Get your muffler fixed

There are guys out there with their big pick-ups who do something I find unimpressive.  For some unknown reason, they favor loud mufflers.  Every time they give their machine a lot of gas, there is this big racket coming from their pipes.  I find it disturbing and annoying.

So I am at a stop sign and this guy with his pick-up will turn and then floor it and the noise from his truck will let us all know he is wanting attention and that he doesn't care about other peoples comfort.

I much prefer quiet modes of transportation.  I hope people fix their mufflers and lay off the gas and consider others.

Turn in your keys

I wish people would drive around less.  To some people I would like to say, "Drive home.  Park your car.  Put away your keys and stay home for a while."  It would appear that some people drive out any old time when they sense the need for some small thing.

Learn to combine trips.  Enjoy being at home.  Stay off the roads for a while.  

Highway 41 construction done

When I returned from a weekend in East Troy I drove home using highway 41 north bound.  It was nice to have the road contraction done in Fond du Lac and Oshkosh.  It seems like it has been years since those projects began and we are finally clear to drive through without any orange barrels to watch out for.  I have to say the construction guys did a good job.  The roads are smooth and wider.  It is really easy now to turn off of 41 to merge onto 45 north.  There is no braking or stopping anymore. There are no lights to wait for or intersections to navigate.  Just a nice wide turn and overpass.

Usually I don't like widening or expansion of roads.  But when the project is done I have to say it is a nice improvement.

Power outage

We lost power on Tuesday night when we had high winds in the area.  It wasn't until Thursday afternoon that we regained power.  In the meantime, we were able to put together some meals because we have a gas stove.  I washed up in the back yard using water that we gather in a rain barrel.  Our potable water came from a nearby artisan well.

Without power, our refrigerator and freezer were off and we ended up throwing away some food as it thawed and went bad.

It was dark and quiet in the neighborhood.  Some people were out cleaning up their properties as branches and trees had come down.

We were without internet, radio, and television.  Only the computer did I really miss.  I was able to charge my phone and iPod while at work.

I am grateful that the tornadoes in the area did not strike our home.  It was nice to see the community pull together.  I am still cleaning up the outside but am close to having that done.  

Needing my freedom

I am not a person who needs fame, or recognition, or glamour.  I want to stay out of the spot light and away from crowds.  Being an entertainer or the person up front speaking and leading has never been my driving passion.

What I need is my freedom.  Recently I was reminded of a great word that describes that which is autonomy.  Autonomy is freedom from external control or influence.  It is the right or condition of self-government.  Those things are a strong, long-term pull for me.  It is a deep seeded thing that is just there that I can't fully explain.  I like the word autonomy better than independence because there seems to be an under pinning of pride to independence and even an independence from God, which isn't at all what I am trying to get at.

I like having control over my schedule, my activities, and my comings and goings.  I like to move around and not be clamped into one space.  I like being able to make my decisions about what I order, eat, and taste.  I don't like a lot of things forced down on me.  If I respect you, eventually I will adopt your thinking and ways because they have shown to be best.  But I don't want to have things jammed down my throat.  I want to decide.