I am so excited! This morning, I got our Civic Hybrid up to 40.1 mpg. And, I did it with my right foot. Just easing up on the gas pedal has brought us up from 38.0 mpg to 40.1. That’s right! The right foot is the culprit and the hero. Both Paul and I have been deliberately driving slightly below the speed limit, not accelerating on hills or when the light turns green. Just easy does it and we made a 2 mpg improvement. Turns out to be a lot of fun, watching the display that shows when we are getting 100 mpg or less, watching it change as we guide the gas pedal. I drove 55 mph this morning and felt very good about it. The car ahead of me, also driving 55, was a Prius. We were being passed by pickups and suburbans, but I just drove on and enjoyed the ride. Turns out to be a beautiful day.
Family
New Year–New You
One more year has gone by. Today, I am thinking ahead to this same date next year. What will I be reviewing on January 9, 2010? What did I accoomplish in 2009? What was awesome and amazing? Did I follow my muse? Was I guided by my intuition? What are on the lists of experiences? The three main categories of lists are HAVING; DOING; BEING. As I look back in imagination over this year, 2009, what tangible items did I accumulate (HAVING); what did I accomplish (DOING); and what was my identity (BEING).
Voluntary Simplicity
Most of our friends and family know that Paul and I read a lot of books. Every day, we begin with our daily apple, green tea or coffee, and a delicious reading from many interesting books. Yes, we read out loud to each other, and sometimes get caught in long discussions that make for a later breakfast.
South Texas Stomp: A New Age Odyssey
To dream a dream…..
And, to actually build the ships, hire the crew, and take the voyage…a rare sort of mind like the archetypal Odysseus, our son, Dr. Edward M. Robiinson dreamed a dream he never dared to dream…..from AUSTIN TO ABBEY ROAD.
RESPECT
I learned another method for good communication today. Chuck Shamel, a friend of the long road, wrote about RESPECTful Communication Guidelines in his report of a recent Vestry Retreat for All Saints Episcopal Church in Corpus Christi, TX. The retreat was led by another friend, Rev. Faith Baldwin. Faith introduced them to a new meaning for RESPECT as a way of listening and responding to one another.