“Throwback Thursday: OMG: Throwback Thursday, I needa find a photo of myself from like hella long ago and post it on Facebook”
Throwback Thursday 2015-08-06
Today is time for a walk down memory lane again and dig into the archives from the beginning of Rantings Of A Third Kind. Here are a few of them:
“You need to put the pedal to the metal and shift gears as low as you can in an uphill situation”
Four Wheel Drives and Shopping Bags
I have wondered for a while where people who drive massive four-wheel drives live. Is it a rural forestry area, were they would need a tractor like vehicle just to get to the main road? Or maybe they are sidelining as farmers and the car has a double function as a plow or other form of device needed on a big estate?
I myself drive a small car, even though it has four wheels. In comparison it is really a minor league moving vehicle compared to some of the “muscle cars” increasingly occupying the traffic.
I prefer a car that is low on gas, maintenance and at most times, easy to find parking space for. Sometimes referred to as “a shopping bag”, but I have no idea why, since most times you can only fit two bags in the boot at best.
There is hardly any elbow room for trying to shift gears when you are driving stick if there is a passenger sitting next to you. And if you manage to put on few pounds, then good luck trying to fit in your seat in the first place. Definitely not the best mode of transportation for any larger number of family or any larger pet than a Chihuahua.
You also need to watch out if driving in windy weather: Compared to a massive four wheel drive, the shopping bag has difficulties keeping it’s wheels on the road! Basically anytime driving over 80 kilometers per hour, the little car will start shaking like it was on the dance floor. And you start feeling your knuckles getting white while gripping the steering wheel as hard as you can.
When driving up hill, your little car usually starts with hiccups and coughing until it finally freezes if you forgot to shift the gear to lowest possible and did not remember to stomp the gas pedal as hard as you could.
Parking should be easy for a tiny car especially when up against the big muscular cars. But sometimes trying to fit in a space between two big cars parked over the allotted space can be a tricky maneuver. After a few adjustments and back and forth motions you finally manage to get into the spot without any damage. The next step is to wiggle yourself out of the car through the small crack between the slightly opened door and the car itself, pushing and pulling and squeezing your body, until you are finally out! After the acrobatic maneuver like that, you can cancel going to the gym for the day.
The lesson learned here is quite simple: “Take a bus!”
“All the well laid plans”
A quick trip to the supermarket
I had planned to do my shopping for the week and finish working early to avoid the rush hour. Unfortunately my boss had other ideas: A rush job, which needed to be done urgently, today.
So, I changed my plans and stayed late. Guess my boss was the one with the bigger plan this time.
When I finally managed to sneak out, I got into my car and drove into the street. I had arrived just in time for the traffic jam! An endless sea of cars back to back with no way in or out from the roundabout. Well, I did not get to go to the carnival last time they were in town, so guess I could enjoy myself in a merry-go-round for a while, listening to my favourite tunes on the radio.
After a while the traffic had hardly moved an inch since I joined and the music station was more talk than tunes. Guess the radio station had the bigger plan this time.
I finally arrived at the supermarket after driving in a back-to-back traffic for much longer than I had planned to and was running late.
Now it was time for plan B: Park the car, get in and out from the store as quickly as possible and shop only what was on my well planned shopping list!
There were a few hick-ups in that plan: The car park was jammed and after circling it for the third or fourth time, I managed to get in time to queue in to a spot when another car was leaving. Secondly, all the shopping trolleys were in use.
While looking around I managed to find one standing there all by its lonesome. I soon found out why: When I pushed the trolley trying to move it to the right, the trolley went the opposite direction. Lastly, I had forgotten the well-planned shopping list on the kitchen table while leaving to work in a hurry when a well-planned morning had failed due to an unplanned phone call.
Well laid plans and all…
I finally got inside the store and was now moving towards the section where they sold the “home made cooking” type meals. I could already taste a well-grilled chicken in my mouth and made plans in my head on how to accessorize the dish. When it was my turn at the counter, and with a big grin made a request to purchase the chicken, there was nothing left but pork.
And so it was time for plan C: Go to the frozen food section and choose a chicken pizza.
After shopping was done and I had maneuvered my way out through the crowds of shoppers with my rickety trolley I finally reached the cash register. The customer before me put something on the conveyor belt that immediately caught my eye: ‘Closed, please move on to the next available register‘.
And then it was time for plan D. I moved to another register at the end of a very long line.
I was finally done with my shopping and heading towards the escalator on my way down to the parking lot. When I reached it, I noticed people pushing and pulling, some even lifting their trolleys. The reason was soon revealed to me, the escalator had stopped working and people were jammed in it and trying their hardest to get forward on the sticky non-moving machine.
So it was time for plan E: Take the lift.
After queuing for a lift ride for much longer than anticipated, I finally managed to get to my car, drive home and eat my frozen pizza. Did not enjoy it as much as I would have a well-cooked meal, but I was well-fed and ready to start planning my next day.
The lesson learned here is, you don’t always have to have a plan or be prepared for every situation. Live a little and remember that sometimes it’s good to just go with the flow.
As for myself, I still keep making my everyday plans!
Rantings Of A Third Kind 