It is bad enough being out of work. Being sick is only worse. Over the weekend, I had major breathing problems. It felt like my chest was in a vice. Fortunately, I am feeling much better. At least I did not have to take off any sick days.

On the way to work, I hear about an accident on the radio. The accident must have been a big one as officials blocked three of the traffic lanes. Sure enough, traffic halted once I was a few miles away from the scene. So, I sat back and watched other stupid drivers. Of course, there were the usual idiots trying to get ahead by driving in the emergency lane. I saw one driver drive across the median and head the other way on the freeway. On one of the on ramps, I saw a number of people either backup or make a U-turn.

I live in Lorain, OH and commute to Twinsburg, OH (about an hour away) each day. For those familiar with the area, I take 611 to 90 to 176 (Jennings) to 480. On Monday, I was on 90 near the 176 exit. I hear a traffic announcement stating that the ramp from 176 to 480 would be closed until 6:00 AM. I decided to take a "slight" detour.

Last Wednesday, I took the Microsoft 70-536: .NET Framework 2.0 Application Development Foundation exam. I was a bit nervous. The testing center is located at the Lorain County Community College. I had driven by the LCCC numerous times but had never ventured on campus. Since Rachel is more familiar with the area (and because I wanted some moral support) she came with me.

I know that gas prices are steadily increasing. The only solution is to stop using gas. One could use a vehicle that uses an alternative energy source (such as electricity or human power).

While filling up my vehicle, I made the hard decision to stop driving. It is costing too much not to mention the damage it is doing to the environment. When I completed the fill up, I could not even get back into my vehicle. I know that seems a bit drastic. However, as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures.

I do not normally think about how easy it is to ignite gasoline. I know that flame (as from a match) or a single spark can ignite gasoline. Anyway, as I was standing at a gas pump, I started to contemplate the combustibility of gasoline. I do not smoke, but if I did, I would be smart enough not to smoke near the gas pumps. I know from experience that entering and exiting my vehicle generates static electricity. I always stay outside my vehicle when filling and dissipate the stored charge before I get close to my gas tank.

I have been checking my web server access logs. I noticed that one user found my site by searching if Wal-Mart performs oils changes on a Jaguar. Um, if you owned a Jaguar, would you take it to Wal-Mart? Nothing against Wal-Mart, but I imagine you would take it to the dealership or something.

As Kermit the Frog often said, "it ain't easy being green." Isn't that the truth? Yes, I try to recycle and such, but it is not enough. A blogger mentioned that her calculated carbon footprint is around 20 tons of carbon dioxide. I was only a bit surprised that when I calculated mine, it was at 100 tons.

I wish everyone a happy Saint Patrick’s Day today. While I did wear some green today, that will be the limit of my celebrating. As some of you out there may be drinking heavily today, please be careful when going home. Make sure that you have a designated driver.

Actually, I am not sick of the snow. But, I am sick and we have had a lot of snow recently. On Friday, it took an extra hour to get home. By the time I got home, I felt wiped. Fortunately, Rachel had been keeping the driveway relatively clear.