Happy New Year!

A day late.

But who cares, right? It's still the new year today, just like it was yesterday.

Today, my new year's goals and talk about trucks.

Here are my new year's goals:

1. Run four times a week.
2. Stretch at least 20 minutes a day.
3. On off days--off running, that is--shoot for ~30 minutes of martial arts exercise. (I hesitate to call it training. I'm just focusing on reviving those old muscles at the moment.)
4. At least two hours of work on my thesis every day with a goal of completing the thesis and being scheduled to defend it by 15 April.

This isn't much different from what I already do. I already run at least four times a week, and have regularly for two or three months. I have no speed goals, as there are days when the personal requirement of pushing myself is enough to keep me from running at all. So...I'm reasonable with myself. My requirement is to run, period. This one requires a maintenance of the discipline I've built already.

The stretching requirement is long overdue. Back in my martial arts days, I took my stretching very seriously, and at some point began to take my flexibility for granted. Well...it isn't, as it turns out. :) Plus, I'm not getting any younger and my muscles seem to have more of a propensity to kink up than they used to.

I've "stretched" with the AF PT program now and again, but they give you two minutes of free time to stretch--which isn't really stretching at all. I've found that when I require myself to commit 20 minutes to it, I stretch slowly, because I have 20 minutes to fill. ;) Slowly is the only way to stretch safely and thoroughly. So...that's working out well.

As mentioned, I trained in various martial arts for years, but for various reasons, I haven't formally trained for about six years now. The movements and techniques themselves are excellent exercise, and will provide a good form of cross-training, which I so desperately need. This morning, I managed less than ten minutes of kicking/technique practice. I guess I did this for so long that I forgot just how very fatiguing it is. I'll have to build up to the 30 minutes, apparently. I'm sure I'll be so sore I can hardly move tomorrow. :)

Two hours a day on my thesis seems like a reasonable rule. I doubt it will be enough. However, the beauty of the rule is that it encourages overshooting. Let me explain. When I was in college (before), I decided I wanted to write every day. There were no stipulations on what I was writing or when. My rule was that I had to commit an hour of each day to writing. I may write nothing in that time, but I had to sit and stare at a blank page for a full hour before I could get up. As it turned out, no matter how much I didn't feel like writing and how much I didn't have anything to say, I always wrote something--and almost every time, I overshot the hour requirement. Why? Because I was into it by then. :)

I have crafted a schedule for having draft chapters of my thesis completed. The first chunk--the historiography--is due on the 14th. It's just a review of what has been written on the subject so far.

That's all I have committed to this year. I like to keep the list short and focused. What are your resolutions? (For kicks and giggles, try to state them without using vague terms like "more" or "less" or "better." Can you do it?)

Now...about trucks. I've been thinking about trucks because the roommate has been shopping for an SUV. She's noted a few things wrong with her car (it's a Hyundai), although it's still under that fabulous warranty that manufacturer offers, and she's tossing around the notion of purchasing something more along the lines of what she'd like to drive. She takes me along for the ride (literally) and because I keep her from getting carried away with "how fun this is to drive" or such. Basically, I help keep her grounded and I serve as an additional bulwark against the wiles of crafty salesmen. Besides...it's fun riding around in new cars. :)

She, like me, is a manual transmission fanatic. We've been both shocked and dismayed to learn that almost every manufacturer out there has ceased to produce a V6 truck/SUV with a manual transmission at all. Toyota is among them. Manual transmissions are going the way of the dinosaur, and the prospect of an automatic transmission world horrifies me, quite frankly.

I learned to drive in an automatic, like most people. Then my uncle and grandpa made sure I knew how to drive a manual. I've never looked back. I recall asking Daddy when I was quite young why he drove a manual--which looked like so much work--when he didn't have to. He said, "Because I have more control. If you learn to drive a manual, you'll understand what I mean." Indeed I do.

Also, there are fewer parts to break, fewer fluids to maintain, it's easier on your brakes if you know how to gear down properly, and I think they get better gas mileage (but I'm not sure). They're certainly cheaper than automatics, every time. Plus--and this is the most important bit--they're fun to drive.

I got a killer deal on my Toyota back in 2003 in part because it had a manual transmission. Apparently, they just couldn't move it. My only beef was the color scheme; the reason I bought it was because it was the only one on the lot with a stick.

[TANGENT ABOUT MY KILLER DEAL] My beloved 2001 Tacoma 4WD Xtra cab with moonroof had been totaled a few days before. I was broken-hearted with a pinched back and whiplash, but otherwise okay. I had a loaner from my insurance company for a couple of weeks. I used the time to shop around. I hit the Toyota place first, talked to a salesman, and test drove several models. Then I went to visit Mazda and Nissan and Chevy, etc. I had it pretty whittled down to Toyota as the end of the month neared, so I asked them how close they were to meeting their monthly quotas. They said they had another 15 vehicles to go, but they had through Monday to move them and had a special going, so they didn't anticipate any problems. I said, "OK. I'll see you Monday afternoon, then."

I came back as promised a couple of hours before they closed. I asked how close they were to meeting their quota. The salesman--with a hint of desperation this time--said, "We've got three to go."

I said, "Really? Let me test drive that one right there again."

He went with me. I drove it around and told him it wasn't quite what I was after. I really didn't like the color scheme (it's pearl black with "oak" interior), but I did need a vehicle and he needed to sell one, so let's talk. He said, "I'll sell it to you at invoice."

I didn't see any reason to haggle with this, so we returned to the dealership to discuss financing. They offered me $2000 instant rebate or a special interest rate. I went with the interest rate, at which point they tried to get me to accept a five-year loan at 2.99% (typical salesman trick: they get you to focus on the amount you're paying per month and expect you to take the lowest monthly payment; it looks good on the surface to the consumer and the dealership gets several hundred extra in financing fees from you for the extended loan). I said the payment was too low and besides, I didn't want to be paying for a vehicle for five years. I asked what they could offer me for the four year loan. Much to my surprise, the interest rate dipped to 1.99% (I just don't finance things enough to remember how it works, I guess). The payment was still much lower than I could comfortably handle, so I asked what I was looking at for a three-year loan. It turns out that in the tiny print, they admitted the three-year loan had a 0% interest rate. I could handle the payments easily, so I took it.[/END TANGENT]

So anyway...I love my Toyota. However, should something happen to my current baby, I'm stuck purchasing a used vehicle or switching to another make entirely in order to procure my much-desired manual transmission. I'm loathe to leave Toyota because they have been very good and dependable for me, one saved my life when I was flipped like a pancake three years ago, and because the trade-in value is phenomenal. You might say I love what it does for me. :) But I'm not willing to give up my stick shift.

The strange thing is, many places will still put a manual in a four-cylinder vehicle. As the size and power of the engine increases, the more likely it is to have an automatic transmission. Is it just me, or is that really backward?

This entry was posted by diana and filed under home.

9 comments

Comment from: Hinermad

Diana,

Happy New Year to you, too.

Resolutions? One day at a time for me. The only thing I’ve resolved for this year is to get Roberta better.

Be careful when you go with your roommate to shop for vehicles. My boss at the TV shop years ago told me in that situation that if you can sell the person who’s not buying, the rest is easy. You may find yourself on the receiving end of a hard sell.

Roberta has a little 4-banger S10 pickup. It has a 5-speed manual transmission, for all the good it does. It’s really underpowered for its size. A properly-shifted manual was supposed to give better gas mileage than an automatic, at least in the old days, but with modern computer engine controls I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re about equal now.

I can understand why you’d want to stick with a Toy vehicle. Their longevity is legendary. (I worked with a guy who had 250k+ miles on his Tercel.) I suspect the biggest (i.e. most profitable) market for pickup truck-sized vehicles is soccer moms, so that’s why automatic transmissions are most common. Without auto and power steering those little girls couldn’t even budge a truck.

-If- you have to switch brands and -if- you’re willing to consider a pseudo-American brand, Dodge might be worth a look. Their Web site shows the Dakota SLT has a 3.7l V6 and 6 speed manual transmission as standard equipment. MSRP $22,490. YMMV. EIEIO. Dad had a Dakota and he was pleased with it, but it was very much a basic truck. (It was also a 1990 or so. I’m sure they’ve changed a bit since then.)

We discovered that shopping for a vehicle in a snowstorm near the end of the month is a way to get a good deal. Might not be an option in your neighborhood, though.

What kind of martial arts have you studied? My brother studied tae kwon do for a time, but since he got married & had kids he hasn’t had time for it. He started out at a club at Ohio University where most of the other students were close to his age, but when he moved to Columbus most of the students at the commercial schools weren’t even in high school yet. Makes it hard for a 6 foot 200 pound guy to find a sparring partner. I think he enjoyed intimidating the bullies though.

I mentioned taking up something myself for the exercise and he recommended tai chi. I like the idea of it being low impact (unless I fall (grin)) but I’m not sure how much emphasis they place on meditation. I’m not into Eastern meditation.

Your writing schedule (I guess you’d call it that - the two hours per day part) sounds familiar. I’ve known a couple of people that use a similar technique. The hardest part is getting started. One person, a professional author, said he never suffered from writer’s block because he was committed to write at least a page a day. Even if it was a page of incomprehensible drivel. Once it was on paper, he could go back and re-write it later. (A few of us suspected some of his worst days were published unedited, however.)

Dave

01/02/06 @ 13:32

Comment from:

Hi, Dave. :)

The salesmen invariably walk up to me and introduce themselves, or just address me with the features of the vehicle, rebates, etc. I invariably point to Mich and say, “She’s the one who’s buying.” So far, they’ve understood and talked to her from then on out. I must just look like the person to be reckoned with.

I looked at Dodges three years ago when I bought the Tacoma I have now. I love the way they look on the outside, but I just couldn’t stand the look and feel of the interior. You’re right about the soccer moms. That’s pretty much what SUVs are made for. Stationwagons are out and SUVs are in, but they’re basically the same thing. SUVs are just more stylish. They aren’t really sport utility vehicles so much as they are soccer utility vehicles, with all the amenities for the mom who wants to travel in style.

Mich test drove a Suzuki Grand Vitara today. It was very nice. She was tickled pink. That’s probably what she’ll go with. From what I understand, Suzuki is the biggest selling Japanese brand in Japan, outselling even Toyota, and has been in business for 56 years or somesuch. I was very impressed with what I saw. They just don’t have much of a selling base in the states, for some reason. She can get the whole thing–2.7L V6 4WD manual transmission with all the trimmings with a 100,000 mi. or 10 year bumper-to-bumper warranty–for $25k. I suggested she check out a Subaru, but it turns out there’s no dealer in the area.

I studied tang soo do, tae kwon do, and shaolin kempo with a healthy dose of jujitsu mixed in with the latter. I’ve considered taking up tai chi myself, but never found a school or instructor that appeals to me. Surely you can find a way to do it sans meditation, should you desire. Tai chi is, as I understand it, extremely good exercise, and is also a deadly martial art if you ever learn how to apply it. All those slow movements give you years of focusing on relaxing, balancing, breathing, and directing power to your greatest benefit. The three things that will lose fights for most people–assuming they ever had a fighting chance in the first place–are tenseness, poor balance and inability to breath properly. Tai chi begins with this, and perfects it. IMO and my experience, it’s a very smart approach. The drawback is that you might practice that for years without developing any techniques that you can use in the interim.

You know, I tried the “write at least one page a day” thing for a while, but I discovered quickly that I could type a page of gibberish if I really wasn’t in the mood and be finished in 10 minutes, then I could go about my day. The time limit works better for me. There’s something very focusing about forcing oneself into boredom for a prescribed period of time.

01/02/06 @ 17:20

Comment from: Hinermad

Diana,

Do you know if the blog software only accepts one comment per day from a user?

Dave

01/03/06 @ 07:56

Comment from:

No it doesn’t. Why would it?

*scratches head*

Is it giving you posting problems again?

01/03/06 @ 17:12

Comment from: Hinermad

Diana,

Yes, very much. Let me try again:

No dice. I must have used a blacklisted word. (That seems to be what prompts the blog software to issue the “Supplied comment is invalid” message.) Without knowing what words are on the blacklist, I can’t sanitize my brilliant comments to allow them to be posted.

Or maybe I set off the egometer.

Dave

01/03/06 @ 17:48

Comment from: Roger

Geez,
I just had the same problem. I wrote the longest reply ever. I figure it was the same… I must have a blacklisted word in there.
Short version:

I got used to the automatic and actually enjoy the difference (my original diatribe was full of wit and logic)

I too am in ‘relative’ good shape, but can’t find a school I like - leading to my NY resolution - do at least one kata a day. (again, the original would have drawn a smile)

Later,
Rog

01/03/06 @ 18:37

Comment from: Hinermad

Roger,

I think that’s my problem - too many words, greater chance of using an unwelcome one.

But considering the weeding that Diana and Jeff have to do when the ‘bots come marching in, I don’t grudge them anything that helps hold back the spam.

Hey - does that mean I’m spamming?

Dave

01/03/06 @ 18:57

Comment from:

In light of the wit and charm I’m missing due to my urge to block out anything that annoys me, I have removed the words I’ve found in the blacklist that were probably interfering with your self-expression. My sincere apologies. I had no idea.

For future reference, refrain from any mention of bodily parts you wouldn’t discuss with your grandmother, don’t encase anything in hyphens, don’t go near the “p” word (the one that ends with “r” and has “oke” in the middle) in any form. As a matter of fact, if a word can routinely be tied in any way to racy perversions or the wagering of money for entertainment or the vending of goods or services, you may be out of luck. But at least now, you have a starting point.

01/04/06 @ 20:38

Comment from: Hinermad

Diana,

I’m sorry you went to the trouble of culling your list. The simple guidelines should be enough. I didn’t realize hyphens were an issue. I think I use more of them now that I’m trying to cut back on commas.

Wagering and anatomy I think I can work around. Let’s see how this goes:

I think station wagons are starting to make a comeback, hurried along by Hurricane KatRita and the resulting higher fuel prices. Pontiac introduced the Vibe a couple of years ago. It’s a mini SUV, based on a car chassis instead of the traditional truck chassis. We looked at them after foolishly trading in our Trans Sport minivan (predecessor to the Montana) and regretting it. The Vibe reminds me of a Subaru Outback but with more cupholders and power jacks for video games and cell phones. Decent legroom, too. The seats are up a little higher than in most other cars, and that makes a huge difference in the back seat.

I may give tai chi another look. Maybe prayer might be a passable substitute for meditation. I guess I should give it a fair hearing before dismissing it completely.

My balance has always been fairly good. I used to open doors with my foot if my hands were full, but my breathing and flexibility have suffered from the weight I’ve put on over the past couple of years. I need to take better care of myself if I’m going to take care of the rest of the family.

Not learning any useful tai chi techniques right away shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t anticipate getting in any fights soon, not in my line of work. (Grin) And if I’m forced into one, I remember what a Columbus police officer told me when he was helping us set up a block watch: “You’d be amazed at how much damage a frightened person can do with a flashlight.” (One of the neighbors in our apartment block insisted on an armed guard patrolling at night. The management couldn’t afford an armed guard, but they could afford a college student at minimum wage as a night watch. Neighbor insisted the student be issued a sidearm. Now THAT’S frightening.)

I think I see the core of your hour-per-day technique: guilt. It’s a useful motivator, isn’t it?

Dave

01/05/06 @ 18:54

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