Here is a little story that I found that relates to human nature pretty well. Sorry if I am breaking any copyrights by posting it here. But, it's a good story. :-)
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport.
We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.
My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean, he was really friendly.
So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.
Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!
Have a blessed, garbage-free day!
UPDATE: Dawn left a note referencing the original author of this story - David J. Pollay. Check it out here. Thank you Dawn!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Monday, December 22, 2008
Cars Suck
Sorry, time for a little rant here...
As much as I would like to not depend on automobiles, our family does own and use them. I still see them as an evil necessity in our lives. I know, the auto does provide a way to transport one or more people and much cargo long distances quickly. What I don't like (besides the pollution and waste they produce) is all the stuff that goes along with them.
OK, here is the cause for my rant - yesterday while looking for a parking space at a local shopping center, another person in their car backs into mine. I am stopped, waiting for cars in front of me to move, and this person backs out of an aisle to my left and into my front left fender. My two kids were in the back seat, and fortunately no one was hurt. What this really brings to mind is the inconvenience that a situation like this brings about. What was a minor fender bender has left me and the kids a bit shaken up, and phone calls to the insurance company, and later getting the car repaired. I do have to say, I have my insurance through AAA, and they have been extremely helpful so far. Which raises the point of how much money is spent in providing this mode of transportation. We pay plenty in car payments, insurance, gas, registration, and maintenance and repairs.
What about the alternatives? Let's say that our family decides to sell the cars, and look for other ways of transportation. In our city we have the metro bus and trolley system, and the trains for longer trips up the coast. We could probably get monthly transit passes for the 4 of us for about or a little cheaper than the car and insurance payments per month. The problem we would be left with is the convenience of the car would not be there. Our bus schedule leaves quite a bit to be desired. The trolley system is great, except it doesn't go anywhere you need it to.
I commute by bicycle, but I cannot see the bike taking the place of the car for the rest of the family right now.
I know that this is a lifestyle that we have chosen, just like most of the country. If something happened today that took away our cars, we could get by. We are fortunate to live in an area where we can get around if needed. I know plenty of people in rural areas would have a much tougher time. Car culture is ingrained in our society pretty well. All of the inconveniences that go along with having the convenience of the car are just accepted as "normal". I at least realize that this "normal" is a fallacy, but haven't quite figured out what to do about it.
If you have read my rant, thanks for taking the time.
As much as I would like to not depend on automobiles, our family does own and use them. I still see them as an evil necessity in our lives. I know, the auto does provide a way to transport one or more people and much cargo long distances quickly. What I don't like (besides the pollution and waste they produce) is all the stuff that goes along with them.
OK, here is the cause for my rant - yesterday while looking for a parking space at a local shopping center, another person in their car backs into mine. I am stopped, waiting for cars in front of me to move, and this person backs out of an aisle to my left and into my front left fender. My two kids were in the back seat, and fortunately no one was hurt. What this really brings to mind is the inconvenience that a situation like this brings about. What was a minor fender bender has left me and the kids a bit shaken up, and phone calls to the insurance company, and later getting the car repaired. I do have to say, I have my insurance through AAA, and they have been extremely helpful so far. Which raises the point of how much money is spent in providing this mode of transportation. We pay plenty in car payments, insurance, gas, registration, and maintenance and repairs.
What about the alternatives? Let's say that our family decides to sell the cars, and look for other ways of transportation. In our city we have the metro bus and trolley system, and the trains for longer trips up the coast. We could probably get monthly transit passes for the 4 of us for about or a little cheaper than the car and insurance payments per month. The problem we would be left with is the convenience of the car would not be there. Our bus schedule leaves quite a bit to be desired. The trolley system is great, except it doesn't go anywhere you need it to.
I commute by bicycle, but I cannot see the bike taking the place of the car for the rest of the family right now.
I know that this is a lifestyle that we have chosen, just like most of the country. If something happened today that took away our cars, we could get by. We are fortunate to live in an area where we can get around if needed. I know plenty of people in rural areas would have a much tougher time. Car culture is ingrained in our society pretty well. All of the inconveniences that go along with having the convenience of the car are just accepted as "normal". I at least realize that this "normal" is a fallacy, but haven't quite figured out what to do about it.
If you have read my rant, thanks for taking the time.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Holiday Commuting
Commuting by bike is great just about any time of year. I find it especially nice around this time, when all the Christmas lights are on display throughout the neighborhoods. On my ride home, it is a nice diversion to see all the festively decorated houses. These types of sights you just cannot truly enjoy while speeding by in a car. Riding a bike is the perfect cruising speed to enjoy them. Actually, riding a bike is the perfect speed to enjoy most things worth seeing. Walking is great, too, but the speed of the bike also makes it efficient to travel a fair distance.
If you never get out of your car and slow down a bit for the holidays, you are really missing the spirit of this magical season.
If you never get out of your car and slow down a bit for the holidays, you are really missing the spirit of this magical season.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Good News if You're Nuts
A new health study shows that a diet enriched with mixed nuts may reduce heart risks. Published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, the Spanish study concluded that a Mediterranean diet enriched with mixed nuts may help manage metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of health problems that includes abnormal obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high glucose levels, which all can be risk factors for heart disease.
After many years of being told that we should eat a low-fat diet, now there is some evidence that the natural high-fat content in some foods are actually good for you. Everything in moderation, of course. The closer to the source you can get for your food, the better, I say. Both in eating foods grown locally, and eating foods in their most natural state.
After many years of being told that we should eat a low-fat diet, now there is some evidence that the natural high-fat content in some foods are actually good for you. Everything in moderation, of course. The closer to the source you can get for your food, the better, I say. Both in eating foods grown locally, and eating foods in their most natural state.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Grow Your Own, Mr. President
Here is a cool little video urging President-elect Obama to convert the White House lawn into a vegetable garden, complete with time-lapse photography on what the author Roger Doiron did.
(http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/009021.html)
This raises a good point about our fascination with green manicured lawns. Most of this precious land would be better served growing something useful, like stuff we can actually eat. Victory Gardens were popular once, it's time to bring them back!
Instead of buying vegetables that have most likely traveled thousands of miles to your door, why not grow them in your own garden? Don't have your own yard? Then see if you can go in on a community garden.
There is no reason why everyone cannot grow their own.
(http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/009021.html)
This raises a good point about our fascination with green manicured lawns. Most of this precious land would be better served growing something useful, like stuff we can actually eat. Victory Gardens were popular once, it's time to bring them back!
Instead of buying vegetables that have most likely traveled thousands of miles to your door, why not grow them in your own garden? Don't have your own yard? Then see if you can go in on a community garden.
There is no reason why everyone cannot grow their own.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Exurbs and Transportation Woes
NOW on PBS video called "Driven to Despair". This video looks at the life of a family living in the exurbs and compares it to the living in the city. It focuses on how the high cost of gasoline has affected those with long commutes. It also shows how more public transportation has the ability to make a difference, if given the chance. Great video to watch!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
The Change Has Begun.
The rising cost of oil has already set in motion some interesting trends. Driving is down and public transit use it up.
Sales of larger vehicles are declining, which is putting American auto manufacturers in trouble. For years, they have relied on larger vehicles (SUVs) to make most of their profits. With slipping sales, they now have to focus their energy on smaller fuel efficient cars. Even scooter sales are on the rise.
Mass transit is enjoying an increase in riders, but many cities are now experiencing growing pains. They are having trouble keeping up with the demand, and funding is not able to keep up.
We are now trying to catch up to cope with a problem that began many years ago. Unfortunately, we did not heed the warnings until it hit us where it counts - the bottom line. Now that we are beginning to realize the real cost of energy, there is scrambling to figure out how to deal with it. We have been building sprawled out subdivisions for the past 50 years, assuming there would always be cheap oil to allow everyone to drive anywhere they pleased. As a result, we will now have a difficult task ahead if we want to offer alternatives to everyone driving their own vehicle everywhere. Some people will choose to move closer to where they work, or closer to the central part of a city. But, what about the millions of families who are stuck out in suburbia? How do we undo 50 years of sprawling development? It would take years to get good public transit out into the suburbs. Not everyone will be able to move into the city.
Perhaps shopping more locally will start to make sense. Instead of driving 30 miles to Wally World, we might do our shopping at the local grocery, drug, and hardware stores (if you are lucky enough to even still have them). Maybe you will choose to visit the local sites on your vacation instead of driving 500 miles to visit something out of state. Maybe you will dust off that old bike setting in the garage and see if you can use it to visit the local grocery or convenience store.
Even some outsourced jobs may start coming back to America, as transporting goods across the world may become cost inhibited. We may see more locally grown food instead of having our lettuce shipped 3000 miles. We may even have to buy more seasonal fruits and vegetables, since we may not be able to afford produce grown and shipped from countries around the world.
It's probably too late for America to make a smooth transition into living with high energy costs, but hopefully enough people have the common sense to start making adjustments on their own.
Sales of larger vehicles are declining, which is putting American auto manufacturers in trouble. For years, they have relied on larger vehicles (SUVs) to make most of their profits. With slipping sales, they now have to focus their energy on smaller fuel efficient cars. Even scooter sales are on the rise.
Mass transit is enjoying an increase in riders, but many cities are now experiencing growing pains. They are having trouble keeping up with the demand, and funding is not able to keep up.
We are now trying to catch up to cope with a problem that began many years ago. Unfortunately, we did not heed the warnings until it hit us where it counts - the bottom line. Now that we are beginning to realize the real cost of energy, there is scrambling to figure out how to deal with it. We have been building sprawled out subdivisions for the past 50 years, assuming there would always be cheap oil to allow everyone to drive anywhere they pleased. As a result, we will now have a difficult task ahead if we want to offer alternatives to everyone driving their own vehicle everywhere. Some people will choose to move closer to where they work, or closer to the central part of a city. But, what about the millions of families who are stuck out in suburbia? How do we undo 50 years of sprawling development? It would take years to get good public transit out into the suburbs. Not everyone will be able to move into the city.
Perhaps shopping more locally will start to make sense. Instead of driving 30 miles to Wally World, we might do our shopping at the local grocery, drug, and hardware stores (if you are lucky enough to even still have them). Maybe you will choose to visit the local sites on your vacation instead of driving 500 miles to visit something out of state. Maybe you will dust off that old bike setting in the garage and see if you can use it to visit the local grocery or convenience store.
Even some outsourced jobs may start coming back to America, as transporting goods across the world may become cost inhibited. We may see more locally grown food instead of having our lettuce shipped 3000 miles. We may even have to buy more seasonal fruits and vegetables, since we may not be able to afford produce grown and shipped from countries around the world.
It's probably too late for America to make a smooth transition into living with high energy costs, but hopefully enough people have the common sense to start making adjustments on their own.
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