Recently, my wife and I were rudely awoken by a phone call at two in the morning. I sat in bed listing to half of an urgent phone conversation. It was something about my brother-in-law's vehicle. They found the car, but could not get a hold of Matthew (my brother-in-law). Huh? Was he okay?

I am driving to work, as I normally do, when I get caught behind a school bus. When the bus stopped at a railroad crossing, I had to stop too. It was not because I wanted to stop. Rather, it was because my vehicle died. I quickly restarted the engine. But, the Check Engine light came on. In addition, it was sputtering to the point of nearly stalling out again. I pulled off the road and let the vehicle sit for a few minutes. I checked my gas cap (as that that can cause the engine light to come on). However, it still continued to sputter.

I hope everyone had a good holiday. Unlike most years, Rachel and I actually dressed up and went out to celebrate. It is the first time since our wedding since she has worn a dress! She looked wonderful in it. She will probably post the pictures we took on her site.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas or whichever holiday your family celebrates. It has been a crazy past couple of weeks. Pizza Hut finally contacted me about our past dining experience. They sent me a couple of coupons for free pizzas. In addition, the regional manager contacted me and gave me a $25 credit for my next order. That is fine, just as long as their products improve. I am not going to eat a crummy pizza even if it is free.

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.