Indecision...

Hi Steve,

Well, tonight Pete and I are going to see Manheim Steamroller in concert.  I have always loved their music.  This loaner car that I'm driving--a 2012 Mercedes--is awesome because it has Sirius XM radio, so I've been listening to all kinds of cool tunes this week.  The Sinatra channel, smooth jazz, the 70's.... it is SO NICE to have NO commercials!  I really want this in my car!

Ahhh, but "my" car, which is actually Florence's car, on the other hand, has been in the dealership for a week now, and they STILL don't know how they're going to fix it.  Sigh.  Sooooo, I may be looking at a car-less life for awhile, which really sucks.  If they do everything that needs fixing, it could cost nearly $3,000 bucks.  It's a 2002 with only 52K miles on it though, so it would last another 5-8 years.

BLEAH.  We decided just to bite the bullet and get the damned thing fixed. The dealership guy is really being great though.  I told him I needed my car back today so that I could drive to Michigan to bring presents to my nephews and stuff...he says it won't be done...so I asked if I could take the loaner car.  He said "Technically, no, it's only supposed to be driven in PA or surrounding states."  So then he asks me where I'm going in Michigan and I tell him, and he says, "Ya know, I'm gonna just let you take it, that's not very far up, I used to live in Detroit so I know exactly where that is. Go ahead and take the loaner car, it's the holidays, I don't want to make you miss your trip, none of this is your fault. And," he adds, "for having patience with us while we try to figure your car out, I'm gonna deduct 10% off the final bill for you guys."

I mean, how many car dealerships do THAT?!  So, apparently my car must REALLY be in shitville. (Funny how my optimism suddenly shifts to pessimism in the same paragraph).  Yeah I know.  But really, for him to be THAT NICE, kinda tells me that my car might have to be junked or something. I don't trust car dealers or salesmen one damned bit.

Soooooo, now my mom and I are indecisive about whether or not we WANT to go to Michigan or not.  I'm leaning towards no, even though this 2012 Mercedes rocks and would be awesome to travel in, (I mean, it's only $2 bucks a day for a loaner car, so it seems like a no-brainer, right)?!  I can't RENT a car for $2 bucks a day ANYWHERE.  Maybe we SHOULD go.

I know I can't go the following weekend either because Pete's kids will be here (the other two) visiting, and my friend Barbara is coming to visit too, and that's the weekend of Christmas.  So it's now or never (I loved that song by Elvis).

But, at the same time, driving 8 hours one-way, to sit for 2 days and sleep on a couch, only to have to drive back another 8 hours and then be exhausted the rest of the week kinda seems lame.  I can just picture my 8 year old nephew ripping open his gifts, then acting all bummed out like, "whatever," and being a brat.  He's done this before.  Kinda makes the trip crappy.  Plus my best friend Laurie is sick, so that wouldn't be any fun either.  My MOM, on the other hand, would enjoy visiting, but she's also thinking it's too much work to deal with.

If I stay here, I can get more stuff done around this house, AND------oh this is cool, I want to tell you all about it------I got an email today from a total stranger, a woman in Ontario, who is putting together a conference, for 400 kids, regarding the Holocaust books that they have been reading.  She wanted to know if I would be interested in being a SPEAKER at this conference!  She called me this afternoon and we talked about it, and now she wants me to send her some presentation plans so that she can bring it to her colleagues and decide whether I'll be the keynote speaker, or just have workshops of 120 students 3 times that day.  I like that idea more than the 400 kids as the keynote speaker.  I like smaller group idea so that I can have the hands-on, questions and answers, more than just droning on and on to so many all at once.  The conference is in April, so I have plenty of time to prepare for it, AND get my passport updated too.

It's so bizarre though-----I mean, last night Pete and I go to this "munch" (with kinky people) at a local restaurant, just to schmooze and get to know others and stuff, (something I'm really finding difficult to do because I just don't like people very much.....more on that later)....and I am noticing this couple across the room, something told me I knew them somehow, but I couldn't place them.  After a few minutes, I realized, "They are the people who RE-DID my web site for kids!"  And sure enough, they recognized us too, and we all sat and talked up a storm.  We were the last people to leave!

We didn't know they were into D/s, and THEY didn't know that WE are too!  So that was really cool.  Mostly we talked about my web site, though.  I was STUNNED when they said that MY SITE is the TOP RANKED GOOGLE SITE under the subject of the Holocaust for kids----and that in TEXAS of all places, apparently 800 schools have picked up my web site and used it in their curriculum!  HOLY CRAP!!!  So NOW I'm freaking out, scared to death, and I told them I really need to update that stuff, I haven't touched it in 10 years, frankly, because I didn't think anybody gave a shit about it.  But WOW, that just blew me away!!

Something is definitely up in the cosmos.

After deciding to help me work on this web site, I get this email out of the blue from this lady in Ontario, on the SAME day that we get a Christmas card from Doug Sneyd---who ALSO lives in Ontario!  Geez!!! HOW WEIRD IS THAT?!

Alright I have to scoot, but if I write tomorrow, it's because I didn't go to Michigan.  If I don't write tomorrow, it's because I DID go.  Either way, I hope you have a GREAT weekend too!!!

Love you lots...xoxoxox -----Rebecca