Happy New Year.

Here's to another year in the twenty first century. By all accounts, we have been threatened with annihilation due to the end of the Mayan calendar. I guess the spaceship forgot to come for us.

Every year I try not to make any new resolutions to myself or for myself. The "Lose Weight" and "Be more Productive" are so old, I can no longer even claim that they are worthy of discussion for changing my life.

I have started a new blog, Driving with the Top Down.

My favorite cars are convertibles. Almost any convertibles, but especially big, long American convertibles. I have had four. My latest is a 1991 Mercury Capri with about 54,000 miles. It is small (almost too small for my frame), loud (it has four cylinders), and is very "peppy". It is a true classic sports car. There are no cup holders.

I loved my Dad's convertibles. He had a 1964 Thunderbird (the canvass top receded into a reverse-hinged trunk); it was long, low and very powerful. To me it was the superman of convertibles.
His next was a 1967 Navy blue Mustang with a V8 engine and white leather interior. These care made such an impression on me growing up.
In the movie "Thelma and Louise", the movie makers used a classic 1966 Thunderbird convertible. If you have seen the movie (I have, many times) the Tbird is the third beauty to me. Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis and Ford Thunderbird. A perfect triptych. I was so sorry to see their demise at the end of the movie. I knew that the Misses Sarandon and Davis would go on to make more movies, but what about that gorgeous car?!?!?
I know, I know, it is only a machine, only a car that will rot over time, and has been replaced by more fuel-efficient, more safe, more powerful, better engineered products.
To me, it is a statement of design, of beauty, of optimism that has seemed to have vanished over the last few decades.
When I drove my car today, it was too cold to put the top down, but I felt the car push into the corners of the road, accelerate over the hills and just have fun (almost without the driver) when I went to have it inspected for the year.
It's going to be a great year. My car is telling me so.
Oh, and if you don't have a convertible, rent one for a day. Let your hair get all messed up. Turn the radio up so the road noise sounds like it is part of the song. Smile and wear sunglasses (and sunscreen if you are follically challenged like me).
Become aware of your surroundings. Be alive. These feelings are natural when you are driving a car with the top down.
It's going to be a great year.