It's JUST A Key Ring

It's just another one of those dreaded must do things that we all have to go through, at least those of us lucky enough to own a car. Yep, it's time for another oil change. The little sticker up in the corner of the windshield, left there about three or four thousand miles ago by the previous oil changer, says I'm [over] due so it must be true.

Time to begin rearranging our schedules in an attempt to squeeze it in, somewhere between everything else we have to do during our hectic weekly routine.

Oh, somehow we'll fit it in, we always do. After all, we know that changing our cars engine oil is a big part of maintaining our vehicles and keeping our warranty in good standing. The penalty for not keeping up with proper maintenance could mean expensive repairs, beggin' for rides from friends and neighbors or even worse, waitin' for the Bus in the middle of summer! None of those are too appealing, to say the least.

Ok, so who's gonna be the lucky one to do the work? Some of us can do it ourselves. Warm it up, pull it into the garage [carport], jack it up and start draining the oil.

Careful though, that oil is HOT! And so is the oil filter, which should also be replaced. Then, after all that you're stuck with an old oil filter and about six or seven quarts of black goo that needs to go to the recycler.

That's if you aren't wearing half of it in your hair, down your arms and back or heaven forbid, didn't have a mini BP Gulf Disaster all over your garage floor and driveway.

Most of us have come to learn that all this mechanic'n stuff is better left to those with the proper facilities and tools to best handle such a task. Not to mention those that enjoy getting greasy.

Option #2, you can always go to one of those EZ Jiffy Quicky Pronto Lubification establishments. Surely they can handle the job. Only problem is that sometimes they tend to get you in the door with that giant teaser sign blowin' in the wind out front. "Today only, from 11am to 1pm, only $19.95 for an oil change, including 6 quarts of oil and filter. Does not include blah blah blah...." only to find out that it's gonna cost you about five times that much by the time they release your car.

< style="font-family:Verdana;"Sure, you have every right to be skeptical. Somehow you always get bitten by the fine print. That damn fine print. They make it so small that even a mouse with reading glasses couldn't read it.

Then, if you really want to embarass yourself, you'll get all gutsy and ask them exactly what the fine print says. It's not that you don't trust them, it's just that you want to know exactly what your options are.

"Oh, the fine print? All it says is that if your car takes an extra drop of oil to bring it up to the correct level, we won't add it. We won't put a new gasket on the drain plug when we reinstall it. Heck, we won't even guarantee that we WILL reinstall it. If your car happens to blow up just after you leave because our ASEBGFD nonCertified Mechanic forgot to put oil back in your engine after he drained it, we're not at all liable. Little insignificant stuff like that. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure none of that stuff will have any effect on you."

Jeez, that's alot to take into consideration. But knowing that none of that would ever actually happen in real life, you decide to go for it. Heck, everybody likes a good deal, just too hard to pass up. So you go ahead and sign on the dotted line, knowing you're in good hands.

Weird thing is is that just about the time you put the pen down, your car is being hoisted up on the rack! How on earth did they know you were going to give them the go ahead for the oil change?

Oh, these guys are slick! Absolute magicians I tell you. Hope they're as quick with the oil change as they were at getting the car hoisted up because I've got lot's of errands to run today.

With your car safely up on the rack, you can begin to relax a little. So you grab the latest [ok, 3 months old, greasy finger prints everywhere and every page wrinkled] issue of Slick 'n' EZ Oil Changer magazine off the dusty table and settle down into the greasy orange vinyl covered chair and begin to peruse all the latest news in the oil change industry.

KABLAM! What the hell was that? Startled, you peer out through the Customer Connection window and you see 'Sammy Certification' fishing around in the drain bucket in an attempt to retrieve the wrench that he just dropped.

Then, with a resounding GOT IT, you see that his arm is half covered in oil but thankfully he found the wrench. Good thing it wasn't the drain plug, that would have been much tougher to find. Like finding a needle in an oily as hell haystack, no fun at all.

Just as you turn your head back to the magazine, you hear a faint 'kerplunk'. NO, tell me that didn't just happen! Tell me it's not what I think it is. Tell me it's not my drain plug that just fell in the drain bucket.

Yep, you guessed it. As you return your focus to the oil change bay, you see both of the mechanics legs flailing around in the air. He's upside down in the bucket, scowering around in the bottom for your drain plug. I guess they never taught him about using a magnet on a retractable rod in ASEBGFD School.

FOUND IT!!! Just about everybody in the entire place jumped for joy at the same time. At this point we're all pretty much like family. We're all hoping that each of our experiences turns out to be a pleasant one.

Phew, glad that's over. I'd hate to imagine how much losing that drain plug would have cut into my errand running time. I can only hope the gasket is still attached, otherwise that could be a nightmare in itself.

Like a river of mud, the oil continues to blurble out of the oil pan. That's about the time I realize how glad I am that I'm not laying on the hot asphalt, changing the oil myself. Good thing I let the experts handle it. Ok, now I can get back to the magazine.

All of a sudden, this pimply faced kid in a bluish brown shirt peers around the corner of the doorway. My first thought is How can my car be ready so soon? My second thought is, it can't be ready that soon and so it's just about that time that I begin to hope and pray that he's looking for somebody else.

Nope, he's eyeballin' ME and I have a feelin' it's not gonna be good. Then comes the bad news. "Uh, Mr. Smith, while we were draining your oil we noticed a couple other items that require your immediate attention. Can you please follow me? I'd like to show you what we found."

"Jeez, I only came in for a cheap oil change, I never asked you guys to check anything else." "I realize that Mr. Smith but we feel it's our duty to inform all of our loyal customers of any pending danger related to their automobiles as we would never want anything to happen to them or their vehicles. Above all else, safety is our number one concern here at EZ Jiffy Quicky Pronto Lubrification Centers and it's in everyones best interest that we do all we can to keep our customers safe at all cost. I'm sure you understand."

"Huh, understand? You pretty much lost me at duty to inform. Ok, let's go take a look. I'm sure you're right, better safe than sorry. I mean, after all, how much extra could it be, right?"

Following the mechanic outside, the words 'at all cost' begin to swim around in my head. As far as I know, I'm the one that's going to be paying at all cost and no doubt that's in their best interest.

"Take a look here, you can see that your Muffler Bearings are completely shot. Heck they're almost falling off. And take a look right here, your Johnson Rod has a big ol' crack in it and it's just about to break! Boy, you're so lucky. You brought your car in just in time."

"What exactly are you pointing to, I just don't see anything wrong here? Matter of fact, I've never even heard of Muffler Bearings OR a Johnson Rod. Are you sure they're going bad?"

"Oh yes sir, trust me, they're going bad and you really should have them repaired right away to prevent any further damage to any other components that could possibly be interrelated to the damaged items that we previously mentioned"

"Alright, let's just say I did decide to have those fixed, how long would it take and even more importantly, how much extra is it gonna cost me?"

"Come on back inside and we'll run some numbers. Let's see here, new Muffler Bearings, click, click, click, new Johnson Rod, click click, click, about nine hours Labor, click, click, click, that leaves us with a guesstimate of about $1281.56, plus tax. Oh, and that's not including the $88.26 for the oil change. Keep in mind that this guesstimate is based on parts availability and those prices could go up dramatically if we find there have been any price increases that we are unaware of at the time of this guesstimate. Also, please remember to keep in mind that due to our high demand for quality, we only use Factory parts. We don't mess around with aftermarket parts here because as you know, safety is..."

"Yeah, Yeah, I KNOW! Safety is your thing! Got it! But that just seems outrageous for parts that I can't even see are wrong, let alone that I've never even heard of and I've been around cars for quite some time."

"Trust me Mr. Smith, we'd never steer you wrong. Get it? Steer You? That's just a bit of EZ Jiffy humor. We like to keep things light 'n' easy around here. There's more than enough stress in the world these days and the last thing we want to do is to add to it. Let's just hope we don't find anything else wrong with your car while we're under there [Yeah, let's hope...]. The good news is it looks like your Radiator Springs are ok for now. We can go ahead and wait until your next oil change to replace those."

Well, so much for the $19.95 oil change. And as far as the NEXT time, I don't think so.

Which pretty much leaves us with option #3, the local Dealership. Home of honesty, integrity, quality and a job well done. Sure, all this comes at a price but you're already aware of that going in.

Usually, along with that extra cost comes the comfort of knowing that the necessary extra repairs are truly legit [if you hear the words Muffler Bearings or Johnson Rod, get outta there fast!] and therefore it's ok to pay a bit extra for that peace of mind and satisfaction of a job well done.

Well, recently a friend of mine was in the position of having to make all these decisions and came away with a very surprising result. She knew I wasn't about to crawl under her car and change her oil so option #1 was crossed off the list immediately [I crossed it off myself].

Like most of us, she's already experienced option #2 so that was no longer a viable alternative. That leaves option #3 and so she made an appointment at her local Dealership. She had some work done there previously and while it was sorta expensive, she was satisfied with the job that was done and heck, they even washed her car for her. Out of all her choices, she felt it was her best option.

She arrived about 15 minutes early as she didn't want to miss her appointment. After standing around for about 20 minutes [so much for showing up early] she was finally approached by the Service Writer and asked for her information.

Her paperwork was filled out along with "Please pour yourself a coffee and have a seat in our waiting room, should only take about an hour." Made an appointment and still an hour for an oil change? Plus all the time waiting to get checked in. Oh well, at least it will be over with and done right.

About 15 minutes later a gentleman walks up with some paperwork in hand. Thinking to herself, done already, that's great, he proceeds to inform her of a recalled item on her car that should be fixed at this time. Free of charge and it won't take long.

"Ok, that's fine" she replies and continues to sip on her coffee. That's the beauty of being at the Dealership, they know about these things because their computer tells them about pending issues.

Time continues to tick by and another hour and a half later, her car is ready to go. Ok, so it took a little longer than expected and it costs a bit more in the long run than the other options but at least it comes with the satisfaction of a job well done.

"Ok, Ms. Jones [name changed to protect the innocent], please pay the Cashier and pick up your keys". Hmmm, $110.00 for an oil change? Wow, that seems like alot more than last time but maybe the cost of a barrel of oil has gone up that much.

Remember, peace of mind has to cost something and they did repair that recalled item at no charge[?] so let's just pay the Cashier and get outta here. "Thank you M'am, here are your keys and have a great day". Off she went to pick up her car in the waiting zone.

Just as she was about to turn the key to start her car, she noticed something was out of place. "My Key Ring, my special key ring, it's missing!" Now, the only reason she even noticed it was gone was because this was a gift from a friend and holds tremendous sentimental value to her.

Luckily she noticed it was missing before she left the Lot. Jumping out of her car, she headed for the Service Writers booth. "I want to see the Manager". Once paged, he showed up immediately to resolve the issue. Calmly he exclaimed, "Oh, I'm sure this can easily be explained. Somehow it must have fallen off. I'm sure we can find it for you."

Hmmm, it's been on there for over a year but somehow it fell off today and no one knows where it is? Amazingly enough, with the Manager jumping on the hot line, a few choice words over the loud speaker and Voila, it magically reappeared from the depths of the Dealership. Truly astounding, I think?

However, by this point the damage was already done. It wasn't the $25 key ring itself, it's the fact that the feeling of trust was gone. This put everything about the entire job into question.

What else did I have in the car that might be missing now? Sunglasses, change in the ashtray, did they really do all the work they said they did? OMG! Let the stress test begin!!

Needless to say, the Manager was very apologetic, even saying "The oil change is on the house and here's a coupon for half off on your next oil change. I truly am sorry this happened." Next oil change... here? I don't care if it's free, I don't think so.

That bond has been broken, which can't be repaired and all this over a key ring. Not that she was ever guaranteed to spend a fortune on repairs in the future but the point is now she will never spend another dollar there.

Surely she would not consider buying another car there and if a friend ever asked for her recommendation on where to have repairs done or perhaps even to purchase a car, she can at least tell them where NOT to go.

Word of mouth and positive [or negative] referrals carry a ton of weight in todays world as people are very leary about being taken advantage of and fearful of letting go of their money in any type of monetary transaction.

While this unfortunate incident can not be attributed to the Dealership itself, unfortunately the actions of one individual has put the entire Dealership and all who work there under suspicion.

At the very least, they have lost one customer but in actuality it is impossible to guesstimate the true repercussions. And while you might say c'mon now, it was just a key ring! You're right, It's Just A Key Ring....but it encompasses so much more.

If you've had any type of similar experiences, I'd enjoy hearing about them. I always appreciate your comments and if you enjoyed reading this post, please pass it along to your friends.

Maybe My iPhone Just Ain't That Smart?

I'm not exactly sure what's goin' on here. I mean, aren't these iPhones supposed to have a mind of their own, to be the best thing since sliced bread? Jeez, I can't even believe I just said that. Sounds like something my Dads Dad would have said. But you get the point.

When I got my iPhone, I was under the impression that they were the most incredible invention ever. They could do just about everything you ever wanted [with the correct Application downloaded, of course] except wash dishes or do laundry.

Seemed as if everywhere you turned, somebody was touting all of the wonderful 'things' that could be accomplished and all of them in the blink of an eye. Clever marketing? I'd hate to think I fell for that stuff but it's a distinct possibility. Typically I'm smarter than that but maybe they slipped one in under the radar on me.

Don't get me wrong here. For the most part, I love my iPhone. From the sleek styling to the ultra smooth Touch Screen, this baby has winner written all over it. And I'm by no means a Tech Geek but it would be hard not to want one of these phones, based on looks alone.


In fact, if the Porsche Design Group ever ends up building a Concept Phone, I would think there's a pretty good chance it's gonna look very similar to Apples Smooth Talker.

Speaking of Techie, I won't even begin to claim that I have 1/1000th of an idea of all the things this baby will do. I've never even been to the "App Store", don't know the address or the phone number. I'm not sure if they have one at the Mall or not but I have enough trouble workin' the buttons it came with, why the hell would I want to add more gizmos?


I previously had a Nokia that worked really well. Bluetooth capable, nice and compact, never a dropped call, in essence the perfect phone. Then why on earth did I get rid of it you might be asking? Wasn't cool enough? Behind the times? Nope, none of those.

I never got my iPhone to keep up with the Jones'. I'm not one to care about that sort of thing, which might sound a bit strange at this point because the main reason I bought it was because it was compatible with the 'Hands Free' Bluetooth System in the car I had at the time.



My BMW had warnings everywhere, saying that 'pairing up' an unauthorized cell phone to their system could possibly damage the entire electrical system in the car, causing major damage. And knowing that everything in that car was computer controlled, I couldn't take a chance on hurting my baby. And so I got the iPhone, which was ok'd on their list, in white of course. Hey, I AM color conscious.


As I sunk down in that sweet leather, watchin' the Nav screen with all of the codes poppin' up, enter this, press that, I just knew I was gonna be in cell phone heaven. And I wasn't dissapointed, not in the least. That phone never worked better than when it was hooked up to the BMW. It was like drivin' around in a giant antennae, reception central.

It was even voice activated. All I had to do was say "Call so and so" and the next thing you know, I could hear a phone ringing somewhere off in space. It wasn't actually in space, it was coming from my stereo speakers but it did seem like space. Just a touch of a button on the steering wheel and instant disconnect. I must say, it had to be one of the sweetest inventions ever.

I'm not a huge fan of those Star Trek earpieces and I'm semi ok with the headphones but this eliminated the entire nightmare. No worries about Cops giving me tickets, always able to keep both my hands on the wheel. It was a dream come true.


But unfortunately, I no longer have my Dream Car and I'm beginning to wonder if my iPhone knows that as well. They were a pair, those two, they went everywhere together. They were inseparable and I wonder if my phone is really starting to miss her partner. Like they say, one is such a lonely number and I think it's taking a toll on my 'iBaby'.

These tantrums seem to come much more often these days and no doubt with much more severity. I'll be carrying on a conversation, not really moving at all and next thing you know, I'm talkin' to air. Yep, another dropped call.

A quick redial leads me to ask "Are you driving?" To which whomever it is that I was speaking with responds "Nope, didn't move an inch." Hmmmm, wonder what happened?


"I've got five bars [thanks to my latest update. Only used to get three bars], it can't be from my side." "Me too, I've got five bars, it's gotta be your phone!"

"OH no you DIT~N'T, don't you go blamin' my baby!!!" And then IT'S ON! All the accusations start flyin', the 'My Droid is better than your iPhone' BS. Next thing you know, you're havin' a knock down dragout over a stupid dropped call. Jeez, I'm feelin' the stress from here and I'm not even on the phone.

What's even weirder than that is this seems to happen more often when it's iPhone to iPhone. Call me crazy [I know, what's new] but I'm beginning to wonder if our old friend Steve Jobs installed some kinda software that links all these iBots together in some way so that they know they're talkin' to 'one of their own' and they play these damn games, just to piss us off.


I'm sure you've heard how these phones are 'watching us', keeping track of everything we do and say. So then why not have the phones keep track of each other? And to take it a step further, what if all the Aspirin Companies are in on it as well?

I mean, just think of how much Bayer Aspirin they're selling to help us get rid of all of these stress headaches that are caused by all of these friggin' dropped calls. It's a conspiracy I tell you. It's Big Brother and he's attacking us through our phones.

Kinda makes you miss the days of the old rotary dial phones. Back when it would take you so long just to dial the number that you could come up with tons of stuff to talk about while you were waiting for the call to go through. S..E..V..E..N..dut..dut..dut..dut..dut..dut..dut..F..I..V..E..dut..dut..dut..dut..dut..


And hopefully you didn't have to dial a zero somewhere in there, got a bit sidetracked and didn't get your finger all the way around. That was major trouble for sure. You totally had to start all over again.

At that point you really had to think twice about even calling that person. Did you REALLY wanna talk to them THAT BAD? Bad enough to risk screwin' up another dial job?

Those were the days that people knew how important they were to you. If you actually took the time to call somebody, you must have really wanted to talk to them. Jeez, it was nice bein' wanted but come to think of it, I didn't really get that many calls. Hmmm.....

Which brings me back to my iPhone. Does it drop all these calls just to piss me off or does IT just want to be wanted? Can't it feel me massaging it when I rub it's beautiful screen? Is it lacking attention, feelin' like I just take it for granted? I sure hope not, that would be terrible.


So perhaps it really does have A.D.D.? Is it possible for a phone to have Attention Deficit Disorder? I know it sounds weird but in this day and age, why not? I mean, when I was growing up, all us kids acted out and did things we weren't supposed to. Seems like we were always doin' something wrong.

But back then instead of giving us pills to put us in 'Numbville', we'd get our butts spanked, have to pull tons of weeds in the yard and be grounded all summer. Ah, those were the days.

The days of discipline, when you learned the difference between right and wrong, by the seat of your pants. Or sometimes on the back of your thighs, perhaps your lower back, all depends on where the belt landed.



Never thought I'd look back on 'discipline' as a good thing but I have to think that like kids, our phones need to know when they are actin' up and doin' wrong. But how exactly do you go about teaching your phone the difference between right and wrong?

Do you stop using it for awhile? Who is that really punishing, you or the phone? Perhaps throw it on the ground, breaking the screen? Again, who really loses here? Sure, the phone doesn't have to work so hard anymore but your wallet is sure gonna get a workout. Maybe just take the whole damn thing apart and never use it again? I really don't know the answer.

I guess we just have to accept the fact that technology still has it's flaws and that nothing is perfect, especially when any part of it is man made. But between you and me, I still think my iPhone just ain't that smart!

It's Not Me....It's You. I Mean, It's Me! Ahhh, GOODBYE!!

It was good while it lasted. Oh, the times we had together, just you and me. Conversing endlessly without uttering a word, refusing to let anyone or anything else to distract us from each other. Caught up in all the hopes and dreams of a wonderfully magic future together, the unknown being layed out before us along the Golden Highway Of Information.

Yes, it was exquisite to say the least. Better than either of us ever imagined it would, let alone could be. Knowing full well that no one else on earth could even begin to come close to sharing what we shared. What is it they say, "Two hearts beating as one?" That pretty much sums up our relationship in a nutshell. We were inseparable, never feeling lonelier that when we were apart.


Even though we were never more than a mouse click away from each other, sometimes it felt like we were millions of 'emiles' apart. On those rare occasions that I would wake up, run to my computer, only to Log On and find that you hadn't left me a message, I'm not ashamed to admit now that my heart would drop to my stomach.


Was it something I said? Maybe something I didn't say? There MUST be some kinda misunderstanding here. Then the turmoil of the unknown would begin to take over, along with all of its second guessing and the 'wish I could take it backs'.

Like a lonely Text sent off into Cyberspace, not knowing if it reached it's destination or not. If it didn't get there, should you send it again? Ohhhh, at the risk of looking like a CyberStalker there's just no way you can risk hitting 'send' again, can you? No way! All you can do it sit there, with your hands tucked under your legs, trying your best to slow down your imagination and not touch the keyboard. Jeez, I can feel an ulcer brewing already!


And if your Text did arrive at its intended destination, then why no response yet? Too busy, a blow off, mad, all those questions and more begin to spin throughout your head until you're so dizzy you wish you could throw up and get it over with, just so you'd feel better. Jeez, no wonder I hate texting so much.

But that was the feeling I got when I didn't hear from you. How did I become so attached, so completely vulnerable? That is something I truly can't answer. Yet it's painfully obvious that I was completely under your spell.

Although we started out as mere acquaintances, two strangers passing in the night so to speak, somehow our 'relationship' blossomed into something so indescribably wonderful that I'm sure very few others could claim anything near as grand as what we shared.


Yet, like almost all good things, this too must come to an end. I feel I'm no longer in charge of my life, let alone my inner being. My soul. All hopes of regaining order are far outweighed by the magnitude of my feelings. My wants, my needs have taken over and all my priorities seem to have been left by the wayside.


As I continue to struggle with this situation, doing everything in my power to hang on to my last shred of dignity, not wanting to succumb to the painful reality that I am well aware of and know all too well is waiting for me just ahead, I begin to realize that I'm steadfastly running out of strength.

Strength to fight this 'Demon', this Monster that I created myself. Yes, me and me alone. I have no one else to blame for this terrible situation but myself. After all, I started it and knowing that, I feel it's up to me to end it.


And while I knew damn well it had to happen sometime, I truly did my best to put it off as long as possible. Oh, some might say that I buried my head in the sand, not wanting to face reality and in all honesty, I'd have trouble posing a good argument against their accusations. But if they knew the bond I felt, that special 'something' that only we shared, perhaps they would be a bit less harsh. Just a little more understanding.

Knowing full well the writing has been 'on the wall' for quite some time now doesn't make what I'm about to say an easier for me. I'm sure you know that. And even if you don't want to, I'm sure if you look inside, deep down inside your heart, you'll know it's for the best. The best for both of us.



And so with that, I'm left with no other choice. Please believe me, I've thought about this for a very long time. I've struggled with this for so long now, yet I've been unable to come up with a reason strong enough, legitimate enough to avoid the heartbreak that I know we are both about to endure. But break your heart I must.

Therefore, knowing I have done everything to the best of my ability to avoid the unavoidable, at this point I'm left with no other option. All I can do now....is UNSUBSCRIBE!

Yes, I'm afraid that's what it's come down to. While I look so forward to your daily, sometimes two and three times a day correspondence I feel as if I have no other option. For some time now I have let your 'e~notes' consume my entire existence, ceasing to live my own life, on my own terms.


Not that I didn't look forward to receiving each and every message that you sent. No, don't think that. You know I did. Every time I opened my Inbox, I felt like I was an Astronaut at Cape Canaveral, anxiously awaiting another Launch. The anxiety I felt over every 'countdown' just can't be described.

That tumultous feeling, wondering whether or not your Server was gonna crash [no, not again!] just after 'take off' was sometimes just too much to bear. Even though it crashed about 99% of the time, there was still the small chance that it wouldn't, which left the door of surprise slightly ajar.


Oh, and the way you created all the angst with all of your 'time sensitive' nuggets, keeping me at the edge of my keyboard seemingly every minute of the day and night was pure genius. Get In Now, Closing The Doors In Two Hours, Only 6 More Fast Action Bonuses Available, Secrets That Only The Biggest Gurus Know, all the clever copywriting kept me glued to my monitor for sure.

I mean, I'm a complete sucker for fre*e knowledge and somehow you knew that about me. Perhaps you Googled me, I'm not sure but no doubt you did your research. Not just Keyword research but some real diggin', more than you'd ever get from my email address.


Which reminds me. Those clever 'In Boxes' of yours sure were mesmerizing to say the least. Flashing this, blinking that, scrolling left and right with arrows jiggling all over the place. It was like dangling a carrot in front of a horse, no way to resist.


And once I was 'inside', searching for a way to download my f*ree Ebook, that's when you knew you had me. "You'll never have this opportunity again, once this page is gone, it's gone forever, once in a lifetime a program like this comes along, don't miss it, BONUS, BONUS, BONUS!!!" Yes, I'll admit I did get sucked in a few times but I'd like to think I learned a few things along the way. At least I hope so anyway.

I'm always on a quest for knowledge and so I don't look at this as a wasted journey by any means. After all, I have learned quite a bit from all my research, not to mention tons of trial and error. More error than I probably would have liked to have had but I guess that's all part of the process.


That's not to say that I know anything at all about the Internet, Computers, Webinars, HTML, SEO, Backlinks, Trackbacks, Social Media, Affiliate Marketing, Clickbank, Google Ad Words, Selling Info Products Online or anything else but I'm sure I know more now than I did a year ago.


But my quest for online knowledge has really only just begun. And while I feel as if I'm abandoning 'you', in essence I'm not. I'm merely going to make an effort to restructure my online search in an effort to become a bit more laser focused on my goals rather than to attempt taking in all of the f*ree knowledge available.

I continually had the feeling that if I was to 'Opt Out', the very next day I would be missing out on that one special 'nugget', that special something that would lead me to the fast track, straight to the end of the rainbow.


Only problem is, I've already got a hard drive full of Ebooks and PDF's that I know would add tons to my online schooling but as of yet, I haven't even read them. Like they say, "So much knowledge, so little time" or something like that.

And so, it is with a heavy heart that I must do my best to let go. I'm sure you know how hard this is for me and I hope you'll understand. It's just that I need my life back. Well, what little there is left of it. I'm afraid that if I don't break these ties at some point, I may never have a life again.


My thirst for knowledge is stronger than the both of us and that is the one thing I can always depend on but if I don't focus in a bit better, find some semblance of direction for my online endeavors, I honestly feel that I will continue to spin my wheels, digging myself deeper into a hole. A hole from which I may never escape.


Therefore, I must bid most [not quite all] of you farewell. I can't begin to thank you enough for all of your Fr*ee knowledge, help and advice. Please don't take any of this personally. I assure you it's nothing personal, it's just business.


And as I mentioned earlier, it's you, not me. I mean it's me, not you. Ah, the hell with it. It's BOTH of us!

Dreamin' REALLY BIG! ~ Three GT3RS's In One Day!!

If you read my recent post about my trip to the Dream Store, aka the Porsche Dealership, then that will give you a better idea of where this post begins. If you haven't read it, basically it's about finding a reason in life to get and to stay motivated. Motivated enough to remain focused on following your dreams, your passions in order to achieve your goals.

And for me, my motivation is money. Yep, good ol' cash. Lots of dinero, so I can buy a car. I know, I know, very shallow but yes, I find my spine tingles the most when I'm behind the wheel of an extremely nice German Supercar. That's what floats my boat. I'm not gonna make excuses for it, that's just the way it is.


I've known this forever and I've also felt a bit guilty about it for just about the same amount of time. I mean, shouldn't there be more to life? All the thoughts of being superficial and merely out to prove something to someone else have lead me to feel guilty for getting my motivation from such a thing as a car.

The only other 'thing' that even comes close for me is women and to be honest, if I have to 'buy one', then that's not the one I want anyway. I want a woman to love me for me, not for what I can give her and since that's nearly impossible to find in todays world, I need to remain focused on the only other thing that gives me the 'warm 'n' fuzzies', a sweet a$$ German Supercar!


As I mentioned in Part One, I had gone to the Dream Store a few weeks ago to ask about the new 2010 Porsche GT3RS. They were just starting to arrive in the US and I wanted to see one in real life. Not that I could afford one [YET!] but I wanted to see what's been labeled as the best 'Drivers Car' in the world!


I'm already so enthralled with the 2007~'08 GT3RS that as hard to imagine as it is that the new version could be any better, with the larger 3.8 Liter engine, suspension changes, Center Lock wheels and all the other 'goodies' that have been updated, there was just no way I was going to miss the arrival of my new dream machine.

I put a call in to the Dealership last Tuesday, inquiring as to whether or not my baby had arrived yet, knowing that during my previous visit the Sales guy told me the new one should be in in just a few weeks. It takes approximately 25 to 30 days for the Ship to bring them over from Stuttgart, which seemed like quite a long time to me but he assured me that was normal.

Actually the Factory is located just a bit North, in Zuffenhausen, Germany but either way, still seems like a long trip. I guess when you're anxiously awaiting the arrival of anything, every minute is a minute too long.



In my mind I thought about a Cruise Ship and I couldn't believe it would take a month for that to get here from Germany, with no layovers in between but I guess it is what it is. So with a couple quick calculations, he 'guesstimated' that it should arrive by the end of the week. "Call me Friday around noon and I'll give you a status update." No need to mark it on my calendar, the time and date were instantly on the top of my list.

It's not like I was counting the hours until noon Friday or anything but let's just say that when the phone rang Friday morning around 10:00 I was pleasantly surprised to say the least. "Bryan, the White GT3RS arrived this morning. They have to do the PDI [Pre Delivery inspection] on it, detail it and then move it to the Showroom. Should be on the Showroom floor about Noon."

Even though I couldn't believe they would have all that done that quickly, I thought that maybe they had already started on it and that's how he came up with such an early time. I decided I'd go ahead and wait until it was all cleaned up and looking it's best before I arrived so I planned on getting there about 1:00. Don't wanna add any pressure, right?



On the way over there, I just kept thinking about how bitchin' this whole 'adventure' was gonna be. Knowing that there were very few of these in the US at this point just made it all the sweeter. The fact that it costs about $200K out the door made it even more of a dream trip.

Yeah, I gotta agree, that IS alot of money but when you break it down, a thousand dollars isn't a totally outrageous amount. Not these days anyway. And so you multiply that thousand by two hundred and that's it. Next thing you know, it's Heaven on earth. Not bad at all. Well, I guess it's all in how you look at it. That's how I choose to look at it anyway.



Luckily for me, as it turned out they were a bit behind schedule. As I pulled up to the driveway of the Dealership, what's the first thing that greets me? It's a Tech driving the new GT3RS, waiting to pull out into the street for a test drive. Wish I could have gotten my camera out in time but I was trying to concentrate on getting in the parking lot at the time.

Part of the PDI requires the Tech to 'take it out' and check things over. Gotta make sure everything is in working order. Even though it was completely checked over before it ever left the Factory, gotta go over it with a fine tooth comb just to ensure nothing happened to it during the 'Ship Trip'.


Porsche is known world wide for their attention to detail. Nothing gets past them. They are rated number one in the world when it comes to having the least amount of problems, which is really amazing when you think about the actual size of the Company.

They have more of a 'hands on' feel than the big US Auto Makers and perhaps that is what's lead to their success. That, and their racing heritage. Everything they produce is tested on the Track way before it ever reaches the Showroom floor. Yes, they are expensive but again, you get what you pay for.


Rarely, if ever, will you hear anyone mention the high price of a Porsche [except for the GT2 which could run over $300K and for that price, you're in Ferrari & Lamborghini territory] in regards to what you get for your money. You truly get what you pay for in a Porsche.

So I park my car, grab my Flip Camera and jump out hoping to catch a glimpse of MY DREAM pulling back in to the Lot. At this point I wasn't sure how far along they were with the PDI and detailing. All I knew was that I wanted to soak up as much as I could.

Standing on the sidewalk, I could hear something approaching that sounded absolutely incredible. Looking to my left, there it was. Caught just a bit of it as it pulled in the driveway. Then I more or less ran through the Lot, following the Tech back to the Service Bays.


Turns out they still had to finish up the PDI. Took all I had to ask but I couldn't pass up this opportunity. "Is it ok with you guys if I go inside and take a closer look?" To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what they replied as I didn't really hang around long enough to hear the answer. I immediately flew inside, Flip Cam rollin', doin' my best to get as much Video in as I could. After all, I had no idea when they were gonna kick me out.


Just the way it was idling, you could tell it's definitely a beast. When you put 450 Horsepower in a car that weighs very little and handles so well, you can't help but end up with major amounts of fun. And that is certainly the case here. From inside to outside, everywhere you look is just another engineering marvel to gawk at.

No doubt I found myself wanting for a 'scratch & sniff' button for my camera in hopes of capturing the amazing aroma permiating from the Leather and Alcantara Suede 'cocoon' known as the interior. Just exquisite. Even the exhaust fumes smelled like a million bucks! It didn't take me five minutes to know that two hundred thousand dollars is a bargain for this car.


As they wrapped up the Inspection, I knew it was now or never. "Mind if I sit in it for a second?" "Sure, no problem." Did I mention these guys at the Dealership were nothing but cool to me? Definitely unlike any other experience I've ever had at a Car Dealership. No 'Used Car Vultures' here, just a bunch of relaxed, easy going and helpful guys. From the Techs to the Sales Manager, all of them First Class. No doubt I'd highly recommend this Dealership to anyone.

Doing my best not to get drool all over the interior, the Tech gets in, saying "I'm gonna pull it around to the front." Normally, I would have totally blown it and said "Oh, ok, I'll go ahead and get out" but not this time. Oh no. If they wanted me out, they were gonna have to drag me out of there, kickin' and screamin'!

Just as soon as he started it, the 'tingles' hit me and flooded my spine with the warm 'n' fuzzies. While it might have only taken two minutes to get to the front of the Lot, it was the best 'trip' of my life. I tried to keep the camera going but I found it difficult to focus on the filming and so in the video, you'll see quite a bit of the dashboard. No doubt I lost my focus.

And while I would have loved to have gone for a quick cruise to LA, I've been informed that you have to sign away your life in order to go for a test drive and so that just wasn't gonna happen. Oh well, that's life. It had to end sometime and so with that, I reluctantly got out.


I walked around the car a bit more, trying to soak up all I could while at the same time not wanting to wear out my welcome. Which after being there filming for nearly an hour, I'm pretty sure I was coming close to doing exactly that.

As I walked inside the Showroom, hoping to get a glimpse of the 'Magic Pumpkin', the Orange 2008 GT3RS that was traded in on the new Gray GT3RS a few weeks ago, my head continued to spin. Is THIS RS really that much better than the 'old' one? Larger engine, RSR Race Suspension, Center Lock Wheels, etc., etc. I guess when it comes right down to it, yes it is a better car.

Does that in any way mean that the previous version is any less incredible? By no means. It merely means that just when you think they have reached perfection, perfection can still be improved upon. Which is exactly what they've done here. Hard as it is to believe, that's what happened.


This doesn't in any way diminish my dreams of having an '07 ~ '08 version. I would give anything to have one. Is the new one worth an extra $75K compared to the old one? Absolutely it is. Both are extremely low production, Collector status, High Performance German Supercars but if I had the $200K I would buy a new one in a heartbeat.

When they are being described by all of the 'in the know' testers as the Best 'Drivers Car' in the world [meaning a car without alot of electronic gadgetry that in essence eliminates feel] it's difficult NOT to want a new one. Not to say that I wouldn't be extremely happy with an old one, that's for sure. I guess we'll just have to see how it all plays out.



At least I can walk away from this experience knowing that I have all kinds of extra fuel for my motivational fire. Matter of fact, as I was walking to my car, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I'd pretty much know that color anywhere, being as rare as it is.

Sure enough, there's a Green '08 GT3RS parked in the Lot. They produced a combined 200 of these for the North American market during the '07 ~ '08 year and to see two of these at the same Dealership is just insane. I have no idea what the odds are but they have to be very high, that's for sure.



Getting back inside my car [which I gotta admit seemed pretty damn frumpy at this point], I began to go over all the ways I could make enough money to buy one of these babies. I KNOW there has to be a way. Other people buy them, why not me? If you're gonna dream, might as well DREAM REALLY BIG!!!