Musings on an Oil Change

I am, admittedly, an insufferable know it all. This is why I teach, love school, and recently became addicted to the app Trivia Crack. However, when I get oil changes, I am forced to admit that, when it comes to cars, I know virtually nothing. (Though, you should know I can explain how an internal combustion engine works, Bernoulli's Principle as it relates to a carburetor, and why some fuels burn more efficiently than others based on molecular structure... Sorry, but you DID read the first sentence and choose to continue reading).

So, I waited anxiously for my oil change today wishing I could be anywhere else. No one likes feeling stupid. When I pulled into the garage, I was somewhat proud of myself for knowing the answers to the basic questions about my car (by referencing my insurance card) and ignored the fact that when the attendant asked if a certain oil was okay, I had zero idea if it was.

He let me know that there was a bench in the attached store, so I carried my backpack in and took a seat. To add insult to my naive-and-out-of-place-phobia, I found that my feet would not reach the ground. Regardless, with my childlike dangling feet, I took out a textbook to study (my formal Educator Effectiveness observation is on Tuesday, and I'd rather not leave any topic under researched).

A bit later, I was informed that I was set to go and got into line hoping that there wouldn't be any further discussion on my car. The man in front of me in line looked directly at me (I assumed he was judging me for staring so intently at the Peanut Butter Lindor truffles next to him on the counter. I was very hungry). After paying, he asked the cashier to wait and rushed over to the garbage can to pick out a receipt (this man is loopy and delaying my exit), then asked the cashier if the old receipt had an oil change special on it. He said, "No, but I can grab you one," and pulled a ripped half-off coupon from a paper bin to hand to the customer.

The customer handed it to me and I thanked him. He replied, "You're welcome. It's always nice to help young people save money."

And I'm taking this to assume that he thought I was a college student. I'm not. And I'm debt free, and since a couple years ago I was pretty accustomed to constantly paying more in tuition than I could earn in a year, I consider myself to be filthy rich at the moment, though that may be open to interpretation.

Anyway, it didn't cost him anything, but the fact that he thought about it, and decided that it wouldn't hurt to waste a few moments scouring a garbage bin to save me ten bucks, was pretty cool. Not exciting enough to write a blog post about it or anything (shit, oops) but nice. Nice enough to make me not hate oil changes for a bit.

Sue pointed out last week that she had to get used to exchanging small talk with strangers when she returned from Guatemala. In Wisconsin, if someone holds the door for you, it's not weird to then briefly discuss that it's a lovely day, or that the wind is particularly strong, or that you have a cute hair clip. I love the community I get to live in!

Musings concluded.

An Open Christmas Letter

It's that time of year for Christmas letters and looking back. I'm not sure I'm a true adult yet, so I wasn't ready to send out a full letter on Christmas statonary. And a photo card would be a little strange with only one face on it. So, instead here's a summary of my year.

Impromptu visit from Dank!

At least this happened in the winter

Last January-March: Cold. So very cold. The best part of these months was having "cold days" off from school, visiting Madison, and finally starting to experience sunlight again as the season ended.

The end of winter included Drumline Olympics

I also gained my very own epi-pen after an evening workout caused a severe poultry reaction. One roommate drove me to the ER (when I was starting to resemble Hitch on shellfish) and the others stopped by to visit their swollen peer. It was one of my first real trips to the ER, so it was very interesting, but an experience I'll try not to repeat.

May brought the end of an era, as our household of six split ways, moving out of our duplex. It was hard to say goodbye to all the fantastic ladies and to life in La Crosse, but I found a great duplex, with two new roommates. And, as luck would have it, since we all still like each other, I get to see the former roommates plenty.

Hot tub on a lake surrounded by volcanoes.
A girl could get used to this.

Our open air residence for a few days.
We even got to enjoy a thunderstorm
from our 2nd floor beds

Making Chocolate

Shortly after the school year ended in June, I flew to Guatemala to visit my marvelous sister with my parents. A chocolate making lesson, volcano hike, Mayan ruin visit, hot waterfall swim, and a VERY long layover in Chicago later I returned a few mosquito bites (and lots of memories) richer.

Remember that time we watched the sun rise over Tikal?

I completed my first 10K in June too!

"Well...this is new!" 

In early July, I found out that I'd be teaching AP Physics and attended a conference, during which I was plagued by a Guatemalan bug bite that wouldn't heal. A week later, Sue and I drove down to Missouri to start a road trip. The evening we arrived, we discovered and removed a now infamous botfly. It was gross and a bit scarring (in both interpretations of the word), but also very intriguing.

 The following day (in an unrelated event) I became really sick and spent a few days in a very nice hospital there. Meanwhile, a cut-out version of me continued on the trip. My parents drove down and brought me back home when the doctors deamed me unlikely to spontaneously combust or transform into a vampire (I think that's what the tests were for?). It wasn't how I would have chosen to spend the weeks, but I was happy to feel healthy again within a couple days and gained a new appreciation for hospital staff.

Fuze and Guillaume visit from France!

August went by far too quickly. I tried to pack in as many social events as possible while preparing to have my life dominated by school again. I was able to end the month feeling significantly more prepared, albeit really nervous for the year.

September was also busy. I worked to keep up with running and participated in a scavenger hunt hosted by Mark Jewlers. At the end of the month. I ran my first half marathon and had a fantastic birthday celebration.

Impromptu Neddjmms night

 

I made it

I celebrated Halloween a bit early this year, participating in my second Beers By Bike Brigade (a La Crosse bike pub crawl event) ride astride a tandem bike, bedecked as Miss Frizzle. I'd highly recommend it.








In November, I got to attend a Badger game in Iowa. We were lucky enough to have a beautiful warm day.

Cookie baking at Grandma's

And that brings us to December. I've been blessed to have my sister in the states for the last two weeks, and I'm still wrapping my head around the idea of her leaving tomorrow. We've had a holiday packed full of family visits, food, friends, and laughter.

Enjoying Rotary lights

All the best parties come with umbrella hats.

Looking back, I've grown a lot in a year. I'm more fit, more confident, and have made many new friends. I am blessed with good health, an amazing family I can visit once a week, my dream job, and some of the most loving and entertaining friends out there. Bring it on 2015.

The house and year may have changed,
but the silly friends have not :)