened.  The vampire branch whipped back to life tagging me in my left outer thigh and my right inner calf.

I just said ouch, because while it hurt, it wasn’t an unbearable pain.  I looked down to see if there was a thorn sticking out of my jeans when all of a sudden blood just started appearing through them.  Kind of like you see on TV when someone gets shot.  Once it soaked through in a tiny dot, that dot quickly spread to about half the size of a fist. B and I were just staring at it in shock when he finally said, “Uh, you might want to go inside to the bathroom and take care of that.”

I agreed and as I was walking across the yard, I could feel the blood running down my leg into my socks.  Once I stripped the soaked jeans off,  and started cleaning up my leg to find out how bad the cut was, I found the source: a simple, tiny prick no bigger than the head of a small pin. The prick on my calf wasn’t bleeding much but it hurt much more for some reason.  I grabbed some gauze and started trying to stem the flow of the blood on my thigh when I heard B come in and say, “Do we need to take you to the hospital?”

I looked at the small cut on my thigh and just laughed and said, “Uh, no, definitely not.”  He came in to see how I was doing and we were both amazed that that much blood came from such a tiny wound.

Then I started feeling a bit dizzy (no, blood doesn’t bother me) so I sat on the floor of the bathroom and B brought me some water.  A rash was starting to appear around the prick on my calf and I was having a hard time getting the strength to even hold the glass.  So B grabbed me some Benedryl because we were pretty sure I was having an allergic reaction to whatever the bush was.

The fingers on one of my hands swelled a bit and I was a bit dizzy, but once the Benedryl started working, the rash didn’t progress any.  I think I ended up taking a three hour nap!

I’m still a bit shaky today, though feeling much better.  I have a nice bruise around the prick on my outer thigh and a slight rash still around the one in my calf.

All in all, it was a nice weekend, though!

The One About an Award

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. 
~Will Rogers

I received this award from Ivanhoe this week.  Awww… it’s my first blogger-to-blogger award.  Thanks!

The rules for the *you make my day award* are to re-present it to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blog land. Let them know through email or by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times yourself, and if you do, consider yourself really, really loved.

Here are ten people that really made my day lately. Either by their wonderful post or a great comment:

1. Ivanhoe (of course!)
2. Dette (Dance of Motherhood)
3. Jenny (Live! and In Color)
4. Alicia (Salingergurl)
5. GreytInspirations
6. The Daily Coyote
7. The Savvy Hound
8. Jenny Spouse
9. MilSpouse
10. Dig Your Toes In