My Auto Biography
It All Starts With Cars
RX-8
Somewhere back in 2007, or maybe 2008—I bought a used RX-8.
I liked the look of it, even though the back seating area seemed like an afterthought (along with the trunk), it had a rotary engine (a novelty, but not really a master innovation) and a manual transmission (I'd never really driven a stick shift before).
There wasn't really a justification for getting it, other than it got me out of the Hyundai Sonata (the older body style, not the new one) I'd traded in my new Volkswagen Beetle for (newer model at the time, before the newest body style) because my wife wouldn't let me buy Hyundai's sportier version of the Sonata, the Tiburon.
You see, I'd been wanting some kind of a sports car for most of my life. Better said, I'd always wanted a Corvette, but I could never justify spending more for one than I did for our first house (a double wide manufactured home we paid $45,000 for).
So, when the opportunity to get the RX-8 came around (and my wife knew how miserable I was with the Sonata), I couldn't pass it up.
I was 42 back then. My mother dubbed the RX-8 my Mid-Life Crisis.
I really liked the RX-8, mostly for the handling. You could feel the car sticking to the road like a magnet. There was just something about the combination of being at speed and sitting down in those curves that thrilled me then, and still now, just thinking about it.
After a while, though, the redundancy of constantly shifting gears and the wear and tear on my knees working the brake and the clutch started to slowly negate the exhilaration of cornering.
A Chevy...
It was my birthday, 2011. I'd arrived at the realization previously that I needed to trade the RX-8 in for something automatic. I'd been searching for a couple of weeks for a replacement, not really finding anything I wanted, when I came across a sale a dealership was having north of us.
After doing some math, I figured it might actually be worth the two hour round trip plus two or three hours dealers liked to keep people around dragging them through the car buying process. For me to think that, since buying the car, for me, is generally the absolute worst part of owning one, I had to be pretty motivated.
Well, I was. Why? I'll show you.
Remember that Corvette I always wanted to own? Well, this particular Chevy dealer certainly had them, and they were all on sale. Cheapest one—$70,000. Man, was it nice. I sat in it for several minutes, just soaking it in, smiling like a fool.
Then I test drove the vehicle I went up there for.
Yep. The new Chevy Camaro. The model had actually been out of production for a few years, but in the meantime, it was getting a redesigned body style, which subsequently made an appearance in the first Transformers movie (remember Bumblebee?).
So, I traded in the RX-8, put some money down, and along with the sale price, I was paying the same amount on a loan as I was before, but this time with a late model, more powerful muscle car.
It. Was. Awesome.
Funny, but after having some fun in the RX-8, I didn't really miss it much. Between the two cars, there really was no comparison. The Camaro flat out destroyed the RX-8 in every way that mattered to me, except for one.
Cornering.
The Camaro wasn't bad, especially after the new tires were broken in, but it never did achieve what the RX-8 could in the turns.
But, the rest. Oh, man.
We're talking V8, 420 HP, 415 lb-ft of torque, 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds.
It had power all through the gears. Off the line, mid-stretch, top end.
And it had a mind of its own. Forget driving 55. It couldn't drive 65, 70 or 75. Before I knew it, it would settle in at 80, no problem. Highest speed limit at the time in Oregon was 65, so I would try to inch it back down within reason. Before I knew it, however, it would take me back to 80.
My Mom got to see the Camaro a couple years after I got it. What did she call it?
Crisis II.
The Travel
I bought the Camaro when my newspaper business was still grossing in the upper six figures. A year and a half later, I shuttered the doors on the company for good. That was December 31, 2012. I probably should have traded the Camaro in for something more practical then, but at the time, the memory of the Sonata was still fresh, and I was still somewhat in denial about the business. And more than a little angry.
I wasn't ready to give up my car yet. We had money saved from the good times, I'd been paying off a bunch of other debt, I was eligible for unemployment, and so with our monthly expenses relatively low in comparison to our resources, I held onto it.
And made the most of it.
Crater Lake
We started taking longer family trips with it. In September of 2012 we went to Crater Lake, which at maximum depth is the deepest lake in the United States. It's basically a dormant volcano filled with rainwater.
It's pretty much a guaranteed postcard perfect image every time. Trouble is, because of the elevation at the rim (7,000-8,000 feet), it can be snowed in for the most of the year, making the roads getting to it impassable. Even after the temperatures warm up in late June and early July, you might have to wait a few more weeks to get up there.
The Camaro climbed the mountain road to the top, no problem. It was just like being on the flats.
That was one of the best things about it. It didn't care if it was on miles of straight, or ascending six degree upgrades. It could accelerate with ease on any of it.
Salt Lake City
The next road trip in the Camaro wasn't until we headed to Salt Lake City in October of 2013. Salt Lake City has been a frequent destination, one, because of church (the global headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is there—it's also where they hold the semi-annual General Conference, which we were attending that time around), two, because of friends, and three, because I later attended school at LDS Business College.
I made at least a half dozen round trips alone in the Camaro to the area while I was going to school, along with Conference and visiting friends after seeing our sons.
Reno/Lake Tahoe
We were home for just a little over a month after the Salt Lake trip before my wife and I were on the road again, this time to the Reno, Nevada area, and nearby Lake Tahoe. Reno is the younger, quieter sibling to Las Vegas, and we liked it a lot. Temperatures were nice in early November, and the city seemed welcoming. While essentially high desert, there was some green, too.
One of the places we stopped at was an outdoor mall that is really in Sparks. The towns are divided only by their own city limits. At this shopping complex was a place called Scheels. I've never been to any other, so I don't know how each location compares, but this place was like a large Cabela's on steroids. It's like they took the motto Go Big Or Go Home to heart.
This is what I mean.
That's an actual sized single engine plane with pontoons, hanging from the rafters. I've seen that in museums a few times, but never in a store.
Then there was what amounted to a rocky outcropping filled on all sides with life-sized wild animals.
Oh, and a fully functioning ferris wheel.
As you might imagine, there was a pro gun shop, aisles of fishing and camping gear, and more. There was also a golf simulator (where you swing the club) and a couple of lanes to bowl on.
I'm not much of an outdoorsman, but just spending a half an hour in there, I was pretty close to becoming one.
The trip over to Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City did not disappoint.
These photos were taken on the eastern side. To get to Tahoe City you need to go around the lake (no bridge across it). The way we went took us up to the highest passable elevation in the Sierra Mountain Range.
As far as I know, that's the highest elevation I've ever been at. No, the Camaro didn't care. It simply growled its approval.
Of course, we hit some snow.
We stopped for a picture in it. My wife decided to throw a snowball at me while I was taking one of her.
She's got a good arm and great accuracy. I learned I don't want to be in a snowball fight with her.
Seattle, Washington
The next long-ish trip wasn't until February of 2014.
It's supposed to be less than a four hour drive, but the closer you get to Seattle, traffic slows down and it takes forever to get anywhere. There's not a whole lot of parking once you do get there, and you have to pay for most of it (and it's not at all cheap).
We knew all of that going in. We've been there a time or two before. But it had been a while and we were interested in checking out a couple of Daiso stores that were up there. (Daiso is the name of a store in Japan. It's similar to a dollar store, only with Japanese and Asian items.) Mostly, we were just ready to go somewhere.
The one we found was super small and didn't have very much. The layout is designed to maximize as much merchandise in the smallest amount of space possible, but we didn't really find anything we wanted.
With Daiso a bust, we considered going into the Space Needle, but after seeing what it would cost to park and then go up to the top (for a ridiculously priced lunch), we ended up down at the wharf at the Public Market instead.
What I remember of that place now was there was plenty of fish and seafood on ice, along with curiosities and baked goods. We ended up eating their (still kind of steep, but still cheaper than the Space Needle).
It was a dreary day, and we didn't end up doing much, but I think I had more fun than my wife did. I got to drive the Camaro up and back.
There was this ferris wheel along the docks up from the ferry boats and bridges, so, yeah.
Portland, Oregon
Later that year, my oldest son got married. That meant a trip to Portland where the nearest LDS temple is. It's not a church, but rather a place where different types of religious ceremonies take place, like weddings.
One of the best things about having children is getting through all of the different stages of raising them to where they're becoming adults. That's when things start to come full circle, and you see them start to form their own special relationships and families. That's what I remember feeling that morning sitting in the sealing room listening to the officiator talk to them about the road ahead.
I might have shed a tear or two.
With a reception afterwards, it ended up being a pretty long day. I don't know who was more tired after—me, or the newlyweds. Somehow, we all made it through.
Jackson, Wyoming
On one of our forays to Rexburg, Idaho, on a day the others couldn't decide what to do, I got in the Camaro to take a drive. I didn't really know where I was going to begin with—I just knew I didn't want to hang around there doing nothing. So, I took off. I ended up, eventually, in Jackson, Wyoming, a little over a 2.5 hour drive (it would have been shorter, but I headed to Idaho Falls, first).
The route took me down along the Snake River, passed a place called Palisades where there's a huge body of water. I thought it was a natural lake, but it turned out to be a reservoir, and the largest I've ever seen. Not only that, but the mountains in the background were enormous, too.
I took pictures, but it was tough from where I was to get the magnitude and the majesty of it all. I discovered very quickly that at least on this side of Wyoming, everything was just on a grander scale. Something to do with the movement of ancient glaciers, apparently.
To get to Jackson the way I went, I came through some of those mountains. It's truly one of those experiences that images don't do justice to.
I really enjoyed the scenery. I was fortunate not to hit any snow or ice on the roads, though, and thankful I didn't get lost.
When I finally got to Jackson, it was kind of a let down (like Seattle, only less expensive). There was road construction happening on the main drag through town, and some of the unique restaurants I might have tried were closed. I ended up stopping at a Pizza Hut instead. I was actually pleasantly pleased with the spaghetti I had, but when I'm away from home, I much prefer eating at places I can't find there, or just anywhere.
All-in-all, it was a good drive, and I was able to cut an hour off it by taking the shorter scenic route back.
The Map
I tried to, more or less, give you an idea of the size of these trips. To get to Salt Lake or Rexburg supposedly takes 12 hours with minimal stops. Since the Camaro is not a gas sipper, I had to fill up twice each way. When I went by myself, that was no problem. I was actually able to make the journey once in about 10.5 hours. Most, however, took somewhere over 11.
Our trip to Reno was done over the course of two days, so we took our time getting there. We did the same on the way back.
The trip into West Yellowstone was yet another jaunt from Rexburg. There was such a long line to get in, it started at least a mile from the gate. I didn't want to wait, so we left and went elsewhere. Mainly, I wanted to say I'd been to Montana.
Mission accomplished.
I-84
There's basically two main roads that make the most sense for us to take when driving to either Salt Lake City or Rexburg. The one we took the most was I-84, which comes off the I-5 freeway coming out of Portland.
After leaving the greater metropolitan area, I-84 soon runs along the Columbia River, one of the largest rivers there is. That stretch of it eventually ends up in the Pacific Ocean. To me, it's absolutely gorgeous.
It can be a very windy, snowy or icy route, though, so it's good to come prepared for inclement weather.
During nicer weather, you can see the only Steamboat on the river, various tugboats and barges, all sorts of windsails, jet skis and other recreational aquatic vehicles, as well as some birds.
Multnomah Falls is right off the I-84. In fact, if you're not careful, you might wind up in its parking lot.
Leaving the gorge, the land opens up through Pendleton, where you go through a portion of the Blue Mountains. Once you come down and into the foothills (essentially Baker City), the rest of the way tends to be flatter and drier, with not much to see. After Ontario, you're into Idaho. An hour or so after that, you hit the greater Boise metropolitan area, and then, again, you're into nothing.
Thankfully, it's legal to travel 80 mph.
Or thereabouts.
I have to admit, though, that whole jaunt through southern Idaho has some of the newest, nicest and cleanest rest areas I've ever seen. You actually want to stop at one of them.
I-20
The lesser taken route, which could be faster since its shorter but the speed limit is 55 mph for nearly all of it before reaching Ontario, eventually meets up with the I-84.
In this case, you start with the Cascade Mountains first out of Sweet Home and then eventually come down from them into Sisters, Bend, then Burns. Bend is the largest city along this route. After that, the towns can be no larger than a store, or if you're lucky one with a gas station. There are some straight stretches where it's safer to exceed 55 (if the road isn't covered with ice), but the corners can be hairpin in some areas.
I came around one of them once going way too fast in the Camaro and almost ended up in the river. I was very fortunate that day, out in the middle of nowhere, with cars passing maybe every twenty minutes, that I didn't.
The most scenic parts, for me, are on the west end of it, thanks to the mountains, trees, lakes and rivers. After that, it's basically high desert.
Don't Try This At Home
One of the trips up or back, I don't remember which, I got bored and decided to take a route I hadn't been before. After a while you get tired of seeing the same old thing over and over again. Especially, when there's nothing to see.
Well, there's something to be said for boring. It's often safer.
Another image where it doesn't do it justice, but this one lane road (if that), was literally carved out of the mountainside. I have no idea what the drop off was, but terminal velocity and sure death come to mind. Spectacular view, though, if you like brown and flat.
This was somewhere either in south eastern Oregon or north central Nevada, in the longest bit of lonely road I've ever been on.
The Camaro loved it, even if I didn't.
The End Of An Era
There were other trips, many of them closer to home, including jaunts to the Oregon Coast.
They all took place between the summer of 2011 and late November, 2015.
From January, 2015 through April, 2016 was when I started running back and forth from college. I took advantage of any long break I could to be with my wife, who stayed behind working while I tried to get an AAS in Social Media Marketing. I missed her dearly during those weeks I was away.
Eventually, the cost of driving the Camaro got to be a bit much. I finally surrendered to the fact, after four-plus years of fun, that I was doing more and more of this:
Those images were taken when Unleaded Supreme was actually cheaper. It went up from there.
In addition, I needed new tires, new brakes, new windshield (a semi threw up a rock and chipped it, which subsequently grew into a six inch long crack), and I was putting a lot of miles on it—Over 800 miles one way.
Over Thanksgiving break, 2015, I traded it in for a 2015 Nissan Altima, which gets 35 mpg to the gallon (the best on the freeway I got in the Camaro was 20), and with no monthly payments.
The Altima is better than the Sonata was and I could make the trip to Salt Lake stopping once for gas.
I really, really, really liked the Camaro, but I've been at peace with moving on. My mother might say my mid-life crisis was finally over.
The Photography
After all, thanks to these obsolete bits of technology—an iPad 2 (2011) and an iPhone 4s (2013)—
—along with these long in the tooth DSLR camera and lenses (Olympus E-3, Zuiko and Sigma zooms)—
—I was able to capture the above images of our travels in the Camaro (when I actually remembered to use them).
While I'm not a professional (maybe one day), I enjoy taking images, especially when the subject matter is unique to me. Thanks to the digital age, I've been able to preserve them all these years on the devices as well as accumulating them in the cloud.
And Now, On HIVE
My understanding is, once I post this, it's on the blockchain forever. I've heard that enough to start to believe it. I'm not sure what's supposed to happen if there's an EMP, or the witnesses all decide to stop running their servers. I could get a copy of the blockchain and run my own, I guess.
Still, I'm very glad that HIVE exists. It gives me a place, among many other things, to preserve my images, my writings, my experiences, my creations, etc.
A place to put me, if you will.
May HIVE live on long after I'm gone, so future generations can read about the life and times of their great-great-great-great-great grandpa Glen.
Or whatever nickname they come up with to call me.
Finally, The More
I wonder, after writing all of this, what you think I enjoyed the most? The Camaro? The traveling? The photography? Preserving it on HIVE?
Truth to tell, I'm grateful for all of it. Without the car I don't know if I would have been up to all the traveling we did. Without the traveling, there wouldn't be so many images (there's plenty more). This post would be all text without the images. Sometimes that's not a bad thing, but I think in this case, they help tell the stories. And without HIVE, no incentive to put this online.
However, I think what I enjoy above all of any of that is simply having had the experiences themselves. The thrill of discovery. Feeling like I was the first to see the lake, the mountain, the valley—whatever it was—even if thousands have come before and will come after me.
That's because the experiences will always be first for me.
The fact that I could share those experiences with my wife and family is even more near and dear to me. I don't know how to express through words or pictures what that means to me. I can only hope you've had similar experiences that will conjure up your own emotions.
In the end, it's the memories and the associated feelings and sensations that I cherish most. Cars come and go. After a while, traveling becomes a chore. Digital images can't fade, but they can be deleted, or becoming otherwise unavailable. A blockchain might be immutable, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's readily accessible.
I know. Memories and emotions can get jumbled, too. It's not quite been nine years since I bought the Camaro, yet my recollections of all of it is dimming. I just have to try to keep as mentally sharp as I can, keep putting more of me on HIVE, and trust that some things I'll never forget.
Like meeting this little guy on my way off Antelope Island.
We were both heading in the same direction. I think I scared him. Or the Camaro did. I took this picture a second before he took off down the embankment. Not much down there, especially to eat. Eventually, you get to the water's edge of the Great Salt Lake. I hope he found his way back up.
Something tells me, though, he'd done it before. I hope he didn't use me as an excuse when his parents found out.
No Bison have shown up at the doorstep, so I think that's good a sign I'm in the clear.
For now...
All images courtesy of Glen Anthony Albrethsen
Dude, this is three posts in one! Lol.
I wrote a post recently about a car I miss...My Ford Ranger pick up...Second on my list behind my 1982 Ford F100...I said the same thing...It's not just the car, but the memories associated with it that I really miss.
Hey, @galenkp.
Yeah. I've tried two or three episodic posts before and they didn't really work out. We'll see how this goes, I guess.
re: Ford Ranger
I'm pretty sure I read that one. Or was that a Range Rover? Too many Range(r)s. :)
Yeah. I see the newest Camaros on the road, but it doesn't feel the same. There's a couple of other cars I've seen (out of my price range) I'd love to try, though.
In my mind, that's the actual reason for the car, or whatever, in the first place. The memories you make and who you get to make them with. Then, the ability to share them and in doing so, hopefully they live on, with or without you.
All good...I'm not one for brevity usually so I shouldn't whine. Lol.
I was talking with another user about cars this morning and how tech-loaded they are, which I don't actually like. Give me a 60's-80's pick up truck with disc brakes, good AC and decent sound system and I'm on it like a fat kid on cake! Still, those trucks are so bloody costly these days huh?
It's all about the memories, where that truck takes me, who I'm with, the experiences with that truck are more important than the truck. (Or car) Like you say, vehicles come and go but the memories last in us, and those that come after us.
Definitely a few advantages to owning and older truck if you can find one. Especially before any kind of computerization, or even fuel injection, if it's controlled by a chip. EMPs are way too popular an idea for modern day destruction for some terrorist group or over achieving nation state not to try.
I almost did get one once (I think it was a chevy pickup from somewhere in the 60s), but the brakes needed work and it steered like a brick. I was told that those were all easy fixes. I'm a car enthusiast. Unfortunately, that doesn't make me a mechanic! So, I didn't get it. My dad, who was a mechanic, probably would have helped me fix it, and I guess I could have towed it home...
I think you can still find some around. It just depends on how much work's been put into them and then how eager the restorer is to sell it. Just like with most things, it's buyer beware.
There's nothing wrong with a bit of tech, but I think things are getting out of control. I guess that's a result of a person's car becoming an indication of their status as it seems (judging by the commercials) that a person's self-esteem is directly linked to their vehicle, and other purchased things.
It amazes me that a manufacturer can have AppleCarPlay as standard but can't put in a standard-equipment crash camera. Some of the stuff they put in are ok but most, in my opinion are a waste of money.
Old trucks appeal to me as they look good and are generally easy to work on...(Large engine bays and less electronics) although they come with issues of their own I suppose.
I'll admit that my days of being free and easy with what vehicles I own are probably gone as I need to think about different factors now than say, 25 years ago. Still, I have hopes of picking up a decent 60's pick up someday, something I can cruise around in and impress the other dudes at the old folks home with. Lol.
I kind of like the idea of tech in the car, but I don't think it's there yet, really. If and when they finally mandate self-driving cars, they better also turn the windshield into a view screen so I can watch whatever while I'm being electronically chauffeured. :)
I looked up some on a website and they had some 60s pickups in the $15,000 USD range. Didn't check to see where they were, but I imagine one of the expenses for you would be having it shipped from wherever it is if for some reason you can't find something in Australia. It's a big enough country, though. I would think there would be some older pickups running around somewhere. :)
I hate the idea of a self-driving car...I'm a car guy and like to drive. Having that taken away from me is one of my worst nightmares. Rolling around on a pre-determined path and speed like all the other cardboard people...Nightmare. I'm glad I'll be dead when the world finally goes full-retard in the future.
$15,000USD is $23000AUD. Then add shipping, some $15,000 and conversion to RHD *$15,000 or so...Makes no sense. I know people who import cars so it's something I could do quite easily but it's the cost of it that prevents me from doing so. $50,000AUD goes a long way towards other things and it's not like I don't have vehicles already.
There's loads of pick ups getting around here and when I buy something it will be local, probably when all those people go bust due to the flu and have to dispose of their toys for cheap. A nice restomod 60's pick up will be great.
You might find this interesting https://www.carsales.com.au/ (A car sales site for Australia. It'll give you an idea of what is around.) We can buy brand new pick ups here, Dodge, Ram and Chevrolet...They aren't cheap though. My Toyota Landcruiser 200 series cost me $100,000, a decent (new) pick up is that and more.
Fingers crossed that when i can buy something, I can find the right thing.
Holy cow. $100,000. Okay, now I can see what you're saying. I figured as much about the importing of the vehicle from here. I didn't know the exchange rate, which doesn't sound so favorable.
I also figured you'd have some used trucks to choose from. Only made sense. Do you have any of your own car makers? If so, how do they compare to American, German or Japanese made vehicles?
I'm not at all thrilled about the prospects of having a computer drive me around either. I find the whole idea less safe than if I drove myself. That and the fact I love to drive, too, does make it, as you say, a total and complete nightmare.
Yeah, most don't understand how it all works here as far as vehicle cost so I thought I'd demonstrate.
We had Holden and Ford. Holden owned by patent company GM. Both closed now though, a couple years ago. I worked as a manager at the Holden plant for 14 years actually. Holden used to export to the US too...The Caprice and for cop cars also. I have no idea what they were called there...Lumina maybe. Badged Chevrolet.
Our vehicles were of a high standard. Google Holden and HSV and that will give you more of an idea.
Hey, @ocd.
Here's proof of the posh.
Wow.this is a loaded post. Now I sometimes wonder how this life will be without this hive and I think some people also will think that way
Hey, @rockor.
It's amazing how many memories I have of traveling around in that car. I had more material, but I decided to cut a good chunk of it.
I hope people think that way. HIVE can become a storage space for just about anything. In my mind, the more worthwhile it is, the better. Storing people's experiences would be such a thing. :)
I used to own an RX7 and I know what you mean when you say it sticks to the road. Loved that light little car. But always worried the motor would blow up. I don't have it anymore and my new sportscar weighs at least a thousand pounds more and it's very noticable in the corners.
Hey, @solominer.
It's really too bad that they don't make either the 7 or the 8 anymore. I didn't know this at the time, but I guess the 8s at least have a bad rep as far as reliability and gas mileage go. I imagine the rotary engine would be relatively expensive to fix if it went out, simply because no one else does rotary engines, at least in the U.S.
All that said, though, very fun car. I managed to keep a Porsche from passing us on Hwy 20 heading to Bend through the mountains because the road winds just enough with blind corners, and because I was able to go faster through the turns than it could (wanted to, not sure which). That lasted for at least 30 minutes. Then we came out of the trees on the downhill, straightaway for miles and the porsche blew the doors off of us. Never saw it again. :)
Theres something to be said about mid engine cars but front engine cars are quite nimble too like the RX 7 and 8.
Wow, thanks for the large glimpse into your life.
That's the one thing you listed that will not be preserved on the chain.
Not sure if I ever knew you were LDS (thinking not as it surprised me). I'm not one myself, but the few I've interacted with always impressed me with their levelheadedness and critical thinking skills. I used to study a little online with a couple LDS years ago when I was researching various religions.
Your love of cars reminds me of my dads. I like cars, and had a couple fast ones when younger but either common sense or my dad scaring the crap out of me as a kid I'm not much of one for extreme fast driving speeds. If I was ever being chased it would resemble OJ Simpson in the SUV, lol.
Beautiful pictures. I've a bunch from when I was younger. My mom took pictures of everything. I don't have many from recent years though. It always felt like they belonged to another person, to pleasant times that would never return. It kind of sucks as most don't seem to view pictures that way, but it does help making the most of my time now sometimes.
Just curious, but did your wife ever grow frustrated with your love of cars? To say my mom was exasperated at times would be an understatement, lol.
re: preserved
Well, okay. I guess it's a good thing I have them stored locally then, and keep upgrading storage devices every five years or so. I'm probably about due for another. :)
re: LDS
It seems like I mentioned that in a post way back when and we had a similar conversation, but who knows. It all blurs at this point. :)
I'd like to think we're all levelheaded and critical thinkers, but sadly, I don't think that's true. We really ought to be, though. The gospel eventually needs to make sense via the spirit, the heart and the head.
re: speed
I'm afraid I do have some of the need, the need for speed. However, I'm not the kind that goes weaving recklessly in and out of traffic when there's very little window to do it in. Some people are just totally obnoxious. And then they get stalled further up because there's nowhere to go, or they're the one the police pull over.
re: pictures
Well, thanks. I'm surprised how well they've turned out given, the tech is at least 8 years old. Even the phone I have now is nearly five years old. We'll probably end up upgrading soon, though, just because the ones we have now, the 6s and 6s plus, will be on the verge of obsolescence in a year or so. They've got some decent deals on newer phones and plans, so I'm looking to make a switch.
I would like to upgrade the olympus equipment, too. Maybe to a nice Nikon, but that would mean all new lenses, too. That only gets more expensive for use that currently amounts to a moderately expensive hobby for potential undetermined future returns. :)
re: wife
I think she's okay with my liking cars. I'm not a gearhead by any means. My dad's the mechanic. I spent my afternoons and weekends writing, reading and drawing when I wasn't outside mostly playing by myself. Yeah, I was that kid for most of middle school and all of high school. Literally lived on the wrong side of the tracks. Everyone else lived on the other side. :)
She does get way too frustrated with my driving, though. She doesn't like speed, unless it's on a rollercoaster, or in an airliner. That she's fine with. :)
Thanks for inviting us into a part of your life, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire blog. Some of the pictures are breathtaking. Your wife does look to have a good arm. The snowball looks as though it is headed directly to the lens. You don't want to ever get her too mad, because, with that arm, a pot to the head at 90 mph may hurt just a little.
With all of the tech stuff that is found in all cars these days, there is barely any room for your hands if a repair is needed. We just needed to have a new radiator installed in our car. in the past, installing a radiator would take an hour or so. The front end of our car had to be removed in pieces in order to even get at the thing. The labor time I was quoted was 7hrs. now, that's 7hrs x 125/hour = $875 and that was without any parts. Give me my old Chevy Impala, you could almost sit alongside the engine and close the hood.
I hope all is well for you and your loved ones!
Hey, @thebigsweed.
There is a reason why they say they don't make them like they used to. The more complicated they get, the more expensive it is to fix. Of course, one could conclude that things are exactly the way they want them—dealers get more money because DIYers get less and less able to do it themselves.
My Dad was a mechanic for most of when I was growing up, and while they did have the diagnostic machine and such, I don't remember him ever saying he had to take apart the engine compartment just to get to the parts on and around the engine bay. Just dumb, and any more, they create more points of failure.
We had a chevy impala once. Big old thing from the early 70s. Broke an axle on the way home from church one Sunday morning. That's about all I remember of it. :)
We're doing pretty well here. The feds keep throwing money at us, so I guess we're supposed to be happy and grateful we're not working while they keep us under lock and key.
I haven't really been staying home just because, though. And we are looking to get our garden going here in a couple weeks.
How about you? Sounds like you've been having some visitors lately. Sorry to hear about the STEEM voting for witnesses debacle. I didn't even think about how some might actually accidentally vote for the "wrong" ones when there was such a push and hurry to do it.
I pretty much ignored the call myself. The crisis was in part the fault of those who were demanding the call to action, whether they ever want to admit that or not. I hope there will be a satisfactory resolution at some point. Let me know how I can help with that. I'm sure there will be others willing to vouch for you, too. :)
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