If I had a buck for every time someone asked me that the past 24 hours, I could pay for the tow truck tomorrow. I don’t often have mechanical issues, but when I do, they seem to come hard and fast. I’ve been fortunate in that for my driving career (about 25 years) I’ve had relatively reliable transportation. I was raised as an independent, only child, out in the country, and have always relied on myself to get from place to place or to do what needs to be done. I suppose most of us think of ourselves that way, until something happens that forces us to come to a screeching halt. A serious illness, care-taking of a parent or spouse or child, a brush with death, or a vehicle breaking down seems to make us pause and take stock of what we have, what we might be grateful for in our lives, even if it is just the brain matter to figure out how to call a tow truck.
This isn’t the first time I’ve had vehicle issues, and it probably won’t be the last. Not that I’m pessimistic, but I know a bit about statistics, and I also have experience that dictates as long as I deal with machines, they will break down. I have yet to ever run out of gas, though I’ve come close a time or two, but have managed to coast to a service station. I offer thanks every time I arrive somewhere safely, even if it is just getting to work without incident (and the weather in Phoenix the past week has put that to the test). On road trips, I do my due diligence in getting the oil changed, the tires checked, and having a mechanic do a once over, just to ensure that everything is as it should be. Breaking down in a city the size of Phoenix is one thing, but in the middle of the desert off I-10 in July, is something different entirely. And I have the experience of both.
I’ve had to set my independence aside and actually ask others for help. I borrowed a friend’s car to run a couple of errands. I’m getting a lift from the mechanic’s joint to school, and then hoping I can finagle a ride back to the repair shop in the afternoon. It is only a mile from my home, so worst case scenario, if they have to keep my truck, I get to walk home tomorrow night. This makes me think of the elderly, and their fight to keep their driving privileges which is directly linked to their independence. (And in the back of my mind I’m wondering how much it costs for assisted living complexes, and if, when the time comes, I’ll be able to move myself there.) A friend asked why I have to go to work, as I sometimes take days to get other things accomplished. My answer was that I had not planned this (yes, I’m a bit of a control person I suppose), I have no lesson plans, and I have a full day with all kinds of things to get done at school. Will all that stuff be there on Tuesday? Absolutely. Will the world stop if I don’t show up? No. Then why the desire to scramble for a ride, to arrange a tow truck, and the hope that I can get a lift after school? I go back to my yoga training.
We all know unequivocably that as we design our lives to chug along smoothly, Life, the Universe, God, whatever, tosses in a monkey wrench to teach us a lesson or to see if we’re paying attention. By removing that which I depend upon to keep my life running nearly wrinkle-free, I have the option of sitting up and taking notice, or whining about my poor luck. I, of course, choose the first. In yoga, we’re taught that ‘everything is as it should be’. I, being a diligent yoga student, and human being, have the choice of realizing that this is occurring and responding in kind, or pegging a ten on the freak-out meter. In other words, this is the situation, and I can deal with it to the best of my ability, or I can make matters a lot worse by wallowing in pity and fretting about how to handle the fact that my truck isn’t safe to drive, every place is closed on Sunday, and how am I going to get to work tomorrow. Instead, I’ve decided that I’m going to have my truck towed so I know it, and I, will arrive safely at the auto repair place. I could rent a car for the day, but have found someone who is available to pick me up and deliver me to work. I even have a prospect or two for getting me back to the repair shop after work. Could I make a big deal over this? Without question. And if I hadn’t completed the yoga program, I might be more inclined to do just that.
So, what does any of this have to do with writing? A lot. I’ve posted before that we write from where we are. Hence, the topic of this post. I don’t, but will look into getting AAA coverage this week. In the car on the way home as my friend dropped me off this afternoon, we talked about times when our vehicles left us stranded. In my earlier years, I did quite a bit of traveling. It was not unheard of for me to pack up at a moment’s notice and head to Lake Havasu, Huntington Beach, Rocky Point, and at one time, Wisconsin after seeing a friend in Arkansas. But with age comes responsibility (at least in my life) and it takes a little more to get me out-of-town. It was in some of those travels across the country that I was retelling to my friend today. The time my alternator went out and I was towed to Gila Bend and a semi truck graveyard. Then there was the drive to Tucson for a conference, and the timing belt broke. Coming back from a trip, I was visiting the Four Corners and the Reservation, and blew a tire right when I got on I-40. A trucker stopped to help, and I limped back to Holbrook. The mind wonders when pulling into a rest stop after dark and only one car in the parking lot, or choking on a Whopper while driving down the highway, or passing a truck and trailer on a dark road near midnight in New Mexico, believing that I should have gotten into a head-on collision with the car in the other lane, but somehow managed to survive. For the most part, I look back on these incidents and don’t think much of them. At the time, I was calm and collected, usually, as I was driving by myself so there was no one with which to ‘create an elaborate story’. It just happened, and I responded in kind.
When was the last time you were stranded by a vehicle? A breakdown on a country road, in a snow storm, trying to cross a flooded river, a dead battery late at night and no one is left in the parking lot? What happened? Who was there? What did you do? What went through your mind? How did it turn out? Recollect the details, the feelings, the thoughts. Our lives and experiences offer incredible fodder for our pen. I did a short story as an assignment for a class about the incident of the blown tire. My teacher particularly liked: “Tires. Rims. Cheap.” Perhaps I’ll find it and post it on my web site, along with the other stories, poems, and excerpts from my novels. www.myjoyenterprises.com
Awesome article! I look forward to reading more upcoming blog posts from you. I just picked up a set of Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 snow tires myself, and so far theyve been great in the recent snowstorm that we just had.Bridgestone has come a long way over the years, and Id say the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25‘s are some of the best snow tires that Ive driven on.
Hope you find future posts as interesting, as I never know for sure what’s going to come out!!
Hey we was just browsing your post on my iPhone and I was wondering how good it will work on the new ipad coming out . Fleeting thought…. Anyway thanks!
Thanks for sharing this helpful info!
Thanks for an idea, you sparked at thought from a perspective I hadn’t given thoguht to yet. Now lets see if I can do something with it.
Thanks for an idea, you sparked at thought from a concept I hadn’t given thoguht to before . Now lets see if I can do something with it.
Let me know if you do!!
Thats some great basics there, already know some of that, but you can always learn more. I doubt a “kid” could put together such information as dolphin278 suggested. Maybe he’s just attempting to be “controversial? lol
I couldn’t resist commenting. 🙂
¡Gran poste! Gracias por tardar la época de escribir algo que está realmente digno de la lectura. Encuentro demasiado a menudo el Info inútil y no algo que es realmente relevante. Gracias por su trabajo duro.
The English translation:
Great post!
Thank you for extending the age of writing something that is truly dignifiying to the act of reading. Too much, and too often, I find non-useful information and nothing truly relevant. Thank you for your hard work.
My reply:
Thank you for your recognition of said “hard work”. For me, it is truly a labor of love. My intention is to contiue to provide relevant and useful information, even if it only comes in the form of my opinions.
Thanks for sharing. Share is caring after all.
Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing. -Harriet Braiker
Well said.
I am having difficulty looking at your web blog within Chrome, it continues to showing up flaws.
First I’ve heard of this. Probably something within word press.
Your posts are wonderful, keep it up.
Thanks! Makes my day that someone gets something from the words I leave in cyberspace.
RSS feed is not very functioning in safari, Kindly make it better.
I would, if I were tech-savvy enough to figure out how to do it. Might be more of a word press issue . . .
Rss will never be working in chrome, Kindly remedy it.
This header is strange operating in Chrome, mate.
Hey, I recently started reading your blog – thank you for the good work. Just wanted to let you know that it’s not showing up properly on the BlackBerry Browser (I have a Tour). Either way, I’m now subscribed to the RSS feed on my PC, so thanks!
You’re welcome! Grateful that there is something in my words that has value to you. Yeah, I’ve heard that sometimes people have trouble viewing this blog through Chrome. I’ll add Blackberry to the list. I’m looking into what I can do to fix it, but I’m thinking it might be a word press issue.
Interesting article. Were did you got all the information from?
Thank you! All of my information comes from my experiences and whatever my muse tosses up for me to look at.
I really enjoyed reading this. I think I will that a look through your other posts!
Thanks! By all means, leave a comment if one of my other posts strikes something in you.
Your blog provides a fresh look at the subject. Great job mate!
Thanks for leaving a comment 🙂 My “fresh look” just comes from allowing my creativity free rein.
I always visit your blog and retrieve everything you post here but I never commented but today when I saw this post, I couldn’t stop myself from commenting here. Fantastic article mate!
Great! Thanks! So glad that I offered you something of value, and I’m grateful for your comment.
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This is an epic post, maybe I should add add this blog to my blogroll? 🙂
Glad you liked it. If you nose around a bit, you may find something else that I’ve written that speaks to you.
Thanks so much for this information … I’m already doing some of these suggestions but there are many others that are new to me.
You are welcome! Let me know how the new stuff works for you 🙂
I suppose it depends on how you look at it. There’s usually another way.
Every experience in life is based on perspective. I agree, there is always another way. But sometimes, we don’t see it until way after the event.
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Thanks for the positive feedback, and the repeat “business”!!
I can appreciate someone leaving a post on my blog to get a link or something but what gets to me the most is when what they say has absolutely nothing to do with my blog or the article they are posting on. At least challenge me to figure out if it is spam or not. Akismet does get rid of a lot of them though. I used to get at least 8-10 spam posts a day to the blogs I manage and now maybe one will slip through the cracks and that is one a week if that. Save yourself some time and hassle by using it. I guess my main question is… does it really help the google rankings? It is so unfair if it is where I am adding content to climb up rankings and some guy is spamming everyone to get ahead of me
Amen.
Great site, figured out a few new things! Subscribed RSS for later, hope to see more updates like this one.
Thank you 🙂 I hope that my upcoming posts continue to offer something of value for you.
The most comprehensive and very well thought out write up I have found on this subject on the net. Keep on writing, I will keep on coming by to read your new content. This is my fourth time coming by your blog.
Thanks! I hope I keep offering something worthwhile.
Keep working ,great job!
Thanks!
As a Newbie, I am always searching online for articles that can help me get further ahead.
Hope you can find that within the words I’ve written.
Thanks for posting this, It’s just what I had been browsing on bing. I’d much rather hear opinions from an individual, rather than a corporate site, that’s why I like blogs so much. Thank you!
I know this is really boring and you are skipping to the next comment, but I just wanted to throw you a big thanks, you cleared up some things for me!
Glad to help! And really, I do read all the comments.
Very informative post. Thanks for taking the time to share your view with us.
Glad you got something out of it.
You are professional.
thanks
I wanted to say that it’s great to know that somebody else also pointed out this as I had trouble finding the same information elsewhere. This was the first place that told me the answer. Thanks a lot. With regards, Juanita.
Glad I was able to answer your question.
hi do you have any other info like this one? im doing a study for my university and I need some links to insert on our college page. Would it be alright if we point to this website from the school site for reference purposes?
All of the information that I blog about comes from my own heart and brain. Feel free to link to my blog, this post or any others.
Love your site man keep up the good work
Many thanks! Feel free to spread the word.
I completely agree and I just wanted to say that I really like your blog. Is it WordPress based?
Thanks! Yes, I use wordpress.com.
Your blog provides a fresh look at the subject. Great job mate!
Very informative post. Thanks for taking the time to share your view with us.
I’m glad you liked it. It’s interesting to me that so many people find this particular post has so many ‘views’ that they agree with!
I’ve been visiting your blog for a while now and I always find a gem in your new posts. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the feedback. I’m delighted that your digging in my posts have turned up a few keepers!
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By all means, pass it along!
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Thank you.
And this is one of the way i can agree too. But In other way that’s truely hard to take chance for it, if you now what i mean. Regards
Thanks.
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You are welcome. Thanks for reading.
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Thanks 🙂
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You’re welcome. Thanks for reading.
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Yeah! I hope you find other posts that are as interesting.
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Thanks for the feedback.
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Thanks! Check it out for your own vehicle or room or office.
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I’m a believer in the term “think globally, but act locally”. And I think it depends on what type of expansion you’re talking about. Dominating or assisting?
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You have my permission to translate it into French, just include my name and website, please. Thanks.
I’ve been visiting your blog for a while now and I always find a gem in your new posts. Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad to provide some value for you. Thanks for the feedback.
I really enjoyed reading this. I think I will that a look through your other posts!
By all means, let me know if you find any of my other posts as enjoyable.
Keep working ,great job!
Thanks for leaving a comment!
Nice post. Thanks for sharing. Keep it up!
Thank you for the positive feedback. Glad to offer something of value.
I find myself coming to your blog more and more often to the point where my visits are almost daily now!
Many thanks!! Good to know I have so much stuff out there worth reading.
Very informative post. Thanks for taking the time to share your view with us.
Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Thanks! It will tremendously help a newbie like me.
You’re welcome. Thanks for the positive comment.
Aw, this was a basically top high quality article. In theory I???¨º?¨¨d choose to write like this also ??¡§?C taking time and genuine work to generate a quality content?- but what can I say?- I procrastinate alot and never seem to have anything performed.
Thank you for your positive feedback. Yes, I write like this all the time. You should see my emails and texts to friends! My suggestion: instead of procrastination, put down the words. There is no right or wrong in creativity. If you let it, once the words come, you’ll be scrambling to get them down. Happy writing!
Hope your RSS feed is working as you have gained a subscriber. Is it an atom1.0 or 2.0? I am still unfamiliar with these things!!!
Yeah!! I, too, hope it is working. Not sure if it is 1.0 or 2.0. Guess I need to brush up on my technology, as soon as I take a break from my writing.
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Thank you for your kind words. I hope I continue to offer something of value to you.
As I see your thread, I remembered a proverb：behind an able man there are always other able men. I totally take the floor master’s point and express my respect for you!
Thank you, respectfully 🙂
Good, Thanks for taking the time to put in writing this article, Great articles as usual. Been reading different of your posts whereas at work 🙂
Thanks for the feedback. I hope you have found other ideas and thoughts that I’ve offered, as useful.
Did you enable pingbacks on your blog? This can really increase your ranking(backlinks) and also traffic, other people will read your stuff which has been recommended on other blogs, think about it 🙂 I believe it is only working for wordpress but I am not sure.
I remember reading about pingbacks. I’ll have to look into it. Thanks!
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Thank you for your response!
Thanks for this useful article.
You’re welcome. Thanks for leaving a comment.
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Thank you for your kind words. If I post more regularly, it might move me up the ladder a bit! Thanks for marking me in your favorites.
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I’m glad you do. Thanks for leaving a comment.
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Thanks for the comment. Actually, I have thought about doing an ebook using some of my better posts, but still giving it away for free.
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Thanks for leaving a comment. Happy to offer something of value to you.
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Thanks! Yes, I’ve heard that the phone apps make this blog look a little funny. Sorry about that.
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Glad you found the details you were looking for! I hope to continue to offer what people need.
Do you have a spam problem on this site; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; we have created some nice methods and we are looking to swap techniques with other folks, why not shoot me an e-mail if interested.
Only a couple of people have left actual comments that come through on my email. The rest are marked as spam, which I usually un-spam, like your comment here. I’ve adjusted Askimit, and that has helped.
Just to let you know, this post looks a little bit strange from my smart phone. Who knows perhaps it’s just my mobile phone. Great post by the way.
Thanks for the positive comment. Don’t know what to tell you about it looking strange on the phone app.
I had this website bookmarked some time before but my notebook crashed. I have since gotten a new one and it took me a while to find this! I also really like the template though.
Sorry about the crash! Glad you found me again 🙂
I really enjoy this template you have got going on in your website. What is the name of the theme by the way? I was thinking of using this style for the web site I am going to create for my school project.
The name is Ocadia. It’s just one of the wordpress.com templates.
Hmmm for some reason only half the post can be seen. I tried reloading but still same.
I’m not a techy, and have no idea how to help you with this problem.
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Thanks for leaving a comment and sharing my post!
I’ll immediately grab your rss feed as I can not find your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
No newsletter or email subscription. RSS should work.
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We all procrastinate. The work is to set that aside and begin.
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Thanks for the comment.
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I’m diggin’ this site. I go to it frequently. I like the changes.
Thanks for being a frequent visitor.
Well written! It could be awesome should you followed up on this topic. With thanks!
Thanks! Don’t know if there will ever be a follow up on this.
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Thanks! Appreciate the comment.