  CURRENT MOOD: Tired. LISTENING TO: The furnace. Well, I have a quick update about my car's "Check Engine" light. I sat at the dealer for more than an hour while the technicians scanned my car's computer for trouble codes this afternoon. They determined that an oxygen sensor was reporting a fuel mixture that was too lean. So, they stock ordered the part, and it'll arrive in about a week. (My first thought was, "A major Honda dealer, like Lundgren Honda, doesn't keep something as simple as an oxygen sensor in stock for repairs? ") Anyway, they said that the car is safe to drive in the meantime. Then, when the new part comes in, I'll have to go back to the dealer and sit for another hour (or more) while they install the new part (which -- thankfully -- is covered under the original warranty). I just hope that this is a simple defect, and not a small sign of bigger problems yet to come. I've tried to be quiet.
But I can't hold this stuff in anymore. If you live in Massachusetts, you may have heard about the major accident that occurred on the turnpike in Auburn the other day. The accident involved four vehicles, including a state trooper. Two of the victims were severely injured, one of them was the state trooper, but none of the injuries was life-threatening. Witnesses reported that the state trooper was the second in a convoy of several troopers who were returning from a training session in the western part of the state. The first cruiser swerved to avoid a disabled vehicle that had stopped in the passing lane, but the second cruiser slammed right into the back of the disabled vehicle. Note: I correctly called it the "passing lane" -- not a "fast" or "high-speed" lane. The right and middle lanes of a 3-lane highway are travel lanes. The left lane is a passing lane, and it is to be used only for passing a vehicle in the middle lane -- not for extended travel. And the speed limit across all three lanes is still 65 miles per hour, so calling it a "fast" or "high-speed" lane is incorrect. However, the state police apparently disagree (and blatantly disobey) these facts even though they hypocritically enforce them. Frequently, state troopers travel in the left lane well in excess of the speed limit. They tailgate and bully other motorists until they move out of the way so that they can continue at dangerously high rates of speed.
I would be willing to bet that these troopers were driving too fast and too close together in their convoy. When the first cruiser swerved to avoid the disabled vehicle in the left lane, the second cruiser was unable to react because he had failed to maintain a safe following distance for the excessive speed at which he was traveling. (I wouldn't be surprised if he was using a cell phone when the accident occurred either. ) The fact is: I'm angry.
My tax dollars -- and if you live in Massachusetts, yours too -- paid for the cruiser that was destroyed in this potentially avoidable accident. Not a cheap loss. These troopers should obey the traffic laws and regulations that they enforce, just like everyone else (including me). Only if they are enroute to an emergency should they be exempt from the speed limit, and safe driving practices should still prevail. Governor Romney has finally earned an ounce of my respect through his latest motions in the matter of same-sex marriage. As long as I can remember, there has been a separation of church and state. Marriage is a holy and sacred sacrament of the church that specifically unites a man and woman in holy matrimony. I have absolutely nothing against lesbians, or people who are gay or bi-sexual. However, I do think that the separation of church and state should be upheld. Let the church define the meaning of marriage. Let the church decide who it will marry in the eyes of the church and religion. Civil unions should be made available to members of same-sex couples who would like to be united in the eyes of the state to access various benefits for their spouses and families.
And to the idiot California lawyer who is fighting to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance so that his daughter wouldn't be unwillingly subjected to religious beliefs, grow up!! I bet he didn't have any trouble collecting his clients' money -- which had "In God We Trust" written on every piece.
(By the way, this lawyer is divorced from his wife. His wife has full custody of their daughter, and the daughter has been raised in the Christian faith since day one. ) Get a life! Onto a brighter topic. I may be coordinating a fund-raiser event for St. Jude Children's Hospital at the end of may, or early June. I've been talking with someone at St. Jude, and they are going to send me information about the event. It'd be a walk-a-thon or a bike-a-thon, for which I would be responsible. St. Jude Children's Hospital does great things for children who have cancer and other serious ailments. I used to participate in the local bike-a-thon every year, but since my bike broke (and I gained weight), I haven't done anything to help them. This would be a good opportunity to get involved again. So, look for more information about that, and of course, I'll expect all of you to be there when it happens! *grin* 
