Year: 2010

Rule #7

“Travel light”

Because the Miata is our only car and it has a mere 5.1 cubic feet sized trunk we have learned to travel light. We’ve taken two week driving vacations in it. But we have learned to pack smart, by taking at most 4 days worth of clothes and using the hotel laundry. We have even gone for a long camping weekend carrying 2 mountain bikes with us using the Miata too.

We travel light when flying too. Donna takes a small carry on with the essentials and her purse while I carry the laptop with various electronics. We check one big bag, so we don’t have to hassle hunting for an empty overhead bin.

Seems like the only time we don’t pack light is when we go on an overnight trip in the Miata, we always end up taking as much as we do when we go away for a week in it.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 783

Rule #12

“Bounty paper towels”

I always keep a roll of paper towels in my cube. Donna and I eat lunch together there, so we always go through a couple three then. They come in handy for wiping up desk dust bunnies that develop and hide behind my PC. Plus they are handy for the occasional drip when pouring my daily Diet Dr. Pepper.

This Monday I used the last one on the roll. I walked back to the Tool Crib where they usually have shelves full, except today. The shipment was late and the attendant said, “They are due in Wednesday.” Luckily I had a short roll of brown towels that came out of a bathroom dispenser as a back up.

I went back Wednesday to see if the paper towels had come in. No they hadn’t. Tried again today, but there are still no paper towels and my brown paper roll is just about gone. Hope the real paper towels come in tomorrow.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 782

Rule #3

“Beware of bathrooms”

I was walking down the main hall towards the restroom this afternoon a a co-worker stepped out of his cubical in just in front of me. As we walked down the hall I pulled along side of him on the right and said, “How’s it going?” He responded with, “Good. You?” We continued walking in tandem exchanging banal pleasantries, but as we neared the hall to the right that led to the restroom, he slowed. I sensed he was headed the same place I was, but he didn’t have the same premonition. He was trying to politely let me continue on so he could make a right turn behind me instead of cutting across in front. But I slowed too and then he knew we both going to the same place.

We were headed towards the the smaller of the two Men’s Rooms near the front office. The larger one near HR has two urinals and three stalls, but this one only has one urinal and two stalls. As I was on the inside I made the turn in the lead and cried, “I’m going to get the urinal!” with child like glee because I wasn’t going to have to make a Morton’s Fork as to whether to lift a possible germ laden seat or try and maintain an accurate stream between the narrow gap at the front of said seat.

But my co-worker was unconcerned, as he replied, “I’m just heading in to wash my hands.” Fortunately he noticed the roll of paper towels was empty before he started washing, so he exited, heading back to the other restroom. I’m kind of glad, he seemed uninfected and everything, but the bathroom is where you are most vulnerable…

Started up, went down, back up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 780

Rule #31

“Check the back seat”

Here is where the Miata has the advantage, there is no back seat to worry about checking. But this plus is more than offset by its major disadvantage, the soft top.

Back a decade or so ago when we went to one of the first Miatas at the Gap, one of the MMC members was out back of the lodge washing her car when a small black bear waddled by. She quickly hopped in her car ’til it passed. Later at dinner when she was telling this story at the communal table, someone who had spent some time in Alaska, where the bears were more of the grizzly kind, asked, “Do you know what they call convertibles there?” Shrugs all around, so she answered her own question, “Peel ‘n’ Eats.”

So, if Columbus would be so kind to quote me too, I’d like to add another rule, when given a choice of vehicles, minivans aren’t cool and convertibles are dangerous, so “Rule #34: Take the SUV.”

Started up, went down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 777

Rule #32

“Enjoy the little things.”

Started up, went down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 775

OW!

Sometimes I don’t even heed my own advice.

Nearly 2 years ago I posted here that one shouldn’t use a string trimmer without wearing long pants. That time I came away with a speckled leg from the dirt and tiny stones kicked up by fishing line rotating at several thousand RPM. This time it is much worse.

Today when I cleaned off the front porch using the leaf blower I noticed a few strands of ivy creeping their way towards the house. I went and got the trimmer which was freshly loaded with some of that heavy duty red string stuff. As I made mince meat of the ivy I could feel a few things ricochet off my legs, but then suddenly I forgot all about my lower extremities because something grabbed me by the right ear and lifted me off the ground. OW! I must have pissed off a wasp and it stung me on the back of the ear.

It is 4 hours later and my ear still hurts worse than that time in second grade when Bobby Mitchell punched me in the head because I stuck my tongue out at him during recess.

Started up, went down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 773