Maybe I Should Do Something

Andrew and I just returned home from my BYU graduation. Well, it has been a long time coming, but I'm glad that I've finally finished that chapter of my life. While I can no longer put "student" down as my type of employment when filling out my demographics, I still think of myself as a student. Life Long Learning is a BYU motto. As one of the speakers at my convocation said, one definition of "graduate" is to change gradually or by degrees, so you are not really ever graduated.

Now that I'm done with my undergraduate courses I feel like I can expand my studies into areas that have captured my interest lately. I want to take art classes at the local community center or art museum. I want to paint, draw, sculpt, design, write, sew, run, dance, swim, bike, eat, cook, read, ponder, plant, travel, play, explore, and love. Basically, I want it all. I know that I do not have the time to become proficient in all the things that I am interested in. Work will absorb most of my time during the day, but I can always dream.

Andrew starts his second year of law school tomorrow. He has been busy reading all of his assigned pages for Monday. The moment we stepped through the door of our apartment I knew that our vacation was over. I had shopping, cooking and unpacking to do; Andrew had to study. Of course Murphy's law reigns supreme and Andrew's Cadavalier decided to be the piece that it looks like and not work. Fabulous. At least we have my hand-me-down Focus to rely on.

Precision All Tune = SCAM

Over the last 2 months my wonderful vehicle (the "cadavalier") has undergone some major repairs. Don't worry though the car is running beautifully now thanks to Midas and JMC Motors. The reason for this entry is to warn everyone about Precision Auto Tune. Two weeks before last semester's finals my car broke down. Everytime I stopped at a red light or a stop sign my car would shut off. I pulled into the nearest auto repair shop (Precision Auto Tune) and asked them to get the car running again. I paid them $550.00 to basically give me a tune up. I was told by the mechanic who worked on my car that the steering was going bad and I should have it looked at soon. I brought the car back a few days later. I was told that my car was a safety hazard and needed the following items replaced: rack and pinion, power steering compressor, air conditioner compressor (don't ask me why they were looking there), catalytic converter, and the exhaust system. All in all I was quoted a little over $1,000.00 - in addition to being told that the car was not drivable. I asked around for another opinion and found JMC Motors. One of the law students went to high school with the guy and promised he was honest. JMC Motors couldn't find anything wrong. I took it to Midas to have the exhaust looked at, and I was told that I needed to replace a "v" pipe connector between the catalytict converter and the exhaust manifold (a $67.00 repair). Anyway . . . DO NOT go to Precision Auto Tune. What a bunch of crap those guys. It was a sad thing, that is the thought of being without my car. We've been together as long as I can remember (that isn't true . . . but it sounds good). No really, it was weird, the thought of junking my car. Oh, did I mention the mechanic at Precision offered to purchase my car for $250.00 after I paid $550.00 to fix it? Yeah, class A people there. Not really.