Tips and tricks to gain gas mileage

Okay, yes, there are already tons of websites out here in cyberspace that give tips and ideas of how one can save on gas and gain mileage. Well I thought I'd jot down some of those things that I've learned from experience and that work. So here goes.

1. Slow down! This is the biggest and most effective thing we can do. Whether you are driving a Toyota Prius, a Chevy Aveo, or a Hummer. It doesn't matter. Slowing down is the most effective way to gain MPG, especially upon acceleration. As Christ-followers, we ought to be living out patience anyway. So take your time folks. Accelerate slow and gently and actually drive the speed limit...or even slower if you can help it.
2. Turn the engine off. I realize some of you may be thinking, "huh?". There is a phrase called hypermiling where one does these things to gain the very most out of each drop of fuel. I drive a 1999 Dodge Dakota pickup truck that is a stick shift. Where I can, usually going down a big hill, I'll turn the engine off. This will save on gas. I simply let gravity keep me moving. I put the truck in neutral and let 'er roll. When I get to the bottom of the hill or I start to lose momentum. Sure, with the engine off you lose power steering and power brakes. However, you can still steer and brake. You just may have to push a bit harder.
3. Keep your car/truck well maintained. This is a no-brainer. Keep your tires up to proper pressure. This will help the vehicle roll nice and smooth. Check your oil and change it at least every 3,000 miles. Many cars today come with an on-board computer that will tell you when your car needs service. Take a look at the owners manual for more on this. At least every 10,000 miles, get the spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and rotor changed. Also, keep an eye on the air filter. A dirty air filter isn't a good thing. If your engine cannot take in the air necessary for optimum performance, you'll lose gas mileage.
4. Try different brands of fuel. I know this may seem silly, but for a long time I was buying Murphy USA because of the 3 cents off per gallon with the Wal-mart shopping card. In conversations with others, Shell and Speedway have impressed people. You may pay a few cents more per gallon at the time of fill up, but you have to consider the frequency of fill-ups. If you spend 4 times a month to fill up with the cheap stuff, you may actually spend less in a month if you pay more per fill up but only 2 times a month.

Well that's about it. I hope this helps anyone who happens to read this. The biggest thing is slow down. The slower you accelerate, the less fuel you burn per a given distance.

back to school

Life is certainly an adventure. God made it this way. I mean, if we all knew what was going to happen next all of the time and in every circumstance life wouldn't be very exciting now would it. No, life is exciting because it is an adventure filled with dangers and risks and all kinds of surprises...some good!

Last Friday my wife and I were heading up to spend the weekend with her folks. We pass Lake Michigan College as always on the way up. On their marquee were the words "Sign up for Fall Classes Now!" This immediately prompted some thinking inside of me. I've always had enthusiasm or passion for computers and technology...computers to be more specific. When I was a college student trying to decide on what to major in, Computer Science was one consideration. I didn't know Jesus at the time and so I had no clear vision for my life. I wound up majoring in Psychology instead. Well now I'm impassioned to go back to school and get that Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. I'm ready to engage a journey to learn more about something for which I have a passion. Indeed it will be a long journey. I don't know for sure where it will take me, but I know that I will come out gaining knowledge and wisdom that I never had before. I suppose you could say that the journey is more important than the destination.

To the journey!

competition

When I look up this definition, it basically is a contest between two or more persons or groups. The definition also refers to the word rivalry.

This makes me question, is competition a God thing? The more I meditate on this, the more I conclude that no, competition is not a God thing. The opposite is true. Cooperation is a God thing. Knowing that He is all about relationships and community, competition can break apart relationships and community.

Now I'm not saying we should never play any games or contests. I have no problem with a friendly game of cards or golf. The key word here is friendly. When playing games with friends, it really doesn't matter who wins or loses. The point is to have some fun with friends. It's not the destination that matters, but the journey.

So play games, have fun, and make new friends in the process.

Fantasy v. reality

Let's face it, if we're all honest with ourselves we all have fantasies of some kind. Another word for fantasy can be meditation. It's all focused thinking. However, I believe fantasy involves more imagination and creativity than meditation. Either way, it's all about our minds exploring possibilities. What if....

Why do we have fantasies? I believe it is because we all are wired up for more than what we are and where we are at right now. We live in a world that isn't exactly what God meant, so we struggle. When reality gets a little overwhelming, we need rest. Fantasy is just one way to rest from reality. Some may pray, others may read Scripture, still others meditate.

I think it can be okay to have fantasies. When I have them, I tend to keep God in the mix. When I do this, then all is well. So I say go ahead with those fantasies and be sure to keep God somewhere in the mix. This way, it will keep your imagination in check.

small interventions...viral effect

Currently my church is doing a message series called Viral Effect. The whole idea is that you can communicate something at a small level and it will most likely travel at an exponential rate. We see this kind of thing in Cyberspace. Whether in the land of blogs, Youtube, Myspace, Facebook,...the list goes on. This all has me thinking about my part in His whole grand epic drama.

I'm small, that's it. My part is small, but still important. I've began to pay attention to how little things can have a significant impact. It might not seem like it at the time, but it does have an impact. Jesus did say that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can say to this mountain 'move from here to there' and it will move and nothing will be impossible for us. This all says to me that a tiny bit can go a long long way. So I compare myself to a single grain of sand.

A gain of sand is tiny. To see such a thing requires concentration or even magnification. When a grain of sand works its way inside an oyster, something wonderful happens. After much time, a beautiful pearl forms. Now to the oyster, that sand is irritating. So yeah, I'm like a grain of sand. I'm small, I can be irritating, but through all the tiny little interventions I engage something beautiful can emerge.

One of my pastors has talked about dreaming big. I suppose in his position that would make sense. For me, small is good.

I'm not perfect by any stretch

I've heard it said before many a time from my pastors, "...you're meant for so much more." This says to me that I'm capable of so much more than I am. The hard part about all of this is when I cannot accomplish a task I want to say to my pastors, "Yeah, right...sorry, I don't believe that." I question, how can I be capable of so much more when I can't even get __________ right? (fill in the blank) Then all the limitations of this world come pressing in hard. I feel this world pushing...no, clawing at my soul saying things like "You aren't much value are you?" Yuk. The Spirit reminds me of His word, His truth, but I still can't help being drug into a fierce battle with Satan! Heh...Satan's like that ya know. He looks for any opportunity to try and take me out. HA HA...Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world! Or as Carmen would say it, "Greater is He who is in me than the snake I'm starring down!!!" Heh, and I even have a phobia of snakes.

As I look at my dog, Bella, and meditate upon the relationship she has with me, her master, it hits me like a ton of bricks. This relationship is EXACTLY the kind of relationship I have with my Master, Jesus Christ. When my wife and I leave the house, we put Bella in a create (a cage). As we leave the house, she'll yip and bark and whine. When we come home, she yips and barks and whines and paws at the door/gate of the crate. She so passionately wants to get out so she can run free and fully embrace her master. Wow...this is exactly how I am. This world is that create. It's not perfect. It's broken and it limits me from being all my Master made me to be. I can't wait until He comes back for me to let me out and be free to fully embrace my Master...and be EVERYTHING He made me to be.

playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band verses the real thing

As I've noted in my previous post, I have a PS2 now and with it the games Guitar Hero III and Rock Band. I've been reading a lot of different thoughts about these games in comparison with playing the real instruments. I myself have played the drums as well as various brass instruments, the baritone mostly, and the saxophones (bari and tenor I own) for years with various groups (concert band, jazz band, drum corps). I'd like to offer my perspective after playing GH and Rock Band myself.

As a drummer, GH/Rock Band on guitar or bass comes naturally. For me it's all about the rhythm. Once I know the rhythm, I can soar! I can even get to where I don't even need to look at the scrolling "notes" coming at me. I can simply listen to the music and know what is coming next. Pressing the fret buttons on the controller is, for me, not any different than pressing the keys on my bari sax. Again, it's all about the rhythm. Operating the strum bar (which is nothing more than a rocker switch) is, for me again, not any different that tapping out rhythms with my hands on either any surface or an actual drum, i.e. conga, bongo, djimbe. Again, it's all about the rhythm.

Now, for the drum pads of Rock Band. They are not any different than any digital drums on the market today. The kick drum pedal is the only thing that could be made a bit more sturdy. Otherwise, the drumming experience is no different than the real thing. The only thing I can say about the drum pads is the static configuration, meaning you can't reposition any of them. I'd like to be able to move each pad independently of each other configuring them to a more real feel of a drum set. Other than this, the drumming experience is fairly accurate. Playing a song for the first time is a challenge because the player is in fact sight-reading. I'm thankful for the practice mode. This allows me to learn and practice the part so when I actually perform it I know what I'm doing. Some fills are tricky and the practice does well.

Singing the vocals of Rock Band isn't any different than karaoke. My wife has done pretty well with this. She has always enjoyed karaoke anyway. Now she can do it with me playing along on either guitar or drums.

The scrolling meter bar is a plus for me as a drummer. The thick lines are the down beats with the thin lines in between representing the up beats. The tricky part is if you have a syncopated rhythm. It's challenging to determine just what the rhythm is by not having actually music notes in front of me. Fortunately for me I can listen to it to learn what it is. Thank God for practice modes.

So from a percussionist/wind instrument players' perspective, Guitar Hero and Rock Band is an enjoyable experience and quite accurate with regard to vocal and drums. I can agree with the real guitar players' perspective in that the guitar controller is nothing like the real thing, but it's still fun for those who don't play real guitar. I can say that I am inspired and may one day have the $$$ to buy a real guitar and learn to play it...God only knows.

So there's my 2 cents worth. I hope this helps.

Peace.