Sweet Daisy

the MINI family ROCKS, as always

I'm always amazed at how these little cars have brought so many truly good people together.  GBMINI has alerted all subscribed to MOT info emails about a current MINIacs medical emergency.  Check it out HERE,  and anyone that gets "Lucky" enough to see this duck-covered van, look for one labeled Cometgirl63 for me, k?

Latest MINI Accessory

I finally did it.  I bought the MINI Motion watch.  and I really, really like it.  Its not too snug and or too loose.  I do think the backlight feature could be better- I tried to see what time it was out walking Ladybug and I had to hold it at a odd angle.  But its still very cool.  Gabe on Motoringfile.com did a rather extensive review back in 2004, and I've wanted one ever since.  I made do with several (less expensive) Fossil Stark watches, like this one, except mine is blue.  I really like it as well.  No one ever knows what it is, or else they may think its a binary code watch.  Plus I have several different colors of the positive display watches, but now all I can find are the men's version.  What I liked about them is that they band is totally custom fitting- you unscrew the teeny tiny screw holding the metal end cap, cut the plastic band to fit, and attach the end cap.  Viola! But then the little metal end cap started to irritate my wrist, so I had to find a different watch.  damn metal sensitivity. But anyway, I really like my new watch!  woohoo!

Top Ten

Seems like the thing to do right now is a Top Ten list for the year, so I thought I would too.  It has been a very interesting year.  I did a photo set once at the end of the year, but goals and memories are a new thing for me.  I haven't posted a whole lot this year and I wish I had.  Not having pictures and write-ups makes it a heck of a lot harder to remember everything I've done.  But this isn't about a list of "should have done items" - that seems kind of pointless.  Isn't the New Year all about looking forward?  Here goes:

Top Ten 2006 Memories (in no particular order)

1. Reuniting with my sisters that I hadn't seen in 12+ years, and finally feeling closure on my childhood.  I think in the back of my mind, I always thought my mother would find a way to wreck my adult life in a similar manner as my childhood.  A chapter of my life was laid to rest and a new beginning marked with a very significant tattoo (shared with my 4 sisters and 3 brothers).

2. Watching my Grannie get a tattoo on her ankle while I held her hand. Ok, so this kinda goes with #1 but I felt it significant enough to warrant a separate posting.  (the tat is a little red hatter! so cute)

3. Making plans for our first European vacation to celebrate my 30th birthday in Oct. 2007- soooo excited about this!  We've never been to Europe, so budgeting for some fun souvenirs too. 

4. Finding out that I have some really great friends, which I actually did know, but really knowing is pretty awesome. 

5. Scored a new job selling MINIs for Mr. Hank Aaron, helping 100+ MINIs find their new homes resulting in getting MINI Salesperson of the Year.

6. Road tripping with MINI friends (is there any better way to motor?)  Can't wait to see where we motor in 2007.  Got Dragon, anyone?

7. Pulling off yet another successful MINIs On The Dragon event with the AtlantaMINIS Steering Committee. Hard as hell but so much fun!

8. Visiting New Orleans and learning how to use our new camera, I still need to sort through and post the pics from our visit in the beginning of November but man, we had a blast! Now I want a muffaletta...

9. Making more friends, esp. of the MINIac variety.  Can never have too many of those, I tell ya.

10. Going to MINI sales training in St. Louis, learning even more about MINI, and meeting some really fantastic people. How cool is to meet another MINIac Motoring Advisor that has a very cool Velvet Red MC and knew who I was?  hehe.  Hi Tom!

Top Ten 2007 Goals: (again, no particular order) 

1. Pay off remaining credit card debt by our wedding anniversary of March 30th.  We are very on track for doing this!  YAY!  It feels really great to take control of our finances. 

2. Visit Europe (Mediterranean cruise planned for mid-Oct. woohoo!).  I have been wanting to do this for as long as I can remember.  It just took a while to get Calvin on board but we are finally going!

3. Save for house and fund our IRAs for both 2006 & 2007.  This involves taking my lunch to work at least 4 times a week (love love love my Mr. Bento!) and only getting Starbucks once a week.  I've actually been doing these fairly well, but giving up the Starbucks is going to be much harder now that they are bringing back one of my faves: the Cinnamon Dolce Latte.  sigh.  heaven in a cup, I tell ya.  But, sacrifice must be made.  We are planning to possibly move inside the perimeter for a more central commute for both of us, and every penny will help.

4. Convince Calvin to get a MCS when his lease is up in June, also thinking about getting a MCS Convertible with JCW for myself... maybe?  can't decide if I should wait for the turbo convertible & save for a couple more years or just bite the bullet and get another MINI soon.  Decisions, decisions.  Learning that Laser Blue will be available on the MCSC definitely makes the decision much harder. 

5. Help Calvin start his own consulting firm.  He's doing consulting now for a recruiting company but the long term plan is to get him started with his own business.  This has been his goal for several years but I think we are finally going to make it happen. 

6. Get back on the track (I feel the need for speed...) and get back into autocrossing.  man, I miss doing that.  Perhaps I should just go ahead and send Wicks a check for little Tally in April....

7. Start knitting again.  I love making things and doing this is so relaxing.  Plus, I could get a jumpstart on next years xmas presents.

8. Spend more time with family and friends and less time surfing the net or watching tv.  We are trying to limit our eating out for times when we can hang with friends.  So, sushi anyone? dim sum, perhaps?

9. Walk with Ladybug at least 30 minutes every day.  Sounds so easy, doesn't it?  But then it rains cats & dogs, like today, or its a super windy 25 degrees and suddenly its not so easy anymore.  bleh.

10.  Post here more often.  seriously.  I know, that's what everyone says, right?  It may not be all about MINI all the time, but this SweetDaisy.net has always been more personal than just MINI.  Also, in the style of Flickr set Mr. Bento Porn (SFW), I would like to make Sweet Daisy: Eats a photoblog of my lunches.  Perhaps it would motivate me to vary my food and to learn the new camera at the same time.   Plus, any excuse to try the new goodies that pop up at Trader Joe's! 

Top Ten 2006 Photos
I may not have taken all of these- I can't recall on a couple.  I just don't have enough pictures this year.  But now we have a new camera- so there may be too many pics next year. The second pic down is a KillGurl shot, and the second one may be although from the pixel size it looked like it was off of our camera.   

MTTS: Memphis, 9.27.06

Little River Canyon Run, 8.20.06

Full photo album, mostly taken by my husband. 

MTTS: Memphis to Nashville

I'm heading up to Memphis today with maybe 10 other AtlantaMINI members for the Memphis to Nashville leg of the MINI Takes The States.  Right now I'm sitting at Sky carwash in Alpharetta getting Stella cleaned up since it rained all day on my off day this week (Thursday) and the detail shop at work was too busy for me to squeeze her in there. I didn't even begin to pack until last night, and I hope I have everything I need.  I thought I wouldn't be able to charge my camera battery and that would mean no pictures but I found it at the last minute as I was heading out the door, so YAY! Pictures will be forthcoming, but not until I get home Tuesday night.

and now it looks like rain... !!!

When I leave here, I'm heading to Douglasville where I'll meet up with the other MINIS, then we'll head to Memphis going through Birmingham, Alabama and then up Hwy 78.  We'll be going within a couple of miles of where I used to live with my sister but since I'm in a caravan of MINIS I'm not planning to swing by and see how her old house is doing.  Although I will admit I am more than a little curious.

Today, I'm not really sure what our plans are- meeitng up in Memphis and checking in at a couple of MINI related spots.  We are staying at the Comfort Inn tonight, and then tomorrow heading over to Nashville with everyone else that'll be up there. We are booked at the Guesthouse Inn for Nashville, and I am planning to get up very early Tueaday morning to be back at work in Union City, GA at noon.

I think we're going to have a blast and I think MINIUSA is pretty awesome for doing this!    

Say Cheese!

Did you know that MINIs need godparents?  Its true.  I happen to be godmother to one of the coolest MINIs out there.  I followed his production from being just a figment of an order until the day he was driven off the truck...

...to getting 'Beaned'...

...getting tanked for the first time...

all the way through the Craptastic JCW additions at the dealership and the final detail...

all the while keeping a watchful eye and making sure he was treated with the best care.  His name is Mean Mr. Bean and he has his own website much like this one is dedicated to my MINI, Stella.  Check it out here at MeanMrBean.com.  Bean has many personalities- there's SpongeBob Bean, Jelly Belly Bean, Chiquita Bean, Michigan Bean, Ernie Bean... you get the picture.  Speaking of pictures, Bean's mom is one of the most talented photographers I know.  Most of her work is on MeanMrBean.com, but she has recently opened a store to make her work available to those interested in purchasing.  Check it out on PhotoReflect. You'll see more than one picture of Stella on there- she has a little crush on Bean despite the obvious difference in... um, passengers. 

Lots and lots of gas

I have a 90 mile commute right now, which means I am at the gas pump filling up every 4 days or so.  Throw in a few roadtrips here and there, and suddenly I'm spending quite a bit on gas these days.  So, I try to schedule my stops  for when I can swing by Costco and save a few pennies.  The other night, I ended up running late and wasn't sure if I'd make there in time since I left work about a half hour late- meaning 8:30pm.  Costco turns off the pumps at 9pm, and I pulled up to the pump at exactly 8:56pm.  There were about 4 other cars there, including the rather large SUV on the other side of the island from me.  He walked around his vehicle as I was getting out of Stella, and he got this interesting smirk on his face as he very blatantly looked her over.  Not a smile- it was this weird look I couldn't place at first then realized it was one of the "I can't believe you drive that" looks I get ever so often.  Of course, I paid him no mind as I proceeded to get some good ole premium fuel for an oh-so-thirsty Stella.  Then he had the nerve to ask me how on earth I could drive a "deathtrap like the MINI".  Seriously, that is what he said to me.  Um, hello- can you not tell that I obviously love my car?  I just looked at him and laughed as I shook my head.  I didn't bother to respond as right then the gas pump clicked off, and it has been my experience that when someone makes such a statement there is no point in trying to explain how wrong they are in their assumptions.  But here's what really made me laugh- he was busy pumping his gas as I pulled up, got out of my MINI, ran my credit card, pumped a full 12+ gallons, got my receipt, and then drove away.  Hmmm, I wonder how much gas he had to get for the week.  I'll stick with my little 'deathtrap', dude.*

*Obviously, I DO NOT think that the MINI is in any way, shape, or form a "deathtrap."  And I'm so amazed that anyone would.  I guess only the uneducated among us would ever say such a thing about the safest small car on the roads. 

Dragon Webcam

Looks like the folks from the Crossroads of Time at the Tail of the Dragon have installed a webcam... take a look on their homepage. The link to it is on the right hand side, about a page down.  Thanks to advance warning from queenB, I was able to capture HotelCalif as he drove through on his way towards home.  It seems to be updating every 3 minutes right now.  It'll be fun to see how many shots I can get of MINIs passing through.  I went ahead and started a photo album dedicated to that purpose. 

Dry Spell.....

I know, I know.  I just don't post nearly as often as I would like, but I have several big posts coming in the next week or so- MINIS on the Dragon 2006 recap, my experience in St. Louis learning all about MINIS from a Motoring Advisor viewpoint, and updates on Stella. 

I am now working at Hank Aaron MINI as a Motoring Advisor and I have to say, I really do love it.  What could be better than helping folks find their perfect MINI?  Its a much slower pace than it was at Global Imports MINI, but that isn't a bad thing- I can spend hours with one person, really getting to know them and I really enjoy it.

We are also getting our loft ready to put on the market- Sunday we replaced a ceiling fan we've been trying to get done for a couple of years now.  No one wanted to hang anything from the 28 ft ceiling we have, so now that we have a truck (did I mention I bought a little truck?) we were able to get the ladder ourselves and hang it.  Ok, seeing as that I am so accident prone, Calvin actually did most of the climbing.  I just don't think me on a 28 ft ladder could ever be a good thing.   Anyway, that's a little of what's been going on, more to come. soon.  I promise.

:)