I’ve been posting these updates more in the morning, day of, but today is something different. The sun has set on Day 9 and it’s still 9 o’clock (sorta), so here goes. A lot has happened in the last 24 hours. Major changes, one even relating to my efforts to quit smoking.
On the 8th day of Chantix, you’re supposed to quit. I didn’t. I was wiggin’ out. So much going on. So much to do. So much stress. Remember my psychology of smoking? Yup. Mentioned it yesterday morning too. When the shit hits the fan in such a way that you start to wonder if you don’t just have a fan in your massive pile of shit, something’s gotta give. This was not the day for smoking to be that thing.
Why not? You might have noticed the badge in the background in the picture above. Galant VR4, 464/1000. That’s my daily driver. My one of only 1000 sold in North America in 1992, one of only 3000 ever sold over here period, bought it because all it needed was the AC re-installed and a paint job, awesome right down to the imported JDM front bumper and lights and original, matching badge keychain, 1992 Mitsubishi Galant VR4.
On Day 8, I was stopped in rush hour traffic on the highway when someone in a Volkswagen Jetta rear-ended me. The car doesn’t look jacked up, it doesn’t drive jacked up, but it’s jacked up. We’re talking unibody (ie: frame) damage, here. The insurance company is probably going to want to total it out. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to fight this all the way and don’t expect to have this matter settled for at least two months or more. Want pictures? More details? Full story is over on Tarmac and Gravel.
But wait! There’s more! Day 8 was a Tuesday. My MBA classes meet on Tuesday nights. Was I on my way to class when this happened? Nope. I was on my way home. Why? I have dropped out of the MBA program. Eleventy-billion chapters to read each week, assessment questions, APA-formatted papers to write, final exams. So much time spent learning how to run a business in the future that there wasn’t enough left over to run the one I’ve got going right now.
In life, there are things we need to do and there are things we want to do. The things we need to do push the things we want to do off to the side. With this MBA program, I had so many things I needed to do, I was having a hard time getting them done, let alone trying to find time to do the things I wanted to do, so I have decided to make due with a bachelor’s degree in Technical Management and first-hand experience running my own business.
If I need/want to know about business law, I’ll reach out to my network for good sources of info on the subject.
If I need/want to know about business finance, I’ll reach out to my network for good sources of info on the subject. I can learn any subject – and master it – if I interact with subject matter experts.
There was a time when I didn’t know squat about cars. Thanks to my friends, nay family, on various automotive forums over the years, I’ve gone from not knowing the first thing about cars, to literally cutting entire sections off cars to be attached to others. In the last ten years, I’ve only paid others to work on my vehicles a couple times. Otherwise, I’ve had ZERO formal education when it comes to cars. If I can confidently fix nearly anything on my own cars, and never went to school for it, why do I think I need to spend two years in school in order to know how to run a business?
So today is Day 9. I took 464 in to be evaluated. I have no numbers yet, but can confirm there is underlying structural damage to the car. My guess is estimated cost of repairs is going to be up around $3000-$4000, the insurance company is going to say the car is only worth $1000, and they’re going to offer me something like $800 to buy the car back.
I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck (even though we’ve already covered it was only a VW). My neck and back are getting progressively tighter as the hours go by. I’ve downed 1000mg of Tylenol and an 800mg “prescription” naproxin or something that’s supposed to ease swelling. Nada. Gonna try to get in to see the doctor before heading back to California Friday night after work.
It’s been a rough 24 hours, let me tell you.
Thing is, I ran out of smokes a little over an hour ago, don’t have that maddening desire to make a quick run to Circle K (or even stop at one on the way home), and figure I won’t stop for a pack in the morning, either. It’s almost like, meh, why bother? Let’s hope I still feel this way in the morning when I hit QT for my sammich and Rockstar. I’ll let you know.
Yech. Sorry about the incident with 464… es no bueno. Glad to hear the Chantix is holding up and, well, not quitting today seems like a good move to make really.
You know, since we last discussed our writing ideas and challenges for 2010, I've been in heavy debate regarding education myself. Part of me says “go for the English degree and become evern MORE of a pretentious douche” and the other part says that industry certs (hello Media Bistro) are better and, generally, cheaper… just not subsidized by Obama's sweet sweet Socialist Muslin monies, so I can't get extra cash for whatever the hell it is I might want. That said, MBA programs are notorious for pumping out legions of idiots who can only barely spell “business” anyways, so it seems the MBA is brutally devalued. I think the ability to demonstrate practical, real-world experience will trump the classroom any day. And with that in mind, I'm going to go take naked pics of me with my editing books…….. oh NYT Style Manual, you're such a tease…
http://dr1665.com DR1665
Ah, socialist muslin. Everyone wearing matching clothes made of loosely woven cotton yarn. Such material is desirable in hot, dry climates such as the desert southwest, you know. I heard the avant garde clothing firm “Type O” will be selling shirst made from muslin in the coming ffuture. (wink)
As for the MBA, I think you nailed it, Greg. There is always word on the street about how degrees or certifications which grow in popularity have become worth less than the paper they're printed on, but try telling that to Sallie Mae.
Two cruel ironies of my life:
When I made my living in the tech sector and that industry cratered ten years ago, it wasn't too big to fail. My job was eliminated. Repeatedly. For the better part of two years. There were no unemployment extensions or company-paid re-training programs. Just a rent-a-cop escort to the parking lot.
When I paid a premium for a degree from a brand name school related to the technical arena and found that the degree was unable to land the solid job I'd been sold since before even moving to attend school in the first place (they sold me on a 96% placement rate by senior year with an average starting salary in the mid-$50s), making my $60,000 degree essentially worthless, there was no legislation proposed to force Sallie Mae to renegotiate my balance or as-much-as-a-new-Jag monthly payments.
So I'm bitter about it. I like to think this helps me identify with those unemployed or facing forclosure today. Guess what, folks, it will get better if you hang in there. You will probably always be filled with vile hatred when you think back on this shit – a combination of “how can they get away with that” and “how could I have been so stupid” – but it gets better.
Back to the MBA, when I'm so busy outside of school that I'm only skimming the materials (as are most of my cohorts, so they say), bullshitting my way through weekly assignments like questions or papers, and generally investing only enough effort to get a passing grade, what is the value in that?
I like the idea of lifelong learning; of continuously pursuin knowledge and understanding of the topics that are of substance. Social media will come and go, but an understanding of human sociology will never lose value (nor remain static). Laws change, businesses change, life changes. I just feel like I learn more from collaboration on long term timelines than I do from standardized materials presented on a fixed, regular schedule.
Long ass comment, but as someone who has been told his degree would mean more if he had experience, I would suggest developing those skills and experiences you would expect to gain from a degree and seeing what you can do with them. The paper can help, but the paper is only as good as the skills beneath it, imo.
http://www.dgmslaw.com stephen
Hi Greg,
Sorry to hear about the accident, but don’t let it cause you to take up smoking again! If you need help fighting your car accident you should consider using the firm I’ve linked to. They are very good and I can vouch that they are also great people. Good luck!
My Chantix Experience: Day 9
I’ve been posting these updates more in the morning, day of, but today is something different. The sun has set on Day 9 and it’s still 9 o’clock (sorta), so here goes. A lot has happened in the last 24 hours. Major changes, one even relating to my efforts to quit smoking.
On the 8th day of Chantix, you’re supposed to quit.
I didn’t. I was wiggin’ out. So much going on. So much to do. So much stress. Remember my psychology of smoking? Yup. Mentioned it yesterday morning too. When the shit hits the fan in such a way that you start to wonder if you don’t just have a fan in your massive pile of shit, something’s gotta give. This was not the day for smoking to be that thing.
Why not?
You might have noticed the badge in the background in the picture above. Galant VR4, 464/1000. That’s my daily driver. My one of only 1000 sold in North America in 1992, one of only 3000 ever sold over here period, bought it because all it needed was the AC re-installed and a paint job, awesome right down to the imported JDM front bumper and lights and original, matching badge keychain, 1992 Mitsubishi Galant VR4.
On Day 8, I was stopped in rush hour traffic on the highway when someone in a Volkswagen Jetta rear-ended me. The car doesn’t look jacked up, it doesn’t drive jacked up, but it’s jacked up. We’re talking unibody (ie: frame) damage, here. The insurance company is probably going to want to total it out. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to fight this all the way and don’t expect to have this matter settled for at least two months or more. Want pictures? More details? Full story is over on Tarmac and Gravel.
But wait! There’s more!
Day 8 was a Tuesday. My MBA classes meet on Tuesday nights. Was I on my way to class when this happened? Nope. I was on my way home. Why? I have dropped out of the MBA program. Eleventy-billion chapters to read each week, assessment questions, APA-formatted papers to write, final exams. So much time spent learning how to run a business in the future that there wasn’t enough left over to run the one I’ve got going right now.
In life, there are things we need to do and there are things we want to do. The things we need to do push the things we want to do off to the side. With this MBA program, I had so many things I needed to do, I was having a hard time getting them done, let alone trying to find time to do the things I wanted to do, so I have decided to make due with a bachelor’s degree in Technical Management and first-hand experience running my own business.
If I need/want to know about business law, I’ll reach out to my network for good sources of info on the subject.
If I need/want to know about business finance, I’ll reach out to my network for good sources of info on the subject.
I can learn any subject – and master it – if I interact with subject matter experts.
There was a time when I didn’t know squat about cars.
Thanks to my friends, nay family, on various automotive forums over the years, I’ve gone from not knowing the first thing about cars, to literally cutting entire sections off cars to be attached to others. In the last ten years, I’ve only paid others to work on my vehicles a couple times. Otherwise, I’ve had ZERO formal education when it comes to cars. If I can confidently fix nearly anything on my own cars, and never went to school for it, why do I think I need to spend two years in school in order to know how to run a business?
So today is Day 9.
I took 464 in to be evaluated. I have no numbers yet, but can confirm there is underlying structural damage to the car. My guess is estimated cost of repairs is going to be up around $3000-$4000, the insurance company is going to say the car is only worth $1000, and they’re going to offer me something like $800 to buy the car back.
I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck (even though we’ve already covered it was only a VW). My neck and back are getting progressively tighter as the hours go by. I’ve downed 1000mg of Tylenol and an 800mg “prescription” naproxin or something that’s supposed to ease swelling. Nada. Gonna try to get in to see the doctor before heading back to California Friday night after work.
It’s been a rough 24 hours, let me tell you.
Thing is, I ran out of smokes a little over an hour ago, don’t have that maddening desire to make a quick run to Circle K (or even stop at one on the way home), and figure I won’t stop for a pack in the morning, either. It’s almost like, meh, why bother? Let’s hope I still feel this way in the morning when I hit QT for my sammich and Rockstar. I’ll let you know.
In the glovebox: