Yes, my dear hubby and I have made the switch. We are now a one care family (well couple). He sold his beautiful Lexus and now we are relegated to my 2001 gold Nissan Sentra (snazzy). We call her Rum Toddy.
Why, you might ask, did we elect to do such an egregious thing as lose a Lexus and keep a Sentra? Well, we are pragmatists. And, we are savers. The Sentra simply made the most financial sense. (As tragic as it was seeing the Lexus -- which we affectionately called Pearlescence-- go). Sigh.
It was not my idea, it was my husbands actually. Over thanksgiving break he read a book of mine called "How to Live Well Without Owning a Car". It is a great book. Financially very convincing. So convincing in fact that we decided to make a go of it. Well, we decided to have only one car for the two of us.
The key to not owning a car is that you have to be able to reliably get to work without a car. Everything else can be figured out. And, by NOT having a car, you have more money to do exactly that and in fact live a better/ higher standard of living and happiness as a result. A compelling argument to say the least.
Well, the hubby has only to walk about 200 yards to his office everyday so there you go. We meet the essential criteria for NOT owning a car. But, the effect has been interesting. For one, we have already become better planners, and that is a very good thing for me. We talk about how we can both get places we need or want to go. Often there is compromise and on his part because I will have the car at work all day on some days, but the benefits exist and have been wonderful. My favorite benefit is that we get to talk to each other more. We get be in each others presence as we carpool in one direction or the other. It is actually really swell. Car time can be processing time, play time, and quiet time listening time. We don't ever hold "deep" conversations or try to address conflicts in the car, it is just time to let ideas come and go. We get to share with each other in a relaxed way, safe from other household disruptions and distractions.
Our car talks are a form of enjoyable decompressing. We get to plan our next meal together or make plans for the rest of the day or evening. We get to be close to each other and breath a little. We notice things like hawks flying overhead, funny cars, crazy antics of other drivers. It becomes processing time and bonding time.
The financial benefits of course will be felt more long term, but for now I am really enjoying it. Of course I am the one who has the car the most. Sure I should probably do more of the driving, but he often offers because he isn't driving his car all day long! So far, I am very happy and will keep you posted as we venture forth one car at a time.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
If I were a poem. . .
If I were a poem I would probably not rhyme
not even slant
because its just too much work to give up the right word just so the sound can rebound
But I might have a groove, a rhythm of sorts.
Long short long,
short short short long,
long, long, long
Whatever it would be, it would most definitely be awesome.
If I were a picture, I would probably be in color.
Frustrating for me because
My most favorite pictures are in black and white.
This would bum me out because I would never be able to live up to my own black and white standards
Still, I might be a landscape, with tall trees
Or I might be a portrait of a girl on a swing.
it's hard to tell. . .
If I were a film, I would 100% be a short.
Even though I am tall, I know for sure that I would be a short
Maybe as short as 3 minutes.
20 at the max
I would be filmed in long steady shots, maybe even one shot. One long image developing its way across the screen and into the hearts of the audience.
People might marvel at my beauty, but the key to me would be the poignancy of it all. Some might call it elitist, erudite or pretentious. But,
It would undoubtedly be powerful and people would notice.
If I were a postcard, I would be sent from Australia,
Not that I've been to Australia, but the dry earth and clear sky would mimic my fair, sensitive skin next to my blue-grey eyes
Plus, it seems like a jovial place, and I like being jovial.
Also, I love space and from what I have been told, there is a lot of it there.
I would read G'Day and include an image of a rocky land formation
I would be sent overseas, to Spain or Germany
If I were a dance, I would mostly likely be an unpredictably eclectic blend of Modern and Jazz
People wouldn't know what to call me.
So they wouldn't, and instead they would describe me as charming and fun.
Or they might say they liked the humor (aka complete ridiculousness of the whole work) and the costumes.
I would wear sneakers or go barefoot unless the floor had splinters.
However, if at all possible, I would spend a good portion on the floor
rolling about in ways that were essentially meaningless and largely uninteresting to watch but were fun to do.
People would sit through these patiently, waiting for me to get on with the theatrical, funny stuff.
I would take my time rolling but feel guilty about it the whole time
If I were a short story, I would have only 4 characters, a girl, a boy, an old man and a dog.
The dog would go with the boy.
Most likely.
Or the girl, if she had short curly hair and went by Jo
If I were a house, I would be two stories, and spend all my time upstairs where the warm air collects on cooler evenings.
I would have a garden, but feel sad when the alternately hot summers and cold winters burned the edges of the plants.
I would beg for new paint, but miss the paint chips that had collected at the corners
and the relocated family of Opossum that have been living below me happily for three seasons. They are a sweet bunch, quiet and nurturing to each other.
If I were a piece of furniture, I would not be a couch, nor an ottoman, nor a rug, nor table, nor lamp, nor coffee table. I would have to be a outside rocking chair because I love the flow of going back and forth and back and forth until I fall into the mists of dreams and memories, or fantasies of my life.
not even slant
because its just too much work to give up the right word just so the sound can rebound
But I might have a groove, a rhythm of sorts.
Long short long,
short short short long,
long, long, long
Whatever it would be, it would most definitely be awesome.
If I were a picture, I would probably be in color.
Frustrating for me because
My most favorite pictures are in black and white.
This would bum me out because I would never be able to live up to my own black and white standards
Still, I might be a landscape, with tall trees
Or I might be a portrait of a girl on a swing.
it's hard to tell. . .
If I were a film, I would 100% be a short.
Even though I am tall, I know for sure that I would be a short
Maybe as short as 3 minutes.
20 at the max
I would be filmed in long steady shots, maybe even one shot. One long image developing its way across the screen and into the hearts of the audience.
People might marvel at my beauty, but the key to me would be the poignancy of it all. Some might call it elitist, erudite or pretentious. But,
It would undoubtedly be powerful and people would notice.
If I were a postcard, I would be sent from Australia,
Not that I've been to Australia, but the dry earth and clear sky would mimic my fair, sensitive skin next to my blue-grey eyes
Plus, it seems like a jovial place, and I like being jovial.
Also, I love space and from what I have been told, there is a lot of it there.
I would read G'Day and include an image of a rocky land formation
I would be sent overseas, to Spain or Germany
If I were a dance, I would mostly likely be an unpredictably eclectic blend of Modern and Jazz
People wouldn't know what to call me.
So they wouldn't, and instead they would describe me as charming and fun.
Or they might say they liked the humor (aka complete ridiculousness of the whole work) and the costumes.
I would wear sneakers or go barefoot unless the floor had splinters.
However, if at all possible, I would spend a good portion on the floor
rolling about in ways that were essentially meaningless and largely uninteresting to watch but were fun to do.
People would sit through these patiently, waiting for me to get on with the theatrical, funny stuff.
I would take my time rolling but feel guilty about it the whole time
If I were a short story, I would have only 4 characters, a girl, a boy, an old man and a dog.
The dog would go with the boy.
Most likely.
Or the girl, if she had short curly hair and went by Jo
If I were a house, I would be two stories, and spend all my time upstairs where the warm air collects on cooler evenings.
I would have a garden, but feel sad when the alternately hot summers and cold winters burned the edges of the plants.
I would beg for new paint, but miss the paint chips that had collected at the corners
and the relocated family of Opossum that have been living below me happily for three seasons. They are a sweet bunch, quiet and nurturing to each other.
If I were a piece of furniture, I would not be a couch, nor an ottoman, nor a rug, nor table, nor lamp, nor coffee table. I would have to be a outside rocking chair because I love the flow of going back and forth and back and forth until I fall into the mists of dreams and memories, or fantasies of my life.
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