Rant #3,836: Give Me the Keys (And I'll Drive You Crazy)

After I brought my damaged car into the shop, I went to get the loaner car early yesterday.

I asked them for a small car, because that is what I am used to.

They brought out a Mitsubishi Eclipse, which is not a small car.

But that is what they had available, so I took it.

It is the first car I ever drove that starts with a push button, and I had several other questions for the attendant that got me the car, because my car's dashboard and controls look so old fashioned compared with this car.

Heck, I couldn't even figure out where the control was to open the gas tank.

It has automatic headlights, which I don't like, and if I can figure it all out, I will disable as soon as possible.

The attendant helped me with the radio, and I actually showed her how to plug in a flash drive to listen to music through that device.

That I could figure out almost immediately.

Then I drove home.

I have driven my wife's Jeeps numerous times, but rarely for long distances.

I had to drive home, it wasn't really a long distance, but it gave me a little time to get used to this car that I am going to have for at least a couple of days, if not more.

Bigger cars handle differently than smaller cars, and I believe that you have much more control with smaller cars, but that could be just me, since that is all I have really ever driven--save a couple of weeks decades ago, when I had no car, and I drove my father's old Checker cab for a spell.

But that was years and years ago, so I had to get used to this loaner car.

There is no telling when I am going to get my car back from the shop, so I better get used to it quickly.

In the shop, the mechanic told me that since so much plastic was involved in the accident, there was no telling when it would get done.

He said he would call me later this week with any details he could give me, so I will be waiting with baited breath.

Funny, the repair place is on Baiting Road, so I guess I will have to wait with baited breath for my car to be fixed on Baiting Road.

How appropriate.

Some guys have all the luck ...

I get a Mitsubishi to drive for a day, a week ... who knows how long.

I am going to sound like a baby now, but I want my car back!

Whaaaaa!

But who knows when that will be.

Hopefully sooner than later.

Your car almost becomes your baby the longer you drive it, as you know all of its nuances like you know your own.

But when you get another car to drive like my situation is, it just isn't the same.

It is a nice car, but it is not MY car.

In the meantime, hopefully, my insurance company can get back my deductible from the woman's insurance company, because I am absolutely not at fault here.

But with New York State's No Fault laws, I end up being at least partially at fault just by literally being there at the moment of impact.

So once again, I do everything right and it turns out wrong.

It all makes my head spin.

Let's see how long this takes.

I would love to drive my own car as we get closer to the end of the year.

Whaaaaa!

Rant #3,835: You've Got Your Troubles, I've Got Mine

How was your Thanksgiving?

Mine was good, gathering with family and friends for a good, old fashioned Turkey Day.

How was your Black Friday?

Mine was good, as I got up early to attend the annual Black Friday Record Store Day, where I bought a couple of things and called it a day.

How was your Thanksgiving weekend?

Well, it started off pretty well, catching up on some TV and doing some other things, but then Saturday night came ...

As I do every Saturday night, I went out to a local fast food place to get my family and I something to eat. It gives my wife a little break from cooking, and I really enjoy going out and getting our dinner from the local places around town.

For my wife, I got her a chicken salad from a place that she likes that features pretty much nothing but chicken. It is a local chain, and I must go there to pick up Saturday dinner for her about once or twice a month.

Then I went to the local Taco Bell just down the road, where I go through the drive-thru to get meals for myself and my son, who had Saturday off from work.

I have noticed that Taco Bell has raised their prices dramatically during the past six months, and they are no longer the place to go to stretch your dollar (Burger King is, at least right now).

Anyway, I gave them my order--they use an AI tool which is annoying at best--picked it up, and pulled away.

I went to the exit, waiting to make a right turn. The light was red, but the car in front of me on the road left enough space for me to make a right turn onto the main road ahead of him--

Which I proceeded to do, but then--

SMASH! BANG! POW!

A car came out of nowhere, going way too fast into the turn lane, never saw me, and hit me on the driver's side in the front by my headlights.

This driver--a young girl--hit me so hard that she blew out her tire and caused other damage to her car, and mine.

I got out of the car, not too happy, and as I was as hot as could be, I asked her for her paperwork. 

She did not provide it to me, and went on the phone, where she was speaking nothing but Spanish.

I gave her some time, and she did not approach me or give me anything, as I had my registration out in my hand to give to her, as is customary.

But she was taking her time, speaking nothing but Spanish, so I thought I needed the police to come here--my first thought was that she was driving illegally, had no insurance ... yes, I admit I thought she might not even be here legally--but to protect myself, I called the police.

They came, and in the meantime, some guy came to the scene--evidently who she was speaking to on the phone--and he spoke English well, although the two of them were conversing in Spanish until the police came.

"How are you doing?" asked one officer as he got out of the car. 

"Not too good," I responded.

"Well, if I were a Yankees fan, I wouldn't be doing too good either," the officer replied, as I was resplendent in my Yankees winter jacket.

I wasn't laughing, but he told me to back my car into the parking lot, which I did, he took my information, and I waited for the police to run my information through their car computer.

"Scott?" they asked. Myself and the man and woman looked at each other--

No Scotts here, although it almost immediately dawned on me that they got that name from my middle name.

"My middle name is Scott, but that is not my first name," I told them.

They made a print out, but it only had my middle name and last name on it--God knows why--so they had to run everything through their car computer again.

When they gave me the correct printout, with "Lawrence" and my last name on it, I noticed that yes, indeed, the woman had insurance, so I took a deep sigh of relief.

The police asked if my car was drivable--which incredibly it was, with even both headlights going on brightly even though the left one was pretty damaged--and they told me to drive home and call my insurance company, which I did.

As I said, the woman was going so fast, entering the turn lane way before its markings on the road, that she at least blew out a tire, and had to wait to be towed.

So I left, happy that my Kia once again saved me from another crazy driver--neither one of us was injured, thank goodness--and drove home, called my insurance company, and have to bring it into the shop today, so as you are reading this, that is where I am.

They arranged for me to get a loaner car, so my car is going to be in the shop for a while--and I have a $500 deductible on collision, so I am going to have to figure out a way to pay that, but the damage will be much more than that.

And after I did all of that, I finally was able to eat--only to find that the fast food place gave me--

The wrong order.

So I ask again ...

How was your Thanksgiving weekend?

And my reply is ...

I hope it was better than mine was. 

Rant #3,834: Let's Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving is almost here, and we are going to celebrate the holiday at my wife's brother's house.

It should be nice.

Every year, I watch "March of the Wooden Soldiers " on TV, and this year will be no different.

In the past here at the Blog, I have posted my own list of the best music to listen to on the holiday.

This list isn't necessarily made up of songs that were directly written with Thanksgiving in mind, but they all fit right into the holiday theme--

Not snuggly for some of them, but for others, there is no better time of the year to listen to these tunes than Thanksgiving.

Here is my list, in no particular order:

Raiders: "The Turkey" 

Raiders: "Birds of a Feather"

Trashmen: "Surfin' Bird"

John Lennon: "Cold Turkey"

Arlo Guthrie: "Alice's Restaurant Massacree"

Yes, i know it is a very short list, but even if i think really hard, I just can't come up with any other songs to put on the list--

Until now.

I got to thinking, and I just knew there had to be some other pop, rock and/or soul songs that needed to be added to this list--

And, miraculously, I actually came up with a new addition:

Little Eva: "Let's Turkey Trot"

This song reached the #20 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962, and while it didnt hit the top spot like the singer's "Locomotion" did, it still has its own charm.

It was written by Gerry Goffin, Jack Keller and Carole King, and I think it tried to revive the old "Turkey Trot" dance of generations earlier--

Meaning that it had absolutely nothing to do with Thanksgiving, other than the "turkey" portion.

But beggars can't be choosers, so I am adding it to the list.

The song might actually be best remembered as being on the film soundtrack of "Easy Rider," not  on the actual soundtrack LP, but in the movie itself.

I hadn't heard this song in eons, but it does fit on the list.

But knowing how I get on Thanksgiving, I probably will eat so much that I doubt I could actually do the "Turkey Trot" even if i wanted to.

Have a great Thanksging, a super Black Friday, a stupendous holiday weekend, and i will be back here at the Blog on Monday--

Fully stuffed.

https://youtu.be/SKRmoIDLxNU?si=SG6pxdpfuTCi8wKl

Rant #3,833: Time

Yesterday, my son completed his psychological assessment. We hope to hear what the findings were sometime before Christmas.

It will be interesting, because we have never really gotten a pinpoint, accurate reading about what exactly his disability is.

Yes, we have had several tests done on him, and the diagnoses really run the gamut of what these disabilities actually are, but these tests really haven't shed too much light on this subject.

They are truly all over the place, and this is precisely why I don't think his public school education was very good.

He is supposedly not autistic, and the schools have a habit of dumping every student they can't figure out into the autism "barrel," because, in my son's case, they simply didn't know what to do with him--

From kindergarten through 12th grade.

He has certainly exceeded every touchpoint and milestone as far as his progress is concerned, starting when some imbecile doctor relegated him to "R" status.

He has a high school education, he has worked since he was 15 years of age, and for someone supposedly with "motion" and "movement" problems, but you would never know it--

His job, as a parking lot attendant, is very physical.

He plays both basketball and bowling on a weekly basis.

He has made himself into quite a bowler--

This past Saturday, he bowled a 167 and a 174, and I wish that idiot doctor was around to see that--

And choke on her words ...

I do mean really choke.

So let's see what the findings are.

My wife and I really need to know, and so does our son.

He is 30 years old, and I think the time has come.

Rant #3,832: Razzmatazz

The world saw it all unfold on late Friday afternoon.

News is usually buried on late Friday afternoon, but you had to be buried under a rock to not have heard about it.

President Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City, staged such a feel-good news conference together after their well-publicized meeting that it really made you feel like you had to puke.

The mayor-elect, standing, and the commander in chief, sitting, put on a news conference that was so disconcerting, and so vulgar, that if you didnt at the very least shake your head, you had to wonder exactly what was going on.

Sure, we weren't in with them when they actually talked between themselves, but the President seemed to be little more than a guest at his own news conference, and didn't answer a single question related to anti-Semitism.

He said he knew nothing about the Coast Guard's determination that the swastika is not a symbol of hate--which they have since walked back--and the only wars they spoke about were wars that were "soft" in the presence of the mayor-elect, including those in the Congo and in Ukraine.

Every mention of Israel and Jews was bypassed.

We live in a bizzaro, sick world, and if you needed proof, this news conference was IT.

Somebody was playing the other like a fiddle, but it is unclear which one had the bow in his hand.

The absolute low point of Trump's second term as president ... and don't be surprised if when this garbage runs for his second term as mayor, they roll out portions of this news conference, where Trump said he has a chance to be "a great mayor."

And can you trust either of them after this fiasco? This press conference will have tongues wagging for a long time. Trump is becoming a "politician," and that is not good for anyone.

And let's not forget that he said that he and Bernie Sanders "actually agree" on many topics. This was an absolute fiasco, nothing less.

Maybe they are two very good actors, or maybe they decided to put on a very good face in the midst of numerous disagreements.

Maybe they decided behind closed doors to leave the animosity right there, and put on a happy public face with one another.

But whatever the case, the president seemed to be a monkey to Mamdani's organ grinder, and if anything substantial was accomplished during this meeting, you would never know it by this press conference.

The president, who has previously presented himself as a staunch defender of the democratic principles that make this country great, came off as a Socialist groupie, and the mayor-elect came off as the humanitarian he isn't.

I cannot fathom what good came from this meeting, as it made Trump look, at best, foolish.

And I think this got back to him.pretty quickly, as he back peddled the very next day, stating thst he would not hesitate in bringing federal troops into New York City to regulate crime if necessary.

But the President and the mayor-elect pussy footed around powder-keg questions directed to them by the press.

Maybe they were simply putting on a show for all of us, but honestly, these two--who had literally been at each others' necks for months--came out as kissing Queens cousins--

And one thing I will give them is that they surprised everyone with their performsnce.

But I have to say it was disappointing at best, the low-poont of Trump's presidency, and a total embarrassment for his administration to clean up.

But the garbage is already out of the bag, and let me tell you--

It is going to be hard, if not impossible, to put the trash back into the dumpster.

Rant #3,831: All I Want For Christmas

Don'tcha think they started advertising for Christmas earlier than ever this year?

I don't know about you, but I saw holoday-related TV ads starting in mid-October--

Even before Halloween.

It is pretty obvious as to why the advertising is coming earlier than ever.

It is because the competition is greater than ever.

Brick-and-mortar stores have plenty to fear from online retailers, and the competition to get your money is incredible.

Holiday shopping is a multi-billion dollar industry, and everyone wants a piece of that pie.

Me, if I buy anything for the holiday, it is gift cards, and I only buy for a few people, so my holiday list is never very long.

This year, my son wants an electronics item that includes Bluetooth connectivity, so I have already looked around on the Internet to get a feel for what is out there and available.

Next month, I will probably go to a few stores and see what is available that would fit the bill and I could buy right then and there.

If I can't find the right thing, it is back to the Internet.

Otherwise, it is gift cards, and that is that.

And this year, Hanukkah begins at sundown, December 14, and ends on December 22, so there is absolutely no overlap of the holidays this year--

Which is great, because while most people will be scurrying around to get their gifts right before Christmas, Hanukkah will already be over, so there isn't any rush this year.

Last year, the two holidays were literally on top of each other, and since Hanukkah 2024 went into the early days of 2025, this year is one of the few years in my memory that had two Hanukkah celebrations.

Happily, that won't be happening this year as we go from 2025 into 2026.

But let's look further back in time ...

Two years ago, my life was in real turmoil, and what made it worse is that I didnt know if I would ever walk again.

But with a lot of hard work, I got through that.

In 2025, my holiday gifts to myself will be to get my eye in better working order, and to put my kidney stone and prostate problems in the rear-view mirror.

Thise are holiday gifts that you simply cannot put a price on.

Have a great weekend, and I will speak to you again on Monday.

Rant #3,830: Let's Work

Retired.

Something I am not, and I'm afraid, something that I will never be--

But something I still aspire to, even though i know it isn't happening.

If I fully retired. I just don't know if I could exist on Social Security alone, and I do believe my family would suffer, too. 

It is not an option for me.

I truly wish it was.

Pretty regularly, i have nightmares which I believe are directly tied into not being retired.

This is almost going to sound comical, but more often than not, these dreams feature me without pants and without my car.

I can't explain it.

When i first lost my job, I thought these nightmares were directly related to that unfortunate situation--

Me not wearing "the pants in the family" anymore, and no car, so no mode or avenue to get another position.

But the dreams have persisted through losing my job to the current time, where I am semi-retired, but I wish I could just give it all up and be fully retired.

However, I cannot look a gift horse in the mouth.

I am darn lucky to have this remote editing/writing position that I have, and without it, I would be a goner.

I just wish that when I lost my final full-time position, I could have done it on my own terms, and be actually retired.

As it is, I kind of have one foot in "retired" and the other foot in "still working," and it doesn't sit well with me.

I think this continuing nightmare vividly reflects that.

I know that there is nothing i can do about it, and i also know that I should be careful what I wish for.

Both my father and his father--my paternal grandfather--worked well into their 80s. My maternal grandfather, after a long career with the post office, worked at an Army/Navy store through his 60s and very early 70s up until his passing.

I guess that the fruit isnt falling far from the tree for me, because I cannot envision ever not working.

But at least I have hope that when my son's retirement time comes decades from now, he can actually be fully retired.

I probably won't be around for that, but i just hope that he can do it, mentally, physically, emotionally, and, of course, financially.

Me, I have to get to the grind again.

"Work, work work--

"Idle hands are the devil's playground."