Welcome!

I'm not new to talking, sharing ideas, or stating my opinion, especially stating my opinion! After all, I taught elementary school for 30 years! However, my audience has typically been smaller,just family, the classroom, or just talking to myself!

My blog has two goals: be an outlet for sharing thoughts on writing children's books and the path to publication (got my fingers crossed that I'll get there) and a place to chronicle my journey of losing my sight. Sometimes I imagine these two paths will overlap .


Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Visualeyes 5

To make myself feel better about giving up the car I'm making a list of the positive side of this decision. Many thanks to my creative friends, family, and bloggers who answered my call for help finding the perfect ideas..  :-) I'm so thrilled with these, I have to publish it before Friday!!!

 25  Reasons to be Positive About Being Car-less

1)   I can talk on my cell phone in a moving car without worrying that I might hit someone or something.
2)  I can check out the neighborhood, the  colorful leaves, look at the accident I just passed, check out a magazine, or actually read a complete road sign.
3)  I have unfettered access to someone's car radio. (as the passenger, you see)
4)  I don't have to worry about spilling hot coffee all over my clear shirt or in my lap because the guy in front of me stopped suddenly. (This is because I can see that the guy is stopping and warn the driver which means I'm talking, not drinking!)
5)  I can lean my seat back as far as I want, even take a short nap, since I don't have to worry about looking out the rear view and side mirrors.
6)  OK, the obvious one about saving money on gas and not getting ticked off every time the price goes up.
7)  Also I can reduce my carbon footprint (yeah, yeah, that's me the eco-friendly kid.)
8)  The other obvious one is not having to pay the auto insurance premiums.
9)  Then there's no car maintenance to worry about, or for that matter trying to figure out what the service rep means when he explains why the bill is so costly.
10) How about not having to wait at the DMV or Tax Commissioners office to ask questions that they can't or won't answer only to be told I don't have the correct form and need to come back with it!
11) No more ad valorem tax to pay on the car or emissions test to do.
12) A chance to clean up my language because I won't be swearing at rude, crazy or stupid drivers! (Yeah, this one still needs work.)
13) I am a supporter of the community as I use mass transit. (I sound so wonderful.)
14) Buses and trains will probably provide a wealth of interesting people for blog posts and/or book characters.
15) I won't have to worry about being carjacked.
16) I can learn to appreciate birds because they will no longer be pooping on my hood or windshield!
17) No more concern over assisting European or Middle Eastern economies rather than the US or A.
18) All the walking I am doing will improve my fitness. (I guess I could learn to enjoy being buff, it certainly would be different!)
19) I can indulge in favorite foods without guilt due to an exercise induced higher metabolism. (Okay, so maybe not pizza and chocolate EVERY day.)
20) I will have more "direct face time" with friends since my schedule will now coincide with their schedule for shopping.
21)  No more grumbling over scraping car windows in winter due to snow or ice. (Yeah, I know that's not a huge issue in Atlanta but I won't have to deal with it the once a winter it happens!)
22) Never have to change another flat tire again. Come to think of it, I never HAVE changed a tire in the 40+ years I've been driving cars.
23) I had 3 friends suggest that I can now put on make-up without worrying about an accident. Great idea but since I usually don't wear much make-up, which one of you wants to teach me how to apply it correctly????
24) I will no longer have to worry about cats and dogs peeing on my tires to mark their territory.
25) I will no longer have to listen to that annoying recording at the grocery store gas pumps trying to sell me something.

Hey, maybe being car-less isn't such a bad idea after all! I think I'm starting to feel better about this. :-) If you have any other great reasons it's good to be car-less, send them to me in a comment!

2 comments:

  1. Oh, I love all this positivity! I'm going to remind myself to do this whenever I get some news that I'm not terribly excited about. I think the very best thing about being car-less (I was car-less for about 5 years when we lived in Chicago) is being able to read. I read so many books when I commuted to work on the bus or the train. It was awesome!

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  2. Maybe i should go carless? sounds like there are alot of benefits

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