{{journal_mood chipper}}
Relaxing…. Ok, I’ve been thinking more about that simple little word. I need to figure out what "I" need to do to relax. So naturally, I jumped in the car and turned up the music. I have an incredible sound system in my car; you can feel the pulse of sound on everything including the seats and outside mirrors. You can actually feel the hair on your head vibrating with the beat of the music when it’s loud. Another great thing brought to me by an awesome job from Mr. Installer.
Now, if you are paying attention. Hermes stop drifting off! You might have realized something that took me a while to grasp. When I put music and the car together and I am totally at ease. I drove around four hours again today and my mind has finally calmed down. I thought I was going to loose it last night while I was talking to Hermes but once I got in the car and started driving this morning (Iced Vent? Latte on the side) I started to relax and things started to clear up.
I know most of you can’t comprehend driving around in Seattle traffic especially to relax but I love to drive. I don’t care if I am going 5 miles an hour or 90, I just love being behind the wheel. It could because I am totally in control and when I want to go left, I go left. It could be because I’m free and the choices I make are simply which direction today. It could be the thump of the music calming the animal instinct inside (or drowning it out at the volume I keep it at). It could be the idea that I am just out in the world. It could be because I love the car, it’s incredibly comfortable and fun to drive. And of course it could be all of that.
The only problem with driving is that 1) oh my god the mileage I am putting on my car (2,000 last weekend), 2) other drivers who shouldn’t be allowed to drive, 3) gas prices (last weekend I spent $100 in gas). Believe it or not, my car gets incredible gas mileage. Something like 30+ on the highway and around 17+ in the city.
Stupid drivers don’t worry me to much, I am very aware of things around me and if you watch closely you know who you need to stay away from. Gas prices, well, thankfully I make good money and can afford it right now, plus I have most everything I want. I could save it but let’s face it; I haven’t started yet and probably not going to any time soon. I might as well enjoy. Add to the fact that I can go about 800 miles on a tank of gas while on the highway.
As for the mileage on the car, if it is helping me to relax and put my mind back in order … I’ll just have to buy another Vette in a couple years with fewer miles. Which will be fun to go shopping for; it’s a whole different world buying a car like that. It was the first time in my life I have ever enjoyed car shopping when I got the Corvette.
There is only one problem with driving around here. Seattle isn’t as big as you think. I’ve been pretty much everywhere and then some. I would go up in the mountains a ways but my car isn’t good in the snow (and that’s really an over statement). Going north doesn’t really have much and gets very boring even heading in to Canada. South is about the same though a tad bit prettier. I us to drive in Oregon all the time and most of that time was spent on the coast. Washington’s coast sucks, it’s flat and barren. Oregon’s is magnificent with huge cliffs, rocks that create some of the most beautiful sculptures and trees. So many trees you feel as if you are in some magical world.
It really isn’t too far to get to the Oregon coast; I’ve almost headed there a couple times but then stop myself. When I lived in Oregon it was only an hour away. Here it is more like two or three. Still not to bad but that does take a bit more planning and it isn’t just a simple highway trip. You have to wander around some back areas of Washington to cut over unless I went down to Portland and cut across.
Hmmm…. It’s still early and if I get tired I could get a hotel. The break could be just what I needed. It really sounds appealing to me, just the idea to get away and see something different. Well, I am hungry and I am too lazy to make something so I will have to go out. Just maybe…. Let’s just say if you don’t see a journal entry until tomorrow night, you will know where I went.