National Name Your Car Day!

Did you know that October 2nd is National Name Your Car Day?  Have you even named your car?

The first named car that mattered to me. Herbie was great, but KITT on NIGHTRIDER was AWESOME!

My first car’s name was “Jep” because my license plate only had enough space for my name and “Jep” which should have been pronounced Jeep as in Jeep Cherokee, but my friend’s decided that “Jep” was much more exciting or embarrassing. 

My second car, a Ford Explorer, wasn’t named.  Part of the reason was because I really wanted a Nissan Pathfinder, but the Ford Explorer was what my parents bought and I wasn’t going to complain. I just didn’t feel the connection with that Explorer even though it gave me many good years and took me to many good times especially Miami, Florida! 

Then my next car, my absolute favorite thus far in my car history had a few names. She was always my “Baby.” My Mercedes-Benz C320 Coupe was my baby. Ahhh, I just sold her today. She’ll be missed. Oh, my son named her “Thomas” after Thomas the Tank Engine. I liked the fact that my son wanted to name our car a name that meant so much to him. “Thomas” started giving me problems so I had to put her..er him out of commission for a while until I just sold her today.

Anyway, my current car, Honda Element, doesn’t have a name.  She could be “Ole Faithful” because she’s been hanging in there, taking us everywhere from our daily routine to the beach and on to the mountains. One person called it the SpongeBob car. I didn’t like that moniker!  Don’t tell her, but I’ve got my eye on my next whip. I have a name picked out and everything….Galaxy. Her picture is below.  She’ll be mine one day—definitely before the next National Name Your Car Day.

Bottom line...Name your car. It helps you connect. Me and Jep and Baby/Thomas had some good times. My nameless cars don’t quite have the same impact on my memory!

Galaxy here I come!

She’s Such a Flirt!

She lavishes you with all of her time. She takes you places you don’t usually get to go. She lets you sleep in and stay up late. She shines her bright sun on you then in an instant you are immediately transitioned back to the fluorescent lights of an office or cube. She teases you! She gives you everything you desire, but snatches it all away in a moment’s notice. Dear Miss Vacation, why are you so wonderful and so cruel at the same time?

I have been away from my office for 10 days! While I feel refreshed, I also feel a little let down. I hadn’t had to rush anywhere during my vacation. The only traffic I had to endure was while traveling, but my destination made all the toil worth it. This morning, on the other hand, I was stuck in traffic on my way to work along with everyone else. I looked over at stern, disappointed faces and recalled looking at the other travelers during my vacation traffic jams. Despite the obvious agitation of some of the drivers, the cars were full of jovial faces chatting it up, playing video games, and munching on snacks.  They were planning what they were going to do when they got to their destination or swapping stories about all they had just experienced during their trip.  But, this morning was quite different. Each car had a single driver. There was no one to swap stories with and no one to ask if they had beaten their high score. There were no chips or pretzels to munch as we sat bumper to bumper trying to get up the hill.  That’s when I realized that she had played a joke on me. She had let me taste the joys of freedom just to through me back into captivity.

I miss my son who was sick of me taking pics. I miss sleeping in. I miss my immaculate home that I had a chance to clean and actually enjoy. I miss going to the pool on a whim.  I miss being able to just let my hair go.   I miss trying new restaurants.  I miss souvenir shopping. I miss actually walking around and doing things instead of sitting at a desk.  I miss reading a book with a cup of coffee in the morning. I actually miss folding clothes while watching a good movie.  I miss complimentary continental breakfast.  Sigh.

Well, I guess I can just plan another awesome vacation very soon. Despite her cruelty, she’s absolutely wonderful when she’s around. What do you have planned? Make it big because she will leave you high and dry.   You want plenty of pictures and stories to tell when she kicks you out!