My midlife crisis car is a Scion xA, what's up with that?
Somehow, my timing is a bit off. When I was younger, I did the BMW thing, I did the Jeep Wrangler thing (had two of each). I had the freedom to be selfish, the income to be a bit wasteful. I think that was my twenties-that-I-actually-lived-in-my thirties. No responsiblity and a high-paying job will do that to you, if you are not careful.
I remember growing up that the midlife-crisis-car was always a red corvette. You'd see those guys who were old enough to afford it, but so old that they thought that 60mph was "fast". There was always grey or white hair blowing in the wind with the top down, or maybe a driving cap if the crisis was baldness-induced. We always laughed at them, they looked like they were wearing the car like a bad toupee (are there ever any good ones?).
So there I was, driving an expensive, empty, luxury SUV. Not even a dog to my name. I had one cat that would eat my face after I died for a few days until the neighbors noticed the smell. If the cat died first, I'd be mummified before I was found by my investment counselor, or meter reader.
Today, I have a wonderful wife, two great kids, four cats, two dogs, a bird, and a housefull of trouble. I'm 46, just in that heavy midlife zone where I should be looking around for a corvette. What did I do? I bought a Scion xA. In fact, i bought two.
Great cars. They each have over 100K miles but get gas mileage in the 35-37mpg range. They hold a shopping trip, or three dogs, or four adults, or even boxed furniture pieces ready for assembly (don't ask). They go all around, they get through (some) snow, and they are easy and inexpensive to maintain. One cost $13,750 new, the other was $15,000 as a leftover on a lot.
I love our cars.
Yes, I had a midlife crisis, and I bought the midlife-crisis-car. But the crisis was that I wanted more than just a nice car. In the competition between luxury and love, I'll take love every time.
Thank you Ann, Amanda, Coty, Oscar, Ginger, Martha, Bear, Blackie, Boxer, Titan, Kitty and ......????????
I still want a Jeep Wrangler, but who cares when?
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
I will EAT YOUR LUNCH!
I work at a company that has been at the same location for 20+ years, basically the building was built for us. The Office Manager was there watching them pour the foundation (probably telling the construction crew how they were doing it wrong), and has worked here the entire time. She is a lovely woman, bless her heart, but she has MAJOR control issues.
The company graciously provides a lunchroom, microwaves, oven, and refrigerator, for employee use. Every few months or so, the ENTIRE company gets an email about "proper food labeling procedures for lunchroom refrigerator", or "refrigerator clean-out schedules", or "reminder not to eat food that is not yours", or "dirty dish left in lunchroom". Not only are 100+ employees treated like children, but the Office Manager becomes personally offended if you even question the practice.
Three days ago I left food in the refrigerator that was not "properly" labeled and it was thrown out during that evening's "clean-out". REALLY!?!? The sliced ham and buns were careefully packaged, less that six hours old, and meant for me to bring home for my kids to make lunch sandwiches. I did not label it because I meant to bring them home that day, but I forgot. PENALTY!!!!!
The next day, I posted the following sign on my office door:
(I know, very passive-aggressive)
----
WARNING - I if you eat your lunch in the refrigerator, I may eat it!
Consider yourself warned, lie you are warned that if your food is not labeled to the Office manager's specifications, it may be thrown out for no good reason. Apparently we care more about treating employes like small children than keepig good food from goingto waste, and wasting money!
----
Some folks laughed when they saw it, the Office Manager didn't even get the joke......
So, look out, I may eat your lunch.
The company graciously provides a lunchroom, microwaves, oven, and refrigerator, for employee use. Every few months or so, the ENTIRE company gets an email about "proper food labeling procedures for lunchroom refrigerator", or "refrigerator clean-out schedules", or "reminder not to eat food that is not yours", or "dirty dish left in lunchroom". Not only are 100+ employees treated like children, but the Office Manager becomes personally offended if you even question the practice.
Three days ago I left food in the refrigerator that was not "properly" labeled and it was thrown out during that evening's "clean-out". REALLY!?!? The sliced ham and buns were careefully packaged, less that six hours old, and meant for me to bring home for my kids to make lunch sandwiches. I did not label it because I meant to bring them home that day, but I forgot. PENALTY!!!!!
The next day, I posted the following sign on my office door:
(I know, very passive-aggressive)
----
WARNING - I if you eat your lunch in the refrigerator, I may eat it!
Consider yourself warned, lie you are warned that if your food is not labeled to the Office manager's specifications, it may be thrown out for no good reason. Apparently we care more about treating employes like small children than keepig good food from goingto waste, and wasting money!
----
Some folks laughed when they saw it, the Office Manager didn't even get the joke......
So, look out, I may eat your lunch.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Bad Emergency Room Story
The wife was in so much unusual abdominal pain one day that we went to the Emergency Room at Froedert Hospital. They spoke to her for five minutes, drew some blood, and gave her a puke bucket. We were told to sit in the wating room. Two and one-half hours later we left without ever being seen or treated. We went to Waukesha memorial Hospital Emergency Room, where she was seen within ten minutes, examined an treated. Ok, so that could have been better.
Imagine my suprise when we got a bill for over $1K from Froedert Hospital! My insurance company paid the lion's share, and we had a small copay. I contacted my insurance company to report the fraud, and they were unconcerned. I then began a four month back-and-forth with Froedert Hospital over their fraudlent charges. I wrote letters, I made telephone calls, I explained myself patiently.
Two weeks ago, I was sent to my second supervisor on a telephone call. She listened patiently, told me she would examine the records, and promised to call me the next business day. Today (two weeks later) she called my home number at 3:55pm, spoke to my wife, offered a 20% reduction on their fraudlent charges, and explained that she had to go because her shift ended at 4:00pm.
Holy Crap what thievery!!
They are getting one more chance at a refund and a letter of apology to my wife and I, then its on to the Attorney General's office and the media.
Imagine my suprise when we got a bill for over $1K from Froedert Hospital! My insurance company paid the lion's share, and we had a small copay. I contacted my insurance company to report the fraud, and they were unconcerned. I then began a four month back-and-forth with Froedert Hospital over their fraudlent charges. I wrote letters, I made telephone calls, I explained myself patiently.
Two weeks ago, I was sent to my second supervisor on a telephone call. She listened patiently, told me she would examine the records, and promised to call me the next business day. Today (two weeks later) she called my home number at 3:55pm, spoke to my wife, offered a 20% reduction on their fraudlent charges, and explained that she had to go because her shift ended at 4:00pm.
Holy Crap what thievery!!
They are getting one more chance at a refund and a letter of apology to my wife and I, then its on to the Attorney General's office and the media.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Boy Multiplication
If I wanted to do something, I might do it myself. If I needed help, or better ideas, I would ask someone to work with me. This is how it usually works with adults,or even teen girls, or even hamsters. With teenage boys, a special phenomena occurs. The more teenage boys in a group, the stupider they become. This can be expressed in the formula:
gIQ = lbIQ x -N
gIQ is group IQ
lbIQ is the IQ of the lowest IQ of any of the boys in the group
N is the number of boys in the group
Thus one boy with an IQ of 90 has a gIQ = 90
Three boys with IQ's of 90, 85, and 75 have a gIQ = -225
I have observed this with our own boy, who alone manages to smoke and be lazy - in a group they smoke, be lazy, drink, break furniture, throw up and attempt to hide the evidence in plain sight - when caught they say "What?"
Point proven
gIQ = lbIQ x -N
gIQ is group IQ
lbIQ is the IQ of the lowest IQ of any of the boys in the group
N is the number of boys in the group
Thus one boy with an IQ of 90 has a gIQ = 90
Three boys with IQ's of 90, 85, and 75 have a gIQ = -225
I have observed this with our own boy, who alone manages to smoke and be lazy - in a group they smoke, be lazy, drink, break furniture, throw up and attempt to hide the evidence in plain sight - when caught they say "What?"
Point proven
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