Donstar

I like four seasons! We once lived in a region where winter dominated the year. When it wasn't winter, it was bugs & mud season! The pacific northwest offers us all four seasons, each with their own appeal. I'm with you and enjoy winter the most with the caveat that Spring will follow!

Forgetting about the carbon stuff for a moment, the future with EV's is really quite amazing. Imagine all of our discussions over the 6.2's and how many of us stop, stare and wish when we see a Raptor? A base level GM or Ford EV will be heads above in speed, performance and efficiency. The fuel we will need for the majority of our driving will be from home. I understand the worries about range and fill-ups for those who often drive more than 300 miles a day, but minimal planning will have you filling up during a needed break from driving. The changes in the speed and availability of charging stations over the past couple of years demonstrates that demand is quickly eliminating concerns about range. The materials and infrastructure that go into the switch to EV's obviously have a negative carbon impact. However, I agree with the belief that, "Electric vehicles create a lower carbon footprint over the course of their lifetime than do cars and trucks that use traditional, internal combustion engines." (CNBC) If my next truck is flirting 3X more power, 3X cheaper fillups and potentially be kinder to the environment, my love for my gas burning V6 will sadly end in divorce.

I don't believe the move to EV's is being overly forced or pushed. I think we're dragging on the move but understand there is a lot invested into our current way of moving people. The snowball is simply getting too large to slow or ignore! For those of us who will only consider trucks, the Rivian is receiving a lot of attention but the F150 (Lightening) will, I believe, remove all hesitancy amongst pickup drivers. If you haven't watched recent YouTube reviews of this vehicle, have a look. The performance specs of the base model of the Lightening when compared to the Raptor are shocking. I'm sure the delay/tease of the Silverado EV is strategic but I'd rather have all choices at their respective dealerships. I think next year we're going to witness the start of a rapid decline of the gas powered vehicles on Dealer's lots. Personally, I'd be very reluctant to buy a new gas powered truck at this time.

We had our first significant snowfall of the season yesterday. My first order of business was to fire up the snow blower and take it for a walk around the cul-de-sac. Then, my new Michelin Defenders carved a trail up to plowed streets - grown up fun in the snow! My wife thought this was all quite comical and then I remembered the brain vs body aging comments in this thread. My snowsuit and toys look different but I get as excited as a kid at the first snowfall. Of course, if I was a younger adult facing a long commute to work, instead of a hot cup of coffee in front of the fireplace, my enthusiasm may be different! However, I bet the past almost two years of Covid has changed the impact of snow days for students and office workers. I didn't see a single person struggling to get their car out to go to work or drive kids to school! The ability to work and learn from our kitchen tables is, in many ways, a positive outcome from the pandemic. I had a medical appointment yesterday that went ahead as scheduled. Both my Doctor and I were sitting in our respective living rooms and nothing was missed by not meeting in a downtown office!

It sometimes appears like this but Covid found people of all ages spending a lot more time at home these past 18 months. I retired from 35+ years with the school system and found myself providing support to students and their parents forced to learn at home. Another sign of people having found extra time was a huge demand for pets during the early stages of the pandemic. Now that many are returning to the workplace, they're filling animal shelters with unwanted pets!

Spare time from Covid did not happen for everyone. Many people, notably health care workers, saw/see a significant reduction in their personal time. Retired people like me arguably didn't increase their spare time but have needed to make significant changes. Typically, December was a time we'd be preparing for Christmas travel or hosting guests from other countries. Neither happened last December and won't happen this December. I will keep busy and it will be a good Christmas. This afternoon, for example, we've arranged to visit a lonely shut-in at a local seniors complex. Our recently deceased friend use to keep this person company and we know she's lonely. This sounds like, "Motherhood and apple pie" stuff or smarmy but visit a seniors' care facility for a fulfilling and happy Christmas experience. Karnut mentioned brain age. Imagine being confined to a body that doesn't allow you to leave your residence and having outlived all of your family and friends. Add difficulty with speech and hearing to the mix and you end up with a common resident found in a senior's care home. Volunteer to visit with such a person and develop a friendship. Talk to him or her like you would a friend and you will be rewarded in ways that are immeasurable. My wife uses the word karma when talking about volunteering at a care facility. We know we can't expect dignity and respect when it is our time if we don't give the same when we are able.

Sometimes walking by a mirror unexpectedly can be startling! If I knew fifty years ago that the brain ages much differently than the body, I would have spent much more time with senior family members. A lot of the reason I retired was due to this inequity between brain and body age. When I found colleagues opening doors for me and offering me a lift out of my chair, I realized that I'm seen differently. I was garnering respectful acknowledgement due to my age and it was getting harder to discern if my ideas were receiving the same level of scrutiny as the others!

Thanks for not including pictures and congratulations for being proactive in protecting your health. It is good for all of us to be proactive on all medical stuff. My mother-in-law and, most recently, a close friend were told to get their affairs in order from diagnoses that were made too late. Covid initially found me stepping up the maintenance of my house, truck and motorcycle but I soon realized that these things will be useless if I'm decommissioned. Reams of material on this forum speak to the longevity of our vehicles as a result of proper maintenance. A lot of the same rational applies to our bodies. I make an appointment any time an unusual pain persists and/or worsens. I also have a complete exam with bloodwork every year. We will all be out of service someday but our chances of delaying this event increase dramatically with early detection. My physical last August revealed a PSA score that was off the charts. The impact of this result was exasperated by the fact that my Dad died from prostate cancer. My concern was greatly reduced knowing that if there is a problem, I've caught it early. Luckily this high score was most likely an anomaly but now need to be tested every three months.

I remember as a child recommending my dad buy his next car from a lot near our home. I was attracted by its huge, bright sign that dominated the commercial area. (A sign like that one would not be permitted now.) My dad's response to my suggestion has stuck with me for life. He said, "I'm not paying for their sign!" When I buy a vehicle or mattress, I can't help but look at the real estate and salaries that rely on my contribution. I bought a mattress that was 50% of MSRP and 75% of the stores post sale price. The store has to profit and so does the manufacturer and wholesaler. Some features and options are added to attract buyers and increase profit but do little to improve the base product. You can pay a retail price of $1K for a $2K mattress found elsewhere. I did. The name tags or cover patter may look different but won't be noticed when sheets are on. I understand and support how the retail system works but also know that spending the time doing your research can save you money while still supporting local business.

Our current mattress has served us for over a decade and would probably last us a few more years. Three months after we bought it, it began to settle on both sides leaving a high middle. Our warranty claim was dismissed as the height difference had to exceed 1.5 inches to be covered. Visits to the middle soon lost all spontaneity and/or subtlety. We paid a lot for this set so we put up with it for so many years. This time, we didn't follow the logic that more expensive means better.

True. If you live and work in an area with public transportation, the most economical option is to not own a personal vehicle. My brother proved this over a two year span and showed me his data. He took a taxi when public transit wasn't practical and rented cars for holidays. This would have been interesting if I cared. I prefer buying new and trading in my vehicle when it still has significant value. The really smart buyer is the one who buys my trade-ins! However, my current truck continues to give me a new truck feel and performance six years after purchase. It is paid for and a new truck would have to be really spectacular to resume monthly payments. A Silverado EV, Ford F150 Lightening or a Rivian would likely find me speaking to a loans officer.

We ran out of excuses for not shopping for a new mattress. We've done this chore a few times in our half century of living together and have never enjoyed the process. We thought that going to a major chain store specializing in beds would ease our anxiety and expedite the process. Nope. We then visited a popular furniture store with a small selection of beds that are popular sellers. We saw one we both liked, in stock, and half the price of one we gravitated to at the previous store. I have surprised myself a few times over the past year on how much money I can save by taking time to shop around!

We have also experienced a tremendous "uptick" in people moving to our area over the past year. We have comparatively strict Covid protocols in place. Yesterday, someone was canvassing our street offering a cash purchase of our homes, no inspection, 100K+ over market value! We used some spare time analyzing the possibility of further downsizing our home for more spending money. Snowbirding in The Woodlands was a major topic for consideration! I would not go into a mall or public venue where masks are optional. This, in itself, wouldn't prevent me from moving to your neighbourhood as I have personal connections and they all wear masks and are double vaccinated!

I found a cartoon depicting a boy standing next to his teacher's desk. I thought it to be an old joke as the boy appeared to be in bell bottom pants and the teacher's desk looked antiquated. It took me awhile to finally notice that both characters were wearing masks. I asked my wife and she also took awhile to spot the masks. In a short period of history masks have become normal. I'm sure there are still individuals who wear masks in public venues begrudgingly but accept this as the price of admission. Covid continues to impact our lives and we've changed to minimize risk. Over the past (almost) two years I have dramatically changed how I interact with my grandchildren. Doing things together for a few weeks a year has been replaced with regular video face to face conversations. In a short while we will return to the in-person visiting but the Covid Zoom visits will continue. There is some unanticipated value in this focused one on one conversation that is hard to get in a busy family environment. Sometimes we change without noticing. I recently read about a child asking his parent why we say, "Hang up the phone." Who noticed that most of us have lost our ability to hang up the phone?

And tomorrow never comes! The term "present day" takes care of our 13 millisecond processing delay and will give "now" some temporary space in time. I find that the anticipation of an event is the most current. When you're in the event, it's the beginning of the past. Knowledge of this can be helpful for the more stressful events. I remember my motivation for walking into a job interview was the thought that the sooner it starts, the sooner it will be over. I put up my Christmas lights earlier than usual. They never cease to elevate my mood! However, Christmas Day is typically the beginning of the end of the season's joy. New Years Eve is another example. In previous times, my company and I would party hard until 12:00:00! From that precise moment, onward, the party would begin to diminish in attendance and enthusiasm. The fact that we live in history is fine because it is the future that keeps us going!

Yes, very popular, in the 60's and 70's as well. My first pickup was a '69 F100 Deluxe Two-Tone, with red interior. Now that's a good looking combination!

I like your reaction to "they". I agree that "we" reflects the democratic process. We all have a personal responsibility to understand the impact of greenhouse gases on climate change. There is a lot of factual, apolitical, easy to read information available. EV's are one way we can reduce our carbon emissions with little inconvenience. The selection is growing at a rapid pace and I think this coming year will be very exciting for truck fans!. This forum is directed towards those of us who take tremendous satisfaction in owning a personal vehicle. Our discussions should focus on understanding and improving our transition from gas to electricity. Type in "Rivian" on your YouTube search and view the advantages and versatility of an electric powertrain. Imagine owning a vehicle that goes 0-60 in 3 seconds while doing a favor to our planet! I know we all have different experiences and influences but if a dozen Silverado EV's appeared on our local dealer's lot today, they'd be sold by tonight!

I totally agree! Thanks for such a positive start to my day!

Our recent weather event has created tremendous hardship for many people in our province. Many have lost their homes and life's memories. We've only experienced supply and fuel delays but nothing dramatic. Yesterday morning I wanted more than just the good of donating to disaster relief. I decided to spruce up my little piece of the province and moved my Christmas lights from my crawl space to my eavestroughs. Either my efforts were contagious or coincidental, but two of my neighbours got into the spirit and by the time the rain returned, our street looked a little happier!

Gas powered cars and trucks are significant contributors to climate change. We've known this for a long time and the results of our slow acceptance and response are showing. Automakers are currently producing a good selection of clean burning alternatives. At a minimum, I'll have a choice between a Silverado EV, Ford Lightening, or Rivian for my next pickup. Either of these choices would be an easy and exciting transition!

In the past six months I have lived through two of the most devastating weather episodes in my long lifetime. Climate change is credited to these events and our dependence on fossil fuels is touted as a cause of climate change. We can scream bullshit but our opposition won't fix our flooded farmlands, dead livestock, or washed out bridges. How about a whole town I've visited many times that was burned to the ground? Right now it makes sense to me that the deadly crap coming out of my truck's exhaust daily for several years isn't good. If I run my vehicle in a confined space, it would kill me. I can't help but think that the millions of vehicles running continuously for decades harms our encapsulated earth. I know there are many members who I respect that will blow a gasket for me dissing fossil fuels. However, even when factoring in the environmental impact of producing EV's, I believe getting rid of the need for gas powered personal automobiles is a positive move. Another way to reduce emissions is to use gas prices to make personal gas powered vehicles unaffordable for average people. No thanks. I'd far rather get rid of my exhaust pipe than depend on public transportation!

Wow! Major roads are washed out and people have realized that supplies aren't getting through. Panic buying is now creating a problem. I am surprised that so many didn't learn from the great TP crisis of 2020! The part of the news people don't heed is that the panic buying is creating current shortages, not the damaged roads!

Most of our province just went through another terrible weather event. In a day, many people's lives have changed forever, some narrowly escaping death. I was caught in heavy rains with some delays due to fallen trees but nothing serious. Most routes in and out of our largest cities sustained major damage and were rendered unusable for some time. We live in a modest single story home a safe distance from trees, body of water or mountains. We are equipped to manage a significant amount of time in the event of losing services. Our living situation is no accident as emergency preparedness is a high priority. Ironically, emotion made us leave the safety of our home to visit our friend in palliative care proving you can't prepare for all calamities. When I worked up north many miles from paved roads, I always carried survival gear in my truck. Today, I will be spending my time reinstating this practice! I can't prepare against every peril but I refuse to be a victim of easily avoidable dangers. Tip: Assign a time when you will follow through with a good intention. "Today" is the best time. We had 280+ motorists stranded between two mudslides over night. Some were prepared but I'm sure others derived little comfort from their good intentions. It was a cold, wet night.

Waiting in line at a popular drive-thru yesterday, there was a big message board soliciting workers. The ad was cleverly worded and almost had me apply! I felt needed and wanted! It is strange knowing that the successful candidate in a job interview is the employer rather than the applicant! Shortly after this visit I was watching one of our homeless waiting in the median of a busy intersection in hopes of attracting donations. While waiting for the light to change, I saw two drivers beckon the young man and give him bills (not spare change). The effort to stand out there in all weather, for long hours enduring both kindness and hostility, must take incredible stamina and perseverance. Such attributes are highly desirable in the workforce. I know homelessness is a very complex issue and such an observation may sound ignorant. However I get really conflicted when I see well-meaning people making it appear lucrative for individuals, who are struggling, stand and walk out in busy traffic! I donate food and clothing generously to those services catering to our people in need and support those who help the homeless. I believe directing resources (people and finances) to support our most in need will also help serve our workforce. We have a huge untapped labor pool of workers in need of the necessary tools for a fresh start.

There are always people who will take advantage of systems in place to protect those in need. Years ago I met a person with a well paying suit and tie job who would dress down after work and visit the local foodbank. I felt something must be terribly wrong in his life and offered my assistance. He denied my help and said he goes to the foodbank because the food is free and he suggested I give it a try! Some just don't get it. Our government (Canada) made generous allowances available to those who lost work during Covid. We do hear about the abuse of these funds but we also hear about those who were able to keep their homes and eat during their job loss. I have many friends and relatives who experienced layoff or job loss during Covid. I don't personally know anyone who delayed getting back to work so that they could make more sitting on their butts at home. I do personally know individuals who returned to better jobs than they left.