Maximiles per gallon
We picked up a used Toyota Prius a couple weeks back to replace the 1999 Honda Accord I’ve driven since June 2001. The Accord’s transmission fell apart at 176,000 miles and we wanted something that would generate high miles-per-gallon on my daily 170-mile commute from Rochester to Richfield and back.
I’ve learned in my first two weeks of Prius ownership that maximizing the car’s mileage isn’t a simple matter of setting cruise control and taking a nap. No, there seems to be actual science involved. And practice.
The Prius folks say you can easily get 55 mpg. My first tank netted 39. Next round I got it up to 41. Most recently 43. I’m told it will go up considerably in warmer weather so we have that to look forward to. In the meantime I’m trying to figure out when and how to accelerate and how to maximize coasting. It seems a bit like sailing to me. You have to figure out how to get up hills without using much gas. Tacking back and forth doesn’t work. I’ve tried.
I really don’t ‘get it’
Everyone has an inventory of little things that trigger cringes of irritation, and because they’re small, we call them pet peeves. For some reason – be it our mental make up or maybe a traumatic childhood experience – these things grate on us and make us wince every time we see, hear or otherwise experience them.
One of the things that does it to me is hearing someone say “So and so really ‘gets it’.” We read and hear it a lot relative to social media.
Ring in the Weekend 03-11-11
I’ve had this one playing in my head for a couple days now … and since we’re stuck in that funky period between winter and our upper Midwest mud season, let’s invite a little sunshine into our world! We’re going back “a few” years for this one.
Imagine yourself at a Caribbean beach party, wearing swim trunks and flip-flops and singing along.
“I don’t know … I don’t know … I don’t know where I’m a gonna go …” Yeah, you know the rest.
Let’s role play
Try on a situation and see if you can act out a solution …
You’re one of an enlightened handful who see a situation as a problem … but lack the power, authority or influence to change it.
The people who possess the power, authority and influence to impact the situation … don’t see it as a problem (and, to one degree or another, have an interest in perpetuating the status quo).
Let’s see what you’d do …
Ring in the Weekend 02-18-11
This week’s installment of our Friday AfterNoonToon – a Grammy Twin Bill! – comes to you a bit early, because I’ll be away from my PC for a couple days.
Maybe you heard about the big Grammy Awards ceremony last Sunday night. Big winners were Arcade Fire, Lady Antebellum (which, I learned, is not a lady at all, but a trio), Lady Gaga (who is a lady) and Bruno Mars. See all of the Nominees and Winners at Grammy.com.
What you didn’t see (unless you went digging on Monday like I did) were the winners of the Blues categories – Best Traditional Blues Album and Best Contemporary Blues Album. I’d love to have seen these guys on the big broadcast. That brings us to our Wednesday edition of the Friday AfterNoonToon.
The envelope please …
Ring in the Weekend 02-11-11
We’re starting a new weekly feature here at the ol’ blog: Ring in the Weekend. Every Friday afternoon we’ll share a song or artist we’ve recently “discovered” so you can partake in the ooh-ing and ah-ing and launch your weekend in style.
Today it’s Australian one-man band and DIY-guy Claude Hay. He throws down a big, funky beat beneath some pretty killer slide guitar. His latest album, “Deep Fried Satisfied,” currently ranks No. 5 on Amazon’s top blues albums of 2010. NPR interviewed him in November last year. Did we mention he’s a one man band?
But enough of our yackin’ … check him out!
Let’s Connect!
timpconnelly 2011 | Rochester and Richfield, Minn. | webmaster@timpconnelly.com
