Essay of 5 Photos: Valerie and Me

Some people drive to arrive, but I like to be on my way. I turn the key for an adventure. I drive to drive and it is incredibly convenient when I end up where I wanted to go. The bond I share with my car is one that is akin to friendship and beyond spirituality. Many people will say that cars are inanimate objects and that none of this is valid; simply the mindless ramblings of an infatuated enthusiast. And so, fine, whatever you say- that's cool. But I love my car more than you will ever know.

When I first picked her up over the summer after my freshman year in high school, she was really a wreck. And I mean that quite sincerely. But I already held that dream machine close to my heart. I was lucky enough that my mom was willing to fork over two grand in order for me to learn an invaluable lesson. My hope was to get an old classic car that I could learn to work on and customize to my every fit and my mom was hoping for the same, though for different reasons. My mom was willing to spend money to buy me a piece of junk so that I could put real work into it and through my hours of sweat and tears I would learn the utmost respect for my car. Indeed this is exactly what happened. The car made it home from San Jose that first day and ran like a champ the entire stretch; even though the sagging, pigeon toed suspension was difficult to control and there were more than a few sketchy quirks beginning to pop up. I didn't care though. I knew that I could fix the suspension, and replace the house paint that shelled the body with real car paint. I had no idea how rough a path I was actually walking, but I would tread on anyhow and gain a friend for life. My new companion would be dubbed "Valerie", and so it began.

I learned very quickly that Valerie had a very serious attitude problem, likely due to past improper maintenace, and that she was terribly resistant to my every attempt to help mend her. As soon as I fix one part, the other part connected to the first one would break, and so on, and so forth, until my frustration level would peak and I forced myself to walk away. Of course, this happened numerous times and occasionally multiple times a day. Though strong willed and free spirited as she is, at the end of the day, she is still the best friend I could have.

When I drive her, it isn't like operating a machine. It's more like she is an extension of my body. I feel the pull of the curves, the shuddering grind of brakes, the bubbling combustion of fuel, and the painful jarring of every pothole I fail to avoid. We are joined in a spiritual embrace of ten-and-two; my body giving directions while hers gives protection. Each of us giving all we have to help the other, just like love should be.

We may not always agree on whether or not it is yet "time to go" and there might be some debate of how many times we want to break down as we make our way to a destination, but Valerie and I have grown considerably together. After putting in years of work and love, her paint is glossy, her upholstery is spotless, and her engine hums blissfully down the road. She has a greater tendency to start when I ask her to, and doesn't even get jealous and act out when I'm with my girlfriend any more. Driving her home is what helps me roll past a hard day at work as any frustration or negativity is exhaled along with her exhaust.

 

My work will never be done. For the rest of my life, and hers, I will be making improvements and keeping Valerie well taken care of as I know she'll do the same for me. Even though there will always be more work to be done, she is the perfect car and I'm lucky to have her. And I'll be even luckier if she starts tomorrow so I can get to work on time...

Alone in the wild?

Being alone in the wild... What does that mean to you? What constitutes as alone? Sure, if you go by the dictionary definition, it means you're completely on your own- so maybe that isn't the right word. But what is alone enough? Is it enough to have a few trees blocking the highway from view? No cell reception? No one else around for miles? Well how about we go far enough out so that the highway isn't even an issue, nix the phone for sure, but let's keep a friend or two to be alone with. That's about right for me. I love hiking and camping in places where that's just what I can do. Hike through dense trees on mountain sides with a small handful of friends. Sometimes in silence, sometimes with conversation. Then make camp by a body of water. Split apart from the companions to collect your thoughts and find peace. Sit by a lake, a river, or a stream and drop a hook in to catch dinner. Then it finds you.
No buzz of cell phones,
no hum of power lines,
no horns blaring or neighbors screaming.
Just a trickling current or whispering waves,
birds chirping,
grass tickling and fish will be nibbling.
Hear the soft, distant laughter of a friend....
I think this must be what Chris McCandless was looking for. But was it selfish not to share those moments? To keep them all to himself? Maybe. Maybe he needed that.

Into the Wild- Was he brave?

Was Chris McCandless really so brave? Did he have to be strong to venture out in the Alaskan wilderness like that? Or was he forced into doing so by fear? I bet you haven't even considered the possibility that he may have just been running from his past to find a nice snowy grave. Into The Wild is a story one must read carefully, because it was written by a man who openly idolizes Chris McCandless. Author Jon Krakauer has had personal experiences with death-defying wilderness adventures and feels quite akin to Chris, and therefore his account of Chris' adventures are biased. Now, I'm not trying to say that Chris McCandless is a coward or even that he didn't truly find himself out there in the woods. But maybe that wasn't his intention; maybe he was running away from the hidden truths and uncovered lies of his childhood when he chanced upon inner peace. Krakauer has a way of describing Chris like a saint, and I'm not so sure I see him in the same light. Certainly he was a smart man and would be interesting to have a conversation with, but let me remind you that not all smart people make smart decisions. Chris McCandless, with as many warnings as he was given, tried to tough it out in the uncharted woods of Alaska and it chewed him up and swallowed him whole. It is remarkable that he did so much with what little he had, but I think, in the end, he was always doomed. I don't think I would mind dying in such a peaceful and beautiful place, but maybe not like that. And I would probably call home to let mom know I wouldn't be home for dinner... There are simply more graceful ways to go about dying!

Who are you online?

Who are you online? Are you smarter? Cooler? Better looking? Are you yourself? Am I? Well sure we are, right? Is it possible for us to be anyone else?
Golly, you guys sure do ask some tough questions! Truth is, there is no easy or straight answer. No matter what persona we wear online, there is always some element of ourselves that shows through, but what about the other aspects? You've all heard of and maybe even committed to such acts before; picking only the most flattering pictures to post, changing your displayed age, maybe even saying things you wouldn't normally say- in person that is. Is this consistent fallacy acceptable? It's said that having  hundreds of friends on popular social media websites makes creating and keeping closer relationships increasingly difficult. Close relationships are being replaced with multiple distant ones. If you ask me, it all adds up the same. A couple big friends seems to be about equal to many small ones. Personally, I prefer a few select close friends but everyone's different and I don't much care what you do or how many friends you have so go ahead and knock yourself out. Times are changing and we are changing along with them- in many different directions. I can't tell you who is and is not your "friend"; I will, however, live and let live.

Air Fuel Synthesis- The Fading Carbon Footprint

Most people are aware that cars are some of the biggest pollutants that threaten our earth. And most people know about the efforts being made to reduce emissions with smog control laws and increasingly fuel efficient designs. One company's efforts though, however important, has relatively no reputation in America. Air Fuel Synthesis, or AFS, is a company based in the UK, working to make petroleum fuels carbon neutral. This means that the net amount of carbon compounds produced by burning these fuels is reduced to zero by offsetting the emissions. How can they do this? By using the most common form of pollution reduction: recycling. More specifically, by recycling the same carbon compounds emitted by burning the fuels and using it them to make more fuel.
Besides power, the burning of gasoline in an engine produces water and carbon dioxide. In order to synthesize one unit of fuel, it takes approximately 4.5 units of water and 3 unites of carbon. AFS begins by turning the H2O and CO2 into methanol using an updated version of the process Mobil used in the 90s. And then they turn the methanol into petroleum based fuel. The synthesis process, aside from producing the fuel, also emits oxygen. This new fuel has been tested and proven; it works just as well as natural fossil fuels.
Now, why should you care? Because once AFS puts their first commercial refinery into production, given that it works according to plan, the price of fuel will be in their hands. Prices could rise, fall, or stay constant. Wondering which it will be? Well, so am I.

New Look on "Grown-Ups"

Who is to say at what point someone may be considered "grown up"? Is living at home through college living at home too much? People will say that kids shouldn't return home after going away to college in order to grow up, but why? Kids are moving back home after college more and more these days, but they aren't kids anymore. In Lev Grossman's essay "Grow Up? Not So Fast", he claims that you cannot be grown up until you achieve economic and social independence. He cites such attributes such as living at home, taking longer to graduate, waiting longer to get married, and moving from job-to-job as evidence suggesting that the newer generations are taking longer to grow up. Grossman accuses young adults of being immature and irresponsible when in reality they are just the opposite.
Living at home saves something that is in short supply these days: money. It isn't costing parents anymore to use space they already have and it gives new adults a chance to work and save money in order to successfully move out on their own later. Taking longer to graduate is necessary in order to get a better education in such a competitive job market. Waiting to get married only enables people to make better decisions about who they marry so as not to make the mistake so many of their parents made. Job hopping is only a quest to be content in a career. So why is Lev Grossman so upset by what he sees as an inability to grow up? Possibly because when he was a young adult, the social norms were different. People left home to tough it out on their own, get married and have kids (only to divorce a few years later). Sounds something like jealousy.
Society, just like everything else, goes through an evolutionary cycle. In today's society it is acceptable to take longer to "grow up" because it makes it easier to live a fulfilling life. It doesn't appear to be hurting anyone besides Lev Grossman, so I say live it up, all you new adults. Take advantage of this chance to stock up now, because life is only going to get tougher. Good luck.

Review of "Clockwork Angels: The Novel"

Clockwork Angels, the novel by Kevin J. Anderson from a story and lyrics by Neil Peart and with the art of Hugh Syme, published by ECW Press, is an exciting "steam-punk" adventure full of light hearted humor, daring optimism and scheme going very much awry. In a world where everything goes according to the Watchmaker's plan, there is a dreamer "foolish" enough to know his ordered and contented life cannot possibly be enough. Owen hardy can't stop thinking big and so his destiny becomes entwined with that of two polar opposites fighting for the application of their ideologies.
This novel parallels the story told in Rush's latest album of the same title, for which Neil Peart wrote the lyrics. Rush fans will recognize lyrics woven into the text from a broad spectrum of their works; spotting these references is almost comical and very fun. Fortunately, for the majority of you who aren't fans, you won't be missing anything if you don't understand the references.
I would surely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys adventure tales with compelling plots and rather fulfilling endings; Rush fan or not.