Random Thoughts 15: Crystal Clear 2021 Edition

[WIBadger]

Long story:

Last Christmas we tried to end the practice of everyone in Mrs. Velo's extended family exchanging gifts. We thought it was a bit much and we suggested that the kids just draw names and get a gift for another kid. They ended up drawing names for everyone so every adult and kid had a name and got a gift. My very Hawkeye SIL drew my name and bless her heart she bought me a black ball cap with Cy leaning on the gold 'I'. It just about killed her to buy Cyclone gear but she did it for me.

Last night I was wearing that cap to a tournament game that my daughter was guest playing at. A guy who I don't know from Adam but was apparently a parent of a player on the team that finished up playing right before us - same club - shouted out to me "I didn't know that they made combo hats." What? "I didn't know they were allowed to put that red bird on an Iowa hat." I tried to be nice and mention that my hawkeye sister in law had been nice enough to get it for me. He continued with his hawkeye blather. I pointed out that was the same 'I' that the varsity athletes at Iowa State get for lettering in a sport. I wanted to say, "Well I guess hawkeyes are claiming to have not only invented waving and the color black but now they are claiming to have invented the letter 'I'." But I didn't want to make a scene at a youth sports event and make an ass out of myself like this blowhard did.

Why do so many hawkeyes do this? Do they think it is funny?

That always drives me nuts. When my parents and I went to the Iowa State - Akron game several years ago, one of the guys selling programs was an Iowa fan (hadn't gone there but I think he was from Iowa) but he spent a few minutes talking up the hawks to us and how much he enjoyed watching them. I never understood (and still don't) why he thought we cared.

I understand getting excited because there are people from your home state, but it needs to be more inclusive (e.g. "i'm an iowa fan; I'm really excited to see another Iowa team out here." That's what happened when my dad and I went out to the Iowa State - Oregon State basketball game. There was a couple in Iowa shirts at the game, and we talked with them for a bit, but they made it clear that while they were Iowa fans, they were just really excited to see a team from Iowa playing in Oregon and were cheering for us. That's the way to do it. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't have that skill.

On the other hand, I hate trashtalk in general, so the idea of someone I don't know trashtalking me/a team I cheer for is obnoxious

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

My brother's driving his truck to Denver so I don't have to drive to Laramie on Monday. We can just move stuff from my truck to his.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Sounds logical. We shall see.

Winner,winner

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Bride and groom wrote and read own vows. Nephew had a Matt Campbell-like statement. “I’ll always be there to help you be the best version of yourself you can be.” Pretty sure he has remaining eligibility, but he’s a Montana outdoors guy through and through.

 

[NWICY]

Had to change out my bathroom faucet that went well, replacing the drain not so much finally got it pieced back together.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

You should see the side-eye I'm getting from Lew right now.
Watching "Raptor" on Comet TV. 2001, but the FX are of the Ray Harryhausen caliber...

PS: Eric Roberts can't act his way out of a wet paper bag...and he's still better than his jiggle-bunny female cohort.

 

[BCClone]

You should see the side-eye I'm getting from Lew right now.
Watching "Raptor" on Comet TV. 2001, but the FX are of the Ray Harryhausen caliber...

PS: Eric Roberts can't act his way out of a wet paper bag...and he's still better than his jiggle-bunny female cohort.

you got my attention.

 

[BCClone]

Tell this lady I will look at this vehicle at X time. Wife decides she wants to go along. Will now be late due to wife being slow. I now get to apologize for being late. This lady is also a little skittish, so I didn’t want to step wrongly at all.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

I'm trying to get mentally prepared for car shopping. The exhaust is crapping out on my car. Mo is 10 years old, has 140K miles, and is beginning to rust in spots - pretty much a fact of life on Iowa gravel roads, with rock dings exacerbated by road salt on the streets/highways. So the question becomes, do we invest in fixing the exhaust or just trade her in. I like the car, but now that I'm not driving daily in my commute I wouldn't mind something a little bit bigger & more comfy for non-RV road trips. Maybe with heated seats? Not because I'm cold, but because the warmth felt really good on my bad back on long drives when we had heated seats...in the car Lew wrapped around a telephone pole after hitting a patch of black ice.

So, looking for something a little newer and a little bigger than a 2011 Malibu. DO NOT WANT an SUV size chunk. Any suggestions?

PS - don't even mention Fords. Lew will never buy one.

 

[cmjh10]

I'm trying to get mentally prepared for car shopping. The exhaust is crapping out on my car. Mo is 10 years old, has 140K miles, and is beginning to rust in spots - pretty much a fact of life on Iowa gravel roads, with rock dings exacerbated by road salt on the streets/highways. So the question becomes, do we invest in fixing the exhaust or just trade her in. I like the car, but now that I'm not driving daily in my commute I wouldn't mind something a little bit bigger & more comfy for non-RV road trips. Maybe with heated seats? Not because I'm cold, but because the warmth felt really good on my bad back on long drives when we had heated seats...in the car Lew wrapped around a telephone pole after hitting a patch of black ice.

So, looking for something a little newer and a little bigger than a 2011 Malibu. DO NOT WANT an SUV size chunk. Any suggestions?

PS - don't even mention Fords. Lew will never buy one.

Probably selling my truck if you want that.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Probably selling my truck if you want that.

We have a truck...and the taco car. I'm looking for something in-between.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

You have something against mid-size cars?

 

[cmjh10]

You have something against mid-size cars?

No, will probably be downsizing to one.

 

[BoxsterCy]

We have a truck...and the taco car. I'm looking for something in-between.

How about a small SUV or cross-over like a Subaru Forester? Noticing my old peer (like my sis a couple weeks back) not maybe liking trying to scoot into my low Audi coupe. Thinking I might to think a little differently for next car and that a coupe might not be the best option for a guy 70ish. . Friends recently surprised me by buying a smaller Audi Q3. They have been driving bigger SUV for years and when I heard they were looking Audi I thought Q5.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

How about a small SUV or cross-over like a Subaru Forester? Noticing my old peer (like my sis a couple weeks back) not maybe liking trying to scoot into my low Audi coupe. Thinking I might to think a little differently for next car and that a coupe might not be the best option for a guy 70ish. . Friends recently surprised me by buying a smaller Audi Q3. They have been driving bigger SUV for years and when I heard they were looking Audi I thought Q5.

It needs to be something I can drive also. I won't drive Lew's truck or the RV. I will drive the Smart Car, but it's really not very comfortable. I like my Malibu for size when driving, but as Lew will be doing the lion's share of the driving, we thought to go just a bit bigger. The bigger they are, the harder they are for short people to drive. Can't see over the front hood or out the rear window very well, struggle to reach the pedals. Jacking the seat forward to reach the pedals reduces side and rear visibility, and puts my face just inches from the airbag.

 

[Rabbuk]

It needs to be something I can drive also. I won't drive Lew's truck or the RV. I will drive the Smart Car, but it's really not very comfortable. I like my Malibu for size when driving, but as Lew will be doing the lion's share of the driving, we thought to go just a bit bigger. The bigger they are, the harder they are for short people to drive. Can't see over the front hood or out the rear window very well, struggle to reach the pedals. Jacking the seat forward to reach the pedals reduces side and rear visibility, and puts my face just inches from the airbag.

My mom is 5'2 and drives a Forester, my dad is maybe 6 feet and drives it long distances.

 

[BCClone]

It needs to be something I can drive also. I won't drive Lew's truck or the RV. I will drive the Smart Car, but it's really not very comfortable. I like my Malibu for size when driving, but as Lew will be doing the lion's share of the driving, we thought to go just a bit bigger. The bigger they are, the harder they are for short people to drive. Can't see over the front hood or out the rear window very well, struggle to reach the pedals. Jacking the seat forward to reach the pedals reduces side and rear visibility, and puts my face just inches from the airbag.

Think we just bought a RAV4. But @cmjh10 ’s pickup may interest me. What you got?

 

[ImJustKCClone]

My mom is 5'2 and drives a Forester, my dad is maybe 6 feet and drives it long distances.

Different strokes. I seriously DON'T like driving large vehicles. The car Lew wrapped was a Lincoln Towncar. Extremely comfortable to sit in and travel in, but I hated driving it.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Different strokes. I seriously DON'T like driving large vehicles. The car Lew wrapped was a Lincoln Towncar. Extremely comfortable to sit in and travel in, but I hated driving it.

Only way to know is go and sit in some compact SUV crossovers. Saying crossover cause they are mostly car sedan chassis and not truck chassis based.

If you still want med-size sedan or compact than the Hyundai Elantra might be a good size and they are hard to beat for price and value. What they term is mid-size, Accord etc, seem kinda big to me. They call what I think of as mid-size, like the Elantra, as "compact".

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Only way to know is go and sit in some compact SUV crossovers. Saying crossover cause they are mostly car sedan chassis and not truck chassis based.

If you still want med-size sedan or compact than the Hyundai Elantra might be a good size and they are hard to beat for price and value. What they term is mid-size, Accord etc, seem kinda big to me. They call what I think of as mid-size, like the Elantra, as "compact".

Yup. Butt in the seat is about the only way to be sure.