Livin La Vida Corporate

Two years and a few months ago, I was teaching 3rd grade. I was a miserable, grouchy, forever complaining wench. I hated my job which was my life. People ask me all the time if I miss it, and people who haven't seen me in a long time are always shocked to hear that I left teaching. It's true, there are things that I loved about teaching. I loved every moment with my kids. I loved seeing them succeed. I loved making them laugh and learn at the same time. I loved knowing that I was making special memories for some of them, and that some of them would remember me for the rest of their lives. 

But there was a lot I didn't like. I didn't like that I had been teaching for 5 years and never got a raise (but did get a pay cut, thanks again Rick Scott). I didn't like that my job was impossible without my monetary contributions. I didn't like the politics, the women, the budget cuts, the bull. There was so much about it that I didn't like, that it completely eclipsed the small parts that I did like, and without even knowing it, I became the curmudgeon I never liked and never imagined I would become. 

I decided it was time to make a change, and I ventured into a career I knew little about and was scared I would hate, but I struck gold. I got hired by one of the best companies anyone could ever work for, and, despite all my fears, despite leaving a career that I spent my whole life dreaming about, I love my job. I work at a place that believes in me. A place that respects my life outside of work (I actually have one of those now!!!). A place that sees my potential, and is willing to take risks by betting on me. When I started working with my company 2 years ago, I was making the exact same amount I was teaching. Two years later, I've gotten 4 promotions, bonuses, hundreds of dollars in prizes (just for doing my job! And no, I don't sell anything or have commission!), and $15,000 in raises. $15,000... that's a lot of money in raises in just 2 years, and they're not done with me yet. They have me in a developmental role where they're focusing on developing my skills with the intention of promoting me to the big leagues in the next 14-24 months. 

Switching careers was the best decision I ever made. I'm a totally different person. I have happy stories to tell, and pleasant topics of conversation. I have the time and the money to have fun with my friends and have adventures. My entire outlook on life is different, and it's rather shocking. For a while, I felt like I was waiting for the glow to wear off. I was waiting for the lover's glow to fade, and to become the curmudgeon again. But I realize now why that hasn't happened. When you spend 40+ hours a week in complete misery, it's hard to be anything but miserable for the rest of your hours during the week. Now, no job is 100% paradise or they wouldn't pay you to go there, but when your job is 80-90% pleasant, it's a lot easier to be pleasant when you leave. And when you leave and there is still time left in your life to live, and you don't have to continue working off the clock, and you have a little extra in your pocket, it's a whole lot easier to be happy. 

The craziest thing is, this happiness must be apparent because people I barely know, people who I taught with, are contacting me like crazy. They heard that I got out and actually made it. That I got out and not only survived, but thrived, and they want to know if they can too. And it's not uncommon. I know of several former teachers in my office alone. I guess the point of all this rambling is, if you're unhappy, you can fix it. You don't have to stay miserable. You are not stuck anywhere, with anyone, or doing anything. Find the source of your unhappiness and get rid of it, no matter how scary that thought may be. Take a leap because it's worth it. That one change may just change your entire outlook on life. Take a chance because happiness is worth it.

My Vote Goes to Whomever Eradicates Opossums

August was such a busy month that I forgot to make my August post before the month ended... oopsie daisy! Never fear, September will just be a double feature.

Let's start with some home improvement, shall we? I mean, that's what this blog was initially intended for anyway. A while back, Derek installed a dog door in the wall that goes from the house to the patio. He did not; however, install one from the patio to the yard. So, for the past 3 years, the dog door, ready to be installed, has been sitting against the wall in the living room, and the screen door has been left open so the dogs can get from the patio to the yard. This is why we had the delightful pigeon incident. During Derek's most recent visit, we had another, much more scary, incident.

Have you ever seen a pissed off opossum before? I had never seen one at all, other than on TV, but during Derek's last visit, I learned that opossum's are essentially rats with horrifying alligator mouths.

Exhibit A (from google)

One night while Derek was here, he saw Fozzie go through the dog door and pee on the patio (a delightful habit I'm working on correcting), so he got up and went to correct him when he saw that Fozzie was going nuts over something in the corner of the patio hiding behind our fire pit. Seeing that it was an opossum, he called for me to come bring Fozzie in the house, and attempted to get the creature off of our patio safely. The opossum; however, had no intentions of leaving gracefully. Derek used a broom to gently try and guide it towards the door, and the opossum, with it's horrifying alligator mouth, was hissing and lunging at Derek. Getting more aggressive, Derek wacked the vile creature with the broom repeatedly moving it off of the patio, but the creature wanted more. Even when off the patio and no longer trapped, he still kept coming after Derek.

Eventually, Derek got it to go away, but I was absolutely horrified. What if it came back when Derek wasn't here? What if it was rabid- I mean, aren't they supposed to "play opossum," and not attack you? What if it got my Fozzie bear? I instantly decided we needed that second door installed, and I would be calling someone in the morning to hire them to put it in. Derek asked me to wait and let him do it, and even though I had heard this before, I decided to give him 1 day. When I came home, I saw this...

Alas! One more thing knocked off the endless home improvement list. But never fear, I didn't make Derek work on the house the entire time he was home. While he was here, we took a trip to Gainesville to help my brother get settled into his very first college dorm...

and while we were in town, we got to hang out with our fabulous niece and nephew.

Sadly, his time home was not as happy of a reunion as he would have hoped. Our first baby, Lucy, hasn't been doing well for a while, and it seems as if she held on just a little bit longer to see her daddy one more time. After one last day enjoying the park as a family, and many tears, we said goodbye to our baby. Lucy was an amazing dog, and will always be our first baby and our first love. We feel lucky to have had her in our lives. We love you Lucy.

#puppylove #WakaWakaWaka

Derek's last visit was great! We went to Legoland...

and we celebrated the 4th of July.

He even trusted me with power tools!

Clearly he's been gone so long that he forgot that this was a mistake, but I was happy to remind him...

Oopsie daisy!

But the problem is, it was a visit, and visits end. I haven't been taking being a trucker's wife so well lately. It's weird to say that I've been lonely when I'm out and about with friends all the time, but I was, and it was making me grumpy, which didn't help the situation. He's working on finding something where he will be home more, but for now he's back on the road.

 

In the meantime, I'm still home, mostly alone. Just me, Lucy and the cat. The cat likes me and attention for about 3-5 minutes a day, and Lucy is about the same. She's super sweet, but she's an old gal and likes to sleep and do her own thing. Derek and I have been talking for a few months about getting a second dog. We know Lucy wouldn't approve, but we love doggies, and we feel like if 1 is awesome, 2 must be incredible. Derek wanted to adopt another older dog, and I wanted a puppy (although I would never buy a dog- adopt only!!). I just felt like we missed out on so many fun years by adopting Lucy when she was older, and the greedy B in me wants every single moment of her life to include us. We've been in no rush. We wanted to make sure we found the perfect fit- a dog that would get along with Lucy and Charlie and would fit into our current lifestyle, and we wanted another cocker spaniel.

We follow several cocker spaniel rescue groups on FB (don't you love the flooding of cockers on your feed because facebook thinks that you need to see what all your friends like? lol), and an add came up for this handsome man.

He will be 2 in November, and was described as "all puppy." I fell in love! We applied, and got him!! His name was Baxter, but he only had that name for a short time (they don't know what his name originally was), and he didn't respond to it. I wasn't a fan of the name and came up with a few ideas, but decided I wouldn't make a decision until I saw him in person. 2 weeks ago today, I drove to Sarasota and became a double dog mommy.

Because he was so badly matted, they had to shave him down. When I met him, I thought hmmm..... he looks oddly familiar...

And his new name was born! We named him Fozzie, and he is a crazy bundle of fun! He loves his new yard...

He loves car rides...

And, in true puppy fashion, he loves DESTROYING toys at lightening speed (but, thank goodness, nothing else, mommy's shoes are safe!)...

When they said he is "all puppy," they weren't kidding!! He's potty trained (AMEN!), and he doesn't destroy the house (Woot woot!!), but he has an endless supply of energy and happiness. He brings such joy to the house. He loves everyone and everything, and just wants to be friends and play all the time. Fozzie and Charlie are working on a friendship...

They're about 80-90% there. Fozzie is slowly learning that he can play with and be friends with Charlie, but he has to approach Charlie slowly and cannot chase him. Shockingly, Charlie is learning that his new brother doesn't want to eat him, just play with him, and he humors him from time to time and will play along with his crazy puppy antics. I never expected Charlie to do anything more than tolerate/ignore a dog.

Lucy is tolerating him. They will never be like those cute FB pictures of piles of doggies snuggling, but they get along, and that's as much as I can ask for all things considered. She will still put on a classic smile when she gets back from the groomer though...

Fozzie gets a 1.3 mile walk every day (weather permitting), lots of snuggles, and lots of toys (which he immediately destroys), but he is still a total puppy. This is what he does every evening when we get in bed, and usually again in the morning after the alarm goes off the second time (he's learned to let mommy snooze once, but does not allow mommy to hit snooze twice).

We're working on obedience training (he's got a very alpha personality- TOTALLY opposite of Lucy), and he's catching on fast. He shows some signs of previous abuse and neglect, so some of his training may take time and trust, but he is already totally in love with me, and I am totally in love with him.

He brings a new energy to the house. He's exhausting and crazy, but he's loving, energetic, and fun. Sometimes I like to just sit on the porch and watch him play in the yard, and every single time I'm laughing out loud as he chases lizards and then butterflies and then his tail and then back to lizards. 

Welcome to the family Fozzie! I cannot possibly imagine how anyone would ever give up, abuse, or neglect animals as sweet and loving as Lucy or Fozzie, but I'm happy to provide them with a happy, healthy, safe home in exchange for puppy snuggles and tail wags for the rest of my life. <3

BFFL + 1

I made a goal to post once a month in the blog after a whooping 3 posts in 2014 (oops). But like most goals, it's put off until the last minute. So, on the last day of the month (as it's been several times this year), I'm here to give you an update on the Goodfriend life.

Life for Derek is the same. Gone for 6 weeks, daily calls from his super fabulous wife, periodic complaining from said wife that he's never home and/or that the house is (still) a dump, the never ending annoyance that is his co-driver, and then 5-7 days home to cram a whole lot of life in.

Life for me; however, is constantly on the go. The month started with the highly anticipated Rosenblatt - Serafine wedding for which I was the maid of honor (I say maid because matron sounds like a married old hag, and I like to pretend that I'm not a married old hag). Stephanie has been my best friend since we were in the first grade (FACT: We went to the same small, not so close to our home, preschool too, but didn't know each other.). We have been there for each other for 23 years. She was in my wedding, we did a marathon and a triathlon together, we have laughed together, we have cried together, and we have a LOT of ridiculous stories from growing up together. Her family, her mother most of all, is the reason why I was able to survive having to raise myself. There is no one in the world whom I love like I love Stephanie. She is, and always will be my BFFL.

The 5th Grade Dance had no idea what was coming!

Brownies and Perms... niiiice!

Marathons suck, but we did it together

There is nothing less sexy than a tri suit

The wedding was gorgeous and perfect! I really enjoyed being the maid of honor. Being Stephanie's support for her wedding made me feel like I was giving back just a tiny bit of what her and her family have given me. This was also the first time I got to meet her new husband Frank. I was a little nervous not meeting the groom in person until the week of the wedding, but because their relationship was mostly long distance and I'm a crazy busy mess, it just didn't work out before.

Excited face!

Frank is fabulous. He is just as fun, sweet, and loving as Stephanie said he was, and as he seemed on the phone and via Facebook. He was even so kind as to come to a custody agreement with me for his beautiful new bride. It's an agreement both parties can agree on, and that Stephanie and I have since slightly amended in the event of untimely death and reincarnation- you gotta make sure to cover your bases when making a custody agreement for your BFFL. I am so incredibly happy for the two of them, and I look forward to spending a lot of time with them... and taking full advantage of the custody agreement.

....We interrupt this blog for a brief moment of irritation that such sweet and heartfelt words did not flow so easily when writing the dreaded maid of honor speech, which may or may not have been written on the day of the wedding and finished just seconds before walking into the reception....

With barely a moment of rest after the wedding, the annual Orlando Runner's Club Race into Summer 5k took place. It's a nostalgic event for me because it's how I found the club that I have grown to love so much. I am truly grateful to have found such an awesome club and met so many awesome people. I say it all the time, and it's absolutely true- joining the Orlando Runner's Club is the best life choice I have ever made (sorry Derek).

Selfies while running... a new addition to my selfie resume

The annual race always gets me thinking about the annual picnic (held in September), which gets me thinking about one of my favorite places- Wekiva Island. This summer really feels like the hottest summer I have ever experienced, and Wekiva Island is just the place to cool off, relax, and enjoy Florida like a true Floridian. Because I'm a rather impaitent person, I just couldn't wait until September to enjoy the spring, so I gathered a group of gals, and we had a fun and relaxing day at Wekiva Island. When I'm there, I am truly in my natural element- bikini, floppy hat, tube, sun glasses, body of water, and a drink!

#floridalife #floridagirl #ilivewhereyouvacation

The month ended just as fabulously as it began. Derek came home earlier than expected, and was able to join my sister and I as we took our brother to his college orientation at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Best part was, because Derek's sister lives there, he was able to meet our nephew, and I was able to get in some snuggles with both my nephew and my niece!

It's great to be a Florida Gator!

Next time I'm taking a frame-worthy pic,
please feel free to let me know my hair is jacked.

<3

With just a couple of hours left of the month, I met my goal for blogging this month. If history is any indicator, you will likely see my next post on July 31st. In the mean time, have a fabulous 4th and a cool summer!

Summer!

It's been a busy month, not for home improvements (those haven't happened since year one), but for some more exciting things. The beginning of the month started by being blessed with our first nephew, Nathan James McDowell. We love him so much!

After Nathan was born, Derek came home, and we went on the Tom and Dan cruise. The Tom and Dan Show is a podcast that Derek listens to. We have never been on a radio show cruise before, and it was AWESOME!!!!! It was great to meet a group of people with the same sense of humor as us, and who all wanted to have a great time (see also: get wasted all day every day). The demographic was nice too. It was pretty much all married couples in their late 20s-30s (most also had kids, but not everyone can be as awesome as us). There were many PG-13-R moments, so I'll show you the pictures of the PG stuff.

Yup, that's all the PG pictures, lol. It was a great time!

This month was also special because my brother graduated high school- as valedictorian no less!!!! He is a super genius and will go so far. I am so proud of him!


Preschool Graduation and High School Graduation

Alas, May can only mean one thing. The thermometer confirms what the kids (and their teachers) have been waiting for- it's summer! This is how I should always be...

Bikini, floppy hat, sunglasses, tube, and a drink- it's like my Florida girl uniform, and summer is my time to rock it as often as possible (Attention all pool owners who are in need of friends- call me! I'm always up for a pool day!). I'm ready for this summer and all the fun it has to offer. See you in the (your?) pool!

#truckerswifeproblems- Pigeon Edition

Nothing too exciting happening here in Casa de Goodfriend. In fact, in terms of productivity, absolutely nothing has happened. It's been three years since we've moved in, and, with the exception of the roof, the plumbing and the drainage system, nothing has happened. And with Derek gone all the time for work, nothing is on the agenda for the next 3 years.

Now those of you who know my husband know that he does incredible handy man wood work; however, he has to be around to do that work. As you can imagine, someone who does such fabuous work is rather reluctant to have someone else do work around his house. So I had to devise a plan. I decided I would save up, get the work done while he was gone, and "surprise," him upon his return. I mean, what can he do? Untexture the ceilings?

There is an inherent problem with this though. Being the wife of someone who has always had her husband do these things himself, I have no concept of what these things cost. So, I had my friend Mike, who is a general contractor, come over to give me a quote on the first round of things I want to have hired out. But I should have known that it was going too well...

As Mike is going around the house, Derek makes his nightly call.
"Hi Derek," Mike yells out.
"Ummm... What is Mike doing at the house?... Are you getting estimates??"
(long pause)
"Ummm... No, Mike is just here to say hello and hang out."
"Why is a man with 3 children, one of whom is an infant, coming over on a Wednesday night to say hello?"
(long pause)
"Just tell me what it costs when it's done."

Oops! lol I guess I'm no as smooth as I thought I was. But now I have, or will have once the estimate is in, an idea of what this type of thing costs, so I can start to save for something about the house to blog about.

Another funny #truckerswifeproblem came up on Friday night.

I had just gotten a bikini in the mail, and I was trying it on before going out to dinner when I heard this weird noise coming from the back yard. I wondered what it was, but decided to ignore it. A few minutes later I heard it again. So, in my brand new white bikini, I looked out my window only to see the most ridiculous thing ever.

We keep our patio screen door open because we do not yet have the dog door from the patio to the yard installed (I know, this unfinished project is a shocker), and apparently, a pigeon got stuck on the far side of the patio. Well Charlie, my cat, saw the pigeon and his wild instincts kicked in and he decided to go after it. So he pounced, landed right in front of it, and then, not knowing what to actually do with it, swatted at it. The pigeon responded by freaking out, flying up into the screen multiple times, then in to the ceiling, which caused it to knock itself unconscious and onto the floor. After landing on the ground, Charlie no longer knew where it was, so he just relaxed where he was. A few minutes later, Charlie saw the pigeon, and the whole thing started again. So I had to get this pigeon off of my patio. But how? This is a husband duty, not mine.


Step 1: Cat attacks pigeon



Step 2: Pigeon flies up and hits the screen
multiple times in an attempt to get out



Step 3: Pigeon flies up to the ceiling and knocks itself unconscious

So, in my bikini, and pressed for time, I went outside with a broom and tried to direct the pigeon in the correct direction. This was not successful, and the cat decided to "help," which made it no better. After several attempts to get both the cat and the dog in the house, and then blocking the door from the house to the patio, I was on the patio alone with the pigeon, but what the hell was I supposed to do with it?!?

Fortunately, I had been on the phone with a friend getting a bikini opinion (yes, I was still in my bikini, which I hadn't completely decided on keeping, during this) and she suggested using a towel to get the pigeon. So with a towel, I attempted to get the pigeon. The hard part was that I was as afraid of this stupid pigeon as it was of Charlie. I mean, pigeons are just rats with wings. They are infested with diesases, and have sharp beaks (at least it looks sharp), and it was flying everywhere and going insane only seconds ago. I'm pretty sure it could kill me... at least, in the moment my lack of logic had convinced me that it could.

Twice I attempted to drop the towel over the pigeon to catch it and it flew up, into the screens, then into the ceiling, where it knocked itself unconscious. This caused me to make screaming/squealing noises and run away.

I can only imagine what the neighbors must've thought.

On my third attempt, I was able to get the pigeon, whom I then took to my front yard (my cat would have gotten him in a jiffy in the back). In the end the pigeon looked pretty battered, and there were feathers all over my patio, but I did it.

Being a trucker's wife has it's challenges, but now I know I can handle pigeon problems... in a brand new white bikini no less!!

Important Things I've Learned While Working with Auto Insurance Claims

I interrupt your normal house progress (or lack there of) post for an informative post that everyone should read about auto insurance. Maybe you'll find it boring, but I find the inner workings of any job, and the "behind the scenes," tips and tricks interesting. Plus, these tips can save you big money if you're in an accident.

Working with auto insurance claims has been fascinating. I've learned so much that is so important, but that hardly anyone knows. So, I figured I'd share a few tips...

There is no such thing as a no fault accident.
The roads were bad due to weather, neither party saw the other, the officer said it was a not at accident for both parties- we've heard it all, but regardless, there is no such thing as a no fault accident. Someone is always at fault, and many times fault/negligence is shared. If the roads are bad due to weather, you have a duty to either drive slowly and with extra care due to those conditions, or, if they are still unsafe, even when driving slowly, you have the duty to choose not to drive. As for the officer, he may not write anyone a ticket, but someone was still at fault.

It's not always 100% one person or 100% another person at fault.
Many times there are percentages of liability assigned. It is the job of the liability investigator at both insurance companies to determine who is at fault, and to what degree. Both insurance companies come up with a determination independently, and then duke it out later when recovering the losses paid out. When determining liability, the following pieces of evidence are used: statements from both drivers, the police report, and photos of the damages to both vehicles (the photos are the most important, and your insurance company (or the other, if you go through them directly) will take them when you get your damages appraised).

The officer may have said you're not at fault, but that doesn't mean your insurance company will agree.
The officer wasn't there (at least not typically). (S)He didn't see the accident and doesn't know exactly what happened. (S)He is just going based on what they see and the statements from both drivers. Both insurance companies involved will use the police report as a piece of evidence, but it will not be the only thing considered.

You need to call the police.
Many times they won't come out for accidents without injury, but if you can get the police to come to the scene, you should. There are situations where someone will deny being involved in the accident, and, if they have no physical damage to their car, and you don't have a police report to prove that there were there, you will have a difficult time recovering the losses paid out on your claim.

Where you live has a big impact on what kind of coverage you should have.
Different states have different laws for handling the percentages of negligence assigned in an accident. This can be important when you're deciding on whether or not to have collision coverage on your vehicle. Some states, like Maryland, for example, are contributory negligence states. That means that if you contribute even 1% of negligence to an accident, you do not have the right to recover any losses paid out on your claim. Florida is a pure comparative state, which means you can recover any percent to which you are not negligent from the at fault party. Example- If you are in an accident and the other party is 90% at fault, and you are 10% at fault, you can recover 90% of your damages from their insurance company, and they can recover 10% of their damages from your insurance company.
Quick tip: many people chose to drop collision on older vehicles, but the older your car is, the cheaper the coverage is. Do you really have the money set aside to replace it or put a down payment on a new car? If not, you should have collision coverage.

Can you live without your car for a week or 2? If not, you need a rental endorsement.
When your car is in an accident, and is in the shop being repaired, it's likely that you will still need to get around. Adding a rental endorsement to your policy means that your insurance company will pay for a rental while your vehicle is being repaired as a result of a claim. Do you drive a mini van or SUV? You'll need more than the minimum $30/day for that. You'll likely need $45 or $60/day to cover a comparable vehicle.

Low liability limits could ruin our life.
Let's say something happens. Maybe you have a heart attack while driving and run a red light, or you're jamming out to Shake It Off by Taylor Swift and you don't notice that the person in front of you stopped and you hit them. Shit happens, and sometimes you're at fault. That's why you have insurance, but if you don't have enough insurance, it could negatively impact your life forever. The state minimum in Florida for liability property damage coverage (ie- the money that your insurance company will pay for the other people's property damage) is $10,000. If you total a 2015 Mercedes, you're going to be above that limit. Your insurance company will pay up to your policy max, and anything above and beyond that, the other party can go after you personally for. They can sue you for everything you own, and garnish your future wages. You also need to make sure that your liability bodily injury limits are high. As a rule of thumb, home owners should have at least $100K in liability property damage insurance and at least $300K in liability bodily injury insurance.

Your fancy stereo and rims are probably not covered.
If you have any after market customizations on your vehicle, even those added by the dealership when new, they are not covered under your policy. Your policy only covers items that are permanently installed in your vehicle and come from the factory. Customized equipment and after market ad-ons can be covered if your purchase a customization endorsement.

Recovering your deductible is not an overnight process.
So let's say you're in an accident and you're not at fault, or not completely at fault, and you go through your own carrier. Depending on the type of accident, your insurance carrier will likely have you pay your deductible up front, and then reimburse you for it after they have recovered the losses paid out on the claim. This is called subrogation. It's a legal process, and can take time. We cannot start the process until we have paid out on your claim, and  once we do, we will not get anything back from the other insurance company until they have completed their liability investigation. Sometimes, the information they need in order to do so, they don't get until we start the subrogation process. Long story short, this process takes time. Don't worry, we're working on it for you. We want our money back too, and we want to keep you happy, but it's going to take some time, so be patient.

The Better Car Replacement endorsement is worth every penny.
Many insurance carriers offer some sort of Better Car Replacement endorsement. I added it to my policy for like $1.36/month--super cheap. The thought process behind the endorsement is, if your vehicle is in an accident and is deemed a total loss, your insurance carrier will pay for a better vehicle than your vehicle. I'm sure different companies work it differently, but the company I work for pays you for a vehicle that is 1 model year newer with 15,000 less miles. Because the selling price of your vehicle (which is the driver of the value of your vehicle that your insurance company will pay you when your vehicle is totaled) is often going to be less than the replacement cost of your vehicle (think dealer mark-ups), this endorsement can ensure that you get back into what you had.

You need GAP insurance.
The minute you drive your vehicle off the lot, it loses value, but your loan doesn't go down to match that. In fact, the first few years of your loan, you are only paying interest. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, and you are upside down in your loan, GAP insurance, which is often purchased when you purchase your vehicle and is wrapped into your loan, covers the difference between the value of your vehicle (which is what your insurance company will pay you), and the amount of your loan. If you do not have GAP insurance, you will be responsible for the balance of your loan even though you do not have that vehicle. Suckie!

Your car isn't in mint condition, and it's not worth as much as you think it is.
Unless you purchased your car as new in the last month and haven't done anything to it, your car isn't perfect. There are glass chips, paint scratches, and parking lot dings that you haven't noticed that our appraiser will. Furthermore, the value of your vehicle is effected by where you live, mileage, and condition (like those dings). It's probably not worth what you think it is. And never, ever, tell an adjuster that your vehicle is in mint condition, or they will think you are an asshole, because it is not.

My last tip is to call me when you are in an accident. I can walk you through the process. It's your insurance company's job to do that, but there are flaws in every system- new people, new processes, people who don't explain everything, etc.- I'll be more than happy to help you. :)

#Japan2015

Going to Japan was, by far, the most incredible experience of my life.

As many of you know, I'm a fanatic member of the Orlando Runner's Club. What you may not know, is that the Orlando Runner's Club (ORC) has a sister running club, the Uraysu Runner's Club (URC), in Uraysu Japan. As a part of the sister running club program, the URC sends runners here every year to do the OUC Half in December, and we send runners to Japan to do the Tokyo Bay Uraysu City Marathon (which is currently a 10k as the city rebuilds after a natural disaster). This year I was selected to go to Uraysu along with another ORC member and her husband.

Arriving in Japan was awesome. The flight was long, but the moment we stepped out of customs, we were greeted by a group of friends with smiles.

That night they had a welcome dinner for us at a restaurant in the mall that was attached to our hotel. It was great to see old friends and make new friends.

The next morning we had a special meeting with Uraysu's mayor, Mayor Matsuzaki. I gave a short speech in Japanese (and I was SO NERVOUS), and we exchanged gifts with the mayor.

Speech Time!

The awesome origami ram (because it's the
year of the ram) my dad made for the mayor

After our meeting with the mayor, our URC friends took us sight seeing in Tokyo. It was a cold day with a "wintery mix," of rain and snow with a high layer of fog. But we didn't let the weather get us down. First we went to the top of a tall building so we could see around. The fog prevented us from being able to see everything, but we could still see many of the beautiful landmarks in the area.

From that viewpoint, we could see our next stop, the Sensi-Ji Temple.

It was a really cool place. There is a long alley leading up to it that houses many shops that sell all sorts of goodies, souvenirs, and trinkets. The Temple itself is beautiful.

Buddhist temples and shrines are nothing like what I would have imagined. I would have pictured them as being, essentially, like a church, except maybe more ornate. Buddhist temples though are like attractions for both tourists and locals. They feature beautiful and symbolic statues, golden Buddha statues, and a million little things you can do for a few yen.

One such thing is fortune telling. Here's how it works:
Step 1- put some yen in the box.
Step 2- Shake the heck out of this can thing that has a bunch of little numbered sticks in it until one comes out of the tiny little hole.

Step 3- Find the drawer with the same number on it as was on your stick, and grab your fortune.

Step 4- Get really confused and kinda irritated because your fortune is bad (lol). But don't fret because apparently they're all bad, and there's one more step to get rid of your newly purchased bad luck.
Step 5- Fold up your piece of paper lengthwise, and tie it on the wire with all the others, and Poof! The Buddha will turn your bad luck into good luck, and it worked. Just as we were leaving the temple, a huge piece of ice slid off the roof and juuuuuussssssst missed me. My new found luck was the joke of the rest of the trip, and was totally worth a few yen.

After some chilly sightseeing of the temple grounds and some shrine pit stops...

 we were off to Tokyo tower! Tokyo tower is like a mini version of the Eiffel tower, and was a gift from France to Japan.

On our way to dinner, we went to Ginza, which is like Tokyo's version of 5th Avenue in New York- fancy shops and fancy people.

That night, we had mange for dinner we had manga, and it was quite the experience. The restaurant was the kind where you take your shoes off and sit on the floor. Manga is a food you make yourself on a cook top on your table. And it's an endless experience, lol. Like, 2 and a half hours, 8 courses, lots and lots and lots of food.

The next morning was training day. We joined the URC for their weekly training and stretching, and even hung out with the Turtles- the URC children's running club.

 Next up, we went to the Meji Shrine. It's a beautiful shrine surrounded by natural beauty.

Barrels full of sake donated to the shrine... yum!

Selfie Stick goes international!!

Hand cleansing for purification

There was a traditional Japanese wedding going on while we were there!

After the Meji Shrine we went to Harajuku, which is the young fashion district. It's also the most crowded place I've ever been.

You order your crepes by number

Harajuku is also famous for their scrumptious crepes.

Strawberries, strawberry ice cream, and cheesecake crepe, YUM!!

The last stop of the day was Shibuya, which is Tokyo's version of times square, and home to the world's busiest intersection.

The next day was race day! We ran the Tokyo Bay Uraysu City 10k. It was SUPER windy and cold, but it was a beautiful course filled with great friends.

 

Mt. Fuji

That night, the URC had an awesome party, and they dressed Marissa and I in kimonos.

The after party was karaoke! Japanese karaoke is a bazillion times better than American karaoke!!

The next day we went to Kamakura, which is a city with very old, beautiful temples, and the Big Buddha.

Gorgeous Japanese-style garden

The Pacific Ocean

That night Azusa, Marissa and Dean's homestay, threw us a party at her house, and, since we "honored," our guests with a beer bong in December, they busted out beer bong glasses for us!

The last day, Rina, my home stay, planned a day in her hometown, Narita. First we went to a really cool outdoor museum. It had a model village to show what villages used to be like. We made rice cakes the old fashioned way.

...and we became samurais!

My home stay Rina and I

A traditional dress worn over your
wedding dress after you get married

After building up the hunger of a samurai, we went to a lunch at a place with the food on conveyer belts.

Even with a flight taking us home in a mere few hours, we still weren't done. February 3rd is the first day of Spring, and they welcome Spring with the Setsubun, aka Soybean Throwing, Festival. We went to a Setsubun Festival at a temple in Narita.

The guys in pink are champion sumo wrestlers, and all the
girls were gaga over them, lol

Selfie Stick strikes again!

The complete explanation of the Soybean Throwing Festival is a bit fuzzy, but from what I understand, they are welcoming in life and warmth and happiness with the coming of Spring. The reason for throwing the roasted soybeans is to cast out the devil/evil/bad things and bring in happiness. In these festivals, celebrities, high ranking religious officials, and people with lots of money (they have to pay like $10,000) throw soybeans at a large crowd. If someone in the crowd catches the beans, they will have good luck and fortune.

After the festival it was time to take the long flight home. I will never forget this incredible journey, and I will always cherish the memories I have with my wonderful Japanese friends.