While getting gas this morning, I noticed that MAPCO now has a sticker on their pumps that reads “Contains Ethanol”. Now, I know Ethanol is kind of a buzz word these days, but I usually associate it with hybrid vehicles, which mine is not (believe it or not, the Honda Fit is not a hybrid even though it has that “early model hybrid look”). I inquired inside, but the worker didn’t have much information about percentages or the effects it would have on my car.

So, advocating for the average consumer who doesn’t know much about Ethanol, I called Delek US (the distribution company for MAPCO) and spoke with someone about it. Turns out Tennessee is in the works to join up with other states in reducing emissions and using less gas (i.e. foreign oil). By mixing less than 10% Ethanol into the gasoline, they are able to stretch the supply without reducing efficiency.

That was my main concern. I don’t have an “ethanol” car, but apparently that doesn’t really matter if the mixture is that low. The representative I spoke with said that any manufacturers owners manual should state this. The pamphlet they’ve provided to inform the consumer contains half a dozen quotes from such manuals. The worker I spoke with didn’t seem to know about any pamphlets, so the Delek rep offered to follow up.

I might do the same in a week’s time. IMO, consumer education is so important to the success of something new.

My newish automobile is in the body shop for a few days. While performing work business a few weeks ago, I ran into an inconspicuous yellow parking pole and cracked the bumper. It wasn’t what you’d call “major damage”, but enough to make me cry about the fact I’d damaged my new car transporting computers so a lazy computer guy didn’t have to come get them.

I reported it immediately to my supervisor and within 2 weeks, I received a check from the risk management department to the sum of about $600, which was the average of the two estimates I had to get.

So anyway, I am without my car for a few days now, which stinks. I always hate that feeling. But I do have a scooter and we do have a truck I could drive if I got desparate. Although, I think it is still “expired” according to the county, so that’s probably not a good move.

Regardless, Jason and I both work for the same establishment, even if we don’t work in the same building, so he can give me a ride if rain makes scootering impossible.

Brought to you by my own impressively spacious Honda Fit and a very large table saw.

Thanks for waving back at me yesterday while we were both stopped at an intersection in our matching red Honda Fits. I hope I brightened your day a little by initiating the wave. Your enthusiastic reply was definitely appreciated. Awww… feel the love.

I know this is old news to ya’ll who’ve lived in the south all your lives, but this pollen stuff just drives me crazy! I cannot believe how much is produced every night and manages to land itself on my car! This morning, wet with the overnight rain, my car was covered, I mean COVERED in wet, sticky, clumpy pollen. It really looked like it had grown a layer of fur.

Even though I was running late AND it was raining, I just had to get some of it off, so I went down the street to a drive through carwash and actually paid to have it washed off my car. Unfortunately, I did not get a “before” picture because I didn’t want to stand out in the rain, but just to emphasize how much pollen there was, I took an “after” picture once I got into the garage at work (sorry for the sideways shot):

I mean, come on! That’s ridiculous!

I just washed both of our cars, only to have them be covered in pollen by tomorrow morning. But if I wait to clean them until there’s no more pollen falling from the trees, I may not wash them till September. Better to make some progress, right?

Just look at my car this morning!!

So today we decided to go on a last minute day trip to Chattanooga and see the new (to us) “ocean journey” part of the aquarium. Sorry Aunt B. I would’ve tried to come up with something interesting for your NiT guest hosting gig, but I was actually busy doing something.

We left Nashville around 11:10am and zipped on over to Chatt by around 1:30p. Of course, we forgot about the whole Eastern time zone thing, so it was really more like 2:30 when we got there. No biggie. We got tickets and headed into the “ocean” building first. It starts off with a hands-on pool where you can pet little sting rays and little sharks as they swim by. I managed to pet a shark while it was laying on the bottom of the pool. Kinda cool. Of course then I had a wet sticky arm for a bit, but I survived.

Then there was a really neat butterfly exhibit where the butterflies just flew around you in an open-like outdoor environment. It was still closed in, but it had the feeling of being outside. Anyway, you had to check yourself before you left to make sure you didn’t take any hitch-hiking butterflies with you. Cause that is a felony or something like that. Serious business.

After that, we headed to the larger tank to see the tiger sharks and hundreds of other fish. After that, it all gets kinda blurry until we left and went over to the “river journey” building, the building that was “The Aquarium” until they added the ocean one. The river journey starts with a quick jaunt downstairs to see the seahorses and leafy sea dragons. If you’ve never seen those, heck, even if you have, they are truly stunning creatures. I just find it amazing that creatures like this exist and most people don’t even know about them.

Anyway, after the seahorses, you take a ride up a long escalator with TV screens that show the evolution of a tiny drop of water into a rushing river. Kinda neat. Except I had to pee by the time we got to the top and there were no bathrooms in sight. The rest of the exhibits are focused on specific rivers all over the world, but mostly in Tennessee. There are tons of turtles, snakes, common river fish and not so common fish. Its a lot to take in and I’ve already mentioned the things that really stand out in my mind.

I’d have to say the most informative and entertaining bit was after lunch at the IMAX. It was a 3D Deep Sea movie that went into the depths of the ocean to show us some of the more exotic and lesser known sea life. I was truly impressed. I didn’t realize how much I didn’t know about anemonies and starfish, but I don’t really blame myself cause its hard to really understand something without seeing it. This movie was pretty extraordinary in the way it was able to capture the hunting and feeding rituals of these otherwise static creatures. It was a great way to end the day and I highly recommend the IMAX to anyone visiting the aquarium.

Now, I must not forget to comment on the road trip experience with the Fit. Overall, it was a very pleasant ride. We played around with the sound system, got some tunes crankin, and cruised along with ease. Going up the mountain was a little rough, but only cause I’m not used to the car yet and how it uses its power to accelerate or maintain speed going up a pretty steep and steady grade.

Oh, and I have to mention the windshield wipers because they are the best I’ve ever seen or had. We got hit by some heavy rain on the way back and my wipers saved the day. It may be because I was used to such crummy wipers on the Pontiac, but just looking at these ones, you can totally see the difference. That makes me wonder, though, if the replacement, when the time comes, is going to be difficult or costly. Oh well. When it comes down to it, I was sure thankful to have them today.

I understand after my last post that it may seem like I am not happy with or don’t like my new car. Even “Nashville Is Talking” has heard my posts of disappointment. No one wants to not like their brand new car. I may have my gripes about the mileage, but I really do love driving my car. When I’m not thinking about the aforementioned issue, I have a great time zipping around town. I almost wish I had a further distance to drive to work so I could spend more time in my car. I think a mini-road trip is in order.

We went to Clarksville today for our first “open road” trip in the Fit and thought it would be a good test of the actual mileage I’ll get on the highway. After going there and back, filling up the gas before and after, the trip came out to 111 miles on 3.9 gallons of gas. That’s 28.4 miles per gallon.

THAT’S NOT EVEN WHAT THEY QUOTE FOR CITY DRIVING. And its almost 10 miles under what they quote for the highway mileage. At this point, as far as mileage is concerned, I’m no better off with the Fit than I was with the Pontiac. And I have to fill up more often.

I hope this gets better. Or, at least, I hope I get over it soon.