Saying Goodbye To The Jeep

March 2016: Jeep at the scene of the accident. 

Once I heard back from the repair shop following my first accident this past March stating that the Jeep was going to be repaired my wife and I had an important decision to make. With the frame having been bent in the accident (and now having to be bent back) were we comfortable driving and riding in the car? More importantly, did we trust the car enough to have our son in it? In the end, it wasn’t the same car and we no longer had the confidence in the vehicle to continue using it as my daily driver (especially on those days when I have my son in the back).

While we knew that it would be a costly decision, we decided to start looking for a replacement vehicle (a process that I have written about before). The Jeep was a great car so that is exactly where I started my search. I went online and priced out the 2016 version of the exact make and model of my car. Once I input that information I added the features that I wanted in the new car to see where the price would fall. Seeing a replacement price within inches of $40,000 I quickly questioned whether I would be buying another Jeep. So, given the new price point, I searched for a few other options.

June 2015: The day I bought the Jeep. 

With a full roster of cars on my list (a compilation I never thought I would pull together in my lifetime) we dedicated a weekend to hopping from dealer to dealer looking at all the options that I had uncovered and determining whether or not there was any wiggle room beyond the USAA price. A few cars were eliminated because of the lack of fit and finish while others were great cars but simply not the right one for me. In the end, I had to decide between the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and the car that I picked up today the Mercedes Benz GLC 300 4Matic.

May 2016: The Mercedes replaces the Jeep.

Once everything was factored in including price of the car, the options that I wanted, the interest rate on a loan, the cost of insurance, fuel economy, and other numerous factors the Mercedes just made much more sense. Believe me, I was shocked by this revelation too. While there are certain trade offs between the two (i.e. off road capabilities vs. highway comfort), I am completely happy with the decision that we made. On top of all this, in a bit of creative financing, we actually traded in my wife’s car and leased a GLA 250 4Matic with all the options that she wanted on the car. In the end, we both ended up in new cars and, considering all financial commitments before and after, pretty much broke even financially.

All that is left now, besides enjoying our new vehicles, is to complete the insurance claims which should, to put it nicely, be the most ‘interesting’ part of the whole process. We also still have to come to terms with the simple fact that we are both driving Mercedes which, at the very least, is one of the more surreal feelings that we have encountered in a long time. Just add one more thing to the list of changes over the past couple of years.

I Can See!

Definitely better than the glasses I was issued by the Army in basic training!

A couple of weeks prior to my last business trip I decided to do something that I hadn’t done in nearly five years (a couple of months before making Aliyah). I wasn’t having any issues with my eyes but my glasses had definitely see better days (I don’t think there was an original screw left in them). Besides, it was long overdue and I do have vision benefits through work so it was the right time to finally take care of this task. Additionally, as a diabetic, I am supposed to have my vision checked annually so it was even more urgent that I finally make the appointment.

Thankfully, I knew where the local Visionworks was located as we have shopped at many of the stores in the same complex so I booked an appointment (three weeks in advance). When I arrived at the store, there was still a rather long wait so I took advantage of the free time I had after completing the paperwork and pulled some frames off the racks. I had put together a basic list of requirements a few weeks prior as to what I was looking for which made the culling of the optic heard a lot easier. Knowing what my insurance covered also helped during this process but was by no means a deal breaker when considering the options. By the time I had filled a tray and had it put behind the counter, they were ready to proceed with the first of many tests.

With my exam nearly complete and having to wait fifteen minutes for my pupils to dilate, I was surprised to find that my vision had not changed much if at all from my last appointment five years ago. What that translates to is that my vision still stinks but I am not legally blind. So, with my vision further blurred by the nasty little eye drops, I squinted with every pair that I tried on and slowly began eliminating both the options for my everyday glasses and those that I would use as sun glasses… I had made the decision a few years ago to do away with the transitions lenses as they were more of a hindrance over the year than a help.

By the time they took me back for a final look (after the drops were in full effect) I had already made my decisions on the two pairs of glasses and had begun filling out the order. And while they were not ready for my business trip, as promised, I was able to pick them up soon after my return from Atlanta. I forgot how nice it is to have new glasses, ones with all the original parts, without chips or scratches, and with a completely updated prescription. And, of course, it is also nice to have two pairs that properly fit my face. Hopefully it isn’t another five years before I am able to do this again.

Mortgage Monday: Just In Case

When my wife and I originally made an offer on our house one of the things that we made sure to include was a home warranty policy. While we didn’t expect to find anything during the inspections and we don’t anticipate any major issues in the near future you just never know what might happen. The last thing we wanted was to invest such a large amount of money into a home and soon thereafter have to increase our investment because the AC unit finally gave up or the well pump decided to take some time off.

Actually, the reasons are quite a bit more mundane than the major issues that one could face in that first year. Usually it is something as simple as an appliance acting up or a garage door opener that was older than you expected. These are the things that fall beyond the purview of the regular homeowner’s insurance policy and, just like insurance, you never know what might happen. The last thing that I want to happen is that we don’t have something covered, particularly during this first year, and then all of the sudden we have to spend thousands of dollars that we were hoping to keep in the bank.

I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it… sounds like I’m referring to something else doesn’t it. But the same line of thought applies. I don’t want to be caught without it especially when it can impact the well-being and comfort of my family.

This is the just in case for those things that we can’t anticipate happening but, as we have heard and read about, they happen all of the time. So, I guess this could go back to my weekly checks that I referenced previously. Not only checking for the major things that everyone does like the roof and boiler but also the minor things like making sure the appliances sound the way that they should and that the garage door isn’t straining to open.

It really is a nominal cost or, as in our case, no cost option that brings a tremendous piece of mind to this first year in our new house. If something breaks we can take care of it right away and not worry about the financial impact that the repair or replacement might have. Rather than thinking and incessantly worrying, we can focus on enjoying our home and, more importantly, see the enjoyment on our son’s face when he is exploring the play room, looking outside, or watching the buggies as they sway down the road.

Firearms Friday: Responsibility

Following the mass murder at the Umpqua Community College free fire zone yesterday, it didn’t take very long before the reactions to the horrifying event flooded social media. Politicians, celebrities, athletes all took to their Facebook and Twitter accounts to both express their horror and condolences but also offer their prayers to the victims and their families. Of course, if the messages stopped there I wouldn’t be writing this post.

What followed these messages of consolation and peace were what has become inevitable attacks against inanimate objects and the people who own them (i.e. me). One particularly liberal friend of mine on Facebook, whom I doubt has even held a firearm in their life, even posted the following today:

“Our legal system is predicated on the notion that it is better to let ten guilty people go free than to send one innocent person to jail. In my view it is better to deny ten lawful citizens guns than to have one loss of innocent life. Therefore I support bans on assault weapons and high capacity magazines; weapons that are more equipped to do harm than good. I also support requirements for gun owners to be licensed and insured.”

First of all, this “if it only saves one life it is worth it” crap is getting old. If our goal was to save a single life we should really be talking about banning cars, alcohol, prescription drugs, fast food, bats, professional sports, the internet, and dissolving the entire educational system. All of these things are part of everyday life and all are the source of multiple deaths per year. And, keep in mind, none of these things are a right. They may be seen as the social norm these days but in the end they are all privileges.

But let’s take a closer look at the words posted. Just take a look at the first sentence… you would rather have ten people enjoy their freedom than deprive a single one of said freedom for a crime they did not commit. I completely agree with this statement. We can’t deprive an entire groups of people of their rights to ownership or, as in this case, put limits on their rights because of the crimes committed by a few… don’t persecute the innocent and don’t accuse people of a crime simply for owning an inanimate object.

As for the last part, this is completely ridiculous. There should not be a penalty (i.e. license and insurance) for exercising my right. And this is coming from the same crowd that refuses to support the requirement of a photo ID to exercise another right… voting. I can prove who I am and ownership if I need to do so, there should be no other requirement. We might as well require a license and insurance for those who wish to use the internet… after all, there are a few people who use that tool for nefarious reasons as well. And we should abolish the entire educational system because there are a few “teachers” in this country who are indoctrinating, harming, and pushing children to their suicidal breaking points. All these actions wouldn’t save a single life, they would save multiple lives so what are we waiting for.

This crap has got to stop. Assign blame to the person or persons responsible not to a large group of people with whom you disagree. Accept the fact that you can’t protect everyone and that evil exists in this world regardless of the number of laws that you pass or places you declare free fire zones. And hold people accountable for their actions and don’t give them the exposure that they crave by taking about their evil deeds over and over and over again to further your political ideology. Take responsibility for yourself and stop relying on others for everything in your life including your safety and security. We used to be a self-sufficient nation that accepted personal responsibility for our actions and we need to return to that mentality.

Paint Chips And Poor Customer Service

I readily admit that I am frequently not the easiest person to deal with. This is especially true when it comes to customer service calls. I do my best and have even made a more concerted effort as of late to be as nice and understanding as possible when I have to participate in these calls but sometimes it is really hard to keep my cool. I have been dealing with such a situation for the past two weeks as our insurance company which has had a tremendous track record personally has completely mucked up just about everything that I have called about and/or requested over the past month.

Thankfully, I have been able to keep my temper under control throughout this whole process but my patience is running thinner than [insert your cliche or original thought here]. And it hasn’t really been a matter of incompetence… as time goes on it seems to be more and more about laziness. I have made numerous efforts to communicate through email as well as by phone and I have even coordinated a time to speak with someone. When it came time for them to call at the time they promised, my phone failed to ring and no attempt at following up or explaining what had happened was ever made.

It has been a rather frustrating time especially knowing what exceptional experiences I have had with this insurance company in the past. Up until a few weeks ago I have had nothing but good things to say about this company but lately I have had to measure my words a bit given the last few people with whom I have had the displeasure of communicating (or lack thereof). And just think, this is without me getting angry, abrasive, or even difficult. I have done everything I can, within reason, to accommodate the company but have, as of today, nothing to show for it.

I would consider changing my insurance company but I have yet to see any rates anywhere near what we are paying. And I have given just about every agent and company a chance whenever they have popped up. It used to be great service and great rates and now it seems as though I am left with just the latter of the two. What’s even worse is that the most recent conversations with the insurance company they have tried to hard sell me all of their other offering before allowing me to resume my day. They may want to get better at their current job, complete their existing task, before even thinking about trying to sell me anything. And yes, I remained calm.

Changes, Space, And A New Routine

One of the worst things about moving, besides the actual labor involved in cleaning, moving, and reorganizing all of our stuff, is making sure that every person, place, organization, association, company, magazine, retailer, credit card company, etc. has our new address. Today I finally changed the last item that I could think of by logging on to the DMV website and making the update. I also managed to adjust my signature on my private email account which I seldom use for outgoing correspondences. With that being said, the marathon of phone calls, logins, and returned letters is probably not over as I am certain that there is at least one or two or more things that have slipped my mind.

Now that we have been in the new place for a little while we are also starting to get our routine down especially in the morning. To say that things are easier than they were at the apartment would be an understatement. While we are still trying to get ready at the same time, there is a lot more space so that we can both get ready rather than taking turns and making one another late every morning. The evening is also more relaxing as I can walk in the door and have the space to put everything down without having to maneuver around my wife as I shuffle through a galley kitchen.

Even the commute, which has proven to be shorter and much more reliable even with the ice, snow, and cold lately, is becoming more routine as my muscle memory is not trying to take me onto a highway that would point me in the wrong direction. It has been more relaxing as well with the steady flow of traffic and minimal merging necessary to get to and from the office. Even the drive from the lodge hasn’t been much longer as there are few traffic signals that I need to traverse during this new routine drive.

After all of the change and chaos that has and continues to dominate our lives, it is nice to have things settle down a little bit and give us some regularity to our days. This is what we have been needing for some time and the space (both inside our home and in the general area) has kept at least some of the stress at bay. Hopefully this continues and will continue to keep us level as the due date approaches. I’m just glad that this is the place that he will first call home rather than the cramp confines of our previous dwelling. Until then I am going to continue enjoying the new routine.

Unhealthy Political Practices

Obamacare has a new poster child... Jonathan Gruber!

It seemed appropriate to follow up my post yesterday with this one. One of the big national stories that finally made its way around the media was the comments made by one of the “Obamacare architects” regarding the construction and passage of this useless piece of legislation. Note that the ‘main stream media’ was much later in picking this up than the “conservative” outlets.

On numerous occasions, Jonathan Gruber has spoken at great length to the deception that was built into the ‘Affordable’ Care Act. He also specifically noted that much of the strategy that was required to gain support for the bill required the left to leverage the stupidity of the American people. As was reported in Politico: “In the three videos that surfaced in the last few days, Gruber says parts of the law, including its insurance subsidies and so-called Cadillac tax on expensive plans, wouldn’t have passed back in 2009-10 if voters weren’t “stupid.””

While few have denied that Gruber was an economic consultant on the bill, there has been frequent and repeated efforts to backpedal and characterize Gruber as someone with limited influence on the legislation. However, this ignores the gross misconduct at hand. While we don’t know how much influence he had on the polishing of the turd, he was at the very least in the room and was privy to the construction thereof. He knew of the shell game that was being perpetuated and this is where his comments come into play.

Equally disturbing are the outright lies that have been told to the media this week specifically those from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who is quoted as saying “I don’t know who he is… He didn’t help write our bill.” She made this adamant statement despite the fact that she has referred to his work in the past. Of course, what do you expect from someone whose infamous pitch when pushing the bill was “But we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.”

In addition to the lies, misrepresentations, and insults that have surfaced lately (although many of us knew that they were there all along) we now find ourselves at a point in time when healthcare premiums have gone through the roof, few new people have been insured, and financial limits have been placed on hourly workers who cannot go over 30 hours per week. We are getting taxes taken out of each paycheck to cover the program, we are required to take on benefits in our plans that we don’t want or need, and the total cost of the legislative cluster is far beyond any of the projections used to pass the law. Now I am ready to say to all those who questioned my opposition to this bill, I told you so!

Inevitable Appointments

For the first time since I can’t remember when, I think it has been about a year, I made time to see the doctor. Actually, I have been to two doctor’s appointments in the past week. I think that is enough at least for a little while. Don’t worry, it is nothing that is to be concerned about, they were just a couple of checkups. The first was with the regular doctor and the second was basically a double check.

Fortunately, I have the flexibility at work to set appointments that are otherwise not possible… this was an issue when I was working hourly and either didn’t have the time or I was just too darn tired during the normal waking hours to get myself to the office. But now, I have the time, and I am able to make sure I get to the checkups. Maybe I should make this a regular thing just to make sure that nothing does come up.

While I am not a fan of how the health insurance industry if forced to operate these days, it still works, and I really don’t know if such appointments would be possible without it. There have certainly been issues lately with coverage, specifically with getting my wife covered, but that has all been taken care of now. Things seem to be back to usual at the moment.

One thing that I have really come to appreciate in the last couple or few years is the importance of having a doctor that works for me. The office I go to is a very small husband and wife team that harkens back to the neighborhood doctor. Actually, my father grew up with him and he, after medical school, took over his father’s practice and bought the house in which he grew up. He can have a bit of an abrupt demeanor at times but it is always with a sense of looking out for what is best for me. On top of that, these days, with referrals a requirement, this office makes the process easy. It truly is the epitome of a family practice.

While these kinds of offices are slowly disappearing, the recent healthcare legislation seems to be speeding up their disappearance at a staggering rate. The family practice and the attention one receives from such offices, will soon be nothing more than a memory. But until that day comes, even with his shortcomings, I will continue to see my family doctor and do my best to listen to what he says. I’ll at least try.

This Week In WTF: Healthcare and Immigration

Not saying he was a great President but he was pretty good compared to what we have now.

Yeah, I know, this is a completely random post but this past week there have been a couple of things that have forced me to record my thoughts. Not that anything bad happened there are just certain things that reminded me of the tremendous CF that we find ourselves in as a country with regard to policies in these two areas. Oh, how far we have come during the tenure of this President, the one who can do no wrong.

This week I had a few moments when I wished that the healthcare system was much simpler… the way it used to be when it was just a small PITA. While health insurance paperwork has always been a headache… the kind that is brought on by tediousness and nitpicking… it had only gotten worse in recent years. This was never more evident then when I went to enroll my wife on my health plan at work. Turns out the form is no longer enough and now they require special letters (no emails), answers to even more questions, and the blood of a virgin chicken that was discovered in Belize, carbon dated, and proven to be used in a Mayan ritual which then had to be verified by three archeologists (because four would be asking too much) with last names that have a “q” in them from three different countries that only import produce on even number days with temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit and transported on a ship or plane where the entire crew has seen Back to the Future at least twice but has never watched the sequels.

I think this is how they will eventually made Obamacare solvent… people will turn over the extra money (it would cost us about twice as much for my wife to go on Obamacare) just so they wouldn’t have to jump through these hoops. It doesn’t even matter anymore whether you are in this country illegally, you can still get health insurance through the United States government. What kind of crap is that? Maybe, just maybe, if we let the immigration “reform” proposals collapse under their own BS we might have a chance at changing that. Maybe.

For now, people are streaming into the country where those who file applications for amnesty ‘shall not be detained, determined inadmissible, deported, or removed until their applications are finally adjudicated, unless they commit a future act that renders them ineligible with amnesty.’ Essentially, illegal aliens cannot be immediately deported unless they commit an illegal act. So, if they don’t do anything illegal (except of course for entering the country illegally) they are put into an application system that is more backed up and mismanaged than the VA hospitals in Arizona. Except instead of causing the deaths of those who fought for our freedom, it ensures a free pass to those who don’t even respect one of our most basic laws (and some of them don’t respect the law whatsoever as criminals are also eligible for amnesty and citizenship so long as they only committed one felony or three misdemeanors).

As Marty Huggins said, “It’s a mess.” I guess what this all comes down to is the fact that the system is broken, this administration had failed, and while I didn’t vote for any of this crap I, along with everyone else, have to deal with the fecal fallout. And if you agree with me then, according to the bluer than Violet Beauregard turning into a blueberry liberals, you’re a racist too. Never mind the fact that this is an equal opportunity cluster.

Another One Bites The Rim

Again I am in the midst of a short week and just like every other time I have tried to take a day or two off things are not going as planned. The basic schedule that I originally set this week was to put as many hours in during the four days was going to be in the office so that I could take Friday off knowing that nothing was being pushed back to the following week. Essentially, I didn’t want the day off to cause me to fall behind. That timeline took a few dings during work on Monday but nothing that I couldn’t address with my remaining three days.

Well, that all changed during my drive home on Monday night when the asphalt decided to jump up and take another victim. I was almost home when I was one of many cars forced to slam on the breaks to avoid an accident (thanks a-hole who decided last minute to turn into the first Wawa parking lot entrance). That sudden stop prevented me from avoiding the large crater waiting like a Venus Fly Trap to claim another tire.

Seconds later my dashboard lit up like a fireworks display and I turned into the next street. I know how to change a tire as, unfortunately, I have done it a few times before but having to do so on an incline still sucks. When I pulled off the tire I could see the rip in the tire but it was what I say when I looked on the inside that let me know that this was not going to be a quick tire change… the damn rim was bent. Given my past experience it was a rather quick stop and after sweating out my frustration of the day I slowly made my way to the apartment after about 30 minutes.

After shuffling our schedules, I ended up using my wife’s car this week while the dealer ordered a tire and rim… it actually worked out well as she didn’t really need the car too much this week and was able to quickly arrange for a ride to those places she was going. The prolonged process is finally, hopefully, coming to an end this morning but not without a little bonus discover at the dealer that the back right tire needs to be replaced as well. Another big expense that I am not paying for!

That’s right, thankfully I’m not going to be paying for two tires and a rim. While I am usually not a huge proponent of additional coverage when buying a car, I am a firm believer in purchasing tire and rim protection. With this latest stop at the dealer I think I am going to get about three times my investment back over the course of the two years since I purchased the car.

Since I have to be at the dealer I might as well get a few other things taken care of while I am already being inconvenienced so I figured to get the annual inspection and oil change done. With all the work being done to the car today, I should be ready to hit the road early tomorrow morning. It would be nice to get back on schedule for the first time this week. More about that later (hopefully without any other issues to report).

Penny For Your Thoughts

It was classification talk time this week at the Rotary Club of Bala Cynwyd – Narberth as we learned a little bit more about our newest member, and our new Vice President, Penny Hughes. Penny is thriving in her second career as a banker at Bryn Mawr Trust and after opening a new branch in Bala Cynywd she made her way to our club earlier this year. Transitioning from hair stylist to banker is not a scenario that you hear often but, having known Penny for some time now, it makes perfect sense.

Bryn Mawr Trust is a bank that I know well as I grew up in Bryn Mawr just down the street from the bank’s original location (still  there today). My family has been at that bank for decades and I plan on transitioning my accounts over there at some point in the near future. I consider the current location of my accounts as the consequence of youthful naivety.

Penny, who serves as Branch Manager and Vice President at the Bank, is the embodiment of why I plan on moving my finances to that institution. It is the personal attention, intelligence, and a common sense approach that is unparalleled in a national institution setting. Anything and everything can be handled through the various departments at the bank in the same manner whether it is a simple banking need, loans/mortgages, investments, insurance, and various other needs.

Penny’s journey at Bryn Mawr Trust is one that is fueled by her intelligence, people person personality, hard work, and inspired by her philosophy on life passed down from her Grandmother. Working her way up from a part time teller to a VP and Branch Manager, Penny is the embodiment of the American Dream and she is proof that even if you do something for 20+ years doesn’t mean you can’t change and be successful in a completely different line of work. And now, of course, that transition has brought her to Rotary.

Penny’s exemplary attributes are why we have decided to appoint her as our club’s Vice President. I look forward to working with her in the years ahead as I know she will bring the same fervor and love of people and service to Rotary as she does to her job. As a small club we have to watch every penny and now we can watch what great things can be accomplished by one Penny in particular.