Teenage Driver's Ed

My teenage son has made me a better driver. (Well, I always said I was a good driver in a bad way. I think I have good driving skills but I drive too fast.) I now come to a complete stop at every stop sign. Which means I driver slower down residential streets, because who needs the whiplash?

I pay attention to the speed limit because how can I expect him to do the same when he's alone if I don't set a good example for him when I'm driving? But it's HARD....and it made me realize just how bad my driving had gotten. Did you know you're supposed to be able to see the tires of the vehicle in front of you when you stop? And you remember the two second follow rule on the freeway, right? Don't forget to turn left into the left lane...well, better give yourself a refresher here.

There are some real horses' ass drivers on the road these days and while I have a lot of confidence in my son, I don't have confidence in those OTHER drivers. And driver's ed, while better than nothing, doesn't even begin to prepare your kid for the real world.

But I love sending him to the store for milk!

Anywhere but Detroit

The braintrust at the Detroit Metro Visitors and Convention Bureau is at it again. Remember, this is the same group of wackjobs who hired a outstate company (can't remember who) to design its new logo and tagline. Then adding insult to injury, they hired a firm out of San Francisco to do research on the city and how it's perceived. Now they've hired an agency out of St. Louis to drum up film making business in the Big D (yeah, it will be run out of Fleishman Hillard's Los Angeles office...like there aren't any companies here who have a presence in LA).


This is the same group that is trying to promote a Detroit. Make it Here. mentality. Yeah, right. Not like there aren't dozens, if not hundreds, of qualified companies who could do the job. I can just hear the typical, LA-based sales pitch..."yeah, dark, run down warehouse...you don't even need to hire extras to play the homeless folk and the crack whores...they LIVE there, man! Totally serious...broken windows, grafitti, sure, got all that. You need what? Perp walk in city hall...we got b-roll for that already...no need to shoot!"

No one based in LA will be promoting the DIA, the river walk, Indian Village, Belle Isle...well, you get the picture.

Do we all have to be on a diet?

Let me say this first: as a former fatty (I lost 50 pounds going on 4 years ago) I totally understand the need to watch what you eat: portion size, fat content, fiber grams, etc. But now it seems like the fat police are everywhere...now that New York City is required to post calorie counts in all of its restaurants, it follows that the rest of the country will not be far behind.

How long before your waiter starts recommending healthier alternatives..."Really, Ma'am? The fries? Why not a side of steamed broccoli? Do you know how many fat grams are in that basil cream sauce?"

When I made the decision to lose weight, I knew I had to be the one with the willpower and the knowledge to make the right choices. Otherwise, it would never stay off. But now that I've been at this weight for a few years, I enjoy the dining out experience...it's one of the few times a month I don't study labels for fat, protein and fiber content. I sort of know what to avoid...I don't order alfredo sauce or fried meat or mountains of cheese. But conversely, I don't want to start a running total of calories...which is what we all will do when the menu slaps you across the face with it.

Will your receipt have two totals now? One for $$, the other for calories consumed?