Fuel

Gas prices by work $4.18

30 minutes away - by my house

Same gas company, same owner $3.99

*rolling eyes - annoyed look*

Of course I went for the cheaper - but really, is there a solution here?? I had a 1/4 tank left and it still cost me $1 shy of $50 to fill up. I can't believe I ever thought it was a lot when I paid $30.

The saddest part for me is - I love driving, and now I'm so concerned with keeping my rpm's near the "2" so I don't "burn fuel" I can't even enjoy my ride. You may be mad at politicians but I'm upset with the environmentalists AND I'm upset with the politicians that keep giving so much to the environmentalists!! If this is sooooooooooo important to them, then they should hold fundraisers and pick up the excess dollars they're costing us!!!

It's hard to plan long term - or even short term like next month as far as that goes! How does one make, or adjust a tight budget with such high fluctuations. If one is budgeting, this affects not only THEIR car fuel for the month, but also their grocery bill, b/c those prices are going to rise too, the fuel they use at home, and so many other "little" things that won't even be thought of until they pop up!

I don't want to gripe about this. I want it to change, but I feel like such a peon of a person, like nothing I could possibly come up with would get the job done. There are soooooo many like me out there though. We complain in our own circle of friends, but every day, week, month, or whenever; we're still pulling out our credit cards (mostly), or cash, or checkbook, or whatever to fill up our vehicles, home fuel tanks, or bloated grocery bills just to survive. We don't like it, enjoy it, appreciate, .......... yet we do it.

Why???

If someone is being taken advantage of in any other way we all stand up and let our voices be heard and we correct the situation. If the elderly are being neglected in nursing homes - if children are being abused - if identity theft takes place Man, we are alllllll over that.
Different scenario; same situation. And out of the whole population of the United States of America no one can come up with a decent plan to get us out of this mess. And this is not solely effecting "the elderly," or "the youth," or "a minority whose identity has been compromised." We are talking about ALL OF US!!! Each of us that is living on the continent North America!!!!

What do we do??

Some steal the gas

Some create substitutes - Which really isn't the answer b/c it burns FASTER and is in NO way Better for the environment. Ps - and since they're using corn - to BURN - at a FAST rate - now those of us that actually want to EAT it have to pay MORE for it!!

Some get sooooo upset and on fire when the rates JUMP up, but over time, as they "HAVE" to pay it (if they want to go anywhere), they become acclimated and desensitized to that original feeling of outrage to this injustice. Then maybe the prices go down (2 cents at a time) and things simmer down, hope is put in the soul again, and then WHAMO!! It happens again. And then it happens again shortly after that; the rage, anger, and feelings of helplessness (over not being able to stop this action) come back, and the whole nasty cycle continues over and over and over and over and over again. This is actually me. I'm defining myself under this characteristic of "Some" b/c that is what I am doing in this blog. This is me, being on fire, angry over something I can't control, or have a part in changing, feeling helpless and at the mercy of some faceless person or people. I feel like a puppet whose strings are being pulled in directions against my will.

Some gripe and gripe and gripe

Some listen solely to the media and are sucked into false ideas of what the true issues are

Some follow the crowd and repeat whatever the "majority" are saying

Some make a portion of their living mocking the entire situation - which I have to say - although it's not a laughing matter persay, I do laugh

Some send fwds stating not to purchase gas from certain stations

Some send fwds stating not to purchase gas on certain dates

Some, a VERY small percentage, take extreme measures such as riding a bike to work and what not

Some become more thrifty. ie errand running all on one day, harvesting their own food, etc

Some move closer to their job (if possible)

Some purchase "fuel friendly cars" (personally I'm not that impressed by them - and why should we have to purchase fuel friendly cars.? Shouldn't all cars be fuel friendly? And shouldn't the oil we purchase be purchased from US friendly companies - not ones that would like to see "US" disintegrate??

Some defend the environmentalists and stand behind them in their cause NOT to dwell our own oil. They pay the same price we do - but they say they're not the problem ...... the govt. is. They're right - they're not the problem --- they're just PREVENTING us from implementing the source of our solution!!

Some do benefit from this. Look at good ol' Jed Clampett strikin' oil. I can't write on this b/c I have no comprehension of what it's like to have struck oil!

Some stay spoiled and belly ache all the louder on news programs. Notice how the hungry news reporter always seems to find the guy with the Hummer, Yukon, or the Cadillac Escalade filling up? Are those vehicles REALLY necessary or is it more of a status/pride issue?? -- Is America so far gone that we don't know how to scale down anymore?? To each his own - but if you can't afford your luxury b/c the cost of living has gone up, I really don't want to hear those complaints. If you can still make it just fine in a Chrysler or GMC or whatever I have no sympathy. The ones who get my listening ear are the ones who have their granddaddy's old Ford truck and only drive it to town on Sat. and church on Sun. Ok, that may be a little extreme, but I think my point's been made.

In all of this - do you see a solid solution? I don't! There's not enough consistency in any one area. If you personally choose one thing to do and tell others about it, they'll just look at you and think you're all screwy, or, like me, say: Good for them - I'm not doing that. That's not going to change the world!

Like every other time, now that I've vented, I'm exhausted. I already feel the fight, the gumption in me, leaving. I feel defeated, and really, I haven't even begun to fight. If nothing changes for a week or two, it will have become just another part of life. There will be no more chasing here or there to find cheaper gas, b/c it will all be more than I could get it this week. And actually, there's not that much "chasing" up here anyways b/c there are so few gas stations around.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My longer blog is due to the fact I am not at the library. I'm very thankful for the peace and serenity to put my thoughts here, and not having to worry about them being stuck in my head, driving me crazy all night. (no pun intended)

You know what the comedians say - You know gas is too expensive when you see race car drivers carpooling on the track.

OR

You drive past a gas station and for every fill up you purchase you'll receive a new car!!

Remember - no matter how tough life gets - don't ever lose your smile!